Good al.kumacopypasta read on Mr. Louis. I thought he'd be someone who really kicked bootay as a freshminz. Great size and speed for that position. Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of showing out by anyone last year. Would love to see this guy become da' man this year.
Ricardo Louis was one of the most talked-about newcomers last fall.
His teammates saw a spark, an extra something about the speedy receiver out of Miami, Fla., that made them pay attention. It didn't necessarily translate into an eye-opening season, though he did catch three passes for 36 yards as a true freshman.
Nearly one year later, the same chatter is rising through the Auburn ranks. Is this the year for the 6-foot-2, 217-pound Louis, a four-star prospect out of high school, to make his name heard in spring and fall camp, and also in SEC games next season?
"Right now, nobody is starting, nobody has a specific position," Louis said of the wide-open competition. "I’m just working, learning the offense right now."
Louis was the first name mentioned by offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee last week when he rattled off a few names at receiver.
"You definitely look at a guy like Ricardo Louis, who has loads of talent," Lashlee said. "He just needs the reps."
That's the good news for Louis, who is among a group of five scholarship receivers competing for playing time in spring practices. The Tigers' top three receivers from last season are gone, and with it comes plenty of uncertainty but one repeating factor that keeps Louis hopeful for his sophomore season.
Seemingly everywhere Gus Malzahn takes his hurry-up, no-huddle offense, at least one receiver jumps out of nowhere in their first year in the system. Last year it was J.D. McKissic, a Phenix City native, at Arkansas State. He led the team with 103 catches for 1,022 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman.
Ricardo Louis thinks he can be a deep threat in Auburn's offense. Heading into his sophomore season, Ricardo Louis has turned heads in practice with his athleticism, and he thinks he can be a deep threat in the hurry-up, no-huddle offense. And who can forget Darvin Adams? He set the school's single-season record with 60 catches in Malzahn's first season as Auburn's offensive coordinator. Those catches went for 997 yards, a drastic improvement from the 18 yards he recorded as a freshman in 2008.
"I feel whoever works the hardest will get that job," Louis said. "It depends on who is going to work the hardest, who can make plays. Right now I'm not sure."
Louis quantifies his statement, adding that he's one of the hardest working receivers on the team. "But you never know," he said.
He spends extra time away from the practice field running cone drills. He's also trying to improve his hand-eye coordination by throwing tennis balls off walls around campus, and quarterback Jonathan Wallace sticks around after practice to throw a few passes to the eager sophomore.
Whether the extra work results in a spot in the rotation remains to be seen, especially with Quan Bray, Trovon Reed, Sammie Coates, Jaylon Denson and Melvin Ray on the roster.
"All of the receivers are going to be rotating a lot," Louis said. "Nobody knows what position they're really going to be playing in, so we're moving around and seeing who can do this and who can do that."
Louis believes he could stretch the field at receiver, providing a vertical threat the Tigers so desperately needed in 2012. "I think I can bring that with my speed, and the way I run my routes. I think I can stretch the field and make a play," he said.
Louis is also working with the return specialists on kickoffs. He returned two kicks against Alabama in the Iron Bowl last season for 37 yards. "I had some jitters," he said. His first kick return in high school resulted in an 80-yard touchdown.
Auburn will time receivers in the 40-yard dash soon, Louis said. He believes he can run a 4.3.
"I’ve come a far way," Louis said. "Just with offseason workouts with coach (Ryan) Russell by myself, going out and doing cone drills with the rest of the wideouts. I think I’ve come a long way, and getting in shape, getting faster."
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