Breaux Bridge – Breaux Bridge High School senior Isaiah LeBlanc could be the biggest weapon on the Tigers’ offensive arsenal this season, drawing attention whether he’s getting the ball on a given play or not.
With the addition of Caynon Ardoin to the team, a standout baseball player for BBHS last year who’s been brought in to play quarterback, LeBlanc has switched back to his primary position at wide receiver. LeBlanc spent much of last year at quarterback after injuries forced the move.
“That’s our biggest weapon out there as far as the receiving corps,” Breaux Bridge head coach Tyler Pierce said. “We have Dakowen Celestine, who’s going to be a sophomore. He’s about 6-1, 6-2, a tall, lanky basketball player that can go up and get it. But Isaiah’s strength is really out there wide because he opens up the passing game to its fullest. We know the secondary is going to want to know where Isaiah is.”
It’s not something that LeBlanc shies away from.
“It’s really something that I think he embraces,” Pierce said. “He knows he’s probably going to be doubled a lot. The No. 1 thing is he’s really taken the ownership of it or the compliment of it, because when he’s doubled it has to be on those other guys. If it’s taking two (defenders) to stop one (offensive player), then the rest of the guys have to do their thing, whether it’s another receiver, whether it’s the run game. If they want to bring somebody back in the box, then they’ve got to cover that monster one-on-one. Quarterback wise, he’s going to have packages (of plays to run). It goes back to nowadays you want to be able to get the ball in his hands. If it’s a sloppy game, a rainy game, it might be tough to throw it to him.
LeBlanc is another tall, lanky receiver at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds. He led the Tigers with six receptions for 40 yards, had five carries for 20 yards and completed his only pass attempt for 5 yards against Class 5A Natchitoches Central in the team’s season opener on Sept. 5.
He expects to continue to get some snaps at quarterback in addition to playing receiver in the veer attack.
“Yes sir, that’s what we’re looking at right now,” he said. “I’ll be getting rotations in at QB as well, something like a two-QB system.”
He also will play some defensive back for the Tigers throughout the season, at safety and perhaps at cornerback.
“I just want to make sure that I’m always playing the best that I can,” LeBlanc said. “I’m making myself better, working hard. I just want to be my best self so I can help the team in every way.”
LeBlanc said the Tigers need to come together as a team and play as one to improve upon last season’s efforts.
“Personally, I just want to be able to do the best I can and help my team win,” he said. “I just want the team to win. Most definitely I want to make the playoffs.”
That means ignoring any outside noise, and having the players keep their heads down and keep grinding through a long season, he said.
“Just go out there and have fun,” he said.
Last season was a rebuilding stage, he said, and now that the team has begun developing a new culture, things should be better, he said.
