Junior safety Lucien Antoine, known as “The Punisher,” transferred to OSU from Fort Scott Community College and is making an immediate difference in the Cowboys’ secondary. The Cowboys were last in the Big 12 in pass defense last season.
When coach Mike Gundy unveils his 2008-09 football team at Saturday’s spring game, one defensive figure might stand out to fans.
Fans will see his impact in balls jarred loose, in hits so hard they can be heard in the cheap seats, in receivers running timidly across the field because they aren’t sure where No. 31 is.
His name is Lucien Antoine, a junior safety who transferred from Fort Scott Community College, and his nickname is “The Punisher.”
Gundy said Antoine had the nickname before coming to OSU because of the punishing hits he regularly delivers to wide receivers.
“I told him we would carry that on as long as he made a big hit,” Gundy said. “He made a big hit early, so we’ve been calling him ‘The Punisher.’ I actually call him that ’cause it’s hard to pronounce his first name.”
Antoine has had a visible impact. Junior quarterback Zac Robinson joked after Friday’s scrimmage that seeing Antoine’s hits makes him want to run less.
“You see guys like Lucien out there, those guys flying around and hitting people, and it kind of raises everybody else’s awareness,” Robinson said.
Defensive coordinator Tim Beckman said the Cowboys were lucky to land Antoine when going through the recruiting trail.
“I’m happy he’s on our team,” Beckman said. “He’s a great young man, and he definitely lives up to his nickname. We expect big things from Lucien.”
OSU needs big things from Antoine to help improve a pass defense that ranked last in the Big 12 a year ago, surrendering 287 yards per game.
Gundy said he hopes Antoine will have an immediate effect on the defense, an impact measured not only by the plays he makes but also by the plays wide receivers are worried he will make.
“Obviously, if you run across the middle, at any time he could hit you, and I think receivers are aware of that,” Gundy said. “We’re hoping that becomes the case with our secondary.”
Antoine’s heavy hitting seems to be contagious. Robinson said freshman safety Deron Fontenot has been making big hits, and Beckman said he sees hard tackling becoming more widespread on defense.
Junior Andre Sexton agreed. Sexton played safety his first two years and is moving to the hybrid linebacker position Donovan Woods occupied last year.
“I think we’ve been a lot more physical,” Sexton said. “Our safeties are playing more aggressive back there this year.”
Gundy said Antoine has been successful at more than football since arriving at OSU.
“He’s done well in all areas,” Gundy said. “He’s doing a great job off the field, and that’s why he’s been able to make adjustments on the field.”
If there’s a drawback to the hard tackling of “The Punisher,” it’s that he sometimes focuses too much on landing the big hit, senior defensive tackle Jeray Chatham said.
“I remember one time, I had to get on to him,” Chatham said. “Instead of going for the interception, he wanted to hit [the receiver], and he could’ve had a pick.
“But I like it. People are gonna fear to get hit by him.”
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