by Daniel S. Archuleta
Daily Lobo
The bulldozers are back.
Three starters returned to the Lobo offensive line coming off a successful 2003 campaign.
Robert Turner, First Team All-Mountain West performer Ryan Cook and 2003 All-American Claude Terrell are set for another season.
"I think we're ready for the season," Turner said. "I think that we just have to finish final preparations and get ready for game night."
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The line prepared all summer for the upcoming campaign.
"We lifted weights, we ran and did one-on-one, pass-blocking drills against each other and also some offensive, line-specific drills" Terrell said.
Football games are won and lost at the line of scrimmage, a pressure Cook said he relishes.
"I think that it's cool," he said. "Personally, I like the pressure, because that means we have to get our job done for anything else to happen. We are the foundation of the offensive line, and if that cracks, then we're kind of out of it."
When a touchdown is scored, the offensive line doesn't get the glory, but the men in the middle simply don't care.
"It feels good," Terrell said. "We get to run to the endzone and celebrate with DonTrell or D.D. or Hank or whoever scores. That's all the glory we need, because we know if we do our job up front, the team will be successful.
Earlier in the week it was reported that the remaining two spots on the line will go to Terrance Pennington and Fred Tucker.
Terrell, who has the most experience on the team, said he has high expectations for the upcoming season.
"One of our goals this year is to have a knockdown on every play and a hundred percent film grade," he said.
And that's not all.
"A Mountain West Conference title and a Liberty Bowl win," he said. "Anything else is deemed as a failure."
Cook said he spent the summer working on his body and his mind.
"Basically, I just got in the weight room all summer and worked on my speed outside," he said. "Also, gaining a better overall knowledge of football."
Cook is a Cibola High School graduate.
"It's fun to play here, because you have all your family and friends here," he said. "It also shows that we do have athletes in New Mexico, and that we don't just recruit from out of state."
The Lobos kick the season off Friday against the Washington State Cougars. The game starts at 6 p.m. at University Stadium and will be televised on ESPN.
