Matt Mauck is LSU's starting quarterback. Marcus Randall is the backup. Matt Flynn and JaMarcus Russell are two jewels of the nation's top-rated freshman class. Lester Ricard is, for the most part, a forgotten man. His name rarely comes up in discussions of LSU quarterbacks present and future. Ricard, a 6-foot-5, 208-pound redshirt freshman from Amite High School, said he has no problem with any of the above. "That just gives me more reason to go out and work that much harder," Ricard said, "and to make myself that much better. This is a team sport, and I want whatever's best for the team right now." Mauck, a junior beginning his fourth year in the program, said Ricard is hardly an afterthought, at least not from Mauck's perspective. "He's worked hard, and maybe his name gets kind of lost in the shuffle," Mauck said, "but he's not lost yet. I think he still has the capabilities of being a great quarterback at LSU." Ricard said he's not letting the uphill battle intimidate him. After LSU signed Flynn and Russell in February, there was speculation Ricard would transfer. Some saw him as Hal Mumme's next scholarship quarterback at Southeastern Louisiana University. Ricard said leaving LSU didn't cross his mind. "Never," he said. "Not once. This is a game of competition. For me to back away from competition is like saying I'm not a football player. I'm an athlete. I've been competing my whole life for everything I've had." His parents, he said, are hard-working people who taught him no one will give him anything he doesn't earn. His father, Lester Ricard Sr., is pastor of a Denham Springs church. "He's always on his knees praying for me," the younger Ricard said of his father, "and I think I'm reaping his prayers right now." That's because Ricard thinks he's making progress at LSU. "This is probably the best chance I've ever had to grasp the offense," he said. "I know pretty much everything I'm doing out on the field. I'm not as nervous as I was in the spring with my reads. I'm calm. I'm comfortable in the pocket." And with the competition for the role of backup to the backup. Tigers coach Nick Saban said Sunday the job of No. 3 quarterback is up for grabs, and he said Ricard is in the mix. "Whatever they want me to do," Ricard said, "I'm here to work." Ricard also credits his cousin, Alan Ricard, a starting fullback for the Baltimore Ravens for eight games last season, as an inspiration. After he went undrafted in 1999, he signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys. The Ravens picked him up in 2000, waived him, then re-signed him in 2001. He's the No. 1 fullback on Baltimore's depth chart as he prepares for his third NFL season. "He worked his way up from being a free agent to being one of the top fullbacks in the NFL," Ricard said. "He wasn't highly touted out of high school (at Amite) and he wasn't drafted out of college (the University of Louisiana at Monroe). "He taught me you almost have to have alligator skin out there on the field to get what you want. It doesn't matter what anyone says, whether the coaches like you or not -- you have to work for what you want." Ricard said his cousin has called him regularly since LSU opened fall camp a week ago. "He asked if I still have my tough skin up," he said. Ricard said he learned a lot from watching Rick Clausen and Michael Harrison, two former LSU backups who are no longer with the team, and he said if he sees Mauck or Randall make a mistake, he learns from it. Mauck said he considers Ricard a good friend. "Lester might be one of the funniest people I've ever talked to," Mauck said. "The things he says are really comical. He brings a really interesting personality to the team that really helps out." Such as when he makes Mauck laugh with an expression -- "wreckin' my hood" -- Mauck isn't certain how to precisely define. "I think it has a variety of meanings," Mauck said, laughing. "I think he uses it in almost any situation he's in." Ricard said his best asset is throwing the football, but he said he knows the offense better now than before and is working on improving his speed and footwork. He's like to be faster when he drops back to pass. "Eventually I think I'll have the chance to be the quarterback at LSU," he said. "I worked so hard this offseason, especially in the film room. I think I'm ready to make the next step." If Ricard doesn't get a chance to play QB I say put him at WR! Im sure he has great hands and I know he has good eyes, and hes got the height and weight(6'5 208 pounds).
Heck put him at safety. It would be nice to have Randall and Ricard at the safety posistions in 2004.
Sounds to me that this kid has a great attitude--awesome "Team Player". Yeah, if it's not in his cards to be a QB, then I hope Saban will find another position for him. WR wouldn't be a bad place indeed.
Yeah, this guy does have a good attitude and from what it sounds like wouldn't have a problem learning a new position.
Ricard is handling this in completely the right way, and is being a team player. Seems like he has a very good perspective. On the opposite end of the spectrum, check out what this UF freshman QB is saying: http://www.sportingnews.com/cfootball/articles/20030809/487145.html
i agree, put him at receiver if he isn't going to compete a qb. I trust the coaches opinions of "that guy could help us here," 'he could be and impact player' :geaux:
The kid has a great attitude. I'm sure his attitude extends to other players who are fighting for a position. Great teams have great team players.
