The life of an LSU running back is one of perpetual worry. With their spots on the depth chart constantly in jeopardy, they must bring their best performance and utmost focus every week.
Every game matters. Miss one, and they must fight an uphill battle back to the top.
In a career riddled with injury and personal issues, senior running back Alfred Blue has seemingly fought this battle since he first donned the purple and gold.
As a balanced back who averaged almost 6.6 yards per carry in his first three years at LSU, Blue would normally seem like a lock to play on Sundays.
But after missing 13 career games, including 10 in 2012, his prospects of playing in the NFL rely heavily on his senior season.
“It’s tough when you know he had a chance to leave early [to enter the NFL Draft] if he wanted to,” junior wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. said. “Unfortunately, he had a season-ending injury, but he’s shaken back and he’s worked hard to rehab and get ready for the season.”
Blue entered 2013 ready to put these obstacles behind him. He started by garnering 89 yards in 19 carries in LSU’s season opener against TCU.
“I just want to end [my career at LSU] on a good note and have a good season,” Blue said. “… I am just going to take it one game at a time and give my team my all.”
The Boutte, La., native showed promise early in his freshman season, carrying the ball 13 times for 66 yards in his first three appearances at running back.
But after an injury kept him out for two games halfway into the season, Blue spent most of his playing time on special teams and only ran the ball in one more game.
As a sophomore in 2011, he had to deal with a different kind of hindrance when he lost his family home in a September fire.
Despite what might seem like an unavoidable distraction and competing with Michael Ford, Spencer Ware and up-and-coming Kenny Hilliard, Blue managed to emerge as LSU’s most efficient option in the backfield, accumulating 543 yards and seven touchdowns in 78 carries that year.
His hard work paid off, as he entered 2012 atop the depth chart. He seemed poised to have a landmark year, becoming the first Tiger since Charles Scott in 2008 to open a season with back-to-back 100-yard games.
But as fate would have it, Blue suffered a season-ending knee injury in LSU’s third game against Idaho.
“It was hard watching games like Florida and Alabama, knowing I couldn’t go out there and help my teammates win,” Blue said. “It was hard knowing I couldn’t contribute.”
Senior wide receiver James Wright said Blue maintained a positive attitude throughout all of these hardships.
“Every time I saw him, he had his head up.” Wright said. “He never really seemed to be down. He was always looking to get better each and every day. … He was never negative about his misfortunes.”
The way Blue’s career has unfolded has led to a special relationship between him and LSU’s fanbase.
When he lost his house, the LSU faithful donated more than $80,000 to the Relief-4-Blue fund set up by the Tiger Athletic Foundation, according to NOLA.com.
And you can be sure every time he breaks off a big run, Death Valley will erupt in a chant elongating his surname.
“There is no place like LSU and playing in Tiger Stadium,” he said. “The fans love you, and I just try to go out there every Saturday night and give them my all, because I know they have our backs every time we go out there on the field.”
“Everytime I saw him, he had his head up. He never really seemed to be down. He was always looking to get better each and every day… He was never negative about his misfortunes.”