SintonFan
08-19-2005, 09:03 PM
From the SA Express news:
Powerful locomotive
Web Posted: 08/19/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Brent Zwerneman
Express-News Staff Writer
COLLEGE STATION — If mammoth Texas A&M defensive lineman Kellen Heard ever hears three honks from a train rumbling by the Aggies' practice fields across Wellborn Road, he'll gladly turn and wave.
Heard will yell what's usually reserved for TV cameras on crisp fall Saturday afternoons at Kyle Field — not passing trains.
"Hi, Mom!"
Heard, a 6-foot-5, 330-pound freshman and one of the state's top prospects last year, is built like a locomotive. But his mother drives them.
Gloria Heard works as an engineer for Burlington Northern Santa Fe, a railroad that occasionally uses the Union Pacific lines crossing College Station.
"The most exciting part of my job is when I'm on this big locomotive, and I see these little kids waving at us," Gloria Heard said with a chuckle. "Then they take a second look and start screaming, 'It's a girl! It's a girl!' If we're going slow, I'll yell to them, 'Hey, you can do it, too!'"
It's the same advice Gloria gave her son a year ago — after Kellen, who had signed with Miami, failed to gain admission because of academic issues. The Hurricanes' misfortune has become the Aggies' good fortune.
Heard enrolled at A&M in January after spending five months in Miami, where he lifted weights and rubbed shoulders with South Beach celebrities, among them Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jennifer Lopez and NBA star Vince Carter.
"Ah, the glamour and the lights," Kellen said. "It was like a five-month vacation."
Because of his size, Heard said he often was mistaken for a Miami Dolphins player.
"I got in all of the clubs for free," he said with a grin. "It was great."
But skipping football for the fall wasn't, and Heard finally shucked the sand and surf for College Station, named, fittingly, for an old railroad depot — and it's only two hours away from his hometown of Wharton.
"God has a place for everybody," he said. "And I was meant to be here."
His mother agrees.
"No mother wants to send her child off, and I thought Miami was too far away," Gloria said. "I knew at A&M he'd be in good hands. Aggies are loyal for life. They're just good people."
Gloria had worked as a prison guard — including a stint on Texas' death row — before she became a train engineer. She raised Kellen since he was 8-years-old, after Kellen's biological father, Albert Williams, died of cancer.
"She's the most inspiring person in my life," Heard said. "She's just a wonderfully strong woman. She was a mother and daddy to me."
Wharton coach Russell Roberts shepherded Heard when he was a freshman in high school. He helped guide the youngster, who had some serious grade problems, through the heartache that can come from being different than others.
"By the time he was an eighth-grader, Kellen was larger than most grown men," Roberts said, his voice cracking from emotion. "I'm not sure I can tell you how proud I am of him. I felt like that Kellen had something to offer the world, and I don't mean just in football. Thanks to A&M and coach (Dennis) Franchione, I believe he's going to reach that potential."
Heard arrived in Aggieland eight months ago hoping to play defense, but that prospect raised hefty concerns.
With Heard's weight hovering near 380 pounds, Franchione figured Heard would play on the offensive line. But Heard buckled down and dropped 50 pounds.
"I quit eating McDonald's and drinking soda, and I started working out three times a day," he said. "I wanted to play defense, because offense really limits you. On defense, you can showcase how good an athlete or how aggressive you can be. I just like to hit."
On Monday, during the Aggies' first scrimmage of the season, Heard showed the coaches how intriguing a 6-5 defensive lineman can be. Twice, he knocked away passes at the line.
"That can make it tough for a quarterback," Franchione said. "Tipped balls sometimes turn into big plays for the defense."
Coming out of Class 3A Wharton — where he also averaged 27 points per game in basketball — Heard chose the Hurricanes over A&M and North Carolina.
"I never liked Texas, though," Heard said of A&M's rival, the Longhorns. "They were always uppity, and I was raised not to act like that."
Defensive line is a team strength, so Heard will have to fight for playing time. But starting tackle Red Bryant likes what he has seen from the newcomer who was rambling around South Beach a year ago — and dreaming of coming home.
"Kellen may weigh 330, but he looks more like 310," Bryant said. "He's got a very quick first step. Whenever he gets low — and he gets that first step — I haven't seen anybody block him yet."
Heard said he hopes to be a locomotive engineer — just like his mother — when his days of steaming over offensive linemen are done.
