If Connor McGovern lines up at right guard, on the hip of center Evan Boehm, the Missouri offense has a clear first option: hand off to Russell Hansbrough and have him follow their power-chain lead block.

Quarterback Maty Mauk hasn’t developed as fast as the team would’ve hoped when he spent half of the 2013 SEC schedule starting in place of James Franklin, and the Tigers are scrambling to develop inexperienced receivers.

Marcus Murphy is trying to create an opportunity for himself as an NFL kick returner, and returning backs Morgan Steward and Travon Walters currently are out due to injury.

A strong line would alleviate a portion of the worries brought on by inexperience and uncertainty. Whether offensive coordinator Josh Henson leans on a running game that nearly produced two 1,000-yard backs last fall, the team makes significant progress passing the ball or both may depend on offensive line play.

Coaches often speak about needing to “get the best players on the field,” an axiom that’s rarely in lockstep with real personnel decisions. But in Missouri’s case, it’s an apt description. Other than Boehm at center, the Tigers may exit spring without a second position/player combo determined on the offensive line.

Solving the remaining four spots — not pulling a rabbit out of a hat at receiver or speeding up Mauk’s learning curve beyond what’s realistic — is the most significant priority for Missouri’s offense between now and the Sept. 5 opener against SEMO.

McGovern, who sprained his MCL during an April 4 scrimmage and should miss the rest of spring practice, finished last season at right guard after starting the year at right tackle. Just OK during the first half of the season, he seemed more comfortable and violent after shifting back to his original position, solidifying the team’s running game.

Hansbrough ran 20 times for 91 yards late in the season against a brutal, large Arkansas front seven that shut down even the powerful running games of Alabama and LSU. That’s a solid average in a close win that clinched the SEC East title.

As far as we know, McGovern practiced exclusively at right guard this spring before injuring his knee. But it’s far from a certainty that’s where he’ll line up in the fall.

Justin Britt, the team’s left tackle in 2013, started at right tackle all last season for the Seattle Seahawks. The team flipped Mitch Morse from the right side in 2014, and Morse likely will get drafted by an NFL team as a guard in a few weeks.

So determining a starting left tackle (and right as well) is a significant task for still-new offensive line coach A.J. Ricker.

The good news is Ricker is working with a lot of experienced linemen. Boehm and McGovern have 68 combined starts, more than the entire offensive line claimed entering the 2014 season. This year’s line could feature four senior starters.

“They’re just so experienced,” senior tailback Russell Hansbrough said. “They’re on the sidelines always talking about things and getting things situated. They’re probably the best O-line to ever come through Mizzou, I would say.”

One of those seniors, Taylor Chappell, has been practicing at left tackle this spring. Chappell struggled with false starts last year, committing three in a single game at right tackle. This spring he attributed those struggles to a lack of confidence in his body after 2012 knee ligament surgery.

Malik Cuellar, a junior-college transfer, worked his way to second-team left tackle within a handful of practices after enrolling in January. Another junior-college player, Tyler Howell, should arrive this summer to push sophomore Clay Rhodes, currently operating at right tackle.

The team’s health may dictate the final player-position combination. McGovern will start, though it’s unclear where. Mitch Hall, a senior who spent one year at Ole Miss, practiced at left guard for the first half of spring practice and now is at right guard in place of McGovern.

Brad McNulty, recovering from shoulder surgery, came back to practice just as McGovern got hurt. McNulty, another senior, was the projected starter at left guard, though the competition between him and Hall — if they are indeed competing, just for a singular position — is tight.

Ideally, Cuellar adapts and proves he’s enough to seize the left tackle job by the end of fall camp. That would push Chappell back to right tackle (assuming he holds off Howell), which would knock Rhoades to the bench. McGovern would stick at right guard, and McNulty would have to beat out Hall for the left guard spot.

Unlike last season, the team is well-positioned to withstand an injury or two along the offensive line this season. But it’s important the team figures out the right combination so that the skill players have the best chance at success.

Mauk fought through a shoulder injury that caused him a lot of pain last season, but developed the bad habit of bailing from the pocket nearly every snap. The coaches have emphasized stepping up in the pocket all spring, but the first time a hulking SEC defensive tackle pile-drives him into the ground, how will Mauk react?

The offensive line, keyed by Boehm and McGovern, is adept at opening holes for the running backs. Even without Morse, the group still contains a pair of players pushing close to team weight room records. Pass protection isn’t as outstanding, and needs to improve so that Mauk’s gains can stick.

It’s a good idea to give Mizzou’s young receivers — players like Nate Brown, who hasn’t practiced much of this spring due to injury, and J’Mon Moore — a few extra seconds to get open as well.

Assuming McGovern’s knee is fine well before fall camp, it will be telling to see whom lines up in which spots with the starting offensive line in the weeks before the season. In the meantime, Missouri’s tackle candidates, with the exception of Howell, have a few more opportunities to impress and learn in spring practice.