Choosing a UW Starting Lineup: Right Guard Could Serve Up a Surprise First-Teamer

Right guard for the University of Washington football team hasn't always received the proper amount of respect or attention.

It seems like this position has always been a springboard for something else. Training wheels for a much grander assignment in Montlake. Curls before the bench press.

It seems as if a guy is any good in this role, the Husky coaches eventually put him somewhere else to take advantage of his skill set.

Jaxson Kirkland is the perfect example of this. The junior from Vancouver, Washington, after two strong seasons at right guard, moved to left tackle this offseason, with the Huskies hoping to better use his ample size, strength and motivation.

Just one Husky right guard has been chosen as a first-team Associated Press All-America selection — and Chad Ward's coaches did everything they could in 2000 to move him to left tackle during spring practice before letting him stay put on the center's right hip.

Max Starcevich, a first-team AP All-American in 1936 and one of the nation's top 11 players back then, began the season at right guard and ended up at left guard while going both ways for that Husky Rose Bowl team.

In his time spent with the UW, a well-traveled Senio Kelemente went from a starting defensive tackle as a true freshman, to the No. 1 right guard as a sophomore in 2009 to, alas, two seasons as the starting left tackle.

Finally, the highly accomplished and recently departed Nick Harris spent two seasons and made 15 starts at right guard before the Huskies reassigned him to center, where he became a two-time, first-team All-Pac-12 pick.

This time, we take someone from another position and move him to right guard, and it seems like a natural fit. We end up with a starting offensive line of one senior, two juniors and a pair of sophomores.

With the UW football season put on pause, Husky Maven is choosing the 24 starters, 11 on offense, 11 on defense and two kickers for whenever everything resumes. Here's how right guard should turn out:

Leading RG candidates: Corey Luciano, 6-4, 277, junior; Matteo Mele, 6-5, 305, sophomore; Myles Murao, 6-2, 304, freshman; Cole Norgaard, 6-5, 285, junior.

RG starting experience: Jaxson Kirkland started 25 games at RG; Henry Bainivalu made two starts as Kirkland's injury fill-in.

Our selection: Luciano. He transferred in from California's Diablo Valley College last season and he played right away as a tight end, appearing in the first six games. However, the Huskies recruited Luciano when he was the nation's top junior-college offensive guard as determined by ESPN. What that means is he's a physical player who brings added athleticism not normally found in a collegiate interior lineman. Think Rick Mallory, who came to the UW and played tight end before he moved inside where he eventually enjoyed a solid NFL career. Luciano brings a certain amount of nastiness and cockiness to the position. If there is an upgrade needed, he could use about 20 more pounds if he going to stay at right guard.

Other options: Mele resembles a tackle more than a guard or a center, but might be versatile enough to hold down this position. Murao was recruited with the full intention of turning him into a center, but he's capable of playing this guard spot. Norgaard, entering his fourth season in the program as a center, is just looking for a place to make a breakthrough.

Greatest Husky RG: Coming out of tiny Finley in the Tri-Cities area (pop. 6,000), Chad Ward showed he could play with the big-city boys. On an offensive line that featured future NFL players Olin Kreutz at center and Benji Olson at left guard, Ward started 45 games over four seasons and he was named as that AP All-American first-teamer entering the new millennium. He was a huge guard at that, packing a 6-foot-4, 339-pound frame.

Other legendary UW RGs: Dean Kirkland, starter for the 1991 Rose Bowl team and a 27-game starter; Max Starcevich, first-team All-American in 1936, splitting the season between right and left guard.

The UW Starting Lineup:

Left tackle — Victor Curne

Left guard — Ulumoo Ale

Center — Luke Wattenberg

Right guard — Corey Luciano

Right tackle — Henry Bainivalu

Tight end —

Wide receiver —

Running back —

Quarterback —

Kicker —

Punter —

Outside linebacker —

Defensive tackle —

Outside linebacker —

Inside linebacker —

Cornerback —

Nickel back —

Strong safety —

Free safety —

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