How did he end up there? Ashton Richardson is a walk-on for Auburn University, who has played a key role in the Tigers’ special teams. He’s also the son of Al Richardson, an All-American linebacker who is LSU’s all time leading tackler. Ashton Richardson, who spent time in Baton Rouge while growing up, told the Mobile (Ala.) Press-Register that his father took a hands-off approach on his football career. “He did his best to let me figure out the game on my own, but at times he’d give me little pointers here and there. He was never telling me I had to do this or that, he just gave me help where he saw I needed it,” he says. Read the full story here. LSU plays host to Auburn at 6:30 p.m. in a game that will be televised by ESPN2. The purple-and-gold Tigers are 8-point favorites.
What could have been: The New Orleans Saints play the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon, giving Drew Brees a chance to go up against the team that had two chances to grab him. Armando Salguero, who covers the Dolphins for the Miami Herald detailed the circumstances that led the team to pass on Brees when he was entering the NFL Draft in 2001 and when he was a free agent in 2006. Two figures with LSU ties play a role in the story: Nick Saban, who was leading the Dolphins in 2006 after leaving LSU, and renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews, an LSU graduate who repaired Brees’ shoulder. Read the full story here.
Former LSU star falls to earth: What’s wrong with former LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell? He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft. But six games into his third season, the numbers are ominous: He has completed only 45.6% of his passes, and his rating is 51.0 — better than only one other starting quarterback. The Oakland Raiders (2-4) have scored only 62 points and are ranked 32nd in offense among the NFL’s 32 teams. How did Russell swiftly become synonymous with Ryan Leaf, the quarterback from Washington State drafted second overall by the San Diego Chargers, who was never effective and out of football after playing for four teams in five seasons? To read the ESPN.com article by Greg Garber, click here.
