Offensive linemen seldom score flashy touchdowns and don’t fill up the stat sheet with gaudy numbers. Instead, they’re the silent marauders in the trenches, willing to do the dirty work so their teammates can receive the glory.

That’s the case for Pullman football’s “big uglies,” who’ve been working behind the scenes since the end of 2018 season, when they hit the weight room to start preparing for 2019.

The unit is one of the biggest strengths for the 2-1 Greyhounds this season, physically and in terms of leadership.

“We would all go to (the weight room) as often as we could over the (offseason), just trying to get ready for the season because we’ve got a special group here,” right guard Simon Brannan said. “As a line, we wanted to do everything we can to give us a shot.”

As a 2A school in eastern Washington, Pullman isn’t known for fielding a big line. That’s not the case this season — all but one of the Greyhounds starters are at least 230 pounds — and center Jimmy Gray, the leader of the bunch, checks in at 290.

Pullman’s starters are Gray (6-foot-3), Brannon (6-3, 230), right tackle Jacob Anderson (6-3, 250), left guard Azo Elsahati (6-1, 275) and left tackle Gabe Westensee (6-0, 185).

“This is probably the biggest we’ve been size-wise here at Pullman, and we can do a lot of things with that,” Pullman coach David Cofer said. “Quickness isn’t necessarily our forte, but if we want to drive people we can get that done, and they just do a really good job of communicating and working together.”

The lone outlier is Westensee, albeit in size and not skill or effort.

“It’s kind of a joke with the team — I’m like 50 pounds less than the rest of the line,” said Westensee, a junior. “But I just try to stay low, keep working, get the same work done that they do.”

The only newcomer to the crew is Anderson, a junior from Garfield-Palouse who joined the Greyhounds this summer after Gar-Pal decided not to field a football team this year.

The bearded, burly Anderson made an immediate impression with the team.

“When I first saw Jacob with his beard and everything, I thought he was a coach,” Elsahati said. “And then he said he was a player. So I was like that’s 100 percent going to help our size and O-line and everything. I was pumped when I heard he was a player.”

Anderson immediately became one of the guys, and he’s adjusted well to the size and speed of 11-man football, compared to eight-man where he usually was the biggest player on the field.

“Coming from eight-man going to 11, it’s different, definitely, but this team is awesome,” Anderson said. “I’ve come over here and made friends. The whole team is just clicking together. Team synergy is just crazy — it’s a lot of fun.”

The Pullman O-line prides itself on keeping sophomore quarterback Riley Pettitt upright and opening holes for running back Evan Strong.

Pass blocking has long been a strength for the Greyhounds, and this season is no different. Pettitt passed for 324 yards and two touchdowns in the 27-21 Border Battle loss Sept. 20 to Moscow.

The Greyhounds have shown flashes of brilliance in the run game, but that remains an area the team is working to improve this season.

“We really want to get to a point where we’re two-dimensional,” Cofer said. “One of the things we want to do is, especially late in the season, is be able to run the football and grind it down people’s throats. ... That’s something we’re trying to improve.”

Off the field, the ‘Hounds often can be seen together, going to WSU football games, fishing in the offseason or even chucking hay bales to help out a local farm — a team-bonding activity several of the teammates particpated in back in June.

They have some fun on the field too. Every Thursday, Gray — jokingly called “Slim Jim” — and Elsahati participate in kickoff return drills with the special teams unit.

“That’s always fun to watch,” Brannan said, laughing.

With three seniors on this year’s line — Gray, Brannan and Elsahati — and the chance Anderson might go back to Gar-Pal next season, the Greyhounds are trying to make the most of 2019.

But they aren’t looking further ahead than their next game. Pullman hosts Tumwater’s Black Hills High — a team that handed the Greyhounds their first loss last season — at 7 p.m. today.

“We just gotta play the best football we can and we’ll see the outcome,” Elsahati said.

Stephan Wiebe can be reached at swiebe@dnews.com and on Twitter at @StephanSports.