Fort Collins – One-time tight end Clint Oldenburg has reached tackle size at 6-feet-5, 297 pounds. The switch this spring from right to left tackle makes this the third offensive-line position for the fifth- year Colorado State senior. He’s also penciled in as emergency center – and if he asks special-teams coach Dave Arnold nicely, he could get a crack at long-snapper.
Clearly, Oldenburg is a man for all positions. In his spare time, he served as a student-athlete representative on CSU’s hush-hush athletic director screening committee.
“I never would have thought my career would have taken a turn to play almost every line position,” said Oldenburg, who converted from tight end to guard before his sophomore season. “I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been interesting.”
He said he learned a lot from sitting on the search committee with faculty members, non-football coaches and administrators.
“I love the guy,” he said of new AD Paul Kowalczyk. “I think they made the right decision.”
Oldenburg is still sworn to secrecy about the process.
He and guard Josh Day are the veterans on a line taking shape with a collection of sophomores and redshirt freshmen. Offensive line coach Darrell Funk and offensive coordinator Dan Hammerschmidt often called last fall’s freshman class the best group of offensive linemen they had seen. Now Tim Walter, Cole Pemberton, Scott Benedict, Adrian Martinez and James Morehead are getting their chances, along with sophomores Dane Stratton and Dan Crews.
“I don’t know if I’m the man. Josh and I are the co-men,” Oldenburg said. “We’re ahead of where anyone thought we would be. The young guys have stepped up and played real well.”
“The two building blocks are Clint and Josh,” Funk said. “Clint is athletic enough to play the left side. Those two are both doing well – not perfect, but they are the leaders of our guys up front.”
Oft-injured veteran Nick Allotta, the co-starter last season at center, is sidelined with injuries. Walter (6-6, 281) has stepped up at center, and Funk said the offense has been more productive.
“We have four guys (Oldenburg, Day, Allotta and reserve Jerome Williams) who have proved they can play and another five who are battling for spots,” Funk said. “That’s more competition than we had last year and 10 times as much as the year before. … No one can rest.”
In some years the offensive line was so thinned by injuries, several linemen played for both teams in the spring game. There’s enough depth for two squads when the Rams conclude the spring next Saturday.
Oldenburg is set at left tackle and Day is will be the right guard. Funk said left guard competitors are Williams, Crews, Martinez and Allotta, if Walter takes over at center. Junior college transfer Marvin Arnold, the top incoming lineman in the fall, is projected by Funk at right tackle or left guard. Stratton and Pemberton are in a battle at right tackle.
There’s another factor making the line look good. Caleb Hanie is a running quarterback.
“He makes us look good on plays we don’t block perfectly every time,” Oldenburg said.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-820-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
