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Thibodaux/Nicholls State Football “Hub”
By Mike Detillier
For eight days Thibodaux, Louisiana and Nicholls State University have been the centerpiece for off-season football. The Offensive/Defensive Line Camp which is the largest in America had a record turnout of 522 young men from across the nation.
One day after the Offensive/Defensive Line Camp finished the Manning Passing Academy with 1,200 young men from across the world came rolling into town.
The economic impact in south Louisiana for both camps is estimated to be $4.5 million dollars.
But it also puts the spotlight on the community and the school.
Legendary defensive line coach Pete Jenkins, who has run the camp for over 30 years, was overwhelmed with the turnout.
“It’s amazing on Father’s Day weekend we had the largest turnout ever,” Jenkins said. “Year #1 we had 48 kids come to the camp and for a few years it hovered in the 400’s, but last year we broke the 500 mark for the first time and this year 522. For an old coach it does my heart good to see these young men working here.
Playing along the offensive line or defensive line is not something easy or natural to do. It has to be taught. I have to thank the coaches from around the country, area coaches and even a few players who turn up to help out. We had 17 kids from Maryland have a fundraiser in order to come to Thibodaux. The area has been great to welcome us and Nicholls State is like another home for me. In this 90-degree heat we are so fortunate to have Thibodaux Regional Medical Center and their athletic trainers work this camp so well. None better in my opinion. And Coach Don Rodrigue does a great job helping coordinate the camp. It’s been a great joy to be here over 30 years.”
Former Southeastern University (LA.) head coach and San Francisco 49ers regional scout Oscar Lofton heaped high praise on the ability to organize these two major camps and attract counselors that really work the camp.
“I can remember when Pete (Jenkins) first started up this camp and they didn’t have 50 kids out on the practice field, “Lofton said who worked the camp as a counselor. “It’s important you have people who put their name on these camps like Jenkins, Kevin Mawae is here, Henry Thomas, Ed Orgeron has been involved in this camp in the past and the defensive line coach from the New England Patriots Brendan Daly has been here the last three years. They aren’t here just to watch, but to work each and every day in these drills. It’s the same with the Manning Camp with Archie, Eli and Peyton. They work each practice with the young men and I have been told there have been 37 college quarterbacks who have went to the NFL that have worked the Manning Camp the last 8 years. Years ago college coaches put their names on camps, but they didn’t show up until it was time to take the team picture on the last day. That is not the case with these two camps.
Kids today haven’t changed from kids in the 1970’s or 1980’s, it’s the parents that have changed and don’t even get me started on the grandparents. They have more distractions than kids 30 or 40 years ago, but kids today want discipline, order and they want to be challenged. People sometimes forget that sports can teach young men and women how to work together as a team. You can’t learn that typing on a cellphone or playing a video game at home. You have to want to be here in these 90-degree plus temperature days and the humidity of south Louisiana. There is a commitment to work and better your craft that comes across at these camps.
We tried a high school football camp in the mid-1970’s at Nicholls State, but we didn’t get the high school coaches involved enough and we just couldn’t get the proper funding and name recognition to continue it,” Lofton added. “I do remember a vertically-challenged, long-haired, skinny kid from Central Lafourche High School who was pretty good here. I can’t remember his name, but he turned into a very successful television and radio sportstalk guy and writer. Thank Thibodaux Regional Medical Center for helping sponsor these two events and their athletic trainers. Everything today costs money and the organization behind these two camps and the medical care from the athletic trainers are as good as you will ever see.”
Former LSU and Minnesota Vikings star defensive tackle Henry Thomas was a coach at the Offensive/Defensive Lineman Camp and he knows the importance to good teaching and fundamentals.
“You have to teach young linemen how to play with good techniques and fundamentals and this is the biggest and best camp in the country to do so,” Thomas said. “Using your arms and hands properly and learning proper leverage skills are the very keys to good play along the offensive and defensive line. Great to work again with Coach Pete (Jenkins) and then you have one of the best offensive linemen ever to play at LSU and in the NFL in Kevin Mawae , Bo Davis one of the top college defensive line coaches in college football, Coach Tim Rebowe and his staff from Nicholls State and I think a future NFL head coach in Brendan Daly the defensive line coach with the New England Patriots. LSU defensive tackle Christian LaCouture also helped out over the weekend. Also so many area coaches too. I love coming here and the folks in Thibodaux and Nicholls State have been great to us. There is nothing like south Louisiana for heat and humidity.”
