It’s probably the closest thing to a given in football.
The simple transfer of the ball from the center’s meaty grip to the quarterback’s soft hands is the most basic concept. The snap from under center goes right 99 percent of the time — but when it goes wrong, everyone notices. It is why the center and quarterback spend countless hours over the course of the season perfecting it. It is the reason that every time a quarterback gets hurt, the backup scrambles to practice the snap with the center.
The trust between a center and quarterback is the most important part of any offense. Illinois center Graham Pocic and quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase have been a constant presence as the battery of the Fighting Illini offense. The two started 26 games together entering this season and through the time together, their relationship has blossomed.
“We’re very close,” Pocic said at Big Ten Media Days in July. “We work together really well in this offense, and it’s pretty fun.”
Beyond the basics of the offense, the two have developed an ESP-like connection with one another. Pocic and Scheelhaase have learned about each other’s tendencies, and Scheelhaase said at Big Ten Media Days most of the things he calls out at the line have already been taken care of by Pocic. He said this understanding is the most crucial part of the Illinois offense.
“The most important thing is communication,” Scheelhaase said. “You have to know exactly what he’s trying to tell you. We make a whole lot of calls. We do some different stuff that requires a lot from both myself as the quarterback and him as the center.”
The two players are a year apart in school: Pocic is a redshirt senior and Scheelhaase is a redshirt junior. Despite the one-year gap, both earned their starting jobs in 2010 and have grown into their roles as the leaders of the offense together. The two talked about the ways their relationship has grown over the years and the respect they have come to have for one another.
Scheelhaase said he has a tremendous amount of admiration for his center and the commitment he has shown to the school. Pocic enrolled at Illinois early as a senior in high school and went through spring practice with the Fighting Illini before he redshirted his freshman year. His wealth of experience is not lost on Scheelhaase, who said he is lucky to have Pocic lead the offensive line charged with defending him.
“He’s a guy that’s been around here for a long time,” Scheelhaase said. “I have a lot of respect for all that he’s done while he’s been here. He’s a fun guy to be around in the locker room. He’s a fun guy to work with in the weight room. It’s nice to have him in front of you protecting you while you’re back there trying to make plays.”
What impresses Scheelhaase the most about Pocic is his leadership abilities and dedication to improvement. Scheelhaase said he loves the fact that Pocic is never satisified with his performance and is always looking to become a better center.
“He’s a guy that works at his craft, and he pays attention to what he does,” Scheelhaase said. “He does the best job that he can to make sure the four other guys surrounding him are doing what they need to do.”
This year the offensive line has been shaky for the Fighting Illini. The team has given up 37 sacks this season and is having a hard time protecting the quarterback or creating holes for running. Illinois is rushing for fewer than 130 yards per game, which is putting a lot of pressure on the quarterbacks to make plays.
Regardless of how the line is playing, Pocic’s ability to be both a vocal leader and one that leads by example is impressive to Scheelhaase. He called Pocic a natural leader and said he sets a great example for the less experienced players.
“It’s easy for the young guys to follow a guy like him,” Scheelhaase said. “They know he cares about them and he cares about this program. He’s invested so much into this program, and he’s trying to reap the benefits now.”
