Garner senior running back Connor McLaurin breaks a tackle against Wakefield.
Oct 7, 2008
In football, skill players always get more attention than linemen, even though they wouldn't be able to play their position without the linemen up front. It is safe to say that the line is a position that is often overlooked.
There is a lineman who is getting attention this season, though, but it's not because of his play in the trenches, but because of his play in the backfield.
Garner senior Connor McLaurin played on the offensive line all of his life. That changed this season when the Trojans moved him into to the running back position.
McLaurin began playing football in the Cary Pop Warner youth football program, and continued through East Garner Middle School where he realized what he could do in the backfield. “In middle school, they let me play a little bit of fullback, and the first time I touched the ball, I took it to the house," McLaurin said, "It was the best feeling.”
Going from playing offensive guard to running back for one of the premiere high school football programs in North Carolina isn't an overnight process, and for McLaurin it took a lot of hard work. In fact, it took about two hours a day for four or five days a week during the summer.
“I worked a lot every day during the off season," McLaurin said, crediting coach James Payne for his help over the summer.
Payne gave McLaurin the credit.
“He deserves all of the credit because he did all of the hard work, all of the labor part," Payne said of McLaurin. “His work ethic is unreal. I’ve never seen a 17 year old kid work as hard as he does. He’s probably one of the hardest working guys that I’ve ever been around.”
That's saying a lot. Payne has worked with past Garner Trojans such as Chris Culliver and Reggie Bowens. Both Culliver and Bowens are currently playing football for the South Carolina Gamecocks.
Payne said when he first started working with McLaurin, he was routinely running a 4.87 forty-yard dash. He said by the end of the summer he clocked McLaurin at a 4.5 flat. McLaurin isn't satisfied with that time, though. Payne said the McLaurin wants to get to a 4.4 before he leaves Garner.
Even with the extra help during the off season, McLaurin admits that it hasn't been easy. “It’s a little more difficult than the line. There's a lot more going on, and it's a lot faster.”
McLaurin has been putting up impressive numbers during the season, though.
In the five games that McLaurin has touched the ball, he has rushed for 330-yards, averaging 66-yards per game and 7.5-yards per carry. That success is largely do to his athletic ability, but his knowledge for the game and its multiple positions has also helped.
“Coming from offensive guard, that really helped me understand the position," McLaurin explained. He doesn't give himself all of the credit, though. “[My teammates] try to help me out, Jeremy [Conyers] especially. He’s given me tips throughout the season."
Not many linemen have aspirations to make the switch to the backfield, so what sparked McLaurin's interest?
“I want to play college football, I’m an undersized linemen, and this is something I always wanted to do, so I said why not," McLaurin said. “I want to be a leader out there. You want to keep everyone out there hyped up, make sure everyone is out there ready to play.”
His speed and agility coach says he's never seen anything like it. “I’ve never seen that. That’s what’s so amazing about him," Payne said. “He got stronger, and he got a lot faster [over the summer]."
McLaurin realizes that he is playing for the most storied program in Wake County. "“It’s just a great program to be a part of," McLaurin said. "We’ve had a lot of great athletes come through here. You watch them, and you learn a lot from them. The coaches there are awesome, in my opinion they're the best coaches in the state."
Garner has had an uncharacteristic 4-3 start to the season, splitting their first two conference games. Still, McLaurin is confident and hopeful that this Trojan team can make a run in November.
"We started off slow. I think what hurt us most was mental mistakes. We’re starting to come together as a team, we’re working hard, and we’re executing," McLaurin said, “The football environment is just awesome, it’s a great town to play football in.”
McLaurin doesn't have any official offers from colleges yet, but he said that he has received some interest from schools like N.C. State and Elon.
What does Payne think of his McLaurin's chances at the next level?
“He could play both sides of the ball easily at the next level," Payne said. “If anybody could do it, it would be him because he really works hard... He just wants to play football."
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