Mark Risher steps into key role
Mark Risher can't put his finger on why it happened, but he stamped himself as a player to be reckoned with when Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns staged their 2005 spring game.
The St. Thomas More product had made steady progress learning the middle linebacker position vacated by standout Stanley Smith, but the spring game was Risher's breakout performance.
"I don't know what came over me," Risher said on Tuesday. "For some reason I let everything go and just played. I said it was time to grow up and play ball.
"It was especially nice to have it happen in a game-type atmosphere of the spring game. It definitely put some assurance into it."
"The spring game was his coming-out party," said defensive coordinator Brent Pry. "At that position, I was looking for him to step up and knock ball carriers back, and that's something I hadn't seen from him earlier in the spring.
"Then he made a conscious effort during the summer to continue to build on that."
The spring game was an eye-opener for a player who had already impressed Pry with his growth in the Cajuns' scheme.
"He brings hustle, effort and great fundamentals," Pry said. "I give those guys (coaches) at St. Thomas More credit. Pad level, hand placement, he had all those things when he got here."
But there's more of Risher now to deliver tackles. He arrived at UL weighing 190 pounds and now weighs 235. Since last season alone, he has added 10-15 pounds.
That was crucial if Risher was going to succeed Smith, who registered 97 tackles in 2004 and was revered as a team leader.
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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com
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Re: Mark Risher steps into key role
Re: Mark Risher steps into key role
