LSU Football 2012: Defining the Honey Badger's Legacy

Tyrann Mathieu's legacy is on the line come next season.

For a guy that's undersized, Mathieu left a stamp on the college football world last season, and anytime you get a defensive player named as a finalist for the Heisman, you know the guy is a special individual.

Though he didn't win the Heisman, he could easily be considered as the best player in college football last season. From his heroic punt returns to his exhilarating forced fumbles to his unadulterated trash talking, Mathieu was must-see T.V.

Simply put, in just two years of roaming around the secondary for LSU's defense, he's become a cultural icon. 

Honey Badger's Legacy Today

He became that icon when he received a fitting nickname.

From message boards posts by die-hard LSU fans, he was anointed with the nickname "Honey Badger," which fans got from a popular YouTube video.  

The video presents the Honey Badger as a ferocious animal without fear. He takes what he wants, and that's where the comparisons come to fruition. Following his stellar freshman season, the fans crowned him with the nickname, and it took off in the sports world.

The nickname was deserving because in that season, Mathieu had five forced fumbles, seven pass breakups and two interceptions. It was hard to imagine Mathieu topping that this season, but he obviously did just that.

Mathieu not only intercepted passes and forced more fumbles, but he proved to be one of the most electrifying return men in the country. Then his overall persona caught on and intermingled with the Honey Badger nickname.

The "I don't care mentality" mentality, if you will. He talked a lot of trash on the field, and he certainly backed it up.

After only playing two seasons at LSU, Mathieu already holds the school record for most forced fumbles and is the 2011 Bednarik Award Recipient.

He's had some of the most electrifying highlights in school history, and though LSU has had tremendous defensive players come through the program, none can put together a highlight reel quite like Mathieu—not even Patrick Peterson.

With so many accolades and still two more years of eligibility left, who's dumb enough to limit Mathieu's growing legend? 

Greatest LSU Player Ever?

With yet another brilliant season, Mathieu could go down as the greatest LSU player of all time.

Yes, Billy Cannon won a Heisman and is regarded by most LSU fans as the greatest player in the program's history, but if Mathieu keeps this up, he could take his place.

Heck, if Mathieu posts numbers and highlights this season like he did in 2011, he should become LSU's second Heisman trophy winner.

The fact of the matter is he has been one of the most electrifying players to watch in the history of LSU, and should he choose to play two more years at the school, he could be one of the greatest defensive players in college football history.

It's a lot of pressure on Mathieu's shoulders to be the first defender to win a Heisman since Charles Woodson, but then again, the Honey Badger don't care. He takes what he wants.