Oct. 24, 2002
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - Thousand-yard rusher Rod Smart had to do it. So did DeWayne Gallishaw, a two-time all-conference performer.
For three years senior Jon Frazier has filled multiple roles for the Western Kentucky University football team, from wide receiver to wing back. Only now has the Central City, Ky., resident showcased the abilities that made him the state's leading rusher with 204.3 yards per game as a Muhlenberg North High senior in 1998.
Frazier has emerged as WKU's leading rusher this fall, collecting 673 yards to rank fifth in the Gateway Football Conference despite not earning the starting role in the backfield until the end of fall practice. Even then, the 5-foot-9, 180-pound back watched as sophomore Maurice Bradley started the Kentucky State contest and earned the majority of carries the following week against Western Illinois.
What are the factors that have led to Frazier's success in his final year on the Hill? Most would say his patience and his work ethic.
"Jon did not have a good spring - I went into those practices thinking he would be our number one, but he came out at number three," says head coach Jack Harbaugh. "To his credit, he wasn't deterred. He worked hard this summer, came in asking for nothing and then won the job.
"Jon's doing things now better than he ever has. He's running with authority while also making people miss. Each and every ball game he is doing something that he didn't do the week before, which makes him unique as well as marketable down the road."
Assistant coach T.J. Weist, in his first year at Western, adds, "The biggest reason Jon is where he's at this year is that he's been our most consistent worker in the backfield. He works hard every day and always comes in with a great attitude. The thing that has given Jon a chance is that he came into camp in good shape after the work he did this summer, taken on the load at times and handled it."
"I've needed a lot of patience, because I found at times that I was getting frustrated and it was affecting my level of play," Frazier says. "But, I took what was given to me, because I just wanted to play - if I had to sit out and wait, I would have done that understanding it's a part of our system.
"I came into my last year looking forward to playing the position I used to in high school. In the spring, I didn't think anyone stepped up to where coach Harbaugh could say he had his starting tailback. So this summer, I watched a lot of film, worked on protecting the ball and worked out. I needed to step up in the fall because I knew it was my last year and didn't want to sit out my final season."
Frazier has had four 100-yard games this fall, including a 112-yard effort in a win over then-No. 11 Youngstown State as well as a career-best 172 yards in the Hilltoppers' most recent victory, a 31-7 decision at Southwest Missouri State.
Last year, Frazier carried the ball only 31 times for 191 yards and a score - also catching three passes - after taking over for at wingback Brock Baker, who suffered a season-ending injury in preseason camp. He had 13 receptions for 308 yards, and average of 23.7 yards per catch, as a sophomore after making a move to wide receiver. And in his first year on the Hill, 1999, Frazier posted 89 yards on 18 attempts. In fact, he started in his collegiate debut at Tennessee-Martin due to injuries in the backfield.
"Jon's made a valuable contribution all four years," Harbaugh says. "He's been instrumental on special teams since he's been on the Hill, done good things as a receiver and contributed in other phases. Last year, what he did when he stepped in for Brock, was a truly amazing job when you consider the size factor. His efforts have been more evident this year because it's a more high-profile opportunity."
What has helped Frazier in the transition to featured back is not just his hard work, but how hard he runs.
"The thing that separates Jon from other backs is how hard he runs," says Weist. "The first thing you notice with Jon is how fast he is, but he had one of the biggest hits of the year when he ran over a Kentucky State defensive back.
"A back his size has no business doing that."
Not only has Frazier impressed with his hard-running ability, but with his durability. He admits that it was a question mark entering the season, and that his size has given coaches a chance to doubt that he could handle the work load.
But a heavy work load was not a problem for Frazier at MNHS, where he estimated he carried the ball over 30 times a game. His greatest challenge was in making the adjustment to the competition at the collegiate level, since he could no longer run around players, and the schemes on both offense and defense were more complicated. "My team was depending on me in high school, but here we have a lot of weapons like Jason (Michael), Maurice and Jeremi (Johnson)," he says.
Frazier opted to attend Western because he found he liked the coaching staff, thought the program was on the rise and it wasn't too far from home - friends and family could get to watch him play as he began his collegiate career. It didn't hurt that one of the assistants on his high school coaching staff sent a tape to Harbaugh.
"When you look back on it, there are those players that step up and make a contribution to the program that both you and they hope they make," says Harbaugh. "Jon is from a very supportive family - they like to hop in a car and watch him play - and is also blessed with athletic ability. He always sets realistic goals, and when he reaches those, he retargets to challenge himself.
"When each player comes in you never know how it will turn out, but I'm very pleased that someone from Muhlenberg County could step up and make a contribution to the program."
Now that he's won the job, the only thing left for Frazier - and the Hilltoppers - is to chase the Gateway Conference crown. "We want to take the same approach as last year, except finish the job this time," he says. "We need to have the confidence, the swagger, like we had in previous years going into each game the rest of the way. It looks like it's been coming back lately."
"Going into this final stretch to win the conference championship, Jon has developed into a leader," says Weist. "The team is looking to him, at his work ethic and leadership on the field, as they look forward to the last three weeks leading to a conference championship. It's a position that has developed because of his role on the field, and he has handled it well.
"You can't find a better person than Jon because he's always upbeat - it's as simple as that," he continues. "He's likeable and always represents the university well. He's overcome both academic and social difficulties, but he has found success that hasn't changed him and never will.
"I respect Jon, and a lot of other people respect him, because he is humble and he works hard."
As Jon Frazier wraps up his career on the Hill, he continues to show good things can come to those who wait.
- WKU -
