It still tops the list as the best defensive play that I’ve ever seen in 15 years of covering high school football.

It was the regional round of the 2003 Class 3A playoffs when Erath made the trip to West St. Mary with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals the next week.

On one side of the ball was Erath quarterback Derrick Fourroux, who would sign three months later with McNeese State University. On the other side of the ball was West St. Mary linebacker Harry Coleman, who would sign with LSU.

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After leading Erath to a touchdown late in the game, Fourroux and the Bobcats lined up for the 2-point conversion and the win.

Coleman, then playing linebacker for the Wolfpack, and Nick Persilver were ready for whatever the Bobcats were going to run.

What Erath did was put the ball in Fourroux’s hands and have the quarterback try to win the game.

Coleman and Persilver teamed up to stop Fourroux at the 1-yard line. That stop allowed the Wolfpack to win the game and advance while Erath was knocked out of the playoffs.

Two future college football stars going head to head with the game on the line �” brilliant drama.

What got me thinking about that play was that Coleman, who has played safety for LSU the past three years, was moved to linebacker by new defensive coordinator John Chavis during the spring.

Listening to Chavis during LSU’s Media Day Sunday made me think that the move is going to be a permanent one.

It’s not that Chavis thinks Coleman can’t play safety, it’s just he thinks that the WSM grad can help the team more at linebacker.

In talking to Coleman Sunday during media day, I had to know how he felt about the move �” and the answer surprised me.

“I’m back home,” he said. “It’s where I need to play. To go around and hit people that’s what I love to do.”

For someone whose play in the secondary helped LSU win a national title in 2007 to move and play his senior year at a new position shows what many always knew about Coleman. He just wants to play and help the team.

If that means playing safety, great. If that means moving to linebacker, that’s just as good.

After watching the Tigers give up 50 points twice last year during a disappointing 8-5 campaign, Coleman’s switch tells me that LSU’s defense will be back up to high standards this year.

But don’t take that from me, take it from Coleman.

“We’re not giving up 50 points in a game this year. We’re back.”

NEAL MCCLELLAND is assistant sports editor of The Daily Iberian.