Where’s That Tiger: Dr. Mauck- The Original No. 18
Dr. Mauck: The Original No. 18
When Matt Mauck joined the LSU football team in the fall of 2000, there’s no way he could have anticipated the impact he would leave on the program. A standout two-sport start in football and baseball at Jasper High School in Jasper, Indiana, Mauck was selected in the sixth round of the 1997 Amateur Baseball Draft by the Chicago Cubs. Originally a Michigan State football signee, Mauck opted for minor league baseball where he spent three years in the Cubs organization. After advancing the Cubs’ Class A level, Mauck had a desire to return to football and made his return to the gridiron with LSU in August of 2000.
After redshirting as a true freshman in 2000, Mauck appeared in three games in 2001 with his most significant action coming in the SEC Championship Game against Tennessee when he was inserted into the contest for the injured Rohan Davey. Mauck rushed for a pair of TDs and helped the Tigers outscore the second-ranked Vols 21-3 in the second half in the 31-20 victory. Mauck was named MVP of the game in what would become a preview of things to come for the quarterback.
Mauck’s 2002 season was cut short after six games due to a foot injury suffered in a blowout win over Florida in Gainesville. The Tigers were 5-1 at the time. LSU would go on to post an 8-5 mark and appear in the Cotton Bowl.
A healthy Mauck returned for what would be his final season at LSU in 2003, leading the Tigers on a historic national championship run. Behind the play of Mauck, the Tigers went 13-1, beat No. 5 Georgia, 34-13, in the SEC Championship Game and then clinched the BCS National Title with a 21-14 victory over No. 3 Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl. The 13 victories stood as a school-record until the 2019 team went 15-0. The 2003 national title for the Tigers was the first for the school since 1958 and set the stage for the greatest era of football in school history. Since winning the national title in 2003, LSU has gone on to claim two more national championships – 2007 and 2019 – and staked its claim as one of the premier programs this century. Since 2000, LSU has appeared in 21 bowl games, won 10 or more games 11 times and claimed five SEC titles. In addition to leading the Tigers to their first national title in 45 years, Mauck started the No. 18 tradition at LSU.
The No. 18 Tradition Started with Mauck
When Mauck departed LSU, with a degree and a national title, he also left behind a vacant No. 18. After leading the Tigers to the national title, the No. 18 had overnight become a number associated with Mauck and his leadership, character and the other attributes synonymous with a champion. Now the question was, who on the 2004 squad was ready to assume the expectations, along with the pressure, of wearing No. 18. Mauck, along with a handful of staff members, selected running back Jacob Hester as his successor. Four years later, Hester helped lead the Tigers to a national title wearing No. 18 and the tradition was well on its way to becoming an important part of LSU football lore. Since Mauck, 15 players have worn No. 18 - 13 have graduated from LSU and 12 have made it to the NFL. The No. 18 LSU jersey has become such an important part of not only LSU football history, but also college football in general, that it hangs in the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
Credit: AP Photo/Jack Dempsey
After LSU
Mauck entered the 2004 NFL Draft and was picked in the seventh round by the Denver Broncos. Mauck spent one year with the Broncos and then played the following two seasons with the Tennessee Titans. He appeared in two games with one start during his NFL career. Following his retirement in football, Mauck entered dental school, graduating from the University of Colorado School of Dentistry in 2011.
Now He’s Dr. Mauck
LSU’s 2003 national champion quarterback is now Dr. Mauck, a practicing dentist in the Denver area where he also serves as a team dentist for the Denver Broncos. Mauck is a member of the Colorado Dental Association, the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry. He’s a past award winner from the Academy of General Dentistry. He has three sons: Tyson, Kellen and Olly – and he enjoys golf, climbing mountains and coaching his kids when he’s not at work.
