▁After ▁originally ▁signing ▁with ▁L SU ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁he ▁spent ▁two ▁seasons ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁prison ▁guard ▁at ▁a ▁correction al ▁facility ▁near ▁his ▁h omet own ▁of ▁Mark sv ille ▁while ▁working ▁to ▁improve ▁his ▁A CT ▁score ▁to ▁become ▁el ig ible ▁to ▁play . ▁ ▁He ▁first ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁Tig ers ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁appeared ▁in ▁nine ▁games ▁as ▁a ▁fresh man , ▁recording ▁ 2 2 ▁tack les ▁and ▁one ▁quarter back ▁s ack . ▁ ▁While ▁at ▁L SU , ▁he ▁major ed ▁in ▁general ▁studies . ▁ ▁L aval ais ▁started ▁in ▁ 4 1 ▁of ▁ 4 7 ▁games ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁appeared ▁for ▁L SU ▁and ▁registered ▁ 2 0 2 ▁tack les , ▁ 1 2 ▁s acks , ▁ 1 0 ▁passes ▁def ensed , ▁one ▁f umble ▁recovery , ▁one ▁inter ception ▁and ▁one ▁blocked ▁kick . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁first - team ▁All - S out he astern ▁Conference ▁( SE C ) ▁selection ▁and ▁a ▁cons ensus ▁first - team ▁All - American ▁after ▁starting ▁every ▁game ▁as ▁a ▁senior . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁named ▁National ▁Def ensive ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁by ▁The ▁Sport ing ▁News . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁senior ▁season , ▁the ▁Tig ers ▁won ▁the ▁SE C ▁Championship ▁and ▁defeated ▁the ▁Oklahoma ▁So on ers ▁ 2 1 – 1 4 ▁in ▁the ▁Sug ar ▁Bowl ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁B CS ▁National ▁Championship