MANKATO — When you think of five human beings moving in unison, you think of dancers or cheerleaders.
Minnesota State football has five human beings that move in unison. But they don’t really dance, nor do they fit the stereotypical look a dancer may possess.
This quintet of colossal young men has a name. It’s called the offensive line, and it’s deep with experienced big bodies for MSU in 2026.
The unit is on a mission to help the run game produce at least 200 yards per game this season.
“You have to make things tough,” offensive line coach Chad Henning said. “Whether it starts with individual drills or team drills throughout the day, it’s about making things difficult. Putting those guys in tough situations now so that it’s a little bit easier when they get into the game situation.”
The unit features nine players that saw meaningful game snaps for the Mavericks last season. It’s a unit that produced, on average, 207.7 rushing yards per game last season and scored a total of 38 touchdowns.
The experience this group possesses may be the most of any offensive group on the roster. Senior Zach Brady, sophomore Jordan Greuel and Braxton Riha appeared in all 14 games last season. Sophomore Connor Kluck and Magnus Wright played in 13 games. Junior Keats Dyslin played in 12 games. Senior Josh Witt played in 11 games while junior Henry Warsaw and sophomore Logan Beaty each appeared in nine games last season.
Only one starter was lost to graduation.
“It makes my job really easy having those guys,” Henning said of the returners. “It’s been really ideal for me to set the standard. Those older guys were young guys at one point, and they learned from those old guys that showed them the way. That’s really cool in our room. The traditions and things that we have to be elite is having to do things a certain way. That expectation doesn’t change with graduation.”
The expectation to be elite doesn’t sit solely with the big fellas up front. The standard of excellence resonates in every position group.
The offensive line is no exception, especially when the Mavericks are the preseason pick to win the NSIC. But that pressure isn’t consuming them, not in the slightest.
“We’re just trying to be as good as we can, go 1-0 on every rep,” Dyslin said. “(Rushing for) 200 yards for us isn’t too big of a challenge. I think with our great backs, our great offensive line it’s really not too bad. But I mean, it’s just great running the ball. It’s just exciting.”