Justin Vincent

Infobox NFLactive
name=Justin Vincent


caption=
currentteam=Pittsburgh Steelers
currentnumber=28
currentposition=Running back
birthdate=birth date and age|1983|1|25
birthplace=Lake Charles, Louisiana
heightft=5
heightin=10
weight=219
college=Louisiana State
undraftedyear=2007
pastteams=
* Atlanta Falcons (2007)*
* Pittsburgh Steelers (2007-present):*Offseason and/or practice squad member only
status=Practice Squad
highlights=
* SEC Championship MVP (2003)
* Sugar Bowl MVP (2004)
nfl=VIN398096

Justin Vincent (born January 25, 1983 in city-state|Lake Charles|Louisiana) is an American football running back who is a practice squad player for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football for the Louisiana State.

As a freshman at LSU, Vincent was named MVP of both the 2003 SEC Championship Game and the 2004 Sugar Bowl.

Early years

Vincent came to LSU from Barbe High School in Lake Charles, Louisiana. There, he was a high school All-American at running back and the Louisiana high school football player of the year.

College career

During his freshman year, Vincent began the season near the bottom of the depth chart. Joseph Addai was the starter and Shyrone Carey was the backup at the beginning of the season. Vincent, along with fellow freshmen Alley Broussard and Barrington Edwards, split time on the third string. But Vincent beat out his fellow freshmen for playing time, and by the middle of the season, Addai and Carey were injured. He was named the starter in week 7 against South Carolina, and never lost the job for the rest of the season.

While LSU made its stretch run to the national championship, Vincent became the offensive leader. In LSU's final four games, he ran for 100 or more yards. This included a 201-yard, two touchdown performance in the SEC Championship Game against Georgia. His performance included an 87-yard touchdown run (the longest run in SEC Championship Game history) and a 62-yard run. Then, in the 2004 Sugar Bowl against Oklahoma, he ran for 117 yards and a touchdown. It included a 64-yard run from the first play from scrimmage, which helped set the tone for the game. Vincent was named the MVP of both the 2003 SEC Championship Game and the 2004 Sugar Bowl, and LSU won the 2003 BCS National Championship. He finished the 2003 season with 1,001 yards on 154 carries, and scored 10 touchdowns.

Vincent's next three years at LSU were marked with inconsistency, fumbles and injury. He began 2004 as the starter, but eventually fell behind Joseph Addai and Alley Broussard on the depth chart. He finished third on the team in rushing with 322 yards.

In 2005, he moved back up to second string behind Joseph Addai after Alley Broussard injured his knee before the season. He finished the season with 488 yards rushing. However, Vincent suffered a serious knee injury at the end of the season in LSU's Peach Bowl victory over Miami.

Vincent was the starting tailback for 5 games in the 2006 season, after recovering from his knee injury. However, his senior season was the least productive of his four years at LSU. He was part of a five-man running back rotation (which also included Jacob Hester, Alley Broussard, Keiland Williams and Charles Scott), and he finished 6th on the team in rushing at the end of the regular season with 139 yards. He averaged 3.1 yards per carry, lowest among the five running backs. However, in the 2007 Sugar Bowl, he had his best game of the season, gaining 71 yards on 12 carries.

Professional career

Atlanta Falcons

Vincent was signed by the Atlanta Falcons on May 1, 2007, but on September 1, 2007 it was announced that he was cut from the Falcons final roster.

Pittsburgh Steelers

On October 4, 2007, he signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a member of the practice squad.

External links

* [http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=27812&SPID=2164&DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=174995&Q_SEASON=2006 LSU Tigers bio]
* [http://news.steelers.com/team/player/82488 Pittsburgh Steelers bio]