Photo: Trent Thomas, Beaumont, TX Central HS, 6-2/225 Tight End
By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter
The Southern University football team is relying heavily on the versatility of two tight ends to run its offense.
Senior Trent Thomas is now working No. 1 at left tackle, a move similar to what black college All-American tackle Arnold Sims once made earlier this decade. And the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Thomas has had the job for just a few days.
The change is necessitated by SU’s current lack of depth at tackle.
Sophomore tackle Allen Buckner (heat-related problems) has missed a lot of camp time. And junior tackle Ruben Oliver, who has been involved in a summer internship, has not arrived at camp yet.
Meanwhile, junior Rafael Louis has moved inside to left guard. True freshman Leslie Davis, viewed when he signed as a project (and also a tight end in high school) is the only active tackle, other than junior Myles Williams, who is No. 1 on the right side, in camp.
“We’ve moved Trent Thomas to tackle to help out, cross-train him,” Southern coach Pete Richardson said. “He’s big enough and physical enough to play that spot, and we’ll be a little quicker, and that’s what we’re looking for.”
Two junior tight ends — Evan Alexander and Atuanya Antoine — also can play other spots.
Alexander, who came to school like Thomas as a tight end, has been converted more and more, both in body-type and positioning, to an H-back or fullback. Antoine was always primarily a fullback.
There are no other tight ends on the roster.
“He’s just getting acclimated,” SU line coach Damon Nivens said of Thomas. “I just need a little more time with him, teach him a little more technique, how to position himself and come off the ball in the run game. He’s going to be real good for us to stick in there.”
The plus is, tight end and even two-tight end sets could still be employed in the offense, and the versatility of experienced players like Alexander and Thomas can allow the staff to set the formation to their liking.
Alexander, for instance, played a lot at tackle as SU finished with team-on-team drills Monday evening.
“They’re good athletes and dependable guys,” offensive coordinator Mark Orlando said. “I think we’re all right there. It’s the best set of tight ends since I’ve been coach.”
Southern worked in full gear Monday morning and came back around 5:30 p.m. for an afternoon practice in helmets and shoulder pads.
It was the Jaguars’ second two-a-day of preseason camp. Only one more two-a-day is expected, Wednesday, with classes beginning Thursday.
‘Doc’ makes return
Carl “Doc” Williams, the school’s longtime director of sports medicine, will be chipping in over the next few weeks as Candace Hawkins, the wife of Alec Hawkins, SU’s current director of sports medicine, gave birth to a boy Monday.
“I’ve got to help my boys,” Williams said.
Williams, a member of the Louisiana Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame and Southern’s sports hall of fame, was last with the program in 2002.
“They just got him back for reassurance, which is good,” Richardson said. “Like Doc said, he’s well-rested.”
Manning up
Junior cornerback Joe Manning, the former Florida State transfer, worked a lot Monday with the first team, ahead of senior Efe Osawemwenze, a former Arkansas-Pine Bluff transfer.
“We’re just working him there to get some reps. We’re looking at him, too,” Richardson said. “But we’ve got three or four of those guys who are capable of playing and we’re going to see if we can do that. Hopefully, we can play a little more man-to-man if we can get what we want.”
Also, sophomore safety Gary Blackmon — from Houston’s Lamar High, like linebacker Allan Baugh — made an impression during Saturday’s short scrimmage.
“He made some big hits,” Richardson said. “We’ll try to get him more involved in the special teams, because he likes to hit. He showed some signs.”
Roll call
SU’s top two running backs — senior Darren Coates and junior Kendrick Smith — were not at the morning session for various reasons. That left sophomore Brian Threat doing most of the work. Coates returned for the afternoon.
Like Buckner, junior DT Frank Harry missed Monday’s morning session with heat-related problems.
Senior WR RaShon Jacobs (ankle) returned Monday after missing several days of practices. Jacobs’ injury, suffered early into camp, was to the other foot than the one that kept him out of voluntary summer conditioning and put him in a walking boot until late last month.
“We wanted to hold him out from the start, until school started, because we knew he hadn’t done a whole lot of conditioning,” Richardson said. “He wanted to try. &hellip He’s probably 70 or 80 percent, maybe.”
Jacobs, who sat out last season after transferring from Louisiana-Monroe, made a few nice grabs and looked fluid in the offense, despite the missed time.
Ricks visits
Former SU quarterback Thomas Ricks, who was the Southwestern Athletic Conference Offensive MVP in leading the Jaguars to the Western Division title in 2004, watched Monday’s morning practice.
Ricks played for the Graz Giants of the Austrian Football League last season and said he just signed a contract for another season.
“It’s all football,” said Ricks, who said the play calls and checks are in English.
Ricks, who played in arenafootball2 with the Alabama Steeldogs and the Albany Conquest, said even though he practiced in the snow for the first time in his life, he prefers playing outside. The Giants’ season runs from February through July.
