Applebaum Set to Lead O-Line U

The offensive line is one of the most beautiful parts of a football team because it combines the best of two worlds. The position's objective is simple, and it doesn't change at any level of the game. Stop defenses from getting to the quarterback, it says, or open the hole for the running game. It's a basic answer to an easy question, all with the expanded reason of helping a unit succeed.

How it gets to that point, though, is incredibly complex. Blocking schemes require constant development and communication, and every player processes hundreds or thousands of possibilities in a millisecond. Instinct is blended with intelligence to compose a thoughtful symphony built by blunt, harsh, rugged instruments.

It's one of the staple traditions at Boston College, where decades of excellent offensive line play contributed to the football team's earned nickname of "O-Line U." It's also where Matt Applebaum, a young-but-tenured expert in the position with experience at every level of the game, is now expecting the years of work to continue.

"You're definitely not starting from scratch (at BC)," he said. "The kids have been awesome in terms of taking me in and working with me to build solutions. Ben (Petrula) has had a few offensive line coaches, and he's an experienced football player. You can work with a guy like that to build a unit that'll play this season. The idea that it starts up front, with experience and productive, quality experience, makes everyone excited."

Applebaum is a complete asset because he's watched offensive line play evolve at every level of the game. He graduated from Connecticut in 2007 and moved through both the FCS, FBS and NFL tiers as a coach. He spent three years as an offensive assistant coach with the Washington Redskins before returning to college as a graduate assistant with Miami. In 2013, he moved to Bucknell as an offensive line coach before returning to the NFL in 2014 as an offensive assistant with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"I learned every year," Applebaum said. "I had a goal to grow every year. When I was in Washington, I worked with Joe Bugel, and I was probably 25 years old. He told me that he learned just as much between the ages of 68 and 69 as he did when he was my age. So I went out and kept studying people I respected, studying people doing great things. I studied schemes in terms of big picture offense or just in terms of technique."

It helped Applebaum diversify as a coach, an aid he utilized in 2015 when he returned to college with Southeastern Louisiana. The Lions ran the option, which requires very fluid offensive line movement. The blocking scheme ranges non-identically different from any other mindset, but he sponged it in order to apply some of its concepts.

It helped him develop further the next year when he moved over to Davidson, and the mentality boosted him into an offensive coordinator's role for the Wildcats in 2017. In 2018 and 2019, he moved back to strictly coaching the linemen for Towson and went to the FCS Playoffs in his first year after the Tigers beat Villanova, Stony Brook and Elon. Last year, the team missed despite a 7-5 record and a win over a nationally-ranked Maine team.

"I don't think there's anything necessarily different about offensive in the FBS versus group of five or FCS," Applebaum said. "I've worked at all different levels, and what it takes to be a good offensive lineman is the same as it pertains to Washington, Boston College or Davidson. The higher the level maybe has more expectations in terms of details, but the NFL also gives you more time with the guys. But I'm going to coach guys a similar way that I coached in the pros or even last year at Towson."

Applebaum's approach will serve him well with the returning talent along BC's line. Petrula is the centerpiece, but a number of players are back with a turnstile of experience. Alec Lindstrom is a redshirt junior, and Tyler Vrabel splashed onto the national scene as a redshirt freshman. Zion Johnson will play out his final year under a coach who recruited him to his initial stop at Davidson.

"A lot of things stand out about Zion," Applebaum said. "He's just a quality guy. I go back to his recruitment from the beginning. At the time, Zion was probably 235 pounds, but his arm length was incredible and his hands were huge. He got into his lineman stance and ripped off a five flat. So the twitchiness and athletic ability jumped off right about the bat.

"By the time he was a freshman, he was already up to 265 or 270 pounds," he continued. "We didn't start him the first couple of games, but he was one of the most talented lineman. I knew, when he came (to BC), he was going to be successful. I knew (there would be skeptics) about transferring from Davidson, but it doesn't surprise me at all that he's had a good run."

Applebaum knows the position goes well beyond the experience factor. Finn Dirstine is formerly the best recruit in Massachusetts, and newcomers Kevin Pyne and Ozzy Trapilo are both four-star players from the Commonwealth. Jack Conley is a three-star lineman who redshirted last year, and BC annually is capable of creating a revolving door to replenish NFL-ready talent with future professional stars.

"My philosophy is to find the five best linemen to start and configure them to find their skillset," he said. "I'd love to have 12 guys who can play, but if you can develop it to eight guys, the drop-off is insignificant. That gives us the six best instead of a guy who can only play guard or tackle. I'd like to build flexibility in the starters because we can keep building guys' abilities from there. I don't think you mess too much with established starters, but it's a huge plus. It will give us flexibility and makes guys more prepared for potentially (getting to) the next level.

Boston College Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Jack Conley

Finn Dirstine

Zion Johnson

Alec Lindstrom

Kevin Pyne

Tyler Vrabel

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