Ben Knutson, a graduate transfer with two years of eligibility left, started only two games at Virginia, both in 2017, before heading to Tulane this summer. He began the season as a backup but moved into the starting lineup at right guard for the Auburn game and has not come out. He is imposing physically (6-7, 315) and is starting to play to his size.
Virginia went 2-9, 6-7 and 8-5 in his three years there and got off to fast starts the last two seasons before sliding. There is no indication Tulane will follow the same pattern.
Yesterday, I talked to him about his first year at Tulane. If I had realized the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was on him and Corey Dublin, I would have asked about it, but I didn't know that until later in the day.
How much fun has this year been?
"Oh, it's a blast. We're doing exactly what we wanted to do so far. We had the one hiccup (against Auburn), which is still on our minds, but we've been glad to see all the work we've put into together actually translate on to the field. Being a grad transfer and coming in and seeing the culture in here and seeing success is a lot of fun."
You've been in the starting lineup for the last four games, and the group really appears to be jelling. How do you feel you are playing as a group?
"Really good. There's a lot of chemistry. We worked out some kinks in the FIU game. We worked out a lot of kinks in the Auburn game. I think we've grown as an offensive line the last four games, and not just as line mates but also as friends and people together. That definitely helps with communication on the line. Being able to trust each other, that's a big part of it, and that trust is being developed and continuing to be developed, so it's only looking up from here."
You scored 42 on a good defense Saturday and there was some huge holes. Was that the best game you've had as a group?
"I think the biggest difference for us is we were able to pick up their blitzes a lot better. We knew it was coming and our ability to identify is definitely spot on. That's the preparation. Having the extra week definitely helped, but we're capable of that every week, too. It's definitely shown how important the film room is. We went out there and 90 percent of the time we knew what kind of blitz we were going to get, and they're a team that slants a lot, so it was good to be able to have confidence."
You got some playing time at Virginia but now you're playing every down. How different is it?
"I definitely love it. Our first few games I had to work up the conditioning a little more than I had to before, but I'm starting to really get in the swing of it and am really enjoying it. It actually feels good to be sore on Sunday, as weird as that sounds. I love it. I'm glad to be out there and put my body on the line for these guys."
Coming in this summer, how hard was it to adjust to a new team?
"It took some time. It helped that we did a lot of walk-throughs in the summer, but it was light years different than what we did at UVA. I'm just glad I had the summer. I didn't have to finish my degree at UVA over the summer because I might have needed even more time. It took me a while to get my footing with the offense and get the minutes I'm getting now."
The coaches were not sure where you would play on the line when you committed, and you spent some time at tackle in the preseason. Do you like playing guard?
"Guard just is a more natural fit. It was what I played at Virginia, so it was the easiest transition. We might look at me playing tackle next year when I have a spring to learn it and actually develop the position and not just the offense."
What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?
"For me, if I can develop and actually be a solid presence at tackle, that would be the quickest way to improve. To have that versatility is a huge asset for this team and for my career going forward. Right now I've had some success in the pass game at guard this year, which is something I struggled with at Virginia. A lot of that has to do with the schemes we're doing, but I've improved skill-wise, too. I fit better in the schemes here, too."
What held you back at Virginia?
"I definitely developed as a player. A lot of it for me is just understanding the game better. That's coaching and that's also experience. It's a lot easier for me if I understand the why, why we're doing it, what the reason is and just being able to identify defense. I know that was one thing at Virginia I was not very good at was understanding why the defense was doing something. I'd be surprised in my stance, oh they blitzed that play and you're not ready for it. Having that understanding now and being taught why the blitz is coming and being able to read the secondary to understand the blitz has helped me a lot. Our running backs also make us look good, too."
What's Cody Kennedy like as a coach?
"A blast. I've had a few different O-line coaches, but he's our friend when we want him to be and our biggest critic when we want him to be, too. He's intense on the field and the meeting room. He wants you to understand, and that's the biggest thing I like about him is he has that switch and he's really good about flipping that switch. Also he has a lot of knowledge about the offensive line, a lot of knowledge about the NFL offensive line and their schemes and what they're doing. I've heard stuff from here I'd never heard in my entire career."
