MOORHEAD, Minn. (8/22/06)-- Horan breaks down the offensive line: “Our offensive line has the opportunity to be the strength of the team. We have a tremendous amount of talent, and I am very excited about the development of the players who will line up to protect our specialty people.”

The Cobbers will have three returning starters on the offensive line and a fourth who might as well have been slapped with the distinction of returning starter. The strength of the line will undoubtedly be the left side as returning all-conference performers Matt McCallum and Grant Weller will be called on to give confidence to the new starting quarterback as he drops back into passing situations. McCallum started all 12 games at left guard and earned MIAC All-Conference Second Team honors. Weller was the team’s starting left tackle the entire year and was named to the MIAC All-Conference Honorable Mention Team. Both players have a chance to be among the elite in the league.

“I am very excited about what these two bring to the table. They were standouts last season and both have the chance to be among the best to play their positions in recent history at Concordia,” exuded Horan.

Joining McCallum and Weller will be center Scott Halupczok, who filled in for all-conference lineman Davis Uselman for several games last season. Halupczok, no stranger to pressure situations, started both playoff games in 2005 and was instrumental in the Cobbers’ 447 yards of total offense in the team’s opening round playoff win over Coe. The fourth member of the Cobber “hogs” will be Kris Peterson. Peterson was not credited with a start last season but saw a tremendous amount of playing time and will fit in very nicely on the right side. Peterson’s superior size and ability helped him earn Concordia Offensive Lineman of the Week honors against St. Olaf when Concordia set a school record for most total offensive yards gained in a single game (613).

Making a bid to earn the title of fifth hog will be a quartet of returning players. Seniors David Trembath and Ryan Mason and juniors Zach Eidelbes and Zack Sundberg have shown the ability to play the game at a high level and all are very capable of helping Concordia once again grind out an explosive offensive attack.