Former West St. Mary High School standout football player Harry Coleman is playing his natural position at LSU now, and the move is paying off for both the team and Coleman.

Coleman was named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week after making nine tackles with two sacks and two forced fumbles in a 31-10 win over Auburn last Saturday.

Mississippi running back Dexter McCluster was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Week after gaining more than 100 yards both rushing and receiving in a win over Arkansas. Alabama kicker Leigh Tiffin was the special teams honoree in awards announced by the SEC office.

Advertisement

“(New LSU defensive coordinator John) Chevis is letting him do what comes naturally,” said Andre Lockley, who coached Coleman at West St. Mary. “He’s a strong safety in body but not mentally. He’s so aggressive.”

The 6-foot-2 inch, 204-pound Coleman was switched from strong safety to linebacker this year in Chevis’s first season with the Tigers. Lockley, who has been head coach at WSM since the school was formed in 1999, said that Coleman’s aggressive play is perfect for the linebacker position but could potentially lead to problems as a cover safety.

“I was scared to death during the (2007) national championship game,” said Lockley. “I was worried he was going to come up and smash (Ohio State running back) Beanie Wells, but leave somebody open in the passing game.”

That did not turn out to be the case as Coleman made a big impact filling in for All-American strong safety Craig Steltz, who was injured during the game. Coleman, a sophomore at the time, returned a fumble 22 yards in the Tigers’ 38-10 win, caused an interception with a blitz that forced a bad throw, and recovered a fumbled punt to help LSU keep possession.

Lockley was pleased to find the sudden notoriety Coleman gained from that game didn’t change him.

“That’s what I admire about him as his high school coach,” said Lockley.

Last season, Coleman was a starter at strong safety and led the Tigers with 71 tackles, one for a loss, with seven pass breakups and three quarterback hurries.

“The thing I always said was if they were going to play him at safety, put him in the box (near the line of scrimmage),” said Coleman. “His instinct is not to cover half the field (as a safety), he wants to be aggressive.

“I’m just glad to see his perseverance is paying off.”

Lockley said he spoke to Coleman on Wednesday, and as always the biggest challenge he laid out for his former star athlete was an academic one.

“That’s to graduate,” said Lockley, who played football at Tulane and earned his degree there. “Even if you have to come back to school (after using up athletic eligibility), you need to do that.”

On the field, Lockley expects continued success in the new defensive system.

“You’ve got some kids who have a natural gift to be around the ball, just like he was in the national championship game,” said Lockley. “He’s got a humble attitude, but he’s confident.”