Jorvorskie Lane
Encyclopedia
Jorvorskie Javion Lane is an American football
running back
. He played tailback
/fullback
for the Texas A&M Aggies
college football
team. He played tailback during his freshman through junior seasons, and switched to fullback his senior season. He holds the school record for career rushing touchdowns (49). After his college career, he played one season for the West Texas Roughnecks of the Indoor Football League
.
in Lufkin
, Texas
, where he was raised by his grandparents. At birth, he weighed four pounds and was hospitalized for the first fourteen days of his life as his organs were underdeveloped. In junior high, Lane weighed 125 pounds, and aspired to become the next Michael Jordan
, prior to his weight gain. As a freshman at Lufkin High School
, he weighed 230 pounds. Despite his heavy weight, he was very athletic during high school. As a three-year starter
at running back
, he rushed for 3,671 yards and 70 touchdowns, and recorded 82 receptions for 1,060 yards. His high school coach once stated that Lane was the "best guy he's ever coached" and that he could have "started at every position on either side of the football". Lane also played basketball in high school, in which he averaged 16 points per game and earned an all-district pick.
Lane was a two-time all-state selection in high school, and was recruited by eight schools. He later signed a letter of intent
with Texas A&M
.
game, he ran 127 yards on 27 carries—the greatest number of yards he ran for the whole season. He produced a first down or touchdown on 26 out of 29 carries on third and fourth down carries. He scored at least one touchdown in the first 11 games of the season. Overall, he rushed for 725 yards on 166 carries and scored a school record of 19 rushing touchdowns. His 19 touchdowns tied the school record, which was set in 1927.
took over, Lane was moved to fullback
. Sherman told Lane of the position change prior to his press conference where he was officially announced as the new A&M coach. Sherman stated: "When I came in, my press conference obviously I met with the team. Jorvorskie was in class during that time. But he came up to me shortly before my press conference, introduced himself, and at that time I told him, you're going to be a fullback. And there was no hemming or hawing about it. He didn't seem totally pleased with it but didn't balk at it necessarily." He also noted that Lane's weight has always been a problem. Sherman had wanted Lane in the 260s once the season starts. In Sherman's offensive system, the fullback catches passes. Lane also needed to block for starting tailback Mike Goodson
, especially since the offensive line is inexperienced.
In the first three games of the season, Lane only carried the ball seven times. In the fourth game against Army, A&M coaches used Lane to run out the clock in the final quarter. Lane posted six consecutive carries in the drive, compiling 34 yards. This helped the team escape with a 21–17 victory. After the game, Lane stated "It felt good. That's what I'm going to do when I'm called upon to carry the ball. I'm going to put my team on my back and win."
Lane finished his senior season with just 93 rushing yards and five touchdowns. A Sports Illustrated
reporter wrote that this kind of performance "could push" Lane out of the 2009 NFL Draft
.
Lane had a chance to showcase his abilities for NFL scouts in the 2009 East-West Shrine Game
on January 17, 2009. Scouts were discouraged by his weight, which was 295 pounds at the time. During the game, he was unable to carry the ball past defenders inside the 5-yard line three times. Prior to the draft, scouts have stated that Lane could play up to his potential in the NFL if he shows his ability to control his weight. However, he was not drafted in the 2009 NFL draft and was not signed as an undrafted free agent.
, for the 2010 season. In 13 games, Lane compiled 326 all-purpose yards for 12 touchdowns.
Lane participated at the Texas A&M Pro Day in March 2011. He weighed in at 277 pounds and measured 5'11". He recorded a 4.87 40-yard dash, 18 bench reps, 4.41 5-10-5 shuttle, 7.58 L Drill, 32.5 vertical jump, and 8'6" broad jump.
* College stats provided by Yahoo! Sports and the NCAA, current as of the completion of the 2008 season.
, who plays tight end
for the Green Bay Packers
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. He played tailback
Tailback
Tailback can mean:* Halfback * A line of motor vehicles caught up in traffic congestion; a traffic jam...
/fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
for the Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies football
The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18...
college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
team. He played tailback during his freshman through junior seasons, and switched to fullback his senior season. He holds the school record for career rushing touchdowns (49). After his college career, he played one season for the West Texas Roughnecks of the Indoor Football League
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
.
