There aren’t many teams that can lose two starting cornerbacks without missing a beat.
No. 1 LSU is an exception.
Without the services of suspended sophomore cornerbacks Tyrann Mathieu and Tharold Simon, LSU coach Les Miles called upon senior cornerback Ron Brooks to fill the void.
In only the second start of his five-year career, Brooks shined Saturday against No. 20 Auburn, finishing with four tackles, half a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and an interception.
“When Coach told me I was going to be starting, it was like a bittersweet thing,” Brooks said. “That’s what you work your entire career to do, to become a regular starter. But I was sad that my teammates were out and weren’t going to be able to get a chance to play this did.”
But the highlight of Brooks’ performance came midway through the third quarter, when he picked off Auburn sophomore quarterback Clint Moseley’s pass and took it 28 yards to the end zone to add to LSU’s growing lead, 42-3.
“It was a very special game to me, and I took it to heart,” Brooks said. “I’ve had people talk to me and tell me great things are going to happen and God is going to make a way for me. So when all that happened, it really made me want to cry. It was like seeing the fruits of my more.”
Brooks said he spoke with several people before the game, including former LSU defensive tackle Drake Nevis, who shared some last-minute prayers and pointers.
But the last voice Brooks heard before taking the field was 19-year-old Rolando Thorne, a friend Brooks said he met through Facebook and developed a brotherly bond with through the years.
“He’s like my little brother,” Brooks said. “I prayed with him two minutes before we went out on the field on the phone. He told me that God touched my life and he had a plan for me and I was going to go out here and do special things. He really spoke some things into my life that really helped me out this week and helped me to focus and relax and just play ball and make my life got.”
 
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Contact Mark Clements at [email protected]