Lavar Edwards had more than just six points on the line.
After coming up with LSU’s third of four interceptions Saturday night, the senior defensive end couldn’t allow his reputation to be shattered and not get in the
end zone.
“I can’t lie, I would have got some [mocks from teammates],” Edwards said. “The guys think I’m a good athlete, so when something happens to question my athletic ability, they always give me a
hard time.”
The former Desire Street Academy fullback had no problem
making Idaho quarterback Dominique Blackman miss and waltzed 23 yards to paydirt.
Edwards was just one of many previously unheralded Tigers to feast on the hapless Vandals in LSU’s 63-14 Saturday romp.
With junior safety Craig Loston still nursing a nagging turf toe injury, sophomore safety Ronald Martin made his first collegiate start — one he won’t soon forget.
The two-sport White Castle standout hauled in two interceptions, returning the first for a 45-yard touchdown in the second quarter to put the Tigers up 14 and send the 92,177 in attendance into a frenzy.
Assisted on both interceptions by deflections from freshman cornerback Jalen Collins, Martin chalked the first interception up to football instincts.
“It was awareness,” Martin said. “Actually I was on my man, and I happened to glance back and I saw [Collins], so I ran over.”
With LSU coach Les Miles calling Collins’ deflection the key to the play, he lauded both for teaming up on such crucial situations.
“It is that safety that is playing the eyes of the quarterback that can be late to the scene and make that play,” Miles said. “Those were big-time plays.”
After learning he’d start last Sunday after the Tigers defeated Washington, Martin relished the opportunity to compete for the starting role with the oft-injured Loston, all the while learning from senior safety Eric Reid.
“He knows the defense,” Martin said. “I don’t know everything, but the things I don’t know he’ll keep me on point with.”
With victory ensured and
junior running back Alfred Blue hobbled with a knee injury, Miles turned things over to freshman Jeremy Hill in the backfield.
The former Redemptorist High standout shredded the Vandals for 61 yards and his first two collegiate touchdowns in just one
quarter of action.
Stuck behind a stable of four other proven running backs, Hill burst onto the scene Saturday showing what junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger raved about all summer.
“Dude’s a workhorse,” Mettenberger said. “You can really tell why he was such a big recruit coming out of high school.”
Sophomore Kenny Hilliard, who chipped in two touchdowns of his own, lauded Hill for playing the same way he’s played “all his life.”
“We needed another back and he was there and he did what he needed to do,” Hilliard said. “Jeremy did great.”
With Tigers young and old contributing to the vandalization of Idaho, the start of Southeastern Conference play next week may call for more help from the bench.
For Martin, it’ll be business as usual.
“I’ve just got to be patient and wait for when [Miles] comes up to me next,” Martin said. “When I get the opportunity, I’ve just got to keep performing and keep playing hard each and every down.”