What type of stuff?
"Technique, talking about how to attack down guys, how to get the most movement, so that definitely has helped me develop as a player."
How fun is it blocking for these talented running backs?
"It's a blast. We didn't really have a true speed back at Virginia, and that is really our bread and butter here. It's a little different. We have the power back when we need him, which is nice, but that's the biggest difference, having a running back that on any given play can be gone. You don't have to give him that much room, and he'll bring it."
Do you change how you're blocking depending on which running back is in there?
"To be honest, with how quick we're moving, I don't turn around to look and see who's lined up. I trust the coaches are putting us in the right schemes for who's in there. A lot of that has to do with the play call--what running back is in and what they tell us to do--but it's not a conscious decision on my part."
Coach Fritz just said Keyshawn McLeod had maybe his best game against Army. How much has he helped you?
"Knowing Keyshawn coming in, just the amount of growth he's had since the summer into the season has been tremendous. I hear from coaches that's been even more since spring. He's a heck of a player, but a lot of it for him clicking was just mentally. He always had the talent and it's finally starting to click for him, and that's fun to see and fun to watch. Even the last few weeks, he's seeing the field better and our communication has gotten better."
The offensive line has struggled for about 10 years running here. You had nothing to do with it, but are guys talking about how much better the line looks now?
"We're not satisfied, but we're definitely happy with where we are progressing toward. I wasn't here before, but I can say at UVA the offensive line has been a struggle my entire career there, too, and I'm watching us play on film and then watching their games on TV and it's fun to watch how much we're developing. I watched a little of Tulane's film last year, so I can see the difference there as well. It's funny to see how the two different paths are going, but I'm excited to see where we can go. I'm really happy with our progression. We're not there yet, but things are looking really promising and I'm excited."
How nice is it to be 4-1 with everything in front of you?
"We made a bowl game my last two years at UVA and were bowl eligible pretty early. I was talking with an equipment guy the other day and he was talking about how it was a weird thought that we were bowl eligible because we'd always go into the last game. It's a weird thought for me. I'm confident we can be there soon and move on to our next goal."
Virginia went 2-9, 6-7 and 8-5 in his three years there and got off to fast starts the last two seasons before sliding. There is no indication Tulane will follow the same pattern.
Yesterday, I talked to him about his first year at Tulane. If I had realized the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was on him and Corey Dublin, I would have asked about it, but I didn't know that until later in the day.
How much fun has this year been?
"Oh, it's a blast. We're doing exactly what we wanted to do so far. We had the one hiccup (against Auburn), which is still on our minds, but we've been glad to see all the work we've put into together actually translate on to the field. Being a grad transfer and coming in and seeing the culture in here and seeing success is a lot of fun."
You've been in the starting lineup for the last four games, and the group really appears to be jelling. How do you feel you are playing as a group?
"Really good. There's a lot of chemistry. We worked out some kinks in the FIU game. We worked out a lot of kinks in the Auburn game. I think we've grown as an offensive line the last four games, and not just as line mates but also as friends and people together. That definitely helps with communication on the line. Being able to trust each other, that's a big part of it, and that trust is being developed and continuing to be developed, so it's only looking up from here."
You scored 42 on a good defense Saturday and there was some huge holes. Was that the best game you've had as a group?
"I think the biggest difference for us is we were able to pick up their blitzes a lot better. We knew it was coming and our ability to identify is definitely spot on. That's the preparation. Having the extra week definitely helped, but we're capable of that every week, too. It's definitely shown how important the film room is. We went out there and 90 percent of the time we knew what kind of blitz we were going to get, and they're a team that slants a lot, so it was good to be able to have confidence."
You got some playing time at Virginia but now you're playing every down. How different is it?
"I definitely love it. Our first few games I had to work up the conditioning a little more than I had to before, but I'm starting to really get in the swing of it and am really enjoying it. It actually feels good to be sore on Sunday, as weird as that sounds. I love it. I'm glad to be out there and put my body on the line for these guys."
