Hawkins won’t dwell on Arkansas

• By RANDY ROSETTA
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Dec 29, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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ATLANTA — Like most college football players — heck, most males in his age group — LSU cornerback Chris Hawkins spends some part of his day watching ESPN.

His affinity for the mega sports network has been tested since late last month, though.

“It seems like every time I turn on ESPN, I see that play,” Hawkins said.

That play? A 24-yard Casey Dick-to-London Crawford touchdown pass with 21 seconds left on the clock in LSU’s regular-season finale against Arkansas in Little Rock. The touchdown provided the winning points in a 31-30 Razorbacks victory.

And Hawkins was the defender matched up with Crawford on the play. Hawkins was also the target on Dick’s 46-yard bomb to Jarius Wright in the third quarter, a touchdown that triggered a comeback consisting of 17 unanswered Arkansas points.

Afterward in a dank hallway outside LSU’s locker room, Hawkins said the loss was his fault. Seeing it replayed on ESPN over and over has made it impossible to forget. But that’s OK with the junior from Walker.

“It’s one of those things you don’t get to live down, but I won’t let it affect my play in a negative way,” said Hawkins, who has recoded 48 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble return for a touchdown this season. “I’ve learned from what I did on that play and understand why I got beat. I want to show I’m better than that.”

Hawkins’ companion at cornerback, Jai Eugene, said he’s tried to keep Hawkins’ spirits up.

“Cornerback is the hardest position to play (on defense); things are going to happen and guys are going to catch the football against you no matter how well you play,” Eugene said. “We have to try and grow together as a unit.

“Chris is competitive and he wants to win every battle. But he’s not going to be perfect and he has to understand he has to be ready to bounce back.”

LSU continued to prepare for their New Year’s Eve contest against 14th-ranked Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl at the Georgia Dome (6:30 p.m./ESPN) with a workout in shells at the Atlanta Falcons practice facility.

The Tigers worked out for about 2 hours and then attended the Falcons 31-27 triumph over the St. Louis Rams at the Georgia Dome.