I have been on several college campuses over my lifetime. Offensive lineman (OL) stick out like sore thumbs. They frequently workout, eat, walk around and generally hangout together. These guys are monsters in comparison to regular students. They historically would take a couple of years to mature into their size. Now they are pressed into service before they are ready.

In the northern leagues with Michigan, Ohio State, etc., the OL each wear knee braces - at LSU they apparently only wear a knee brace when injured.

We seem to get thinner at OL as the season progresses. Let’s face it, thinning is due to knee injuries.

Why don’t LSU Offensive Linemen wear knee braces for protection?

I know this is long. Sparky remarks welcome.

This post was edited on 9/25/18 at 1:25 pm

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Posted by AlxTgr

Kyre Banorg

Member since Oct 2003

81649 posts

Posted on 9/25/18 at 9:55 am to EYE_on_LSU

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Posted by CharlesLSU

Member since Jan 2007

31913 posts

Posted on 9/25/18 at 10:02 am to EYE_on_LSU

The quantifiable benefits to lateral support/protection are hard to determine (if any). For players with specific issues, it makes sense in some cases provided its the lateral risks.

You'll notice many, if not most, NFL players don't wear them. I know you mentioned age/maturity but the skeletal network is already mature by the college typically. Coordination not so much but that is apples to oranges as the braces are for lateral impact mitigation.

I wore them. They were ineffective for me but back then everyone wore them for no other reason than "why not? can't hurt."

You've made a non-medical assertion based upon a laymans visual perspective.

ETA: to be fair, it is a debatable topic in the college ranks.

This post was edited on 9/25/18 at 10:06 am

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