Rod Crayton blew through the right guard’s block like a man possessed and dropped the ball carrier in the backfield.
It was the third quarter of Southern Miss’ season opener against Kentucky, a member of the much-ballyhooed Southeastern Conference. The Golden Eagles, trailing 14-10, were desperate for a stop in a critical third-and-1 situation. Hell-bent on sacking his old ways — mental and physical, both of which limited his ability to realize his full potential — up stepped Crayton at the nose tackle position, tossing the 6-foot-5, 315-pound speed bump to the side, signaling his emergence.
At long last.