By Lindsey Boyd (@lindsboyd3):
The name ‘Brent Brennan’ is interchangeable with the words “family man.” His vision as San Jose State’s head football coach is to blend a family of players and coaches on the field –– but he doesn’t stop there.
He wants to prepare players for careers outside of football.
“What do you want to do once you get your degree?” asked running backs coach Alonzo Carter of his players. “What do you want to do once football is over?”
Only 1.9 percent of players make it to the NFL, according to the NCAA.
For the other 98.1 percent, Brennan and Tobruk Blaine established the “Beyond Football Program,” coordinated by Blaine, which gives players access to internships and career development workshops outside of football.
Brennan encourages his players to pass the goodwill along just as the entire coaching staff strives to be role models for its players.
“Our kids are very heavily involved with community service and the Beyond Football Program that we’ve started here a few months ago,” Brennan said.
Together, the team set a goal of 750 community service hours and has made a point to visit 2-3 elementary schools a week.
The program hits home for Carter who grew up fatherless in Oakland and coached in the inter-cities of Oakland, Berkeley and Richmond. He escaped the intercity, however, defying the odds and becoming one of MC Hammer’s backup dancers.
“At 18 years old I had a son,” Carter said. “I was in college, I didn’t know what I was going to do with myself…once I got into a position to go back and give back, I immediately went back with these young men.”
After a video of Carter dancing his routine to MC Hammer’s song “U Can’t Touch This” at an SJSU football practice went viral in April and August, Ellen DeGeneres got wind of Carter’s story and surprise the Beyond Football Program with a $25,000 donation on her show.
“I was dying,” Brennan said when he heard the team was going to be on the “Ellen DeGeneres Show.” “I couldn’t tell anybody. It was really important it was a surprise for the players and for coach Carter.”
Brennan finally caved in and shared DeGeneres’ secret with athletic director Marie Tuite and his wife. He eagerly waited until Sept. 26 when DeGeneres’ producers sent a big white screen to SJSU’s football field after practice.
The team thought the producers were going to interview them for the “potential” to be on Ellen. Little did Carter and 20 members of the team know that Ellen would Skype in live during her show.
As soon as Ellen popped up on the white screen, the players and coaches went nuts.
“When you see Latu (Saliosi Latu), he had a boot on his foot from an injured ankle,” Carter said. “He’s literally running and sprinting back and forth on the field. And Mike (Michael Carrillo), he does this Michael Jackson kick.”
What did Carter do? Well, he broke out his MC Hammer moves of course.
DeGeneres’ donation came on the heels of two tough losses against Texas and Utah State. Her positive energy uplifted his team’s spirit and kicked off the excitement of homecoming week.
“Ellen is crazy,” said freshman running back Tyler Nevens. “With that $25,000 check, I think that will help us even more to make our platform even bigger.”
Blaine is already planning how to use the money. Transportation costs will be covered so players can travel to more schools in the Northern Bay Area without paying gas money out of their own pockets.
“It’s an opportunity for us to talk to our kids about looking at the positive impact you are having not just on the kids you’re seeing everyday, but how it came back to you,” Brennan said.
SJSU football’s strive for success beyond the pig skin was rewarded, and it will continue to pass down the same attitude to the next generation of players.