UL worth wait for LB Tyler Norman
LOUISIANA La. -- University of Louisiana defensive coordinator Brent Pry doesn't have a son, but Cajuns linebacker Tyler Norman might seem like one.
When Pry coached at Western Carolina, he recruited Norman, who started there as a freshman.
A year later, Norman followed Pry to UL, where in his final season Norman is the Cajuns' leading tackler.
Norman will start at weakside linebacker at 6 p.m. Saturday when the Cajuns host Florida International in a key Sun Belt Conference game at Cajun Field.
The relationship between Pry and Norman has become close, almost like family.
"I recruited Tyler (at Duluth High near Atlanta) in the spring of his junior year in high school and since then, I have become real close to his family," Pry said.
"It won't seem the same around here next year when I look around and he's not there in the defensive player meetings."
Norman, named the Southern Conference's Freshman Player of the Week at Western Carolina, said he's always liked Pry's coaching style.
"He's kind of loud, exciting and enthusiastic," Norman said. "When I played for him as a freshman, I had a lot of fun. I came (to ULL) because it was an opportunity to go to Division I, even though it meant sitting out a year and redshirting."
Pry said Norman's road from Western Carolina to ULL wasn't exactly lined with roses.
"There were some conditions, because I didn't want to steal him from Western Carolina," Pry said.
"Tyler was going to have to walk on to this team and earn a scholarship. That meant while he was here in his first season, he had to play on the scout squad like some of the other walk-ons.
"He agreed to do that and when he was in practices with the other scout-teamers, his aggressive style really came out.
"The other condition for coming here was that he was going to have to keep his grades right. Now he's down to his final few games and I think he's playing up now to his capability."
Norman said his main job on the weak side is stopping the run.
"At the position I'm playing now, I just go to the ball and get the tackle," Norman said.
Norman has a team-leading 57 tackles. He and linebackers Mark Risher and Brenton Burkhalter have combined for 158 tackles, 12 behind the line of scrimmage.
The rest of the story
By BOBBY ARDOIN
Special to The Advocate
Quote