Former high school teammates looking forward to reunion

• By RANDY ROSETTA AND GARY LANEY
• Advocate sportswriters
• Published: Oct 28, 2009 - Page: 5C

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During their days at Stephenson High School in suburban Atlanta, LSU linebackers Kelvin Sheppard and Perry Riley held off on taking their best shots at teammate Andre’ Anderson.

You don’t want to hurt your own teammate, after all.

Now the Tigers’ two veterans don’t have to hold back.

In fact, they know their chances of containing Tulane’s offense Saturday revolve around how tough a night they make it for Anderson.

When the No. 9-ranked Tigers (6-1) and reeling Green Wave (2-5) square off at Tiger Stadium at 7 p.m. Saturday, Anderson will be in the spotlight as one of the few bright spots for Tulane this season.

The 6-foot, 212-pound senior has accounted for 35.4 percent of the Wave’s total offense this season — 646 yards rushing and 168 receiving on 20 receptions. He has scored six of Tulane’s 12 offensive touchdowns while averaging 4.9 yards a carry.

“Andre is a good enough back that he could be playing at a lot of different college programs,” said Sheppard, LSU’s leading tackler with 57 stops.

Added Riley, “He’s a bigger back that runs downhill, runs hard and catches the ball well out of the backfield. We’ll have our hands full with him.”

And as much as the linebackers want to keep Anderson from getting on a roll, there won’t be a whole lot of malice involved. Sheppard and Riley said they’ve kept in touch with Anderson as his career has unfolded 75 miles down the road.

“It’s all in fun: There’s no hatred,” Sheppard said.

Anderson is making the most of his final college season after an injury halted a promising junior campaign.

He rushed for 864 yards and seven touchdowns in the first seven games before a shoulder injury ended his season — a game before the LSU contest.

Not that Anderson hadn’t gotten a little taste of Tiger Stadium and LSU already.