Saying that the offensive line for the NIU football team should be a strength is an understatement.

The Huskies return all of their starters from a year ago and are coming off a season in which they only surrendered 13 sacks, good enough for 14th in the country.

The chemistry and experience on the NIU offensive line should again carry this team far.

Here’s how they break down up front:

Left Tackle-Trevor Olson: The 6-6, 298-pound redshirt senior is a three-year starter who has started 40 games for the Huskies at left tackle and has played in every game over the last three years. Olson is on the preseason watch list for two awards: the Rotary Lombardi Award and the Outland Trophy Award. Both awards are given to outstanding linemen. He was a consensus first team All-MAC selection in 2010 and earned three NIU offensive lineman of the week honors last year as well.

Outlook: Olson is considered one of the leaders on the offensive line. He is tall with a long wingspan, which makes him perfectly suited to play his position. He should be a rock on quarterback Chandler Harnish’s blind side.

Left guard-Logan Pegram: Pegram is a 6-3, 310-pound redshirt junior who also returns to the NIU starting lineup this year. The Silver Lake, Kan. product has started 10 games in his career and has played in 23 games total for the Huskies.

Outlook: Pegram is the only starter on the line who is not a senior, and after splitting time at left guard with Ed Jackson last year, he looks to break out in his first full year as a starter.

Center-Scott Wedige: Wedige will return to his starting center position this year after starting every game there for the Huskies in 2010. The 6-4, 310-pound redshirt senior has played in 27 games as a Huskie and was a first team All-MAC selection last year. Wedige is also on the Lombardi and Outland trophy preseason watch lists and is considered the bedrock of the offensive line. He garnered offensive lineman of the week honors three times last season.

Outlook: Wedige is big and strong, but is also a smart, heady player who talks about staying focused and watching a lot of film. As long as he is the center, the Huskies should be able to rely on the offensive line not making many assignment mistakes.

Right Guard-Joe Pawlak: Pawlak has started every game of the last two seasons for the Huskies, and enters his senior year with 27 career starts and 38 games played. The Grayslake, Ill. native was a 2010 All-MAC second team selection last year, as well as being named an All-MAC academic selection by league faculty representatives.

Outlook: Pawlak was named the NIU offensive lineman of the week twice last year. He has quietly done an excellent job for the Huskies, and he should be an All-MAC first team selection after being overshadowed last year by his teammates.

Right Tackle-Keith Otis: Otis has played in 22 games as a Huskie and started all 14 games last year at right tackle. The massive 6-4, 317-pound redshirt senior from Chicago was named the NIU offensive lineman of the week last year after he helped pave the way for Chad Spann’s 223 rushing yards against Minnesota.

Outlook: Otis should shine in pass protection against the rush with his massive frame. He was a key player in helping the Huskies allow only 13 sacks last year and should garner some recognition for his efforts this year.