If what happens today is a foreshadowing of things to come, look no further than the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Jan. 12 issue.
LSU freshman tailback Justin Vincent graces the SI cover with a Heisman Trophy-like pose caught in the middle of a Heisman-like touchdown run that gave LSU a 14-7 lead in the Tigers’ win over Oklahoma in the Nokia Sugar Bowl.
Vincent is not a Heisman Trophy winner — at least, not yet. But the freshman from Lake Charles does already have a nice collection of awards in his brief, yet impressive, college career.
Vincent’s Sugar Bowl performance earned him the Miller Digby Award for the game’s Most Valuable Player as he ran for 117 yards on 16 carries in helping LSU win its first national championship since 1958.
“For me, it’s kind of unreal,” Vincent said following the game. “I never expected to win the MVP. I just went in. Coaches told me what to do and I did what I was told basically.
“Winning the MVP in the National Championship Game, that says a lot but I couldn’t have done it without the team and my coaches behind me.”
On the Sugar Bowl’s first play from scrimmage, Vincent broke off a 64-yard run that moved him into first place on LSU’s single-season rushing list for freshmen.
His touchdown run in the second quarter came from 18 yards out.
“I jumped back and there was nothing but wide open grass and the rest was history,” Vincent said of the touchdown run.
For much of the 2003 season, Vincent waited patiently for his chance to contribute to the Tigers success.
Vincent started the season fifth on the depth chart at running back. He said he had the mindset that he was going to be a key contributor on special teams.
Through LSU’s first six games, Vincent had 30 carries for 135 yards.
But injuries to starters Joseph Addai and Shyrone Carey thrust Vincent into the starting role for the Tigers’ Oct. 18 game against South Carolina.
Vincent rushed for 77 yards on that night and broke the 100-yard mark in three of the next five games as LSU blitzed through its competition to win the Southeastern Conference Western Division crown.
His most impressive performances came against against SEC foes Auburn, Ole Miss and Arkansas.
Vincent picked up 127 yards on 14 carries in LSU’s 31-7 win over the Tigers on Oct. 25 and carried a stagnant LSU offense for 105 yards against Ole Miss on Nov. 22.
In a game to determine the SEC Western Division champions against Arkansas on Nov. 28, he picked up 112 yards and scored two touchdowns in LSU’s 55-24 rout.
However, it was Vincent’s performance against Georgia in the SEC Championship where he really burst onto the national scene.
With the entire football nation watching, Vincent rushed for 201 yards, including an 87-yard touchdown run and earned MVP honors of LSU’s 34-13 win. He finished the season with 1,001 yards, averaged 6.5 yards per carry and scored 10 touchdowns.
All for a guy who spent last season watching from the stands as a partial qualifier.
“It’s kind of a fantasy world I’m living in, so much happening so fast,” Vincent said. “I’m trying to take the time to adjust to everything that’s going on.”