ESPN College Football

The pads went on in Baton Rouge, La., as LSU's football team participated in its fourth spring practice Tuesday.

“I liked practice today,” coach Les Miles said. “We are getting better. I like the improvement that some of our young offense and defensive linemen are making. I think we threw the ball extremely well today considering how early we are in spring. It was a good, physical practice. We started well and finished on a good note.”

The guy throwing the ball the best this spring is new starting quarterback Zach Mettenberger. So far, he has really impressed his head coach with both his passing ability and his leadership skills. That's certainly a good thing, considering how much both of those areas were criticized when Jordan Jefferson was under center for the Tigers last season.

“He has command of the huddle and it appears that he has anticipation as to where the ball is going,” Miles said. “He’s throwing it pretty well.”

Miles also complimented the play of sophomore offensive lineman Elliott Porter, who worked out at center.

“I liked the way he practiced today,” Miles said. “He got better today and he continues to improve. I think he will challenge for playing time.”

The Tigers return a solid, veteran line in 2012, but it never hurts to have depth up front. Depth helped LSU out in 2011 when top lineman Josh Dworaczyk went down with a season-ending injury last year. T-Bob Hebert started the season off in Dworaczyk's spot at left guard, but Will Blackwell eventually moved there and had an All-American season.

LSU also moved pieces around when center P.J. Lonergan went down with an ankle injury halfway through the season. LSU had seven different offensive linemen make starts last season.

Miles also talked about the on-going tryout at kicker, where former LSU women’s soccer keeper Mo Isom stole all the headlines. Miles said there isn't a timetable on making a decision about the kicking participants, including Isom, but he won't hesitate to use her if he feels she can be a real asset for the Tigers.

“If she gave us an opportunity and an advantage, we will certainly consider that,” he said. “There has to be an advantage to the team.

"The good thing about this is that she’s an athlete. She’s been through a team before and she understands commitment. I would have much less reservations with her than I would with any number of other people who frankly didn’t know what they were getting in to.”

If she makes LSU's team, she would be the first female football player in school history. However, she'd have some tough competition this fall with rising senior Drew Alleman returning. He is coming off the most accurate season by an LSU kicker in school history, after hitting 16-of-18 field goals and 62-of-63 extra points in 2011.

The tryouts for placekicker will continue Thursday. For more information on Isom and her tryout with the Tigers, check out what GeauxTigerNation's David Helman wrote about her Tuesday.

LSU will take Wednesday off before returning to practice on Thursday. The Tigers will wrap up their first full week of spring practice Saturday and are scheduled to practice three times a week for the next three weeks.

Schedule: The Tigers will open spring practice on Friday at 5 p.m. ET and conclude the spring with their National L-Club spring game on March 31 at 1:30 p.m. ET. LSU will honor the 2011 team with an SEC championship celebration in Tiger Stadium prior to kickoff of the spring game.

What’s new: Former LSU player Corey Raymond was added to the staff this week as defensive backs coach. Raymond, who coached the Nebraska secondary last season, takes over for Ron Cooper, who left to take a job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Adam Henry is the new receivers coach after spending the last five seasons on the Oakland Raiders’ staff. He replaces Billy Gonzales, who left to become co-offensive coordinator at Illinois.

Key battle: With Michael Brockers leaving early for the NFL, there should be some serious competition at the defensive tackle spots. The good news for LSU is that there will be plenty of bodies from which to choose, and just about everybody has some experience. Junior Bennie Logan returns as the starter at one tackle, but senior Josh Downs and sophomores Anthony Johnson and Ego Ferguson will all be attempting to nail down that other starting spot. Johnson showed flashes last season as a true freshman, and there’s a reason his nickname is “Freak.” He has everything it takes physically to be a dominant interior lineman in this league.

New faces: Even though LSU is loaded at running back with four returnees who could play for anybody in the SEC, keep an eye on 6-2, 225-pound freshman Jeremy Hill. After signing last year with LSU, Hill got into trouble off the field, went through the legal process and joined the Tigers in January. He has that blend of power and speed that all teams seek. LSU also welcomes four other early enrollees from the 2012 class -- linebackers Ronnie Feist and Lamar Louis, offensive guard Vadal Alexander and deep snapper Reid Ferguson. Feist and Alexander were both ESPNU 150 prospects.

