Quinney Stepping Up as a Leader on the Offensive Line
It was not surprising that the offensive line struggled last season, mostly due to the very tough Geoff Collins’ 'Year 1' transition into a brand new offense. Injuries also plagued the depth chart and inexperience showed. Though the narrative of their story was that the offensive line was undersized, this only encouraged the players to perform better and become better, and that’s what they’ve done. Redshirt junior offensive tackle Zach Quinney is one of the players who have really stepped up into a leadership role and a key piece of the offensive line. Coach Brent Key talked about just how far the O-Line has come from a year ago and is ready to take on Year 2.
“At tackle, we got several guys who can play that position, Zach is coming back, Jordan Williams who is a freshman who has done an unbelievable job up to this point… we got numbers there,” he said.
Quinney is no stranger to the offensive line, he’s played in 25 contests and started 24 of them at the left tackle position where he will more than likely play again this fall. As a starter and leader, Quinney had a lot to say of the incoming freshman and their impacts thus far in their early careers as a Yellow Jacket.
“They’re doing a great job… Charlie, as always, ready to learn and doing great at practice… with the freshman, what has impressed me the most, is their willingness to learn… they’ll text me and ask questions like ‘what do I need to do on this or that?’... that willingness to learn is going to help them out a lot,” he said.
Although Quinney has mainly played left tackle (and more than likely will continue that role) up to this point, there were times Coach Key has put him at right tackle, particularly in the Spring. Quinney has seemingly transitioned through that rotation well and feels comfortable playing either position.
“I feel really comfortable… Coach Key, as everybody knows by now, he really likes to cross-train guys… in the spring it was more of an emphasis on right, now it's more of an emphasis on left, but it’s still going both ways and I feel really comfortable,” Quinney said.
Quinney weighs in at around 315lbs and stands about 6’6. A massive body to move if you’re an opposing defensive lineman. This type of size has been an emphasis in the Collins’ era and Quinney is no exception. As a junior this season, he will be a leader in this very well connected group that Key has built. Quinney is setting a strong foundation for the younger guys to follow into and that is very important for the program moving forward.
The more experienced players such as Quinney are building a relationship with the younger guys and helping them learn. With offensive lineman back and healthy, this unit looks ready to play. After a tough 2019 season from an offensive line standpoint, this offensive line unit looks more hungry than ever to get back onto the field and prove themselves. Most of the older guys have put on good weight in the spring and summer despite the harsh conditions of COVID-19. It may be early to predict, but do not be surprised if this offensive line looks and plays totally different from a year ago.