Tuesday, July 22, 2008 11:11 PM CDT
LSU transfer puts Jacksonville State as OVC favorite
By BRIAN NIELSEN, Sports Editor
bnielsen@jg-tc.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Even with the new twist bringing star football players to Ohio Valley Conference media day, Tuesday’s most talked-about guy was not present.
Understandably, Jacksonville State’s representative was not someone who has not yet participated in his first play as a Gamecock.
Still, who are we kidding? Ryan Perrilloux who was named the Most Valuable Player of last year’s Southeastern Conference championship after quarterbacking Louisiana State to the title, is probably why Jacksonville State finished on top in a close voting for the OVC preseason favorite.
“One of the most high-profile recruits in JSU’s history,” is how the school’s media guide lists him.
How much of the Gamecocks coming off last year’s tie for third place getting the preseason favorite nod by two votes over defending champion Eastern Kentucky and five votes over last year’s runner-up Eastern Illinois is because of this quarterback from the SEC?
“I’d have to say an awful lot,” Jacksonville State coach Jack Crowe said. “It’s a different situation. When you look at the all-star team, we don’t have many there. I think there is some respect for our tradition.”
When else have you heard of a team not having one offensive player on the preseason all-conference team being picked to win that conference?
The fact Perrilloux, who in 2004 was called by some the nation’s top high school prospect and then played in 12 games last year for LSU, changes everything.
At least in July and on paper.
You still have to remember that there is a reason Perrilloux had to look to play elsewhere even after stepping in for injured Matt Flynn and completed 20 of 30 passes for 243 yards leading LSU’s 21-14 win over Tennessee for the SEC championship.
Several off-the-field incidents led to the departure of the 6-foot-3, 226-pounder who as a sophomore totaled 694 yards and eight touchdowns on 51-for-75 passing with two interceptions at LSU, where he started twice.
“He’s not a trouble-maker,” Crowe said. “He felt it was the environment and we offered him a new environment.”
If Perrilloux has caused any trouble since arriving at Jacksonville State, the Gamecocks’ media day representative Al Jefferson hid that.
“We’re delighted to have him,” said Jefferson, a senior offensive guard who two years ago transferred to Jacksonville State from Alabama. “His leadership skills will help. He will hopefully make my job a little easier.”
Maybe you question whether a guy can go from being in trouble at LSU to an automatic leader at a new school with new teammates.
“I think it’s something you are born with,” Jefferson said. “Everybody makes mistakes. He’s been a leader through and through.”
Maybe Perrilloux becomes the OVC’s premier quarterback even though 2007 Player of the Year Allan Holland returns as Eastern Kentucky’s quarterback. Already, the Colonels have been pushed back to No. 2 after winning the league last year at 8-0.
Holland didn’t mind those predictions.
“The bull’s eye is on them,” the Eastern Kentucky quarterback said. “It may make us work harder. They have a big addition in Ryan Perrilloux.”
Eastern Kentucky linebackers coach Donn Landholm, subbing for new head coach Dean Hood who was tending to a family illness, said of the defending champions being picked second: “I think that’s realistic because of the seniors we lost.”
That doesn’t mean the Colonels should be discounted.
“Nobody is really satisfied with an OVC championship,” Holland said. “We lost 22 seniors but we have key guys at key positions. We have a lot of receivers people don’t know about, guys who were hurt or didn’t get much playing time last year.”
Eastern Kentucky and Eastern Illinois both matched Jacksonville State with six first-place votes each.
For what it’s worth, Crowe pointed to EIU in the preseason OVC poll where coaches could not vote for their own teams.
“I picked Eastern Illinois followed by Eastern Kentucky just based on our games,” the Jacksonville State coach said. “Those teams beat us and Eastern Illinois was a more complete team to me and they have a a lot of guys coming back.”
Entering his 21st season with the Panthers, coach Bob Spoo was not quibbling about a preseason poll which has not correctly predicted the champion since 2002 when the Tony Romo-led EIU team was favored and won the title.
“You know how I am in those things,” Spoo said. “I don’t put any credence in that. The league is the strongest I’ve seen it since we joined in 1996.”
Contact Brian Nielsen at bnielsen@jg-tc.com or 238-6856.
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