By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger
Senior running back Lavarius Giles stiff-arms one defender during a scrimmage and then finds some running room along the sideline.
Quickly turning his body straight ahead, he needs about three steps to hit full speed.
Then he's gone - accelerating to a speed no one on the Jackson State defense can touch. Touchdown.
"Look at him - he's barely even trying," defensive tackle Jamile Owens says. "He's just a natural. I've never seen anyone run like that."
There's plenty of athletes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, but Giles might be the granddaddy of them all.
He won the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the SWAC's outdoor track meet last spring and is built at a solid 6 feet 1 and 215 pounds.
JSU director of football operations Jack Bush, who coached the defensive line last season, called Giles "a country strong guy" who hasn't come close to fulfilling his immense promise.
With that potential, it would seem like he'd be the perfect candidate for JSU's leading kick returner, running back or wide receiver spot.
But after one-plus seasons on the Tigers' roster, coaches are still having trouble carving out a spot for Giles on the field.
So the question inevitably pops up - what makes it so hard to find a spot for arguably the SWAC's best athlete?
"That's what I'd like to know," Giles said. "I just keep trying to play as hard as I can, showing them I'm ready. I know the coaches like me, but I'm a senior this season. It's time for me to get on the field and show what I can do."
As a junior, Giles had a cameo at several different positions but never found a home. He rushed for 49 yards on 10 carries, caught two passes for 11 yards and returned two kicks for 25 yards.
So far during this year's training camp, he has played mostly in the backfield and is currently listed as the No. 1 option on the depth chart at fullback.
While the JSU coaches agree that Giles' blinding speed needs to find a place on the field, running backs coach Greg Ruffin said there's a good reason it has been hard to find him a spot.
"He's got incredible speed, but people have to understand that Giles is not a true running back," Ruffin said. "He's developing his vision and how to run between the tackles. Right now, we're trying to figure out ways to get him in the open where he can use that speed."
Even in his limited time, Giles, who played in high school at Ray Brooks before going to Mississippi Delta CC for two years, has attracted the attention of the NFL scouts that occasionally come to watch Jackson State practice.
But in a crowded backfield that includes starter Erik Haw, Southern Miss transfer Cody Hull and experienced backup L.D. Briscoe, Giles is worried that he might be the odd man out for a second straight season.
Tigers offensive coordinator James Woody said if Giles keeps working hard, there's no reason to worry.
"I do know that (Giles) doesn't need to be standing on the sideline next to me," Woody said. "Lavarius has done everything we've asked. We know he could be something special."
Senior running back Lavarius Giles stiff-arms one defender during a scrimmage and then finds some running room along the sideline.
Quickly turning his body straight ahead, he needs about three steps to hit full speed.
Then he's gone - accelerating to a speed no one on the Jackson State defense can touch. Touchdown.
"Look at him - he's barely even trying," defensive tackle Jamile Owens says. "He's just a natural. I've never seen anyone run like that."
There's plenty of athletes in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, but Giles might be the granddaddy of them all.
He won the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the SWAC's outdoor track meet last spring and is built at a solid 6 feet 1 and 215 pounds.
JSU director of football operations Jack Bush, who coached the defensive line last season, called Giles "a country strong guy" who hasn't come close to fulfilling his immense promise.
With that potential, it would seem like he'd be the perfect candidate for JSU's leading kick returner, running back or wide receiver spot.
But after one-plus seasons on the Tigers' roster, coaches are still having trouble carving out a spot for Giles on the field.
So the question inevitably pops up - what makes it so hard to find a spot for arguably the SWAC's best athlete?
"That's what I'd like to know," Giles said. "I just keep trying to play as hard as I can, showing them I'm ready. I know the coaches like me, but I'm a senior this season. It's time for me to get on the field and show what I can do."
As a junior, Giles had a cameo at several different positions but never found a home. He rushed for 49 yards on 10 carries, caught two passes for 11 yards and returned two kicks for 25 yards.
So far during this year's training camp, he has played mostly in the backfield and is currently listed as the No. 1 option on the depth chart at fullback.
While the JSU coaches agree that Giles' blinding speed needs to find a place on the field, running backs coach Greg Ruffin said there's a good reason it has been hard to find him a spot.
"He's got incredible speed, but people have to understand that Giles is not a true running back," Ruffin said. "He's developing his vision and how to run between the tackles. Right now, we're trying to figure out ways to get him in the open where he can use that speed."
Even in his limited time, Giles, who played in high school at Ray Brooks before going to Mississippi Delta CC for two years, has attracted the attention of the NFL scouts that occasionally come to watch Jackson State practice.
But in a crowded backfield that includes starter Erik Haw, Southern Miss transfer Cody Hull and experienced backup L.D. Briscoe, Giles is worried that he might be the odd man out for a second straight season.
Tigers offensive coordinator James Woody said if Giles keeps working hard, there's no reason to worry.
"I do know that (Giles) doesn't need to be standing on the sideline next to me," Woody said. "Lavarius has done everything we've asked. We know he could be something special."
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