Senior Gameday Program Feature - Lucas Vincent
9/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Lucas Vincent
By Brandon Weiss, Mizzou Strategic Communications
Before Lucas Vincent could burst through offensive lines and hassle quarterbacks, he had to wait his turn.
The 6-foot-2, 305-pound defensive tackle has always been an imposing presence, but with Mizzou's ability to churn out top defensive linemen, finding the field was no easy task.
"It's a really big tradition around here and we want to keep it going," Vincent said about success in the trenches. "We call ourselves `D-Line Zou,' so we have to live up to the name."
A native of Olathe, Kansas, Vincent recorded 11 tackles in his debut 2011 season including one in the Tigers' Independence Bowl victory over North Carolina. He saw less action in 2012, though, tallying only three stops in reserve duty.
He was promoted to starter in 2013, notching 34 tackles and 1.5 sacks as he played alongside NFL Draft picks Kony Ealy and Michael Sam. His standout performances came at Georgia and Kentucky, where he totaled seven tackles, a tackle-for-loss and one forced fumble in those contests. Competing with his teammates, Vincent said, helped him become a better player.
"We're always pushing each other," Vincent said. "If you're not working hard, somebody's going to take your spot."
Another benefit that he saw from his first season as a starter was an increase in confidence.
Physically, the challenge he faced in his first year as a starter was unlike any he had to deal with previously in his career as he worked his way back from a torn pectoral muscle that he suffered in July of 2012.
"Coming back from the torn pec was a really tough time for me," he said. "I remember we were watching film of the Toledo game last year and I still wasn't fully using my left arm. It was over a year later and I still wasn't fully back."
Safe to say the senior is back now, as Vincent has been a nuisance for opposing offenses this season. Through three games he has been credited with nine tackles, including 1.5 sacks and two tackles-for-loss. He has been critical in Mizzou's run defense as he is responsible to clog the middle of the line of scrimmage.
Transitioning into his senior season, Vincent hasn't changed his approach to football. Still, for a player who began his career as a Tiger in the Big 12 and will end it in the nation's premier football conference, the SEC, he has had time to reflect on his journey.
"It's really a weird feeling going into your senior year," he said. "You know it's your last one but you don't want to believe it. My experience here has been a blessing. I sit here and think `Man, my time here at Mizzou, it's been the best time of my life.'
Coming off a 12-win season and Cotton Bowl title in 2013, the seniors have felt an obligation to keep the standards high for the Tigers as they look to continue their success. The team still has one clear goal: "We want to win the national championship. We want to go out on top."
Heading into conference play, Vincent cracks a smile as he thinks about what's awaiting him as the Tigers head to South Carolina and follow up with another divisional foe, Georgia.
"I can't wait," Vincent said. "It's going to be a blast. I loved conference play last year. So tough. So physical. Smash mouth, run the ball downhill type of football. That's my type of football. A defensive lineman's dream."
