As spring practice began Monday afternoon at Georgia Tech, several former players were on the sideline. Most have moved on. Some are in the NFL or trying to get there, like P.J. Daniels, Gary Guyton and KaMichael Hall.

Then, there was the big-boned, bearded guy with the shock of blond hair.

Jacob Lonowski hasn't exactly moved on; he could have been out there with new coach Paul Johnson and his former teammates.

He moved out, and not because doctors told him that he had no choice. He had a decision to make, and he chose long-term health.

Bothered by injuries to both shoulders, bad enough that he's had two surgeries on the left one, the fifth-year offensive lineman has hung up his cleats and the shoulder pads that weren't quite thick enough.

"I was going to need surgery again on my left shoulder, and my right shoulder was showing symptoms of starting to come loose and unstable so if I had surgery on my left shoulder again, there would still be a possibility in the next season that I would need surgery on my right shoulder," said Lonowski, an Elkhorn, Neb., native.

"I still wanted to play, but I also want to be able to use my shoulders and not get shoulder replacements in 15 years."

And that was that.

Once, Lonowski was the first player to commit to Tech's 2004 recruiting class. Now, his name is still on the team's pronunciation chart, but not listed on the roster above it in the media guide. He's done, slated to become a 6-foot-5, 300-pound graduate in December (management).

Yes, he is a little bummed, but apparently at peace.

Some might obsess over never getting the chance to see how good he might have been (Lonowski worked at guard and tackle, and started one game last season before injuring both shoulders early in the season and then trying a few times to work his way back).

"I got over that a long time ago," he said of not finding out what might have been. "It's disappointing, but I'm not going to sit there and mope about it because there was nothing I could do to change my physiology."

There is a hole in Lonowski, though. He wouldn't have been at Rose Bowl field if there wasn't. He misses something.

"It's basically just being around the guys," the big guy said. "I'll be here on Mondays and Wednesdays when my class schedule allows."