LSU's Flynn nears end of wild ride
Forgive Matt Flynn for pinching himself lately.
Matt Flynn was the LSU player face down — make that body down — on the Tiger Stadium grass after his 2-point conversion pass to Demetrius Bryd was intercepted by Arkansas' Matterral Richardson in the end zone, giving the Hogs a 50-48 win in triple overtime on Nov. 23.
Matt Flynn, like most everyone, thought the national championship chase was over.
He still did not quite believe the race was back on last week just before it was announced that the Tigers had moved up to No. 2 in the BCS rankings and would be playing No. 1 Ohio State in the national championship game in New Orleans on Jan. 7.
"Me and Jacob (Hester) were sitting there before they were announcing it," Matt Flynn said. "We were telling each other that, 'Anything could happen.' We were saying we're not going to believe what anybody says until it officially comes up there. Coach Miles had kind of hinted at us a little bit, but he didn't tell us. It was a little nerve wracking."
It's been that kind of year for Matt Flynn. He got the job he always wanted, the one he waited patiently for four years to get. Then he injured his ankle just when he was starting to have fun in the second game of the season. He had to miss the third game of the season and was never quite 100 percent until sixth or seventh game.
"It bothered me for a few games, but I got over it," Matt Flynn said.
He helped deliver last-minute victories like JaMarcus Russell before him against Florida, Auburn and at Alabama. Then everything seemingly ended when he couldn't quite do it again against Arkansas. He also injured his throwing shoulder in that game on a previous, successful 2-point conversion in the third quarter. He did not play in the 21-14 win over Tennessee in the SEC Championship Game.
He is expected back at 100 percent for the national title game and will start, coach Les Miles said.
"It's been up and downs all season," he said. "It's been wild. Last week, we were sitting here and we're thinking we blew our shot. We think that the dreams and the goals that we set last winter had been shot down. But crazy things happen. You can never count anybody out."
Matt Flynn was never counted out, but he was put on hold. Except for mop-up duty and the 2005 Peach Bowl, about all Matt Flynn did was hold.
"He never gave in," Hester said. "He always just made sure he was prepared just in case. I think he got a lot of respect from the other players because of the attitude he showed while he waited."
He certainly drew the respect of Miles.
"I think he pushed JaMarcus to tell you the truth," Miles said. "I think Matt's presence helped JaMarcus get over his injuries going into his last season."
Matt Flynn, who is 11-2 as LSU's starting quarterback going back to that Peach Bowl, can do something JaMarcus Russell never could — win a national championship.
"The unthinkable happened," Matt Flynn said. "When we were hearing those scores on the way back from the game, we were kind of just in shock. We were wondering how has this happened and knowing that we're going to get a chance. For it all to come down to seeing our name pop up there and realize that we're in the game. It was exciting. It was like this whole season."
Matt Flynn, like his teammates, has embraced the long break before the game. After exams this week, practice begins on Monday. There will be a three-day Christmas break from Dec. 23-25 before practices resume on Dec. 26.
"We'll go home for Christmas," Matt Flynn said. "We hadn't had a bowl game this late so it's going to be different than our past years."
It was two years ago this month that a tired and hurting LSU team revived itself over the holidays and looked like a completely new team in beating Miami 40-3 behind Matt Flynn in the Peach Bowl.
"I think once this team gets a break, and everybody gets healthy that we're going to be pretty good," Matt Flynn said. "Once this team gets 100 percent, we're a good ballclub. It's going to be fun to see everybody flying around and being 100 percent. We believe obviously that we're one of the best teams in the country, if not the best. So we're going to go out there and prepare hard."
Many said Matt Flynn would or should transfer as JaMarcus Russell began starting in 2004 and continued through 2005 and 2006. Now Matt Flynn has a chance for two national championship rings in his history instead of two schools.
"This makes the wait all that more worth it," he said. "We're thrilled to get this chance this opportunity to play. We know that not too many guys and not too many teams get that opportunity."
See more at www.shreveporttimes.com
