LSU O-line to have youth, experience

BATON ROUGE – LSU will be starting two first-time starters, including one freshman, on its offensive line when it opens the season at 6:30 p.m. Saturday against McNeese State in Tiger Stadium on the SEC Network.

And true freshman Maea Teuhema will likely be the first lineman off the bench.

Coach Les Miles, a former Michigan starting guard, wants all his first timers to be next to an old timer in the trenches. This is why he recently moved junior Ethan Pocic from the starting left guard position to starting center and inserted redshirt freshman William Clapp as the starting left guard after Clapp had been working through most of August as the No. 1 center.

From left to right, LSU’s offensive line will have junior Jerald Hawkins of Baldwin at tackle after starting 26 games in 2013 and ’14, Clapp at left guard in his first start since he was at Brother Martin High in New Orleans in 2013, Pocic at center after starting 12 games last season, junior first-time starter Josh Boutte of Westgate High in New Iberia at right guard and senior Vadal Alexander at right tackle after starting 34 games over the last three seasons.

The way Miles sees it now, each yearling starter can look to his left or right for guidance in the huddle or on fourth and goal at the 1-yard line.

“It allows them to communicate,” he said. “With Pocic at center with the tackles, they can tell the guards virtually everything to do. I think Pocic gives us a great advantage in the fact that he can play a number of spots.”

Pocic started three games at center last season and nine at right guard. If Clapp gets steady at center, Pocic could go back to left guard.

“He’s a mauler,” Miles said of Clapp — the son of former LSU defensive end/outside linebacker Tommy Clapp, who played from 1984-87. “He wants to get on you and stay on you and drive you. He has the ability to pull and get up on the linebackers well. Good, hard-nosed football player. And there are some other good young players there – Maea Teuhema, and this Toby Weathersby is a pretty talented kid.”

Teuhema, the No. 1 high school guard in the nation out of Keller, Texas, by Rivals.com last year, is listed as the No. 2 left guard behind Clapp and can play multiple positions on the line. Weathersby, another true freshman who was the No. 7 tackle in the nation out of Houston, is the No. 2 right tackle behind Alexander.

INJURY REPORT: Sophomore wide receiver Trey Quinn and left tackle Jerald Hawkins were each slowed by minor injuries recently, but both will be at or near 100 percent for the McNeese State game.

“Trey Quinn is playing a lot of football,” Miles said. “He’s healthy, and he looks it. He was nicked, but the great thing about it is he’s a very bright player. He hasn’t missed a beat. He goes onto the field, knows everything that we’re doing. And he’ll play a lot of football Saturday. Hawk practiced the whole practice (Monday).”

Starting free safety Jalen Mills, who recently had surgery on his ankle, is expected to miss LSU’s first two games. Junior wide receiver Travin Dural said Mills may be back for the Auburn game, which is game three of the season on Sept. 19.

“I don’t necessarily have the exact position that he’s in at this moment,” Miles said. “But I know this, Jack Marucci (LSU’s head trainer) is tremendously motivated to get him (Mills) healthy fast.”

Junior Rickey Jefferson has replaced Mills as the No. 1 free safety with junior Corey Thompson at No. 2.

GAME CAPTAINS: Offensive linemen Vadal Alexander and Jerald Hawkins, cornerback Tre’Davious White, middle linebacker Kendell Beckwith, punter Jamie Keehn and deep snapper Reid Ferguson have been voted captains by the players for the McNeese game.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Well, he has until he has.”

— LSU coach Les Miles when asked how Brandon Harris was able to solidify himself as the starting quarterback, which Miles announced last Wednesday on his weekly radio show.

“But he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do, and he continues to improve. And he’s on course to do all the things that he’s wanted to do,” Miles added.

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