UGA defensive linemen seek help from Searels

• By MARC WEISZER
• Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald
• Published: Oct 22, 2008 - UPDATED: 6:47 a.m.
• Editor’s note: The Advocate is exchanging stories with the Athens (Ga.) Banner-Herald this week.

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ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia defensive tackle Corvey Irvin this week tapped into a valuable resource to help him prepare for the LSU players that he will line up against Saturday.

The senior sought out the inside skinny from Stacy Searels, who coached the LSU offensive line for four seasons from 2003-06 and now is in his second year coaching the same position for the Bulldogs.

Three of LSU’s starting offensive linemen — center Brett Helms, left guard Herman “The House” Johnson and left tackle Ciron Black — started under Searels.

“I asked coach Searels and he gave me the run down on them, their strengths and their weaknesses,” Irvin said. “I won’t say what it is, but I’m doing my job as a player because I want to win. I’m doing my homework. This is just like the classroom.”

LSU’s offensive line returns four starters from last season’s BCS national championship team and has a combined 118 starts.

Georgia’s offensive line — made up of three freshmen and two sophomores — has a combined 49 starts.

“From LSU’s standpoint, from my defensive line, that’s kind of what they like,” Black said. “They’re kind of drooling at the mouth now. You always want to play against the younger guys because they’re younger and a bit more immature.”

Georgia’s offensive line hasn’t been too shabby the last couple of weeks.

The Bulldogs did not allow a sack the last two games to Vanderbilt or Tennessee when Knowshon Moreno rushed for 273 yards total.

“LSU’s got a great offensive line and hopefully one day we’ll be able to be like them,” Georgia sophomore left tackle Clint Boling said.

“Coach Searels is a great coach. I know he did a good job over there and he’s doing an awesome job with us here, too, now.”

LSU finished 11-2 in 2006 when Black started as a redshirt freshman and Johnson and Helms were sophomores.

“Coach Searels, he really makes you grow up,” Black said. “When I started for him as a redshirt freshman, I had to grow up and I had to become a man fast. If I didn’t, I was going to get butted in my mouth and knocked on my tail.”