"He hasn't told me that one," his mom said. "Kellen has been an inspiration for me, too."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bzwerneman@express-news.net
WOW! Looks like A&M is gonna really benefit from his transfer.:clap:
Powerful locomotive
Web Posted: 08/19/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Brent Zwerneman
Express-News Staff Writer
COLLEGE STATION — If mammoth Texas A&M defensive lineman Kellen Heard ever hears three honks from a train rumbling by the Aggies' practice fields across Wellborn Road, he'll gladly turn and wave.
Heard will yell what's usually reserved for TV cameras on crisp fall Saturday afternoons at Kyle Field — not passing trains.
"Hi, Mom!"
Heard, a 6-foot-5, 330-pound freshman and one of the state's top prospects last year, is built like a locomotive. But his mother drives them.
Gloria Heard works as an engineer for Burlington Northern Santa Fe, a railroad that occasionally uses the Union Pacific lines crossing College Station.
"The most exciting part of my job is when I'm on this big locomotive, and I see these little kids waving at us," Gloria Heard said with a chuckle. "Then they take a second look and start screaming, 'It's a girl! It's a girl!' If we're going slow, I'll yell to them, 'Hey, you can do it, too!'"
It's the same advice Gloria gave her son a year ago — after Kellen, who had signed with Miami, failed to gain admission because of academic issues. The Hurricanes' misfortune has become the Aggies' good fortune.
Heard enrolled at A&M in January after spending five months in Miami, where he lifted weights and rubbed shoulders with South Beach celebrities, among them Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jennifer Lopez and NBA star Vince Carter.
"Ah, the glamour and the lights," Kellen said. "It was like a five-month vacation."
Because of his size, Heard said he often was mistaken for a Miami Dolphins player.
"I got in all of the clubs for free," he said with a grin. "It was great."
But skipping football for the fall wasn't, and Heard finally shucked the sand and surf for College Station, named, fittingly, for an old railroad depot — and it's only two hours away from his hometown of Wharton.
"God has a place for everybody," he said. "And I was meant to be here."
His mother agrees.
"No mother wants to send her child off, and I thought Miami was too far away," Gloria said. "I knew at A&M he'd be in good hands. Aggies are loyal for life. They're just good people."
Gloria had worked as a prison guard — including a stint on Texas' death row — before she became a train engineer. She raised Kellen since he was 8-years-old, after Kellen's biological father, Albert Williams, died of cancer.
"She's the most inspiring person in my life," Heard said. "She's just a wonderfully strong woman. She was a mother and daddy to me."
Wharton coach Russell Roberts shepherded Heard when he was a freshman in high school. He helped guide the youngster, who had some serious grade problems, through the heartache that can come from being different than others.
"By the time he was an eighth-grader, Kellen was larger than most grown men," Roberts said, his voice cracking from emotion. "I'm not sure I can tell you how proud I am of him. I felt like that Kellen had something to offer the world, and I don't mean just in football. Thanks to A&M and coach (Dennis) Franchione, I believe he's going to reach that potential."
Heard arrived in Aggieland eight months ago hoping to play defense, but that prospect raised hefty concerns.
With Heard's weight hovering near 380 pounds, Franchione figured Heard would play on the offensive line. But Heard buckled down and dropped 50 pounds.
"I quit eating McDonald's and drinking soda, and I started working out three times a day," he said. "I wanted to play defense, because offense really limits you. On defense, you can showcase how good an athlete or how aggressive you can be. I just like to hit."
On Monday, during the Aggies' first scrimmage of the season, Heard showed the coaches how intriguing a 6-5 defensive lineman can be. Twice, he knocked away passes at the line.
"That can make it tough for a quarterback," Franchione said. "Tipped balls sometimes turn into big plays for the defense."
Coming out of Class 3A Wharton — where he also averaged 27 points per game in basketball — Heard chose the Hurricanes over A&M and North Carolina.
"I never liked Texas, though," Heard said of A&M's rival, the Longhorns. "They were always uppity, and I was raised not to act like that."
Defensive line is a team strength, so Heard will have to fight for playing time. But starting tackle Red Bryant likes what he has seen from the newcomer who was rambling around South Beach a year ago — and dreaming of coming home.
"Kellen may weigh 330, but he looks more like 310," Bryant said. "He's got a very quick first step. Whenever he gets low — and he gets that first step — I haven't seen anybody block him yet."
Heard said he hopes to be a locomotive engineer — just like his mother — when his days of steaming over offensive linemen are done.
"He hasn't told me that one," his mom said. "Kellen has been an inspiration for me, too."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bzwerneman@express-news.net
WOW! Looks like A&M is gonna really benefit from his transfer.:clap: