Tulane's Ricard Named Louisiana Newcomer of the Year
Dec 14, 2004 | Football
Dec. 14, 2004
NEW ORLEANS - Tulane quarterback Lester Ricard was named the Louisiana Newcomer of the Year, while Green Wave wide receiver Roydell Williams and linebacker Anthony Cannon were named to the first team All-Louisiana squad for the second consecutive year Monday by the Louisiana Sportswriter's Association.
In addition, punter Chris Beckman and kick return man Fred Smith were named to the state's second team while offensive lineman Chris McGee was an honorable mention selection. The teams were selected by a panel of LSWA members from across the state.
Ricard, a sophomore from Amite, La., completed 62 percent (143-of-231) of his passes for 1,881 yards and 21 touchdowns on the season before breaking his wrist in the Army game and missing the final two games of the year. Ricard set a pair of noteworthy records in compiling his statistics in 2004, throwing a school-record six touchdown passes in Tulane's 59-55 win over UAB in October, and then completing 95 percent (18-of-19) of his passes in the Green Wave's upset victory over Navy to establish a new single-game school mark. His 417 passing yards, on 36-of-49 passing, versus UAB were the fourth-highest total ever at Tulane while the 36 completions tied for second all-time. Ricard could not miss against a 7-1 Navy team as his 18-of-19 day, including a string of 14 straight completions, included four TD passes and 323 yards.
Cannon and Williams picked up first team All-Louisiana honors for the second straight year after stellar seasons as the Green Wave's leaders on defense and offense, respectively. Cannon compiled more than 100 tackles for the third straight season while leading Tulane in stops with 107 and in quarterback sacks with four. He led Tulane in tackles in six games and ranked fourth in Conference USA in that category. The junior from Stone Mountain, Ga., was the only underclassman to serve as a team captain in 2004.
Williams also earned All-Louisiana honors in back-to-back seasons after leading Tulane in receiving with 52 catches for 826 yards and 12 touchdowns. The senior from LaPlace, La. set the Conference USA and Tulane school records for career touchdown catches with 35 during his stellar four-year career. He caught at least one touchdown pass in seven of Tulane's last eight games and totalled four 100-yard receiving games on the season. He ranks in the Tulane top three in every receiving category.
Beckman was a first team All-Conference USA selection at punter after leading the league in that category with a 42.7-yard punting average. The sophomore from Grenada, Miss., placed 18 punts inside the 20 yards line and saw just two of his 52 punts on the season go into the end zone. Smith ranked second in the league in punt returns with an 11.6-yard average in 2004. His returns included a 75-yard effort for a touchdown against UAB.
The Green Wave, which featured just 10 seniors in 2004, won four of their last six games and claimed three upset victories during the season to finish at 5-6 on the year.
-- Roll Wave --
