INDIANAPOLIS — Oregon’s iron man, Shane Lemieux started all of his 52 career games for the Ducks, though it wasn’t always without difficulty.

“When people ask me who the toughest player on our team is I say Shane Lemieux,” former Oregon tight end Jake Breeland said. “He’s played so many snaps in a row. He comes into treatment while I’m in there and he’s all banged up but he still toughens out practices every week. Seeing that shows me how much he loves the game and how he loves competing and he loves to win, how tough he is. I see that I’m like, ‘You know what, that’s what I like to see. I’m going to try to be like that.’”

A second-team AP and Sporting News All-American, Lemieux wants NFL teams to see the toughness that allowed him to be a regular starter every week and one of the best offensive guards in college football each of the last two years.

Former fellow Oregon offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton, who also started all of his 52 career games, called Lemieux an “incredibly powerful, very strong interior offensive lineman (that) takes a tremendous amount of pride in his preparation week-in and week-out.

“Learning about his opponent, learning about specifically the players that he’s going to be facing. When he gets on the field it’s that competitive nature and wanting to finish guys into the ground.”

Lemieux passed on the Senior Bowl after originally accepting an invite because he felt he “didn’t have anything else to prove.”

Since the Rose Bowl, Lemieux has been training at O-Line Performance outside Phoenix and has lost weight while on a ketogenic diet. He measured 6-foot-3-and-7/8-inches and 310 pounds on Tuesday, four pounds less than his listed weight at UO and he said it was 15 less than when he began training.

“I probably dropped four percent body fat,” Lemieux said. “I want to be low. I want to be as low as possible. I think I move best well when I’m lean. When I’m pushing 320 I feel like I don’t play my game so to speak when I play at 310. I want to keep it at that 310-315 range.”

Lemieux also has been working for the first time at snapping the ball and playing center, albeit in a closed environment without an opposing defender lined up across from him.

“Shane understands too that you got to create value for yourself and you got to be able to contribute to the team and typically if you’re playing guard you’re either playing tackle or center also,” said former Ducks center Jake Hanson, who is training with Lemieux. “He understands that they can be a possibility for him.”

Lemieux said success in his practice snaps comes in consistency in hand and arm motion.

“It’s the muscle memory of hitting the same spot every single time,” Lemieux said. “I can feel before even hearing where the snap location is.”

Lemieux’s not as focused on the physical tests at this week’s Combine, though he could post impressive numbers, and wants to improve on some of the finer points and techniques of offensive line play.

“I want to be more consistent in my game with angles," Lemieux said. "Backside outside zone; I want to keep focusing on keeping a level head during the game, not let emotions get too high or low and keep that constant state of neutral thinking. ...

“I don’t feel like I block with my hands – I block with my feet. So obviously arm length (32-and-1/4-inches) doesn’t have an issue with that.”

In interview with NFL teams this week, Lemeiux wants to convey that the caliber of play he’s put on tape matches his other lauded attributes.

“I want to prove I’m a smart football IQ guy and I can play any position and that the tape matches the person,” he said. "I think that’s what I want to prove. ... I think I’m a leader. I’m a really versatile guy. I think I’m durable, I’m tough and every day I’m going to be the hardest worker in the room.”