No. 18 LSU didn’t allow a sack in its 23-20 victory against Mississippi State on Saturday, but its offensive front still experienced its share of difficulties.
Cramps affected K.J. Malone and Will Clapp, while Toby Weathersby went down with an ankle injury and Josh Boutte had a knee injury. As a result, LSU played eight linemen in seven different combinations.
LSU coach Les Miles said offensive line coach Jeff Grimes previously prepared his linemen for that possibility, and all of the combinations have already been worked through. Senior center Ethan Pocic, who was forced to switch positions Saturday, said that cross-training helped tremendously.
“K.J. will be back. Clapp went down a little bit, but he came back in, and Boutte had a little ding, but he went back,” Pocic said. “That’s kind of just been the story — nick here, nick there. Times like Saturday, it comes in clutch.”
Although it felt natural for some, sophomore tight end Foster Moreau said he encountered an unfamiliar situation that threw him off as he broke the huddle and made his way to the line — No. 77 was at left tackle.
“I never really get to see who is in the game,” Moreau said. “I saw Pocic at left tackle, and I was like, ‘Whoa, no. Wait, I haven’t practiced this.’ I’m used to him making calls from the center position.”
Pocic, who was named to the Rimington Award Watch List at center for the second consecutive year, picked up a 10-yard holding penalty on his first snap, protecting junior quarterback Danny Etling’s blindside.
The 6-foot-7, 302 pounder who played offensive tackle in high school said his footwork was rusty, but to Clapp, it was hard to tell Pocic is a three-year starter at center based on his body of work at left tackle Saturday.
Filling in at center was junior Andy Dodd, who entered with 99 snaps worth of game experience. The line didn’t miss a beat with Dodd in as he sniffed out Mississippi State’s blitzes and made all the right calls, Clapp said.
“[Dodd] had all of the assignments down. He did a great job,” Pocic said. “For offensive linemen, people click at different times. Dodd, he clicked and became a really good lineman. I love to see him play.”
Miles said almost everyone will be available against Auburn on Saturday.
Weathersby, who was seen wearing a walking boot on Monday — Miles did not disclose the extent of his injury — could be the one held out.
“Toby’s a tough kid, he’s a competitor,” Pocic said. “He wants to get out there, but not if he’s going to make it worse, and he’s not going to be able to play like Toby plays.”