Steltz aims to end season with title

• By SCOTT RABALAIS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Dec 28, 2007 - Page: 1C

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Before the season began, Glenn Dorsey was already everybody’s All-American.

Craig Steltz? The senior safety with the flowing blonde locks, the one many call LSU’s “surfer dude” though he hails from that surfing capital of Kenner was simply Jessie Daniels’ replacement at strong safety.

Turns out, Steltz was the 2007 Tigers’ version of free safety LaRon Landry, a first-round draft pick of the Washington Redskins.

Who would have guessed that LSU would have an All-American safety two seasons in a row? But here was Steltz, leading the Tigers with 97 tackles this season and ranking as one of the nation’s leaders with six interceptions, making All-American team after All-American team.

He earned honors from six in all — Associated Press, Walter Camp, ESPN, CBSsports.com, CNNSI.com and Rivals. com — and was one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award given annually to the nation’s best defensive back.

In a way, the fast-talking, hard-hitting Steltz admitted he’s been taken aback by all the accolades.

“There’s been a lot of hard work going in it, through the summer and in camp,” Steltz said. “It’s just going out there and playing. My dad always says, ‘Go out there and have fun, and don’t worry about anything else.’

“It’s been a blast. It’s something I’ve done all year. Good things happen when you’re having fun.”

Steltz lost out on the Thorpe Award, which went to Arizona cornerback Antoine Cason. But Steltz has the greater thrill of playing for the BCS national championship in his hometown of New Orleans, Jan. 7 against Ohio State.

“It can’t be any better,” Steltz said. “Somebody was asking me, ‘Would you like to have gone undefeated?’ Our goal is still the same. Maybe it was the best thing for us. We faced a lot of adversity and it shows how we can bounce back. Not a lot of teams could come back from two triple-overtime losses.”

At 11-2, No. 2-ranked LSU isn’t perfect. Neither is No. 1 Ohio State (11-1).

But it could be the perfect ending for Steltz. When asked if what his greatest thrill as a college player has been, Steltz said he hopes it hasn’t come yet.

“I’m hoping it’ll happen on Jan. 7,” he said. “I’ve had an opportunity play in a lot of big games with a bunch of great guys, but I’m hoping we’ll come out with a victory down in New Orleans.”