VERMILLION, S.D.—There are several ways of measuring the progress of young offensive linemen. One of those ways is by creating an imaginary target labeled "full potential" and calling that the top of the mountain.
 
Another way, one that is much grittier and urgent, is via the game film from last week. Does this guy do the job? Is he helping us win games?
 
The one way is more forgiving and gradual. The other is simpler and more efficient.
 
The Coyotes have a pair of promising players in center Kian Rexroat-Potts and right tackle Isaac Erbes. Both are in their second year in the program, qualifying as redshirt freshmen after getting a taste of live action a year ago.
 
Both are on the large side, even by the standards set by college football. And both are considered wise beyond their football years.
 
That last part is fortunate because while both have a promising future in the program, the only future the Coyotes can afford to focus on this week is Saturday at Northern Iowa.
 
"A lot is expected of them right now," said offensive line coach Andy Prevost. "You can say we're young but there is no time to be young. We have to block Northern Iowa this week. We had to block Missouri State last week. It doesn't matter if our linemen are 12 years old or 32 years old, we need them to go out there and do their job."
 
Erbes is 6-5 and 330 pounds. Rexroat-Potts is 6-7 and 325. If they weren't quick learners when they got to USD, they are now.
 
"Definitely some days it can be overwhelming," said Erbes, a graduate of Urbandale High School (Iowa). "But a majority of the time I'm having fun. I just want to be the best I can be. It's all about getting better and making myself a better person."
 
Making progress becomes a constant companion both individually and as a unit.

 

"It's definitely been a lot of work, but the staff here, especially Coach Prevost, has really helped me," said Rexroat-Potts, who played high school football in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. "And older guys on the team like Michael Bianchi and Mason Scheidegger have really brought me along, especially at the center position where I have to make the calls for the team."

They're both doing quite well in their individual progress, but again, how well will be something that Northern Iowa has a say in on Saturday as the Coyotes go for their fourth consecutive win after starting the season 0-3. And, truth be told, they're two of the building blocks for an offensive line that looks like it can become an unquestioned strength of the team in the coming years.
 
Scheidegger is the veteran among the starters and he's a junior. Austin Wallace, who gets the start at left guard, is a sophomore, as is left tackle starter Alex Jensen.

 

"Isaac loves football and he wants to get better all the time," Prevost said. "You'll see him working after practice every day focused in. He's one of the first guys at practice every day and he does extra work during the summer. He's got good hands, feet and strength. It allows him to be physical on the line of scrimmage."
 
Rexroat-Potts, meanwhile, took over at center this year despite being a little taller than the typical standards for the position. It's something he's conscious of and works on constantly. While that length can help, too, it's not his primary attribute.
 
"Yes, Kian has long arms but he's one of the smartest football players that I've had the opportunity to coach," Prevost said. "He's the captain of our offensive line. He makes all our calls, he tells the other offensive linemen where they need to be. We put a lot of responsibility on him to be our leader. And he does a great job communicating that."
 
Paraphrasing a famous quote attributed to William "Refrigerator" Perry, both these guys were big when they were little.
 
Food, of course, can become a preoccupation for these kinds of guys. In the college setting, it's pretty standard stuff, but on the home front, it's likely something a family has to get used to over time.
 
"My mom is a teacher," Erbes said. "So during the summer she was always around to feed me. It was a pretty good gig for me."
 
Rexroat-Potts estimated he weighed 170 pounds in fifth grade.
 
"Yea, I was a big kid," he said. "When you're younger, being big can be a burden. But when you grow up, you learn to live with it and get used to it. For me, it's given me a ton of opportunities, so being big now is a blessing. I really enjoy it."
 
The chemistry along the offensive line becomes a huge part of the success or failure of a football team. Certainly, a program needs players who can fulfill the physical demands of the position, but beyond that, they have to develop a feel for what the other guys on the line of scrimmage are going to do. That instinct often needs time to develop.
 
Helping it along, especially when things are not going exactly the way they would want them to go, is if they've built strong relationships with each other.
 
It's a cliche for sure, but one that means something in the middle of a football game. Especially if you haven't been part of the starting lineup for too long, as is the case for guys like Erbes and Rexroat-Potts.
 
"You have to be a little different mentally to be in the offensive line," Erbes said. "You're always in the trenches, you're never in the spotlight. And you definitely have some of the harder jobs as offensive linemen...I think we've really come together this year and made everyone competitive. We challenge each other. We're more of a group this year."