BATON ROUGE — The nation’s No. 2 football team, the LSU Tigers, added to their laurels capturing every special award it had an individual nominated in as the Louisiana Sports Writers Association announced Sunday its 2003 All-Louisiana College Football Team.
The selections were made based on nominees from the Sports Information Directors of the various football playing schools in the state and then voted on by a panel of LSWA members.
Tiger quarterback Matt Mauck was the winner of the Offensive Player of the Year award, beating out three more successful quarterbacks in the state this season, while Tiger defensive lineman Chad Lavalais was a unanimous choice as the state Defensive Player of the Year. Freshman Justin Vincent, the MVP of the SEC Championship Game (held after the nomination period and not reflected in the stats) was a narrow winner of Freshman of the Year over Martin Hankins of Southeastern Louisiana, while Coach Nick Saban was a unanimous choice of those who voted for state Coach of the Year (one voter did not vote for the Coach position).
Rounding out the special awards was linebacker Jamall Johnson of Northwestern State, who was a strong choice as the Louisiana Newcomer of the Year for first-year non-freshman playing in the state.
Mauck, the Tigers junior signal-caller, in 12 regular season games hit 202 of 314 passes for 27 touchdowns and 2,440 yards, leading the Southeastern Conference in passing efficiency. Had five three-touchdown games and a school record four TDs twice during the year. Against Louisiana Tech, he set a school record for completion percentage of 90 percent (hitting 18-of-20 passes), while also hitting 14 straight at one point in that game. Mauck, who received his degree on Friday at LSU, was a Second-Team Academic All-American.
The dominating Lavalais, at defensive tackle for LSU, was a finalist for the Outland Trophy and the Nagurski award and was a consensus All-SEC choice. The Marksville senior had 54 total tackles, including 15 for loss and six sacks. He was part of an LSU defense that led the nation in scoring defense, was second in total defense and third in rushing defense. Lavalais was fifth in the SEC in sacks and intercepted his first career pass at Alabama.
Vincent, who burst onto the LSU scene after LSU’s starting tailbacks were injured, finished the regular season with 683 yards on 120 attempts and seven touchdowns. The Lake Charles native earned Freshman All-American honors and led the league in rushing and touchdowns by a freshman, sixth overall in the SEC. Vincent had 100-yard plus games in three of the last five contests.
Saban, the Associated Press Coach of the Year, led the Tigers to the brink of the national champion in 2003, earning a spot in the final game at the Nokia Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4. The Tigers had a 12-1 record in Saban’s fourth year at LSU in a year when other strong nominees for state coach of the year included Southern’s Pete Richardson, whose team won the SWAC title game and the Sheridan Poll championship and Tommy Tate of McNeese State, who again took his Cowboys to the 1-AA playoffs.
Newcomer of the Year Jamall Johnson of Northwestern State, a junior from Hammond, came to Natchitoches from Delta State and led the Southland Conference in tackles, tackles for loss and was second in sacks and forced fumbles. Johnson had 119 tackles (80 solo) with 16 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. He was also voted the SLC Newcomer of the Year.
Joining Mauck on the first team offense from the Tigers were Stephen Peterman, Ben Wilkerson and Andrew Whitworth on the offensive line, Michael Clayton (unanimous) at wide receiver and Eric Edwards at tight end. The rest of the players voted first team were: Greg Buckley of Northwestern State and Dwight Hurdler of McNeese on the offensive line; running backs Mewelde Moore of Tulane and McNeese’s Vick King; and, the Green Wave’s Roydell Williams was the other wide receiver chosen.
With Lavalais on the defensive team from LSU were lineman Marcus Spears and defensive backs Corey Webster and Jack Hunt. The other defensive first team stars are: John Paul Jones of McNeese and Quintene Newhouse of Northwestern State on the defensive line; linebackers Roderick Royal (McNeese), Johnson (Northwestern State) and, Anthony Cannon (Tulane) with Lenny Williams of Southern and Keith Smith of McNeese the other half of the defensive back combination.
Three special team player positions were chosen with Joel Stelly of Louisiana Monroe being chosen as the state’s punter, Josh Scobee of Louisiana Tech the place kicker and Skyler Green of LSU the return specialist.
2003 All-Louisiana Football Team
As selected by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
POS. — NAME, SCHOOL HT WT CL HOMETOWN
OL — Stephen Peterman, LSU 6-4 321 Sr. Waveland, Miss.
OL — Ben Wilkerson, LSU 6-4 296 Jr. Hemphill, Texas
OL — Greg Buckley, Northwestern St. 6-4 290 Jr. Lewisville, Texas
OL — Andrew Whitworth, LSU 6-7 325 So. West Monroe, La.
OL — Dwight Hurdler, McNeese 6-2 310 Sr. Mesquite, Texas
RB — Mewelde Moore, Tulane 6-1 210 Sr. Baton Rouge, La.
RB — Vick King, McNeese 5-11 205 Sr. Cutoff, La.
WR — Michael Clayton, LSU (@) 6-4 200 Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
WR — Roydell Williams, Tulane 6-3 220 Sr. Venice, Calif.
TE — Eric Edwards, LSU 6-5 244 Sr. Monroe, La.
