Thank you, Steve Pardue

In July 2003, WTRP station manager Glenn Buxton asked me to do play-by-play for the LaGrange Grangers. I had heard of the Grangers mainly because of their earning the 1991 USA Today national championship. But I knew little of the 2003 Grangers, and less of their head coach, Steve Pardue.

The broadcast crew then consisted of me, Doug Cox and Todd Willis. We went to Coach Pardue's office the week before the Newnan scrimmage and talked football. I was impressed with the mixture of confidence and humility I saw in the head coach. Doug asked Steve if the 2003 Grangers would resemble the 1999 Grangers with the graduation of players like Adrian Griffin, Blake Mitchell, Emanuel Harrell and Skyler Thornton. Without hesitation, Pardue said “No, not with this bunch of kids.”

After a 24-21 loss in the first game, the Grangers reeled off 29 straight wins, winning two state championships in a row. All told, Pardue and the Grangers would win three state titles, appear in five semifinals, and win eight region crowns. But the on-the-field accolades are only the surface.

When Steve Pardue announced his resignation as head coach, the first thing I wanted to do was ask his former players what Steve Pardue meant to them when they played and what he means to them today. Maybe even add a story that they would like to share with you, the reader, which you may not know. The response was overwhelming. If I simply copied and pasted what they wrote, it would fill up pages and pages of this newspaper.

“Father figure” were the most commonly used words describing Steve Pardue. UAB linebacker Keon Harris wrote that Pardue “became a father figure to me at a time where I needed one most. Before becoming a member of the varsity team I continuously got suspended from school and disrespected whoever I came in to contact with. Becoming a Granger under his terms is what makes me who I am today, a humble young man. What you have in Steve Pardue is a blueprint on how to be a man and how people should try and reach out to kids not only for your own success, but also to help teens build character, work hard, show respect, and gain leadership skills.”

Kentucky linebacker Qua Huzzie also used the term “father figure” saying Pardue “didn’t only teach you about the game of football, but more important he taught you how to be a young man and make the right decisions about life. How to be successful throughout our lifetime. Once in practice he said ‘What would people think when they see your picture on the wall? Do you want to be average?’ That would push me even harder.

Pardue had a way of making players buy into a mindset that they can not lose. Denver Bronco linebacker Braxton Kelley wrote that Pardue “set a standard so high that even this day it sometimes makes me think that I can win every time I step on a field. Even going on to college I stuck to that drive and determination to win because in high school he made us feel invincible.” The 55-2 record Braxton's class had didn't hurt in that feeling of invincibility.

It was during Kelley's junior year, 2003, that the Grangers won their second state title with Pardue as head coach. As I noted before, Pardue knew that team was too talented to do poorly. Granger kicker and former Granger sideline reporter Tommy Traylor wrote, “Coach Pardue came in and told us 'There’s no reason why this team can’t win the state championship. If we don’t win the state championship, it will be my fault for not doing a good enough job as your coach.' Any fan who watched the Troup game at the beginning of that season would have called Coach Pardue crazy if they had known he had said that. We turned the ball over 6 times,” Traylor wrote, “and gave up some big plays on defense in a loss. But from that first team meeting, Coach Pardue had won over our players. Even after that embarrassing loss a key member of our team asserted his faith in what we could accomplish.”

That key member was Wesley Woodyard, who is now a linebacker with the Denver Broncos. Woodyard gave the postgame prayer after the 2003 loss to Troup, and in it he asked the Lord to “help us learn from our mistakes tonight and get better each week, because we still have 14 games left to play.” Wesley certainly had not wavered in his belief in what Coach Pardue told the Grangers before the season. 29 wins later, LaGrange would become back to back state champions, against all odds.

Pardue always kept an even keel about him. Kentucky kicker Joe Mansour wrote “No matter how stressed out or angry he was about a game or situation you could never tell.” The reason? According to Ben Turner, student manager for the Auburn University football team, Pardue “and the other coaches were all men of God. I can still recall the thunder I would get in my chest as we would all say the Lord's Prayer in unison before walking out of the tunnel.” Tommy Traylor echoed the sentiment. “Coach Pardue did not just have a goal of simply molding great players and great teams, but molding great men who would continue to follow the right path and make the most of their God-given abilities.”

Every player who responded to my request said playing for Coach Pardue was a highlight in their life, not just their playing career.

Joe Mansour: “I couldn't think of a better coach I could have played for in high school. I was just blessed he ended up as my coach at LaGrange for four great years.”

Keon Harris: “Steve Pardue affected my life while he was my coach and in life after high school.”

Braxton Kelley: “Coach was always one that cared and not only about football but what kind of man you were going to become.”

Jon Kelton: “Coach Pardue told us, ‘If you are a school janitor, be the best janitor in the school. If you are at home and your mom asks you to take the trash out, be the best at taking the trash out in your family. If you are a businessman, teacher, or whatever it is you are...be the best at it that you can be.’ Sometimes when I get lazy or sorry and don't want to work and do what I need to be doing. That quote always seems to come to mind and I get back on track.”

Tommy Traylor: “If Coach Pardue was tough on you, that was a good thing—it showed that he saw potential in you to be a better player and person, and he wanted to help you improve. He always said, 'You should only be worried if I stop being tough on you and stop trying to help you improve. That would mean I’ve given up on you.' He never gave up on anyone.”

Qua Huzzie – “I still love Coach Pardue. I thank him for making me the man I am. I could call coach till this day now and ask for advice or for help and he would break every bone in his body to help me. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know where I would be.”

