NASHVILLE – Limping into the room on crutches, only days removed from season-ending knee surgery, Tennessee State lineman Thomas Burton had every reason to decline the request.
The redshirt senior’s college career is likely over due to the ACL repair. And barring a tryout down the road in the NFL or on the minor league circuit, so are his aspirations to play pro football. But Burton’s bond and commitment to this TSU team remains as strong as ever.
So, he insisted on joining the group and being interviewed. Burton is one of seven starters among a group of 22 TSU players who missed at least one game due to injury. He’s also one of four who won’t take another snap for the Tigers this season. But at this moment, Burton was proud to be among a crew of the Tigers’ Memphis-area natives assembled to share their perspectives as they push for a positive finish to a painful season.
“I feel like in the long haul, with everything we’ve been through already, all of this will play into our hand,” Burton, a former Whitehaven High standout, told Grind City Media. “Fighting through all the injuries, with so many guys going down, we just keep believing. In the end, it will all pay off.”
Despite coping with his own devastating injury, Burton is convinced that promising developments around the program in recent days have provided a spark to help salvage the season. Last Saturday’s 41-14 victory over Tennessee Tech at Nissan Stadium on homecoming weekend snapped TSU’s three-game losing streak. The Tigers now enter Saturday’s bye at 3-3 overall and 2-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference.
After a much-needed reprieve to regroup from a physically and emotionally taxing season, TSU embarks on its stretch run with no margin for error in its improbable shot at an OVC title. The team got a significant boost entering homecoming week, when sophomore linebacker Christion Abercrombie was upgraded to stable condition and transferred to a brain rehabilitation center in his Atlanta hometown.
Abercrombie spent two weeks in critical condition at Vanderbilt Medical Center after emergency surgery for a severe head injury he suffered Sept. 29 during TSU’s loss to the Commodores. The injury, as well as the united response from both universities amid Abercrombie’s progress, generated national headlines. But a relentless football season pressed on for TSU, the lone Black College program in the OVC.
It really was about just asking for God’s help. Every day before we hit that field for practice or game day … we’re always talking about how it would be if (Abercrombie) were here right now on this field with us. He’d be giving it his all. So we’re out here giving it our all for him.
Dell Porter
Junior running back Earl Harrison, a former Memphis Ridgeway High star, was with a group of TSU players who routinely shuttled from practices to the Vanderbilt hospital to visit Abercrombie. It was necessary but also difficult to experience, even as their teammate’s condition gradually improved.
“We went back and forth,” Harrison said. “Emotionally, you had to stay strong, because you didn’t want (Abercrombie’s) parents or anybody else there to see you and say, ‘Awe, he’s sad,’ or ‘This has taken a toll on them.’ But we were all there to be there for him. And we’re going to bring this season home for him.”
Knowing that Abercrombie has progressed to the next stage of his recovery felt like a weight lifted from the program’s collective shoulder, players said. That’s why last Saturday’s game seemed more like a celebration – on and off the field. Harrison had his best game of the season, rushing for a team-high 63 yards and a touchdown. Senior defensive end Dell Porter, a Memphis native who attended Melrose High, forced a fumble that sparked another scoring drive. Porter senses the team has a renewed energy.
“What really pulled us closer together was just praying together in every situation,” Porter said. “It really was about just asking for God’s help. Every day before we hit that field for practice or game day, we’re always talking about (Abercrombie), we’re always talking about how it would be if he were here right now on this field with us. He’d be giving it his all. So we’re out here giving it our all for him.”
Through it all, the Tigers have fielded one of the most explosive offenses in the conference. TSU quarterback Micheal Hughes was named the OVC’s Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after passing for 318 yards and three touchdowns without an interception Saturday. The Tigers rank first in the OVC in passing efficiency, second in both total offense and passing offense, and third in scoring.
Fighting through all the injuries, with so many guys going down, we just keep believing. In the end, it will all pay off.
Thomas Burton
Still, the team can’t outrun adversity. When one cloud seems to clear, another looms.
