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Stars align for Saints on draft night

BY RICK SARRO

       My head was on a swivel during the first round of the last week’s NFL draft.  I was in a popular sports bar located in the Warehouse district of New Orleans trying to keep track of both the early draft picks and the critical game six between the Hornets and the L.A. Lakers.  Like all the locals we were keeping a keen eye on Kobe and C.P. 3 and whether the Bees could extend the playoff series to a full seven games.  They could not as Los Angeles ended a spirited run by New Orleans.

       With basketball as the backdrop the NFL  Draft’s built in anticipation grew as the Saints 24^th selection in the first round neared.  

        I won a no brainer side bet assuring my soon to be payer that the Saints were going with California defensive end Cameron Jordan with their first pick because there greatest need was strengthening the defensive line and in particular the pass rush on the corners.

        Thanks to Sean Payton and Mickey Loomis I pocketed an easy $5 bucks.

       From around the 15^th selection on I noticed  former Heisman Trophy winner and Alabama running back Mark Ingram was still sitting in the green room at Madison Square Garden.  As each pick was announced Ingram remained seated and anxious.  That’s when my mind started to spin wondering if Loomis, the talented Saints general manager, might be working a quick deal to trade up and get another pick in the first round.  

        It was crystal clear the Saints shopping list had linebacker next up but the draft’s best running back had yet to hug Commissioner Roger Goodell and was still available.  

        There were concerns and stories about Ingram’s knee injury last season and what effect it would have on his pro prospects.   I ran a check list on a bar napkin of the number of running backs on the Saints roster right now.  It’s a lot.

         Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas, Chris Ivory, Julius Jones and Deshawn Wynn are five of eight listed.  I love Thomas and Ivory.  I still like Bush.  Jones and Wynn are short timers.  Even with those numbers and talent among the top three backs I still thought Payton and Loomis could not pass on the talented Ingram.

         “With the 28^th pick of the first round the New England Patriots have traded this selection to the New Orleans Saints who have selected Alabama running back Mark Ingram….” as Goodell’s announcement was drowned out with cheers and screams from the standing room only bar.  High fives ensued while Ingram broke down in tears on ESPN when read an email from his jailed father former New York Giants star receiver Mark Ingram Sr. congratulating Junior on the draft and accomplishing his dreams as a player and young man.

           “I miss and love you dog”, Ingram told his Dad over national television and had me wishing I could still call my late father.  Even diehard LSU fans had to soften their anti Saban, anti Bama stance after seeing Ingram holding up a black and gold jersey.

          Tiger fans had seen enough of Ingram during his Heisman Trophy season in 2009 as he shattered Alabama school records with 1658 yards on 271 carries and 17 touchdowns leading the Crimson Tide to the BCS National Championship.  A knee injury sidelined him for most of last season but when healthy there is no doubt Ingram’s power, elusiveness and deceptive Emmitt Smith like speed will transition well to the NFL.

         The price tag for Ingram was within reason for his NFL potential.  A second round pick and the Saints 2012 first round selection to the always stock piling Patriots.  Loomis, a former NFL Executive of the Year, has displayed excellent instincts, his ability to stay on course and keen knack at deal making.  “I don’t think we went in thinking we have to get a running back.  That wasn’t a stated goal by any means.  By the same token when you’re able to get what is the best running back in the draft, obviously you seize that opportunity and fit him in,” Loomis noted.

        “Carp diem” or seize the day.  Loomis must have the phrase on his business card.

        I like the deal but it’s safe to say Reggie Bush is not thrilled.  It didn’t take Bush long to get on twitter late during the draft’s first round with “It’s been fun New Orleans”.  His comment left many to believe Bush is not long on the Saints roster and will probably be traded or released whenever the team can resume normal football business activities.

        Both Payton and Loomis were quick to respond with politically correct statements to help soothe Bush’s concerns and at the same time protect the team’s investment and equity in Bush for any possible trade talks down the line.  

         “Like any player, each year in the league, there’s competition brought in,” Payton said. “ I think we’ve got a real clear vision for Reggie Bush and what we expect and how we want to utilize him and that’s not changed.  So I’d be surprised if he wasn’t a Saint next year.”

          “We look forward to having the versatility, certainly of a player like Reggie…..as you look at Reggie Bush, there’s more to that position than just playing running back behind the fullback,” added Payton.

           But Bush has to be available to play and produce either at running back, in the slot as a receiver or on special teams.  He has played in only 60 of 80 possible regular season games and missed eight games last year with a broken bone in his leg.  In five seasons Bush has rushed 524 times for 2090 yards.  That’s an average of 8.5 carries per game for 3.9 yards per rush.  His receiving stats though down over the past four seasons due to injury are a bit better.  Bush has averaged 5 receptions and around 7 yards per catch per game while scoring a total of 29 touchdowns.

       2010 was one of his lowest production seasons due to the broken leg.  Only 36 carries for a mere 150 yards coupled with 34 receptions covering 208 yards.  Bush has not exceeded 1000 combined rushing and receiving yards since playing all 16 games as a rookie in 2006.  Numbers he or his agents might not want to emphasize in any upcoming contract talks.

           But the former Southern Cal star taken second overall in the 2006 draft, is top heavy with intangibles.  He has proven to be a viable threat on punt returns and even thou he only touches the ball an average of 14 times a game he forces defenses to scheme against him freeing up areas of the field and angles for Payton to attack.  There is value in that.

           Which happens to be the priority question surrounding  Bush.  Value and how much money is he really worth entering his sixth season?   The $11.8 million he is due to be paid this season far, far exceeds his production, intangibles, impact and fan appeal.

            Bush has reportedly declined to take a pay cut when the Saints broached the issue prior to the NFL lockout.  There are other reports saying Bush is well aware a contract renegotiation is his only real hope of staying with the Saints.  Before or after the drafting of Ingram.

           General Manager Mickey Loomis is on record about restructuring Bush’s contract.  “I think we’ve clearly stated that we see Reggie in our plans and so I don’t know how to make that any clearer.  Obviously there’s a contract issue that will have to be resolved at some point.  We’re not able to do that right now and so when the time comes and we’re able to do it, we’ll try to get that resolved and if we can, great.  Reggie won’t be gone because we don’t want him,” Loomis said.

          If you compare the running styles and skill sets of the Saints running backs Ingram is more like Thomas, Ivory and Jones than a Reggie Bush.  Does that mean Thomas and Ivory, both coming off injuries last season, are more at risk?  Payton has proven he can take a rookie running back and insert him into his offense with productive results.  

         The trend and obvious need in the NFL is to have at least two capable running backs to pound on defenses.  The Saints now have four and if a new contract can be worked out with Bush they may decide to start the season with all four.  How many teams can say they have two former Heisman Trophy winners in the same backfield?  (Bush is still a Heisman winner in my book despite being forced to relinquish the trophy after the NCAA investigation and sanctions against Southern Cal involving rules violations and Bush)

       Ingram has been the lightning rod of the Saints six draft picks but the real solution to the most pressing need came in the form of defensive end Cameron Jordan.  He was first team All PAC 10 last season and was the star on a defense led the conference and ranked 18^th nationally.  Jordan has the bloodlines and DNA.  His father , Steve Jordan, played 13 years at tight end for the Minnesota Vikings and was a six time Pro Bowler.

       Jordan will be a capable book end to veteran defensive end Will Smith, who is still productive , but faces a lot of double teams on passing downs.  Jordan’s presence should divert some of that protection attention away from Smith.  The pre lockout free agent signing of defensive tackle Shaun Rogers along with the 7^th round selection of Pitt defensive end Greg Romeus will go a long way in the Saints primary goal of retooling the defensive front with an infusion of young talent and veteran depth.

         Linebacker was the second greatest need going into this draft and the Saints picked a pair from Illinois.  In the 3^rd round they chose Martez Wilson who earned first team All Big 10 Conference honors working at inside linebacker.  With their draft pick in the 7^th round linebacker Nathan Bussey was added to the team.   The Saints draft picks rounded out with Louisville cornerback Johnny Patrick who was another 3^rd round selection.  Payton and defensive coordinator Greg Williams believes you can not have too many defensive backs in camp and I agree.  Gather up 10 or 12 by training camp and let the competition reign.

        I find it difficult to second guess the Payton-Loomis draft strategy based on their past success since 2006 (Payton’s first year as head coach).  The proof is on the roster and on the field.  Of the Saints top round draft picks over the past five years all but one are on the roster and have been contributors.  That list includes Bush, Roman Harper, Robert Meachem, Usama Young, Sedrick Ellis, Tracy Porter, Malcolm Jenkins, Jimmy Graham, Charles Brown and Patrick Robinson. 

        Impressive to say the least.  Factor in those Pro Bowl quality stars found in the Netherlands of the late rounds and you have a scouting department, coaching staff and front office high on football IQ and a keen eye for developing talent.  Who else could have found the likes of Marques Colston (7^th round Hofstra) guard Jahri Evans from Bloomsburg , tackle Jermon Bushrod of Towson and receiver Lance Moore out of Toledo.  Credit is due for the free agent discoveries of Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory.  

         That’s how Payton and Loomis built a Super Bowl Champion in 2009 and that’s what it will take to stay atop the NFC South, one of the NFL’s toughest divisions.

  Lonestar Legend

BY RICK SARRO

     The football journey of Riley Dodge began as a grade schooler in dimly lit film rooms listening and soaking in the knowledge dispensed by his coaching father and assistants breaking down game tape.  His legend grew at quarterback mecca Southlake Carroll High in Southlake, Texas as Riley and head coach/dad Todd Dodge won three Texas Class 5 A state championships.

      The younger Dodge followed his father’s path and committed to the University of Texas midway through his junior year in high school.  The elder Dodge was a record setting Longhorn quarterback in Austin in the early 1980’s after his stellar prep career in Port Arthur.  Their stories were not completely identical as Riley was recruited to Texas not as a quarterback but as an athlete/receiver. 

       Once Todd won his 4^th state title at Southlake Carroll the call came from North Texas State University with a head coach’s offer in nearby Denton.  Riley, as many devoted coach’s sons would do, changed his collegiate commitment to North Texas and followed his father.  One of the state’s most acclaimed prep stars shunned mighty Texas and chose to stay close to home and close to Dad.  Being a legacy Longhorn is one thing but a blood bond between father and son is undeniable. 

        It was a match made in bluebonnet heaven.  The state’s hottest young high school coach and his Parade All America quarterback son would team up to turn around the fortunes of the often ignored football program at North Texas.   But their stories and road to gridiron glory got complicated and messy.

         Fast forward through a myriad of injuries and a position change for Riley along with mounting losses for Todd and it seemed the football gods were no longer smiling on them.  North Texas fired  Dodge midway through last season after a 1-6 start and a dismal 6-37 overall record.  As if it couldn’t get any worst Riley suffered a compressed vertebrae neck injury in a season ending loss to Kansas State.  

         Their dream of recreating that Dodge magic together on the collegiate field was over.

         When all this began four years ago the father probably never thought he wouldn’t be coaching football in Texas.  The son probably never imagined he would be finishing his college career across the border in Louisiana at McNeese State.

         “I wanted to be a part of something special with my Dad at North Texas but things happen for a reason,” said Dodge in a sit down interview last week. 

          Despite his father’s firing and nursing the neck injury Riley told the Dallas media he was planning to stay in Denton but there was “just something that was telling me that it was time to go.”  He announced he would be transferring a short time later.  The 22 year old Dodge wanted the freedom to use his final two years of eligibility so he began researching the top 10 F.C.S./ 1-AA programs around the country.    He said he analyzed prospective teams’ past ten years to measure success, continuity and talent.   He considered Villanova and Delaware but in the end Stephen F. Austin and McNeese rose to the top of his list.  

          As it happens so often in college football networking and who you know and what they know is how things get done.  McNeese head coach Matt Viator explained that an old coaching friend named Conroy Hines, who happens to know Coach Dodge, called Viator to inquire about interest in Riley.  That phone call opened up like an A gap on a perfect draw play as Viator got the recruiting ball rolling.  He invited Riley and his parents down for a visit on January 5^th.  It was a day and a half sales pitch that Viator was committed to closing.

           “We recruited him as hard as we have recruited anybody.  We gave our best in selling the program, this university, the new field house and Lake Charles.  Being from an F.B.S. program he and his Dad know the process and know what questions to ask.  They did their research and knew what the program is about down here.  His Dad being from Port Arthur was very familiar with McNeese.  They felt real comfortable with Riley here.  It made sense for both parties,” Viator explained.

           “Riley got along great with Coach Leger (quarterback coach Tim Leger) and we got along great as well.  We are both coach’s kids.  I get along with all coach’s kids.  I really enjoyed the time they were here.   Great people, tremendous family.”

            The younger Dodge spent three hours alone with Leger talking football, playbook, schemes and reads.  According to Viator at no time did Riley ask whether or not he would be the automatic starting quarterback.  “We went through the depth chart and his comment was…’I look forward to competing’ and that’s what you want to hear as coach,” Viator said smiling.

            Word of Dodge’s visit to McNeese sent a buzz through local circles followed by unconfirmed reports that Riley had indeed decided to transfer and that Viator got his man.  The university could not make the official announcement until Dodge was enrolled and had attended his first class on campus which was January 18^th.

          This is a major recruiting coup for McNeese and Viator.  Pulling a former Texas high school star quarterback the caliber of Dodge out of the Lone Star state and away from Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston and nearly every Southland Conference team proves that McNeese is still top dog in the SLC.  “I think you have to go get the best player you can get not just a specific kid to fit your style.  They can do that in Baton Rouge at LSU.  It’s hard here.  You recruit the best player and you adapt things,” noted Viator.

         For his part Dodge wanted to make his transfer decision quickly.  He added that he really had no intention of following his dad again because they didn’t know where the elder Dodge would end up.  (He has since accepted the quarterback coach’s position at Pitt)  

        “I made the decision quick because I wanted to be on campus in time for spring practice.  I could have gone to some division one schools but I didn’t want to sit out.  I just wanted to go where I could compete and play.  It came down to McNeese with it’s great tradition.  I need a fresh start and I wanted to go someplace where I know they’re going to win some games and I know I can come here to compete for a conference and a national championship.”

       Viator was right when he said you can’t help but like the young man when you sit down and spend some time with him.  Dodge looks like he stepped off the set of the television show “Friday Night Lights” about a football crazed town and school in west Texas.  He is your prototypical star athlete and what many of us were not in high school or college.  Big, strong, good looking, smart and well spoken with a lot respectful  “yes sir and no sirs” mixed in.  Plus the macho quarterback name just completes the package.  

        But Riley Dodge didn’t ride into the college game on a white horse and surely hasn’t had it easy.  Far from it.

         His prep resume is impressive.  Three state championships in Texas’ highest classification along with two offensive player of the year awards.  Dodge set school career passing and rushing records  at Southlake Carroll High passing for 8642 yards, with 101 touchdowns along with a record 3062 rushing yards and 43 more touchdowns.   He outshined two of the brightest star quarterbacks to ever come out of Texas and Southlake.  Dodge was preceded by former Missouri quarterback, Heisman hopeful and now New Orleans Saints backup Chase Daniel along with former Alabama national championship winning quarterback Greg McElroy who never lost a single game while at Southlake Carroll.

         For Dodge the yellow brick road took an unfortunate turn when he suffered a 3^rd degree separated shoulder on his throwing arm on the final play of his prep career.   He completed the touchdown pass on the fateful play but it cost him.  While a freshman at North Texas he suffered a season ending concussion that led to a medical redshirt.  He returned as a redshirt freshman quarterback only to suffer another separated shoulder, severely sprained ankle and a broken arm.  

                 His troubles continued in his sophomore year when his oft injured throwing shoulder did not rehab well forcing his dad to change his position to receiver.   He was back at quarterback after three games when their two quarterbacks suffered season ending injuries themselves.    While back as the starting quarterback Dodge suffered a broken wrist in a loss to U.L.-Lafayette.  

