Given a shot, Lawrence took advantage
By Mark Buffalo / Staff Writer / mbuffalo@cabotstarherald.com
Wednesday, December 31, 2008 11:06 AM CST
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| Byron Lawrence breaks through an opening in the Demons’ game against Central Arkansas last month (Mark Buffalo). |
NATCHITOCHES, La. - Former North Pulaski Falcons football star Byron Lawrence recently completed his collegiate career at Northwestern (La.) State University. He finished his three-year playing career by making second team All-Southland Conference as the Demons finished 7-5.
NSU is a member of the Southland Conference and NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision [Division I-AA].
Lawrence also finished his career as the Demons’ second-leading rusher with 3,316 yards, including 1,118 years in 2008. He finished his career by averaging 97.5 yards rushing per game and 15 100-yard rushing games.
Lawrence scored 18 touchdowns during his three-year career.
“The coaches gave me an opportunity to play,” Lawrence said, prior to his team’s game at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway on Nov. 8. “Since then, things have been going great.”
Lawrence attended NSU after graduating from North Pulaski. He sat out his first year under Proposition 48 rules because of academic deficiencies. The next year, Lawrence wasn’t invited to two-a-day practices.
“I was able to come back that fall [2005] and participate in practice,” Lawrence said. “I was on the scout team. That spring, I was able to perform during spring ball [2006] and that led to two-a-days that fall when I got my first chance to start for NSU.”
In his first game for NSU in 2006, he rushed for 70 yards on 15 carries in a 49-18 loss to Kansas. Lawrence scored his first touchdown on an 11-yard run in the Demons’ 23-3 win over Delaware State on Sept., 16, 2006. It was also his first 100-yard rushing game as he finished with 115 yards on 21 carries.
Lawrence never imagined he would play at the Division I level.
“It has been great,” Lawrence said of playing in Division I. “The fans are great here at NSU.”
In high school, Lawrence was also an outstanding basketball player.
“The last couple of years of high school, in football, I felt like I had a better season,” Lawrence said. “I thought the opportunities to go to the next level would be in football. Plus, I enjoyed playing the sport better than basketball so I chose football.”
Lawrence said North Pulaski coaches Tony Bohannon and Rich Rodgers were supportive of him during his high school career.
“They told me I could do pretty much whatever I wanted,” Lawrence said. “If I wanted to do football, they told me to stick with it. You might go through ups and downs and I did when I first got here but I never gave up and now look where I’m at. I’m happy I stuck with it.”
Bohannon didn’t expect anything different from what Lawrence has accomplished.
“You could see it coming,” Bohannon said, prior to the Demons’ game at UCA. “It was great to see where he winded up going to school. I’m just real proud of him in everything he has done.”
Lawrence said, back in November, that was he on track to graduate in this fall with a degree in general studies with a minor in social science. He wants to be a coach.
“In January, I’m going to come back and go to graduate school and further my education,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence would also like a chance to play football professionally.
“If I get the opportunity, I would love to play,” Lawrence said. “I’ll take care of my school first. If I get the opportunity to go [professionally] it will be nice but I’ll still graduate and become a coach.”
Bohannon thinks Lawrence will get a chance to play at the professional level.
“If somebody doesn’t pick up on him, that is there loss,” Bohannon said. “I think Byron has the tools to play either special teams or running back. I still think he can play.”
