Injuries plague all football teams.But the LSU football team has had four offensive starters go down with injuries in recent weeks.During LSU’s 25-23 loss against Ole Miss on Saturday, the Tigers had three of the starters return to action after missing previous games — sophomore quarterback Jordan Jefferson, senior tight end Richard Dickson and sophomore center T-Bob Hebert.The fourth offensive starter, senior running back Charles Scott, broke his collarbone and is out for the rest of the regular season.Jefferson missed LSU’s game against Louisiana Tech on Nov. 14 after going down with an ankle injury the previous week during the game against Alabama.After being out for a game and almost two quarters, Jefferson returned against Ole Miss and went 19-of-37 for 250 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.Jefferson wasn’t as successful scrambling away from the Rebels on his injured ankle, though. He was sacked behind the line four times and lost a combined 31 yards on those plays.LSU coach Les Miles said Jefferson’s ankle was not fully healthy during the Ole Miss game.”Offensively, we had a quarterback with a hobbled foot,” Miles said.Jefferson said he expects to feel much better for this weekend’s game against Arkansas.”The back end of the week I should feel good about the ankle, and I should have a lot more mobility back,” Jefferson said.Dickson has also missed a lot of time recently because of an injury. He suffered a thigh contusion and missed both the Alabama game and the Louisiana Tech game.Dickson entered the season tied with Brad Boyd for the most touchdowns by an LSU tight end (10), and he was coming off back-to-back seasons with more than 300 receiving yards.But Dickson’s senior season has been anything but spectacular. He only has 14 receptions for 106 yards and no touchdowns on the season.Dickson was listed as a starter for Saturday’s game but didn’t enter the contest until the last play of LSU’s first possession. He recorded one reception in the game for a 2-yard loss.Miles said Dickson and sophomore tight end Mitch Joseph were injured during the Ole Miss game, and that influenced his decision to throw the ball instead of run the ball on LSU’s two-point conversion attempt late in the game.Sophomore tight end Deangelo Peterson and Joseph split the playing time during the Alabama and Louisiana Tech games.Peterson recorded his career-best performance against Alabama. He had two receptions for 40 yards and his first touchdown catch as a Tiger.Joseph also had a career-best performance in Dickson’s absence. Joseph had one reception for 14 yards against Louisiana Tech.Hebert started all nine games leading up to the Louisiana Tech game when he did not play because of injury.Redshirt freshman center Patrick Lonergan started the game at center against Louisiana Tech in the absence of Hebert. Lonergan also saw playing time in the two games prior to the Louisiana Tech game — Tulane and Alabama.Hebert returned to the field as a starter Saturday and played the whole game at the center position.Hebert said the training staff worked hard to make sure he was ready for this week, and the hard work paid off.”They help you to get back on the field as quick as you can and as healthy as you can,” Hebert said. “But I felt good after that game.”–Contact Jarred LeBlanc at [email protected]
Football: Offensive starters play in Oxford, Miss., despite injuries
November 24, 2009