        He was a walking MASH unit for much of his stay at North Texas.  The final blow was the neck injury suffered during his final game in Denton.  As a precaution he was carted off the field and left the stadium in an ambulance.  

         When I sat down with Dodge the only visible sign of any lingering injury issues was tape around his wrist that he says he uses while weight training.

       His football life has been  a cautionary tale of good and bad.  Riley experienced a near story book existence in high school filled with victories, championships and honors.   His second chapter at North Texas brought mostly the heartache and challenges of injuries that kept him from realizing his full potential and more importantly his childhood dreams.  

        I would suspect that most players would have given up after the many times Dodge has been knocked down.  But this is one tough Texan.  You sense his steel resolve, determination, passion for the game and dare I say True Grit.  “He’s a great leader,” marveled Viator.   “He got the highest praise as person and teammate.  Great in the locker room and great with the players.   Positive attitude and anytime you can bring that in is good.   He has a confidence about him but yet he’s very humble.  I see him fitting in very well here.”

         “Leadership comes naturally to me,” says Dodge.  “I will be a little vocal but as the new guy I need to be natural and work hard.  To be a quarterback you have to be vocal and a leader.  If not you will lose the team’s confidence.”

          Dodge says many things attracted him to McNeese including what he calls the “quiet confidence” of Viator and Leger.  “They did not come off as …we’re great and cocky and all.  They’ve got confidence in what they do but in a quiet way. “

          The 6’0” 195 pound junior will bring measurable attributes and skills to the Cowboys offense.  In his 17 starts as the Mean Green’s quarterback over the past two seasons Dodge completed 311 of 479 passes for a 64% completion percentage.  He totaled 3187 yards with 20 touchdowns.  Highlight tape from his limited play at North Texas and at Southlake shows a very accurate arm, adept at stepping up in the pocket, good lateral movement and mobility.   He is a keen student of the game and it shows in his decision making and reads.

          “I don’t have a rocket laser arm but I’m pretty smart. I will not be unprepared for a football game. Probably my biggest strength is my ability to move and run.  I’m an accurate passer and I like to extend plays and be very creative.”

        Viator loves the intangibles Dodge brings to the table.  His heart, leadership and football IQ.  “He’s very serious about football, serious about school, serious about everything.  He is obviously talented and he’s a winner.  Look what he’s done.  I’m impressed with his football knowledge no doubt and he’s a good athlete.  It’s hard to throw for over 8600 yards in high school and not throw from the pocket.  He will bring the ability to do both…pass and run.”

          This marks the second straight year that Viator has opened his program to a transfer quarterback.  Last year faced with the graduation of four year starter Derrick Fourroux he signed Jacob Bower from Tulsa with only one year of eligibility.  The Cowboys needed a stop gap measure at quarterback because of a huge void in experience.

         With the emergence of redshirt freshman Cody Stroud last season (recall his stellar performance against LSU) the Cowboys were set to enter spring drill in much better shape.  But that did not deter Viator from chasing Dodge and adding to his talent pool.  “We were not seeking another quarterback at the time but it made sense for us.  He (Riley) gives us a second guy that has played college ball with Cody coming back.  It makes us a better football team.  Riley has the experience and it’s always good to have two and if we can get Briscoe (Will) healthy we would have three.  It was a way for us to have two quarterbacks right now and we took It”, Viator says.

         Viator tip toed around the Will Briscoe situation.  Signed last year out of Central High School in Baton Rouge, Briscoe’s rehab of an injured knee appears to be going slowly.  “Unsure” is the word Viator used to describe the freshman’s status.  He added that he had full disclosure of their recruitment and signing of Dodge with his returning quarterback.  Viator said Stroud understood the situation and looks forward to the competition.

       As is Dodge,  who says “you have to be all in” in any quarterback race.  Leaning forward in his chair as if he was ready to fire off the line of scrimmage Dodge said respectfully that he “came here to win the job” and that he is going to compete just like the other McNeese quarterbacks on the roster.

        “I have bigger expectations for myself than most people.  I didn’t leave North Texas and that comfort zone to come down here and hang out.  I came down here to compete and win.  I play with a chip on my shoulder,”

        That chip probably feels more like a boulder after all he has been through.  The pinnacle of state championships at the highest level of Texas prep football.  The fanfare and adulation of being one of the best from a quarterback factory of a school.  His dreams of sharing success with his head coach and dad at the next level never came close to reality.  Maybe even some buried feelings of guilt over all the injuries and his inability to do more , to stay healthy, to win more games before his father was fired.

       Even thou it didn’t come to pass at North Texas he still has a strong calling “ to be a part of something special”.  Dodge says things happened in his life for a reason.  Maybe that’s the reason he finds himself out of Texas for the first time in his life, in a new place, with a new team and a new beginning.   

McNeese spring Q&A

BY RICK SARRO

     Spring football is not so much about the starters but more about discovering new talent who can step up and contribute to the cause this fall.  That’s according to McNeese head coach Matt Viator who already knows what a Des Lighten, Andre Anderson or a Malcolm Bronson can do on the football field.  

       Viator had questions about the youngsters who spent the majority of their time on the sidelines last season but will now be called upon as new starters or key backups.  All successful programs don’t just rely on the first 22 on the depth chart.  Not in today’s game where certain players are called on for specific situations.  Then you have to factor in fresh legs, especially on the offensive and defensive lines, and of course there is always the big X factor…injuries.

        The Cowboys saw first hand what an epidemic of injuries did to there once potent stable of running backs last year.  Viator was literally down to one tailback (Andre Anderson)  at one point in the season and was rubbing his lucky rabbit’s foot and keeping his fingers crossed that Anderson did not go down as well.  

         Tops on Viator’s spring agenda was finding the answers to questions regarding depth and the possibility of moving players into new positions.  “I think we accomplished what I wanted and that was to evaluate a lot of players.  Try to put guys in different situations a lot of times.  Spring is not about the starters.  It’s about bringing the other guys in and having enough depth for the whole year and I think we got that done.”

         The recently completed spring practice put a number of things on display most notably the vast talent McNeese has coming back at running back.  Junior tailback Champlain Babin is back healthy and ran well in spring.  The aforementioned Anderson, who led the team in rushing last year as a first year transfer, is back strong for his senior season.  Primary starter Marcus Wiltz was held out of spring work due to injury as they expect him to return at full speed in August.  

        Tailback/kick returner Javaris Murray doesn’t have fond memories of spring.  You may recall Murray, coming off a breakout freshman season, tore his A.C.L. this time last year and missed the entire season rehabbing his knee.  With his knee braced up Murray went out this spring and erased many if not all of those dark thoughts.  The sophomore from Kingston, Louisiana reestablished himself as a threat both as a running back and on special teams.

          “I’m excited to see Javaris back.  He should be without the knee brace this fall which should make him more mobile.  I forgot how good he is on special teams,” Viator commented after the spring game.  “He was one of our best cover guys and return men.  He can also catch it well out of the backfield.”

          Murray will get his snaps but will find it hard to crack the starting lineup with Wiltz, Babin and last year’s team MVP in Anderson all vying for carries.  “Babin had a good spring coming back from all his injuries and Andre is just Andre.  He makes all the plays and he’s tough.  We have some good guys and again we get Wiltz back we’ll be pretty talented back there,” says Viator  

         In the first two intra squad scrimmages of spring the defenses were torched for a ton of touchdowns but they were shuttling guys in and out of the defensive lineup and putting players in new positions in hopes of answering some nagging questions at defensive end, tackle and linebacker.  

         The biggest move on the defense is the most obvious.  Two time all Southland Conference star Des Lighten  was shifted from defensive tackle to end.  Viator says Lighten has “always really be a natural defensive end but had to play tackle”.  He moved out wide and made some impressive plays at defensive end this spring.  At 6 foot 250 lbs Lighten was an undersized beast at tackle.  Look for another all conference year at his new position.

          The defensive line is jumble of position changes, new personnel and high hopes for the young talent on the inside.  Viator says “everything is predicated” on the inexperienced tackles and whether they come through with quick development and maturity.

         Two of the Cowboys best and expected starters at linebacker were held out of spring practice to nurse injuries.  Junior Joe Narcisse and sophomore Hayden Dobbs will be counted on this fall if fully recovered.  Viator says he was pleased with the play of freshman linebackers Deonte Thompson and Correy Middleton and also like the transition of sophomore Eric Papion (Barbe High) from safety to linebacker this spring.  “If we get Dobbs and Narcisse back we will be in pretty good shape.  Those other kids got a lot of plays this spring,” Viator noted.

        Junior Kendrick Cormier stashed his National Guard Army fatigues for the blue and gold again this season.  Cormier is coming off another turn of active duty in Afganiskstan and has also looked strong in his move from defensive end to linebacker.

         There are not many unanswered questions in McNeese’s defensive secondary.  Experienced starters are back in Seth Thomas, Bronson, Chris Raggett, Ford Smesny and Brandon Robinson.  A few fresh faces made impressions in the spring including sophomore safety Kyle Peterson, who had a safety in the spring game and Brian Okoye.   Senior cornerbacks London Durham and Jarron Jackson skipped spring with injuries but are expected back this fall.

         Many of these defensive backs are back from last year’s lineup who will need to make major improvements.  Not enough turnovers were put in the books and they gave up too many big plays of 20 yards or longer.  Defensive coach Mike Collins will need to ride herd on this group who put up shining stats both positive and negative.

              There weren’t many lingering questions about the offensive line other than the annual search for quality depth.  The O-Line lost only one full time starter in center Mase Duge.  A bit of a scare in the spring game as right tackle Alec Savoie left the game with a left leg injury.  The extent of the injury is not known.  

        The receiving corp got a huge boost in talent with transfers Ernest Celestie, a former Barbe High star who spent two injury filled years at Texas Tech and tight end Josh Jordan out of East Carolina by way of St. Amant, Louisiana.  Celestie gained 87 receiving yards in one scrimmage and displayed his running skills in the spring game with a nifty 15 yards end around.  Jordan, at 6’4, 220 is a big enough target with good hands.  He will figure in Viator’s passing schemes this fall.

         Consistency will be the question surrounding the wide outs this season.  Juniors Damion Dixon and DeVionte Edmonson have the skill set but can they put it to work on every passing down?  
         

         Diontae Spencer will be in the mix and the go to possession receiver is once again young Wes Briscoe.  As a true freshman last season Briscoe burst on the scene and just made the tough catches in traffic and for key first downs.  He has a knack for finding the open spot and doesn’t drop many catchable balls.

         If there was one critical question on the top Viator’s chalk board or power point it had to be the quarterback position.

        Round one of the QB race is in the books and it’s too close to call right now.

        Cody Stroud looked like a starting quarterback in spring practice coming off two starts and a 1-1 record last season.  Newcomer and transfer Riley Dodge also looks like a starting quarterback because he was one at North Texas State.  

         I went to the man in charge for a quarterback answer  and which one might be a nose ahead.  “I don’t know,” answered Viator.  “It’s kind of a day to day thing.  It will be a great competition and a heck of a race.”

         It was fun to watch this spring as Stroud and Dodge showed two divergent quarterbacking styles that make both of them interesting choices to lead this offense in 2011.

        Stroud at 6’3” 190 pounds is a pure drop back pocket passer while the 6 foot 195 pound Dodge is shotgun quarterback prone to rollout or run.  Both have pretty live arms and are accurate in their rights.  Stroud is more knowledgeable in the offense due to his time served already while Dodge is a quick study and even quicker on his feet making nifty cut backs.   Viator likes what he sees in both men.

         “Cody really makde some good strides to be more consistent.  Dodge did what I thought he could do.  He’s athletic, can move around and do somethings.  Although they are two different quarterbacks.  Right now they are doing everything….running and throwing.  I will narrow it down in the fall.  Get in those things that Riley and Cody do better and go from there.”

       A lot was made of Stroud’s performance under extreme pressure as he was called on as the starter against LSU in Baton Rouge last year due to a concussion suffered by Jacob Bower.  I was one of the ring leaders touting Stroud’s cool head and efficient play against the ranked Tigers in a very loud and raucous Death Valley.  Stroud, from little Montgomery, Louisiana, always dreamed of playing in Tiger Stadium and those dreams became reality and have since been helped him grow as a confident quarterback.

         “I think it has.  I have more confidence from being in the game situations and being in there against LSU and them throwing everything they had at me.  The speed and ability… I’ve seen it before,” says Stroud.

           “I’m getting more comfortable with the people around me and the offense.   Things will flow better as I get more comfortable.  It all starts with me.”

           Not reading too much into it but Stroud does sound like a quarterback confident in his skills and ability to lead this offense.

           Dodge is equally confident in his ability and walked away from spring practice and his first days as a Cowboy feeling pretty good.   “ I thought I had a accurate spring throwing the ball.  I had a good spring but as quarterback you can always get better.  I’m really excited that I haven’t yet reached my potential.”

          Stroud did not blink an eye when news broke that Dodge decided to transfer to McNeese after a few up and down injury plagued years at North Texas State.  Stroud walked the line and soldiered up saying things like he welcomed the competition and it would only make each of them better quarterbacks.

          He’s right.  Both will benefit as will the Cowboys who will have two very good and different  options at quarterback.    

          “I think we have different talents,” admits Stroud.  He is a lot better runner than I am.  I think I’m more of a pocket passer.  But it’s good to have both.  He’s obviously more agile than I am.  If we can both get in the game it would be a great asset to our offense.”

         I’m not sure if Viator is comtemplating a two quarterback system.  Early in his career at McNeese Viator opted for backup and drop back quarterback Mark Fontenot for a few series spelling starter Derrick Fourroux but it wasn’t a true tandem quarterback game plan.

         Dodge, a Texas prep legend with state championships and offensive player of the year awards on his resume, sounds like a man on a mission to win the job and finish what he started at North Texas.  “He (Stroud) has three years in this offense.  I have three weeks.  He understands the offense very well but I’m a coach’s kid and have been around the game a long time.  I’m grasping it so far.  I think the competition make you better for both of us.  So who ever get the job we’ll be  a good player for this football team.”

         “Obviously I want to be the starting quarterback here and he wants to be the starter here.  We are going to push each other and get after it.”

          Stroud or Dodge.  We’ll have to wait till the last week of August to find the answer to that question. 

Winning in the spring

BY RICK SARRO

       Spring will soon be in the air and so will baseballs, softballs, tennis balls, soccer balls, golf balls along with a javelin and a discus or two.  It will be busy out at the once quiet McNeese athletic fields and tracks scattered across campus as spring teams spring into action. 

       These artic temperatures compliments of Canada of late will give way to 80 degree afternoons perfect for the return of Cowboys baseball and Cowgirls softball.  But down here we are never too far away from football 365 and 24/7 in some circles.

        I have explained there are actually four football seasons and they all generate sports page headlines and  dominate sports talk on TV, radio and around the office cooler.  This is not a test but you can take notes if you like.

        There is the pre season which is in August, then the actual season from September to December (fans hope for football past Thanksgiving), followed by the recruiting season which is year round but culminates in early February with national signing day and finally there are spring drills in March and April.  

        May, June and July is when we all rehash the four seasons and formulate our bold predictions as we anxiously await August.  Don’t get me wrong there is a huge dose of March madness and basketball along with baseball mixed in to keep the balance of life in some order.  Football though is ever present.

        College football brainieacts know you not only win games in the September but it’s what you do in February that helps achieve victories in October and beyond.  If this February is any indication the McNeese Cowboys most assuredly aided their cause for the win column in the future.

         This could very well be the best and most star studded recruiting class of head coach Matt Viator’s five year tenure.

        McNeese signed 25 players to national letters and among an impressive list of high school players were three transfers from division 1-A/ F.B.S. programs.  Veteran Cowboys assistant head coach Mike     Collins, filling in for Viator for this writing, couldn’t stop smiling about this recruiting class.  “It’s a really good recruiting year no questions.  And now the work begins.  They have to do what we expect them to do.  We targeted these guys and went out and got them.”

