C’mon Lester!

Musing about Tulane football in 2006, it is so hard to be optimistic. The defense, if anything, projects worse in 2006 than 2005. The offensive line is largely a mystery. Outside of the wide-outs, there is not one unit that projects above average.

It feels a lot like pre-season 2005- where the only real sources of optimism came from the conference schedule and the potential Lester Ricard joining his worthy predecessors as legit NFL talents.

And how I used to be bullish on Lester Ricard! Last year I wrote:

“In 2005, Ricard fortunately will play against a lot of teams that figure to be ‘comfortable’ to play against- and I imagine he’ll be good-to-great in eight or so games, up from three.”

An inkling to Ricard’s problems last year can be found in this “google” search. Note ostensibly every single freaking image shows him getting hammered by multiple defenders. So now- to be honest- no, I don’t believe, no longer suppose, Ricard will ever be a good quarterback in C-USA. I don’t think he’ll be drafted. I don’t think he’ll get a single vote for any of the three all C-USA teams. I don’t think he’ll give Tulane quality play, consistently, week to week.

You just can’t make either a fair or cognizant argument for improvement & increased maturity about a guy who not only can’t maintain the status quo but also seemingly regresses from start to start. It could happen- Ricard has the tools for sure, and you can point to some games where he was amazing- but the vast preponderance of evidence suggests he will never reach his potential. There is a chance. He wouldn’t be the first senior to find himself. And if it clicks, he has the arm, body and physical courage to make something real good of himself.

That is the whole nut, right there. And certainly too many Tulane folks are on this “Ricard for the Unitas' Award” kick.

The guy was great, really great, in three starts two years ago: UAB, Navy and Army- and either hurt, bad or a scary turnover machine in the other seventeen I-A games.

And, no offense, Ricard plays in a league that frequently generates undeserved cartoon-like offensive numbers on occasion- see Matt Forte versus Army two years ago- so maybe a slightly jaundiced eye is needed toward players with occasional explosions.

But Ricard did prove that at home (or similar comfortable environment), facing a team unable (the Academies) or unwilling (UAB) to commit to pressuring him, with talented NFL-quality wide out talent to throw to, he was capable of amazing things.

Take any of that away…. trouble and astonishing turnovers.