John Carroll Offensive Line Garners Spot on D3football.com Team of the Week

11/19/2024 12:35:00 PM | By: Joe Ginley '16, SID

This is the fourth time in program history that the JCU O-Line has made the Team of the Week

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – For the first time since 2013, the John Carroll Offensive Line has made the D3football.com Team of the Week.

The Blue Streaks' offensive line dominated the line of scrimmage on Saturday, making a 49-35 conquest of #22 Marietta possible and propelling John Carroll into the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Nathan Kovach, Matt Russo, Matt Wrather, Luke Gibbons, and Grant Myers earn the honors as starters, while Mike Bartusiak, Ben Dehmer, and Troy Mrukowski also rotated in for John Carroll and also deserve the kudos.

The accolade comes on the heels of John Carroll sneaking into the D3football.com Top 25 at #24 this week.

The Blue Streaks posted 182 rushing yards and 288 passing yards vs. the Pioneers, both the most Marietta has surrendered in a season. The Blue Streaks put up 470 yards, more than twice Marietta's previous season-long average (217.4, 7th in D-III). Not only that, JCU did not surrender a sack to Marietta, which entered third in Division III with 4.1 per game.

On key plays, the offensive line locked in, too. JCU converted third downs at a 55% clip, as Marietta was ranked 27% entering the game. The Blue Streaks were a perfect 5-for-5 in the red zone scoring touchdowns, while Marietta entered at 47% in the metric.

Nathan Kovach has protected well as the left tackle this season. The Dublin, Ohio returned for his grad year and has been a fantastic anchor from his spot this year, greatly aiding in pass protection and also doing well in the run.

Matthew Russo has been fantastic at left guard. The Depew, New York native has been a mainstay at guard for JCU over the last couple of years, all while also excelling for JCU track & field.

Matt Wrather, a preseason All-American, has helmed the offensive line. A member of the Allstate Good Works Team, Wrather is a leader on and off the gridiron for John Carroll. It's impossible to understate how important he is to the offensive line.

Luke Gibbons has enjoyed great longevity over the past few years. The Broadview Heights native will make his 42nd start in the Blue & Gold on Saturday, certainly amongst the most by a JCU offensive lineman in program history.

Grant Myers is a talented right tackle for John Carroll. The Youngstown native suffered an injury before his sophomore season, but has been fantastic as a junior this year. The Howland grad is agile and fierce blocking.

Troy Mrukowski has been a swing tackle for the Blue Streaks this year. The Olentangy Liberty grad filled in when Kovach suffered an injury and has gotten significant playing time since, as JCU often plays with an extra down lineman.

Mike Bartusiak mixes in often at guard for John Carroll. The fifth year from Chicago has been key in giving the guards a breather when needed. He cuts an imposing figure with his eyeblack on gameday and takes no prisoners when blocking.

Finally, Ben Dehmer has been a key cog for John Carroll. The sophomore from Columbus has mixed in when needed, often as an extra blocker. Dehmer is a bruising blocker who is an unheralded but vital part of the offensive line.

The last JCU offensive line to make the D3football.com Team of the Week was the 2013 unit (A.J. Short, Alex Manos, Breen Cullivan, Anthony Latina, Jack Corrigan). This marks the fourth time a JCU line has made the D3football.com weekly honor roll. JCU's offensive line did earn an OAC Athlete of the Week honor a year ago.

Ben Day was the last Blue Streak to make the D3football.com honor roll earlier in the year. The full archive is here.

The Blue Streaks, guided by the offensive line, will start the NCAA Playoffs on Saturday, November 23 at 12 pm at Don Shula Stadium vs. Mount St. Joseph.

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This is the fourth time in program history that the JCU O-Line has made the Team of the Week

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