         The big catch among this group was former Texas state class 5-A offensive player of the year and three time state champion quarterback Riley Dodge out of Southlake Carroll High School and most recently North Texas State.  I profiled the former Parade All American and his decision to transfer to McNeese a few weeks ago in Lagniappe.

          Collins realizes transfers like Dodge along with former Barbe High School star receiver and Texas Tech transfer Ernest Celestie and former East Carolina tight end/receiver Josh Jordan, will have shorter careers at McNeese but their impact will quick and notable.

         “If we have a specific need at quarterback, tailback, tight end or receiver then transfers are considered.  We had a tremendous need at receiver and couldn’t pass on Ernest.  Same at tight end with Josh.  We had a need at quarterback too and you don’t always have a four year guy like we did with Derrick (Fourroux).  Dodge is a junior, Cody (Stroud) is a sophomore, Will Briscoe is a redshirt freshman and we signed a true freshman (Tyler Bolfing-Montgomery, Texas).  They are stacked up there like Matt likes them,” explained Collins.

         Collins, who will oversee the entire defense this season, will see first hand just how good Dodge is and will experience a more mature and confident Stroud when spring drills begin March 15^th.  “It will make us better defensively playing against Riley and Cody and we (defense) intend on making those quarterbacks better too.”

         The Cowboys signed seven defensive backs, five defensive linemen, three tailback/running backs, three offensive linemen and two receivers.  McNeese added a couple of local stars to the ranks in St. Louis High running back Dillion Berlin, a 6 foot 200 pound bruising and durable straight ahead runner.  LaGange’s Aaron Sam is a multi talented player who is slotted at cornerback. 

        Of all the incoming talent the defensive tackles and more specifically their pedigree and size may be what separates this recruiting class from recent groups. 

          Nick Gorman from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma turned away from Louisiana Tech and sided with McNeese.  At 6’4” 280 pounds has the frame to add even more weight.  He is the son of former McNeese assistant coach, LaGrange head coach and one time Tulane tight end Chuck Gorman.

          Joining Gorman on the defensive line is Quentin Marsh of Dickinson, Texas.  At 6’2” 282 pounds Marsh is another one of those growing boys who will take up some space at defensive tackle.  “We did a better job of ID’ing the defensive tackles we like to have,” Collins said.  “We were fortunate to land some nice sized defensive linemen. They are always hard to find no matter what level you are on.  Everybody is looking for them.”

          Collins, a veteran recruiter who has logged more highway miles he cares to remember, says the national champion Auburn Tigers along with every other title contender on every level of college football needs big, athletic defensive tackles on the line.  “ We are all fighting for them.  Some programs may take a D-Tackle they would not normally take say in the Big 12 or S.E.C. because of the shortage and the pool has narrowed.”

          The fact that Auburn’s Nick Fairley is projected to be the NFL’s top pick in the April draft should prove the point of how valuable and impactful defensive tackles are in today’s football.  “If you get a good one on any level of play he can make or break you on defense.  The disruption he causes in the running game and the way they have to block and protect against his pass rush changes the game,” gushed Collins.    
   

         I don’t think it was a coincidence that the Cowboys ‘ last march to the 1-AA national championship game was in 2002 when the defense was anchored by arguably McNeese’s best ever D-Tackle tandem in B.J. McNutt and John Paul Jones.  They were both first team All Southland Conference selections that season when the Cowboys won the SLC title, finished the year at 13-2 and was the last time McNeese advanced past the first round in the playoffs.

           Collins believes there is a direct link between the success of 2002 and the play of the defensive line.  It’s no secret that since 2002 the Cowboys defensive front has struggled against the bigger, meatier lines from Montana, Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona.  “There is no question we are trying to get bigger.  When you get in the playoffs the guys are bigger and you have to match them.  We think we didn’t give up speed with our recruits and got bigger too.”

         Another glaring trend and characteristic in this group of recruits is the size of the safeties and cornerbacks.   It’s like going from the Smurfs to Big Bird.

         Case in point is 6’3” 190 pound Weston Card of Cypress Woods in Houston.  Then there is Ellis Carey a safety out of New Orleans  at 6 foot 183 pounds.  Wallace Scott from West Feliciana High is another safety listed at 6’1” 190 pounds.   Add in Gabe Hamner of Sealy, Texas and Ernest Williams of Orange, Texas.  Two cornerbacks six foot and above.

           “We tried to identify safeties and defensive backs with good height because of the size and height of the receivers nowadays.  Can we live with 5’7” or 5”8”ish cornerbacks any more?  Unless they are very special,” noted Collins.

           Once again McNeese recruited along athletic blood lines.  Through the years the Cowboys have had a number of talented brother tandems, cousins, nephews and sons.  Recognizable names like Jordan, Brown, Bronson, Prince and Thomas.  This year safety Nick Shepard of Houston shares that football DNA with older brother Russell Shepard, a star receiver for LSU.  

          The younger Shepard had F.B.S. options including Texas Tech but Collins says that Shepard’s dad put it best saying he only has to go in one direction down I-10 east.  Referring to watching Nick at McNeese and then Russell two hours down the road at LSU.

          Every recruiting class is rated by the number of blue chip stars or state MVP players you sign.  Collins is quick to point out that not all blue chippers pan out and sometimes it’s the no chip player who ends up being the best signee and making the biggest impact.  It’s not an exact science and you never really know who will have break out careers until they hit the field a few years down the line.  

         That unique “it” factor in players is hard to find sometimes and even harder to see until they are under the lights wearing your team’s colors at the next level.

          That being said I think it’s still a major recruiting coup to lure the likes of Riley Dodge and Ernest Celestie to McNeese.  The Cowboys get a gold star anytime they can sign players away from Texas Tech, Air Force, Louisiana Tech or even U.L. Lafayette as was the case this year.  It’s a battle out there on the back roads of East Texas and South Louisiana to sell yourself , sell your program and to convince a fickle 18 year old where to spend the next four to five years of his life.  Collins knows it all too well.

          “In Louisiana you have one school (LSU) who gets whoever they want.  And then you have 11 other schools fighting like cats and dogs to get the rest and that’s not counting the other schools coming into the state to recruit.”

          The foundation and life blood of any successful college program is recruiting.  Coaches like Saban, Paterno, Miles, Spurrier and Viator will hold court on that issue any day.  ESPN and the multitude of websites and scouting services offer in depth analysis of players on watch lists as young as 13 to 14 years old.  

 Football teams have to win in February before they hoist any trophies in January.  

Seeing red, loving blue

BY RICK SARRO

By now you know that the University of Louisiana-Lafayette has a new head football coach. It took those awfully patient Rajin Cajuns 9 years to grow weary of Rickey Bustle so they spent a couple of busy weeks before hiring Mississippi State receivers coach Mark Hudspeth, whose coaching stock rose as the Bulldogs’ win column swelled this season. 

Media reports had the Rajin Cajuns wish list down to three candidates including Hudspeth, Georgia Tech offensive line coach Mike Sewak and Oklahoma State special team’s coach Joe DeForest. Before U.L.L. set its radar strictly on Starkville a buzz hit the streets of Lake Charles and McNeese State as Cowboys head coach Matt Viator interrupted his off season recruiting schedule to sit down with U.L.-Lafayette athletic officials. 

 It’s not known how high Viator was on U.L.L.’s pecking order, the depth of their interest or for that matter just how much sincere interest Viator had in the job. The Cowboys’ head coach played this one close to the vest and did not pound the drums to draw attention to any side trip to Lafayette. Eventhou there wasn’t a local media frenzy over Viator’s U.L.L. interview it was the hot topic and subject of intense interest in various corners of the community.

 The whole Viator angle took on a life of its own on internet chat rooms and Rajin Cajun blogs. The drama played out as you would expect as many U.L.L. loyalists slammed Viator’s lack of 1-A coaching experience, the fact his collegiate resume consists only of McNeese and he doesn’t have the “big name” links U.L.L. is looking for.

 This internet circus lasted a few days up until word got out late last week that Hudspeth got the job and Cajun fans’ egos were properly inflated now that their new coach and the S.E.C. can be used in the same sentence.

 The fact that U.L.L., however interested they were in Viator, actually reached across the I-10 divide to speak with an arch rival upset more than a few Cajun fans. It probably did not sit too well with a few on this side of the fence as well. 

 Rest assured Viator approached this situation strictly from the business side of his profession and was articulate, polished, organized, insightful and well grounded in his football philosophies. As a McNeese grad and a Blue and Gold Cowboy to the core, don’t you think Viator squirmed just a little bit surrounded by all that red and white. I let my imagination get the best of me and envisioned their conversation going something like this:

U.L.L.- “Good to see you Matt. Come on in. Any trouble finding the facilty?

MV: “No, not at all. I still had you guys in my GPS from 2007.”

U.L.L.- “So tough season….

MV: “Yeah another 3-9 year is tough to swallow.

ULL: “No..no. I was referring to your season at McNeese.”

MV: “Oh, sorry. 6-5 is well below our expectations as you know. But I am awfully proud of our kids for fighting through a rash of injuries and winning four straight games to get back into the conference race. If we would have won that last one on the road you never know we might have gotten an at large bid in the F.C.S. playoffs.”

ULL: Ahhhh….post season action. The thrill of extending your season and playing for something

On the national stage. Tell us about that Matt?”

MV: “Well we’ve won three Southland Conference titles over the last five years. We’e played in 21 playoff games and two national championship games since 1992. Experienced many Thrills of victory and some agony of defeat along the way. You guys have missed out on a lot of fun since you decided we were too small fry for you back in what was it 1987?”

ULL: “We think our fine university is better suited for Division 1-A and FBS. competition. We are still searching for our first Sun Belt Conference crown and haven’t yet sniffed a bowl game but we are hopeful that one day…. one day….

MV: “Every year….all those guarantee money games on the road sure takes its toll on the kids, fan interest and the won-loss record. Pays the bills, I know, but it’s an automatic 3 to 4 losses a season.”

ULL: “Now hold on, Mat,t we beat Kansas State in ’09 and upset Texas A&M back in 1996. Our greatest victory ever. Unfortunately our boys lost at Southern Miss the next week 52-27. 

 But we’ve had our moments, just not enough of them, which is why we had to let Bustle go. 41-65 over 9 years….we can do better than that.”

MV: “Really…..you really think so?”

ULL: “Yes we do. We may never play LSU as tough as your Cowboys did this year but we can win the Sun Belt and go to a bowl game.”

MV: “That bowl game is in New Orleans right?”

 ULL: “Believe it or not but some of our youngsters have never been to the great city of New Orleans and it would cap their careers.”

MV: “I hear that I am being interviewed for this job to appease some well heeled Rajin Cajun boosters who are still ticked off that McNeese throttled you 38-17 back in “07. It took you 20 years to play us again and three more years have passed and you still can’t get over it.”

ULL: “We are almost there. Just a few more sessions with my therapist and I think we’ve got it licked….(laughther) Just kidding….but if you have that game plan file lying around anywhere from ’07 we would be very …..(more laughter) just kidding again.”

MV: “Gentlemen …I’m confused. ULL. has always thought your athletics, academics, campus and administration were superior to McNeese State. Your coaching M.O. has always been to hire I-A assistant coaches to come down and try and fix the problem, change the culture of losing. How has that worked out the past 20 years?”

ULL: “ You have us on that one. OK we do think ULL is a notch or two or three better than McNeese. We are the University of Louisiana …..we don’t recognized Monroe and by gosh we are in the Hub City, the epicenter of Acadiana and we are what we are, we are what they say we are, we are what we have been.”

MV: “Can we adjust the window shades a bit. All this red is beginning to blind me.”

ULL: “Matt can we win here consistently and what will it take to get out of the red and into the black.?”

MV: “First off you have to successfully scout, evaluate and recruit the better players right down the road, in your own backyard and beyond the border in Texas. You can’t keep living and recruiting off of Jake Delhomme. Great player, great guy but let it go. Do you know we out recruited you on quarterback Derrick Fourroux, right there under your nose in little Erath. All of his family were Ragin Cajun fans. He was a four-year starter for us, holds damn near every passing record and was instrumental in us whipping your butts back in “07.

 You can’t lose players like that, ones that can change your program. You have to build a winning system and recruit talent for your system and find great coaches who can teach your system. And you have to stop scheduling so many money games and getting your heads handed to you. Back off a bit, schedule some home dates, win some games and get the fans back. It is going to take time and a culture change

But yes you can win more than you have.”

 ULL: “Wow …that was a great speech. I wish our players were here to hear it. It sounds like you have all of that and more already at McNeese. Then why are you here and interested in the Cajuns’ job?

MV: “Who said I was interested in the job? You invited me, offered to buy lunch downtown and what’s the harm in listening.”

 ULL: “Coach you have a great resume, you have won everywhere you have been. Impressive record so far at McNeese but the rub against you is zero playoff wins as a head coach.”

MV: “Believe me that has been rubbing me the wrong way since my promotion to head coach. It is a trend and record I have to reverse. We have had great teams , an unbeaten crew back ’07 but still got hammered in the playoffs. At home no less. Bad execution, lousy coaching and a losing game plan. My bad, my fault. I will figure it out and get it fixed.”

ULL: “It sounds to me like you have no intention or interest in leaving McNeese for this job. 

 You will soon be in a beautiful new athletic fieldhouse. You sound like a man with unfinished business and still very much engaged in the challenge at hand. Tell me, Matt, are you here talking with us to send some form of message back home?

 That yes you are loyal to McNeese, you are still highly motivated but you in turn must do what’s best for your family and your career and will listen and pursue programs that have higher paying positions available. McNeese must surely recognized the asset they have in you and are ready to protect and secure that asset right?

MV: “Guys it’s been fun. How about a rain check on that lunch. I have a lead on another blue chip running back from Cecilia I need to check out. Hey good luck with Hudspeth. 

 I hear your offer is headed his way later today. Tell him the Cowboys are ready for another game any time … any place.”

Winning with a loss

BY RICK SARRO

SOUND OFF 60

There is no crying in baseball and no moral victories in football.   The McNeese Cowboys would argue the latter after their historic first ever football game against (7^th) ranked LSU on the fabled turf at Tiger Stadium.

     The record book will show a 32-10 LSU victory from a game much closer than the final tally.  While McNeese won’t get the credit it deserves from the stark realities of the win and loss column the Cowboys earned the respect of 92,000 plus fans and have the knowledge they pushed the Top 10 Tigers to the limit and had them wondering just who are these guys?

      Football coaches are in the business of winning games and that’s what they are ultimately judged on.  A loss means the coaches didn’t coach well enough and the players didn’t play good enough to win.  The other team won and they get all the glory.  That may play on any other Saturday night or Sunday afternoon but not in the case of the Cowboys and the battle they waged against the Tigers.

        If Las Vegas put a betting line out on this game (which they didn’t) McNeese would have been 30 to 40 point underdogs.  LSU was ranked 9^th in every major national poll and was seeking it’s first 7-0 start to a season in over 30 years.  They owned a 34 game winning streak against non conference opponents and have not lost to an in state school since a 31-28 defeat to Tulane back in 1982.  The average margin of victory over UL-Monroe, UL-Lafayette, Louisiana Tech and Tulane over the past decade has been nearly 42 points!

        The work, the effort, the emotion, the game plan, the execution and team play turned in by McNeese was nothing short of amazing.

         Consider the state of the Blue and Gold nation going into this titanic challenge.

         This was a 2-3 Cowboys team coming off a heart wrenching late game defeat to Southland Conference leader Stephen F. Austin the week before.  The offense was down a starting quarterback and its two top running backs.  There starting left tackle was sidelined and to top that off the senior deep snapper has a case of the yips. 

         The coaching staff has developed a curious case of thin skin as the local media has been more critical of the up and down Cowboys.  There has been concern over a rash of turnovers and penalties, a defense that is near the bottom in the conference in defending the forward pass and of course those mounting and seemingly never ending injuries.

         A funny thing happened on the way to Baton Rouge.  Forget about a slaughter.  The lambs turned to wolves and the underdogs didn’t roll over and die.

