Scoring machine

• By GEORGE MORRIS
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Oct 3, 2008 - Page: 1C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Growing up in suburban Dallas, Colt David didn’t learn much LSU football history. So, he can hardly be blamed for not knowing names like Kevin Faulk, Dalton Hilliard, David Browndyke, John Corbello and Charles Alexander.

He’s become familiar with them since becoming a Tiger in 2005 — as he’s passed all but one of them in the LSU record book. Barring something unforeseen, Faulk will end up in his rear-view mirror sometime this month.

Already LSU’s most prolific place-kicker, David is 12 points from passing Faulk as the school’s all-time scoring leader. With 44 field goals, 169 extra-point kicks and a touchdown on one of the most famous trick play in school history, David has 307 points. Faulk scored 53 touchdowns for 318 points as a running back from 1995-99.

Non-kickers have held the scoring record at least since Alexander scored 254 points (42 touchdowns and a two-point conversion) from 1975-78.

David didn’t realize this was possible until after last year, when he set the single-season scoring record with 147 points, including a school-record 26 field goals.

“I didn’t really know what the point totals were here,” he said. “I never really paid attention to that, but then people started mentioning it. I try not to think about it too much.”

It’s been hard not to think about it this season. David has passed someone on the list in all three games in which he’s kicked. He missed the opener against Appalachian State with a toe injury.

His two field goals and four PATs Saturday against Mississippi put him past running back Dalton Hilliard’s 302 points (50 TDs, two-point conversion, 1982-85). His two field goals and five PATs on Sept. 13 against North Texas lifted him by Corbello’s 279 points (50 FGs, 129 PATs, 1999-02), and his two field goals and two PATs on Sept. 20 at Auburn took him past Browndyke’s 292 (61 FGs, 109 PATs, 1986-89).

“I actually got a letter yesterday from David Browndyke,” David said on Wednesday. “That was kind of cool. He congratulated me and told me to leave a couple of records for him. I still think he has a lot.”

He won’t have as many if David doesn’t slow down.

David is 17 field goals behind Browndyke’s career record of 61 and 19 behind Corbello’s career record of 77 attempts. Browndyke’s 81.3 percent field goal accuracy record isn’t out of reach, nor is his mark of 109 consecutive PATs, which David would best if he hits his next 27.

David has missed only two extra points at LSU, the first as a freshman in a 37-7 win at Mississippi State when he pushed right on a wet field. The next season, Ole Miss blocked a David PAT try in a game won 23-30 in overtime on David’s 26-yard field goal.

He developed his kicking ability playing soccer and honed his skill under the instruction of kicking coach Scott Blanton in Dallas.