McDonald, Buchholz Offensive Line Demand Respect

No one talks about offensive linemen.

That’s exactly what interior lineman Kain McDonald and the rest of his guys wanted to talk about Friday night after Buchholz beat Orlando Evans 42-21 at Citizens Field in the 6A FHSAA regional quarterfinal.

“Everyone thinks about 7-on-7 when playing football,” Joshua Alexander said. “But when you get down to that goal line, on the 5-yard line, you really look to your o-line the most to get up there, be real violent and physical, and just getting the job done and punching it in.”

We can’t discredit the play of Buchholz’s skill position players Friday. Running back Justin Williams, who has offers from Ole Miss, Tulane and Wake Forest, among others, as well as wide receiver DJ Hicks, both had two touchdowns. But had it not been for the offensive linemen, the run plays would go nowhere and quarterback Trace Johnson would have no time in the pocket to complete passes.

We have some high school playoff football action in Gainesville as Buchholz (7-3) takes on Evans (6-4) in the 6A regional quarterfinals. @ESPNGainesville pic.twitter.com/0Xao67xG8u

— Isaac Edelman (@IsaacEdelman) November 16, 2024

“I think the offensive linemen being dominant up front is what wins games,” Derryl Godbolt said. “Clearly it was evident out here, 42-21 wasn’t just skill players. The o-line has to block and give time. They did their job.”

Key Role

The offensive line is the only position where you can do everything right and still not get any credit. And that’s exactly what Buchholz’s offensive line wanted to speak about postgame, rather than talking about winning their first playoff game of the season.

“I think me and my teammates work hard throughout the week,” Anthony Barr said. “I really love these guys.”

Someone who especially works hard during the week is McDonald. The senior didn’t just protect his quarterback Friday, but he punched in his first touchdown run with 6:57 left in the second quarter.

“We practiced it two days before, and I was like ‘Coach, just give me the rock … I am a natural born athlete’,” McDonald said. “It’s every fat man’s dream to get in the end zone. It was all I could ever imagine. Calling the play in the huddle, getting to break the huddle … I had a little bit of jitters but it was awesome.”

Big-Man Score

Johnson connected with Hicks for an 84-yard pass play, but Hicks was tackled at the 1-yard line to set up the big man touchdown.

“At first, I wasn’t happy because I wanted DJ to get that touchdown,” McDonald said when asked about Hicks being tackled at the one. “When he got the 60-yard (touchdown) catch, I was like, we are fine now.”

McDonald got to run the ball into the end zone because he works hard.

“Be the best offensive lineman on your team, because if you’re not, you aren’t going to get the ball,” he said.

Coach Mark Whittemore, who has been the head coach at Buchholz for 12 years and was a member of the Bobcats’ lone state championship in 1990, agrees.

“It was rewarding him more than anything,” Whittemore said. “He is a load and a really good athlete … a Division 1 football player. So giving him the football was kind of like a cookie at the end of the season.”

McDonald is committed to Coastal Carolina, an FBS school in the Sun Belt Conference.

“I had a bunch of Sun Belt offers and some American Conference offers,” McDonald said. “Coastal was really looking at it from the outside in. Coastal is a program on the uprise. And I’m trying to be a part of something that we can go win a championship and make some noise in the group of five.”

Title Run

Speaking of winning championships, that’s exactly what Buchholz (8-3) wants to do. The Bobcats will play Pace (10-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Citizens Field in the regional semifinals.

Buchholz is four wins away from a state championship. Winning a state championship will depend on the play of Buchholz’s offensive line.

“Coach (Matthew) DiBernardo is an old hand at the offensive line position,” Whittemore said. “He gets our group really ready to go. We average 310 pounds across the front. We are one of the biggest offensive lines in the state. You throw that well-oiled machine up front with a (running) back, it’s going to be special.”