( Note: This is part four of a series previewing Michigan State’s 2019 position groups) EAST LANSING – Cole Chewins missed Michigan State’s spring game for the second straight year. The Spartans hope that does not portend a similar fate along the offensive line as it did in 2018. Along with injuries to running back LJ Scott and at wide receiver, MSU dealt with a number of injuries up front to its blockers on offense. Chewins was limited for the first half of the season, David Beedle missed seven games, Kevin Jarvis and Luke Campbell each missed four and Matt Allen missed three. The results was an offensive line filled with returning starters that remained in flux the entire season and struggled to generate much traction in the run game – an area the Spartans have made a priority for 2019. What worked: One thing the injuries last season did is built depth toward this season. Former walk-on Blake Bueter got work at center and guard, while Tyler Higby began at center, moved to left tackle and then left guard to end the season while being one of just two linemen to start all 13 games. Luke Campbell, a starter in 2017 at right tackle, began the year as a starter at left tackle with Chewins’ injury and eventually moved inside to guard. Jordan Reid started every game at right tackle. Jarvis showed signs of becoming a dominant force at right guard when healthy. What didn’t work: A lot. The Spartans ranked 125th out of 129 Football Bowl Subdivision teams last season in scoring offense at 18.7 points a game, 114th in rushing (124.7 yards) and 115th in third-down conversions (33.5 percent). The 26 sacks allowed were tied for 53rd nationally. MSU tied for 72nd in first downs (263) and was 73rd in red-zone offense (82.9 percent). Moving Campbell to left tackle with the Chewins injury disrupted the chemistry the offensive line had built in 2017. MSU used nine different starting combinations up front in the 13 games in 2018, never starting the same five linemen for more than two consecutive games all season. The experiment of Higby starting at center lasted a game and a half before Allen replaced him. Who’s back: LT Cole Chewins, senior (starter); LG Tyler Higby, senior (starter); C Matt Allen, junior (starter); RG Kevin Jarvis, junior (starter); RT Jordan Reid, sophomore (starter); G/T Luke Campbell, junior; OL Tommy Liesveld, senior; OL Bryce Wilker, senior; LT AJ Arcuri, junior; G Matt Carrick, sophomore; T Mustafa Khaleefah, sophomore; OL Jack Henrichs, sophomore; C Blake Bueter, sophomore; Dimitri Douglass, redshirt freshman; C Jacob Isaia, redshirt freshman; OL Dan VanOpstall, redshirt freshman; OT James Ohonba, redshirt freshman; OT Nick Samac, freshman; OL Spencer Brown, freshman; P: Damon Kaylor, freshman Who’s gone: RG David Beedle; OL Noah Listermann. Who’s coming in: OL Devontae Dobbs (Belleville) . 2019 outlook: Building a consistent starting group and rotation is an imperative first step toward rejuvenating the run game that languished and produced just one 100-yard rusher last season. All seven regulars from last season are now over 300 pounds, something that should help create an initial surge up front that was lacking in 2018. Samac worked with the No. 2 offense in the spring game, and Dobbs is a 4-star recruit who could be a difference-maker in time and push for a starting job immediately like Jarvis did. Arcuri got the starting nod in place of Chewins and held his own on Lewerke’s blind side in the limited duty against the first-team defense, which may be the best the Spartans face all season – and on a daily basis in practice to help prepare them for the likes of Ohio State and Michigan defense that dominated them and held MSU to a combined 69 yards in the two losses. Contact Chris Solari at csolari@freepress.com . Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari . Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter .