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Ryan Kalil is a rookie offensive lineman for the Carolina Panthers. Last season, the University of Southern California senior was a unanimous first-team All Pac-10 selection and won the Morris Trophy, given to the top offensive lineman in the conference. In April, the Panthers drafted him in the second round, 59^th overall. This is the first in a series of blogs that Kalil will contribute to SI and SI.com during the 2007 NFL season.

Adjusting to life in the NFL can be hard enough, but when you add the fact that you're also adjusting to a new lifestyle and a new town, it can get overwhelming.

The past six weeks have been crazy. As I've mentioned before, I'm getting married early next year, so my fiancée and I are preparing for that. We have a new place, we're buying furniture and getting settled, and I'm doing all this while doing what I'm paid to do. I am studying as much film as possible and learning the playbook so that I can do the things I need to do on the field in order to keep playing.

Speaking of playing time, I was lucky enough to start in my first NFL regular season game. I grew up playing center, and that's what I was drafted as out of Southern Cal. But I've always tried to keep an open mind and be a versatile player, so when the coaches asked me to take some preseason snaps as a guard, I was more than willing. That led to me starting in last weekend's game in St. Louis at right guard. It was a good debut. We were able to open some holes for our running game and, more importantly, we won the game. It's always good to get a win, but on the road, at a place like St. Louis, it's big.

The veteran guys on the offensive line have been really great to me so far. I think we're all getting along pretty well, and that will hopefully continue (as long as I keep up with my rookie duties). We have a weekly offensive line dinner in different restaurants around town, so I've been getting to know the guys.

As for my official duties, I'm in charge picking up lunch every Thursday for the linemen, as well as making sure the refrigerator in the offensive line room is stocked with water, Gatorade and green tea at all times. I've been good so far; the guys haven't been on me. Hopefully, that won't change.

While we're on the subject of veteran offensive linemen, I have to talk about the now infamous (at least in Charlotte) "Battle of the Beards." Basically, it's a bet between Justin Hartwig and myself to see who can survive the longest without shaving his beard.

When I was at Southern Cal, we had a grizzly caveman sort of thing going during camps. We'd all shave our heads or grow beards, just to keep the mood light. So, anyway, on to the bet. We were in training camp in Spartanburg (S.C.), and all the linemen were sitting around talking about beards. I guess Justin grew a pretty long one last year, and he was complaining that nobody would ever challenge him to a beard contest. I've been known to have an Al Borland look with my nice thick beard, and I figured that, as a rookie trying to earn respect, I'd step up to the plate with this one.

The basic rule is that the first guy to shave his beard loses, but there are a few extra caveats. You are allowed to trim the bottom of your beard at the neckline, and you can also trim the mustache whiskers (so you're not eating your mustache). He's pretty confident that I'll shave first, but I think that's a bad approach. I'm engaged and my fiancée is OK with the bet, so I'm going to grow it out for as long as it takes. He doesn't want to be shown up by a rookie, so he'll stick it out for a while, I'm sure. But it will be a lot of fun either way. The Panthers are also letting fans vote on who has the better beard at their Web site, so vote for me if you like my beard.

Everyone says that they have a welcome-to-the-league moment, and mine came in my first game of the preseason against Philadelphia. I was starting at center, and the guy I was going up against was an old teammate of mine at USC, Mike Patterson. So it was one of those things -- it was cool that I was going against one of my buddies from back home, but I also wanted to play well. I think I did that.

The second play of the game, we had a run and I got a knockdown on him, driving him a good three yards and putting him on his back. He did beat me for a sack at the end of the second quarter, about which he was laughing the whole way back to the huddle. It was a good experience, though, and it was good that I got to go up against Mike.

I guess the last thing I can talk about is my nickname here in Carolina, which is, aptly, "Hollywood." It's not an awful nickname to have, but at the same time, it is definitely a knock on me. It stems from my relationship with Will Ferrell, my L.A. connection (going to school there), the media attention I've gotten as a rookie (including writing these blogs for Sports Illustrated) and the fact that I'm in the starting lineup. The guys get on me pretty bad, but I guess it's OK.

Just so that everyone knows, I haven't spoken to Will recently, but he's doing well and he sends his love. I want to make a public service announcement, though, to conclude this blog: For everyone who is a Will Ferrell fan, make sure to check out his new movie Semi-Pro when it comes out. I got an advance screening, and it is absolutely hilarious. The movie is set to come out next February, but look for the trailers soon.