Oct. 20, 2010

RUSTON, La. -

If you ask almost any football fan what the most important position on a college football team is, the most likely answer is the quarterback.

But what makes a good quarterback? Certainly speed, accuracy, arm strength and intelligence are the ingredients to a successful signal caller, but all of those tools are worthless if he doesn't have time to throw.

That is why senior left tackle Rob McGill and the Louisiana Tech offensive line are just as important.

McGill, a two-time all-Western Athletic Conference performer, has started 37 consecutive games on the offensive line. He has a chance with another solid season to become the first Bulldog offensive lineman since Wayne Davis (1963-65) to earn all-conference honors three straight years.

The native of Metarie is as solid as they come at the position, especially for a guy who was recruited as a tight end out of Ouachita Christian High School.

"At first it was tough because I was used to getting the ball," said McGill, who played at Grace King High School in south Louisiana before transferring to OCS prior to his senior season due to Hurricane Katrina. "But I love playing there now. I think the offensive line is the tightest group on this team."

According to offensive line coach Pete Perot, the switch from offensive line to tight end was a no-brainer.

"We recruited him as a tight end, but we've had a lot of tight ends that have become guards or tackles. We like to recruit that way," Perot said. "It took him about three days to decide to be an offensive lineman. He saw that the other tight ends were faster than him, ran routes better than him and were quicker." As a first-team all-state performer in high school, McGill weighed 235-pounds. By the time he got to Louisiana Tech in 2006, he was 285-pounds which made for an easy transition.

Now at 310-pounds as a fifth-year senior, having redshirted his freshman season, McGill's job is simple - to protect his quarterback.

"If I had to pick one lineman to have the most confidence in, it'd be my left tackle," said senior quarterback Ross Jenkins, who has played with McGill for the last five seasons. "I definitely have no doubts when he's in the game that he's going to protect my blind side. I have 100-percent confidence in him."

Jenkins is appreciative of the offensive line's efforts to keep him on his feet.

"Rob's been a real solid player for us," Jenkins said. "He's got a lot of experience. With being a former tight end, having that athleticism at left tackle has been to his advantage. On top of that, Rob is a great guy. He's been a good friend over the last four years. He's really been a blessing to have on that left side."

Every year, stories fly around the NFL about quarterbacks treating their offensive linemen to all-you-can-eat steak dinners. Jenkins and the Louisiana Tech offensive line do the same thing, only college-style.

"I've had those guys over to my house and I've cooked burgers for them each of the last two seasons," Jenkins said. "If they continue to do a good job, we'll see what's in store for them."

Perot has seen his share of offensive linemen come through Louisiana Tech during his three decades with the Bulldogs. While one might make a comparison to Tech hall of famer and 11-time Pro Bowl selection Willie Roaf, Perot compares McGill to another former Tech great, nine-year NFL lineman Grant Williams. "Grant was a really good player for us, and Rob kind of reminds me of him with his mentality and the way he plays the game," Perot said. "He gets in good position most of the time to make his blocks. He's smart, and he understands the game."

The position of left tackle gained some notoriety to the non-football fan over the past year with the movie "The Blind Side." The importance of the position is shown in the movie's first scene as New York Giants' linebacker Lawrence Taylor is shown sacking Washington Redskins' quarterback Joe Theisman. On the play, Theisman suffered a compound fracture in his leg, ending his career.

"I think it made people notice the position more," McGill said of the movie. "I think people who understood the game already kind of knew how important left tackle was. That's the second-highest paid position in the NFL behind the quarterback because people know how important it is to protect them."

According to Perot, McGill has a shot to be one of those protecting an NFL quarterback in the future, but he'll have to work at it.

"He has to continue to be better and continue to be physical," Perot said. "I tell him that everyday. He knows the things that he has to do. I've had people that have played in the NFL that have told him too. Now the ball is in his court."