The front five will look different for the Bulldogs entering the 2025 season. Kirk Doskocil, Charles Mackley, Jack Mitchell, Charlie Gardner and Nik Belski bring the most experience to a position group that helped Butler lead the PFL in first downs last year.
 
"We have a really talented group of young players that have stepped up and meshed well with the couple veterans that we have," Run Game Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach Luke Shively stated. "The progress our guys have made to come together as a unit since the spring has been impressive." 
 
At the midway point of training camp, Butler has seen Jack Mitchell and Charles Mackley on the left side of the offensive line with Charlie Gardner and Kirk Doskocil getting work on the right side. Up the middle, Nik Belski has been getting the ball back to the QB.
 
Mackley and Doskocil have the most snaps under their belt among these linemen. In 2024, Mackley started at left guard in the first six games of the season before getting banged up. Doskocil played in seven games, including four against league foes.
 
Depth will be provided by Eric Bower, Otto Weight and Michael Wells, a trio that all appeared in three games last season. Cameron Beiswenger and Idaho transfer Christopher Quinonez will also impact this group.
 
Michael McLaughlin, Luke Pedersen, Blake Mazone, and Alexander McPhee will work for more playing time in 2025 while the freshman class of Wyatt Bakker, Will McCorison, and Kevork Buchaklian will get their feet wet at the collegiate level.
 
Bulldog fans can see the team in action for the first time on Aug. 30. The season opener will send Butler to Northern Iowa for a 2 p.m. kick (1 p.m. central).