One of the most overlooked parts of football is the offensive line.

The line paves the way for the backs in the running game and helps with pass protection, yet a lot of the time, fans and media forget about the work that gets done in the trenches.

Head coach Jerry Kill hopes the offensive line will be one of NIU’s strengths this season with three starters returning.

The Huskies lost two starters from last season in third team All-MAC right tackle Jon Brost and right guard Dan Keller.

Two third team All-MAC players return on the line in center Eddie Adamski and left guard Jason Onyebuagu, or “J.O.” as Kill calls him. Left tackle Trevor Olson also returns.

“Those three are definitely good football players, J.O. and Eddie being the mainstays of the offensive line,” Kill said. “They’ve been here for several years; they’re very good football players.”

Players who are currently looking to take over for Keller and Brost on the right side include Panan Tense, Adam Kiel, Joe Pawlak, Kevin Skatrud and Keith Otis.

“The right side is going to be a little young experience wise, but I think we’re going to be pretty good,” Adamski said.

Kill said that right now, he has no idea who will be starting in the fall.

“That’s why we’re going through the spring,” Kill said. “We have several youngsters working in there. That’s what spring ball is for. We probably won’t make that decision until we get closer to the Wisconsin game.”

Olson enters his sophomore season at left tackle, the most important position on the offensive line since he protects quarterback Chandler Harnish’s blind side.

“If he gets hit from back there, he doesn’t see it coming,” Olson said.

Olson, Adamski, Onyebuagu and Co. will pave the way for a Huskie rushing attack that ranked third in the MAC in yards per game.

The NIU line also allowed only 16 sacks, good enough for third in the conference.

If NIU wants to run the ball as well as it did last season, it will need the line to do its job first.