Looking for linebackers: The Tigers lost three of their top four linebackers. Junior Kevin Minter returns in the middle, but the outside spots are wide open. Don’t be surprised if defensive coordinator John Chavis takes a look at a safety at linebacker similar to what he did with Karnell Hatcher and Harry Coleman. A lot of times last season, Ryan Baker was the only linebacker on the field in certain situations. Chavis is looking for speed and more speed. This will be a big spring for Tahj Jones, Lamin Barrow and Luke Muncie, all juniors. The Tigers also signed five linebackers in this class, and two of them -- Feist and Louis -- are in school and will participate in spring practice.

Breaking out: One of the priorities this spring will be finding more playmakers in the passing game, especially with Rueben Randle turning pro. A year ago, there were a lot of predictions that Jarvis Landry would be the breakout receiver as a true freshman. As it was, Odell Beckham, Jr. turned out to be the breakout freshman. Landry made his mark on special teams with several memorable hits. Look for him to also make his mark at receiver next season. He’s already a solid route-runner and has the size and speed to be a key contributor in the Tigers’ passing game in 2012.

Don’t forget about: Despite the loss of All-SEC guard Will Blackwell, the Tigers should be just as strong up front offensively in 2012, especially with guard Josh Dworaczyk being granted a sixth year of eligibility. The Tigers return four starters, and Dworaczyk was considered by many to be their best lineman entering last season before he injured his knee. Senior Alex Hurst and junior Chris Faulk return at the tackles. Junior Josh Williford returns at guard and senior P.J. Lonergan at center. In addition, sophomore La'el Collins was one of the Tigers’ highest-profile signees last season. He saw action in seven games as a true freshman and can play both guard and tackle.

All eyes on: LSU coach Les Miles has said the Tigers will throw it more and look to make more plays down the field in the passing game next season. Junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger has a big-time arm, but doesn’t have any game experience in the SEC. Miles is never going to shy too far away from the run, especially with so many linemen and backs returning. But it sounds like the Tigers are serious about opening up the passing game with Mettenberger taking over at quarterback. He could be the missing piece for an offense that struggled to generate a consistent passing attack for much of last season. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a first-year starter in this league, but Mettenberger is eager to take his shot after what he called a long and winding journey since starting his career at Georgia in 2009 and then having to go the junior college route after being dismissed from the Bulldogs' team.

A pair of running backs are the two marquee players coming off injury next season in the SEC.

South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore figures to make a big difference in the Gamecocks’ offense after he missed the final six games in 2011 with a knee injury. He had 818 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns when he went down in the seventh week.

Arkansas was without Knile Davis for the entire 2011 season after he fractured his ankle in the preseason. Davis led all SEC running backs with 1,322 rushing yards in 2010.

Both players, provided they’re healthy, will play integral roles in what the Gamecocks and Hogs hope are big seasons in 2012.

Here are a few other players returning from injury not to forget about when you start sizing up the 2012 season in the SEC:

• South Carolina cornerback Akeem Auguste (foot)
• Tennessee quarterback Tyler Bray (thumb)
• Florida cornerback Jeremy Brown (knee)
• Kentucky running back Josh Clemons (knee)
• LSU offensive guard Josh Dworacyzk (knee)
• Missouri linebacker Will Ebner (ankle)
• Missouri offensive tackle Elvis Fisher (patellar tendon)
• Auburn defensive end Dee Ford (back)
• Alabama running back Dee Hart (knee)
• Tennessee receiver Justin Hunter (knee)
• Missouri running back Henry Josey (knee)
• Alabama offensive tackle Cyrus Kouandjio (knee)
• Tennessee linebacker Herman Lathers (leg)
• Texas A&M running back Christine Michael (knee)
• Kentucky safety Martavius Neloms (ankle)
• Vanderbilt running back Warren Norman (leg)
• Ole Miss linebacker D.T. Shackelford (knee)
• Mississippi State offensive guard Tobias Smith (knee)
• Kentucky linebacker Ridge Wilson (shoulder)

LSU offensive guard Josh Dworaczyk has been granted a sixth year of eligibility, the NCAA and LSU announced Wednesday.

Dworaczyk, who was arguably the Tigers' top lineman heading into last season, suffered a season-ending knee injury during training camp in August and missed all of the 2011 season.

“I’m excited to be able to get another year so that I can finish my career on the field,” Dworaczyk said in a release through the school. “I felt like I had some unfinished business, so being able to get this additional year is a blessing.