Archie Manning also threw out great praise to the community and how they have embraced the Manning Passing Academy.
“To be honest when Peyton (Manning) came up with this idea to have a camp for quarterbacks and wide receivers I never thought it would turn out this way,” Manning said. “ We have been blessed to have Peyton, Cooper and Eli oversee the camp all those years. We have had players like Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota, Colt McCoy, Andy Dalton, last year we had Jared Goff- the first overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft, Derek Carr, A.J. McCarron, Dak Prescott, Christian Hackenberg and Matt Stafford come to help out as counselors. We have also had Jarvis Landry, Odell Beckham, Jr., Sean Payton and Jake Delhomme work the camp and this year Saints wide receiver Willie Snead came over to help out.
Just outstanding counselors this year in DeShaun Watson, Chad Kelly, Brandon Harris, Baker Mayfield, Josh Rosen, Greg Ward and Seth Russell came here. We have been so blessed to attack these type players.
We had the camp at both Tulane and Southeastern (LA.), but because we grew so fast we needed extra fields and Nicholls stepped up. I have to thank Norby Chabert who represents this area and former Governor Bobby Jindal for helping with some finances to get the fields in better condition and upgrade the drainage. Just remarkable team work. Within a few weeks of us posting online about the 2016 camp we sold out and had to turn people away. We couldn’t do this without great support from the area, Nicholls State has been just wonderful to work with and certainly Thibodaux Regional Medical Center and Greg Stock for supplying the camp with outstanding trainers and keeping everyone hydrated and healthy. This is home for the Manning Camp.”
The Manning Passing Academy was covered this year by CNN, ESPN, Rhett Lewis from the NFL Network, Jennifer Hale from Fox Sports, Jarrett Bell from USA Today and 86 different television/radio outlets across the nation.
“It is a hidden gem of the football offseason that few people outside the region really know about in having the largest offensive/defensive line camp in the country and then the Manning Camp with 1,200 young men here at Nicholls State and all of this done within a span of less than 8 days,” said Jennifer Hale-who covered the camp for Fox Sports and is a spokesperson for Thibodaux Regional Medical Center.
“The area has been so great with the hospitality they give to everyone and they make you feel like family when you come to cover these camps, “Hale added. “The organization to put this together from Nicholls State, the city of Thibodaux, to the camp counselors and the outstanding athletic trainers from Thibodaux Regional Medical Center is phenomenal. It’s great to come here and pick up information about the upcoming football season and also being able to mingle with so many folks from the area that go out of their way to make your stay special. I am just so impressed with the hard work and dedication the community has in putting this all together in such a short timeframe.”
Greg Stock, the CEO of Thibodaux Regional, spoke highly of the impact both camps have on the area.
“We are thrilled to be involved with these camps and others from biddy ball to the highest level. Our athletic trainers and staff, in particular Larry D’Antoni (coordinator of the Sports Medicine Center) just do a fantastic job and sometimes an overlooked job. We have a special bond with Archie (Manning) as a spokesperson for Thibodaux Regional Medical Center and our new Wellness Center. We want to project good health issues at Thibodaux Regional Medical Center, but also team work. These young men are getting great value lessons and the importance of hard work and dedication with these camps. You just can’t measure what it does not only financially, but also an emotional lift these camps give our youth and the community.”
Quote of the Week…
Comments from an AFC Pro Personnel director at the Manning Passing Academy on the success of the New Orleans Saints offense in 2016.
“The key is protecting Drew Brees and there is no debate about it, “the AFC scouting chief said. “The Saints don’t have the offensive line they did in 2009 or 2011 to run the ball effectively each week, but they really were a passing team even back then and they finished games out with a strong rushing attack to eat up time and wear teams out. Those days are gone because they don’t have the same interior push with premium players like Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks at the guard spots.
You will be in 100-meter dash track football games each week and Sean (Payton) will play to the strength of his team and that is throwing the ball with still one of the best passers in the game. The Saints have to protect Drew Brees better and then get a lead and create some turnovers on defense. Anyone who says running the ball is the key for the Saints success this year doesn’t understand what they have done so successfully and they don’t have premium guards anymore. Terron (Armstead) is one of the best in the league at left tackle and Max Unger is a very good center, but everything else is in question. Throw in the way they train today with not a lot of hitting with pads due to the new CBA and offensive line blocking for the running game is not very good league wide. Protecting Drew Brees is the biggest key to their offensive success in 2016 and he gives them a fighting shot and better each week to win.”
Follow Mike on Twitter at @MikeDetillier