An offense is only as good as its offensive line, and the ISU football team is looking to its line to help return it to an offensive powerhouse.

Injuries and inexperience hurt the Cyclones up front last season, but with a new coach and some position shuffling, the linemen seem ready to redeem themselves.

“We built a real good tradition here with our offense, and last year we ended up the worst offense in the Big 12,” ISU head coach Dan McCarney said. “It was very disappointing, frustrating, sickening, all the adjectives you want to use. We were a well-respected offense around here for years and years.

“The first thing you have to do [to be successful] is to run the football like we did for years here. No matter who you have at running back or wide receiver or quarterback, they’re only as good running the football as those guys up front — that’s where it starts.”

This season’s line knows its importance to the team.

“As an o-lineman, you always think that the offense starts up front,” sophomore Seth Zehr said. “We control the ball game, and it’s up to us. That line of scrimmage is important, and as long as we control that, we can win.”

The line is a mix of young and old, with two seniors, a junior and two sophomores slated atop the spring depth chart.

Even though all five played last year, McCarney and new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Barney Cotton have switched many positions on the line.

“We’re just trying to find the best five, that’s the most important thing,” McCarney said.

Senior Luke Vander Sanden has been moved to center, and Zehr, who played center last season after Vander Sanden went down with an injury, has been moved to right guard. Cale Stubbe has moved from right to left tackle, and Aaron Brant switched from guard to tackle.

With the moves having been in place for a while, the linemen are starting to get used to their new positions.

“The last couple days of practice have gone really well,” Stubbe said. “People are starting to adjust [and] get used to their position. We’re starting to get the hang of the offense and things are starting to come together.”

The offensive line also returns with a wealth of experience, with all having seen action last season. Injuries forced redshirt freshman Zehr and true freshman Brant to start last year.

It’s not often that two freshmen start on the offensive line, but McCarney said he is happy for the experience they gained.

“Both of them were thrown out there last year before a lot of offensive linemen ever have to, especially [Brant] as a true freshman, which you rarely see,” McCarney said.

Both Brant and Zehr have the potential for greatness, McCarney said.

“It’s tough to go out there and play as a young offensive lineman, but both of them are mature, they’re smart guys and they’re coachable,” McCarney said.

“Before they’re done here, they’ll be two of the better offensive linemen who have ever played for me, and hopefully two of the better ones who have ever played for Iowa State. I think they have that kind of potential.”