College football programs develop reputations over time. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the LSU Tigers are known for their impeccable atmosphere, their fans' passion, and their defensive backs. They're also famously known for their up-and-down quarterback play.
Student-athletes are supposed to be successful not only on the field, but in the classroom as well, and there is no better example than former LSU quarterback Chad Loup. In the annals of LSU history, he is known as the guy who lost his starting job to Jamie Howard.
Let's delve into the career of Chad Loup, from his early days in Baton Rouge to his achievements both on and off the football field.
Early Life and High School Career
A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Loup was a three-sport star at University Lab High School, where he lettered in football, basketball, and track. During his prep football career, Loup threw for 7,271 yards and 75 touchdowns, while running for another 924 yards and 33 scores. In 1998, while guiding University Lab to 13-straight victories and the Class A state title, Loup was named a Parade All-American and the Class A Offensive Player of the Year.
A member of the National Honor Society, Loup was also an All-Parish punter with a career average of 43.8 yards per kick.
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Tiger Stadium, Louisiana State University
College Football at LSU
After an extremely successful high school career, Loup elected to play his college football at LSU and was part of the Tigers' 1989 recruiting class. After redshirting in 1989, Loup played in ten games his freshman year of 1990, starting six. He completed the season completing 75-of-141 passes for 975 yards, along with three touchdowns and four interceptions, while ranking 11th in the SEC in total offense, as the Tigers finished 5-6 under the direction of head coach Mike Archer.
In 1991, Loup played in nine games, starting six as a sophomore, completing 102-of-174 passes for 1,181, along with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. He ranked fourth in the SEC in passing efficiency (123.51) and tied for 41st in the nation, and finished third in the SEC in passing touchdowns, while helping LSU to an overall record of 5-6 under first-year head coach Curley Hallman.
Loup saw his playing time drop as a junior in 1992, playing in five games, while starting four. That year, he completed 35-of-61 passes for 328 yards, along with one touchdown and three interceptions as the back-up to Jamie Howard, while the Tigers struggled to a 2-9 finish.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Loup was again a back-up in his senior season of 1993, but did see action in 11 games, with one start. He ended the year completing 55-of-92 passes for 683 yards, along with two touchdowns and four interceptions. During his senior campaign, Loup became, at the time, the fifth-leading passer in school history.
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Over his four-year LSU career, Loup threw 3,167 yards and 15 touchdowns, while being intercepted 19 times.
It’s a bit unfair, but if we want to follow the trajectory of the nadir of LSU football, it pretty much started when Tommy Hodson left campus and Loup took over the job… poorly, I may add. Loup never managed to seize the starting job for a full season, but he started at least one game in all four years. He is either the greatest backup quarterback in school history or the worst starter, depending on what mood you’re in. He never could seize control of the team, and things just kept getting worse during his tenure.
“We were one of the few classes to actually never go to a bowl game. If you think about it now, that sounds wild now with LSU’s success, but it was a great experience," said, Chad Loup, a Baton Rouge native, who played quarterback for LSU from 1990 to 1993.
“But I think all of us think about it, we were wishing to come to LSU, and compete for SEC and national championships, obviously our time was different, but it was an amazing experience. (I) met a lot of great people. Played with a lot of great players, great guys, friends for life. Now if you go in the bookstore, and you look for books about the history of LSU football from 90 to 95, there was nothing. The truth hurts, I guess,” Loup explained.
“We wish it could have been full, sometimes it would start full and kind of emptied out,” Loup said.
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“That was the best feeling hearing how quiet Bryant Denny was when we beat them,” Loup said of LSU’s road upset of No. 5 Alabama on Nov. 6, ,1993.
“Before that game, Kevin had all the seniors up and said I have a weird feeling about this game. I think we’re going to win. It was a great day for LSU that was huge. I mean you saw what happened this year, LSU goes to Alabama beats them, and you saw how gratifying it was for the university for Coach O and the team. It’s always been like Alabama set the benchmark of college football, and when you go in there and knock them off it’s a great feeling,” Loup explained.
Another memorable game, was when No. 1 Florida State under coach Bobby Bowden came to Tiger Stadium on Oct. 26, 1991. LSU led in the fourth quarter the game, but Florida State was able to pull out the win late in the game.
“That’s the one we threw the hitch and go on Terrell Muckley because we knew he was going to bite," Loup says to Kinchen.
“Think we were up into the fourth quarter weren’t we? (I) Really thought we had a chance to beat them Unfortunately it started raining and amp lee kinda kicked it in that last quarter and they won. You look at those years we were 5-6 you look at some of those plays go another day we could’ve had 7 or 8 wins," Loup explained.
“And knowing we’re part of that is pretty neat,” Loup said.
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Transition to Medicine
Dr. Loup earned his Bachelor of Science in Microbiology at Louisiana State University. He went on to earn his Doctor of Medicine at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans. Dr. Loup completed his internship at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY, and his residency at the University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile, AL.
Dr. Chad Loup, MD
Community Involvement
Outside of the clinic, he serves as the Team Physician for Dutchtown High School and is passionate about promoting fitness and wellness in his community. Whether it’s addressing sports injuries, degenerative joint diseases, or complex fractures, Dr.
“You think about where you came from, then you think about today and you have to humble yourself. It’s like let them be great and I’ll just sit back and be proud of what we built and started to set years ago,” Jacob said.
“I’m proud of LSU in the way that they’re constantly striving for excellence, and now we’re here with a Heisman Trophy, and a National Championship game (appearance) again,” Kinchen said.
“These guys will tell you, we were coached up we were setting the foundation for something amazing. (I) didn’t know it was going to take this long but it’s nice to see. And we’re all part of it it’s gratifying. Go back as far as you want to, SEC Championship, we’re walking in the tunnel after the game is over, and I put my hand on Coach OP and said ‘way to go champ’ and he turns to me and says ‘that’s for everybody whoever wore that purple and gold.’ And I had to fight back because nobody wants a crybaby bodyguard. That choked me up pretty good," Madden said.
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