Last fall, Needham posted a program-best 10-2 record and reached the Division 1 state semifinals. Veteran offensive line coach Steve Koup and assistant Noah Drake, a former standout at Needham and Salve Regina, didn't just coach the big boys up front, they made them part of the experience.
Koup routinely sent out surveys to his players to gain feedback on which plays and formations they felt were most effective. The players were involved in crafting game plans each week, and on at least one occasion, left tackle Charlie Simeone and Drake discussed strategy for so long after practice that they wound up getting locked out of the school.
"Anyone who coaches O-line will tell you, these guys can bicker," said Koup, an English teacher at Needham who joined the staff in 2004 along with head coach Doug Kopsco.
"They spend a lot of time together. But at the same time, they get very good at solving problems together. We want to create an opportunity for them to reflect on what they're seeing. So it's not just me telling them what to do, it's a lot of collective problem solving."
Simeone, a 6-foot-4-inch senior captain headed to Holy Cross, is part of a group that can help Needham build on last year's success. None of his classmates decided to transfer to private schools, Simeone noted, because they believe in the coaches' process.
"It's a total culture shift from when we first got here," said Simeone. "There was talent, but no one was together. I feel we've built things up, and the past few training camps have been top-notch."
Needham is lucky to be returning several starters for the 2024 season, which begins this week in Massachusetts, but how do powerhouse programs remain competitive when they graduate most of their line?
At King Philip, the standard comes from the top. Head coach Brian Lee has handled the offensive line since he took the reins in 2005.
The son of legendary Walpole coach John Lee has turned KP into one of the most dominant public school programs in the state, with six Super Bowl appearances and three state titles since 2016.
While only one starter, senior tackle Drew Herlin (6-2, 220), returns on the line this season, expect the regional school to be strong up front when the season begins, and elite by November.
"It takes the longest to develop an offensive lineman, I think, more than any other position," said Lee. "When the bullets are flying and it's going at a different speed in varsity football, there's a lot of panic, and you need to default to your level of training.
"Physically, I think we're going to be fine. It's trying to get them on the same page."
The offensive line at Catholic Memorial, King Philip's chief competition in Division 2, is under new guidance.
Mike Milo grew up with CM coach John DiBiaso and has followed him to every stop (St. Patrick's, Weston, Everett, and CM) for 42 years, serving as his line coach and lead assistant.
In late August, Milo decided to hang up his whistle, so CM athletic director Thomas Claiborne has stepped in to coach the line while helping a couple of younger coaches make the transition into the vacated role.
"Coach Milo is a guru with years of experience, and his wealth of knowledge is through the roof," said Claiborne, a former star lineman at BC who played in the NFL. Claiborne coached at his alma mater, Wellesley, and was a guidance counselor at CM before taking over as AD.
"I hope to give the players a bit of what I learned at the collegiate and professional level and condense it so they can understand it, but also to give them some viable tools they can use on the field," he said. "That's the joy of it. Knowledge is nothing without passing on that power."
CM is experienced on the interior, with senior guards Timmy Rowan (6-2, 260) and Charlie Mahoney (6-3, 295) returning alongside center Jack Holland (6-0, 270).
The new tackles are massive and talented yet in need of instruction. Senior JD Rayner, a 6-5 terror at defensive end, shifts from tight end to right tackle on offense, and junior Marcelino Antunes (6-7, 285) is learning the ropes at left tackle.
"We have rules and we try to keep it simple so the kids aren't overthinking it," said DiBiaso. "That's something Coach Milo has done so well over the years. Your offensive line coach is your key assistant no matter what. It's imperative you have one that you trust."
Defending D1 state champion Xaverian has Mark White in his second year as varsity offensive line coach. The math teacher learned from his mentor, coaching veteran and retired math teacher Dennis Lozzi, and from current head coach Al Fornaro, who ran the offensive and defensive lines during White's playing days.
"It all starts at the top with the head coach setting the tone," White said. "We've always run power. That's a play we install on day one. Coach Fornaro says it's been like that forever, and it'll be like that for as long as he has a say about it."
Xaverian can deploy a new weapon on both sides of the line now that senior edge rusher Dominic Funke has transferred from St. Sebastian's. Funke (6-3, 220) will often be used as a tight end with the potential to set punishing kick-out blocks on the outside.
Xaverian is trying to platoon players rather than use them as two-way linemen. That means Funke and BC-bound defensive tackle Micah Ameedee (6-3, 275) might play sparingly on offense. It also means the coaching staff has integrated three new starters this preseason to complement returning guards Brenden Berube (6-1, 275) and Gino Gioioso (6-3, 285).
"I'll say this about offensive line coaches," said Fornaro. "They're the only position coach that needs to get five guys ready for game day. That can be a daunting task for many reasons, and you have to be able to roll with the punches.