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His name sticks out on LSU’s football roster because it’s the only one without a hyperlink.
If you hover your mouse over No. 24 Chris Sciambra, you see his headshot, replete with a baseball cap.
That’s because, until August, Sciambra was an outfielder for LSU, and nothing more. Now he’s a placekicker as well, joining outfielder/quarterback Jared Foster, a walk-on who happens to be the team’s third-string signal-caller behind Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris.
Sciambra would theoretically be #LSU's third FG kicker and third/fourth kickoff man. He'd, obvi, need a lot to happen to see the field.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 3, 2014
Sciambra tried out with #LSU SPT coach Bradley Dale Peveto during August and made the team. He didn't travel to Houston.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 3, 2014
Sciambra, a Baton Rouge native, kicked at Catholic High. He booted 34 of his 50 kickoffs as touchbacks. #LSU
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) September 3, 2014
Sciambra may never take the field for the LSU football team. I don’t know him, but it seems safe to say the guy loves to play football. He’s already a big-time athlete for the Tigers — the baseball team always is one of the best in the country — so it’s not as if he needs “tag-along kicker” status to boost his credibility on campus.
Even as a backup to the backup as a placekicker, going to practice every day and training takes time. There’s a reason — outside of Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and the occasional track star, like Alabama freshman Marlon Humphrey — you don’t see many football players doubling up sports.
Kudos to you for the effort, Sciambra. You’re no scrub, obviously, based on your high school stats. Hopefully you can work your way onto the field at some point.
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
