Fullerton’s Offensive Line Needs to Rebuild This Season . . . or Else

Cal State Fullerton’s offensive linemen know they are the focus of a good portion of the Titans’ preseason concerns. As center Marc Hauser puts it, “The finger is pointed to us.”

Fullerton lost four five-year players from last season’s offensive line, which was considered the strength of that team.

Now, they must rebuild. Or else. An offensive line isn’t the sort of thing a team can take or leave as it chooses.

“We do have to make some strides,” said Matt Fitts, who was a starting tackle last season and is the unofficial leader this year. “We’re making them right now. Come Sept. 3, we’ll prove it to people.”

Sept. 3 is the date of the season opener against Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, La.

Fullerton apparently has players to replace those who left.

But experience and depth is the problem.

The line is so shallow, in fact, that Fullerton held some players out of the first scrimmage of preseason camp Wednesday partly to ensure that they don’t aggravate existing injuries.

“I’d rather hold those guys out now than not have them when we go to Louisiana,” said Don Morel, an assistant coach who works with the offensive line.

While Fullerton scrimmaged Wednesday, four linemen were on the sidelines: Mike Oliver, a returning starting tackle who underwent minor knee surgery last spring; Tom Holler, a second-string guard who is waiting to learn if he will require shoulder surgery that will put him out for the season; Tom Gang, the second-string center, who is awaiting a knee brace; and Hauser, who has been bothered by a sore shoulder.

Hauser has a theory about nagging injuries: “Stuff happens. No one knows when or why. But it’s better now than later. Maybe we’ll get that stuff out of the way.”

Despite the injuries, the offensive line is coming along better than might have been expected.

Only Fitts, Oliver and guard Dennis Ellis return with substantial game experience, but Hauser, a junior, and guard Kevin Bernell, a senior, have been around long enough to know the ropes.

It’s only game experience they lack, and the Titan coaches are hoping they learn fast.

It seems almost impossible that they could be fully ready before the opener.

“We’re hoping they’ll be ready by the end of the first quarter,” Morel said.

Beyond the starters, Fullerton will need good playing time from the backups, particularly Steve Rowe and transfers Jack Montes and Reggie Redding.

But the old hands think things will work out.

“I think we’re going to be pretty much ready,” Hauser said. “The past few years, we haven’t really been ready and we’ve lost the opener. This year I think we’ll be ready.’