By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter
The Southern University football team is relying heavily on the versatility of two tight ends to run its offense.
Senior Trent Thomas is now working No. 1 at left tackle, a move similar to what black college All-American tackle Arnold Sims once made earlier this decade. And the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Thomas has had the job for just a few days.
The change is necessitated by SU’s current lack of depth at tackle.
Sophomore tackle Allen Buckner (heat-related problems) has missed a lot of camp time. And junior tackle Ruben Oliver, who has been involved in a summer internship, has not arrived at camp yet.
Meanwhile, junior Rafael Louis has moved inside to left guard. True freshman Leslie Davis, viewed when he signed as a project (and also a tight end in high school) is the only active tackle, other than junior Myles Williams, who is No. 1 on the right side, in camp.
“We’ve moved Trent Thomas to tackle to help out, cross-train him,” Southern coach Pete Richardson said. “He’s big enough and physical enough to play that spot, and we’ll be a little quicker, and that’s what we’re looking for.”
Two junior tight ends — Evan Alexander and Atuanya Antoine — also can play other spots.
Alexander, who came to school like Thomas as a tight end, has been converted more and more, both in body-type and positioning, to an H-back or fullback. Antoine was always primarily a fullback.
There are no other tight ends on the roster.
“He’s just getting acclimated,” SU line coach Damon Nivens said of Thomas. “I just need a little more time with him, teach him a little more technique, how to position himself and come off the ball in the run game. He’s going to be real good for us to stick in there.”
The plus is, tight end and even two-tight end sets could still be employed in the offense, and the versatility of experienced players like Alexander and Thomas can allow the staff to set the formation to their liking.
Alexander, for instance, played a lot at tackle as SU finished with team-on-team drills Monday evening.
“They’re good athletes and dependable guys,” offensive coordinator Mark Orlando said. “I think we’re all right there. It’s the best set of tight ends since I’ve been coach.”
Southern worked in full gear Monday morning and came back around 5:30 p.m. for an afternoon practice in helmets and shoulder pads.
It was the Jaguars’ second two-a-day of preseason camp. Only one more two-a-day is expected, Wednesday, with classes beginning Thursday.
‘Doc’ makes return
Carl “Doc” Williams, the school’s longtime director of sports medicine, will be chipping in over the next few weeks as Candace Hawkins, the wife of Alec Hawkins, SU’s current director of sports medicine, gave birth to a boy Monday.
“I’ve got to help my boys,” Williams said.
Williams, a member of the Louisiana Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame and Southern’s sports hall of fame, was last with the program in 2002.
“They just got him back for reassurance, which is good,” Richardson said. “Like Doc said, he’s well-rested.”
Manning up
Junior cornerback Joe Manning, the former Florida State transfer, worked a lot Monday with the first team, ahead of senior Efe Osawemwenze, a former Arkansas-Pine Bluff transfer.
“We’re just working him there to get some reps. We’re looking at him, too,” Richardson said. “But we’ve got three or four of those guys who are capable of playing and we’re going to see if we can do that. Hopefully, we can play a little more man-to-man if we can get what we want.”
Also, sophomore safety Gary Blackmon — from Houston’s Lamar High, like linebacker Allan Baugh — made an impression during Saturday’s short scrimmage.
“He made some big hits,” Richardson said. “We’ll try to get him more involved in the special teams, because he likes to hit. He showed some signs.”
Roll call
SU’s top two running backs — senior Darren Coates and junior Kendrick Smith — were not at the morning session for various reasons. That left sophomore Brian Threat doing most of the work. Coates returned for the afternoon.
Like Buckner, junior DT Frank Harry missed Monday’s morning session with heat-related problems.
Senior WR RaShon Jacobs (ankle) returned Monday after missing several days of practices. Jacobs’ injury, suffered early into camp, was to the other foot than the one that kept him out of voluntary summer conditioning and put him in a walking boot until late last month.
“We wanted to hold him out from the start, until school started, because we knew he hadn’t done a whole lot of conditioning,” Richardson said. “He wanted to try. &hellip He’s probably 70 or 80 percent, maybe.”
Jacobs, who sat out last season after transferring from Louisiana-Monroe, made a few nice grabs and looked fluid in the offense, despite the missed time.
Ricks visits
Former SU quarterback Thomas Ricks, who was the Southwestern Athletic Conference Offensive MVP in leading the Jaguars to the Western Division title in 2004, watched Monday’s morning practice.
Ricks played for the Graz Giants of the Austrian Football League last season and said he just signed a contract for another season.
“It’s all football,” said Ricks, who said the play calls and checks are in English.
Ricks, who played in arenafootball2 with the Alabama Steeldogs and the Albany Conquest, said even though he practiced in the snow for the first time in his life, he prefers playing outside. The Giants’ season runs from February through July.
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