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Home , 2004 Sugar Bowl, Ben Wilkerson, Bluegrass Miracle, Chad Lavalais, Chinese Bandits, Devery Henderson

Lindy's Sports Annuals Presents PREVIOUS COACHES TRIED, WITH MODEST SUCCESS, to revive LSU's once• proud footbali tradition. Mike Archer and Curley Haliman couidn't sustain Bili Amsparger's momentum from the mid-1980s. When Gerry DiNardo took over in 1995, he calied it his responsibility to "bring the magic back to Tiger Sta• dium." Five seasons iater, David Copperfield couldn't have rescued the DiNardo era, which ended with a 3-8 thud. LSU Chancelior Mark Emmert opted to cut through the politics of past searches and hire someone he thought could awaken what he calied a sleeping giant - a program with enor• Emmert said iong hours are only a part of Saban's blueprint for suc• mous potential. cess. With a little luck and a lot of money, Emmert lured from "Many people work very hard," Emmert said. "Many people work as Michigan State. hard as Nick does. But to stay as focused on the detail of what needs to Yes, he was widely seen as an opportunis- tic carpetbagger on his way to the NFL. And, no, he realiy hadn't accomplished enough to warrant the miliion-doliar salary. And, weli, he didn't even have any real ties to LSU. Yet, four seasons, two SECchampionships and three January bowl games - and, yes, one national championship later - Saban proved to be the perfect guy for the job. With a golden touch built not on sleight of hand but on hard work and an almost-obses• sive focus and attention to detail, Saban took LSU to the 2004 Nokia and brought back to Tiger Stadium a national championship banner. Skip Bertman, who became the school's director of athletics before Saban's second sea• son, coached LSU to five basebali national titles in a 10-year span. He speaks with increasing respect about the turnaround Saban orches• trated. "Nick might be the best coach I've ever seen," Bertman said. "Not occur and to have a systematic game plan for achieving that success is, just the best footbali coach, but the best coach, period. What he's done I think, a realiy distinct characteristic that he has." here is utterly remarkable." LSU fans are believers. Some scoffed when Emmert agreed to pay LSU fans waited a long time for the sequel to the national champi• Saban $1.2 miliion a year for five seasons. Fewer raised eyebrows after onship season of 1958, the days of and his the 2001 SECchampionship season, when LSU raised Saban's salary to and Biliy Cannon, who a year later would win the . $1.6 miliion. Although it was 45 years later, Saban delivered with lightning speed. Before the , Emmert said the only comments he "Nick has exceeded my expectations in the rapidity with which he's heard from fans about money were pleas to do whatever it takes to keep been able to transform the program," Emmert said. "I think everything Saban from leaving Baton Rouge for the NFL. He and Bertman began that's happened has happened largely as I expected, but a lot sooner working on a new contract for Saban, a deal they said would be the most than I expected." lucrative in coliege footbali in terms of incentives, deferred payments and In a populist state whose natives wink at political shenanigans, shout other extras. "Let the good times roli" in Cajun French, and cast a wary eye on out• Not since the late Charles McClendon's last four years (1976-79) had siders, Saban rebuilt LSU into a national power with a businesslike an LSU coach produced four consecutive winning seasons. Saban's 39-13 approach that won him few bouquets in the media, but found grass-roots record featured the most victories in any four-year span in school history. aliegiance. Not bad for a self-proclaimed West Virginia hilibilly. His tireless work ethic - Saban's wife says he sleeps about three Before Saban arrived, the Tigers had eight losing seasons in 11 years. hours a night - is almost legendary in . Saban hasn't had a losing season in 10 years as a coliege head coach. LSU defensive back finished practice one night at 5:30 One of the most appealing aspects of coaching at LSU, Saban said, p.m., and five hours later he passed the coaches' offices on a late-night was its high profile in Louisiana. He grew frustrated at Michigan State, fried chicken run. He saw Saban's Mercedes-Benz S430 in the parking where his program played second fiddle to Michigan for that state's foot• lot. bali aliegiance and even took a backseat to the basketbali team in support "I don't think he goes to sleep," Daniels said. "I think he's working on campus. ali night. I don't know how he stays married. His car's always there." Nothing of the sort would impede him at LSU, where he expected to

