McKenzie Freeman, Jordan Tardie and Jordan Chaplin live a mostly anonymous life on the football field — and that’s just fine with them.

The three seniors give Marshfield a strong left side of the offensive line. As the only returning varsity starters among the linemen, they bring experience, talent and leadership to the group.

With four new varsity players vying for the two spots on the right side, the three returning starters will play a vital role in the success of the Pirates.

During games, they will provide blind-side protection for right-handed quarterback Kyle Tedder and also open holes for Marshfield’s running backs. They will be equally important in practice.

Chaplin, Marshfield’s center, said the value of the veterans shows in “the leadership that a couple guys are taking on pushing the other linemen.

“We’re all working together to be a group.”

While Freeman, Tardie and Chaplin are proven talents, seniors Andrew Kilmer and Andrew Schneider and juniors Cody Shipp and Chris Cordova are battling for playing time on the right side.

Justin Ainsworth, who coaches the linemen, likes the young men he has to work with.

“As a group, we have a good balance of returners and underclassmen who haven’t played varsity,” he said, adding that the competition for the spots on the right side can only make the team better.

Tardie sees the group as having great potential.

“The left side is great,” he said. “Once the right side gets it going, I think we’re going to be pretty good.”

Among their biggest fans is Tedder.

“McKenzie and Jordan Tardie are on my left side and you can’t ask for a better left side,”he said. “Jordan Chaplin does an awesome job at center.

“They’ve got my back. I’ll take care of them.”

The three returning starters took different roads to their current positions.

Freeman always has been destined to be a standout, though he is playing his third position in three years.

He started as a tackle, played center last year and moved to guard this fall.

“(The switch) was hard at first,” he said. “When you play center, you’ve got to know everybody’s position, so I kind of knew what’s going on.”

Freeman earned all-league status last year in the Midwestern League and could have a big future.

“He is a college football player if he decides he wants to be one,” Ainsworth said. “He could receive money if he wants to.”

To get to that level, Freeman will need to work hard to have a big year to get some recognition, Ainsworth said.

Freeman agreed with his coach.

“I know I’ve got to dominate people if I want to make it to the next level,” he said.

A number of colleges have looked at Freeman both because of his season last year and his size — 6 feet 4 inches and 290 pounds.

He has skills to go with that bulk.

“He’s pretty quick for his size,” Tardie said. “He’s a big body. He’s good on his feet for how big he is.”

Freeman has been pegged as an offensive lineman throughout his career.

Tardie, on the other hand, started with the defense.

“I was happy to play defensive end last year,” he said. “I got the surprise that I was going to be an offensive tackle.

“This is my second year on the offensive line. I’m liking it more. It’s growing on me.”

Chaplin, meanwhile, started last year on the junior varsity team, but was moved to the right tackle position because the Pirates had a great shortage on the offensive line.

This year, he switched to center, which is a good fit, Ainsworth said.

“He processes things really well,” Ainsworth said. “He can see the big picture.”

In an era where size is almost a requirement to be a good lineman, Chaplin is the opposite of Freeman, standing just 5-11 and weighing 190 pounds.

“He doesn’t have a lot of horsepower, but he gets out on guys,” Ainsworth said.

Chaplin shares a key characteristic with his fellow linemen.

“Our entire line has good quickness,” he said.

Ainsworth said the linemen also share another quality.

“Typically, they’re kids without egos,” he said. “They have a healthy respect for each other. They see the big picture. They know what it means to be part of the team.

“That’s status quo for this group.”

“We’re the most important group that gets the least recognition,” Chaplin said of the offensive line, where the three are returning starters. “I kind of like it. You’re getting yelled at as much as anybody, but nobody notices you.”

The linemen know their work is recognized by their teammates and coaches.

“We’re the most important part, but we don’t get much credit (from fans),” Tardie said. “When the play goes good, we know it’s because of us. We make the running backs look good.”