Photo: Converted TE Trent Thomas facing FAMU as SU starting RT.By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN, Advocate sportswriter
One day during preseason camp, Southern University offensive coordinator Mark Orlando called his guys up around him and told them about Trent Thomas.
By this time, everybody thought they knew all they needed about Trent. That he was a senior. That he was a top student. That he was a team player. That he has always been a likeable guy.
The thing is, though, early in camp, everybody found out how much of a team player Trent was.
Southern lost (or was in the process of losing) six offensive linemen to grades. To help offset that, there was this crazy idea: Move Thomas from tight end to left tackle, which is the most important position on the line other than center.
Thomas is 6-foot-2 and a shade above 245 pounds, where standard tackles are 6-6 and three bills. And then there was the little fact Thomas had never played tackle.
Trent’s parents didn’t like the move at all. He wasn’t crazy about it, either.
“It hurt him,” Orlando said. “The first week or so, I couldn’t get two words out of him.”
Photo: SU line coach Mark Orlando
The other players not getting their academics set wasn’t Trent’s fault. Why should Trent have to pay for the mistakes of others? Why should his burden become more?
Everything hinged on Trent, though. One left tackle would move to left guard. The right guard would move to center. Another tackle would move to right guard.
Know this about Trent: Trent came through. His quickness and athleticism — assets that flashed early in scrimmages, confirming the move could work — have carried him.
“It’s getting easier,” Trent said the other day of the transition.
Southern leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference in rushing and is second in total offense and scoring offense. The Jaguars are 4-0.
“He’s been a big help to us, converting within a short time,” said SU offensive line coach Damon Nivens, who was a black college All-American at left tackle for Southern and helped coach another one in Myniya Smith in 2003. “He’s become a big part of the offensive line for us, and I appreciate it very much with him sacrificing and being a team player.
“He has my utmost respect with that.”
What was true as Orlando called the troops up during camp is still true now.
“I told them, he’s put it all on the line to help us win,” Orlando said. “I told them, this is what we need right here. For us to win, it’s going to take the unselfish attitude Trent has shown.”
There are two things the attrition of 17 to 19 players did across the board for SU.
First, there was a tremendous sense of urgency for the offensive line as soon as camp began.
Second, as an entire team, the players who are left on this team are the players who most wanted to be here.
“The unselfishness he’s shown has drained into some of the other guys,” Orlando said. “He’s giving us everything he’s got to help us win.
“That kind of sacrifice can only make us better.”
One day during preseason camp, Southern University offensive coordinator Mark Orlando called his guys up around him and told them about Trent Thomas.
By this time, everybody thought they knew all they needed about Trent. That he was a senior. That he was a top student. That he was a team player. That he has always been a likeable guy.
The thing is, though, early in camp, everybody found out how much of a team player Trent was.
Southern lost (or was in the process of losing) six offensive linemen to grades. To help offset that, there was this crazy idea: Move Thomas from tight end to left tackle, which is the most important position on the line other than center.
Thomas is 6-foot-2 and a shade above 245 pounds, where standard tackles are 6-6 and three bills. And then there was the little fact Thomas had never played tackle.
Trent’s parents didn’t like the move at all. He wasn’t crazy about it, either.
“It hurt him,” Orlando said. “The first week or so, I couldn’t get two words out of him.”
Photo: SU line coach Mark OrlandoThe other players not getting their academics set wasn’t Trent’s fault. Why should Trent have to pay for the mistakes of others? Why should his burden become more?
Everything hinged on Trent, though. One left tackle would move to left guard. The right guard would move to center. Another tackle would move to right guard.
Know this about Trent: Trent came through. His quickness and athleticism — assets that flashed early in scrimmages, confirming the move could work — have carried him.
“It’s getting easier,” Trent said the other day of the transition.
Southern leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference in rushing and is second in total offense and scoring offense. The Jaguars are 4-0.
“He’s been a big help to us, converting within a short time,” said SU offensive line coach Damon Nivens, who was a black college All-American at left tackle for Southern and helped coach another one in Myniya Smith in 2003. “He’s become a big part of the offensive line for us, and I appreciate it very much with him sacrificing and being a team player.
“He has my utmost respect with that.”
What was true as Orlando called the troops up during camp is still true now.
“I told them, he’s put it all on the line to help us win,” Orlando said. “I told them, this is what we need right here. For us to win, it’s going to take the unselfish attitude Trent has shown.”
There are two things the attrition of 17 to 19 players did across the board for SU.
First, there was a tremendous sense of urgency for the offensive line as soon as camp began.
Second, as an entire team, the players who are left on this team are the players who most wanted to be here.
“The unselfishness he’s shown has drained into some of the other guys,” Orlando said. “He’s giving us everything he’s got to help us win.
“That kind of sacrifice can only make us better.”
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