12 A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON 2003 ~, ,"*i*tJ!!",Wi,%iT ~ 325Justin6-36-4296 Vincent6-2GuardBack2926-3223 6-2 257 OFFENSIVEAI -.,Wi.*"~:,y'-_,-~'-""""' '"STARTERS'c:,",,',6-2'6-4' ~,;,,AndrewTravisKyleTackleDavid6-7So.StephenBenMarquise180ChadEricLionel208LinebackerFr.Jr.6-4LaRonCoreyJack313BackSr.200259MattMichaelRodney213Nate2287295KevinRandallFr.5-10'88 AlexanderWilkersonWilliamsHuntMauck.LivingsLavalaisJonesWebsterSteltzDanielsTurnerLandryGuardJr.Back6-4End243WhitworthCornerback6-1187GayReedFr.-RSClayton321Sr.PetermanJr.6-5HillQuarterRight Strong6-1LinebackerSr.197 178Back5-11 Jr. I ~ " 5-9 t1'S*:~''%iT "Safety6-3 Sr. ~Safety Jr. _'VI'~1i6 ••.•• 189244Sr.6-0ReceiverEnd I."'''SoJr6-4297220. .. End": . '" Jr.201 . Eric Edwards i'c'" Tackle 6-5 Sr. Cameron6-4~ Vaughn" ,Y " 6-0 Marcus DeverySpears Henderson Tight . WideLeft DEFENSIVE STARTERS Li"b"k" [0~,:1 Com""'" ;'~"JI'!&1H'r, T"kI, IF,,,iL'" L,ftIRighlI'&mT'ghlIFO"RoooiogRighiEodL,"Flook"C"I"RigmRighi.. I'Mik"I'NiOkl'" "Will" I L" II mine the state's rich recruiting base, relieved. You know: 'If I can just get the electric bill paid this month, Still, he recognized he would have to win the hearts and minds of I'm relieved. I can sit and watch TV and I'm 01<,' the LSU faithful, which often clings to "it's hard to change. Those people the past as much as it laments its mis- don't become the preside~t of IBM next takes. Even as they grow weary of "the COACHING CAREER week. You've got to build. It's an expec• way things have always been done Year School Record Bowl tation you grow up with. It's a culture. 1990 Toledo 9-2 here," they maintain a reverence for None It becomes a part of everything you do, "the way things have always been done 1995 Michigan State 6·5·1 Independence and it becomes a standard." Sun here," 1996 Michigan State 6·6 Whatever they call Saban's system, 1997 Michigan State 7·5 Aloha After and Florida LSU fans aren't looking for change any• 1998 Michigan State 6·6 None drilled LSU in each of Saban's first two more. He began 2004 with a national 1999 Michigan State 9·2 Citrus* seasons in Baton Rouge, Saban 2000 LSU 8·4 Peach championship victory and a chance to reminded fans the Fun 'n' Gun wasn't 2001 LSU 10·3 Sugar land what many recruiting analysts see as built in a day. He also spoke of the dan• 2002 LSU 8·5 Cotton the nation's top recruiting class for the gers of being content with the status 2003 LSU 13·1 Sugar second consecutive year. quo. Total 10 years 82·39·1 He and his standard are a part of the "Some people expect to win," *Saban did not coach Michigan State in the , culture now. The good times - and the a 37·34 win over Florida. Saban said. "Some people expect to be Tigers - are rolling .•

A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON 13

ONE, THE TEAM'S ELDER STATESMAN, is a former professional baseball player and an unlikely pass• ing of a national championship team. The other, the senior member on defense, is a former prison guard and an improbable consensus All-American, the reluctant marquee lineman of 's stingiest defense of 2003. Meet Matt Maucl< and Chad Lavalais, a couple of 24-year-old men whose indirect paths to Baton Rouge led LSU to a national title at an age when their peers are raising families and becoming veterans of the work force. These guys had the time of their lives as teammates referred to them as Gramps, Pawpaw, Pops and Old Man.