Ben Turner: “When I talk about my high school experience in comparison with others it makes me aware of how truly blessed I am to have played at LaGrange High School. I played for a great head coach and great group of assistant coaches. I played in front of the best fans in Georgia. I played for a great school. Today I am proud to say that I had the honor to play for Coach Pardue and wear the stars on my helmet.”

Likewise it has been an honor doing the play-by-play for the Grangers. But it has been an even greater honor working the games during the last eight years of the Steve Pardue era.

White County 28 LaGrange 20

For the third time in four years, LaGrange finishes the season in week 12 going 0-1 in the playoffs. But it took a very talented team from Cleveland to send the Grangers home for the final time this season.

The two teams exchanged punts to open the first quarter. The Grangers then threw the first punch getting to the Warrior 35 and in scoring range. But E Smith's 52 yard field goal attempt was just short. White County countered with a four play drive going 80 yards. Ashely Lowery scored from four yards out and it was 6-0 home team. The Grangers answered with an 11 play 72 yard drive of their onw, finishing when Chauncey Smith found the end zone from five yards out. 7-6 LaGrange. One White County's next drive, Cole Segraves's pass was intercepted by Chauncey Smith, who ran it all the way in. 14-6 Grangers. The teams exchanged punts and LaGrange's last drive of the half stalled at the Warrior 19. But E Smith's 36 yard field goal attempt missed its mark and the Grangers went to the locker room with a 14-6 lead.

White County's first drive of the third quarter was simple, a six play 80 yard drive keyed by a 55 yard catch. DJ Rogers caught a 31 yard pass in the end zone and the two point conversion tied the game at 14. The Grangers answered with a 75 yard drive that spanned eight plays. A 29 yard touchdown catch by Dee Smith gave LaGrange a 20-14 lead. Butthe Warriors marched right back with a nine play drive that went 80 yards. another four yard scoring run by Lowery gave White County a slim 21-20 lead. LaGrange's very next drive was a long 13 play drive from the 25 to the 25. But E Smith's 42 yard field goal attempt was wide, his third miss of the night. The Warriors would turn the ball over and LaGrange was in great shape. But on the second play of the drive, Chauncey Smith's halfback pass was intercepted and White County got new life. An 11 play drive going 73 yards took a full five minutes off the clock. Lowery ran across the goal line from two yards out giving the Warriors a 28-20 lead and leaving a scant 1:23 left in the game. But on LaGrange's fifth play of the drive, Braxton Smith's pass was picked off and White County ran out the clock.

The Grangers' lack of depth was key in their 5-6 season, the first sub-.500 since 1999. But make no mistake, the White County Warriors are a good team. Todd Willis and I had a chance to chat with former Warrrior head coach Bill White and he said this is the best team they ever had.

The senior class finishes with a 32-15 record and playoff appearances in every year. Congratulations to the Grangers on their 11th straight playoff season.

Troup Co. 34 LaGrange 27

For the third time in four years, the LaGrange-Troup game was decided by one score as the Tigers upended LaGrange 34-27 in a very exciting game, ending the Grangers six game winning streak over Troup.

For the third time in five years in this series, the opening kickoff was returned for a touchdown. Demoton Boyd ran the kickoff 98 yards for the score and the Grangers took an early 6-0 lead. Troup would go three and out and LaGrange started the next drive at the Troup 30 after a bad punt by Jordan Vann. It took only two plays for LaGrange to score. A 27 yard pass from Braxton Smith to Dee Smith found the end zone and it was 13-0 barely 3 minutes into the game. Troup came back with a four play 63 yard drive, however, when Wilson Lindsey ran 15 yards for a touchdown. 13-7 Grangers. LaGrange answered with a three play 84 yard drive, capped off by Dee Alford's 89 yard touchdown catch and it became 20-7 LaGrange. But that would be all the scoring for the next 33 game clock minutes for LaGrange. The teams exchanged punts, exchanged turnovers, and exchanged punts again. Troup's final drive of the first half went 62 yards in six plays, the last being an eight yard scoring run by Quan Bray. Both teams went to the locker room with LaGrange enjoying a 20-13 lead.

The Tigers got into the Granger red zone to open the second half, but Vann missed a 28 yard field goal. After a Granger three and out, Troup again got within scoring range. But Dee Smith intercepted a Brannon Smith pass and the Grangers set up shop at their own 20. LaGrange would only get one first down, though, and after a punt Troup started at their own 36. On the second play, Quan Bray ran 59 yards for a touchdown and knotted the game up at 20.

Then the wheels came off. Malcolm Dowell fumbled the kickoff return and Troup started at the Granger 15. Five plays later the Tigers scored on a 10 yard touchdown pass to Eric Hutchinson to take a 27-20 lead. With LaGrange reeling, Troup pulled off an onside kick and had the ball again. It took the Tigers only four plays to go 37 yards when Bray ran in from three yards out. 34-20 Troup. But LaGrange answered on the very next drive. Braxton Smith led the 80 yard drive in six plays and found Sean Cagle in the end zone. 34-27 Tigers. Troup would punt and LaGrange drove to the midfield stripe. But Braxton Smith's pass was intercepted and Troup ran out the clock.

This was an excellent chess match between two excellent coaching staffs. The Grangers held Quan Bray to 27 first half yards. The onside kick after Troup took the lead was brilliant. After being down two touchdowns, the Grangers did not pack it in and marched down the field for a touchdown. The loss of Price Oliver earlier this season was evident. Javonte Daniel was hobbled last week and John Wagner was taken out of this game. But still LaGrange came close against a very talented Troup team.

LaGrange next makes the 147 mile trip to Cleveland to face the White County Warriors. LaGrange has an outstanding record against teams they have never played before, so I like the Grangers' chances.