A year ago this past week, LSU’s sophomore offensive guard Lyle Hitt was an afterthought to most.
Buried at the bottom of the depth chart on one of the deepest defensive lines in college football, Hitt realized beating out defensive tackles like senior Glenn Dorsey and junior Marlon Favorite for playing time was not a likely possibility.
At times, the Baton Rouge native said he felt the strain of trying to find his place on a defense loaded with NFL-caliber talent.
“Sometimes you felt like you were just spinning your wheels,” Hitt said. “I felt a little lost in the shuffle.”
Through his early struggles, though, Hitt felt he would best serve the team as a defensive player.
So when the LSU coaches first approached him about making the switch from defensive line to offensive line, Hitt was a little skeptical.
“I didn’t think it was a possibility at first,” Hitt said. “I really didn’t think anything of it.”
The LSU coaches were not easily deterred. They remained in the sophomore’s ear about the switch and eventually convinced him to give offense a shot.
“The coaches kept talking to me about [making the switch to offense]. So I got a couple reps on one-on-one pass protection and really started developing some confidence,” Hitt said. “[After that], I felt confident enough to make the switch.”
Fast-forward six months to the beginning of LSU’s spring practice. With the departure of former LSU offensive tackles Peter Dyakowski and Brian Johnson, the right side of the offensive line needed to be rebuilt.
LSU coach Les Miles pegged Hitt as a key component for that revamping. Now halfway through the 2007 season, Hitt is an integral part of an LSU rushing attack ranked No. 12 in the nation.
Miles said he is fortunate to have a player like Hitt contribute to the improvement of the Tigers offensive line.
“The offensive line has really come on,” Miles said. “Hitt is certainly one of those guys.”
Hitt said he used certain tricks of the trade he picked up on as a defensive player that have helped ease his transfer to the other side of the ball.
“There are general concepts and rules and things that you can pick up more quickly because you played defensive line,” Hitt said. “Things that I do will affect [the opponent’s] read. Like if I overset on pass protection, they’ll try to take the inside, which sometimes I want them to do.”
Fellow offensive lineman Will Arnold considers Hitt’s success switching from defense to offense as a testament to his athletic ability.
“Playing offensive line is tough,” Arnold said. “He must be a pretty good athlete to be able to [make the switch].”
Junior defensive end Tyson Jackson, who battles Hitt every day in practice, said he has done a great job making the transition.
“With an offensive lineman, it’s more about technique than being aggressive,” Jackson said. “If you’re trying to overpower a guy, it can cause him to slip by you. I think Hitt did a beautiful job switching over from defensive tackle to offensive guard.”
Though Hitt turned heads with how quickly he picked up his new position, there was not much of a chance for him to crack the starting lineup with Arnold, a preseason All-American, ahead of him on the depth chart.
But when Arnold struggled with knee injuries during the first few weeks of the season, Hitt stepped in and assumed the starting role.
Hitt, who said he used to “get his butt whooped” by Arnold when they competed against each other in high school, said he is happy to be helping the Tigers any way he can.
“It’s a great feeling to be able to contribute to the team,” Hitt said. “It means everything.”
Perhaps the person most appreciative of Hitt’s contributions this year is Arnold. Now, finally healthy enough to take the field after sitting out for six games, Arnold and Hitt will likely share time at the offensive guard position.
Nonetheless, Arnold said he has been highly impressed with Hitt’s performance this year.
“I don’t guess you can ask for much more out of him,” Arnold said. “He’s getting the job done. He’s shown great ability.”
——-Contact James Rees at [email protected]