        “What I’m really proud of is the effort at this time of the year.  Especially with the injuries we’ve had.  We’re in the middle of a tough stretch.  It’s been a tough year period.  I thought we had a great effort,” Viator beamed in his post game press conference.

         He agreed with my assessment that this LSU game might very well be the best performance McNeese has had in games against F.B.S programs.  Considering the fact that LSU plays in the toughest conference in the country, was ranked 9^th coming into the game, unbeaten at 6-0 and lets not forget about the venue…..Death Valley.  A stadium that can house the entire population of Lake Charles.

          Viator noted the close game at North Carolina in 2008 (a 35-28 loss to the Tarheels) but says it was the season opener and in “first games you always have great effort.”  He says the big difference was the fact that this LSU matchup came in October at mid season, squeezed between conference games.

          “We talked to them (the players) about representing McNeese and themselves in a first class way.  Number two we wanted them to have fun.  The 3^rd thing we said to them was I wanted them to play and act like you belong on this field.  And I thought they did.  That was the three things we talked about at our team meeting and I think we accomplished all three, “ Viator nodded.

          OK….yeah.  I think they checked off those three main points pretty easily and probably a few more after Coach V shook hands and congratulated the “Mad Hatter” at mid field after the game.

          This was the largest crowd McNeese has ever played to (92,576) and in a hostile stadium considered one of the loudest and toughest in college football.    The Cowboys were neither intimidated or awe struck by the surroundings or they did a masterful job of covering it up.

          McNeese forced the Tigers to punt on LSU’s first possession and started their first offensive possession at the Cowboys 4 yard line after Josh Jasper’s punt was downed inside the five.  Viator could not have imagined a worst possible scenario to start this game.

           Out trots red shirt freshman quarterback Cody Stroud making his very first collegiate start buried inside his own 5 yard line with the loudest endzone in the SEC blaring in his helmet and staring down the best defense this side of Tuscaloosa.  

           First play Stroud rolls right in the endzone at promptly completes a 9 yard pass to tight end Corday Clark.  The young quarterback goes on to pick up three first downs and burns 6 minutes off the clock.  That opening drive set the tone for the Cowboys and took care of Viator’s three mandates.  Most importantly that McNeese was here to play and act like they belonged on that field.

           It didn’t take long for LSU to realize that as well.  On the Tigers second series quarterback Jordan Jefferson heard the first of a night filled with boos as he was sacked on back to back plays as the Cowboys unleashed the safeties on two straight blitzes.  On the second Jace Peterson forced Jefferson to fumble and Geremy Pilate recovered at the LSU 5 yard line.  Three plays later Stroud hit Damion Dixon in the endzone.

           A Richter scale may have registered a blip on Ryan Street.  Oh my the Cowboys struck first blood and led the LSU Tigers 7-0!

          “We moved the ball some at times and we had some chances at the beginning of the game.  I am very proud of our players and very proud of this young man next to me (leaning toward Stroud)  A freshman in front of 90 plus thousand.  I thought he did some great things and hopefully learned a lot from this experience,” Viator said.

           I would say Stroud, who played the entire game against a John Chavis designed blitz crazy LSU defense, absorbed a full season’s worth of lessons and knowledge crammed into 60 minutes at Tiger Stadium.  “It was very exciting,” as Stroud stated the obvious.  “I’ve come here (Tiger Stadium) since I was small.  Always wanted to play here (as an LSU player) but didn’t get that opportunity.  But I got the opportunity to play here and tried to make the most of it.  Made some key mistakes but also did some pretty good things.”

          Considering what he was up against the young quarterback from little Montgomery, Louisiana did better than just pretty good.  Stroud was 15 of 32 passes, one touchdown with one interception.  In an odd twist of fate Stroud’s 118 yards passing bested the combined passing of both Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson.  

         Stroud was a combination of Cool Hand Luke and Jack Bauer in cleats.  

         “A lot of preparation,” says Stroud of his performance.  “Studied film a lot this week.  Saw what they were doing and just stayed composed.  Not let the game or the atmosphere get to me.”

         Composure and film study.    Note to Jordan Jefferson.

         The Cowboys defense has been victimized by the big play all season and is no better than middle of the pack in the Southland Conference.  They didn’t play like that against Big Brother LSU.  The Pokes who gave up inches and pounds at each position just kept coming at the Tigers.  I think McNeese is on to something with first down blitzes off a three man defensive front.

           “We tried to make them one dimensional  and stop the run which is hard to do.  Our game plan was to blitz on early downs, stop the run and put pressure,” admitted Viator.  “We thought we did good.  We missed some tackles but they’ve got some great athletes.  We tackled at times.  I think we did as good of a job as anyone else did tackling them.   Russell Sheppard is going to break some plays but our defense played really hard.”

           So hard in fact they held LSU to 282 yards in offense which is well below their average.  Those pesky McNeese defenders held bruiser Stevan Ridley to a mere 48 yards on 15 carries.   

         McNeese”s Des Lighten was back at his familiar defensive tackle spot after sitting out last week’s game against S.F.A.  The junior All SLC star made a difference as he went sideline to sideline with a high energy motor and emotion chasing down Ridley and Sheppard.   The defensive line and linebackers were the engine but the spark came from the secondary.  

       Safeties Darrell Jenkins and Devin Holland played like mad men, disrupting the Tigers offense on the blitz, run support and in coverage.   If the secondary’s  inspired play continues going forward from here this McNeese defense may just begin to live up to all the pre season hype and accolades.

        Safety Malcolm Bronson had another monster game and is looking and playing more like his Uncle Zack  (former McNeese All America safety and San Francisco 49er) every game.  The younger Bronson showed up for a night on the biggest stage but noted it was the simple fundamentals that limited LSU to their longest pass of only 18 yards.  “We wanted to keep them in front of us and prevent the deep ball.   We kept our eyes where they were supposed to be, like the coaches have been telling us.”

        Bronson and his defensive mates picked the right game against the right opponent to really take that coaching to heart.  McNeese’s defensive effort was eye opening.  They held LSU to only 3 of 13 conversions on critical 3^rd down plays.  The Cowboys’ offense converted 8 of 17 on 3^rd down.

         6’5” Terrance Toliver, the star receiver of the big win at Florida the week before, was held in check with only 2 catches for 27 yards and no scores.  Sheppard had 7 catches for 53 yards with no touchdowns.  And the Cowboys notched three sacks.  “As far as the effort is concerned I don’t think we could have given a better effort against a tougher task and a tougher football team,” said a proud Viator.

         LSU head coach Les Miles credited McNeese for “a damn good football game” but lameted that his Tigers were listless and didn’t have a lot of emotion.  

         Could be….maybe….OK.  The Tennessee clock debacle coupled with the heavenly bounce to beat Florida in back to back weeks could have caught up with the Tigers.  The fact that the Cowboys punched them in the mouth early on and still didn’t wake them up is lost on me.

          Lack of emotion and energy Les?  

          Try slipping into McNeese’s boots.  Senior starting quarterback sidelined with a concussion.  Down to your third tailback in Andre Anderson, who showed his pedigree with 79 yards on 23 carries.  A reshuffle on the left side of your offensive line and a bevy of freshman receivers,  who were playing in front of hundreds of fans not 92,000 just last year.

         If any game or any loss can afford you a moral victory than it’s this first and could be last matchup with LSU.   

         McNeese didn’t win but the hard work and maximum effort restored belief in themselves and their coaches.

         McNeese lost by 22 points when many thought it might by 52.  Proving skeptics wrong shows you can proved them wrong again.

        McNeese exited Death Valley unbowed despite defeat.  Pride can take you a long way in football and in life.

        “I think the college life is about experiences.  Coaching is about winning so this doesn’t do the coaching record any good,” chuckled Viator.  It’s a great experience these players will remember for the rest of there lives.”

        And the lessons learned from it.   

Not a pretty football season so far

BY RICK SARRO

SOUND OFF 60

  It doesn’t take an AppleMicrosoftBlackberryFaceBook high tech CEO genius to figure out what the McNeese Cowboys, LSU Tigers and New Orleans Saints have in common of late.  It isn’t SportsCenter/Sports Illustrated/College Game Day worthy style points if you’re wondering.

      When those three teams do win it’s like enduring a three hour root canal while being forced to watch American Idol rejects being judged by Donald Trump.

       It ain’t fun and it ain’t pretty.

       Mark my words all three head coaches from Matt Viator, to Les Miles to Sean Payton would all agree the business of winning football games is painfully hard, fraught with emotion and of late can put you in the hospital if you are not careful.

       Not since Viator’s 2006 rookie season as head coach has McNeese stared down back to back must win games this early in the season.  The Cowboys failed to bounce back from that 50-6 blowout at Missouri and didn’t come close to breaking the Mustangs of Cal Poly losing 40-14.  Faced with the prospects of a possible 1-3 start and losing their Southland Conference opener the Cowboys discovered there heretofore missing defense in time to subdue Northwestern State 24-7.

        The victory put McNeese at an even 2-2 but rescued them from the cliff’s edge as they prepare to run a two week gauntlet of SLC favorite Stephen F. Austin and the LSU Tigers.  Following the consecutive losses to Missouri and Cal Poly the Cowboys were so void of confidence and momentum that the slightest of Gulf breezes would have sent them over that precarious drop and into a sort of football purgatory for the rest of the season.

        For all you fair weather fans and Monday morning quarterbacks one win, even over the lowly Demons who are 1-14 dating back to last season, can be the catalyst McNeese was searching for.  Back in 2006 the Cowboys were 2-4 before they ran the SLC table en route to Viator’s first of three conference championships.  

        That was then and this is now.  The players and their personalities, leadership skills and depth of talent are all different.  Viator has said he has not harkened back to that 2-4 start and has not used it in any motivating pep talks to this team.  Maybe he should because this team is still mighty shakey.  They will need constant oversight and some heavy duty coaching up if they intend to match the Lumberjacks blow for blow.

      McNeese didn’t display any new found confidence or improved technique on the game’s very first offensive play as Northwestern reserve quarterback Tyler Wolfe burned the Cowboys’ secondary for a 60 yard bomb to T.C. Henry.  Two plays later a touchdown pass put the Demons up 7-0.  It was as if the Cal Poly game had not ended but just moved a few hours north to Natchitoches.  

         The Cowboys offense appeared equally inept with little or no yardage and no signs of spark resulting in four consecutive punts.   But then there was a flicker of hope.  A play that tilted the pendulum toward McNeese.  Reserve linebacker Kentrell Butler got a gift from Wolfe in the form of a pass thrown at his chest.  The interception keyed a 12 play 64 yard drive ending in a Jacob Bower quarterback sneak for a touchdown and a 7- All tie in the 2^nd quarter.

         The Demons, who were winless last season under first year head coach Bradley Dale Peveto, used up there 15 minutes of camera time in the first quarter.  McNeese’s defense finally found a pass rush, forced some turnovers, decided to tackle someone and held Northwestern scoreless over three quarters and only 40 yards of offense in the second half.

         Bower, the senior transfer quarterback, found some rhythm and consistency going 19 of 25 for 233 yards and two touchdowns.   Critical was his new found love of the football.  Bower had no picks after throwing five interceptions against two touchdowns in the first three games.  He managed the offense and once in the lead took what the defense allowed and did not try to force his will or his passes.  Bower was near perfect in the second half completing 13 of 16 passes.

        Back up Cody Stroud has been solid in limited snaps but make no doubt about it Bower is still the best arm to help dig McNeese out of this hole of mediocrity.  The offensive line has been better on pass protection vs. run blocking.   Over three times the rushing yards against Northwestern compared to the Cal Poly game during which McNeese totaled only 52 yards on the ground.  Keep in mind that falling behind by 21 points means less handoffs and more drop backs.

        Redshirt freshman tailback Marcus Wiltz leads all rushers with three touchdowns.  He is also near the top in lost fumbles which will remind running backs coach Carlos McGee there are still more drill work needed.   The turnovers improved some last week with only two fumbles that did not lead to any points.  McNeese is still lagging in the turnover ratio with a minus 6 through four games.

        McGee won’t be the only McNeese coach putting in extra hours preparing for  7^th ranked Stephen F. Austin and LSU the next two weeks.   Defensive coordinator Lark Hebert and secondary coach Mike Collins must get the cornerbacks and safeties to play with more speed and awareness.   They are giving up far too many big plays and huge chunks of yardage through the air.  The only real pressure on the  opposing quarterbacks has been via the blitz and that was undetectable before the Northwestern game.

        Terrance Freeman and Josh Ellison were preseason All SLC picks at defensive end.  They were nearly invisible for the first three games.  Ellison finally reappeared with two sacks against the Demons.  Damion Aultman and All SLC tackle Desmund Lighten must make bigger impacts with penetration and pressure.   If it takes stunts, twists and tricks to get to the quarterback then Hebert and Collins better concoct said plan because the Southland Conference’s all time leading passer awaits them.

           SFA quarterback Jeremy Moses is off to a fast start 3-1 start which included a huge win over Northern Iowa on the road.  Toss in an open week and you have a well rested and confident bunch of wood choppers.   Jacks coach J.C.  Harper has had two weeks to prepare his sharp shooting trigger man for the Cowboys.  Moses is already one of the top quarterbacks to play in the league and now he has had extra time to study film and get his timing down pat. 

           Moses threw for over 4100 yards last year with 40 touchdown passes against 21 interceptions.  He is a 68% passer with a strong arm and good feet.  At 6’0” 200 pounds he plays with a similar style of a certain undersized quarterback in New Orleans.  As with Drew Brees the way to beat the polished and poised Moses is with pressure from all angles.  McNeese will have to get him out of his comfort zone and make him rush his decisions and throws.

           I guess it’s time to state some obvious points.

          The Cowboys were not as bad as they played against Missouri and Cal Poly.  But a win over the worst team in the conference doesn’t prove much either.  McNeese’s defense is simply not as good as I thought they would be at this point in the season, the receivers both young and old need to find separation and open spots, the running backs and quarterback need to protect the ball and the return game needs to step up and contribute a big play or two.

         Without huge leaps in energy, intensity and improvement the Cowboys won’t beat Stephen F. Austin despite home field at Cowboy Stadium.   Two weeks to rest and the Moses factor gives SFA 10 points before they flip the coin.  An upset of the Jacks though would catapult the Cowboys and go a long way in deciding the SLC race.  But a loss to SFA wouldn’t be the end all either.  I don’t expect the conference champion to go unscathed and remember these two clubs shared the league title in 2009.

        McNeese reverted to some bad habits in the Northwestern win namely 9 penalties for 105 yards.  Far too many personal fouls and unsportsmanlike calls.  This was an emotional hard fought, physical game that meant players with history did not want to back down or give ground.  But this program has been there and done that.  

         It’s time for the over zealous players to remove their heads from some unreachable point of entry and find some dog gone discipline and composure if by chance they still think of themselves as worthy champions.  Prove your point between the lines and before the whistle blows.

        And finally do you even have to say anything about the upcoming LSU game.   The magnitude of this week’s SLC showdown with Stephen F. Austin speaks for itself and will affect McNeese’s season long goal of a conference title far more than the date with the Tigers in Baton Rouge.   Just like the trip to Columbia, Missouri the first ever matchup with LSU is a money game for the fans.  Don’t look ahead and even think about a Saturday night in Death Valley.   It will doom any chance they have against the favored Lumberjacks.

        It’s more important than ever for the resuscitated Cowboys to listen to Viator and their coaches when told to simply try and win one game at a time.

         It’s much too hard to do anything but that.

Saints ready to defend in 2010

BY RICK SARRO

       My state of angst is credited to the prevailing theory among the majority of NFL experts, writers, former players/analysts, dot comers, broadcasters and your everyday, run of the mill Monday morning quarterbacks outside of Louisiana of course, who predict the New Orleans Saints will not repeat or even contend for a second straight Super Bowl championship in 2010.

        What surprises me is the high number of these pro pundits who have little faith in what “Bree-sus”  and Saint Sean accomplished last season in winning the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy in it’s 43 years of existence.  Fans in Southwest Louisiana know now they didn’t just wake up from some “Inception” like dream.   Nearly 10,000 of them recently streamed through the Lake Charles Civic Center to kneel at the base of the Super Bowl trophy and come to terms with the seemingly impossible being reality.