“Watching from the sidelines last year wasn’t always easy, because I was so used to being a contributor on the field. Getting another year means that I get to wear the Purple and Gold again, and for that I’m very thankful.

“Getting to see the game through the eyes of a coach and understanding what they are looking for from the players on the field, it helped me fully understand our offense. It also gave me a different relationship with my teammates. As a player, I was a leader on the field. Last year, I couldn’t be in the huddle with my teammates so I tried to be a motivator, giving words of advice or encouragement and doing whatever I could to help from the sidelines.”

Dworaczyk's return will ease the loss of All-American Will Blackwell, who took over at left guard halfway through his past season.

Dworaczyk has started in 26 of the 38 games (all at left guard) that he's played in, and will add to an already experienced returning line. The addition of Dworaczyk means LSU's offensive line will enter the fall with 105 combined starts -- Dworaczyk (26), center P.J. Lonergan (26), right tackle Alex Hurst (24), left tackle Chris Faulk (15), and right guard Josh Williford (14) -- and will yet again cement itself as one of the top offensive lines in the SEC.

“This is great news for our program,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “You never want to see a player have his career cut short because of an injury. Josh is a tremendous representative of our program, and it’s nice to see that he’s going to get a chance to finish out his LSU career on the field.”

A little linkage for the lunch hour:

• South Carolina self-imposes six scholarship cuts.
• LSU senior offensive guard Josh Dworaczyk has a tough decision to make.
• Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen will get a one-year contract extension.
• Vanderbilt promises to open it up even more offensively in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
• Auburn hopes to send out Gus Malzahn the right way.
• Mark Bradley of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution wonders what the magic number is with Georgia coach Mark Richt's contract extension.
• Vanderbilt picks up a commitment from Daphne, Ala., defensive back Torren McGaster, who's rated by ESPN as the No. 73 cornerback prospect in the country.
• Former Florida offensive coordinator Charlie Weis finalizes a five-year, $12.5 million contract at Kansas.
• New Arkansas defensive coordinator Paul Haynes' salary is set at $475,000 annually.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- It's not every day that a 6-foot-3, 304-pound offensive lineman can freely admit that he's a certified nerd, but LSU's T-Bob Hebert has no problem doing just that.

LSU's versatile lineman uses his downtime to perfect his third-person shooter skills on his Xbox.

"This fall, I've really hurt my wallet," Hebert said.

Anyone's wallet will take a hit when grabbing video games like "Gears of War 3," "Batman: Arkham City" and "Battlefield 3" off the shelves in a span of only a couple of months.

You'd think it might be pretty hard for an LSU football player to find time for video games, but as a fifth-year senior, his class schedule is pretty light, so when he isn't taking time to look at film of opposing teams, he's kicking back in either LSU's players' lounge or at his house playing away.

He takes his game online with the likes of fellow linemen Josh Dworaczyk and Will Blackwell. Hebert says he's pretty good, but Dworaczyk is the man when it comes to video games. Hebert fancies himself as more of a third-person expert, so "Gears of War" is more his style, but Dworaczyk is more first-person, making him the "Battlefield" champ. But Dworaczyk usually dominates no matter the title.

Hebert uses these games as a release from his football life, but with Alabama looming, he admits that his video game habit has been put on the backburner ... for now.

"I haven't gotten to get in much action this week, so I probably won't be playing too much," he said.

The countdown began weeks ago, but now it's not just the media and fans talking about Alabama-LSU. The players and coaches can finally get in on all the fun.

Here's what we learned over the weekend:

1. An all-SEC national title game isn't farfetched: With all the craziness that occurred Saturday night, our dreams of an Alabama-LSU national championship game don't seem so crazy now. Both teams proved once again that they are the best in college football, while those around them fell at the worst of times. Oklahoma was stunned 41-38 at home to Texas Tech and Wisconsin fell to Michigan State, thanks to a beautiful Hail Mary pass as time expired. Those were two losses the SEC giants needed if a rematch was going to be possible. Obviously, the SEC isn't out of the woods yet. Oklahoma State, Clemson, Stanford and Boise State all probably have to lose, and, of course, the loser of the Nov. 5 matchup has to keep it super close and win out in style afterward. It will take some more help, but today it doesn't seem as impossible as it did before Saturday's chaos.

