LSU looks to offensive line for stability

By Lee Roberts  |   Thursday, August 21, 2008  |  Comments( 2 )

LSU Tigers
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Football games are won in the trenches. You’ve heard coaches, players and announcers say it for years, probably because it’s true. The team that controls the line of scrimmage is going to win the game.

No one knows that better than LSU head coach Les Miles. In case you forgot, Miles played football at the University of Michigan, where he was an offensive lineman; later, he coaches the Wolverines' O-line and Colorado's. Miles clearly has brought his knowledge to LSU, where the offensive line stands to be one of the strongest units this year for the Tigers.

One of the key ingredients for a stout offensive line is stability. This year’s group at LSU returns four starters from a season ago. The centerpiece – literally – is senior center Brett Helms, who is entering his third year as a starter and was named to the preseason All-SEC second team.

The top player of the group is left guard Herman Johnson. Also a senior, Johnson started the past two seasons and played in 11 games as a redshirt freshman. He was first-team All-SEC last year and expects to be again in 2008. At 6-foot-7 and 386 pounds, it’s going to take a small army to get past Johnson and into LSU’s backfield.

Solidifying the best O-line left side in college football is junior Ciron Black. Protecting your quarterback’s blind side against the best pass rushers in the SEC is no small feat, but Black has done it since his redshirt freshman year. He was second-team All-SEC in 2007 and picked for the same honor this preseason. He uses his 6-5, 327-pound frame to stay in front of opposing pass rushers.

The right side of the line is less decorated, but it's certainly talented. At the right guard spot, junior Lyle Hitt returns as the starter. Hitt is a converted defensive tackle who uses that knowledge to his advantage on the offensive line. He works well with Helms to secure the center of the line and the coaches anticipate another solid year from Hitt.

The lone question mark on the line is right tackle, where sophomores Joseph Barksdale and Jarvis Jones are battling to replace Carnell Stewart. While Barksdale and Jones are inexperienced compared to the rest of their fellow linemen, they did find some playing time last year. The coaches believe that they both have the potential to be better than Stewart was, but now one of them must step up.

Coming off a national championship, expectations are as high as ever for the Tigers. With a new quarterback, the offensive line will need to be at its best in order to give its quarterback a chance to make plays. With this much size and experience, Miles should feel quite comfortable about his line providing the protection and running lanes the offense needs.
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About Lee Roberts

Born in Richmond, Va, I moved south to UNC-Chapel Hill for college and received a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. I currently live in Charlotte, NC and cover Auburn, LSU and the ACC.
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