Marcus Spears’ billboard on I-10 thanks Baton Rougeans
LSU Sports Interactive
BATON ROUGE — Many of the billboards along Interstate 10 in Baton Rouge are there to pitch a product, a message or a cause. Recently, a billboard has popped up that goes against that rule.?
Motorists traveling westbound through Baton Rouge aren’t being asked to buy a product or eat at a certain restaurant. Instead, they are being thanked by former LSU All-America Marcus Spears, a recent first round NFL Draft pick.
“The people of Baton Rouge were so good to me during my four years at LSU, I just wanted to say thanks to all of those fans and to this city,” Spears said. “I couldn’t have gone anywhere and gotten the support that I had during the four years I spent at LSU. I have a great deal of respect for the fans of LSU and this city. This is a very special place.
“I wanted to show the fans the appreciation that I have for all of their support because it definitely made a difference, not just for me, but for the entire football program here at LSU.”
The billboard, which made its debut earlier this month, is located at the Acadian Thruway exit in south Baton Rouge. The billboard features Spears walking off the field in his final game in Tiger Stadium and includes the message, “Thank you Baton Rouge and LSU for four wonderful years. Geaux Tigers.”
Spears, a Baton Rouge native who prepped at Southern Lab, was recently drafted with the 20th pick in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He joins former Tigers Bradie James and Stephen Peterman on the Cowboys roster.
In four years with the Tigers, Spears helped lead LSU to four bowl games, a pair of Southeastern Conference titles and the school’s first national title in football in 45 years. LSU was 40-12 during his four years with the Tigers. He appeared in 50 games, starting 38, and finished with 152 tackles, 19 sacks and 34.5 tackles for losses.
The 19 sacks rank as the fifth highest total in school history, while the 34.5 tackles for losses rank seventh in school history.
Spears also intercepted four passes during his career, returning two for touchdowns. Against Oklahoma in the BCS National Championship game in January of 2004, Spears scored what proved to be the winning points early in the third quarter when he picked off a Jason White pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown in the 21-14 Tiger victory.
A consensus All-America in 2004, Spears was a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, Lott Trophy and the Lombardi Award as a senior. He was also a two-time First-Team All-SEC pick as well as being a team captain as a senior.
Still, with all of his accomplishments on the field at LSU, it was an off-the-field moment that Spears experienced that he will always remember as the defining moment of his collegiate career.
“We had just finished a game in Tiger Stadium my sophomore season and I really hadn