Cornerback Travis Daniels has fond memories of the Southeastern Conference championship game.
As a true freshman, Daniels was just two quarters away from receiving a redshirt; thus he would have been a redshirt freshman as the 2002 season began.
But when LSU cornerback Randall Gay went down with an injury, Daniels was summoned. The Hollywood, Fla. native had a key pass deflection when guarding Volunteers stud receiver and future first round pick Donte Stallworth.
“I had no idea I was going to get in,” Daniels said. “I had talked to coach [on Tuesday of that week] and he was asking me what do I think about it if I had to lose my redshirt.”
Daniels said he responded to Saban’s question by saying he came to play football at LSU and he would do whatever would be beneficial for the team.
“I came here to be a part of the LSU football team,” Daniels said. “It didn’t matter if I was going to play one snap or a whole series if I had to go in and play, then that’s what I have to do because I had to remember when you come to college … you can’t play for yourself. You have to play for the name on the side of your helmet.”
After struggling through a hamstring injury among other nagging injuries last season, Daniels is at full strength and is showing it. He has two sacks, two interceptions and a team-leading 23 pass breakups.
Key contributors
Coming into the year, Tigers fans did not believe true freshmen Justin Vincent, Chris Jackson and LaRon Landry would play significant roles, but each has been vitally important to LSU’s success.
Vincent has a 5.7 yards per carry average and has gained nearly 700 yards on the ground. Jackson has taken his game to another level, nailing a key 47-yard field goal in the second quarter of LSU’s 55-24 thrashing of Arkansas.
Landry, a starting free safety, is the leading tackler on the squad with 71. He also has three sacks and one interception.
Offensive lineman Andrew Whitworth said he is not surprised at the success the freshmen are having, but at how mature they are.
“If you’re a freshman and you can ball, coach Saban will try to get you on the field,” said defensive end Marquise Hill.
Offensive lineman Rodney Reed also said the freshmen are mature.
“Twelve games into the season now, I don’t really know if we have any freshmen,” Reed said. “Chris Jackson’s played really consistently for us all year. Justin Vincent’s kind of our feature back now.”
Safety Jack Hunt said both Landry and fellow freshman safety Jesse Daniels have progressed very well.
“LaRon came in and did really well,” Hunt said. “He just caught on very well. He’s a great tackler, real physical and aggressive.”
Coach Nick Saban said the freshmen have played integral roles.
“Well I think that every true freshman that had the opportunity to contribute this year has done it extremely well,” Saban said. “Justin Vincent did it when he had an opportunity due to injury.
“It was a real key for us, because of our depth in the secondary, particularly at safety, that some of the freshmen that we recruited could make a contribution. For LaRon Landry and Jessie Daniels both to do that I think was really significant to the success of our team and the consistency of our team.”
No. 3 … and disrespected?
Our friends at ESPN continue to rant and say outrageous things.
Following the dominance LSU showed Friday, ESPN’s Trev Alberts and Mark May both took time to get good shots in on LSU.
Alberts made it overly clear Georgia would beat LSU. Meanwhile, May said No. 2 USC would take LSU to the cleaners by three touchdowns.
Quarterback Matt Mauck has a theory as to why LSU does not get a lot of respect nationally.
“They had a couple years with a losing record,” Mauck said of LSU’s recent history before Saban’s arrival. “We’ve basically made ourselves known again on the national level, so it takes a little time.”
Mauck compared LSU’s current plight to that of Kansas State, a program who had a long history of losing before a couple of consecutive winning seasons finally earned the Wildcats some respect.
Offensive lineman Stephen Peterman saw it in a similar way.
“I guess maybe because LSU in the past hasn’t been a perennial power like if Florida or somebody was 10-1, they would definitely be No. 2 in the country,” Peterman said. “Maybe it’s just me – because LSU is back on that rise – hopefully we can finish strong and start making LSU one of those top programs.”
Peterman said the national disrespect gives the Tigers something to shoot for to quiet its critics.
“People are sitting here and still disrespecting our team,” Peterman said. “What a better chance for us to go out against Georgia and prove everybody wrong. They’re saying Georgia is going to beat us and it was a fluke the first time.
“We’re the worst 11-1 team in the country, everybody’s saying and stuff like that. It’s amazing how we come out here and keep proving to people how good we are.”
Mauck quotable
When talking about the fate of his 2001 SEC Championship MVP trophy: “It’s actually on my desk, but I kind of broke the top of it.” It turns out this happened while Mauck was moving.