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Alabama’s Linemen are (Literally) the Size of a Truck

By Casey Sperrazza

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How big is Alabama’s offensive line? About the size of a cow. Add in the defensive linemen, and you’ve got an entire truck.

Linemen are big, and it seems like every season they get bigger. In the mid-70s, Les Miles was a reasonably sized offensive lineman. Can you imagine now? Coach Miles should probably stick to eating grass.

This is a scrawny offensive lineman.

Alabama and Wisconsin are both known as run-first teams, and they’re very dependent on the size and strength of their offensive lines. Former Wisconsin tackle Rob Havenstein and former Alabama all-purpose lineman Barrett Jones play together for the St. Louis Rams. At 6’4″, 308lbs, Jones is the smaller of the two – Havenstein is 6’7″ and 321lbs.

It’s hard to imagine Barrett Jones looking small.

This season, both Alabama and Wisconsin are working in some new starters on the offensive lines, but neither team had to compromise on size. Wisconsin’s five offensive line starters weigh in at a combined 1,576lbs. Their average offensive lineman weighs 315 pounds. Alabama’s are a little lighter, coming in at a total of 1,556lbs or an average of 311 pounds.

Just for comparison, a full-grown dairy cow usually weighs about 1,500lbs. So does the heart of a blue whale. Seems like a fun situation for a running back, right?

Defensive linemen are a little smaller than offensive linemen, but they’re still large men. JJ Watt, gem of the Houston Texans and nightmare fuel for quarterbacks, is a 6’5″, 288lbs product of the Wisconsin Badgers.

I’m glad none of our guys have to line up against him tonight.

Wisconsin’s 2015 defensive line weighs in at 817lbs. Alabama’s, anchored by all 312 pounds of nose guard A’Shawn Robinson, is a little heavier at 897lbs.

This gets even more fun when we look at each team’s linemen all together. Wisconsin brings 2,393 pounds to the line of scrimmage. That’s eight guys weighing, on average, 299lbs. The 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee also weighs 2,393 pounds.

Alabama’s eight linemen weigh a total of 2,453 pounds. That’s about half the weight of an adult rhinocerous. It’s the weight of the 2015 Dodge Ram 1500 truck. Each guy, on average, weighs 306lbs.

When Alabama is on offense, 311lb offensive linemen will block against 272lb defensive linemen. Could be a fun night for Derrick Henry.

When the Tide is on defense, 299lb defensive linemen will face 315lb offensive linemen. The offensive linemen have the size advantage, but three players on Wisconsin’s offensive front will see their first collegiate game action tonight. Joel Stave should probably make sure his helmet is on tight.

Let us know in the comments what part of the battle in the trenches are you most looking forward to. Roll Tide, folks.

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