Perseverance Pays Off for Senior Terrence Magee
The journey of LSU senior running back Terrence Magee has been filled with many twists and turns. The Franklinton, La. native is a versatile and selfless athlete who has persevered through challenges and transitions.
Magee’s name was buzzing throughout the 2011 fall camp. Coach Les Miles raved about how special a prospect Magee was coming out of high school, and for a very good reason.
Magee led the Franklinton Demons to a 14-1 record and the 2010 Louisiana 4A State Championship not as a running back, but as the quarterback. Throwing for 2,634 yards and 35 touchdowns and rushing for 1,370 yards and 19 touchdowns earned him the Louisiana 4A Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the Year award.
Coming out of high school, Magee stood 5’9”, too small to play quarterback for a school like LSU. Instead, he was recruited as a running back.
“When LSU was recruiting me, I knew I would play running back,” Magee said. “I came here with that in mind. It started off with me getting a lot of reps, but there were a lot of older guys in front of me. I had to take a back seat to those guys, sit back and learn.”
In 2011, sophomore running backs Michael Ford, Spencer Ware and Alfred Blue took most of the snaps while Magee played in five games and took 27 snaps.
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The humble freshman took the 2011 season as a learning experience. During 2012 spring practice, Miles transitioned Magee from running back to wide receiver. The position change didn’t stop Magee. His primary focus was to contribute to the team in any way.
“It was kind of disappointing at first,” he admitted. “I was recruited to play running back, so that is what my mind was set on. After a couple of days, I put that to the side because that was selfish of me. I just took that challenge on headfirst. I told myself if this is what they want me to do and if this is the best fit for the team, I am going to go out there and learn and give everything I have.”
As a wide receiver his sophomore season, Magee played in nine games with only one reception for seven yards against Idaho. Doubts began to run through Magee’s mind.
“I had plenty of thoughts of transferring,” Magee said. “There were many times I had my clothes packed. I called my mom and dad and told them I was ready to go. I doubted if I should be here or if this was the place for me.”
Rumors of Magee transferring traveled back to LSU running backs coach Frank Wilson. He knew the loss of Magee would be a devastating blow to the program.
“One day, coach Frank Wilson called me,” Magee said. “He asked me what is this I hear about you trying to transfer. He told me everything would be OK, we would work it out and he would get me back at running back. That’s what ended up happening.”
It was Magee’s junior year when he made the transition from wide receiver back to running back. He emerged as the No. 2 running back on the team after rushing for two touchdowns in the 2013 season opener against TCU.
“It was such a relief,” Magee stated. “That was something I waited three years to do. I didn’t expect it to take that long, but it did. It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders to finally have the opportunity to go out there and do what I have been wanting to do since I got here. I was finally able to contribute to the team.”
Magee’s contributions kept on giving throughout the 2013 season. He ran for 100-plus yards in three contests, the most impressive being 13 carries for 149 yards against Texas A&M. Magee put LSU on the board early after a 65-yard scamper to the Texas A&M one yard line. He capped it off with a one-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter. Magee was named the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Week after his superb performance.
When asked about his successful breakout year, Magee humbly gives the credit to others around him.
“There are a handful of guys who encouraged me along the way,” Magee said. “My teammates like Alfred Blue, Kenny Hilliard, Jermauria Rasco, Paul Turner were there for me through everything. I talked to those guys all the time. One thing they all said was what God has for you no one can take from you. I credit all of those guys for a big part of me staying with it.”
While Magee brings many athletic and physical qualities to LSU’s squad, the most important quality is his ability to lead by example. Through all the challenges of switching positions, Magee faced each obstacle with a positive outlook and did what was best for the team.
“He’s been through a lot, but he never gave up and he’s a hard-working guy,” senior linebacker D.J. Welter said. “I work out with him in the weight room pretty much every morning and being around him, I know what a positive guy he is.”
Magee’s resilience through the challenges and transitions did not go unnoticed by his teammates and coaches. At the beginning of the 2014 fall camp, he was awarded the coveted No. 18 LSU jersey after three long years of hard work and persistence.
The No. 18 is synonymous with success both on and off the field, as well as a selfless attitude that has become the essence of an LSU football player. The LSU staff agreed that Magee was best fit to carry on the cherished tradition.
“I am extremely proud of Terrence,” Wilson said of his prized running back. “It couldn’t go to a kid who is more deserving, who has overcome adversity and persevered. He did all the things necessary to exemplify what that award is for, so I’m certainly very excited for him and our unit to represent No. 18 and what it means to LSU.”
From all the doubts and frustration to climbing his way up LSU’s depth chart, Magee is a primary example of what LSU football stands for. He approached each difficulty with endurance and faith.
“A lot of times things happen and you don’t know why,” Magee explained. “You just have to stay the course, persevere, and ultimately what God wants to happen will happen in the long run.”