Troy’s Coleman dedicates season in mother’s memory

By Drew Champlin

Published: October 22, 2008

TROY — Cynthia Coleman taught her son Maurice the value of hard work; he’s worked different jobs since he was 13.

She taught him the value of helping others. When Coleman, a senior defensive tackle for Troy, finishes his football career, he’ll be an elementary school teacher and coach.

“High schoolers, they’ve got attitudes,” Coleman said. “Hopefully I can reach kids before they get the attitudes.”

But nothing could prepare him for what happened last Christmas Eve.

Cynthia, a diabetic, had to be rushed to the hospital late in the night after she went into cardiac arrest.

Maurice, who was out late with friends, was in a deep sleep when his father woke and said they had to go.

They didn’t have time to wait for Maurice to get ready. He’d put some clothes on and get there soon.

But on the way, Maurice got the devastating news. His mother had passed away. Suddenly, school and football didn’t seem so important.

“To be honest, I didn’t think I was going to come back,” Coleman said. “My mom was everything to me. I’m a big mama’s boy. She’s a big part of my heart and my life.

“My family helped me and supported me. They told me she really wanted me to finish up, especially since I had just a couple of semesters left.”

Next semester, he’ll begin his student teaching at Pike County Elementary School.

Overcoming adversity: Coleman’s career has been a roller coaster ride of good and bad. He was going to play a lot in 2006, but was taken into custody with two other former teammates on suspicion of second-degree burglary.

Official charges were never filed, but the damage was done. The trio was suspended from school for that semester. Coleman lost his sophomore year on the field and had to watch his teammates win the Sun Belt and the New Orleans Bowl. He was reinstated to school the following January.

“That’s not Maurice,” linebacker Bear Woods said. “Everyone makes mistakes. He deserved a second chance. I didn’t know what he was thinking and I’m sure he didn’t know what he was thinking, but you live and learn and I’m glad he is with us.”

Coleman said he’d use that experience to share with the kids he ends up teaching.

“You’re shaping kids’ lives,” Coleman said. “You have them for eight hours a day, so you’re helping raise them.”

Just My Imagination: Fellow senior Chris Jamison, who took his official visit with Coleman, can’t stand to dial Coleman’s cell phone anymore.

Coleman’s ringback tone doesn’t suit most of his teammates’ tastes. It’s not new-age rap, but rather a blast from the past — “Just My Imagination” by the Temptations.

“There’s nothing wrong with it, but when you’ve got your home boy calling you, you don’t want to hear Just My Imagination,” Jamison said. “This dude’s tripping. Every time you call him, Just my Imagination comes up. You do not feel like hearing that song.”

So Jamison texts him. Defensive tackles coach Mo Crain doesn’t even go that far.

“I don’t call him that much,” Crain said. “He’s just where he’s supposed to be.”

Said Coleman, “I’m just a laid-back, old-school guy.”

Sacks — a defensive lineman’s favorite thing — were starting to become a figment of his imagination. Coleman got two on back-to-back plays in a recent win over FIU with Troy holding on in the fourth quarter.

It was the first sack he had since his freshman year.

“(On the first one), I spun out and hit him dead in his mouth,” Coleman said. “Boom.”

It was also Coleman’s first career start. Minor knee surgery hindered him last year, and the former Eufaula star is finally starting to come into his own.

He’s dedicated his senior season to his mother, and wears something with her name on it every game.

“My mom was the backbone of our family,” Coleman said. “My goal is to take care of the family and put it on my back.”