We talked with WWL’s ‘’Cajun Cannon’’ Bobby Hebert following the news that LSU Coach Les Miles has kicked defensive back Tyrann Mathieu off the Tigers football team.

Q: Bobby, what was your first reaction when you heard the news about Tyrann Mathieu getting booted from the Tigers?

Well, from the individual perspective, it’s a shame, because you’ve got a guy who can better his life going forward, at the professional level, to actually get paid big money at the pro level.  So, he probably cost himself millions.  He’ll still have an opportunity to play at the next level, but c’mon…you have to know better than that!  

From LSU’s standpoint, you know… I don’t think he’s one of the best cover corners.  But I think if they were lacking as far as depth, it was at the corner position.  Realistically, they probably wanted to put him at safety, so he could roam and make more plays.  I don’t think LSU has too many weaknesses, but I think they were obviously counting on Tyrann Mathieu at that cornerback position.

Q: What advice would you give Mathieu if you could talk to him today?

I don’t think he needs to go straight to the NFL right now, he’s still got some growing up to do, especially from an emotional standpoint, and the responsibility for being a public figure, and he IS a public figure…especially given how we put dominant football players on a pedestal.  He needs to find a place to get his life right.  He’ll probably go play on some other team this fall, like Ryan Perriloux did.  It happens…I mean, you don’t see it often with a dominant player like Mathieu, but you see players transferring to Division I-AA schools. 

He’ll probably end up someone like Janoris Jenkins, who got kicked out of Florida.  He was an All-American who got booted from the Gators and went to North Alabama, and was still drafted in the early 2nd round by the Rams, and he might end up starting this year for the Rams.  But if he wouldn’t have gotten kicked off Florida, he would have been for sure a top-15 pick, rather than the 2nd round. 

It will be interesting to see where Tyrann Mathieu ends up, but you know he still wants to play football…and probably after this season, that’s when he’ll be ready to move on to the NFL.

Q: Does the loss of Matheiu hurt LSU’s chances for a national title?

Well, he’s a dominant player.  I mean, just look at the defensive scores, his disruptive plays he had last year to help LSU to win.  I think LSU is still a winning team without him, they’re that talented.  But a lot of things have to go your way to win a national championship, and this could definitely hinder them.  I think that with the depth and experience they have, they’re still in the hunt, and they have a chance. 

But when you lose an impact player like Tyrann Mathieu, it has to affect your team.  Just look at the plays he’s made in an LSU uniform, changing the tempo of a game.  

He’s got issues and he needs to get his life right.  I don’t know why he was kicked off the team, but it just shows you that a lot of the narcissistic tendencies of these players…and society in general, with all this Tweeting and stuff.  Just be humble and play, and you’re going to be rewarded.  That’s what’s frustrating to me.

Photo credit:  LSU Athletics / LSUSports.net