         I understand picking the Saints to repeat as Super Bowl champs might be the easy out in some circles.  If you want to turn heads and garner a lot of Twitter buzz ignore the Saints and come out in favor of the cocky Jets, the long anointed Cowboys or the Favre-lious Vikings for that matter.  The standard rationale against a Who Dat sighting in Dallas (site of Super Bowl XLV-February, 2011) is the recent history of teams who follow up a Super Bowl title with complacency, an “I’ve got mine now” attitude, free agent exodus or simply uninspired play.

        The most recent examples of Super Bowl joy following by despair the next year were the 2009 Steelers and “08 Giants who both won the title but fell off the map the following season.  But there are repeat successes that balances that negative pendulum.  The 2004 and ‘05 New England Patriots won back to back Super Bowls as did the John Elway led Denver Broncos in 1998 and 99.  

       There was a six year gap between Denver’s successful defense and New England’s first of two straight so why not buy into another six year gap that has New Orleans winning another Super Bowl in 2010.  The timing and the calendar are just a coincidence but there are some distinct similarities between those past Bronco and Patriot teams to the current Saints that could help New Orleans join that elite group of repeat champions.

       First and foremost it starts at quarterback.  Denver had the veteran Hall of Famer Elway back under center as did the Patriots with future Hall of Famer Tom Brady.  The Saints return Drew Brees now in his 10^th NFL season  with no production drop off in sight.  The 31 year old Brees has thrown for over 4000 yards in his four seasons with the Saints, has guided the NFL’s top rated offense 3 of the last 4 seasons, broke a 27 year old NFL record by completing 70.6% of his passes last year and was nearly perfect in winning Super Bowl MVP honors back in February.

         Both Elway and Brady were Super Bowl MVP winners and like Brees had complete control of the offense and were the unquestioned leaders of their teams.  You can only repeat as Super Bowl champs with a pedigree quarterback performing at the highest level as Elway and Brady proved.  Brees could very well be playing better than the aforementioned duo with a better offensive supporting cast.

        The head coaches are cut from the same cloth.  Control freaks who demand attention to detail with a gift of using all of his roster’s talent for the greater good of the team.  All three were mentored by multiple Super Bowl winning coaches.  Former Denver coach Mike Shanahan (now head coach of Washington) learned at the side of the late 49ers coach Bill Walsh.  New England’s Bill Belichick was tutored by former Giants and Jets head coach Bill Parcells who was also the greatest coaching influence on the Saints’ Sean Payton while both were with the Dallas Cowboys.

          There are a total of 15 Super Bowl championships won by this distinguished group either as a head coach or assistant.  That’s valuable experience, game planning and decision making to go with a lot of championship hardware.

         On the field the Broncos, Patriots and now Saints offer their ultra talented quarterbacks just enough run support to keep opposing defenses honest.  There is a case to be made that Elway could not have won without the rushing of Terrell Davis.  Brady depended on Kevin Faulk in clutch situations.  And Brees, despite his prolific passing stats, leaned on his rushing trio of Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush and Mike Bell for 1837 yards and 16 touchdowns averaging 131 yards per game last year.

        Defensively these three teams have one key component in common and that was turnovers.  Belichick always has solid, well schooled defenses that rate near the top of the league.  Shanahan’s Broncos like Payton’s Saints were not highly ranked in many key categories but one in particular were take aways.  New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams finished the season ranked 25^th in total defense.  They didn’t win the beauty pageant but the Saints defenders looked good when it counted stealing 39 turnovers (3^rd best in the NFL’s regular season) and 8 more in the playoffs.  

        A positive turnover ratio was the key in Denver and New England as it will be for New Orleans.

       I think the last critical link between the past and the present is the kicking game.  Jason Elam was a long range threat and a model of field goal consistency in Denver’s repeat performances.  Adam  Vinatieri won two Super Bowls for the Patriots with last second kicks.  He will go down as one of the NFL’s best  clutch kickers.  (Who can forget the field goal to beat the Raiders in the controversial “Tuck Rule” game in the snow).

       Move to present day New Orleans and Garrett Hartley.  The former free agent Oklahoma kicker missed over half of the 2009 season serving an NFL suspension for banned substances (four games for using No doz-like anti sleep pills).  When he finally won his job back Hartley hit 9 of 11 in the regular season and was a perfect five for five in the playoffs.  The biggest and most pressure kick was his 40 yarder in overtime against Minnesota in the NFC Championship game.  That boot got the Saints in the Super Bowl and the story of Payton just telling Hartley “to hit that fluer de lis between the goal posts” is classic.  But the kid came back in the Super Bowl no less and smoothly drilled all three of his attempts from 46, 44 and 47 yards out.  Impressive in only his 2^nd pro season.  

        You can’t even win back to back regular games in this league without a kicker who is close to automatic from 40 yards out.  The Saints have to believe they have a younger version of those Pro Bowlers  in the strong legged and confident Hartley.   Kickers are funny no doubt.  One great year can be followed up a flame out.  Hartley can only be truly measured against the likes of Elam and Vinatieri through years of consistency or say another Super Bowl winning performance.

       The commonalties  between these Saints and the last two repeat Super Bowl Champs are clear and present a strong case that New Orleans has the tools and foundation to prove the naysayers wrong this season.

      Let me go a step further.  One key to following up a championship season is retaining critical players and avoid being pillaged by teams seeking and signing away your free agents.  One way to stop any exodus is having your star players under longer contracts which the Saints have done in the case of Brees, wide receiver Marques Colston, guard Jahri Evans, linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive end Will Smith to name a few.

       The Saints lost only two key players to free agency when starting linebacker Scott Fujita signed with Cleveland and running back Mike Bell opted to join the Eagles.  General Manager Mickey Loomis was able to resign veteran free safety Darren Sharper, Evans (signed the richest contract in league history among guards), lineman Zach Strief and tackle Jermon Bushrod.

        Loomis picked some available fruit as well signing veteran defensive ends  Alex Brown from Chicago and Jimmy Wilkerson of Tampa Bay.  Along with veteran back up quarterback Patrick Ramsey.  

       Not a lot of free agent pickups because the Saints obviously have a talent laden roster already and they drafted well for need.  More on that later.

       A key factor in this year’s lack of free agency movement and significant reduction in mega million dollar contract signings (no Albert Haynesworth like $100 million dollar deal this off season) is the ongoing talks between the owners and players union over a new collective bargaining agreement.  There has been little to no progress as expected because the current deal expires in March, 2011.  Looming is a possible owner”s lockout if a new contract is not signed by next spring.  The owners are seeking financial concessions from the union along with a possible proposal to increase the regular season to 18 games.

       As compared to past Super Bowl championship teams the Saints’ roster has been virtually untouched by outside forces in part due to the uneasiness and apprehension surrounding the owners/players contract negotiations.  This helps for roster and locker room continuity.  Important factors when considering starting lineups, system knowledge and team chemisty.

       The Saints only real position question is who will replace the versatile Fujita at linebacker?  Defensive coordinator Williams isn’t too concerned saying he has upwards to three packages involving the linebackers so he intends to interchange three different players at Fujita’s spot.  He admitted this trifecta approach has helped with morale as three players now consider themselves starters.  Likely candidates are linebackers Troy Evans, Marvin Mitchell and Jo-Lonn Dunbar.

      The offensive line is one of the best in the league anchored by Evans, Bushrod and Jon Stinchcomb.  As I predicted after the April draft the Saints did indeed sent former all pro left tackle and often injured Jammal Brown packing in a trade with Washington.

      Look for Payton to be creative with rookie tight end Jimmy Graham who is praised for his athletic prowess from his basketball days at the University of Miami.  Expect more two tight end sets with Graham and former Hurricane Jeremy Shockey.

      Loomis needs to finalize a multi year contract and new money for running back Pierre Thomas who is peeved over having to sign a one year tender offer before deadline.  Thomas has proven himself as a tough, durable and nimble inside runner with good hands on screens, like the one he caught and ran in for a touchdown in the Super Bowl win.  Thomas along with Bush and Lynell Hamilton should make up for another capable run by committee group.  The key is keeping both Thomas and Bush healthy for 16 or more games.

      The receiver crop returns intact and still top flight.  Robert Meachem broke out for a career year with 45 catches and 9 touchdowns.  Colston and Devery Henderson are Brees’ targets.  Slot receiver Lance Moore needs to come back strong and healthy to offer that third option.  Moore is one of my favorite players and despite injuries bounced back to make that crucial 2 point conversion play on the goal line in the Super Bowl.

       Once again Payton and Loomis upgraded the defense with the acquisition of the speedy Brown at one defensive end.   They drafted Florida State cornerback Patrick Robinson in the first round and he has already turned some heads in camp.  Former LSU and Elton High School star defensive tackle Al Woods is signed and in camp.  He should make the final roster cut and see action as a backup.

       The secondary was ranked 26^th overall allowing 235 yards passing but countered that with 20 interceptions from the defensive backs.  Sharper had a team high 9 with three returned for touchdowns.  Tracy Porter had 4 picks and his remembered for his interception of Brett Favre in the NFC title game that forced overtime and the pick six off Peyton Manning to clinch Super Bowl XLIV.

        Jabari Greer and Porter both went down with various injuries prompting the draft selection of the speedy Robinson as needed insurance and depth.  Former first round draft pick Malcolm Jenkins just makes plays both on special teams and at safety.  He is battling the veteran Sharper, who is rehabbing his surgically repaired knew, for the starting free safety position.  Sharper has been unable to practice due to that off season procedure but  Williams expects Sharper to retain the starter’s spot.  The defensive guru says he will have to find snaps for Jenkins somewhere in the secondary because he is to good to be on the bench.  

        So there is my case for the Saints to win the NFC South Division, make another playoff run and repeat as Super Bowl champs in Dallas next February.   

        They have a smart ballsy head coach, return their complete coaching staff, supported by Loomis upstairs and Tom Benson still willing to spend a little money.  

        Drew Brees is one of the top three best quarterbacks in the NFL and has been spared from injury over the last four years.  I look for Thomas and Bush to be a dynamic duo out of the backfield and for Colston and Moore to collect upwards of 70 catches each.  The tight ends will be active and hard to cover in the red zone and the offensive line will match or exceed last year’s play.  

        Veterans Vilma , Sharper and Will Smith will lead an aggressive defense with Williams pulling the strings from the sidelines.  There could be even more blitz packages if thereman to man coverage improves.   A scary proposition for the likes of Favre who was beat to a pulp in his season ending playoff loss.

         I am still confused why an over populated contingency say the Dallas Cowboys too good to pass up as  NFC champs or the Favre led Vikings to be in Big D on Super Sunday.  HBO’s award winning “Hard Knocks” training camp show is in New York with the Jets thinking these guys are the team to beat along with Baltimore or Manning’s Colts again.

       Am I missing something?  Didn’t these same Saints beat the Jets, Patriots, Vikings and Colts last year?   Did the rest of the league’s elite get better over the off season while the Saints slid backwards?  The Who Datters finished 16-3 beating four future Hall of Fame quarterbacks along the way in Brady, Kurt Warner, Favre and Peyton Manning. 

        There are no less than four bench mark games to win for another march.  The NFL’s season opener at home against Minnesota who will be motivated to avenge that NFC Championship loss.  The Thanksgiving day matchup with the Cowboys in Dallas, a December 19^th road game at Baltimore and a late season Monday Night showdown at Atlanta.  Two other AFC North games against Pittsburgh and Cincinnati will be testy.  I do like that mid season open date after 9 games to regroup and rest.  

      The fat and happy syndrome can affect any Super Bowl champion looking to repeat, along with injuries and just plain old bad luck.  If the Saints can maneuver around those obstacles then these reigning champs are the worthy pick to repeat that six year trend and bring that Lombardi Trophy back to Louisiana.

A Call out of the Blue

BY RICK SARRO

     You can’t blame Matt Viator for thinking he may have had a black cloud over his head during spring football practice back in March and April.  

     McNeese’s head coach first had to deal with the loss of sophomore tailback/kick returner Javaris Murray who suffered a torn ACL during some non contact work.  Murray will be forced into medical redshirt as he rehabs the knee through the 2010 season.  Then down went sophomore quarterback Zack Fourroux with a back injury which also freakishly occurred in non contact drills.  Unfortunately the injury may be career ending for Fourroux, who is the younger brother of former Cowboys star quarterback and  four year starter Derrick Fourroux.  McNeese and the younger Fourroux are still seeking medical opinions on the ailing back.

      Prior to spring drills and during the recruiting period Viator learned that one of his star signees quarterback Will Briscoe of Central High of Baton Rouge suffered an ACL knee injury during a pick up basketball a few weeks before signing day.  “We still took him because we were still committed to him.  We are not sure if he is going to be ready this August.  He is here now and going to summer school and rehabbing the knee,” Viator declared.

        That’s a boat load of bad news for any one team and one coach to absorb.  But there was a break in those black clouds back in February when Viator received a timely phone call from a once highly recruited 5^th year senior quarterback with one year of eligibility looking for a new home and a new team.

        After so many bad breaks and even worst luck Viator must have felt like he just drew to an inside straight when one Jacob Bower came calling.

       The Tulsa transfer didn’t want to spend his final season as a backup so he went on a national search for a top notch program in need of an experienced quarterback.  “I started Googling senior quarterbacks and obviously McNeese was at the top.  It was kind of funny  that McNeese was the best place to go and made a few phone calls and it became a possibility,” Bower said in his first official appearance last week as a McNeese Cowboy.

       The road to Lake Charles has been one of twists and turns for the 25 year, married and soon to be a father for the first time.  The 6’4” 240 pound Bower is a native of Meridian, Idaho where he was recruited to Brigham Young by former BYU head coach and current LSU offensive coordinator Gary Crowton.   After his required two year mission (Bower served his mission time in Wisconsin) he transferred to Bakersfield Junior College, one of the top Jr. Co programs.  He led Bakersfield to a 12-1 record and an appearance in the California state Junior College championship game in 2007.  

      Bower put up some impressive numbers in his one season in Jr. Co. ball passing for 3034 yards, with 35 touchdowns, a 61% completion rate while earning All America honors.  From there it was on to the University of Tulsa to work under noted offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn.  He picked up a degree after two seasons at Tulsa but not many touchdown passes.  With a year ‘s eligibility left in his tank Bower says he could have been happy staying at Tulsa as the #2 quarterback but couldn’t suppress the competitive urge to play.  “I never imagined I would be at this many schools.  Everything happened for a reason.  God has a plan for me.  The last few years I have really matured.  I thought I would be at Tulsa for three years but we prayed about it and we (he and wife Rachel)felt like this is an opportunity and God had a plan for us so we took it,” said Bower, a devout Mormon.

      The wayward quarterback began talking with Viator back in February and was invited to McNeese for an official visit in late March.  He made several appearances at spring workouts which got the rumor mill going full tilt.  Bower and his interest in joining the Cowboys was the worst kept secret but nothing could be officially discussed or announced until his transfer from Tulsa was final and he was cleared by the NCAA.  Once Bower was accepted and  enrolled at McNeese  this summer his move and signing with the Cowboys was official.

       “He actually called us,” noted Viator.  “We looked at Jacob after he got his release from Tulsa.  We got to talking about it (his transfer to McNeese), talked with Gus Malzahn (currently the offensive coordinator at Auburn).  We kind of hit it off there.  I’ve heard he was an outstanding young man and a good student.  We talked about more things than just football.  I wanted to know what kind of person I thought he would be around the players.  A one year guy I really wanted to look at that very, very hard.  Look at his character, look how he would fit with the rest of the guys.  I think that is very important.”

      The rumors are now fact.  The T’s are crossed.  The back ground check completed and the character test was passed.  Now can the big fella play football?