2. LSU gets stronger and more dominant every week: When the Tigers should look weak after losing key players, they just reload. There is no letdown on this team. When you talk about the most mentally tough squads in college football, LSU had better be at the top of your list. The Tigers began the season without starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson and playmaking wide receiver Russell Shepard and all they did was steamroll over each opponent they faced without their two starters. Not to mention arguably LSU's top offensive lineman, senior Josh Dworaczyk, has been out all year with an injury. So, when LSU was without freak cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, running back Spencer Ware and corner Tharold Simon for the Auburn game, we should have shaken it off, like the Tigers did. They pounded Auburn 45-10 and might have played their most complete game of the season in the process.

3. Arkansas can't afford more slow starts: We all know that Arkansas has the talent, but the mental focus seems off sometimes with this team. Saturday, the Razorbacks were as sluggish as they could be coming out of the gate against Ole Miss and quickly fell behind 17-0. Arkansas had absolutely nothing going for it on offense in the first half, but stormed out onto the field in the third quarter and bumrushed the Rebels, outscoring them 19-0 in their eventual 29-24 win. But this one was way closer than it should have been. If Ole Miss was a stronger team, Arkansas might not have recovered from the early deficit. Rough starts against Alabama and Texas A&M were worrisome, and this one didn't make us feel great about the Hogs. You have to commend the strong second-half push, but a start like this against a team like LSU or maybe even South Carolina could result in a disappointing outcome for the Hogs.

4. Jordan Rodgers was the right pick: Talk about Rodgers' play at Vanderbilt's camp over the summer was mostly positive, but without the entire spring to work through the playbook, Larry Smith kept his starting job. So Rodgers patiently waited, and after replacing Smith in consecutive games, Rodgers was given the starting nod by coach James Franklin for the Army game. With an offense struggling all season, Franklin needed to shake things up, and getting some new blood in at the quarterback position was the right move as Rodgers passed for 186 yards, rushed for 96 and had two touchdowns in the Commodores' 44-21 win. He sparked the entire offense that put up a season-high 530 yards, including 344 rushing yards. The Commodores finally found some consistency within their offense and Rodgers was a main reason for that. He took total command of the huddle and directed the Commodores efficiently all night. He's starting to get more and more comfortable out there and his numbers will start to improve going forward.

5. Tennessee has fight, but not the manpower: For two quarters, Tennessee stood toe-to-toe with one of the mammoths of college football. We saw the most fight out of Tennessee since wide receiver Justin Hunter went down in the Florida game. Then, Alabama got its second wind and the game was over before the fourth quarter even began. But when you're without four key components to your team and you have depth issues across the board, a loss like that isn't a shock. Tennessee just doesn't have enough dogs for a fight like that. There is a lot of good, young talent at Tennessee, but most of it is starting. Behind it, there isn't much, thanks to poor recruiting before coach Derek Dooley got there. He's having to play a bunch of youngsters out there and that can trigger ugly outcomes in this league. If you look at special teams, the Vols can't get their best athletes out there because the coaches don't want wear them out after defensive series. This team is still a year away from being close to where Dooley wants it and that should have been expected. It was always a three-year plan with him and he's working in the right direction.

Checking out what's going on around the league with some links.

• LSU's most experienced offensive lineman Josh Dworaczyk is expected to miss significant time because of an injury that will require surgery within the next two weeks.
• After all the adversity and tragedy Alabama's football team has been through and seen this year, Saturday's opener can't come soon enough for the Tide.
• Tennessee's depth chart reflects the youth the Volunteers will be working with this season.
• A season after winning the national championship, Auburn welcomes in nearly 20 new starters after the opening depth chart is released.
• A year after a stunning loss to Jacksonville State at home, Ole Miss is looking for a better start to 2011 against BYU.
• A handful of freshmen are ready to make immediate impacts for Arkansas Saturday night.
• Florida coach Will Muschamp is putting his Coach Boom persona on hold and is still Coach Business until the lights go on in Gainesville Saturday night.
• Chris Relf is poised for a breakout senior season at Mississippi State.
• South Carolina's freshmen are getting a crash course in SEC football.
• Brandon Boykin dares Boise State coach Chris Peterson to kick to him this Saturday.
• Kentucky's offensive players are ready to prove that they can be productive even without last season's playmakers around.
• In 2011, Vanderbilt's offense could dictate the outcome of the Commodores' season.

In the spirit of next week's MLB All-Star Game, we've decided to get in on the fun with our own shot at building all-star teams in the SEC.

I'll go first, while fellow SEC blogger Chris Low will unveil his team later today.

