Cowboys Classic earns Mathieu spotlight

LSU sophomore cornerback Tyrann Mathieu says he feels like a giant out on the field.

While his 5-foot-9, 179-pound frame doesn't quite match that description, Mathieu's impact on the LSU secondary in 14 career games has been nothing less than gigantic.

"His size is 6-foot-6, 300 [pounds], and he's the strongest man on the field and the fastest," said LSU coach Les Miles. "When he looks in the mirror, that's what he sees."

The New Orleans native has already garnered Heisman hype after his performance on one of the sport's brightest stages Saturday night. His special teams touchdown and 10 total tackles helped LSU dismantle Oregon, 40-27, at Cowboys Stadium.

Since inheriting the No. 7 jersey from former teammate and All-American Patrick Peterson, Mathieu has become one of the team's unquestioned leaders on the field.

"I think I wasn't as vocal [last year], but now my team needs me so I have to be a little louder," the sophomore said. "It's about expressing myself out there."

And Mathieu expresses himself through more than just his frenetic pace on the field, as he is constantly chatting up opposing players, celebrating with his teammates and mixing it up with linemen seemingly twice his size.

But off the field, Mathieu is soft-spoken almost beyond recognition, with only his dyed blonde hair betraying the charismatic approach he brings to the game.

Like defensive end Sam Montgomery said after Saturday's game, Mathieu believes the team and its coach's unique personality contributes to the Tigers' success between the lines.

"I think we are all a tad bit crazy," he said. "We're just different. Whether it's me having the hair or Sam calling himself Sonic, whatever helps us make plays is what we'll do. I don't think other teams really see guys like us too often, so they're kind of intimidated by it."

But observers shouldn't be fooled by the loose approach, as Mathieu said he works tirelessly to be a complete player.

Last year, Peterson became an early frontrunner for the Heisman by adding a dynamic return game to his lockdown corner skills.

Mathieu didn't take long to show his range either, as his electrifying strip, scoop and score off Oregon punt returner Kenjon Barner in the second quarter garnered heavy rotation on the highlight reels. Sports Illusrated college football writer Andy Staples tabbed Mathieu as his Heisman favorite already, and ESPN.com's Heisman Watch included him in its top 10 candidates for the prestigious award through one week.

"I have to be that all-around player," Mathieu said. "We try to execute all three phases of the game. We never want to overlook special teams. Those guys got a lot of points last year on field goals and fakes, so we had to keep that up [Saturday]."

Mathieu now has six forced fumbles in his career, which is the second-most in LSU football history.

The defensive back said his nose for the football goes back to his days on offense in high school and Pee Wee leagues.

"I loved offense because I like the ball in my hands, but playing defense you don't see it as much," he said. "On defense you're around the ball as much as you put yourself in position. So I'm trying to make every strip or fumble, get my hands in there every play."

Miles said Mathieu's ball-hawking approach contributed to the four turnovers the LSU defense forced against the Ducks.

"You can have this vision, ‘I need to make a tackle, strip the ball and when the ball bounces, it's going to bounce to me, and I'm going to score.' And it really is that mindset that Tyrann Mathieu has," Miles said. "There's not a play that he doesn't have the opportunity to make or that he's out of. That thought process is infectious."

Along with his team-high 10 tackles, Mathieu had two pass breakups, a tackle for a loss and played all 82 defensive snaps against Oregon despite lining up mostly at the nickel spot.

The performance earned him the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Week award on Monday.

While Mathieu said he appreciates the accolades, he recognizes the season is still young.

"Everybody's congratulating us [since the Oregon game], and telling us they had faith," he said. "That's good, and I'm happy with those awards, but none of them help us win games. We have a target on our back now. That's why it's a team sport, because my teammates got my back."

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Conact Chris Abshire at cabshire@lsureveille.com