QB — Matt Mauck, LSU 6-2 213 Jr. Jasper, Ind.
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
POS. — NAME, SCHOOL HT WT CL HOMETOWN
DL — Chad Lavalais, LSU (@) 6-3 292 Sr. Marksville, La.
DL — Marcus Spears, LSU 6-4 297 Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
DL — John Paul Jones, McNeese 6-3 312 Jr. Carencro, La.
DL — Quintene Newhouse, Northwestern St. 6-0 285 Jr. Emery, Texas
LB — Roderick Royal, McNeese 6-1 252 Sr. Baton Rouge, La
LB — Jamall Johnson, Northwestern St. 6-0 210 Jr. LaPlace, La.
LB — Anthony Cannon, Tulane 6-0 232 So. Stone Mountain, Ga.
DB — Corey Webster, LSU 6-0 201 Jr. Vacherie, La.
DB — Lenny Williams, Southern 6-0 190 Sr. Lake Charles, La.
DB — Keith Smith, McNeese State 6-0 191 Sr. Leesville, La.
DB — Jack Hunt, LSU 6-1 197 Sr. Ruston, La.
SPECIAL TEAMS
POS. — NAME, SCHOOL HT WT CL. HOMETOWN
P — Joel Stelly, Louisiana Monroe 5-11 185 So. Cecilia, La.
PK — Josh Scobee, Louisiana Tech 6-1 185 Sr. Longview, Texas
RS — Skyler Green, LSU 5-9 190 So. Westwego, La.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Matt Mauck LSU (votes — Mauck 9, Eugene-GSU 5, Richard-SU 3, Losman-TU 2, Davis-LC 1, Moats-LT 1, Stamps-La-Laf. 1)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Chad Lavalais, LSU (votes — Lavalais 22)
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Justin Vincent, LSU (votes — Vincent 9, Hankin-SL 6, Babb-La-Laf. 3, Payne-LM 2, Abney-GS 1)
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Jamall Johnson, Northwestern State (votes — Johnson 15, Pettway-GS 3, Jackson-LT 2, Brown-La-Laf.1, No vote 1)
COACH OF THE YEAR: Nick Saban, LSU (votes — Saban 22, no vote 1).
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
OL — Matt Miller, La. College (6-5, 325, Sr., Lafayette, La.); Aaron Lips, La. Tech (6-5, 292, So., Tickfaw, La.); Arnold Sims, Southern (6-6, 255, Jr., Houston, Texas); Miniya Smith, Southern (6-7, 340, Jr., New Orleans); D’Anthony Batiste, La. Lafayette (6-4, 295, Sr., Marksville, La.); Chris McGee, Tulane (6-4, 285, So., Beaumont, Texas). (NOTE — Batiste, McGee tied for final position).
RB — Ryan Moats, Louisiana Tech (5-8, 200, So., Dallas, Texas); Justin Vincent, LSU (5-11, 208, Fr, Lake Charles, La.)
WR — Tramon Douglas, Grambling (6-0, 205, Sr., Baton Rouge, La.); B. J. Sams, McNeese (5-10, 173, Sr., Mandeville, La.); Fred Stamps, La.-Lafayette (6-1, 184, Sr., New Orleans, La.) (Note — Sams, Stamps tied for position).
TE — Jerome Landry, Tulane (6-4, 261, So., Chalmette, La.)
QB — Bruce Eugene, Grambling (6-1, 245, Jr., New Orleans, La.)
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL — Brett Beard, Southeastern La. (6-4, 295, Sr., Birmingham, Ala.); Antonio Floyd, La.-Lafayette (6-1, 237, Sr., St. Francisvlle; ); Marquise Hill, LSU (6-7, 295, Jr., New Orleans, La.); Jonathan St. Cyr, Southern (6-4, 320, Sr., New Orleans, La.).
LB — Eric Alexander, LSU (6-3, 223, Sr., Port Arthur, Texas); John Muder, Louisiana College (6-2, 235, Sr., Pineville, La.); Kenneth Pettway, Grambling (6-4, 240, Jr., Houston, Texas).
DB — Chris Thompson, Nicholls St. (6-0, 200, Sr., New Orleans, La.); Tra Boger, Tulane (6-1, 210, Jr., Decatur, Ga.); Octavius Bond, Grambling (6-1, 207, Sr., Chicago, Ill.); Chris Harris, Louisiana Monroe (6-1, 204, Jr., Little Rock, Ark.)
SECOND TEAM SPECIAL TEAM
P — Donnie Jones LSU (6-3, 217, Sr., Baton Rouge, La.); PK — Sean Comiskey, La.-Lafayette (5-9, 168, Sophomore, LaPlace, La.); RS — Chris Crawford, Nicholls State (5-10, 180, Fr., Baker, La.)
HONORABLE MENTION
OL — Jonathan Banks, Grambling State; RB — Wayne Davis, Louisiana College; QB — J. P. Losman, Tulane; DL — Billy Harrison, Tulane; LB — Lionel Turner, LSU; DB — Travis Daniels, LSU; Eric Louis, Northwestern State.
(@) — Unanimous selection.