Since there are two divisions, we're going East versus West. Like MLB, the school from the winning division will be the home team in the SEC championship game. As a bonus, the winning representative will also get unlimited Chick-fil-A during its stay in Atlanta.

(Supplying unlimited amounts of food from The Varsity would leave the team sluggish and bloated before the big game, so we went lighter.)

Without further adieu, here are my East and West all-stars:

EAST

OFFENSE


QB - Aaron Murray, Georgia, So.
RB - Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina, So.
RB - Tauren Poole, Tennessee, Sr.
WR - Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina, Jr.
WR - Justin Hunter, Tennessee, So.
TE - Orson Charles, Georgia, Jr.
C - Ben Jones, Georgia, Sr.
OL - Cordy Glenn, Georgia, Sr.
OL - Larry Warford, Kentucky, Jr.
OL - Ja'Wuan James, Tennessee, So.
OL - Rokevious Watkins, South Carolina, Sr.

DEFENSE

DE - Devin Taylor, South Carolina, Jr.
DE - Melvin Ingram, South Carolina, Sr.
DT - Jaye Howard, Florida, Sr.
DT - Malik Jackson, Tennessee, Sr.
LB - Danny Trevathan, Kentucky, Sr.
LB - Chris Marve, Vanderbilt, Sr.
LB - Ronald Powell, Florida, So.
CB - Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina, Jr.
CB - Casey Howard, Vanderbilt, Sr.
S - Janzen Jackson, Tennessee, Jr. (consider this like the wacky fan vote because he has yet to return to the team)
S - D.J. Swearinger, South Carolina, Jr.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K - Blair Walsh, Georgia, Sr.
P - Drew Butler, Georgia, Sr.
RET - Andre Debose, Florida, So.

WEST

OFFENSE

QB - Tyler Wilson, Arkansas, Jr.
RB - Trent Richardson, Alabama, Jr.
RB - Knile Davis, Arkansas, Jr.
WR - Greg Childs, Arkansas, Sr.
WR - Joe Adams, Arkansas, Sr.
TE - Phillip Lutzenkirchen, Auburn, Jr.
C - William Vlachos, Alabama, Sr.
OL - Barrett Jones, Alabama, Jr.
OL - Bradley Sowell, Ole Miss, Sr.
OL - Josh Dworaczyk, LSU, Sr.
OL - Brandon Mosely, Auburn, Sr.

DEFENSE

DE - Jake Bequette, Arkansas, Sr.
DE - Kentrell Lockett, Ole Miss, Sr.
DT - Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State, Jr.
DT - Josh Chapman, Alabama, Sr.
LB - Dont'a Hightower, Alabama, Jr.
LB - Courtney Upshaw, Alabama, Sr.
LB - Jerry Franklin, Arkansas, Sr.
CB - Morris Claiborne, LSU, Jr.
CB - Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama, Jr.
S - Mark Barron, Alabama, Sr.
S - Tramain Thomas, Arkansas, Sr.

SPECIAL TEAMS

K - Zach Hocker, Arkansas, So.
P - Tyler Campbell, Ole Miss, Jr.
RET - Joe Adams, Arkansas, Sr.

In a league that is won and lost at the line of scrimmage, teams have to have quality big men up front. The SEC doesn’t lack talent – or size and intimidation – in this category and returns a handful of quality linemen.

The thing about his league is that the youngsters and veterans seem to play at an equally high level up front at times. It feels like the talent around the SEC is maturing at much younger ages on the offensive line.

Here are some of the top performers we came up with on the offensive side the SEC trenches:

1. Barrett Jones, Alabama, Jr.: The junior has started 25 games at right guard for the Crimson Tide and is arguably the best run-blocker in the league. He’s also one of the team’s top leaders. The coaches trust him so much that with the vacancy left by James Carpenter at left tackle, Jones took snaps there this spring and could end up playing there permanently this fall.

2. Cordy Glenn, Georgia, Sr.: Glenn moved from guard and was competing with Trinton Sturdivant at both tackle spots. Even before Sturdivant’s devastating knee injury, he was poised to take the left tackle spot. The 6-foot-5, 320-pounder enters the season with 36 starts under his belt.

3. Bradley Sowell, Ole Miss, Sr.: Sowell looks primed to be an All-SEC performer this season. He’s started 24 of 25 games and has been an instrumental part in both Ole Miss’ passing and rushing game. He’s one of the more athletic tackles in the league and shouldn’t have an issue protecting the blind side of Ole Miss’ new quarterback.

