Perfecting his craft

AUBURN, Ala. | Dameyune CraigClick [rl]Here to view this Link. asked his receivers to catch 100 balls everyday during the offseason. Ricardo LouisClick [rl]Here to view this Link. caught more.

"In the summer time you have class, meetings and whatever you want to do, and I took that time to get better, getting on the Jugs and perfecting my craft," Louis said.

It's already paid big dividends. Louis leads Auburn with 19 catches for 193 yards and one touchdown. He's also rushed 11 times for 47 yards and another touchdown.

More importantly, Louis has become a more complete receiver and has gotten past the dropped passes that have plagued him at times during his career.

"Sometimes being a senior and it being your last time motivates you," offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee said. "He worked really hard. He's a guy after practice everyday, he's on the jugs machine catching extra balls. He's probably the last guy off the field.

"I think it's important to him, and then you put a guy in a different role maybe he hasn't been in and go to him more in those clutch situations, that gives them confidence to make a few plays. I've been proud of him."

Louis has stepped up his play despite a string of nagging injuries. A toe injury in the spring kept him from running for much of the summer. He's been slowed by leg and back injuries this fall.

"I've been going to treatment everyday in the morning to get back right. I need to get back healthy because we're about to get back in the grind," Louis said. "I'm probably like 90 percent and I want to be 110 percent come the next couple of weeks."

The injuries limited Louis to just three catches for 16 yards combined against LSU and Mississippi State, but he bounced back for three receptions for 47 yards against San Jose State including a key 31-yard catch late in the first half to set up a touchdown.

"He's a one of our guys that is an explosive playmaker in a bunch of different ways," Lashlee said. "We missed having him out there the last couple of weeks so it was good to see him make a few impact plays. Being a senior, I think he knows it is his last go-around so he wants to be out there and this bye week comes at a great time for guys like him."

It wasn't pretty by any means but Louis believes Auburn's 35-21 win over the Spartans is a big confidence boost for the team.

"We needed the great feeling back of winning and making plays, being explosive," he said. "To come out with a win, it feels great, and it gives us great confidence moving forward."