The LSU football team saw a familiar face in practice Saturday.
Former offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth took a break from his NFL workouts to attend LSU practices and help this year’s remodeled offensive line through some drills.
The All-American left tackle was one of four seniors who graduated on the offensive line from last season’s team along with Academic All-American center Rudy Niswanger, right guard Nate Livings and key reserve Terrell McGill.
“The (NFL) Combines focus a lot on technique, so Andrew was able to bring some of that to practice,” said senior lineman Brian Johnson. “He was able to help us out with run and pass blocking techniques and [Stacy] Searels seem to like the things he was showing us as well.”
The four graduating seniors accounted for 38 of the team’s 60 starts last season.
The veteran-laden unit also cleared the way for LSU running backs to compile move than 150 yards per game (4th in the SEC), 21 touchdowns and allowed 26 sacks (sixth in the SEC) last season.
LSU will rely on returning starters senior Brian Johnson, junior Will Arnold and sophomore Brett Helms to anchor a unit that has many question marks as spring practice continues.
Johnson has 16 career starts, 11 last season, at three different positions.
Arnold has 13 career starts, earning All-Freshmen SEC honors in 2004. But Arnold has been slowed by knee injuries throughout his career, only starting six games last season.
“We are a ways away from being professed on the [offensive] line,” said LSU coach Les Miles. “There are a lot of young guys that are having to start for the first time and lead for the first time. It’s a work in progress.”
Miles said the center spot is the biggest question mark.
The top candidates to replace Niswanger are Helms and sophomore Ryan Miller.
Miller was the back-up center this past year but has only one start in his career.
Helms played five games and made two starts at guard before a season-ending ankle injury forced him to the sidelines.
“We need to develop a really capable offensive line,” Miles said in a news release. “We graduated a number of guys there, and I am very concerned to see how that center spot is going to be manned. We will look at a number of guys there that might have the potential to play center.
Other lineman who will compete for snaps are senior Peter Dyakowski and sophomore Herman Johnson.
Dyakowski has made 11 appearances on the offensive line, but only two last season.
“It’s very interesting to have all those seniors gone,” Dyakowski said. “Now I am one of the oldest on the team and I will work on becoming a leader into the fall.”
Herman Johnson has played in nine games in his career, seven last season.
“The young guys are stepping it up a lot,” Brian Johnson said. “They know the playbook pretty well and are off to a good start so far.”
 
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