4. Larry Warford, Kentucky, Jr.: He’s the best of a veteran group in Lexington. Warford, who was an All-SEC second team selection in 2010, has ideal athleticism to play inside and started every game for the Wildcats at right guard. He also led the team with 43 knockdowns.

5. William Vlachos, Alabama, Sr.: Vlachos is not only tops at the center position in the SEC, but he’s one of the best in the nation. He’s become one of the most vocal leaders for the Tide and brings a bit of an edge to the offensive line. He has started 27 straight games at center and could be a leading candidate for the Rimington Trophy.

6. Bobby Massie, Ole Miss, Jr.: He’s another candidate for All-SEC honors this fall. The athletic lineman has started 17 games at right tackle and should continue to be a chore for defensive ends and linebackers to get by. He’s starting to develop as more of a leader, which will be key for the Rebels as they break in a new quarterback.

7. Josh Dworaczky, LSU, Sr.: He started in all 13 games last season at left guard for the Tigers and has competed in 752 plays with 53 knockdowns. Dworaczky also played every offensive snap in nine games in 2010. For his career, he’s started in 26 of the 38 games he’s played in.

8. Alvin Bailey, Arkansas, So.: Bailey was a hit for the Razorbacks very early. He started as a true freshman and showed that he’ll be a star among the league's linemen because of the way he utilizes his size and strength. He’s one of only two starters returning on Arkansas’ line, but should be key in the Razorbacks’ inside running game.

9. Ja’Wuan James, Tennessee, So.: He’s another youngster who impressed during his first year on campus. The right tackle missed most of spring because of an illness, but he’ll be back to normal this fall. James was one of 10 Volunteers to start in every game and one of just four to see action in every single quarter

10. Brandon Mosley, Auburn, Sr.: Mosley arrived last season with more experience at defensive end and tight end before moving to right tackle. He was solid for the Tigers after a stint in junior college, playing in 14 games and starting 11. He is Auburn’s lone returning starter on the offensive line.

The big uglies up front on the offensive side are our focus today. There are some quality veterans out there, but teams all across the league are looking to replace some quality linemen in the trenches.

Here's how we see the league stacking up:

1. Alabama: Four of Alabama’s five linemen from a year ago return, making this one of the team’s strongest units. The returners have combined for more than 70 starts at Alabama. Barrett Jones is the star of the show. The junior has been the Tide’s starting right guard each of the past two seasons, but took reps at left tackle and could be asked to move. William Vlachos is back at center and could be the best at his position in the league. Fellow starters D.J. Fluker and Chance Warmack are back and took reps at left tackle this spring.

2. Ole Miss: The Rebels’ offense isn’t getting much respect this offseason, but its offensive line returns All-SEC candidates in tackles Bradley Sowell and Bobby Massie. Seven of Ole Miss’ linemen started two or more games each on the offensive line in 2010. Last season, the Rebels were first in the league in sacks allowed, giving up just 14. Alex Washington should stay at left guard after starting eight games there and A.J. Hawkins will likely get the nod at center after playing eight games there as well. Arkansas transfer Matt Hall will compete for time at center.

3. LSU: Joseph Barksdale might be gone, but the Tigers have a very talented group of linemen returning. Tackle Alex Hurst seems primed to be a star in the league and senior Josh Dworaczky is arguably the Tigers’ top lineman with 25 career starts. Patrick Lonergan is solid at center, while T-Bob Hebert is valuable at both center and guard. Sophomore Chris Faulk has the tough assignment of replacing Barksdale, but made quite the impression on his coaches this spring.

4. Kentucky: The Wildcats return four starters on their line. Right guard Larry Warford headlines the group after gaining second-team All-SEC honors a year ago. Kentucky also returns two-year starter Stuart Hines at left guard and Matt Smith at center, who was solid in his first year there. Left tackle Chandler Burden missed spring practice, but is expected back by fall practice. Finding a suitable right tackle is the next step for Kentucky.

5. Tennessee: This group could be one of the most impressive units for the Volunteers this season. It’s deeper and more experienced in Derek Dooley’s second year and he was very pleased with its performance this spring. Junior Dallas Thomas is solid at left tackle, and sophomore Ja’Wuan James really came on strong in his first year and is one of the top linemen in the SEC. James Stone also returns at center. The surprise of the group was true freshman Marcus Jackson, who held down the left guard spot for most of the spring.

6. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs must replace All-American left tackle Derek Sherrod, but most of the line is somewhat on point. Center Quentin Saulsberry will anchor the line and is versatile enough to play just about every position on the line. Left guard Gabe Jackson and right tackle Addison Lawrence return and the Bulldogs will have junior Tobias Smith lining up at right guard. Blaine Clausell and James Carmon, who moved from defensive tackle, will compete at left tackle.

7. Georgia: This was supposed to be one of the strongest offensive line units in the league, but the Bulldogs lost tackle Trinton Sturdivant to a season-ending knee injury this spring and fellow tackle A.J. Harmon transferred. Georgia’s most-reliable options are Cordy Glenn, who moved from guard to left tackle and Ben Jones at center. Kenarious Gates is at left guard, but he’s athletic enough to play tackle if needed. Former defensive lineman Justin Anderson will start off at right tackle. Right guard is the next area of business and the depth all around is a problem.

8. South Carolina: The Gamecocks have questions here, but there is talent across the line. Rokevious Watkins is one of the most talented guards in the league and he’ll be assisted by returning starter at center T.J. Johnson. Senior Kyle Nunn has made strides at left tackle and redshirt freshman A.J. Cann took over duties at left guard this spring. Still, the younger linemen will be counted on to contribute this fall.

9. Arkansas: The Razorbacks must replace three starters on the offensive line. Center Travis Swanson and left guard Alvin Bailey are the only returning starters. Just a sophomore, Bailey impressed his coaches last season and will be one of the top linemen in the league this fall. After that, the Hogs will have to turn to youth for help. True freshman Brey Cook could be thrust into the starting role at right tackle, while sophomore Anthony Oden could get the job at left tackle.

10. Florida: Florida’s offensive line struggled throughout the 2010 season -- and that was with a senior-laden group. This fall, the Gators will start over with a ton of inexperience. Right guard Jon Halapio and right tackle Xavier Nixon are the only returning starters. Halapio struggled at times last season and Nixon battled injuries. Florida’s line spent most of the spring in the infirmary, so little is known about the overall talent. Freshman Chaz Green left spring as the starter at left tackle, Jonotthan Harrison will battle former Notre Dame lineman Dan Wenger at center. He transferred in after spring, but has health concerns.

11. Auburn: The Tigers will go from having one of the top offensive line groups in the country to having a major work in progress in 2011. Senior Brandon Mosley is the lone returning starter, and while he was solid on Auburn’s line last season, he came from junior college as a defensive end/tight end. The good news is that tackle A.J. Greene should be fine this fall after sustaining a season-ending leg injury last year. The rest of Auburn’s linemen are very young and inexperienced. Don’t expect many redshirts from this group.

12. Vanderbilt: The Commodores might return all five starters, but this unit had trouble keeping things together last year. The offense needs this group to improve mightily. Wesley Johnson is Vanderbilt’s best option, despite only being a sophomore at left tackle. There will be size on the right side, with 300-plus pounders Kyle Fischer and Ryan Seymour over there. Simply put, this unit has the experience, but it requires a lot of improvement.

As LSU prepares to open spring practice on Friday, Les Miles is already on record as saying he wants to make this as competitive and as physical a spring as the Tigers have had on his watch.

Nowhere will that be more apparent than the offensive line.

For all the talk about the Tigers needing to improve on offense next season and get guys like Russell Shepard and Rueben Randle more involved (which is certainly important), nothing is more critical than regaining that edge in the offensive line.

Nobody needs to remind Miles, an old offensive lineman, that LSU ranked 11^th in the SEC in rushing offense last season and tied for last in the league in sacks allowed with 37.

That’s a combination that will torment you in this league every time.

One thing you’re sure to see a lot of this spring is some shuffling in the offensive line.

Ciron Black is gone at left tackle, but the reality is that Black didn’t have a great senior season. Senior Joseph Barksdale could move from right tackle to left tackle, while junior Josh Dworaczyk may shift from left guard to right tackle.

Miles really likes the potential of Alex Hurst, who played some last season as a redshirt freshman. Hurst may be the answer at right guard, where he played behind the departed Lyle Hitt a year ago.

Junior T-Bob Hebert returns at center, although sophomore backup P.J. Lonergan is also back. Lonergan may get a shot at guard. This is also a big spring for guys like junior Will Blackwell and redshirt freshmen Chris Faulk and Josh Williford as the Tigers try to find the “right” combination up front.