The good vibes from last week’s homecoming festivities and Abercrombie’s improvement were followed by another dose of sobering reality this week. TSU coach Rod Reed said two players – running back Andrew Knox and defensive back Ronnie Killings – are each coping with the recent death of a parent.
“We’ve had a lot of stuff going on,” Reed said. “I’ve got Andrew Knox, who has to bury his dad this week. Ronnie Killings has to bury his mom. There’s a lot of things emotionally tugging on this team. And these kids are resilient. But when you get hit with that, coupled with all of the injuries, I can go on and on. But it’s a testament to these kids, how they get prepared to play each week. I’m so proud of this team, I don’t know what more to say.”
The Memphis contingent of TSU Tigers have leaned on one another for support through good and difficult times. From checking on injured teammates to bonding over hip-hop music, they’ve endured.
“Memphis is like its own city here and on campus,” said redshirt freshman offensive lineman Anthony Geter, a Whitehaven product. “We’re always together. And with that BlocBoy JB song, we taking over out here together as Memphis. It’s just about us pulling together and surviving.”
On the field, surviving their final three games against third-place Southeast Missouri, second-place Jacksonville State and Tennessee Martin is the only shot the fourth-place Tigers have to maintain OVC title hopes. Two of those games are at home. TSU would also need first-place Murray State to stumble.
Because TSU won’t be able to make up two non-conference games lost to weather-related cancellations, the best the Tigers can finish this season is 6-3 overall. But simply finishing on their feet is an accomplishment in and of itself, considering everything the Tigers went through just to get here.
“Coach Reed tells us all the time, ‘Stick your hand in a bucket of water, and when you pull it out, see how fast that hole closes up,’” Burton said. “And he tells us, ‘That’s how much time we’ve got to miss a guy.’ So when a man goes down, it’s the next man up. It can’t be a fall off. Everybody has got to be locked in. And this team, no matter what, is doing a good job of staying locked in and focused.”
Burton then reached for his crutches and eventually made it back onto his feet.
Just like his football team has done all season.
MikeCheck HBCU Power Poll 7.0
1. Florida A&M (5-2):
The Rattlers didn’t necessarily use last weekend’s bye to continue their celebration from a bigtime road win at North Carolina A&T. Instead, the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in the Panhandle region shifted their focus to clean-up efforts to assist teammates and relatives. Getting back to football this week will be a welcomed diversion.
Last week’s ranking: 1
Up next: Saturday vs Morgan State (2-5)
2. Alcorn State (6-2):
The Braves continue to take a backseat to no one in the SWAC after outlasting Grambling 33-26 in a rematch of last season’s SWAC title game. Junior pass rusher Terry Whittington was named SWAC Defensive player of the week after notching a career-high 15 tackles, including six for lost yardage, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Last week’s ranking: 2
Up next: Saturday at Prairie View (3-4)
3. North Carolina A&T (6-2):
Knocking off a tough Bethune-Cookman team on the road by 25 points was a solid bounce-back performance. The defending MEAC and HBCU national champs no longer control their own destiny in the conference, but the Aggies will still be major players in determining the outcome of the league down the stretch.
Last week’s ranking: 3
Up next: Bye
4. Morehouse (7-1):
It was far from pretty, but the Maroon Tigers remained in the mix for a spot in the SIAC East division championship game with a 14-10 road win at Benedict. Morehouse got all of the scoring it needed from its special teams unit, which scored one touchdown on a bad snap and another by returning a blocked punt for a TD.
Last week’s ranking: 4
Up next: Bye
5. Bowie State (6-2):
The best player in HBCU football you may not have heard of is Bowie State senior quarterback Amir Hall, who has 9,892 career passing yards and 89 touchdowns. Hall has a chance to set the all-time CIAA conference record in both categories with two regular-season games left to continue lighting up Division II scoreboards.
Last week’s ranking: Unranked
Up Next: Saturday at Lincoln University (1-7)
The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Memphis Grizzlies. All opinions expressed by Michael Wallace are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Memphis Grizzlies or its Basketball Operations staff, owners, parent companies, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Memphis Grizzlies and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.