Arkansas Sports 360.com - July 2008 - (Page 16) UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS Razorbacks Luigs Enjoys Relative Anonymity at UA Work Ethic Is All-American’s Defining Characteristic By Chris Bahn TRIPS To THE SToRE ARE NoT a problem for Jonathan Luigs, last year’s best center in college football. There’s no mass hysteria following each giant step he takes across the university of Arkansas campus. He’s not struggling to avoid hordes of autograph seekers whenever he hops on his scooter and heads out for a quick bite to eat. Luigs blends into campus life as well a 6-foot-4, 300-plus-pound man possibly could. While Luigs is the most decorated player returning for the Razorbacks this season, he’s also one of the team’s least recognizable figures when not wearing his No. 63. He’s an All-American. Running backs like former Razorback great Darren McFadden have the Doak Walker Award, and McFadden’s greatness was spelled out further with back-to-back runner-up finishes for the Heisman Trophy, given to the best player in the nation. For centers like Luigs, the best of the bunch gets the Rimington Award, and he won it as a junior. “I definitely don’t have the appeal Darren had walking around here,” Luigs said, a wide grin breaking across his baby face. “Some people recognize me, but I’m not nearly high-profile.” Not that Luigs is complaining about the lack of attention. He understands how the game works. Running backs and quarterbacks get the glory. offensive linemen are the nameless, faceless guys that do the dirty work. Luigs has done plenty of work for the Razorbacks. He is heading into his fourth year as a starter and last season was the anchor of an offensive line that opened up holes for running backs McFadden and Felix Jones, who combined for 2,992 yards rushing and 32 total offensive touchdowns. With McFadden and Jones in the NFL, Luigs is arguably the most important cog remaining from an offense that set school records for points (485), scoring average (37.3), total offense (5,850 yards) and rushing yardage (3,725). Luigs could have turned pro with juniors McFadden and Jones, two of six Razorbacks drafted by the NFL in April. He elected to stick around, preferring the laid-back life of a college student to the business-oriented world of the NFL. “You’ll see him play on Sundays [in the NFL],” quarterback Casey Dick said. “He’s 16 ArkansasSports360.com July 2008 Grace riley fiGhtiNG preseNCe: razorback center Jonathan luigs is the most decorated player returning this season. a smart guy and does a great job directing the offensive line.” Additional coaching and another year of seasoning also were factors that weighed into the decision. Luigs, whose hand placement when blocking might be his most glaring weakness, figured he could benefit from a year of tutoring under a coaching staff that brought a different offensive philosophy than the one he’d grown used to in seasons past. Arkansas coaches are glad he stuck around. offensive line coach Mike Summers, who was with first-year Hog head coach Bobby Petrino for four seasons at Louisville and in a brief stint with the Atlanta Falcons, likes what he’s seen so far from Luigs. “He is an absolute pleasure for a coach to have,” Summers said. “He does things the right way. He wants to please you. He’s a smart football player. Those things you tell him, he can remember. He has some technical things to improve on, but he’s a good football player.” Arkansas nearly passed on Luigs when he was coming out of high school. He didn’t receive a scholarship offer from the Razorbacks until late in his senior football season with the Pulaski Academy Bruins. Most schools and players had locked in their choices by December, so the fact the Razorbacks had a scholarship to offer and Luigs wasn’t committed to anybody worked out well for everybody. It was a lifelong dream for Luigs, who redshirted his first year on the uA campus. His second season with the Razorbacks included 10 starts, and each year he’s mAJor AWArD Winners National recognition has come sparingly for Arkansas football players over the years. Only a handful of Razorbacks have won individual honors outside of All-American status since 1954. Below is a Who’s Who of Arkansas award winners: 2007 2007 2006 1966 1954 Jonathan Luigs Darren McFadden Darren McFadden Loyd Phillips Bud Brooks Rimington Award Doak Walker, Walter Camp Doak Walker Outland Trophy Outland Trophy progressed, working to become one of the nation’s best offensive linemen. Work ethic has long been a defining characteristic of Luigs. He first impressed coaches at Pulaski Academy, and those same traits are noticeable today. “You could tell him to run stairs or stadium bleachers and he’ll do it with a smile on his face,” Bruins coach Kevin Kelley said. “He’s always been that way. It’s not something you do overnight.” Luigs led the rest of the team to the grueling 5:30 a.m. offseason workouts by arriving at 5:20 a.m., Petrino told Razorback Club meetings across the state this spring. His willingness to work has helped Luigs dissect the sizable playbook the new coaches installed in the spring. He was among the first to catch on to what players were being asked to do in April. In turn, Luigs shared his knowledge with other players. That’s the sort of thing Luigs hopes to be recognized for. Winning awards is nice, but Luigs prefers anonymity outside the locker room. “Now it’s time for me to give back,” Luigs said. “It’s time for me to be a player that people can rely on to be a leader to the younger players. That’s what I want people to notice.” m http://ArkansasSports360.com
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