      All indications he can.  Bower has not officially worked out with any McNeese coaches because they are between NCAA allowed practice sessions.  That will come this August when preseason camp opens.  What Viator has seen on tape he likes….a lot.  “He throws the ball extremely well.  I like his pocket presence.  I like the fact he can fun and he gets out of the pocket well.  He’s probably more of a drop back guy by looking at his Jr. College tape.  I don’t know if he’s a runner to the extent of Derrick (Fourroux) but he does run the ball.  He’s athletic, moves well in the pocket with his eyes always downfield.”

       Upon meeting Bower for the first time you see a big bodied quarterback who is both mature and poised fielding all kinds of questions.  He is thoughtful in his answers, humble, respectful and at the same time confident in his ability honed from his extensive experience at B.Y.U. , Tulsa and the university of life.  “I’ve been around the college game a lot and coaches my whole life.  Coach V was honest with me.  He did not promise me anything only saying I would have to come here and earn it.  And if you’re the best guy then you are going to play.  It was refreshing water because other guys (various schools) I talked to would say ….’yeah come here and you will play right away.’ I knew that was B.S.,” Bower admitted.

   He appreciates Viator’s honesty and no guarantee policy but at the same time did not come all this way to be a back up quarterback again.  “I fully expect to be the starter and I will work like I am and I’m sure the other quarterbacks will too,” say Bower.  “ I think every quarterback should have that mentality.  I know I do.  It was my mentality the last 2 or three years.  I transferred in with a starting quarterback at Bakersfield.  It was the same at Tulsa.  I expect the other quarterbacks here to have that same approach.  You have to.”

        Bold but not cocky.  Direct but not brazen.  Bower admits “it’s do or die” time for him.   His last shot at football  “for maybe the rest of my life so I will do everything I can to compete.”   His Google search revealed that Fourroux’s departure left McNeese with a huge quarterback void.  The competition during spring did not vault any of the inexperienced contenders to the top of the depth chart.  Junior Blake Barousse, sophomore Zack O’Quinn and redshirt freshman Cody Stroud took the majority of the snaps after Fourroux (Zack) went down with the back injury.  They were all about even coming out of spring.

       Viator had to be concerned about their collective lack of playing time and experience under the lights especially with a non conference schedule that includes road games at LSU, Missouri and a home date with Cal-Poly.  So when Bower fell into his lap Viator did not hesitate in his due diligence.  “This year is a little different than any I’ve experienced (the injuries to Fourroux and Briscoe and inexperience at the position).   By the time we were talking to Jacob all that was in the back of my mind.”

       “Look we’ve been there before.  Derrick was a first time starter.  Scott Pendarvis as well.  Lets go back to Slade Nagle….they were all first time guys.  You are always in situations in coaching and athletics where you are starting over at positions.  It’s not like we’ve never done it before.”

         Viator likes to have experience at key positions and feels better when he can lean and depend on that in tough, close games.   He said early on in spring drills that the quarterback race would not be decided until August camp.  But the race and situation changed when Zack Fourroux was sidelined with the severe back injury.  I had Fourroux as the top contender to win the starting quarterback job and with him out a big piece of the puzzle was missing.

         “We like the guys we have.  If he (Bower) came in and was better he would play.  If he wasn’t then he wouldn’t.  I tell’em fi you’re the best guy you will play.  If not you won’t.  I was kind of surprised with Jacob.  That really resonated with him.  He really like that.  Not just making promises.” 

         Viator points out that Bower, despite his credentials, hasn’t been a starter since his one season in junior college in 2007.  He readily admits he is impressed with Bower’s  character, experience and football knowledge but says he gives McNeese “another guy in the hunt.”  The question whether or not Bower will be a one year wonder for the Cowboys will be answered soon enough.  The more critical question for Viator was what if Bower isn’t the starting quarterback and how would he then interact with the team?

         “I actually did more research if he wasn’t the starter than he was.  I was concerned that you bring a guy into your program and it doesn’t pan out and he ain’t the guy.  I talked with his coaches….Crowton, Malzahn to determine if he wasn’t the starter would he still be a positive influence on this team.  I think he’s gonna be regardless, “beamed Viator.

         The word is out about Bower.  His size, strength, pedigree (BYU signee, SuperPrep honors and PrepStar all-American).  Cowboy fans and supporters will no doubt think he’s the calvary, riding in on his white horse to save the quarterback position.  There will be high expectations being a 25 year old, well traveled D-1 player but Bower says he welcomes the pressure to succeed.  “I embrace it.  I’ve been a competitor all my life.  You take things step by step.  The quarterback position is a lot of pressure but it’s 90% mental.  Knowing what to do with each situation.  Mastering the mental is the biggest thing,” according to Bower.

         In his search for a new team Bower noticed that McNeese has Missouri and LSU on the schedule for his last year of college football.  He admitted that playing against those Division 1 Tigers (both MIzzou and LSU) factored in his decision to sign with the Cowboys.  “I’m big and strong and believe if I have a good enough year I can play at the next level….Canadian League or whatever.  I know I needed to play against some big schools on film for that dream to ever happen.  Part of that dream is still in me.”

       Nothing wrong with having an alterer motive.  When it’s personal there is more motivation, emotion and will to succeed.  Bower speaks easily about goals and achievements maybe because he has seen some of his boyhood dreams pass him by.  And there is the fact he is one of those unique and special players at the advanced age of 25, married and still able to play.  His strong religious beliefs and life experiences complete him as a man first and quarterback second.

        “In the locker room and off the field you realize the big picture in life.  Even if it’s not football.  Doing the right thing, having character.  Doing what’s right is the most important thing in life. It’s just natural when you get married, getting older and having a child you see things from a different perspective and you hold your teammates to a higher level.”

         Bower, with his 3.0 GPA, has entered into a masters program for Exercise Science and Physical Education at McNeese.  He is already learning how and where to fish for speckled trout and redfish.   He must be good at adapting to his environment.  He’s a small town guy, raised on Idaho potatoes.  If he had a tattoo, which he doesn’t, it would say….Family, God and Country.

       “The honesty, the family atmosphere here.  They don’t mess around.  They tell you the truth and expect you to work hard.  It’s the Cowboy way.  Small town life like I grew up with.  I really like it.”

Super Bowl hero living the dream

By RICK SARRO

     If you ever picked up a ball of any kind or a bat, club or even a hockey stick as a young athlete you probably dreamed of making the play to win the championship.  If you were like me you threw in your own play by play commentary to go with it as you caught the winning touchdown, scored the final basket or smashed the series clinching home run

     But what if even in your wildest dreams you never could have imagined making such a play.  How mind blowing would it then be to find yourself in that very situation with the world watching? 

       A lightning bolt twist of good fortune and fate collided with preparation and perseverance and the  unbelievable  happened.  In one breath taking, heart pounding moment a man’s life changed forever and so did a beleaguered city and state. 

      Tracy Porter was thinking of that along with important stuff like don’t drop the ball or stumble as he was racing 74 yards with an interception of Peyton Manning to seal the New Orleans Saints’ historic 31-17 Super Bowl 44 victory back in early February.    “I couldn’t believe it was me running with it.  I had the ball in my hands thinking that a guy from Louisiana is making such a big play for us, for his home state team.  Words can’t describe it.  I get the best of both worlds.  Being a fan growing up and having an opportunity to play for them and contribute to the best of my ability” Porter recalled during a recent interview in Lake Charles.

       The 24 year old Super Bowl hero was in Lake Charles as the special guest of the American Heart Association’s “Heart Ball” honoring 15 area cardiologists.  Porter, along with hundreds in attendance, raised thousands of dollars for heart research and care.  Porter signed autographs, took pictures and indulged in small talk about his breakout season with the Saints and his Super Bowl heroics.  His patience and ever ready smile might be as impressive as his cornerback skills and speed.

        He grew up just north of New Orleans in little Port Allen and barely played two years of high school football.    The 5’11” 185 pound Porter was more of a basketball and track star at Port Allen High School so there were no grandiose plans of a professional career in any sport much less football.  Like many kids growing up on the bayous in south Louisiana he was a Saints fan but his backyard dreams leaned more toward the hoops game instead of the gridiron.  After a senior season that included 11 interceptions Porter started getting more recruiting attention as a football player.  Because of his brief and limited prep career the big boys like LSU and Alabama didn’t called or visit with scholarship offers.

        The 1-AA’s programs like McNeese State sent out some feelers  but Porter never made it to Lake Charles.  “I do remember a little interest McNeese had in me.  But at the end of the day things didn’t work out and I headed 13 hours to the north to Indiana and had the experience of a lifetime”, Porter said.

 

       McNeese head coach Matt Viator, an assistant on the staff at that time, remembers running backs coach Carlos McGee bringing in video tape of Porter’s prep games.  “We looked at him more as a running back but he could have been recruited from both sides of the ball.  He was a great athlete.”  Viator is not at all surprised at Porter’s NFL success noting his “great ball skills” and his interceptions were rooted in his talents from playing both offense and defense in high school. 

       Coming out of Port Allen with a sketchy football resume Porter was far from being a Parade prep star so he scored well to land in the Big 10 at Indiana.  The kid with a sweet jumper ended up in the mecca of college basketball but was a Hooiser in pads instead of high tops.  “My high school coach had ties with Gerry Dinardo after he left LSU.  I wasn’t highly recruited after playing only two years of football but Indiana had a strong interest in me and had a prestigious university for education.  Football wasn’t the only thing on my mind.  Getting an education and coming back home was my plan.  But I guess God had other plans for me.”

       Those heavenly plans did indeed bring Porter back home as the second round draft pick of the Saints in 2008.  Ironically Porter really wasn’t thinking of football at the next level again until his senior season at Indiana.  “I started getting calls from agents telling me I was good and there were a lot of teams interested in me.  Guys telling me NFL teams were watching me and all the hype talk.  I just played hard and gave it my best.  I really wasn’t thinking of the NFL.”

       Being a perpetual late bloomer has served Porter well as a young and rising NFL star.  He hasn’t been a coddled, spoiled athlete coming up through the ranks.  He has had to work hard to prove himself and fight through the adversity of injuries.  Porter won a starting cornerback job in his rookie season with the Saints but played only 5 games before a broken wrist sidelined him for the rest of the 2008 season.  

        He was having another strong start last season but a knee injury suffered in the November 15^th win at St. Louis put him on the shelf again.  The first prognosis was a possible torn ACL but luckily it turned out to be only a sprained MCL that sidelined him for four weeks.   “I thought I might miss the rest of the year and I was real down.  But (owner Tom) Benson and Mrs. Benson kept praying for me and it just happened it was an MCL,” Porter said after the Super Bowl.

         During those four weeks Porter was out the Saints signed former cornerback Mike McKenzie literally off his couch for big games against New England, Washington, Atlanta and Dallas.  New Orleans’ other starting cornerback Jabari Greer also went down with an injury.  The depleted Saints secondary looked more like a MASH unit on life support held together with band aids and splints.  They lost there final three games of the season as head coach Sean Payton decided to bring Porter and Greer back slowly and have them close to 100% for the playoffs.  The plan was criticized and questioned but in the end it worked as both Porter and Greer were instrumental in the Saints march to Miami and the Super Bowl.

       Porter has the two most famous interceptions in Saints history.  The first came in the NFC Championship game against Minnesota.  Vikings quarterback and future Hall of Famer Brett Favre was driving his team into field goal range with time running out.  On a fateful third down play Favre was rolling right and could have run for the first down but instead decided to throw across his body left toward the middle of the field.  Porter was in the right place at the right time and “believed what I was seeing.”

      “Seeing Favre eyeing the receiver coming back across the field and knowing that he likes to makes throws across his body like that.  This was one he was trying to fit it in but I stepped in the way,” says Porter.

      The interception forced the game into overtime where the Saints Garrett Hartley put his name in black and gold lore with his near perfect 44 yard field goal to send New Orleans to its first ever Super Bowl.

       Before the Saints could even conjured up images of South Florida in February they needed to win the NFC South and gain home field advantage for the playoffs.  A team record 13-0 start took care of that business but there were important bumps along the way that transformed these Saints into a tough, battle tested and confident unit.  They rallied back from a 21 point deficit to win at Miami in a game that Porter returned one of his four regular season interceptions for a critical touchdown.  “A number of my teammates said that Miami field was good to me looking back.   Two pick sixes for touchdowns…can’t be better than that,” smiled Porter.

       The media centered on that shocking Monday night blowout of the three time Super Bowl Champion Patriots in the Super Dome on November 30^th as the victory that turned the Saints season but Porter points to the very next week that really established their confidence and belief in a season of destiny.  “No doubt it was the Washington game.  People said we should have and could have lost but it didn’t happen.  We didn’t give up, kept fighting.  They missed that field goal  (Shaun Suisham failed to convert a short 22 yard field goal that would have sealed the win at home).  We capatilized on there mistakes.  That’s what championship teams do.”

       Through out the Saints 13-3 season, their best regular season finish in team history, they relied on a heavy dose of defensive aggression and turnovers.  Porter and his defensive mates were second only to Green Bay for the most turnovers last season.  “We emphasized that in practice all year.  Stripping  the ball, forcing turnovers, interceptions, scooping and scoring when there is a ball on the ground.”

        Sean Payton is the unquestioned ring leader and maestro behind the NFL’s most productive offense but he needed help on defense, the teams’ Achilles heel.  Enter Gregg Williams, an experienced, well respected defensive coordinator who rebuilt the Saints defense in his own image and style….  aggressive, blitzing, opportunistic and turnover hungry.  

        “Knowing his track record and the defenses he’s coached were top 5 and top 10.  We knew it was a great acquisition.  The players we had on defense, the playmakers we had and our aggressive style.  He (Williams) was the final piece of the puzzle,” according to Porter.

         That puzzle took shape early in the season as the Saints offense torched teams early and the defense terrorized opposing quarterbacks.  Williams took a particular hard edge approach to Porter that obviously elevated the second year cornerback’s play.  “It took a long time to get him (Porter) to stop sticking his lip out because I was on him so much,” Williams said after the Super Bowl.  “Once he figured out I was giving him a lot of attention because I liked him, then he started giving me some of that same swagger back.”

        That swagger and those game changing post season interceptions has elevated Porter’s stature as one of the league’s best cover cornerbacks.  In fact this duo of Porter and Greer will be considered one of the best corner combos in the NFL next year.  “Jabari and I have done a great job this past season.  Taking care of opposing receivers and minimizing there games and touchdowns. At the end of the day Greer and I, as a cornerback tandem, finish the season with a Super Bowl Championship.  As far as the best tandem in the NFL….we just do our jobs and let everyone else decide about who is the best,” Porter told me while relaxing in a private VIP suite at LauBerge Du Lac.

        Porter and Greer are the undeniable starters at cornerback in a secondary that returns everyone including interceptions leader Darren Sharper  (“He’s our security blanket on the back end.  If something goes wrong Sharper is back there to clean it up”)

        That didn’t stop Payton and G.M. Mickey Loomis from taking Florida State cornerback Patrick Robinson in the first round of the April NFL Draft.  “Honestly it raised a few eyebrows.  At the end of the day we needed depth at that position.  With me and Jabari going down with injuries late in the year we were hurting a little bit with finding guys to play and step up.  I’m not worried about my job. But it’s a competitive league.  It will raise the competition level, bring the best out of me, Jabari, Randall (Gay) Malcolm (Jenkins) and the rookie coming in.  It will make everyone get better,” predicted Porter.

        I expected that reaction from a young player who is mature beyond his two years in the league.  A humble and grounded man , who didn’t have much luxury or offerings on silver platters growing up in the industrial backdrop of Port Allen.  A Saints hero, who came to Lake Charles with only his fiancé at his side, with no entourage or posse in sight.  A player who has seen his Super Bowl interception return for a touchdown on the cover of every major newspaper, sports magazine and television/cable network you can imagine but still talks of team and getting better.  A recognized name, who supports the NFL’s stance on holding players to higher character and moral standards, as the league continues to deal with headline making off the field misdeeds.

        For me it all goes back to Porter on that perfect Sunday night near Miami in the Super Bowl.  His preparation, focus and penchant for raising his game once again against one of the game’s all time great quarterbacks.

