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The offensive lineman is the most unheralded player in all of sports. Offensive linemen get little credit, if any, for offensive accomplishments, but they absorb nearly all of the criticism if a play goes bad.
The only time an offensive lineman hears his name called out is after a false start or a holding penalty. Skilled position players are the ones young children make heroes out of, and offensive linemen virtually go unnoticed.
They are the men of the trenches, and it is the big men up front who set the tempo of the game.
The Tigers line up with one of the largest offensive lines in the country, averaging 6-foot-4 and 308 pounds.
They are an enormous group of guys who are incredible run blockers and have done an outstanding job at protecting the quarterbacks.
The Tigers pile up 210.5 yards per game on the ground behind the team’s workhorses, ranking 22nd in the country. No matter who the Tigers line up at running back, he has been successful behind this offensive line.
Their blocking has created large enough holes that LSU rushers are averaging nearly five yards per carry and have reached the 200-yard rushing mark six times this season already.
Since the awful Sept. 1 game against Virginia Tech where it gave up four sacks, the offensive line has yielded only four sacks in the last seven games which has given the young Tiger quarterbacks the time and the chance to make plays and run the offense.
Ben Wilkerson, who arguably is the best center in the Southeastern Conference, is the anchor of the Tiger’s offensive line. He is one of three LSU offensive linemen on the SEC’s postseason honors candidate list and also is on the Remington Award watch list. Wilkerson was a Freshman All-SEC and Freshman All-America a year ago. The Tigers have an 11-3 record when Wilkerson starts.
Senior Rob Sale is a versatile lineman who has started at center and both guard positions during his LSU career. Sale has started every game this year at right guard, and has 20 career starts for the Tigers. He has been a steady player for LSU.
Left guard Stephen Peterman is a fierce competitor who plays offense with a defensive mentality. It may be because he started out his LSU career as a defensive end after playing tight end in high school. He has started 20 games in his two years at left guard and is a candidate for a postseason SEC honor. His intensity has made him a favorite among Tiger fans.
The Tigers’ starting tackles also were teammates in high school at West Monroe. Right tackle Rodney Reed is the veteran of the offensive line, with 29 starts as a Tiger. For the last two seasons, Reed was LSU’s starting left tackle, but was moved to the right side this year. He is very smart and consistent and is one of the leaders of the team. After a poor performance against Virginia Tech, Reed has put together a string of consistent games.
At 6-foot-7, 320 pounds, redshirt freshman Andrew Whitworth is LSU’s most imposing figure on the offensive line. The Tigers’ left tackle is a very gifted and athletic offensive lineman who punishes opposing defensive players with his strength and quickness.