By Nick Deriso, The Shreveport TimesGRAMBLING — Theirs is a relationship born on a Texas playground, then rekindled in practice at Grambling State.
That's helped defensive backs Zaire "Pitbull" Wilborn and Jeffrey Jack, once childhood friends, stitch together a quick synergy in the GSU secondary.
"We had lost touch," the senior Wilborn said. "We didn't meet back up until he started playing here."
Asked to provide leadership on a team that lost starter Greg Fassitt, who signed with the NFL's Chicago Bears, Wilborn and Jack intend to have fun doing it.
That's easy to do when every day is like a reunion.
"You know what, those guys can play," said first-year Grambling coach Rod Broadway. "Jack has a chance to be very good and 'Pit,' if we had an entire football team that works as hard as that guy, we would have a great football team."
Neighbors as youngsters in a Houston apartment complex, Wilborn — a devastating hitter who was second on the team with 80 tackles in 2006 — and Jack drifted apart during their junior high years. Later, in high school, they played together — Wilborn at free safety and Jack at strong safety — on a high school all-star team in the Lone Star Bowl.
But Jack, now a junior, signed with LSU while Wilborn chose Grambling. A couple of years later, Jack unexpectedly transferred to GSU before the '06 season.
As happy as they were to find each other's friendship again, Jack only saw spot duty on the field —- and the 2006 campaign hit a sour note when Grambling slumped to 3-8.
New coaches were brought in, and they arrived with new plans for the defense — and for this duo.
Wilborn is splitting time between defensive back and linebacker in a new 4-2-5 scheme.
"That kid is a Trojan when it comes to working, and he's a good player," Broadway said. "It's no accident. He's worked his way into becoming a good player."
Jack, tied for fourth on the team in tackles, is now a starter in the "rover" spot.
Photo: Grambling's Jeffrey Jack (4) and Zaire Wilborn (26) grew up as neighbors in a Houston apartment complex.
Coaches hope the new look will improve a unit that slipped to No. 8 in total defense across the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and was dead last against the run.
"Last year, we played more on instinct," said Wilborn.
Jack, talking in rhythm, fits his comment in between his old buddy's sentences: "This team is coming together. There's a completely different vibe."
Wilborn finishes his thought: "We're going to surprise some people this season."
Sterlington product DeMichael Dizer, Aaron Brown (brother of former Grambling standout defensive back Chris Brown) and Nigel Copeland are also making important contributions across this secondary.
"We've been paying more attention to detail," Jack said. "We've been making plays that we should have been making all along."
Broadway has begun to sense that camaraderie, something that's clearly bolstering his confidence in the group.
"We're talented in the defensive backfield, even with the losses from the senior class," Broadway said. "We have to get them coached up and, if we do that, we'll be fine —- because we have guys that are athletic and can play fast."
An ages-old relationship like the one between Wilborn and Jack has helped smooth what could have been a difficult transition into a new system for the GSU defense.
It's drawn them closer, as well.
"I'm happy he's part of the team," Wilborn said of Jack. "It's going to make our secondary a whole lot tighter."
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