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Friday, July 18, 2008

LSU SPORTS

Two to transfer from LSU

  • By WILLIAM WEATHERS
  • Advocate sportswriter
  • Published: May 16, 2008 - Page: 2C - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

The realization for Max Holmes didn’t come easily. Leaving home and the program you idolized from an early age never is.

However, after four years with LSU’s football program Holmes, a 6-3 1/2 , 285-pound offensive lineman, recently received his release from coach Les Miles and will transfer to Stephen F. Austin to finish the last two years of his career.

Because the Southland Conference school is in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA), Holmes will be eligible to play in 2008.

“I made the decision that it was about time to get out of Baton Rouge, start fresh and see what it’s like on the other side,” said Holmes, a former standout at Parkview Baptist.

Holmes is one of two reserve offensive linemen from LSU’s national title team that will not return to play. The other is redshirt sophomore Matt Allen, who said he’s also received his release from Miles and plans to finalize his eventual destination in the next week or two.

Both players received national championship rings and accompanied the team on its trip to Washington D.C. to visit President Bush last month.

“I’ve already visited Texas A&M and that’s where I’m leaning,” Allen said of the school, 90 minutes away from his Spring, Texas, home. “I hope things will work out and end up there.”

Allen (6-3, 295) signed with LSU in 2005, redshirted in ‘06 season and did not play a down last year. Allen served as a backup in spring drills to left guard Herman Johnson and right guard Lyle Hitt.

“It was part of my decision to move on instead of sitting and not playing here,” Allen said. “I didn’t get to play last year and I was pretty upset about that because I felt I could play.”

Allen said he’s also received interest from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, UCLA and Oregon. He may take another visit, he said, but will have to sit out a year to satisfy NCAA transfer rules at another Division I school and have two years of eligibility remaining.

Holmes was part of LSU’s program for the past four years after signing with former coach Nick Saban in ’04.

After grayshirting, or delaying his entry into school for a semester, Holmes redshirted a year later and played in three games with no starts in ’06.

Holmes played in six games a year ago. He played all three of LSU’s interior line positions again in the spring but in backup roles and opted to change the course of his future.


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jjohn mulliniks
Friday, May 16, 2008
8:05 AM

I believe that both of these kids are making a big mistake, if they are telling the whole truth, and doing this on their own. I had rather be a back up at LSU, than a full time player at SFA...or at any lower ranked school!!! To have a degree is better from LSU!certainly it will be more fun to only watch the game from a LSU BENCH, than to play all the time from a small school that will never more than a few people at their games! COME on man, there are more than a hundred fifty thousand, sometimes more than two hundred thousand on campus for an LSU game, you are not going to miss that! Better think a little more about this guys, look before you leap!!! I would never do what you are doing... maranatha!!!
chris
Friday, May 16, 2008
9:54 AM

What are these guys thinking? " We just won a national championship, this isn't fun let me go play somewhere else" talk about using a team just for some hareware. They should have to turn in their rings since they don't wanna be at lsu anymore. The only reason they didn't get any playing time was because someone in front of them is better, but i guess they don't understand that.
Mark
Friday, May 16, 2008
10:39 AM

I know it was a hard decision for these young men to make, however I think it is best. Being a former college football player who transfered to another school, I can relate to some of feelings that they have. It is hard to leave teamates behind. However sometimes things turn out for the best. I left TCU in spring 92 and transfered to USL due to our HC, Jim Wacker, becoming the HC at the U of Minnesota. I sat out the 92 season. Did I miss playing against Texas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, etc...yes. However, I enjoyed a good career at USL and got to play on the same with Jake Delhomme, Kenyon Cotton, Orlando Thomas and Brandon Stokley. While I was there we won our conference campionship in 93 and 94. Did our accomplishments change the world...no. However, it was really a rewarding experience. I can't ever say that we had 95K people cheering for us at home games...heck we sometimes only had 18K. (We played U of Florida, Kansas State, Arkansas, Texas Tech, etc at there respective homes) but I have no regrets about the decision to transfer, and believe it or not I an still friends with players from both teams. Does any young man ever sign with a school with the intention of leaving, I don't think so. However it is hard for these guys to just watch from the sidelines when they were 'players' all of there careers. I wish these guys the best of luck.
bsgarre
Friday, May 16, 2008
12:10 PM

As a former college football player, I can understand why both of these young men would want to transfer. You can say what you will, but the ultimate goal of any college athlete is to play not play behind someone.
MCCAJUN
Friday, May 16, 2008
5:02 PM

THESE YOUNG MEN TRANSFERRED BECAUSE THAY ARE COMPETITORS. THEY REALIZED THAT THEY WERN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO BECOME STARTERS AT LSU SO THEY MADE A DIFFICULT DECISION. WE SHOULD THANK THEM FOR THEIR PAST EFFORTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD MAKING LSU THE BEST. I WISH THEM EVERY SUCCESS AT THEIR NEW SCHOOLS.
BullySixChicago
Saturday, May 17, 2008
10:40 AM

Apparently you have never played a down of football. You rather be a back up please agagin you show that you have never played any level of sports. I dont know kid with any level of confidence that would rather be a bench warmer at any level. If you think that because 200,000 people make it ok to just sit and watch maybe if you have a child and he sits for several years on LSU's bench that will make you happy. Football at other school's is just that football and how many people watch you are assuming that. Certainly you would never do that you are not an athlete
books
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
3:52 PM

I know one of these student's did NOT make a mistake...LSU did not offer what he wanted to get his Masters in...so why stay at a school that doesn't offer what you want to study? One can't say they did or did not make a mistake unless you walk in their shoes and know all the facts. Most players do not want to be bench warmers and watch others play...when they are as good. He has the rings, he has the degree from LSU, now he gets to actually get to see the field...now it will be fun! He is one of the few, who will get to see both sides of the picture. Why should either one hand in their rings, they earned it just like the first string did. Someone had to be part of the support team.
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