GHS offensive linemen. Top row, left to right, T Cameron Smith, and T Dustin Keenan. Second row, G Tyrone Dover and G Kevin Brockman. Bottom, C Brett Irvin. hen you think of the Gaffney Indians’ offensive line, think the Five Musketeers All for one and one for all.

“This year the five of us have become like brothers,” said Brett Irvin, the top center in the state.

“We pick, we mess, but we know that we have each other’s backs.”

They also know they’ll be anonymous. While fans shower applause on the running back after a long touchdown run, the offensive linemen stand yards away from the end zone celebration.

“I wish we’d get more press because we do a lot of the hard work,” Irvin said.

Right tackle Cameron Smith added: “I wish we could get more. But that’s never going to happen. When you watch Monday Night Football, you don’t hear the offensive line being talked about.”

But don’t forget that wide receiver Cameron Tate wouldn’t sniff the ball, quarterback Malcolm Long would be scrambling for his life and running back Quinton Hemphill would be dodging ball-hungry linebackers behind the line of scrimmage without an offensive line that has found itself.

A question mark in the preseason tackles Smith and Dustin Keenan, guards Kevin Brockman and Tyrone Dover and Irvin have meshed into one of the top lines in the

W state.

“Everybody thought we’d be the weakest link, but we are on our way to Columbia,” Dover said.

Job well done, offensive line, take a bow.

On second thought, that’s not a lineman’s style. They do the grunt work, especially lately as the running game has carried the Indians all the way to Saturday’s state championship game.

The line has helped the Indians roll up 2,416 yards on the ground an average of nearly 175 yards a game. That figure has risen steadily throughout the season. Also, tailback Quinton Hemphill is averaging a whopping 6.9 yards a carry.

Making sure Long stays vertical and opening holes for Hemphill are the line’s main directives. Keenan admits the unit was falling short in those two areas early on.

“It took awhile for us. We started to understand the zone blocking concept after the Byrnes game,” Keenan said.

Offensive line coach Donnie Littlejohn said the unit’s improvement can be traced to one thing hard work.

“They are the hardest workers on the team,” Littlejohn said. “And on the football field, they are probably the least recognizable. They are very unselfish and I’m extremely proud of them.”

Brockman, just a sophomore, jumped right into the starting lineup after a season-ending injury to Robbie Peterson. Brockman is the youngest and largest member of the line at 300 lbs.

“They treat me like their little brother,” Brockman said.

Brockman played on the defensive line on the ninth-grade team last year. In the preseason, offensive coordinator Greg Lawson asked him to consider a switch to offense.

“He said they needed more depth there. I said I’ll do what is best for the team,” Brockman said.

The adjustment to a new position was difficult.

“There are so many different blocks to learn,” he said. “It took a little time but things started to click around the Spartanburg game.”

Dover (6-0, 275 lbs.) also made a position switch this season, moving from tackle to guard.

The position switch also followed a disappointing junior season by Dover.

“I wasn’t playing up to my potential,” Dover said. “I got benched (after the Lancaster game) because I wasn’t blocking to the whistle.”

Keenan was inserted into the starting lineup late last season. That was 55 pounds ago. Keenan now tips the scales at 240 lbs. after playing at just 185 a year ago.

The extra weight has improved his confidence and playing ability.

“It has helped me a lot,” he said. “I feel stronger when I come off the ball. I can knock people back now.”

Smith also tried to make himself better this offseason by adding 20 pounds to his 6-foot-1, 230-pound frame and gaining some much needed strength.

Irvin is the most heralded of the bunch. He was selected to the Shrine Bowl, leads the unit in pancake blocks and has graded out the highest of the linemen.

But Irvin is uncomfortable receiving all the bouquets.

“I like the attention but I don’t want to leave the other linemen out,” he said. “I just wish we all could get the attention.”

Maybe there is a way the offensive line will finally get the attention it deserves win the Big 16 state championship.

“We know that we are going to have to play well to put points on the board,” Dover said.

“If we come out and do the best we can, I think we’ll win,” Smith said.