Andre Fuller IS Ready... Neville, Monroe LA... Andre Fuller - TopicsExpress

Andre Fuller IS Ready... Neville, Monroe LA... Andre Fuller wants one thing to be known to the world of Louisiana football — he’s not John Diarse. He’s not the 2012 Mr. Football winner, nor is he the returning 4A offensive MVP. His name is Andre Fuller and he plays quarterback for Neville, but to him, the comparisons begin and end there. “John is John. I’m me. I’m going to play my game,” said Fuller, who will take over for Diarse this season for Neville after spending time at wide receiver and defensive back during the previous two years. “For one, he’s right-handed. I’m left-handed.” The 6-foot, 190-pound Fuller took over the reins in the spring and has run with them ever since. He had an impressive offseason and now heads into the season opener as one of Neville’s main threats on offense. Not only does the senior want to be his own person, but even his teammates agree, especially defensive back Laurence “Hootie” Jones, who is familiar with the spotlight and scrutiny himself as one of the top recruits in the state. “To me, I think it’s probably a little bit difficult and frustrating at times because people want him to play like John played. But I mean they can’t expect that from somebody else,” Jones said. “They should let the player filling his spot play just like they are and not hold him up to expectations like they did to John.” It’s apparent Neville may have a hard time replacing both Diarse’s on-field production and leadership abilities. Diarse, who is a freshman wide receiver at LSU, combined for 3,012 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2012, including 133 passing yards, 151 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the 4A title game against Edna Karr. That’s not to say Fuller can’t mimic what Diarse did, but this will be Fuller’s first season as the starter. While Fuller has taken reps as the backup since his sophomore year, Diarse was the benefactor of a wealth of experience under his belt. “Really there’s a lot of similarities between the two players,” Neville coach Mickey McCarty said. “Maybe the biggest difference is John was able to play the position for three years and Andre was able to play it for one. The growing pains John went through as a sophomore playing quarterback, Andre doesn’t have that luxury.” But this isn’t the NFL. Players come and go and stars need to be replaced eventually, whether that’s after four years or after one year. And despite all the comparisons, McCarty believes Fuller is ready to escape the shadow as Diarse’s replacement. “I do think he’s ready to do just that. Any time you’re coming behind a great player or athlete, you get comparisons and so forth,” McCarty said. “It’s like playing behind a big brother if you’re the little brother. It’s just the nature of growing through it and heck, we’re proud (Andre’s) coming behind a great one.” Like Diarse, Fuller brings the same dual-threat element to Neville’s offense. He has an easy-flowing delivery and has spent time at practice throwing on the move, either to his natural left side or to the right. The rapport with his receivers is growing and there is an expected learning curve, especially since Fuller himself was the leading receiver in 2012 when he grabbed 26 passes for 430 yards and six touchdowns. His main target this season is slot receiver Kavonte Turpin, who had 23 catches for a team-leading 550 yards. Fuller’s experience at receiver and in the secondary should help, too. “Actually playing defense and receiver helps me at quarterback because I have a general idea what the defense is going to do and where the receiver is going to be from playing both those positions,” Fuller said. And while Fuller’s production on the field officially must wait until Neville opens the season Sept. 6 against Ruston, it’s not like this season is going to make or break him. He’s already received offers from ULM, Arkansas State and McNeese State and could pick up bigger offers as the season progresses. “I’m just going to do be me and do what I do best and play football,” he said.