All-American Luigs Enjoys Relative Anonymity at UA

Grace Riley Razorback center Jonathan Luigs is the most decorated player returning this season.

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.

(Video: See an assessment from Chris Bahn of Jonathan Luigs' play potential this season by clicking here. Check out more on the Razorbacks' schedule, the Petrino offense, the defense, the tight ends, and Bahn's season prediction.)

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.