An offensive line in football is a bigger, less-athletic group of men who place demoralizing fear into the eyes of their opposition.
For LSU (1-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference), those giant, intrepid men may be the most important variable to a successful season.
Sophomore running back Leonard Fournette began his candidacy for the Heisman Trophy last Saturday against Mississippi State University. A 25-pound, cast bronze trophy he could hoist upon the backs of his 1,588-pound offensive line.
Fournette ran for 159 yards and three touchdowns, averaging nearly six yards per carry. Fournette, the SEC Offensive Player of the Week, seemed to suffocate Mississippi State’s energy level with his unrelenting, powerful running style. He had giant holes to run through — a credit he gave to the offensive line, which ended up being the key to LSU’s 21-19 victory against the then-No. 25 Bulldogs (1-1, 0-1 SEC).
“It gives us a good feeling,” said senior right tackle Vadal Alexander. “O-linemen love when their running backs succeed. When they succeed, that is our way of knowing we did good.”
A good job they did, indeed.
Junior center Ethan Pocic was named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week on Monday. Pocic accumulated 16 knockdowns in the season-opener, not allowing a single sack or any defensive pressure.
As a group, the Tigers allowed only one sack for five yards. LSU combined for an overall 266 rushing yards in 47 attempts between four players.
It was the first game of the season, so opening-day jitters affected the lineman, which is normally acceptable. LSU coach Les Miles, though, found the few mistakes the offensive line made non-permissible.
“We had a series of penalties that were costly,” Miles said. “If you go back and add in the plays that were taken away based on a holding, quality calls. I’m not in any way suggesting that the calls were not quality, but it cost us 204 yards, big plays that were taken back, and 17 points. Those kind of things you cannot do.”
Miles aims to address minor mistakes from his offensive line, which took away the chance to make a 20-point opening-season victory.
“We did a lot of things well,” Alexander said. “But we have a lot to work on. We could have won that game by a lot of points. It just shows how good we can be if we just keep working.”
The Tigers committed nine penalties for a loss of 95 yards. For two penalties, LSU ended in the end zone, only to have the plays rewound and redone.
In the Tigers’ second offensive possession, junior offensive guard Josh Boutte was called for holding. On the play, sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris tossed a spiralling 37-yard pass to open, junior wide receiver Travin Dural as he ran into the end zone for seven points.
Holding. Replay the down, 10-yards farther away than where it initially started. No points.
Next, in what could have resulted in a brutal, season-ending injury, freshman offensive guard William Clapp was called for clipping in the backfield as Harris scrambled down the right side of the field for 16 yards. Clapp pulled and charged to the same side of the field, hurling his 6-foot-5, 303-pound body in the knees of Mississippi State junior defensive lineman A.J. Jefferson.
For the most part, Boutte and Clapp performed well against Mississippi State, Miles said.
“We had a good group effort,” Pocic said. “There are some things we need to clean up.”
Freshman offensive guard Maea Teuhema did not start against the Bulldogs but replaced Boutte (6-foot-5, 342 pounds) — who seemed a step too slow off the line of scrimmage on some plays — for the entire second half against Mississippi State.
When asked who would claim the starting spots for Saturday’s contest at 2:30 p.m. against No. 18 Auburn, Miles replied bluntly with no clear answer.
“It would be one of three guys,” Miles said. “It would be Maea Teuhema, Will Clapp or big Josh Boutte.”
All three contenders are competing to be full-time starters for the first time, so Miles said keeping his new starters healthy is imperative.
“We like to keep guys fresh,” Miles said. “The more that those guys are fresh and especially when you’re younger, it takes some of the pressure off playing down after down.”
No matter the official starters, all the offensive linemen began preparing for Auburn (2-0, 0-0 SEC), and the defensive schemes it may implement at Tiger Stadium on Saturday night.
Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp — former LSU defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2001-2004 — is known for using different packages aside from what his opponents may predict and study in the film room.
The LSU offensive line expects this and is preparing accordingly.
“Muschamp is over there now,” Pocic said. “They’re pretty good. They run multiple defensive fronts, so we have to be prepared.”
This is something Pocic and his comrades on the line are used to.
“Every week, someone throws something new at you,” Pocic said. “That’s just part of being LSU. We are going to get some new stuff, but we just have to [be] calm, cool and collected.”