LSU coach Les Miles announced after Wednesday’s practice that junior left tackle Chris Faulk would miss Saturday’s game against Washington with an unspecified injury.
Now it appears Faulk will miss the rest of the season as well.
LSU sports information director Michael Bonnette confirmed Friday that the injury Faulk suffered at practice this week was to his knee. The injury will require surgery and rehab and is likely to sideline the 6-foot-6, 325-pound lineman for the remainder of LSU’s season, Bonnette said.
Faulk has started 14 career games at left tackle, protecting the quarterback’s blind side. His start last weekend against North Texas was the 16th of his career, including two at right tackle as a freshman.
Before the injury, Faulk was considered a possible first-round pick in the NFL draft.
The graduate of Northshore High in Slidell redshirted as a true freshman in 2009. He is eligible to receive a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA after playing in only one game as a junior, but that request would not take place until after Faulk plays his senior season.
LSU will now have to make do for the long haul without a player who last year earned a spot on the All-Southeastern Conference second team.
Miles said one option is to plug in sixth-year senior Josh Dworaczyk, a starter at left guard his sophomore and junior seasons, at left tackle. Another is to have Dworaczyk play left guard and slide starting left guard La’el Collins, the No. 1 offensive tackle in the nation coming out of Redemptorist two years ago, move into Faulk’s old position.
LSU could also switch right tackle Alex Hurst to left tackle and have freshman tackle Vadal Alexander play the right side.
