Hodges Front and Center
University of Louisiana center Greg Hodges gets ready to snap the ball at practice on Tuesday. Hodges, a guard for all of his football career, moved to center this season.
The burning question
Question: Has UL quarterback Jerry Babb ever lined up behind a guard to take a snap?
Answer: "Actually, yes. Last year against Louisiana Tech, he came up behind me at left guard. I just kind of tapped his arm and he moved over. We were on him pretty good when we got to the sideline."
Greg Hodges had a premonition after the University of Louisiana's 2004 football season. Somehow, he knew his gridiron life would be changing.
Actually, it was less a premonition that spoke to him and more the Ragin' Cajun coaching staff, who informed him that he'd likely be shifting from guard to center for his fifth and final college season.
In four years, the old man of the Cajun O-line had snapped a grand total of one time.
"I'd never played there, even in high school," Hodges said. "When I first came here the coaches put me at center, and it didn't really work out."
Now, after four years at either left or right guard, he's in the middle, and offensive line coach Ron Hudson wouldn't have it any other way.
"We figured out in a hurry he was the guy we needed at center," Hudson said Tuesday as the Cajuns continued preparations for Saturday's Central Florida game. "Center's really a vital piece of our offense with all the gun snaps we do and the things he has to take charge of. But he's such a mature young man, and his moving there is a reflection of how mature he's been.
"Besides, once you snap you still have to block with a good base. The only difference is you have to do it with one hand up your butt for a half-second."
Maturity can be a mere function of time, since Hodges has been around since the fall of 2001. He was in the program four years before Hudson came aboard, and he actually has more time with the Cajun squad than every coaching staff member except assistant Troy Wingerter.
The rest of the story
Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com
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