Andrew Gilmore, one of Missouri Western’s top recruits two years ago, badly wanted to play offensive line for the Griffons. The Griffons, on the other hand, badly needed him to play defensive line.

So Gilmore, a standout in football and wrestling at Benton, stepped in where the Griffons needed him: at defensive tackle.

But now, in Gilmore’s junior year, Western needs offensive linemen. And it’s finally a chance for both parties to get their wishes.

“My true passion is O-line,” said Gilmore, who’s 6-foot-1 and 300 pounds. “I’ve been wanting to move since I got here.

“I feel like now I’m where I belong.”

Part of the reason for the move is Western’s offensive line faces a big hole this year. Right guard Roger Allen, a powerful anchor for four years, now plays for the St. Louis Rams.

And the Griffons last year learned a lesson about offensive linemen: it takes more than five to win. Injury after injury forced the Griffons to repeatedly shuffle players in and out, from position to position along the line.

“That created some confusion, took away some of our physicality,” said Jay Eilers, Western’s assistant coach for the offensive line. “That did hurt us in the run game.”

That lesson focused the Griffons on improving their depth all along the offensive line.

They return a solid core of starters from ’09: center Nathan Martin (6-foot-2, 280 pounds), left guard Todd Shelton (6-4, 285) and left tackle Steven Jones (6-5, 285).

In addition, redshirt freshman Brian Chiles (6-3, 280) excites the coaches. Chiles and Gilmore are competing for the right guard position.

“It’s a battle there,” Eilers said. “But they’re already making each other better, and that’s going just going to make the team better.”

Gilmore, Eilers said, already shows the skills to be a dominant force.

Eilers compared Gilmore to Allen, whom the Western assistant called one of the most physical players ever to come through the program.

“Now (Gilmore) comes in,” Eilers said, “and he’s one of the most physical players I’ve ever coached.

“Plus, he’s so strong, and he has phenomenal feet.”

The physical side also is part of the reason for the move.

“I think when I recruited him he was a 280-pound kid who could jump up and grab the rim with both hands. That was when he was a wrestler,” said head coach Jerry Partridge. “Now he’s a 300-pounder. There’s a conditioning side to that. On offense, you don’t have to go as long and as often as you do on defense. O-line’s more about 10-yard sprints, and when you (pass protect) you don’t have to move as much.

“It’s going to be a good thing for him.”

For Gilmore, it’s an extremely welcome move.

“I wasn’t working out as well as everyone hoped at D-line,” Gilmore said. “When I came in and played D-line, I really didn’t have any idea what I was getting into.

“The biggest thing, the best thing about playing on the offensive side, is that I know what’s going to happen in the play. I know what the snap count is and what I’m expected to do. As a D-lineman, you don’t you have a clue. You’re always reacting.”

The background on defense proved to be a good investment, too.

“He can look at a defensive alignment,” Eilers said, “and has a great understanding of what that defense is trying to do just by how they’re lined up.”

With Gilmore’s addition and Chiles’ development, Western hopes it’s rebuilt its offensive line back into the team’s foundation, like it had been in recent years.

“I don’t doubt that,” Eilers said. “There’s no question the offensive line is going to be a very strong part of this football team.”