You know, I remember when Anthony Jones was building his teams in the early 2000s, and he always said you win in the SWAC by being tougher and more disciplined. But let’s be real about this. A new coach talking about physicality and the trenches is the oldest song in the book. Every single coach says that in their first spring press conference. I heard the same thing from coaches who were gone in two seasons. Building an offensive line isn’t something you fix with one offseason of weight room speeches. That takes years of development and recruiting the right kind of young men who will stay and grow together. The portal has made that impossible. Kids see a starter in front of them and they just leave. How do you build cohesion when your lineup changes every semester? And top 25 rushing offense? In this day and age? With the way defenses fly around? That’s a tall order for any team, let alone one coming off a season ranked in the 90s. It sounds nice, but I’ll believe it when I see them consistently move the pile against a stout SEC defensive front. We used to have battles in the trenches that decided classics like the Magic City Classic. Now, it feels like everybody is just rnting players. Sustainable success starts with culture, not just a challenge to get stronger. Culture takes time, and time is the one thing coaches don’t get anymore.