Auburn wide receiver Ricardo Louis is entering his final year on the plains, and he’s hoping to use the season to prove himself as an all-around threat on the outside and not just a big-play, big-risk athlete in Gus Malzahn’s offense.

Louis was the man on the receiving end of the Prayer in Jordan-Hare against Georgia two seasons ago, and he hauled in a 66-yard touchdown in last year’s Outback Bowl before Auburn fell in overtime. He’s made big plays throughout his career, and is one of few players in the SEC capable of changing a game at any time with the ball in his hands.

However, he’s also been plagued by drops throughout his career. For all the excitement he brings as a deep threat and one of Malzahn’s top rushing options on reverses and sweeps, he’s struggled to maintain consistency at the receiver position, which has kept his role in the offense limited despite his physical gifts.

Consistency is a word Louis has used often since the end of last season when talking with coaches and the media. It’s consistency that he believes will allow him to be an every-down player as a senior, and with strong-armed quarterback Jeremy Johnson taking the reins of the offense, there’s reason to believe Auburn’s passing game will be far more exciting than it was in either of the last two seasons with Nick Marshall quarterbacking the team.

There are many who still believe Louis’ upside can take him as far as the Tigers’ starting lineup, where he can replace departed deep threat Sammie Coates on the outside opposite D’haquille Williams. Louis certainly has the speed to stretch the field; that’s one thing the entire SEC has been made aware of.

But can he run crisper routes, tighten his breaks and eliminate costly drops? More importantly, can he do all those things consistently? The answer to that question will determine the success of his senior year.

“He’s really trying to emerge as a guy we can consistently throw the ball down to the field (to),” Malzahn said of Louis to AL.com earlier this spring. “Everybody has seen that he’s got running back skills in the backfield, but we’re going to really work hard on the down-the-field consistency playing receiver. I know Coach Craig is working extremely hard with him on that.”

Louis reportedly took to the film room in the days after the Tigers’ bowl loss and spent weeks studying his game and the role he can play in the offense in 2015. He then reportedly made a list of everything he needs to work on this spring, and brought the list to wide receivers coach Dameyune Craig (the coached referenced in the Malzahn quote above).

It’s the little things, like cleaner breaks and crisper routes, that will elevate Louis from exciting playmaker to consistent threat with a larger impact on wins and losses. That’s what Louis wants. That’s what Auburn wants for Louis. Heck, with Coates on his way to the pros and a new quarterback taking over the offense it might be what Auburn needs from Louis.

Offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee knows Louis is a player who can make a steady impact on games with his speed and athleticism. He’s seen him do it in spurts the last two seasons, but he’s seen the Tigers get burned on some critical Louis mistakes. Nevertheless, the Tigers’ OC never lost faith in his senior playmaker.

“Right now, he runs probably as good as anybody on our football team,” Lashlee said. “He’s just a very talented athlete.

“I think Ricardo, he can still be an all-around, well-rounded receiver,” Lashlee added in an interview with AL.com at another point during the spring. “He’s someone you really hope just explodes and has that senior year you’re looking for.”

That’s the goal. That’s the focus for Louis as he looks ahead to the most important football season in his young life. His collegiate legacy hangs in the balance alongside his NFL future and Auburn’s chances of winning a second SEC title in three years. Louis has already said multiple times that he’s not putting added pressure on himself or succumbing to the pressure of expectations.

But he is setting higher expectations for himself than ever before. Louis doesn’t want to just be exciting. He wants to be consistent, and he wants to make an impact for his team before his time at Auburn is up.

And he absolutely believes he can.

“Everything they have me do, I can do it,” Louis said following a practice earlier this spring. “Nothing is really new, but I just want to be more consistent.”