OGDEN — Head coach Mickey Mental has praised Weber State’s offensive line throughout camp for their offseason work and for being ready to change the offense in 2024. The vibes around the unit are high despite being the position group to lose the most game experience from 2023, by a solid margin.

The first thing veteran offensive line coach Brent Myers told his group when they reported for workouts in January: it’s your turn.

The Atagi brothers and Jordan Lutui are gone but the young stand-ins feel like they’re ready.

“I’m really excited,” sophomore guard Vae Soifua said. “Our O-line we have now is basically the same as the twos from last year, so the connection and relationship we have with each other, and with everyone else, has been great.”

Soifua (No. 74), an Orem native, came to Weber State from BYU with redshirt freshman Zoom Esplin (No. 76) and the two spent the entire 2023 season playing right guard and right tackle next to each other in practice. They’re two of many on this year’s team who have logged practice reps over two or three years and are stepping into a starting role for the Wildcats in 2024.

“I haven’t really played since high school so it’s a little nerve-wracking but moreso I’m excited to finally get on the field and do my part for my team,” Soifua said.

Myers said the difference in Esplin and Soifua from this year to last is hard to miss.

The same goes for Lavaka Taukeiaho (No. 75), a 6-foot-4 sophomore from Bingham High in his third year at Weber State but first being counted on to contribute on game day. He’s slated to start at left guard and was a name repeated early and often as fall camp opened.

The line is anchored in experience by junior Gavin Ortega (No. 71) at left tackle, who played some as a freshman and played all 11 games last season, mostly starting at right tackle.

“He’s played a lot of football and his natural position is left tackle,” Myers said. “He’s in really good football game shape.”

Ortega said he leads more by example than through his voice and likes the run-game prospects with Damon Bankston healthy — someone Myers called “the best back in FCS.”

“We’ve got a lot of good backs but Banksy’s our all-around guy and I’m excited to have him run behind me again,” Ortega said. “He’ll gash it for us and make us look good.”

Bankston ran for 263 yards and five touchdowns on 7.5 yards per carry through two games last season before slowing down and then stopping due to injury. Bankston has reclaimed the year through a medical hardship waiver and is a junior by eligibility.

The center spot is still up for grabs, though Myers says both top guys are likely to play a good amount, either at center or at guard.

“That position is very close and we’re still evaluating that,” Myers said.

Junior Cole Casto (No. 65) is in his fourth year at WSU and has spent two seasons as the No. 2 center, while graduate transfer Terrance Caldwell (No. 59) from Cornell, a junior by eligibility, has impressed since arriving in Ogden.

Caldwell comes to WSU after starting the last two seasons at Cornell and is someone Weber recruited out of high school in California.

“He’s been a wonderful addition; very intelligent, really good football player and he’s improving every day in camp as he learns the system,” Myers said.

Those top six guys seemed to separate themselves fairly well as camp got going but Myers is looking for depth he can count on, and a few others are starting to stand out.

Jacob Edmonds (No. 62), a transfer from Utah, and Roy High alum Cole Millward (No. 79), both redshirt freshmen, seem to be next in line on the interior. At tackle, third-year sophomore Nelson Arapa (No. 64), a converted defensive lineman, and redshirt freshman Luke Sampson (No. 78) are improving.

“They’ve been playing pretty good, so what I want to see from them is continued improvement as we go through the season so I have guys I can pick from that I trust … so I don’t have any hesitation to put them in the game if there’s a need,” Myers said.

Some of that rotation depends on opponents and the defenses they play, Myers said, but the idea this season is a more explosive, more difficult-to-stop run game.

“We’re doing some different things with our guys to let them get out and run a little bit, which is good for them because our guys can run,” he said. “A bit more athletic in space than we have been in the past, which allows us to do some different things that will help us.”