Those rings they have these days have a big 01' #1 on them, and say nothing about their age. But their "advanced" age probably has some• thing to do with how and why the Tigers earned those BCS fatties for their fingers. One a settling force on defense, the other on offense ... guys who know about hard work, patience and stepping up when they had to ... guys who younger players looked to and learned from ... and guys who have been through enough to recognize and relish the astounding accomplishment they helped their team achieve. LSU coach Nick Saban said the Tigers had a mature mindset for their championship run. He credited freshmen who grew up fast, high-profile juniors who learned from the SECchampionship season of 2001 and a disappointing finish a year later, plus role players of every development ~ level. ~ Certainly it would be simplistic to ascribe too much credit to Lavalais ~ and Mauck for the advanced poise and discipline of this team. ~ Still, Saban and his players say, there's no doubt that Lavalais, ~ a homegrown late bloomer, and Mauck, a transplanted Indiana boy, shaped and exemplified the personality of a team that rose from presea• son status of "other contenders/pretenders" to national champion. He admitted it was a place for him to hide back home, where LSU The two "old men" overcame detours and went to work every day, fans wondered what happened to the big kid who had so much poten• with little fanfare and diminished expectations, and found themselves in tial. a most unexpected place - under the lights of the Superdome in New "Marksville's a small town," Lavalais said. "You either work at the Orleans, where they won college football's biggest prize. casino or at the prison. i had too many friends at the casino." Working 12-hour shifts made him feel like a prisoner, he said, but ••• passing the ACT entrance exam on his fifth try gave him his timely release. has grown tired of talking about his days as a guard at Coach Nick Saban's recruiting visit to Lavalais' home has become the the Avoyelles Parish Correctional facility. stuff of legend, with Saban even sprinkling some fairy dust on the tale.

A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON 15 the summer of 2003 showed him his name on the preseason AII-SEC team. "Preseason B.S.," Lavalais said dismissively, opting not to use the initials for emphasis. He said anyone can be hyped before a season, but the only honors that matter are those recognizing performance during the season. The coaches later voted him SEe Defensive Player of the Year. LSU said Lavalais works hard off the field too, studying opponents on video. Lavalais often tips him off about an upcoming play, he said, when they are next to each ?ther at the line of scrimmage. "He picks up on little things that help you win games," Hill said. "He'll say if it's going to be a pass or a run. He's the motor on defense. He's the man." The old man, that is. One of two, to be precise . •••

When the 2003 season began, conventional wisdom held that per• haps the biggest reason LSU was limited to "contender for SEe West "I basically found Chad Lavalais sitting on his porch," Saban said. title" was that the quarterback was limited. "He has become one of the better defensive linemen we've had here." Opposing scouting reports on might have read: "Good Lavalais grew up a little over an hour's drive northwest of LSU. He runner, but won't beat you with his arm .... Gutsy, but injury prone." signed three times with the Tigers - once each year starting in 1998• Even after helping the Tigers to a 5-0 start, but then playing poorly because of that pesky ACT. Now he's one of the most decorated linemen in a 19-7 loss to Florida, some fans were quick to question whether Nick in LSU history and a study in patience and perseverance. Saban should find playing time for . It was Randall, after Saban said he could see Lavalais was out of shape when he signed all, who threw the famous "" pass to beat Kentucky in in the spring of 2000, but he didn't mention that at the time. The coach 2002 when Mauck was hurt. had a plan to deal with that little problem. Or maybe it was time to pull the redshirt off blue-chip freshman "They never tell you you're out of shape while they're recruiting jaMarcus Russell. you," Lavalais said, laughing. 'They wait until they get you." That loss tested Mauck's grit. Early in his career, he said he might Once they got him, Lavalais discovered Saban's grueling offseason not play four seasons. Three years in the minor leagues put football on conditioning program - a combination of intense weightlifting and 110• hold. Four or five years in college would delay entrance into medical yard sprints, 26 at a time. LSU calls it the Fourth Quarter Program. school, and he planned to be a doctor. "If you bent over or put your arm on a teammate to help you Midway through 2003, Mauck let it slip he had a new plan. He was between sprints, you had to do it all over," he said, shaking his head at studying for the Dental Admission Test and might not return for his the memory. senior season. He took the test five days before playing Florida. The "It's the most difficult physical challenge I've ever faced. I'm not say• game followed a bye, and some wondered if his focus was on football ing it's impossible to do. You can do it, but they make it so hard to prior to LSU's only loss. where the games come easy. There's no game I've played in that's as But within a few weeks, the Tigers were climbing in the polls and the hard as the 11Os that we run in the offseason." BCS rankings. The SEC leader in passing efficiency wasn't name-appeal The work paid dividends. Lavalais ran down the likes of Georgia's such as of Ole Miss or David Greene of Geor• David Greene and Florida's Chris Leak, sacking them with swiftness gia, but the former Lansing Lugnuts third baseman. uncommon for someone 6-3 and 292 pounds. He smiled when told LSU fans feared he might not return in 2004. His biggest play this season, though, was an unofficial sack for which "I can remember a time when nobody seemed to care much he didn't receive statistical credit. whether I stayed," he said. On Eli Manning's last, best chance to rally Ole Miss against LSU, Ah, but Mauck's junior season of football revealed new layers of Manning took the snap and, dropping back to pass, fell to the turf. a competitor who continued to reinvent himself. At first glance, it appeared to be a gaffe on the part of the Rebels. But Not so long ago, the three-sport prep star from Jasper, Ind., signed replays showed Lavalais bulled into guard Doug Buckles, causing him to a letter-of-intent to play for Saban at Michigan State. But at the behest of step backward and trip Manning. the Cubs, he went the baseball route. "That's an example of what Coach means when he says if you play That lasted right up until the time he was moved from third base to hard, good things will happen to you," LSU tackle Rodney Reed said. catcher and he recognized that he wasn't catching up with the best of "Chad's so strong, when he put everything he had into that play, late in Class-A pitching. So he switched from the diamond to the gridiron, from the fourth quarter, he made something happen." pro to amateur. Lavalais, affable and unpretentious, prefers playing the game rather He turned to the football field at LSU in the summer of 2000, just in than talking about it. He smirked when a reporter at SEe Media Days in time for Saban to try to turn him into a defensive back. But Mauck knew

