By Chris Quebedeaux

SPORTS EDITOR

CROWLEY – For most Louisiana High School football players, suiting up in the Purple and Gold and playing for LSU is a simply a dream.

For Notre Dame standout linebacker Seth Fruge, it is a lofty, but achievable goal.

“Playing for LSU was something that I always wanted to do,” said Fruge. “Everybody told me I never could do it and I never could make it there so I made it a goal to work towards.”

Fruge’s high standards and hard work have paid off.

The 6-foot-0, 200-pound Class AAA All-State selection is headed to Baton Rouge as a preferred walk-on.

“This is a big opportunity for me,” said Fruge. “I went up there (Baton Rouge) last week on my official visit and everything is just amazing. It’s just a great experience to be around the coaches and the atmosphere of LSU football.”

Although Fruge was locked on the idea of attending LSU, he did make an official visit to Northwestern State two weeks ago. Coach Bradley Dale Peveto, a former LSU assistant who recruited Fruge while with the Tigers, is now the head coach of the Demons.

“I had offers from just about every school in the state but I knew where I was going from the beginning,” said Fruge. “I made an official visit to Northwestern because coach Peveto and I had become real close while he was at LSU. I know a lot of the coaches there also so it made it tough on me. On one side I had the place of my dreams and the other, I had a bunch of guys I knew really well and they are great coaches.”

But of course, the dream school won out.

“LSU pretty much treated Seth like a prospect that they were going to sign,” said Notre Dame coach Lewis Cook. “He went on an official visit, which they don’t do for that many walk-ons, he had individual meetings with the coaches. They made him feel in a way that he wasn’t just a regular walk-on. That right there was intriguing to him.”

In fact, LSU called Cook on Wednesday morning, National Signing Day, just to make sure everything was all right.

Another thing that intrigued Fruge was the opportunity to possibly get some early playing time on special teams.

“Coach Joe Robinson (special teams coordinator) talked to me about going up there and possibly playing on special teams as a freshman,” said Fruge. “I won the 200 meters in district last year so I can move for my size. That’s why they are interested in getting me on special teams early. That’s another thing that just really excites me about LSU.”

Cooks sees the potential and thinks that Fruge will earn his spot amongst one of the nation’s top recruiting classes.

“Seth has the athletic ability to play college football and to play at LSU,” said Cook. “I think his work ethic has helped him get where he is today and I don’t see that changing. He’s been pretty determined and focused on the goals that he sets. They’re not going to outwork him over there.

“He knows, and we’ve talked about it, that they are going to sign the best of the best every year. So you have to work hard and try and stay ahead of the ones coming in and he knows that. I’ve never known him to back down from a challenge.”

Fruge earned All-District, All-Acadia Parish and All-State honors as a senior. He logged 121 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in helping lead the Pios to a 13-1 season and a state runnersup finish in 2008.

Fruge plans to major in pre-med while at LSU. He is the son of John and Elizabeth Fruge of Welsh.