Crabtree: OSU's offensive line 'a completely new unit'

Oklahoma State's offensive line struggled to protect its quarterbacks in 2014, but Zachary Crabtree and the O-line are confident that 2015's iteration of the subunit will be new-and-improved.

Crabtree, who will be a redshirt sophomore in the fall, sat down with ESPN to talk about the outlook for the offensive line, his thoughts on UAB transfer Viktor Salako, and more.

Although the interview is presented in print, the right tackle's enthusiasm is tangible to the reader.

"It really is night and day," Crabtree said when asked to compare this year's O-line to last year's.

"We’re a completely new unit. There’s a new excitement to us. There’s a new swagger to us. You can’t even really compare it or put into words. That doesn’t mean we don’t still have a long way to go. We have a lot of room for improvement; we talk about it every day. But there’s just a new feeling in that room."

Added experience for a group of young players is the bulk of the reason why the Cowboys' O-line sees itself as much-improved, but it has also been fortified by the transfer of Salako, who adds experience at left tackle.

"It gives you depth," Crabtree said of Salako's arrival. "It gives you the opportunity to do some different things. Adding [Salako] has been great. He’s a great teammate, great person in that locker room, just great character person, good guy. … He’s athletic. He’s a little bit older. He’s been playing at [UAB]. He’s a good player. Just all-around solid player. He’s just good to have out there."