After a Rocky Start at LSU, Soares Trying to Polish His Image : Football: Former Rancho Santiago linebacker gets lesson on how to handle media while pushing to break into starting lineup.

As an ambassador for Southern California, Fred Soares failed in a big way last spring in Louisiana.

All he really accomplished was to reaffirm the trite comedic notion that most Southern Californians spend their days stalking the perfect tan and spend their nights in sushi bars.

Since then, the linebacker from Villa Park has spent the summer trying to earn a starting spot on the Louisiana State University football team, which opens Sept. 8 at home against Georgia.

Soares’ troubles started shortly after he arrived on the Baton Rouge campus in late January.

He’d been a free-wheeling linebacker for Rancho Santiago College in 1988 and 1989 who earned a scholarship to LSU. Soares transferred to LSU, and was greeted by a questionnaire from Tiger Rag Magazine, a local publication that covers the LSU team.

Soares, 20, had a good time with the questions as he rambled through them one night after a party. But his normally sly smile quickly turned to a frown when his answers were reprinted word-for-word in the magazine a few weeks later.

Soares’ remarks were far-fetched at best. What would be his biggest adjustment to the area? Soares answered, “Getting used to all the hicks.”

What would be the most unexpected thing the LSU fans could expect from him? He responded: “Body-slamming Coach Mike Archer.”

Why did he decide on LSU over Iowa State, BYU, Cal State Fullerton and Cal State Long Beach? Soares told the magazine: “Going out with players to a few local bars and having a good time.”

His antics caused a bit of an uproar within the football program, but Soares also gained some notice around the area. A reporter from the Tiger Rag Magazine now refers to him as “the flake from California.”

“I couldn’t believe how upset everyone got,” Soares said. “I never believed that they would print any of it. I was amazed when it came out, I didn’t know what was going on, but some people were mad at me.”

Soares’ words certainly upset the LSU coaching staff. He was quickly summoned to the coaches’ offices, where some of the finer points of dealing with the local press were explained.

“They really let me have it,” said Soares, a junior.

The coaches describe the meeting as little more gentle than that, but either way, Soares is more careful with the local media.

“We talked to him about it,” said John Fontes, LSU’s inside linebacker coach. “He was being off-the-wall. He was in a position where the writer didn’t know him, and took him seriously . . . A lot of people thought he was this arrogant guy from L.A., but he’s really not like that.”

Soares may not be as boastful as he came across in the magazine, but he has plenty of confidence in himself.

“He’s a cocky kid,” Rancho Santiago Coach Dave Ogas said. “There is no question about that. But it was a good cocky. It helped show his teammates there was no reason to be afraid of the opponent.”

Soares helped Rancho Santiago to a 10-1 record and was voted the Mission Conference Central Division co-most valuable player on defense. He led the team in interceptions with five, and was a second-team J.C. Grid-Wire All-American.

Soares hadn’t considered LSU, mainly because the college hadn’t recruited many community college players. But, because of depth problems, LSU turned to the community college level for immediate help.

“We had a serious need,” Fontes said. “And we started looking around for someone who could help. I came to California and Fred’s name was one of about five that kept coming up. I really liked him when I saw him play. He always has his motor on and is going full-speed.”

After Soares’ recruiting trip to LSU, Fontes waited a couple of days to call. When he did, he had a pretty good idea Soares was close to signing with the Tigers. Fontes got Soares’ answering machine, which asked callers to leave their name and number, as well as root for the LSU Tigers.

“I was pretty sure we had him at that point,” Fontes said.

Soares is quick to admit the situation at LSU last spring and summer wasn’t the greatest. He had to get used to plenty of things--a new area, different people, strange food and lots of heat, humidity and insects.

“It’s been a struggle,” he said. “But things are getting better. I call my girlfriend or she calls me every night. Our phone bills are out-of-sight, but it helps. The season is almost here and that’s something I’m really looking forward to.”

On the field, Soares also had to learn a new system, a new position and a new level. At Rancho Santiago, he was able to free-lance around the field, blitzing often.

At LSU, he’s playing only inside linebacker, and the system doesn’t call for much blitzing, just staying in the same place on each play and chasing the ball. He also has to get used to playing against bigger, faster players. Soares is 6-feet-2, and about 225 pounds.

“Right now,” Fontes said, “his only obstacle is learning the system. He’s pushing for a No. 1 position and who knows before the season starts, he could get it.”