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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Hanni returns ‘home’


Rocky Hanni, an All-Big Sky Conference selection for Eastern Washington last year as a redshirt freshman, is one of the anchors of the offensive line again this season. 
 (Jed Conklin / The Spokesman-Review)

The Eastern Washington football coaches just smiled.

Rocky Hanni a failure?

Not hardly.

“He’s so hard on himself,” Eagles offensive line coach Aaron Best said. “He’s extremely hard on himself, in a good manner.”

Hanni was disappointed because he was expected to be the left tackle for the Eagles, filling the shoes of departed All-American and second-round NFL draft pick Michael Roos.

Instead, when fifth-ranked Eastern plays its home opener against Western Oregon Saturday at 6:05 p.m., Hanni will line up in his familiar spot at left guard.

“Moving from guard to tackle is hard because there is more open space,” Hanni said. “In spring I thought I played pretty good, but when we came into camp I just wasn’t playing very well. I was pretty much a guard playing tackle.”

Not just any guard, mind you. Last year as a redshirt freshman, sandwiched between Roos and veteran center Kraig Sigler, Hanni earned unprecedented honors. He was the first O-lineman to be named Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year and the only freshman picked to any of the three Sports Network All-America teams.

“It surprised me a ton because I was a redshirt freshman who wasn’t expecting to get anything,” Hanni said. “I think most of that is because I played next to Michael Roos. He’s such a great player. He got looked at and they said, ‘This guy here might have a little something, too.’ “

His first season turned so many heads Hanni was picked as a preseason All-American at tackle, and despite never playing a collegiate down at the position, one publication ranked him as the top I-AA tackle in the country.

But when all the pieces came together on the offensive line, the coaches moved Hanni back to left guard, not because he failed but because they could.

Chris Perkins stepped in at right tackle, Zach Wasielewski bumped over to left tackle and Hanni was left with mixed emotions.

“I was kind of relieved because I wasn’t playing very well at tackle; I was getting real frustrated with myself,” Hanni said. “I was really upset because they needed me to play left tackle and I just wasn’t playing it very well.”

Best said Hanni started “battling the demons” of self doubt. “I wouldn’t call it failing.

“Playing in space (at tackle) you can’t get away with things you get away with in the inside three,” he added. “X’s and O’s it’s a hell of a lot easier at tackle. From a physical standpoint it’s a hell of a lot harder than playing guard.”

Head coach Paul Wulff said, “It was more of a mental thing during training camp than it was a physical thing. He plays better at guard because his comfort level is there.”

Comfortable yes, but hardly cocky.

“It’s kind of sad,” he said. “I couldn’t play left tackle so they moved me and they moved (left guard Chris Carlsen) after all that hard work. I figured I’d be a backup until I earned it again.”

That reaction didn’t surprise the coaches, either.

“He’s your prototypical offensive lineman in terms of humbleness, work ethic and his character off the field,” Best said. “He’s a very caring individual, a great team player.”

When Perkins was hurt in the season opener, right guard Matt Alfred, the backup right tackle, moved out and Carlsen was ready to go.

“Matt played well at tackle,” Wulff said, “and Chris has made a lot of progress, he deserves to start.”

That also maintained the impressive look to the left side with 6-foot-4, 275-pound Wasielewski beside the 6-5, 290-pound Hanni.

“Those two have a lot of potential,” Wulff said. “They’re not where we want them to be from a physical standpoint because of their youth, but they’re getting better; they’re athletic kids. They have a bright future.”

Hanni was a strong-side tackle at Sumner High School after outgrowing quarterback and tight end. When Wulff saw him, he was thinking tackle all the way.

But with two seniors at tackle last year, Hanni had to get on the field.

“Knowing he had a lot of talent, the easiest way to break him in was as a guard,” Wulff said. “We knew he was going to be a good player … we didn’t know he was going to be such a capable guard, to be quite honest.”

A big reason is his attitude.

“What allowed him to be successful is he’s very mature,” Wulff said of the criminal justice major. “You could see his leadership skills, even as a redshirt freshman. He’s got a lot of moxie.”

Wulff, a former lineman at Washington State who had a brief professional career, believes Hanni’s long-term future is as a guard or even a center.

Hanni’s plan is to just keep working hard.

“I really didn’t worry about what I did last year,” he said. “I just tried to work on getting better so I didn’t decline in what I was doing. I never really thought about any accolades I got.”