        “I knew the formation and the route combination.  I knew it was coming (the pass to Reggie Wayne on the slant route inside) so I made the jump.  He (Peyton Manning) didn’t know I knew it was coming.  The guys up front getting pressure on Manning, forcing a quick throw and me knowing the route combination.  It was a match made in heaven,” as Porter looked down rubbing his hands.

        God had a plan all right.

JaMarcus Russell's legacy is his own

BY RICK SARRO

     Work ethic, discipline, preparation, leadership and desire.  These are character traits that successful quarterbacks must have at every level, from the pee wee ranks to the rarified air of the NFL.   It seems these are qualities that former LSU and top draft pick JaMarcus Russell simply doesn’t possess.  Not since he joined the Oakland Raiders as the number selection in the 2007 NFL Draft anyway.  

      Maybe Russell had some of these intangibles when he traveled a few hours west to Baton Rouge from Mobile, Alabama as a prep All American and top rated high school quarterback back in 2003.  Maybe just maybe he picked up some discipline and desire while going 25-4 as the Tigers’ starting quarterback from 2004 to 2006.  

       Or is it closer to reality that the oversized, strong armed rifleman simply depended and called on his immense athletic talent to make enough plays, win some close games, impress enough pro scouts and at least one NFL owner to become the Raiders franchise savior and return them to their past glory of bombs away football?

       Oakland majority owner and general manager Al Davis finally pulled the plug on his $39 million dollar gamble and released Russell after a dismal and unproductive three years with the Raiders.  Davis so yearned for that big, pocket quarterback who could revive the Raiders’ trademark vertical passing game and he saw that arm, that deep ball threat in Russell.  The now 81 year old Davis was convinced the former LSU star would be his Daryle Lamonica or Jim Plunkett of the 21^st century.  

        Unfortunately Russell did not realize his ballyhooed arm strength would only take him so far at the next level of football.  He didn’t have a reputation of being the studious, film room type of quarterback coming out of LSU and he lived up to those ways once he got to Oakland.

        Former McNeese star and current Raiders fullback Luke Lawton had played nearly two seasons with Russell and has seen his unfulfilled and unrealized potential and talent first hand.  After the 2008 season in a profile on Lawton in Lagniappe he told me Russell had no desire or motivation to do the pre game prep work and film study the quarterback position required.  Lawton confirmed what everyone saw that Russell was out of shape and let his weight balloon to nearly 270 pounds during the season.  

        Lawton signed with Oakland as a free agent after winning a Super Bowl championship with the Indianapolis Colts.  He experienced the Peyton Manning factor first hand.  Hours in the film room, extra practice throwing routes to receivers and total command of the offense and the huddle come game day.  Lawton saw none of those Manning traits in Russell.  The comparison and stark contrast in quarterbacks from the Colts to the Raiders was both alarming and disturbing to Lawton.  He admitted Russell’s athletic abilities were apparent but so was his complete lack of understanding of what it took to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.

        The ironic thing is when I recently spoke with Lawton while finishing up a mini camp workout in Oakland he said he was “completely shocked” that Russell was cut “especially now after a pretty good mini camp.”  According to Lawton the workouts showed that Russell had lost weight and he “looked sharper than the rest of the quarterbacks.”  So when news broke that the Raiders decided to release the former #1 overall draft pick Lawton was surprised but also noted the past three seasons finally caught up with Russell.

       During those three disastrous years Russell compiled only 7 victories.  He was benched often last season throwing 11 interceptions to only three touchdowns.  His first head coach in Oakland didn’t want or even like Russell.   Lane Kiffin, fresh from being U.S.C.’s offensive coordinator,  openly lobbied against drafting Russell.  Davis famously overruled his young head coach at the time and sent him a memo saying “Get over it and start coaching the guy”.

       It’s obvious Russell didn’t get the warm and fuzzys from Kiffin, who as an inexperienced head coach, spent more time complaining and feuding with Davis then he did coaching the Raiders.  Kiffin was unceremonious fired which opened the door for Raiders assistant Tom Cable who took over the reins.  Cable a long time offensive line coach was also a first time head coach in the NFL.  Russell had to start over with a new coach and a new offense.  All the while critics were noting that the young and direction-less quarterback was not receiving hands on, quality one on one coaching.

         The embarrassingly poor performances mounted as did the losses for Russell, who was quickly becoming an NFL punch line.

         Russell didn’t help his cause either.  Any layman could see he couldn’t read NFL defenses, he didn’t know his own offensive schemes or where his receivers were in their routes and worst of all his famed arm let him down.  Russell had trouble completing a 10 yard pass.  During the off season Russell would venture back home to south Alabama and get fat.  At times his off season weight reportedly grew to nearly 300 pounds

          When the Raiders cut a draft day trade a few weeks ago for Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell it was obvious Oakland wasn’t big enough for the both of them and Russell was the odd man out.  Time had run out and so had the money train.

         The Raiders had paid Russell over $36 million through last season and still owes him $3 million from his guaranteed contract.  He was set to make $9.45 million in salary this season as a probable back up to Campbell.  It was both an easy football and economic decision for Davis who at last wised up and admitted his mistake.  Over $5 million dollars for each of Russell’s 7 victories was just too bitter to keep swallowing.

         There are only 32 jobs like this in the world so how could Russell just not care enough to devote the time, work and preparation it takes to be an NFL starting quarterback?

        Well there are probably 39 million reasons for that and over half of that guaranteed contract money Russell actually received has been spent or is in a bank.  The NFL system that pays these so called star top draft picks $30 to $40 million dollars in guaranteed money is why this “gamble” is so heavily weighted against the team and in favor of the player.  

       The JaMarcus Russells of the draft, who may not possess the Manning or Drew Brees like character, work ethic and responsibility, can simply take the millions and run.  Maybe they don’t care enough to even look back with regrets when it all comes to an end.

        Russell can’t be proud of the fact that his name is now being mentioned as the “biggest draft bust in NFL history”.  The fact he was taken #1 in the draft, paid $39 million and is out of a job after three years definitely puts him on an infamous list of former top draft busts including Ryan Leaf, Akili Smith, KiJana Carter, Steve Emtman, Andre Ware, Jeff George and David Carr.

       Russell’s NFL legacy has not been completely  written as yet as he will most likely get another chance with some team by summer’s end but for the money he became accustomed to.  It won’t be the New Orleans Saints thou as head coach Sean Payton says they have no interest in signing Russell.

      His tainted NFL resume and its effects on LSU and the perception of the Tigers football program is more difficult to assimilate.  Russell’s professional failures will undoubtedly cast a shadow on LSU and draw what I feel will be unfair comparisons with other former Tigers taken in the first round of the draft.  Russell’s dismal time in the silver and black should not reflect negatively on other top draftees who once wore the purple and gold.

       You only have to look as far as Kansas City who selected three former Tigers with their first round draft picks in three consecutive years.  It began in 2007 with the Chiefs taking LSU’s Dwayne Bowe, then in 2008 K.C. opted for defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey with the fifth overall pick.  And finally in 2009 former Tigers defensive end Tyson Jackson was the third overall selection by the Chiefs.  It was the first time in the NFL’s draft history that a team selected  three consecutive number one draft picks from the same school .

         In the wake of the Russell debacle in Oakland some in the Kansas City media are now portraying Jackson and Dorsey as draft busts.  I can’t claim I saw a lot of Chiefs football the last three years but the stats don’t support throwing these ex Tigers under the bus.

         Jackson started 14 of 16 games last year on another lousy 4-12 Kansas City team.  He totaled 38 tackles with 27 solo stops.  He had no sacks from the end position which is not impressive I admit.  Dorsey started all 16 games in 2008 as a rookie tackle.  He switched to end last season in a new 3-4 alignment, started 14 games and totaled 54 tackles with 41 solo.  Dorsey also had an unimpressive one sack in 2009.

      In three years as a starting wide receiver Bowe has 203 receptions for 2606 yards and 16 touchdowns.  His best year came in 2008 with a team record 86 catches for over 1000 yards.  Bowe’s first two years were the most productive in receptions and yards than any other player in the team’s history.  His stats fell off a bit last year as he played in only 11 games due to injuries.

       The Chiefs have been in the cellar of the AFC West the last 3 to 4 years so putting that much heat and blame on those three former Tigers is ridiculously ill placed.

        Former LSU running back Joseph Addai was the Colts first round draft pick in 2006 and has been a work horse and model citizen in Indy.  Addai’s career totals are 3525 rushing yards with 34 touchdowns in four seasons.  He has one Super Bowl championship and helped get the Colts to Super Bowl 44 back in February only to lose to the Saints.  No draft bust in Addai.

        Ex Tiger safety LaRon Landry was drafted sixth overall in the first round by the Redskins in 2007.  He is considered a Pro Bowl-caliber safety and one of the league’s hardest hitters in the secondary.  Landry is another former LSU star who plays the game right and stays out of trouble.  His career stats include 265 tackles, 3 sacks and three interceptions.  No draft bust in Landry.  

       How about former first round draft pick Michael Clayton with the Tampa Bay Bucs.  The former LSU star doesn’t have pro bowl numbers except for an exceptional rookie season back in 2004 with 80 catches for nearly 1200 yards and 7 touchdowns.  He has been a consistent starter.  Under achiever yes maybe but no draft bust.   

        Any discussion of recent LSU Tigers and success in the NFL would not be complete without Devery Henderson of the Saints.  He wasn’t a first round draft pick (2^nd rounder-2004) but he has contributed like one.  Henderson is coming off his best season at wideout with 51 catches for 804 yards and one of the Saints’ leading receivers in yards per catch at 15.8.  He has close to 3100 career receiving yards to go with 16 touchdowns and loads of big plays.  Another model player who hasn’t received a phone call from commissioner Roger Goodell besides the one congratulating him on a Super Bowl title.

         My last example of an active former LSU player making the grade and then some in the NFL is one Kevin Faulk of the New England Patriots.   11 seasons and 3 Super Bowl rings.  Need I say more?

        LSU broke a pretty good run this year by not having a player drafted in the first round.  Since 2003 LSU has had 35 players drafted to the NFL.  Not all can be super stars and Pro Bowlers just because they came from a national championship team or a top SEC program like LSU.  A lot can be said for making an NFL roster and being a consistent contributor to a team’s success. (Corey Webster-Super Bowl –New York Giants, Randall Gay-Super Bowl-Patriots and Saints, Alan Faneca-Super Bowl-Steelers)

       JaMarcus Russell was only one of those 35.  No matter how bad he played in Oakland and whatever Russell’s NFL legacy ends up being the other 34 Tigers can hold their heads up proud.

Football ... 24/7, 365 days a year

    BY RICK SARRO

    There is a saying that it’s always football season in Louisiana.  Around this time of year it’s hard to argue with that.  

     McNeese and LSU just wrapped up spring football drills, the New Orleans Saints worked their way through three days of the NFL Draft last weekend and the Louisiana Swashbucklers of the Southern Indoor Football League are still in the early going of a 2-2 season.

    Lets start with the Super Bowl champion Saints (it still sounds surreal every time I say or write it) and the just completed collegiate draft.   Head coach Sean Payton and general manager Mickey Loomis selected six players over the 7 rounds.  There were some head scratchers in the bunch but it’s going to be hard to shoot holes into whatever these two guys do in the draft or free agency after what they have accomplished in building this franchise into a Super Bowl championship club in four short years.

     There was no question the Saints’ most glaring needs going into the draft were on the defensive line and linebacker positions.  I had linebacker on the top of my Saints draft wish list.  Specifically Texas Longhorn Sergio Kindle, who went to Baltimore with the 11^th pick of the 2^nd round.  I also was hoping Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick might some how slip to the Saints, who had the very last selection of the first round by virtue of their championship finish last season.   The draft order is based on how a team finishes the year.

      Obviously Loomis and Payton did not consult with me when it came time to send their draft card to Commissioner Roger Goodell because he read the name of Patrick Robinson, cornerback from Florida State.  Unlike last year the Saints appear to be solid at the corners with veterans Jabari Greer and Super Bowl 44 hero Tracy Porter.  Cornerback depth looks pretty strong as well with former LSU star Randall Gay playing solid at corner and nickel back and third year veteran Usama Young maturing on the corner.

     2009 top draft pick Malcolm Jenkins can play both cornerback and safety. But with the numbers at cornerback there is little doubt now that Jenkins will devote all of his time roaming the secondary as a safety.  So why add another cornerback to the mix and with your first round selection?

      Payton made it perfectly clear at draft’s end that they were focused on “grade” and the quality of player over specific position needs.  “We’re further along in the program, and that allows you to be maybe a little more specific and also a little more flexible than maybe four year ago when there were a lot of areas you had to look at,” Payton explained.

      In short when the Saints were on the clock with the 32^nd pick they went with the best player available on there draft board and that was Robinson, a 5’11” 190 cornerback.  Good cover corners are hard to find, keep and mold so I can’t find fault in grabbing one you think will contribute.  Robinson was the 7^th defensive back taken in the first round so it’s obvious the secondary talent was deep and ripe for the taking.  

    Consider the fact that both starters, Greer and Porter, along with backups Gay and Young missed snaps last season due to injuries.  If you recall the Saints post season hopes hinged on the timely return of both Greer and Porter to the lineup last December.  So I’m OK with Robinson in the first round.

        The Saints also added to their already barrel full of offensive tackles with the second round choice of Southern Cal’s Charles Brown.  The 6’5” 300 pound Brown will join a talented group of veterans at the left tackle position in Jammal Brown, Jermon Bushrod and Zach Ztrief.   Everything I just said about the need to stock pile talent at cornerback also applies to offensive tackles.

       J. Brown missed all of last season with an injury and is reportedly not thrilled over his contract offer from the Saints as a restricted free agent.  With the performance of Bushrod at left tackle and how well he protected Drew Brees’ blind side I’ll bet you my Super Bowl 44 ticket stub and commemorative football that Loomis is looking to deal  J. Brown for a stud linebacker or defensive lineman.

      Payton solidified one of his favorite positions in tight end with another Miami Hurricane in Jimmy Graham, a monster of a man at 6’6” 260, taken in the 3^rd round.  Graham will join his fellow “Cane” from the “U” in Jeremy Shockey.    They also manveured up in the 5^th round to take Boston College Center Matt Tennant and used the 7^th round to secure Oregon State quarterback Sean Canfield.

       Things got fun in the 4^th round when Who Dat cheers could be heard from all around Elton, Louisiana.  Loomis and Payton made the boyhood dreams come true for one Al Woods who got the call from the Saints Saturday afternoon.  The former Elton High School Parade All American and ex LSU Tiger defensive tackle grew up wearing black and gold along with purple and gold.  The 6’4’ 310 pound Woods was dancing in his front yard after the Saints decided to keep Elton’s favorite son home in Louisiana.

      Woods was one of 6 former LSU Tigers drafted to the NFL with safety Chad Jones going first in the group as a 3^rd round pick of the New York Giants.

      No former McNeese Cowboys went in the NFL Draft but look for tight end Wes Mangum and offensive tackle Casey Richter to get into a camp this summer as free agents .

       I like the Saints draft because I trust Loomis and Payton and how they run their scouting department.  They have proven to be nimble draft operators with a keen sense of talent evaluation and the skill to build a roster that can win on the field and also bond in the locker room.

      Back home in Lake Charles McNeese head coach Matt Viator is trying to map out a lineup and fill some roster holes as he will soon set his sites on August and preseason camp.

      The Cowboys recently completed spring workouts that had Viator both smiling and grimacing in the end.  The smiles came from the performance of the defense who shined all spring.  Viator says the Cowboys have the potential to be “a very good defensive team” in 2010.  They have all but one starter back and survived spring with no significant injuries.

       That’s not the case on the offensive side of the ball as McNeese lost two possible starters because of freak injuries.

     Sophomore tailback/kick returner Javaris Murray was lost for the season after suffering a knee injury during a non contact drill.  The A.C.L. injury could take over a year to rehab.  Soon after Murray went down sophomore quarterback Zack Fourroux suffered a back injury also during non contact work.  It’s been reported that Fourroux’s back injury could be career threatening but it may be too soon for that range of pessimistic speculation.

