Something inspirational with which to begin the New Year

Leonard Moore has a Ph.D. in history from Ohio State, is the director of African and African American studies at Louisiana State and has command of enough clear-eyed maxims to get the attention of most college students. But the credentials that most impress his target audience of African-American student-athletes are his high school transcript and ACT test score.

They are modest, if not downright poor: a 1.6 grade point average from Cleveland Heights High School in Ohio and a 15 on the ACT college entrance examination. If he were an athlete coming out of high school today, Moore tells L.S.U.'s African-American athletes, he could not qualify for a spot on any college team, let alone the L.S.U. football team that will play for the Bowl Championship Series title on Sunday night.

It is an eye-opening introduction, but one that is quickly followed up by a challenge from Moore: "Learning and education is cool, and I expect you to become a good student."

When L.S.U. (12-1) meets Oklahoma (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl, Moore will not be on the sideline or even in the Superdome, but his impact will be felt nonetheless. Chad Lavalais, L.S.U.'s all-American defensive end, will be thinking about him.

Lavalais, a 24-year-old senior, said that his high school record was worse than Moore's and that it took him at least five tries at the ACT over two years to qualify for an athletic scholarship. He spent part of that time working as a prison guard at a correctional facility near his home in Marksville, La., before being admitted to L.S.U. in 2000. Since then, Lavalais has worked as hard in the classroom as he has on his game, and he is on track to graduate next summer with an education degree.

"Dr. Moore is one of those people who can change your life by raising the expectations you have of yourself," Lavalais said. "He doesn't care if you have a 10-sack game. If you're doing bad in class, that is all you're going to hear."

That is exactly what Moore, 32, intended when he arrived in Baton Rouge in 1998 and found that the Tigers were not only losing, but that many of their African-American athletes were in trouble inside and outside the classroom.

"There was an outlaw, dumb-jock, sports-first culture that nobody was really discouraging," Moore said in a telephone interview this week. "I wanted these young men to know that those days were over."

He asked the academic support staff in the athletic department to urge athletes to take his classes and, along with three colleagues, set up a mentoring program for L.S.U.'s African-American athletes. Those who signed up for his introduction to African-American studies class found out quickly that he would not be handing out passing grades. Josh Reed, a standout wide receiver who is now with the Buffalo Bills, did poorly, but he thought enough of the experience to send Moore a letter.

"I know I didn't learn much about African-American history," said Reed's letter, which Moore keeps in his office, "but I learned a lot about being a man."

* * *

L.S.U.'s graduation rate for football players remains low ?- 40 percent, according to the most recent N.C.A.A. figures, which are for 1996-97 graduation rates ?- but Moore sees the culture changing. He points to Lavalais, who he said never missed Moore's 7:30 a.m. class this semester even though he is certain to be a National Football League draft pick.

"He could have mailed it in, but he didn't, and that is a tremendous example for the five freshman players who were in that class with him," Moore said.

Moore was not a college athlete (he attended Jackson State) but he is, indeed, a college football fan and does follow his students' performance on the field. He does not tell them that, however. When one asked if he would attend the Sugar Bowl, Moore offered up another one of his maxims.

"That Southeastern Conference ring is nice, and that national championship ring may be nice, but I want to see a class ring," Moore said. "So, no, I won't be at the game, but I promise I'll be at your graduation."