Until a few weeks ago, Jordan Faircloth had never worn football pads.
At most, the former LSU relief pitcher from 2001-2005 thought running pass routes “looked easy” compared to playing baseball. When Faircloth graduated and hung up his baseball cleats to become an LSU law student, he figured his playing days were over.
“I always wanted to go to law school,” Faircloth said. “So instead of putting my life on hold and playing in the minors, I went.”
A first year law student’s life isn’t anything like his undergrad, he said. No going out regularly, a lot more studying and no practice.
Until a few weeks ago, that is.
Faircloth was recruited to play in the Barrister’s Bowl, a full-pads tackle football game that third-year law student Jayson Durden started last year.
Durden said after the success of last year’s game, which featured two teams of eight players, he decided to expand the exhibition to a full-length, 11-on-11 tackle football game.
The purple and gold teams - consisting of law students from both LSU and Southern University - will square off Saturday at 1 p.m. in Baton Rouge’s Memorial Stadium.
Admission is free and Plucker’s and Mockler Beverage have donated food and beer for a tailgate before the game at 11 a.m. Volunteers will collect donations from spectators for the American Red Cross to help with the ongoing relief effort after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
“Last year [the game] was for the Tsunami,” said 29-year-old Billy Davis, a third-year law student. “This year there will be people in the stands and players on the field who lost everything.”
 
The Concept
Durden began the game last year when he saw many of the law students were former athletes. Some, he noticed, had even played for Division I football programs.
“A lot of these guys played in college, but some didn’t get to play a lot,” Durden said. “It gives us one more chance to play.”
Durden modeled the game after the tackle football leagues he played in while serving on active duty in the Marine Corps.
“It’s full-speed football,” Durden said. “We don’t play cheap, but people are hitting.”
Durden said he recruited Southern students, including former LSU backup center Jimmy Courtenay, who will start on both sides of the line and help coach the purple team.
It’s been two years since Courtenay, first-year law student at Southern, played football for Nick Saban and LSU.
Courtenay said he does not expect playing in Memorial Stadium to be like Death Valley because – “there’s no pressure, it’s just fun.”
 
The Game
Last year, the purple team stopped gold team quarterback Keith Saltzman as he tried to win the game with a last-second run at the end zone.
They got him on the 1-yard line, and he said he’s been hearing about it ever since.
Saltzman said the key to winning the game in his second year leading the gold team is stopping the purple team’s most dangerous weapon, Carroll Devillier.
“If we can stop him, we can win it,” Saltzman said. “If not, it’s going to be a long game.”
Devillier, a third-year law student, is starting his second year as quarterback of the purple team. While at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Devillier walked on and said he “held the clipboard” as the backup quarterback.
Devillier said he expects his team to win the game again by slowing down the gold team’s ground game.
Davis, 29, had never played football before last year’s Barrister’s Bowl. His second start of his career will be his last, he said, and fitting because volunteers will be collecting donations benefitting his hurricane-ravaged hometown of New Orleans at the game.
 
The Future
Durden, who will be graduating in May, said he hopes a younger group of students will take over the game and keep the tradition going.
“It’s a lot of work setting up the game,” he said.
There’s also a tremendous financial burden – Durden said he’s paid out of pocket almost $800 over two years.
Sponsorships help pay for the game program, and players put up their own money to rent equipment and buy their own jerseys, he said.
“Last year, no one thought we could get it off the ground,” Durden said. “This year, we have twice as many people playing the game.”
But both Davis and Faircloth said Durden’s commitment to putting on the game is unparalleled, and the younger law students will have a heavy load to carry without him next year.
“We’re going to have to recruit a lot,” Faircloth said. “But we’re going to keep it going. It’s fun.”
The game also is humbling, Devillier said, especially in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He said the players “feel really lucky” to have school, families and the opportunity to play a game they love one more time.
“It’s some of these guys’ first time to put on the pads and some of their last time,” Devillier said. “It’s good to go out like this and be able help people.”
 
Contact Scott Sternberg at [email protected]