Preps

Baron comes into his own

Carl Teague lives up to his family legacy of outstanding football players, becoming a powerful force on SPC's defense and offense.

By JAMAL THALJI
Published November 25, 2004

ST. PETERSBRUG - There was a time when Carl Teague felt the crushing weight of familial expectations.

His father Albert was a standout linebacker at Boca Ciega and older brother Jason was a star running back at Osceola who now plays for Michigan State.

"It used to be a burden," Carl Teague said. "I couldn't be myself. I was always "Jason Teague's little brother.' "

Teague doesn't feel that weight anymore. The St. Petersburg Catholic linebacker/fullback has made a name for himself by inflicting a crushing weight on others.

"When I first started out I wanted to be on offense and run the ball better than my brother," Teague said. "But it just wasn't my calling. Defense is my calling.

"It was the middle of my freshman year at Gibbs, and I saw that hole. I saw it open up and there's nothing to do but attack it. On that play it was like a one-on-one game.

"And I believe that nobody on that side of the ball is better than me."

That is what has made the 6-foot-2, 215-pound senior such a defensive force for the Barons (9-1), who play for the school's first berth in the state championship Friday night. SPC has allowed 12.1 points per game this season, shut out foes three times and allowed only 14 points in two playoff games (both touchdowns scored by Clearwater Central Catholic last week).

Teague had 59 solo tackles and 32 assists in the regular season, along with 15 tackles for a loss and six sacks for minus-70 total yards.

In the playoffs he has had 17 tackles, seven assists and two sacks. Both sacks came against CCC and both were crucial to that playoff win. The last sack in the third quarter took quarterback Andrew Nowels off his feet and knocked the ball from his hands, which SPC recovered to preserve a seven-point lead.

"Sometimes I just get something in my head where I tell myself, "It's time to make a big play,' " Teague said.

To Teague, that's his job. To make plays, or tackles, and to help "his" defense make plays.

"I can't let them get past the second level," he said. "You've got the defensive line at the first level, and then the linebackers at the second. The secondary should never have the most tackles in a game. I do not want to let them get past the second level. That's what I try to instill in my defense and in my linebackers:

"Do not let them get into the secondary."

Don't forget that Teague can run it, too. He has rushed 51 times for 493 yards and 14 touchdowns and caught four passes for 73 yards and a score. Last week Teague broke off a 35-yard TD run in the second quarter, breaking two tackles to tie CCC at 14.

"He's our iron man," Barons coach Dan Mancuso said. "He had a real strong game on offense and defense last week and I think that those sacks he came up with were really big.

"He's a game breaker."

Said Teague: "We had a little pep rally and he called me the heart of the team, so I know they're looking at me to do big things and show no fear."

Teague, who transferred to SPC for his junior year, doesn't mind the many roles he plays. He doesn't mind that on offense he has to share touches with quarterback Billy Tapp, running back Jock Sanders and a host of talented Barons, and often has to block for them. Or that on special teams he rarely gets a break, resting only on kickoff and punt returns.

It's all fine with Teague. It's all a part of his legacy, a free-standing wing he's building alongside the family tradition.

"I'm really just trying to uphold my own name," he said. "I could have just gone to Osceola but I didn't want to follow in Jason's footsteps. I wanted to make my own name.

[Last modified November 25, 2004, 00:12:21]