King: Stovall says leadership stands out for Tigers

• By SAM KING
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Jan 3, 2008

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

The one thing that has become so obvious about this LSU football team that will meet Ohio State for the BCS national championship is its ability to, some how, some way, find a way to win.

While having several outstanding players, the Tigers don’t have the spectacular skilled players that so many top teams do. No running back amassed the number of yards needed to become a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. No quarterback is threatening to rewrite the record book.

Yet, the offense so often found a way to score when it was needed.

Defense was the forté of this team at the outset. Then came nicks and injuries. It didn’t look anything like the defense which stunned the nation early on. Then, it bent — but it didn’t break. It was there when it had to be.

What is it, then, that has put this team in the national championship game?

I suspect that if Glenn Dorsey and/or Jacob Hester tell their teammates to swim the Mississippi River and they will play better, they will splash their way to New Orleans for the BCS Championship Game.

Former LSU player, assistant and head coach Jerry Stovall has seen his share of outstanding college players and teams. I asked, in his opinion, what stands out the most on this Tigers team.

“We both know that talent is an ingredient you recruit and look for. It’s pretty easy — height, weight, speed and all that stuff. That’s measurable,” Stovall said. “But, when you get down to leadership, it’s the ingredient they have to have. There’s no pill you can give to them to help and, really, there’s no measuring stick other than playing.”

“I used to ask players why you wouldn’t enter a jackass in the Kentucky Derby? Naturally, they said he can’t run very fast. That’s true, but his bloodline is not very good. The bloodline at LSU, in regards to leadership, not just on this team but from years and years past, is outstanding.

“When players get ready to play, they expect they have to prepare the best they can. That’s leadership. You can tell by their performances in most cases, they are prepared. That, again, is leadership.”

Some people say LSU has just been lucky. Stovall agreed you need some luck, but emphasized, “I believe very strongly that you can run out of luck. I don’t think you can run out of good. The better you prepare, the less luck you need.”