J.P. Pelzman

@JPPelzman

PISCATAWAY - Dorian Miller is the longest-tenured member of Rutgers’ offensive line, and the redshirt senior has seen a lot during his career as a Scarlet Knight.

And his vision for this season is that of a unit that potentially can be dominant.

“We can be really good, in my opinion,” the veteran left guard said after Saturday’s practice, Rutgers’ fifth-such session of the spring. “I have a lot of confidence in these guys.”

Miller is particularly high on the projected starting tackles. Tariq Cole took over the left tackle job as a redshirt sophomore, starting 11 games. And Kamaal Seymour, who moved over from the defensive line during training camp, eventually supplanted veteran J.J. Denman as the starter at right tackle later in the 2016 campaign.

“Tariq has everything physically,” Miller said, adding, “you look at a guy like Kahmal, same thing, he’s kind of where Tariq was (a year ago). I think he’ll get (to Cole’s level), and if he does, at that point, you’ve got two (future) NFL tackles on your team, in my opinion.”

Miller also has been impressed with vocal center Jonah Jackson, a redshirt sophomore who projects as the replacement for graduated stalwart Derrick Nelson.

Offensive line coach AJ Blazek also likes what he has seen so far, although he is keeping things in perspective this early in the spring.

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“Our (first-stringers) are starting to gel a little bit,” Blazek said. “We’ve got to find that sixth and seventh guy and start repping them. That first group is playing pretty well together. They’re the cleanest (with good) snaps, no false starts.”

Saturday marked the first day in which the team scrimmaged, and Blazek said, “we had too many mental (mistakes) today. Part of that is understanding where we’re at in the process of playing football, not (merely) running plays. A scrimmage gets you that game mentality.”

The vocal and charismatic Blazek, who has been effective on the recruiting trail according to head coach Chris Ash, received a promotion to assistant head coach and a raise during the off-season after multiple reports surfaced that he had been contacted by Iowa in connection with its vacancy at offensive line coach. Blazek was an All-Big Ten offensive lineman for the Hawkeyes and later a graduate assistant on Kirk Ferentz’s coaching staff.

Blazek said of the promotion, “It’s one of those things when Chris needs things, he’ll use me for some community (relations) stuff and things like that. Really, I’m just an extra guy to help like our whole staff is. … Everybody has a hand in. (The attitude is ) what do you need? And let’s go.’

“For (Rutgers), (the promotion) was just a way to say, ‘keep doing what you’re doing,’” Blazek concluded.

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Zack Heeman, who started at left tackle against Michigan last season in the one game that Cole missed because of injury, currently is listed as first-string on the depth chart at right guard, followed by redshirt freshman Nick Krimin. Marcus Applefield isn’t listed because he is limited by an injury, but he also figures to be in the mix to start at that position when training camp begins in August.

Cole said of the O-line, “I think we can be great.”

Blazek impressed by Clark

Blazek likes what he has seen so far from freshman Micah Clark, a true freshman from St. John Vianney.

“Micah’s been awesome,” Blazek said, “and I say (this) in the best way possible--Micah’s like your favorite dog at the house. He’s always around. He’s always asking qustions. If you chew him (out) for doing something wrong or for effort, he’s (like), ‘Gotcha, Coach.’ … That energy he brings is really a bonus. He’s doing a great job right now.”

Blazek also praised fellow early enrollees Jamaal Beaty--another St. John Vianney grad and Clark’s stepbrother--and Sam Vretman, who originally is from Sweden and most recently was at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut. Beaty was slowed early in camp by injury, Blazek indicated.

“Those three guys are playing fast,” Blazek said. “They’re not hesitant. The football IQ is there. It’s just a matter of learning the speed of the game now for those guys.”

Blazek also indicated Clark and Vretman “are in the mix” to see significant playing time this year.

Staff writer J.P. Pelzman: jpelzman@gannett.com