Palmetto offensive line could go from weakness to strength

The flaw in Palmetto’s offense was evident to Dave Marino even before the Tigers unraveled down the stretch last season.

Palmetto had plenty of quality wide receivers, a future Division I quarterback and a running back rapidly on the rise. At those three spots, the Tigers could stack up with Class 7A-District 11 rivals Braden River and Venice.

It was in the middle of the field where the differences were obvious. The lines for the Pirates and Indians dwarfed Palmetto’s. The Tigers were either undersized or inexperienced last season, and it kept the Tigers out of the postseason for the first time during Marino’s tenure.

“(This is) the first year where we’re finally big enough to be a 7A offensive line for the program,” the head coach said. “That’s the bottom line. We’ve grown now into a 7A program and it starts up front. No more converted fullbacks playing guard.”

At least offensively, the line was Palmetto’ weakness. This year, Palmetto is pointing to it as the deepest spot on the field and perhaps its most talented. Two starters have already earned D-I offers. A third has a handful of offers for his play as a defensive tackle.

No spot on the field has more experience than the Tigers’ offensive line with three returning starters and a fourth who started on defense in 2015.

“This team was young and the young boys we had last year, they grew up this summer,” senior Rodshon Williams said. “They’ve got a lot of fire behind them.”

At 6 feet, 2 inches and 305 pounds, Williams was a starting defensive tackle for Palmetto in 2015 as a junior. He has picked up offers from Eastern Kentucky, Massachusetts and Liberty. This year, he’ll start both ways for Palmetto and has filled the Tigers’ one obvious gap up front. The entire right side of the line returns from last year, and Palmetto had a left tackle ready to move into the starting lineup. Left guard was the only opening and Williams has been an extension of the experienced right side.

Christian Kalish, a versatile offensive lineman who starts at right tackle, is the anchor of the unit and the only other senior. To his left is guard Corey Brady, a junior with a Davidson offer, and junior center Eriq Porter. Junior Jesse West rounds out the group.

Kalish, Brady and Porter formed the strong side of Palmetto’s line last year, so those three are already familiar with playing together. Kalish has also known Williams since middle school and played varsity with him last year. The familiarity, Kalish said, has made integrating Williams easier.

“The bond that we had before has never been like the bond that we have,” said Kalish, who has offers from Air Force, Army, Cornell and Bethune-Cookman.

From a strictly physical standpoint, the difference is obvious, too. At 6-4, Kalish was an anomaly last year for the Tigers. Now, another 6-4 tackle bookends the unit with the first 300-pound starter since 2013 also joining the group.

Finally, Palmetto looks the part.

“As a whole, our offensive line across the board is going to be really good this year,” Kalish said, “and we’re going to be able to stay in fights longer, compete with bigger people.”

This story was originally published August 13, 2016 at 11:44 PM with the headline "Palmetto offensive line could go from weakness to strength."