High standards.

One would think the usual happy-go-lucky Cody Mauch would be content.

Mauch is slowly but steadily growing into one of the better right guards in the game. And now that Tristan Wirfs (last year), Ben Bredeson (this March) and Luke Goedeke (last week) have gotten paid, Mauch isn’t far away from getting paid himself. He will be in a contract year next season.

The ironman has yet to miss a game through two Bucs seasons. A good guard who always answers the bell is a valuable player.

And while there is a lot to be happy about for the North Dakota State product who got married this summer, he wasn’t fully pleased with the state of his game.

Mauch told Joe he has plenty to work on.

First, despite playing on one of the league’s best offensive lines, Mauch believes the entire line can be better.

“I’d say we just gotta keep kind of focusing on the little things, like being better, like offensive line might be better in our communications,” Mauch said. “Just keep communicating like that. Stuff just takes time.

“So I’d say everyone has things to work on.”

But what about his own game?

“I think my technique is still a little bit all over the place,” Mauch said. “And some things like, there’s just sometimes I’m like, I don’t know, it’ll be a little bit too wide [of a stance] or not getting enough of a guy on a combination [block].

“It’s like, trying to work on those little things and be more detailed.”

When Joe told Mauch he sounded like he had high standards, he smiled through that toothless grin and said, “Well, yeah, I think we all do in our room.”

Nothing sounds better to Joe than one of the best offensive lines in the game not being satisfied.