16 A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON 2003 what he wanted - to play quarterback - even if it meant limited or Jason White) to develop his skills as a pocket passer. delayed playing time. He returned in 2003 as a more complete quarterback. He knew about the fickle world of big-time sports, and he also knew When former Alabama quarterback watched Mauck take that as a pre-med student that if he was going to invest so much time apart his alma mater's defense in a 27-3 LSU victory in November, "Joe and effort into football, at the very least he was going to do what he Willie" saw it as an ongoing revelation. enjoyed doing - which was play quarterback. "Man, I saw Mauck earlier in the year and said, 'Who is that guy?' He wasn't likely to beat out any of the incumbent quarterbacksat LSU• I didn't know he was that good," Namath said. "I have seen him several all of whom would go on to earn NFLpay- games now. He can do it all. I love the way checks: RohanDavey, JoshBooty and Craig Nail. he moves around and the way he throws the LSU ALL-AMERICANS When Davey began to emerge as the team's football. " The Tigers have had 16 consensus All-Americans spiritual leader late that year, Nail decided to LSU fans love the way he directed transferto Northwestern (La.) State. Booty in their history, including DT Chad Lavalaisthis a school-record 13 victories and the season. skipped his senior seasonto enter the NFL Draft. Player, Pos. Year (5) school's first national championship in LSU fans saw Mauck as a backup with 45 years. , E 1935, 1936 a quirky bio but little chance of stardom. That , E 1939 LSU fans, who in 2002 questioned Saban perception didn't change all that much Sid Fournet, T 1954 for not signing a quarterback the year before, despite the early Christmas present he gave Bill Cannon, B 1958,1959 had a hero. The folks in Jasper, Ind., were them in 2001 when he came off the bench as Roy Winston, G 1961 beside themselves. a redshirt freshman to replace the injured , B 1962 "Everyone remembers him as a baseball Davey in the SECChampionship Game, and Mike Anderson, LB 1970 player," said JasonTucker, a reporter from lead LSU to a stunning 31-20 comeback Tommy Casanova, DB 1970,1971 The Herald, Mauck's hometown newspaper. , OB 1972 victory over Tennessee. "His high school football team ran the ball Charles Alexander, RB 1977, 1978 He became the starting quarterback nine out of 10 times. Nobody saw him do , WR 1987 almost by default a year later, and promptly Nacho Albergamo, C 1987 the things he's done at LSU, putting the ball lost most of the season to a foot injury. But Alan Faneca, OL 1997 in the air like he has. It really took everyone those torn ligaments might have been just Chad Kessler, P 1997 by surprise." the break he needed, forcing him (much the , WR 2001 The good folks of Jasper weren't the only way knee injuries affected Oklahoma QB Chad Lavalais,DT 2003 ones .•

A CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON 17