UNM football possesses one of the biggest and most talented offensive lines in the nation.
The starting five offensive linemen, tabbed "The Hitmen," by teammates are all returning lettermen from a unit that lead UNM to a spot in last year's Las Vegas Bowl.
The group boasts a pair of second-team All-Mountain West Conference returnees in tackle Jason Lenzmeier and guard Claude Terrell. Anchored by these two linemen, the hitmen average a mammoth 6-feet-4 inches and 320 lbs.
Lenzmeier and Terrell will work together on the strong side, while sophomore center Ryan Cook, senior guard Calvin McDonald and senior tackle Justin Colburn round out the enormous unit.
McDonald, who recently suffered a minor knee injury, will be sidelined two to three weeks. Freshman Robert Turner will take his place in the season opener.
Not only is the line big, it possesses the footwork, strength and experience to lead this team to the coveted Mountain West Conference Championship.
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"After last year's run we have one goal and one goal only for this season," said Lenzmeier. "That's to win the Mountain West Conference Championship."
Last season, the hitmen cleared the path for the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, tailback DonTrell Moore.
"This season, we are out to make sure DonTrell gets 1,000 yards," said Lenzmeier. "Heck, maybe even 2,000 yards. It all depends on how well we do our job."
According to The Sporting News, Lenzmeier is the 18th best offensive lineman in the country.
In the off-season, he and other linemen monitored their diets and worked hard to shed excess baggage.
"We were out here everyday," Lenzmeier said. "We had no summer vacation."
This could be why the 2003 Lobos have been ranked the 10th best offensive line in the country by Athlon Sports.
"We work so well together," said Lenzmeier. "This is our second year together and we just possess so much more experience."
The talent on the line goes deeper than the front five. Reserves Nate Hembree, Terrance Pennington, Marty Moss and Turner all have the talent to come off the bench if called upon.
Along with depth and experience, consistency will be the name of the game for the hitmen. Four Lobos, Lenzmeier, Terrell, Colburn and McDonald, started every game last year for the Lobos. They hope to pick up where they left off, racking up the knockdowns and leading the way for the backfield.
In the final eight games of last season, the lines' effort led UNM to average 202.9 yards per game on the ground, including a season high 292 rushing yards against Wyoming.
For the offensive line, the sky is the limit. They have proven their credibility and put in the countless hours of off-season workouts. This Saturday, Lobo fans will find out if they can live up to their giant-size reputation.
Lenzmeier was asked about the amount of pressure now on him and the hitmen.
"No pressure," he said. "It's all good that we're finally getting the notoriety. We just have to prove everyone right."
