In the Mississippi State-Auburn football game last weekend, starting running back Jerious Norwood sustained a shoulder bruise in the opening series of the game.
This meant that someone had to be called upon to fill his shoes, at least for the rest of the game.
That someone happened to be Derek Ambrose. Ambrose, a senior from New Orleans, La., filled Norwood’s shoes and carried the ball six times for a total of 41 yards, an impressive mark for someone who isn’t a starter, especially for a walk-on like Ambrose.
“Ambrose came in and stepped up big time. He made some good runs and some good reads,” said Norwood, who plans on returning to action Saturday against Tulane.
Coach Sylvester Croom also stated that he was impressed by Ambrose, calling him a phenomenal athlete.
Ambrose began playing football at age 13, when he played Pop Warner Football. His experience at a young age led to where he is today.
“Running back has always been where my heart is because that was my first position,” Ambrose said.
In high school, however, Ambrose was needed at safety. He continued to play safety until he went to college, his first being Delta State University. After a year at DSU, he transferred to Copiah-Lincoln Community College, where he tore his ACL in his first game with the Wolfpack.
After his shortened career at Co-Lin, Ambrose chose to walk-on to play football at Mississippi State. It didn’t take long for the coaching staff to move the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder back to the position he feels so passionate about.
“Once I got here to MSU, I moved back to running back on the scout team. I stayed on scout team for three weeks,” Ambrose said.
The lack of experience at playing running back in college took a toll on him.
“Learning the fundamentals of being a college running back put a lot in my mind, and it was tough. Coach told me if I fumble one time during the week, I’m not going to play on Saturday.”
Ambrose believes that Croom’s pressure worked, making him a better player today.
“Watching film now, I notice that I don’t make the same mistakes that I used to, and I don’t even have to think about [not making mistakes] anymore.”
Having grown up in New Orleans, Ambrose was directly affected by Hurricane Katrina. His father’s house was completely lost, and his mother’s house was
slightly damaged and was victim to an attempted burglary. Ambrose wasn’t able to contact his father for about a week after the storm.
“I have a lot of emotion for this whole season, from what happened in New Orleans. As far as playing in the Superdome [against Tulane], it was something that I really wanted to do, but I guess it wasn’t in God’s will,” said Ambrose, referring to the Tulane game being moved to Independence Bowl Stadium. “[The effects of Katrina are] still in my mind, but I keep thinking [as I play], ‘This is for home.’ I want to dedicate my entire season to what happened in New Orleans, especially on a personal level, to my family.”
Croom said that Ambrose is a completely different person sice coming to MSU. Ambrose’s parents came for a visit with Croom, to simply thank him for giving Ambrose the opportunity to play football.
“I think I’m finally becoming a football player in Coach Croom’s eyes,” Ambrose said. “That’s what feels so different to me. I’m just trying to think about the team right now, and asking myself how I can go out, be mistake-free, play the best that I can, and do what I know I can do, and what Coach Croom knows I can do.”
“He’s a great person,” adds Jerious Norwood. “He’s not a good person, he’s a great person. He’s one of the coolest guys I know. He’s a very respectable young man.”
Ambrose, who enjoys PlayStation and poetry when he’s not on the football field, grew up a New Orleans Saints fan.
“People in New Orleans love the Saints. Just by them winning picks up the people of the city, just knowing the Saints won,” said Ambrose, who believes that the Saints, win or lose, give a sense of hope and relief to the people of New Orleans.
Ambrose also relies on his faith in God throughout his life’s storms.
“[Seeing the effects of Katrina] was sad,” he said. “I know that it’s God’s will, but seeing all of the chaos on TV was sad. It’s hard to believe that that’s my
town. It was God’s will, so I can’t complain too much about it.”
Unsure of the future of his hometown, Ambrose is simply concerned with playing football to the best of his ability and relying on his family, friends and God throughout this time in his life.
“I’m not only playing for myself, I’m playing for my family,” said Ambrose, who’s getting baptized this weekend. “There’s a lot of people out there that have to start their lives over. I have a lot to be thankful for.”