Sean Foster plays key role in Iowa State’s offensive line development

AMES - At home, Sean Foster and his four siblings compete in everything they do.

Whether it's at the dinner table or working out in the field, Foster wants to be first and he wants to be the best.

That same drive and competitiveness has propelled the redshirt freshman into a starting role on Iowa State's offensive line.

Foster only played 20 snaps against Northern Iowa in the season opener, mostly filling in for Jake Campos near the end of the game. But week-by-week, Foster has seen his playing time increase to 60 snaps against Iowa, splitting time with Bryce Meeker at right tackle. And when Iowa State traveled to Akron, Foster got his first start at right tackle.

'Finally, we got some competition going,” Iowa State Coach Matt Campbell said of the right tackle position. 'On top of that we feel comfortable with both guys. There's a lot of flexibility (Foster) gives us.”

Foster is able to play left tackle or right tackle, but barring injury, Campos will be the anchor on the left side of the line.

It's because of that versatility that Foster cracked the two-deep as a true freshman when Campos was out with a broken leg. Foster traveled to all of the away games and took reps with the first and second teams in practice.

'(Practicing with the first and second teams) was really cool because I got to go up against (Mitchell) Meyers every single day,” Foster said. 'He was one of the guys who helped define how to hold the bull rush.”

Campbell said an offensive or defensive lineman has to be really special to be considered to start as a true freshman or even a redshirt freshman. The line is a whole different animal in college.

If a wide receiver can run fast, he can run fast. The learning and physicality curve isn't as big.

'You're talking 17, 18-year-old young men that are going against 21, 22-year-old men in a position where power, strength, physicality really shows up in football,” Campbell said. '(Receivers) are not getting hit every single play, or hitting somebody every single play. I think that's just a different animal.

'I've always believed you've got to build (the line) and do a great job in every aspect. How you lift weights, how you practice. All those things go into being a good offensive lineman.”

It helps when a team has veteran experience on the line, as well. Campos also was thrown into the fire as redshirt freshman, and Foster credits him with his own growth and development.

'I know in the offseason I did work my butt off,” Foster said. 'With the help of Campos and Meeker and (graduate assistant) coach Jeff Meyers and (offensive coordinator, offensive line) coach Tom Manning, they really helped me in taking time out of their day. (They) helped me go over film and get ahead of the curve instead of being behind like I kind of was last year.”

The Iowa State offensive line was one of the team's biggest problems early in the year last season, but as the season progressed, so did the line. This year, it was an unknown. Campbell knew what he was getting in Campos and Julian Good-Jones but the rest were mostly question marks.

The line has proved to be a good unit, with room for improvement. They've only surrendered one sack on quarterback Jacob Park, but the run blocking has been shaky at times. They have had trouble opening up holes for bell-cow running back David Montgomery.

Iowa State's run game is at its best on outside runs when guys like Campos and Foster can seal the edge and allow Montgomery space to work on outside runs.

'There's so much growth for that group to continue to have,” Campbell said. 'I think (development) is something that we've always prided ourselves on. I think for us, it just shows you the value of consistency of scheme and coaching and what that can help you do and those guys have really grown.

'We're hoping to start to foster that as a feeder system in that area if we're going to have the success that we expect to have.”

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