Heisman winner Earl Campbell tutoring Texas RB Charles on life, football

[KFDM COOP]

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Jamaal Charles was summoned. The graybeard

working out in the Texas weight room wanted to talk to him.

Not quite sure what to expect, Charles approached the older man

whose Heisman Trophy sits on display at the field house and whose

likeness stands watch over Royal-Memorial Stadium in the form of a

9-foot statue.

When you're a tailback at Texas and Earl Campbell wants a word

with you, you listen.

"Of course I did. He's EARL CAMPBELL, man," Charles said as

his No. 19 Longhorns (4-1, 0-1 Big 12) prepared to face No. 10

Oklahoma (4-1, 0-1) Saturday in Dallas.

Campbell, the NFL Hall of Famer who won the Heisman Trophy 30

years ago, has become a mentor to Charles. The advice ranges from

what it takes to be the best player on the field to the best way to

hold the ball to avoid fumbles.

They see each other a couple of times a week and Campbell will

throw in stories about playing in the days of tear-away jerseys and

Astroturf fields and life after football.

"I sit there quiet like it's a classroom and try to learn,"

Charles said. "I shut up and listen to every word he says. He's

Earl Campbell. He gives me motivation to go out there and work

hard, don't let nobody take it away from you, don't let anybody

tell you you're not the man."

Campbell was a human battering ram as a college and NFL player

with a bruising running style fueled by tree-trunk legs that

powered over defenders. And his body is paying the price for it

today.

Although Campbell denies his physical style of play is the

cause, his body is a shell of what it once was. At 52, he struggles

to walk and often uses a wheelchair or walker. His large hands

appear wracked with arthritis.

Still, he has stories and advice on how to play the game. And

because he uses the Texas weight room for physical rehabilitation

after recent surgery, he gets to spend a lot of time near Charles

and the Texas players.

"At first, I was ashamed, being an old man, in there with all

those young players," Campbell said. "But the strength guys told

me that the players were so happy seeing me work to get better that

I got over my shame. Jamaal and those guys have been really

motivating for me."

This is supposed to be a breakout season for Charles, a heralded

high school recruit out of Port Arthur who has struggled to live up

to the promise of his freshman season when the Longhorns won the

national title and he rushed for 878 yards and 11 touchdowns,

including a game-breaking 80-yarder against Oklahoma.

He's averaging 109 yards through five games this year and has

seven touchdowns.

Campbell said it was Cleve Bryant, an assistant in the football

program, who asked him over the summer to talk to Charles.

"So Jamaal came by," Campbell said. "I talked to him about my

career, and some of the things that I had gone through. Then he

said, 'Mr. Campbell, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I wasn't

even born when you were playing.' We both laughed about it, and

that's when we became friends."

After Charles dropped two fumbles in a 35-32 win at Central

Florida, he said Campbell gave him some good advice about holding

onto the ball.

Charles wears a size 11 shoe, about the same size as a football

and about the same distance from his wrist to his elbow. Campbell

told him how he used to practice cradling the ball by cradling his

shoe when he walked around the house or watched television.

Charles says it helped. He hasn't fumbled since his first carry

against Rice two weeks ago and has scored four touchdowns in the

last two games.

As runners, Campbell and Charles are quite different in style.

Where Campbell was a bruiser, Charles has the been the speedy

slasher, ducking into holes and slipping through tackles.

When Texas coaches wanted him to be a tougher runner between the

tackles, Charles hit the weights over the summer to get stronger.

He also put on weight to get up to 205 pounds and has shown he's

tougher to tackle.

"He can be a good as he wants to be," Campbell said. "If he

keeps improving and keeps learning, he's got a chance to become our

next Heisman Trophy winner."

Charles says he studies film of former Longhorns backs like

Campbell and Ricky Williams, another powerful tailback who won the

Heisman in 1998. He doesn't worry that football will take the same

toll on his body as it did Campbell.

"Looking at how he used to be, he was like a beast," Charles

said, referring to Campbell. "I wish I was that big."

[-Central_Jaguars]

Execelent wite on behalf of both men and to know Ex athletes take time out to mentor young students and in return the students sit and really listen to what they have to say, Even though I know it goes on its just really nice to read about it and also the story on Michael Mosley was also inspiring to hear, so good luck to both young men and their bright futures...

[dav-joel]

Very nice article - shows the class of the Tyler Rose, Mr. Charles and also the writer for writing such a story. :)

[Guest FPHS 78]

the tyler rose is a class act