**Editor’s Note: This story first appeared in the Emerald’s “Gameday” edition, which was released on Aug. 27. Copies are available on stands throughout Eugene. 
Doug Brenner and Jake Pisarcik stood on a deck and watched as the rays from a mid-July sun adorned Triangle Lake in Western Oregon. The Oregon offensive linemen were enjoying this year’s annual trip to offensive line coach Steve Greatwood’s lake house.
While basking in the moment, however, the two redshirt sophomores came to a realization.
“We were like, ‘Dang, dude. This is our third time being at the lake,’” Brenner said. “It flies by, feels like I’ve been here for a year.”
After losing three starters — Hamani Stevens, Jake Fisher and, most notably, Hroniss Grasu — from 2014, Oregon’s offensive line suddenly, if only for a moment, lost some of its identity. This forced some of the group to step into new leadership roles.
“I learned a lot from them,” redshirt senior lineman Matt Pierson said. “I talked to Hroniss last spring and he taught me the finer points of the offense.”
It was no secret that Grasu, a third-round pick by the Chicago Bears in the 2015 NFL Draft, was Oregon’s elder statesman on the offensive line. One of the major questions surrounding the team this offseason was who would be the “next man up,” the next Grasu?
The answer came quickly in the form of fifth-year senior left tackle Tyler Johnstone. After staring 26 consecutive games for the Ducks, Johnstone tore his ACL in last year’s fall camp.
One year later, he and other upperclassmen such as Pisarcik, Pierson, Brenner and Cameron Hunt have fostered a looser atmosphere.
“Hroniss, he’s a more laid-back guy. He’d kind of joke around a little bit, but was a little serious when he needed to be,” Hunt said. “We’re just a really goofy group.”
Earlier this year, the group created a mobile group chat that included incoming freshmen. They largely used it to set times to hang out.
“I think that helped out a lot,” Pierson said. “When I was a true freshman, it could be intimidating to approach a fifth-year senior.”
“(Johnstone) has been really taking control of the younger guys and trying to help them out,” Hunt said. “They came in ahead of the curve of where we were as freshmen.”
This summer, in addition to meeting at Johnstone’s house, the offensive line also went to a retreat in Ashland, camped in Florence, frequently floated the Willamette River on inner tubes and stayed at Greatwood’s lakehouse
“This was the best summer we’ve ever had in our lives,” Brenner said. “We utilized every minute of off time that we had.”
The laid-back attitude manifested itself at Triangle Lake in mid-July.
While on the lake, Johnstone and Pisarcik were circling each other on Sea-Doos. At one point, Pisarcik stopped to take a break, but Johnstone did not see him. The two vehicles collided.
Fortunately, however, one jumped off while the other dove underneath, avoiding any injuries.
Later that day, the linemen joked that the two were intentionally trying to run each other over.
“At first it was a little scary, but afterwards we were kind of laughing about it,” Hunt said.
Now, the group hopes the camaraderie established off the field will translate onto it.
“Sliding left as a center, you know that that right guard or right tackle is going to do their job and you trust them,” Hunt said. “You know they’re good guys and that you need to trust them.”
Follow Jack Heffernan on Twitter @JackTHeffernan