Today I’ll continue the series about LSU’s three national championship years. Last week, I talked about our most recent national title in 2007. Today, I’m writing about our next most recent national title, only four years before, in 2003.
The 2003 season is the only good thing Nick Saban ever did for LSU. It was his third season as LSU’s head coach and as much as it pains me to say it, he single handedly built up a hurting program and turned it into a national championship team, mainly because Saban spends more time recruiting than sleeping. Saban recruited some of the most outstanding players to play for LSU in the 21st century, players like Devery Henderson, Dwayne Bowe, Joseph Addai, Skyler Green, Matt Mauck, Andrew Whitworth, Marcus Spears, and LaRon Landry. We had playmakers spread out on all sides of the field, but we worked together like we were one man with one job. Skyler Green would give us great field position after every one of his returns and then Andrew Whitworth and our offensive line blew up huge holes for Joseph Addai and Justin Vincent. Devery Henderson and Dwayne Bowe were one of the best wide receiver duos LSU has ever seen, but they had it made with a steady, accurate quarterback like Matt Mauck. On defense, LaRon Landry laid hits on the opponent’s quarterback that left them dazed the rest of the game. No running back could ever get around Marcus Spears. We were an outstanding team.
In 2003, we blew through almost every team in the regular season. We lost once to our bitter rival Florida who always finds a way to get under LSU’s skin even if they lose. Otherwise our defense held almost every single team to only one touchdown while our offense averaged 33 points in every game that we won. Once we easily blew out Georgia in the SEC championship we were an easy pick to play in the BCS title vs. Oklahoma. We were ready for Oklahoma and we were already in the lead 21-7 in the third quarter. We beat them like they were any other team we faced in the regular season. The final score was 21-14. At the end of the game, we had won our first national title since 1958. It gave all LSU fans hope that we were on our way back up to the top of the college football world.
Aah, 2003 was a great year Micah. I was your age when LSU won the national championship in 58, but we didn’t have the internet, or even home computers, back then. Just a note, my email group of ex-Baton Rouge High School football players includes Warren Rabb, the LSU quarterback of the 58 and 59 teams. They are having a “get together” in late May that I won’t be able to attend, but Warren and Jimmy Taylor (Fullback for the NFL 60’s dynasty Green Bay Packers) are scheduled to attend. I need to bring my Billy Cannon runback 45 rpm record with me when I come see you in early May. Make sure your Dad has the ability to play the record!!
On the same night Billy Cannon made the runback against Ole Miss, Warren made a tackle as part of a goal line stand that kept Ole Miss out of the end zone at the end of the game – otherwise Cannon’s runback would be just another nice play. Also of note on the 45 rpm record, the calls were made by JC Politz, who was the LSU radio announcer then. JC was a friend of ours who, in fact, gave me the record I now own to replace the one I had lost in a move many years ago. Looking forward to your treatment of the 58 team.
Michael Clayton …
Nice job. I was 12 years old when LSU won it’s first National Championship in football in 1958. That was unexpected and a very exciting season for sure. That season they defeated Tulane 62-0 in the final regular season game. Wow! I couldn’t believe it. 62-0 are you kidding me? Then they played in the Sugar Bowl, on New Years day, against a very good Clemson Tigers football team and won a close one 10-7 I believe was the final score. They finished 11-0. The following year, 1959, was equally as exciting with only a 14-13 lost at Tennessee blemishing a perfect season. I have very fond memories of my father,brothers and I glued to the radio listening to the live Tiger Broadcast of all the action over WWL radio. Back then very few LSU football regular season games were televised live. However, all the major bowl games were televised on New Years Day. If the Tigers played on New Years day we got to see them live on then Black and White TV. That was always very special.