HELPING HAND—Southeastern tailback Jay Lucas (20) gets the edge with the help of blocking back Brock DeLong (44), who is about to take out Northwestern State safety Gary Riggs during Saturday’s 26-21 Lions victory in Strawberry Stadium. Photo by John Lenz

Southeastern tailback Jay Lucas just smiles when someone mentions the 31 carries rival running back Byron Lawrence of Northwestern State had gotten two weeks ago against Nicholls State.

Seriously, what running back doesn't want the rock that many times? Lucas isn't getting used that way so far this season, but it's a testament to his maturity that there's a bigger picture to be seen.

“I’m being much more of a team player this year rather than being an individual,” Lucas said after running away to his biggest game of the season in last Saturday's 26-21 victory over Lawrence's Demons. “We have to be more of a family, not worry about your individual things, but worry about the team.”

Lucas carried 19 times against the Demons for 120 yards and a 6.3 yards per carry average. In addition, he had four receptions for 91 yards — a total of 23 touches for 211 yards.

That was three fewer touches than Lawrence got carries for the Demons, and it was the second-most carries and third-most touches Lucas has had in a game so far.

But while Lucas stands only fifth in the SLC in rushing, don't try to sell acting head coach Tommy Condell on the notion that Lucas is not having a quality season.

As Condell points out, there's more to being a premier back than just what he does with the ball. By Condell's estimation, even the best backs touch the football on only about 20 percent of the plays. It's that other 80 percent, Condell says, that sets Lucas apart.

“He's playing 80 percent without the ball, and he's got to be a good football player without the ball,” Condell said. “He's done a tremendous job, things that maybe go unnoticed, but don't go unnoticed in that (offensive meeting).

“Jay has done a tremendous job on the other things playing without the ball, let it be a simple thing like (carrying out) a fake, or a simple thing like picking up a blitzing linebacker, using him sometimes as a disguise in some way.”

The key to understanding Lucas’ value, Condell said, is what other teams are doing to take him out of the offense — and the opportunities that creates for others.

“A lot of teams are going to play those fronts to stop him, and it wouldn't be smart coaching if we kept banging our head against the wall,” Condell said. “It wouldn't behoove us to run the football when teams are up there with a nine-man front or an eight-man front.”

In Condell's mind, it doesn't matter whether it gets done via the pass or via the run — just so long as it gets done. And that means being able to take advantage of what's available.

“‘Balance’, to me, is if we have to throw the football 60 times, we're going to do that if that's what we think it's going to take to win the football game,” Condell said. “Maybe at the end of the year you look at the statistics and you'll see (balance), but probably game to game, sometimes it's a little bit different.

“Sometimes you need to stretch some people vertically and horizontally with the pass and then be able to crack ’em up the middle with the run. You have to go in with a game plan, see their adjustments and what they're trying to get accomplished defensively, and then you kind of go from there.”

Condell was just happy to see Lucas respond Saturday in a couple of areas that needed attention.

“He really attacked the line of scrimmage,” Condell said. “There was no hesitation in him, and I thought that was good.

“And the other thing is, no player is worth turnovers, and everyone understands that now. I think his ball security has improved as the weeks progressed, and he's gotten many more opportunities.”