Quarterbacks on championship teams are always fondly remembered, and Matt Mauck,  the starting quarterback on LSU's 2003 National Championship team, is no exception.

A native of Jasper, Indiana, Mauck was a two-sport star at Jasper High School, who committed to play college football for Nick Saban at Michigan St., before electing to accept a professional baseball contract with the Chicago Cubs.

After playing four years of minor league baseball with the Cubs' organization, in which he hit a .228 with 12 home runs and 107 runs batted in from 1997-2000, Mauck returned to football, signing  to play with LSU, with the man who originally recruited him at Michigan St., Saban, who took the head coaching position at LSU.

 

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
loading...

 

In his first year of college football, in 2000, at the age of 22, Mauck had limited playing time, appearing in three games, completing 18-of-41 passes for 224 yards, along with no touchdowns and two interceptions, for an LSU team that went 10-3, including a win over Illinois in the Sugar Bowl, with Rohan Davey running the team behind center.

 

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images).
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images).
loading...

 

In 2002, Mauck began the year as the starting quarterback, but suffered a foot injury midway through the season and was limited to six games, completing 63-of-130 passes for 782 yards, along with nine touchdowns and two interceptions, while helping the Tigers to an overall record of 8-5, including a berth in the Cotton Bowl.

2003 was a special year for LSU football, as the Tigers won the 2003 BCS National Championship, defeating Oklahoma, 21-14, in the Sugar Bowl, and Mauck was just one of the major reasons why. The junior threw for 2,825 yards and 28 touchdowns, while running for another 97 yards and one score.

 

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
loading...

 

The 6-foot-2, 220-pound Mauck led the SEC in both completion percentage (64.0%) and passing efficiency (148.2) in 2003, while finishing second in total touchdowns (29).

Over his three-year LSU career, Mauck threw 3,831 yards and 37 touchdowns, while being intercepted only 18 times.

 

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
loading...

 

The Denver Broncos selected Mauck in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft, with the 225th-overall pick, after Mauck elected to forgo his senior campaign.

Although he made the roster, Mauck did not appear in any games in 2004 with the Broncos, and moved on to the Tennessee Titans in 2005, where he played in two games, completing 15-of-27 passes for 136 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.

That turned out to be the extent of Mauck's NFL career, and he has since become a dentist in the state of Colorado.

Below, watch Mauck and LSU take on Oklahoma, for the 2003 BCS National Championship, in the Sugar Bowl, played on January 4, 2004.

 

 

loading...

More From 103.3 The GOAT