Coming in this summer, how hard was it to adjust to a new team?
"It took some time. It helped that we did a lot of walk-throughs in the summer, but it was light years different than what we did at UVA. I'm just glad I had the summer. I didn't have to finish my degree at UVA over the summer because I might have needed even more time. It took me a while to get my footing with the offense and get the minutes I'm getting now."
The coaches were not sure where you would play on the line when you committed, and you spent some time at tackle in the preseason. Do you like playing guard?
"Guard just is a more natural fit. It was what I played at Virginia, so it was the easiest transition. We might look at me playing tackle next year when I have a spring to learn it and actually develop the position and not just the offense."
What are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?
"For me, if I can develop and actually be a solid presence at tackle, that would be the quickest way to improve. To have that versatility is a huge asset for this team and for my career going forward. Right now I've had some success in the pass game at guard this year, which is something I struggled with at Virginia. A lot of that has to do with the schemes we're doing, but I've improved skill-wise, too. I fit better in the schemes here, too."
What held you back at Virginia?
"I definitely developed as a player. A lot of it for me is just understanding the game better. That's coaching and that's also experience. It's a lot easier for me if I understand the why, why we're doing it, what the reason is and just being able to identify defense. I know that was one thing at Virginia I was not very good at was understanding why the defense was doing something. I'd be surprised in my stance, oh they blitzed that play and you're not ready for it. Having that understanding now and being taught why the blitz is coming and being able to read the secondary to understand the blitz has helped me a lot. Our running backs also make us look good, too."
What's Cody Kennedy like as a coach?
"A blast. I've had a few different O-line coaches, but he's our friend when we want him to be and our biggest critic when we want him to be, too. He's intense on the field and the meeting room. He wants you to understand, and that's the biggest thing I like about him is he has that switch and he's really good about flipping that switch. Also he has a lot of knowledge about the offensive line, a lot of knowledge about the NFL offensive line and their schemes and what they're doing. I've heard stuff from here I'd never heard in my entire career."
What type of stuff?
"Technique, talking about how to attack down guys, how to get the most movement, so that definitely has helped me develop as a player."
How fun is it blocking for these talented running backs?
"It's a blast. We didn't really have a true speed back at Virginia, and that is really our bread and butter here. It's a little different. We have the power back when we need him, which is nice, but that's the biggest difference, having a running back that on any given play can be gone. You don't have to give him that much room, and he'll bring it."
Do you change how you're blocking depending on which running back is in there?
"To be honest, with how quick we're moving, I don't turn around to look and see who's lined up. I trust the coaches are putting us in the right schemes for who's in there. A lot of that has to do with the play call--what running back is in and what they tell us to do--but it's not a conscious decision on my part."
Coach Fritz just said Keyshawn McLeod had maybe his best game against Army. How much has he helped you?
"Knowing Keyshawn coming in, just the amount of growth he's had since the summer into the season has been tremendous. I hear from coaches that's been even more since spring. He's a heck of a player, but a lot of it for him clicking was just mentally. He always had the talent and it's finally starting to click for him, and that's fun to see and fun to watch. Even the last few weeks, he's seeing the field better and our communication has gotten better."
The offensive line has struggled for about 10 years running here. You had nothing to do with it, but are guys talking about how much better the line looks now?
"We're not satisfied, but we're definitely happy with where we are progressing toward. I wasn't here before, but I can say at UVA the offensive line has been a struggle my entire career there, too, and I'm watching us play on film and then watching their games on TV and it's fun to watch how much we're developing. I watched a little of Tulane's film last year, so I can see the difference there as well. It's funny to see how the two different paths are going, but I'm excited to see where we can go. I'm really happy with our progression. We're not there yet, but things are looking really promising and I'm excited."
How nice is it to be 4-1 with everything in front of you?
"We made a bowl game my last two years at UVA and were bowl eligible pretty early. I was talking with an equipment guy the other day and he was talking about how it was a weird thought that we were bowl eligible because we'd always go into the last game. It's a weird thought for me. I'm confident we can be there soon and move on to our next goal."