LSU Gold

#93 Chad Lavalais Season 2001

Position
Defensive Tackle
Height
6'3
Weight
270
Class
Sophomore
Hometown
Marksville, La.
High School
Marksville HS

2003 Nagurski Award Finalist
2003 Outland Trophy Finalist
2003 National Defensive Player of the Year (Sporting News)
2003 First Team All-America (Walter Camp, Football Writers, Sporting News, SI.com, ESPN.com)
2003 SEC Defensive Player of the Year (Coaches)
2003 First Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches, ESPN.com, Collegefootballnews.com)
2002 First-Team All-SEC (Sporting News)
2002 Second-Team All-SEC (AP)
2000 Third-Team Freshman All-America (Sporting News)

SENIOR SEASON (2003)
The anchor for LSU’s defense, one that ranks among the best in the nation in nearly every category … A finalist for both the Nagurski and Outland Awards and was named to just about every First-Team All-America squad … Named the National Defensive Player of the Year by the Sporting News … Put together as fine a season for any interior defensive lineman in LSU history … Started all 14 games for the Tigers, posting 61 tackles, 16 of which went for 85 yards in losses … Added 7 sacks for 52-yards in losses … Added 23 quarterback hurries and 6 pass breakups … Led a Tiger defense that allowed only one team to score more than 20 points (Arkansas, 24) and only two teams to rush for over 100 yards in a game (Arkansas, 201; Louisiana Tech, 121) in 2003 … Plays with a non-stop motor and has the quickest first step around …Spends most of the game in opposing backfields … Had at least 1 tackle for a loss in 9 of LSU’s 14 games … Had 3 tackles for losses in wins over Western Illinois (minus 17-yards) and Auburn (minus 24-yards) and in the loss to Florida (minus 19-yards) … Had 2 sacks vs. Florida … Had 6 tackles, 5 quarterback hurries and an interception in road win over Alabama … Recorded season-best of 8 tackles, three for losses, and a sack, in 31-7 win over Auburn … Helped the Tigers rank first in the nation in scoring defense (11.0) and total defense (252.0) and third in rushing defense (67.0) … For career, had 32.5 tackles for losses and 11 sacks … Finally saw first action for LSU in 2000 after originally signing with the Tigers in 1998 and then again in 1999 … Finally enrolled in school in August of 2000 and proved to be worth the wait … While waiting to gain eligibility, spent a year as a prison guard at a correctional facility near his hometown of Marksville.

JUNIOR SEASON (2002)
One of the top interior linemen in the SEC … Started and played in all 13 games for the Tigers … Led all LSU linemen with 66 tackles, including 8.5 for 26 yards in losses … Added a pair of sacks and a team-best 21 quarterback hurries … Recovered one fumble and broke up two passes … Started the year on the Lombardi Watch List … Finished season strong has he recorded at least one tackle for loss in four of LSU’s final five games, including two each against both Kentucky and Alabama … Had one tackle for a 4-yard loss against Texas in the Cotton Bowl … Opened season with 11 tackles, including two for losses, vs. Virginia Tech … Had nine tackles in win over Mississippi State and eight tackles against South Carolina.

SOPHOMORE SEASON (2001)
LSU’s starter at right defensive tackle in 12 of 13 games … Key member of LSU’s defensive front … Had 16 quarterback hurries to his credit … Outstanding against both the run or the pass … Had one tackle, a pair of quarterback hurries and batted down a pass against Illinois in the Sugar Bowl … Missed Middle Tennessee with an injury (hamstring) … Injured hamstring in first half vs. Alabama … Returned to action vs. Arkansas and recorded six tackles, including one for a loss … Followed that with four tackles, including one for a 3-yard loss vs. Auburn … Took over as a starter in 2000 vs. Alabama and has been there ever since … Led all LSU defensive linemen with 53 tackles, including 5 for 15 yards in losses … Had one sack … Had seven tackles vs. both Tennessee and Florida and 6 vs. Ole Miss.

FRESHMAN SEASON (2000)
A true freshman who burst on to the scene in the second half of the season to become a defensive stalwart … Made the first start of his career against Alabama and immediately responded with eight tackles while coming up with his first career sack … For his efforts against Alabama he was named LSU’s Defensive Player of the Week along with Lionel Thomas … Started the final three games of the regular-season as well as the Peach Bowl … In all, played in 12 games with four starts … Finished the year with 22 tackles including three for losses … Registered two tackles, both for losses and a sack to go with one fumble recovery vs. Georgia Tech in the Peach Bowl … Named a Third-Team Freshman All-American by The Sporting News.

HIGH SCHOOL
Class 3A All-State as a tight end his senior year of 1997 … All-District on offense and defense … All-Parish Defensive MVP … All-District Defensive MVP his senior season … Member of The Advocate Super Dozen and Purple & Gold’s Great Eight … Rated as the South’s 16th best linebacker according to PrepStar magazine … He made 76 tackles, including 10 behind the line of scrimmage, two interceptions (one for a TD), one fumble recovery and one blocked punt … On offense, he grabbed 12 receptions for 331 yards and five touchdowns … He also rushed for 301 yards and five touchdowns … Averaged 34.5 yards per kickoff return and had 14 punts for a 36.7 yard average … District champion in javelin and shot put … Led Marksville to an 8-2 record in 1997 … Ran the 40 in 4.8 … Coached in high school by Benny Brouillette.

PERSONAL
Full name is Chad Douglas Lavalais … Born on Aug. 15, 1979 in Marksville, La. … Mother is Carol Lavalais … Has one brother, Petey … Majoring in education.

Lavalais’ Career Defensive Stats

Year
G-GS
UT
AT
TT
TFL
Sacks
Int

2000 Fr.
11-3
16
6
22
3-3
1-0
0

2001 So.
11-11
34
19
53
5-15
1-7
0

2002 Jr.
13-13
43
23
66
8.5-26
2-6
0

2003 Sr.
14-14
34
27
61
16-85
7-52
1-0

Totals
49-41
127
75
202
3235-129
11-65
1-0

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