Hatch tries o step in as LSU QB

In the 2001 SEC championship football game, LSU fans thought the Tigers were doomed when quarterback Rohan Davey was injured. But Matt Mauck, a 22-year old freshman, came off the bench to lead LSU to a 31-20 victory over Tennessee. Two years later Mauck, a former professional baseball player, guided the Tigers to a BCS national championship.

When quarterback JaMarcus Russell, the NFL’s No. 1 draft choice, left after the 2006 season, LSU was supposed to take a step back in 2007. But behind senior Matt Flynn LSU went 12-2 and beat Ohio State 38-24 in the BCS championship game.

So it probably isn’t wise to assume that LSU is in big trouble this season simply because projected starter Ryan Perrilloux was kicked off the team last spring. History says the Tigers will find somebody to play the position and play it well.

“What we have determined is that for this team, we need someone to manage the game, make good decisions and keep mistakes to a minimum,” head coach Les Miles said. “The person who does that will be the person who plays.”

With LSU’s opener against Appalachian State on Saturday, that person appears to be Andrew Hatch, a red-shirt sophomore from Henderson, Nev.

“All I know is that I have a tremendous opportunity here at LSU,” said Hatch, who turned 22 on July 18. “But it is up to me to take advantage of it.”

Like Mauck and Flynn, Hatch arrived at LSU with a compelling story. A former star of Gary Crowton’s quarterback camp at BYU, Hatch was ready to sign with the Cougars after his senior season at Cimmaron-Memorial High School in 2004. But in December of that year Crowton was forced to resign as head coach at BYU with a four-year record of 26-23. Hatch decided to go in a different direction and enrolled at Harvard.

“I was fortunate enough to have the grades and Harvard had been recruiting me,” Hatch said. “When BYU didn’t work out I just decided that Harvard was a good fit.”

Hatch played on the Harvard junior varsity as a freshman and then left for a Mormon mission in Chile.

“My plan was to be gone for two years, which is the length of the average mission, and then return to Harvard,” Hatch said.

But fate stepped in and changed Hatch’s plans. Hatch was about five months into his mission when he suffered a knee injury in a pick-up soccer game.

“I didn’t know how bad it was so I went about two more months thinking it would get better,” Hatch said.

But the knee didn’t get better Hatch was soon on a plane back home to have surgery.

“I was bummed,” Hatch said. “I couldn’t play football. I couldn’t complete my mission and I had to stay home to rehab my knee. I didn’t know what was going to happen.”

But Hatch’s parents, Wendell and Julie, had stayed in touch with Crowton, who in 2007 became the offensive coordinator at LSU, replacing Jimbo Fisher who had gone to Florida State. Crowton invited Hatch to enroll at LSU and walk on.

“I jumped on it,” Hatch said. “LSU has just lost JaMarcus Russell and I thought there would be an opportunity there.”

Hatch played in only one game last season as Flynn became the starter and was backed up by Perrilloux. Because of shoulder problems he received a medical redshirt and still has three years of eligibility remaining.

Going into fall camp Hatch was competing with red-shirt freshman Jarrett Lee and highly-recruited true freshman Jordan Jefferson for the starting job. Miles has said that he will not name a starter until just before Saturday’s game with Appalachian State. But Hatch has gotten high marks because of his knowledge of Crowton’s offense and his ability to get the ball to LSU’s talented playmakers.

“Matt (Flynn) is the role model,” Hatch said. “Matt wasn’t flashy. He just knew how to win and how to manage a game. We have a lot of really good players on this offense. My job is to simply give them a chance to show what they can do.”

If everybody stays healthy, LSU will have three All-Americans on the offensive line in center Brett Helms (6-foot-2, 270), left guard Herman Johnson (6-7, 356), and left tackle Ciron Black (6-5, 320). Some are saying this could be the best line in school history. The Tigers go four deep in great running backs and are loaded again at wide receiver, led by senior Demetrius Byrd and junior Brandon LaFell.

The schedule is not easy. The Tigers have to travel to Auburn and Florida. No. 1 Georgia comes to Baton Rouge on Oct. 25.

“Coach Crowton prepares us well and all we have to do is execute the offense,” Hatch said. “Last year was great. I’ve never been though anything like it. But this team has a chance to be special, too. I know our guys are excited about it.”

THE ANDREW HATCH FILE

• Born: July 18, 1986

• Hometown: Henderson, NV

• High school: Cimarron-Memorial

• Personal: Played his freshman season (2005) at Harvard where he was a quarterback for the junior varsity team. … A Mormon, Hatch left in 2006 for a two-year mission trip in Chile. Injured his knee playing soccer just five months into the trip and returned home for surgery.

Career highlights: Originally signed with BYU after being recruited by head coach Gary Crowton. When Crowton was forced to resign, Hatch went to Harvard. He then enrolled at LSU when Crowton become offensive coordinator for the Tigers. He played in only one game last season in mop-up duty against Middle Tennessee. Was granted a medical redshirt due to a shoulder injury. Has three years of eligibility remaining.