By Caroline Domecq
LSU Sports Information
Every football player dreams of coming into the big game and stealing the show. However, not many get the chance. But Justin Vincent did, and he took full opportunity of it.
Not only did he get the chance, but as a freshman in the 2003 Southeastern Conference Championship, the LSU running back awed the nation with a 201-yard, two-touchdown performance that captured him the SEC Championship Most Valuable Player award.
“That was a great opportunity for me,” the Lake Charles, La., native explained. “I was put in a certain situation under some horrible circumstances with Joe (Addai) and Shyrone (Carey) going down, and I was able to capitalize. I had the motivation from those two and from the coaches and the other players on the team, and I was able to be successful.”
The good news for Vincent is his team is making the trip back to Atlanta’s Georgia Dome to play for the SEC Championship again this Saturday. And the opponent will look very similar, as the Tigers are set to face the same Georgia Bulldogs squad they defeated 34-13 two years ago in the same building.
“It’s a similar situation, but definitely a different era,” the junior running back explained. “But I’m definitely going to make the most of it. It feels good going back there. We worked so hard to get there, and we just want to go out there and put on a great show.”
The show Vincent put on in the 2003 campaign has him forever etched in the LSU record books. He put together the finest season for a Tigers freshman, capturing a school freshman rushing record of 1,001 yards.
He ended the season with four straight 100-yard rushing performances, including an SEC Championship game rushing record of 201 yards and two touchdowns. In addition to garnering MVP awards for that game, he took home the MVP honor for the Sugar Bowl as well, rushing for 117 yards and one touchdown in helping secure LSU’s national championship.
But the past two seasons have not been quite the same for Vincent. He has not put the numbers up like he did before and has not seen as much playing time as he did in the championship season.
However, with key injuries at the running back position throughout this season, his role has increased and he has shown signs of regaining his consistency. In the last five games, Vincent rushed for at least 50 yards and one touchdown per game. Of his 467 rushing yards for the season, 328 came in LSU’s last five victories.
“It’s definitely showing the confidence the coaches have in me that they’re willing to put me out there to make plays,” Vincent said of being a go-to guy the last few weeks. “I’ll definitely make the most of the situation. It’s an opportunity for me to prove to myself to them that I am here to play and I’m not going anywhere.”
The last time in the Georgia Dome, Vincent was a freshman with only a year’s worth of playing experience. This year he is a junior and can help the younger players in his situation prepare for the game.
“I just tell them to relax,” he commented. “You have to be focused this week and listen to your coaches and do your assignments and everything will be alright.”
He realizes that his performance in the 2003 SEC Championship game can serve as an inspiration to other younger players looking to make a mark.
“If I were a younger player seeing that, I probably would (see that as an inspiration) too,” Vincent said. “If a freshman comes in and plays and is successful, anybody can do it. If anyone puts in the hard work and has determination and just plays ball and is fierce, if they go out there and listen to and do what they are told, anything can happen.”
Vincent knows he is very fortunate to have had that opportunity, though he says the magnitude of it is still something he has yet to comprehend.
“When I’m older and have kids and I sit down and look at the trophies, maybe then I’ll actually realize what happened,” he explained. “Now it just seems like another game with some great things and I was just fortunate enough to be a part of it.”
Despite the constant mentions of his 2003 championship game performance, Vincent said he does not feel any added pressure to measure up to that. Instead he is practicing for this weekend just as he would any other game, “keeping focused and preparing well.”
Vincent is hoping his preparations pay off like they did in 2003 when his 2005 team takes the field Saturday at the Georgia Dome, hoping as well that the arena will be as friendly to him this time out.