(9/15/00)
by Joey Papania
LSUsports.net
So far in this young season, LSU head coach Nick Saban has wondered how this team will handle adversity. Perhaps the Tigers faced their first taste of adversity when they managed to fend off a Houston comeback, at least the type of adversity coach Saban has talked about.
But perhaps the Tigers have already handled a great deal of adversity. How about the dismissal of a coach and staff last season that recruited a large majority of these players? How about the difficult task of adjusting to an entirely new coaching staff? How about the time and effort required to learn a new system of football?
How can these players, who it is quickly forgotten are on average no older than 21 years old, deal with these pressures and remain positive? How about players like Robert Royal?
The junior from New Orleans has provided a spark to this football team off the field as well as on. It is not uncommon for Royal to keep a positive attitude, even when the Tigers are faced with adversity. It is this kind of leadership foundation that successful teams build upon. But Royal will tell you that he?s just being himself.
“It’s basically my personality,” explained the junior tight end. “I just try to keep guys going. It’s another way to make the practices seem a little shorter when you’re laughing and having fun out there. I try to use that to motivate my teammates to keep them moving on.”
So far the Tigers have moved well. The team has undoubtedly taken tremendous strides from a year ago. When considering the challenge the players continue to face learning the intricacies of a new system, LSU has done well to take a 2-0 record into Auburn this weekend.
But you won?t hear Royal complain much about the new system. In last weekend?s game, the 6-5, 240 lb. senior caught just the second touchdown pass in his collegiate career. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher will utilize the tight end core more than in the recent past.
“Basically it’s the same offense we had last year with the two tight-end system, it’s just with coach Fisher we are more of a first or second option,” Royal said. “Last year we were more of a third option, receivers were first and the backs were second.”
Of course it is more exciting and notable to catch touchdown passes, but Royal doesn’t seem to mind the grunt work.
“It really doesn’t matter to me,” said Royal. “Whatever it takes for my team to win, whether I’m catching passes or blocking I just want to help my team.”
It is that type of team attitude that earned Royal the Mike Miley Leadership Award during spring drills. The award is given to those players who exhibit superior leadership.
Royal is also a tremendous athlete. His versatility has allowed the coaches to utilize him in the f-back position, a position that he played predominately in the 1999 season.
“The f-back is just a little more versatile,” Royal explained. “The f-back is used more as a receiver or as a lead blocker. I take more (isolation blocks) than a normal tight end would do on the line.”
The Tigers depth at the tight end position makes Royal?s role as an f-back even more effective. It is any coach’s goal to put the best 11 players on the field at any one time. And Royal knows that having good depth is not a threat to his starting job, but it is more of an advantage to help him and his teammates get better.
“I like having a lot of depth,” Royal said. “We get the chance to teach each other, and we get to learn from each other. We have a real good relationship. It’s not like we are competing for the tight-end position, we are just trying to do whatever it takes to help this team win.”
It is that attitude that will give this team the support it needs to face the adversity coach Saban refers to. And the Tigers will most certainly face adversity. No person or team is without flaw. Every team makes mistakes. It is those teams that accept their mistakes and learn from them that achieve the greatest success.
And at the heart of every great team is a great team leader.