      If Fourroux’s back is that serious then it may be to optimistic to hope he could be ready for August camp.  If the Erath native and younger brother of former McNeese quarterback Derrick Fourroux is not able to practice and compete in August drills then Viator may be forced to seek a medical hardship for the redshirt sophomore.      Fourroux was one of four quarterbacks vying for the starting position.  Prior to the injury I felt he was going to be one of the leading contenders for the starting quarterback’s job.  

      This leaves Viator fretting over a thinned out depth chart at the all important quarterback position and at running back.  Murray’s absence will be felt even more on special teams and the return game.  

      F.C.S./1-AA teams like McNeese, with their limited number of scholarships, must knock on wood daily and cradle any lucky charm they possess during any and all preseason workouts, from fear of injuries.  The Cowboys were blindsided when Fourroux and Murray were sidelined doing little more than running.  

       Downtown at the Lake Charles Civic Center the Louisiana Swashbucklers have been busy clearing up media reports on their head coach and ownership rumors.

        KPLC-TV sports reported last week that Swashbucklers head coach Shadrick McAfee was resigning to accept an Atlanta based job in the oil and gas industry.  McAfee said his comments on any job prospects were taken out of context and misconstrued in a phone conversation with KPLC sports reporter Tiffany Blackmon.  He and owner Thom Hagar made a trip to the KPLC news room to clarify McAfee’s comments and his future as head coach.

        McAfee confirmed with me that he was offered a job back home in Atlanta but did not take the position.   After discussing his options with Hagar he decided to remain in Lake Charles.  “I am a Swashbuckler and going to be a Swashbuckler.  I started here and help build this program.  I am staying put as long as Tom needs me.  I want to help the league grow.  I want this league to succeed and give young men a platform to do what they love,” say McAfee.

        McAfee said he considered the job outside of football because he had to think about taking care of his family.  His fiancée lives outside of Atlanta and McAfee travels back to Georgia about once a month.  “It’s not fair to give the team 85%.  My family supports my decision and I’m going to give 100%.”

        Before the McAfee coaching situation came up owner Thom Hager issued a press release outlining his plans to seek “local investors” in hopes of selling the Swashbucklers so he can concentrate on over seeing and running the Southern Indoor Football League that he founded last year.

         Hagar cited “conflicts” in owning a S.I.F.L. team and serving as president/owner of the league itself.  He shot down all rumors and questions about selling and relocating the Swashbucklers.  He says his goal is to find local investors with the goal of keeping the team in Lake Charles.  If a new ownership group doesn’t come forward then Hagar says he will happily continue his dual role as team owner and league president.         

        It’s never a good time for any team to face questions with ownership and coaching much less the Swashbucklers who are playing .500 football and in a hard fought race to defend its league championship.   The team is facing an out of sight, out of mind situation over the next three weeks with a road game at Lafayette May 1^st, an open date May 8^th and another road game May 15th at Albany, Georgia .  The Bucs won’t be back in action in Lake Charles until May 22^nd.

        After last week’s ownership announcement and coaching confusion there may be a public perception of a team in crisis but McAfee says that is simply not the case.  “Until you’ve been on the inside and see this team’s continunity and stability you would never have the full story.  There is always gonna be an outside perception.  Hey we’re the Swashbucklers…..league champions.”

        Like I said football 365 around here.

Uncharted Waters for Swashbucklers

  BY RICK SARRO

      I think those 60 or 70 point blow out victories by the Louisiana Swashbucklers are going to be few and far between from here on out.  The defending Southern Indoor Football League champions have finally found some folks who can stay on the indoor field with them.  So much so the Swashbucklers have uncharacteristically dropped their last two games to fall to 1-2 on the season. 

     I don’t think this team has been under .500 since its early origins as the LandSharks so a two game losing streak is definitely unfamiliar territorty.

     The Bucs opened season with an expected lopsided pinball like offensive onslaught over an overmatched North Texas team which is playing in another indoor league.  They were called into Lake Charles as a late fill in for the Houston franchise that dissolved due to arena lease agreement issues.  It turned out not to be the type of warm up game the Bucs needed as they traveled to Columbus, Georgia for their second outing.

       New to the S.I.F.L., Columbus took advantage of 11 Swashbucklers turnovers en route to an 88-35 romp.  It was the kind of 53 point spread Louisiana is use to seeing on their side of the scoreboard.  It was one of those what could go wrong did go wrong kind of games but head coach Shadrick McAfee admits he should have anticipated the bulk of there problems.

       “We had a new center for the game because Lance Fremin (starting All S.I.F.L. center) couldn’t make the trip due to McNeese spring drills.  The other center was use to snapping when he was ready while we snap on sound.  We had five turnovers with snaps over the quarterback’s head.  I didn’t think it was going to be that big of an issue and I was wrong.  I took it for granted we could work through it.  Our chemistry wasn’t there.  We were missing a left tackle along with center so our quarterback protection broke down,” McAfee explained.

        The simple but critical center/quarterback exchange is one of those small but important fundamentals that McAfee use to remind Darnell Lee about when McAfee was a star receiver and defensive back for Louisiana.  Lee, the former Swashbucklers head coach who won three league titles while in Lake Charles, relied on McAfee (his coach in waiting) to notice that those little things were executed correctly.  “It’s funny because D. Lee needed me to check on things like that when I was a player.  I just forgot and took it for granted.   That won’t happen again I assure you,” said the open and honest rookie head coach.

        I’m not sure any team much less the usually dominate Swashbucklers can overcome 11 turnovers with many resulting in touchdowns for Columbus.  McAfee says when the hole got so big the players thought there was no hope of mounting a comeback so the “wind went out of our sails”.  

       Nice nautical reference from a glib, thoughtful and expressive McAfee, who counts former New Orleans Saints special teams star Fred McAfee as a cousin and former Oklahoma and U.S.F.L. star running back Marcus Dupree as his uncle.  

        The younger McAfee has the Bucs’ problems identified as a breakdown in fundamentals and rebuilding team confidence.  “The fundamentals are not there right now.  We are going to re-teach the whole team.  Emphasize to them it’s a team effort from the owner to the equipment man.  Individual play won’t be tolerated.  I’ve talked with each player one on one and everyone understands that we have to get back to playing Swashbuckler championship football.  Once we get our whole team back together we’ll be fine,” McAfee reassured.

         Last Friday night with stars like Fremin and Buck Harris, both assistant coaches at McNeese State,  still out of the lineup the Bucs lost their second straight game 57-54 on the road at Greenville, South Carolina.

        The Swashbucklers let a 17 point lead slip away with four missed field goals and suspect pass defense.  Louisiana had a 54-50 lead late in the game but those remaining 40 seconds can seem like four minutes on the indoor turf.  The Force drove it down close and scored on a game winning touchdown pass with 8 seconds on the clock.

        “Our guys have to understand that no one will land down to us because we are the champs.  We have to be ready to play our best every week because we will be getting the other team’s best.  This league is awfully competitive now with guys who have some NFL experience.  A lot more talent overall so it’s going to be a close race.  Everyone has to be smart and not over confident,” warned McAfee.

         With a two game losing streak over confidence should not be an issue.  It may come down to simply not having your best players on the field for every game.  These are part time football players who have jobs away from the arena game.  Fremin and Harris have responsibilities on the Cowboys coaching staff and were committed to spring scrimmages at McNeese the last few weekends.   An injury to starting kicker Tommy Hebert meant McAfee plugged in former McNeese kicker Blake Bercegaey, who had zero experience or practice kicking indoors before the Greenville game.  

         The Swashbucklers don’t have the quality roster depth they once enjoyed but that may be changing according to McAfee.  The defense got a boost when linebacker Trey Bennett (former McNeese Cowboy) and defensive end Eddie White resigned with the team.   Offensive lineman Jabari Hendricks is back on the squad and former kicker Whitney Hillin rejoined his old mates this week to solidify the kicking game.  Some coaching continuity will come in the return of veteran assistant coach Mike Warren who has rejoined the staff to oversee the defense. 

        “I will have my complete team back for the first time since the opening week.  The whole defensive and offensive lines along with the secondary and we will work in a new fullback.  It will be a totally different outlook with better quarterback protection for sure.  This game is won up front with quarterback protection and pressure on the opposing quarterback,” said McAfee.

           The first year head coach did not spare himself when asked for an early season grade for his efforts so far.  “Oh I would say a C minus for the fact that I overlooked some small but important things.  I evaluate my performance daily and what needs to be addressed.   We all have room for improvement and I needed people around me who will let me know when I’m screwing up.”  That was a clear reference to Warren, his former teammate and coach of a few years ago. 

        Any league at any level of play needs star players and star teams.  The past few seasons the I.F.L. and now the S.I.F.L. had the Swashbucklers sitting pretty on that pedestal with three consecutive championships daring all comers to try and beat them.  Not many could.  Up until now.  S.I.F.L. founder/president and Louisiana owner Thom Hagar needed and wanted more parity in his indoor league.  Too many games decided at half time were hurting ticket sales and fans were up and leaving the Civic Center once the Bucs built a 50 point cushion.  

         There is an old cliché about being careful of what you wish for.  Parity and better competition has arrived and just blindsided the Bucs.  But McAfee confidently says he welcomes the improved competition.  “You can never have too much of that (competition).  A lot of people based their seasons on playing the champions.  When I was playing we understood every week and every game you had to play like it was a championship game.  But we were older and we had lost before.  Maybe that’s the difference.  Everyone wants to be recognized as a champion.”

         McAfee applauds the league for its efforts on building parity and strengthening the S.I.F.L. into more of a regional organization.  He noted that the revamped I.F.L. is having “issues” and the A.F.L. 2 folded so their “level of competition will always be getting better.”

         McAfee added, “I get complaints our games are too lopsided and the fans want closer games but they want us to always win too.  We are used as a measuring stick for the league.  Fans will want to see the team that beat the Swashbucklers.”

         Well they won’t have to wait long for that as Greenville will try to make it two in a row over Louisiana when they come to Lake Charles for a Saturday night rematch at the Civic Center.  McAfee and his band of purple clad pirates need to right the ship quickly, find their old swagger and do some saber rattling.  A call for all hands on deck should regain some loss confidence and quiet those choppy seas.  

McNeese searching for a quarterback

BY RICK SARRO

(From the May 2, 2008 Lake Charles American Press)

BY SCOOTER HOBBS

Lake Charles American Press

To your average LSU fan, the idea of “sacrifice” to watch the Tigers’ national championship victory over Ohio State meant over-extending the budget on tickets or a hi-def TV.

Tell it to Army Spc. Benton Thames.

And hold the hanky.

Of course, Thames’ job description is all about the kind of sacrifice few football fans could ever imagine.

The Denham Springs native and lifelong, devout Tiger fan, is one of the select few entrusted with guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetary.

Fewer than 20 percent of the soldiers who apply can cut it. Since the round-the-clock guard was started in 1937, there has been an armed guard at the crypt every single minute of every single day. Yet when Thames earned his tomb guard identification badge about a month ago, he was only the 567th soldier in history to have been able to pin it smartly over his right pocket.

“It’s the rarest badge in the military,” Thames said.

Oh, to have had it on Jan. 7.

Back then he was still in training.

So Thames’ LSU story really begins just before the start of the national championship game, when one of Thames’ relief commanders claimed to hear an “All-RIGHT!” in the background when the Tigers won the coin toss.

Thames denies it.

But this was down in the tomb quarters, a comfortable bunker-like dwelling under the tomb where the sentinels are allowed to relax between their shifts outside.

Relax, that is, if they have the badge.

If they’re in training, well, they’re in training, mostly in front of a mirror where they work on the discipline that allows them to never flinch or otherwise show emotion while honoring the three unknown soliders buried there.

There’s a television down there — for the badges.

The trainees, however, are not allowed to look directly at it or to react to anything that happens on it.

“Basically you’re not allowed to acknowledge that it’s there,” Thames recalled.

So it was a tough night to be a Tiger fan/sentinel trainee.

Perhaps the most grueling drill in the training is the “Ready One" position.

Go ahead, try it at home sometime.

Extend your arm straight out, palms up. Put the butt end of a 9 1/2-pound M-14 rifle in the palm of your hand, then grip it with your fingers so that the rifle, with a cumbersome bayonet on the end, sticks straight up, making a perfect — and they mean PERFECT — 90-degree angle between arm and rifle.

Now hold it. And hold it. And hold it some more, no matter how heavy 9 1/2 pounds starts feeling.

Thames’ personal best was around 20 minutes. The best anybody could remember was about 30 minutes.

So, of course, with LSU lining up to kick off to Ohio State and a huge Tiger fan in the midst unable to pay attention to it, the relief  commander came up with a compromise.

Thames could watch the game, even show appropriate emotion — so long as he held the Ready One position and that perfect 90-degree angle.

Better than nothing, he figured.

So, ten-hut!, he held it through Ohio State’s early 10-0 lead, perhaps wondering if this was worth it.

He held on when LSU finally got on the board with Colt David’s 32-yard field goal, and the rifle was still sticking straight up early in the second quarter when Matt Flynn’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Richard Dickson tied the score.

“You really start to hate the commercials,” Thames said.

But he held on through them too, and he was still hanging in there when Rickey Jean-Francois blocked the Buckeye field goal that set up LSU’s go-ahead touchdown.

He was in another world by the time Jacob Hester’s third try from the 1-yard line gave LSU a 24-10 lead just before halftime.

And Thames, his biceps throbbing, was thinking about how long bowl halftimes traditionally last.

There he got a break. Having already held up almost two hours — far, far longer than anybody around Arlington could remember it done — the relief commander let him put the rifle down briefly during halftime.

But when Ohio State kicked off to open the second half, it was back to Ready One, back to mind over pain if he wanted to watch the Tigers.

He was in the full dress uniform of the sentinels, which meant the outer belt around the starched jacket was pulled far too tight for comfort (it looks neater that way, the brass say) and excruciating after a while. The first thing sentinels do when their half-hour shift is up and they’re out of public view is loosen that foul contraption.

But the full dress uniform was part of Thames’ deal to watch the Tigers play, so he didn’t squirm as that blasted belt turned into a torture device.

Meanwhile, Early Doucet was side-stepping past a baffled Buckeye secondary for a 31-10 LSU lead.

“By that time I was really hurting,” Thames remembered.

But he held on, struggling, sweating, almost seeing stars, until finally, just before the end of the third quarter, he gave out after almost three hours.

Fear not.

The relief commanders were so impressed with Thames uncanny stamina and determination, they allowed him to sit down and watch the fourth quarter.

At ease, soldier.

But Thames admits he was still a little dizzy by the time the confetti fell on the Superdome floor and Flynn was hoisting that crystal football toward the heavens.

Thames knew another tomb soldier in another relief who was a big Ohio State fan, so like any good Tiger fan he called the next day to rag him on the previous night.

But the best was yet to come.

When Thames reported for work on Monday, April 7, he was a little disappointed that his duties would prevent him from getting over to the White House when the LSU team visited to be honored by President Bush.

But there’s more to being a sentinel than the 21 steps back and forth in front of the tomb, the heel-click turns and steely-eyed, straight-ahead 21-second stares between them.

They also serve as tour guides to groups and generally hang around to answer questions.

And when he got to work that Monday Thames learned that the Fighting Tigers would be visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier the next day. And they’d need a tour guide.

“It was not a coincidence that I got that duty,” Thames laughed. “It was a blast. Coach Miles was really great. Jacob Hester let me try on his (national championship) ring. Glenn Dorsey was huge.”

Thames told the Tigers the thing he missed most about Louisiana was watching them play in person.

Maybe not for long, however.

If he ever does gets home for a game in Tiger Stadium again, it’s been taken care of.

He’ll have a spot at the game — as Les Miles special guest on the sidelines.

Scooter Hobbs is sports editor of the American Press. You can reach him at shobbs@americanpress.com