Editor’s note: Throughout Spring Football, GoJacks.com will take an in-depth look at various position groups. The ninth installment of the Spring Report focuses on the Jackrabbit offensive line.
A unit that showed improvement throughout the 2016 season, the South Dakota State offensive line returns four starters who started all 13 games last year.
Leading the unit is Jacob Ohnesorge, who has started all 39 Jackrabbit games at center over the last three seasons. A first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection and third-team All-America honoree by HERO Sports, Ohnesorge was recently selected as a team captain for the third consecutive season.
Fellow senior Charlie Harmon has started at tackle each of the past two seasons. An honorable mention all-MVFC selection in 2016, Harmon has solidified the left tackle position for a Jackrabbit offense that averaged 33.2 points and 437.5 yards of total offense per game.
Both starting guards from a season ago, juniors Tiano Pupungatoa and Matt Clark, also return.
Sophomore Wes Genant is expected to move into the starting role at right tackle, replacing departed senior Nick Carr. Genant had his redshirt pulled early in the 2016 campaign and ended up playing in a reserve role in the team's final 11 games.
Juniors Tyler Weir at guard and Joe Carbis at tackle bring further experience to the Jackrabbit lineup, along with sophomore Evan Greeneway at tackle. Senior Caleb Lang has been moved from defensive tackle to offensive guard this spring to provide more depth.
Rounding out the group of offensive linemen in spring ball are redshirt freshmen Mike Dobrenski and Jack Domandle, who are vying to fill the role of backup center behind Ohnesorge.
Next installment: Defensive Ends (April 12)
