Trindon Holliday Blazes to Glory
The greatest college football player of all-time is impossible to distinguish, yet it’s a topic that is still passionately argued among the game’s enthusiasts.
There is no argument, however, about college football’s fastest player. That title is certain. That title belongs to LSU senior running back Trindon Holliday.
Speed, unlike greatness, is measurable. Holliday’s blazing time in the 100-meter dash at the NCAA track and field finals this June was measured at 10.00 seconds, faster than any other runner in the event, and faster than any other college football player in history.
Holliday was crowned 2009 NCAA 100-meter National Champion and “Fastest College Football Player Ever” all in the same day.
“It’s an honor to have that title of one of the fastest players in the history of college football,” Holliday said. “It’s something I take a lot of pride in.”
Holliday’s 100-meter time isn’t the fastest time ever recorded in the event; in fact there have been 71 other people who have clocked faster times. However, none of those people played college football when their times were recorded.
There have been other outstanding college football players who have also enjoyed illustrious track careers, such as Herschel Walker, Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson. None of these players, however, ran 100 meters faster than Holliday.
Speed has always been Holliday’s ally, but then again, it always needed to be. Standing 5’5” and weighing 164 pounds, Holliday doesn’t exactly possess the body of a prototypical running back. There is something else, though, about the Zachary, La. native that surpasses even his world-class speed.
“People may overlook my size,” Holliday said. “But I will always say that it’s the size of the heart that counts.”
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Holliday’s stature is always the first thing you notice about him. That’s why his mother didn’t allow him to play football until he was in seventh grade. It’s also why college coaches were reluctant to consider him for scholarship, though he rushed for over 1,800 yards and 26 touchdowns as a junior.
In the summer before his senior season, Holliday had the opportunity to participate in a camp at LSU with high school teammate Aaron Brown, who is now a receiver at Grambling State. LSU’s head coach at the time, Nick Saban, originally recruited Brown, but after Holliday clocked a 4.27 in the 40-yard dash, the coach began to warm up to him.
After a stellar senior football season at Northeast High School where Holliday rushed for 2,210 yards and 34 touchdowns coupled with four individual track state championships, LSU offered him a scholarship.
The rest is history. Almost.
In his first three seasons at LSU, Holliday’s speed and breakaway ability as a return man had opposing special teams coordinators doing just about anything they could to keep the ball out of his hands.
They were successful … some of the time.
Holliday has two kickoffs and one punt returned for touchdowns in his career at LSU, one of only eight players in school history to return both a kickoff and a punt for a score.
He doesn’t even need to touch the ball in some cases to do his job. Just the threat of a game-changing scamper from Holliday is enough for opponents to concede field position and kick short.
“I’ll be honest, I get frustrated sometimes,” Holliday admitted. “Sometimes returns are the only opportunity I have to touch the ball all game, so I try to do as much as I can when I get the ball. I take the opportunities as they come.”
One of the biggest opportunities for Holliday came earlier this season when the Tigers trailed 13-12 at Georgia with just over a minute to play in the game. The Bulldogs had just taken the lead with a touchdown, but were flagged for excessive celebration. On the ensuing kickoff, Holliday burst a 40-yard return, giving the Tigers possession on Georgia’s 38-yard line, setting up the game-winning touchdown on a 33-yard run by Charles Scott.
“That was a big game for me,” said Holliday, who finished the game with 124 all-purpose yards. “I always try to help the team out as best as possible. I’m trying to make big plays every time I touch the ball to set up something big for the offense.”
The return game isn’t the only place Holliday has had success. As a running back, Holliday has rushed for 684 yards on 97 carries, averaging 7.1 yards per carry. He also has four rushing touchdowns, including an 11-yard score against UL-Lafayette this season.
In high school, Holliday was originally a wide receiver because of his size. However, after proving he could handle carrying the ball between the tackles without getting injured and averaging over 11 yards a carry, running back became a good fit.
The main challenge that faces LSU coaches with Holliday is how to use him effectively in the offense. With his speed and great open-field ability, Holliday has also seen time at receiver, but at running back his size actually benefits him because he can hide behind the bigger offensive linemen.
“I’m really open to anything,” Holliday said. “I played running back in high school, and that’s what I wanted to be when I came to LSU. The coaches wanted to try me out at receiver, but this year I think they wanted to get me some more touches so I moved back to running back.
“The chance to be on the field and to contribute to the team is what I want to do. Whatever best helps the team either on offense or special teams, that’s what I’m willing to do.”
In his time at LSU, Holliday has emerged as one of the best two-sport athletes in the history of the university, with a national championship in both football and track. It’s tough to distinguish where his future lies, either on the track or on the gridiron. For LSU head football coach Les Miles, the distinction is a little bit easier to make.
“Trindon Holliday is a football player, first and foremost,” Miles told ESPN the Magazine this summer. “He’s a tough, hard-nosed football player who runs track.”
“I’m hoping there’s a future for me in the NFL,” Holliday admitted. “I’m not going to get ahead of myself. I’m going to finish my senior season, enjoy the time I have left and I’ll make a decision after the season is over.”
Even college football’s fastest man knows when to take it slow.