Early life and high school
Jorvorskie Lane was born four weeks prematurePremature birth
In humans preterm birth refers to the birth of a baby of less than 37 weeks gestational age. The cause for preterm birth is in many situations elusive and unknown; many factors appear to be associated with the development of preterm birth, making the reduction of preterm birth a challenging...
in Lufkin
Lufkin, Texas
Lufkin is a city in Angelina County, Texas, United States. Founded in 1882, the population was 35,067 in 2010. It is the county seat of Angelina County, and is situated in Deep East Texas.-History:...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where he was raised by his grandparents. At birth, he weighed four pounds and was hospitalized for the first fourteen days of his life as his organs were underdeveloped. In junior high, Lane weighed 125 pounds, and aspired to become the next Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, prior to his weight gain. As a freshman at Lufkin High School
Lufkin High School
Lufkin High School is a public secondary school located in Angelina County, Texas . It serves the Lufkin area as part of the Lufkin Independent School District. The current Lufkin High School was formed in 1970 by consolidation of Lufkin High School and Dunbar High School, the formerly...
, he weighed 230 pounds. Despite his heavy weight, he was very athletic during high school. As a three-year starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
at running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
, he rushed for 3,671 yards and 70 touchdowns, and recorded 82 receptions for 1,060 yards. His high school coach once stated that Lane was the "best guy he's ever coached" and that he could have "started at every position on either side of the football". Lane also played basketball in high school, in which he averaged 16 points per game and earned an all-district pick.
Lane was a two-time all-state selection in high school, and was recruited by eight schools. He later signed a letter of intent
Letter of intent
A letter of intent is a document outlining an agreement between two or more parties before the agreement is finalized. The concept is similar to a heads of agreement...
with Texas A&M
Texas A&M Aggies football
The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18...
.
Freshman year
During the 2005 season, Lane played in 10 of the 11 games. He rushed for more than 100 yards twice, including his season-best of 139 yards on 22 carries against Oklahoma State. Overall, Lane rushed for 595 yards and nine touchdowns on 119 carries. His 595 yards were the No. 8 effort by a freshman in A&M history, and his nine rushing touchdowns were the No. 4 freshman effort in school history.Sophomore year
During his sophomore year, Lane hit many records. In the Louisiana-Lafayette game, Lane scored a career high of four touchdowns. In the MissouriMissouri Tigers
The Missouri Tigers athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of the University of Missouri, located in Columbia, Missouri, United States...
game, he ran 127 yards on 27 carries—the greatest number of yards he ran for the whole season. He produced a first down or touchdown on 26 out of 29 carries on third and fourth down carries. He scored at least one touchdown in the first 11 games of the season. Overall, he rushed for 725 yards on 166 carries and scored a school record of 19 rushing touchdowns. His 19 touchdowns tied the school record, which was set in 1927.
Junior year
Prior to the 2007 season, Lane slimmed down to 268 pounds, compared to the 282 pounds he weighed at the end of the 2006 season. The team finished the season with a 7–5 record. Over those 7 wins, Jorvorskie scored 15 total touchdowns, and compiled at least 100 rushing yards three times. Over the 5 losses, he averaged only 31 total yards and scored twice. He rushed for 780 yards on 168 carries, compiling 4.6 yards per touch and 16 touchdowns.Senior year
Once new head coach Mike ShermanMike Sherman
Michael Francis "Mike" Sherman is the head coach of the Texas A&M Aggies football team. Prior to coaching the Aggies, he served as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers from the 2000–05 seasons. Sherman led the Packers to five consecutive winning seasons from 2000–04 and three divisional titles...
took over, Lane was moved to fullback
Fullback (American football)
A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...
. Sherman told Lane of the position change prior to his press conference where he was officially announced as the new A&M coach. Sherman stated: "When I came in, my press conference obviously I met with the team. Jorvorskie was in class during that time. But he came up to me shortly before my press conference, introduced himself, and at that time I told him, you're going to be a fullback. And there was no hemming or hawing about it. He didn't seem totally pleased with it but didn't balk at it necessarily." He also noted that Lane's weight has always been a problem. Sherman had wanted Lane in the 260s once the season starts. In Sherman's offensive system, the fullback catches passes. Lane also needed to block for starting tailback Mike Goodson
Mike Goodson
Michael Darryl Goodson, Jr. is an American football running back for the Carolina Panthers. He played college football for Texas A&M.-High school career:...
, especially since the offensive line is inexperienced.
In the first three games of the season, Lane only carried the ball seven times. In the fourth game against Army, A&M coaches used Lane to run out the clock in the final quarter. Lane posted six consecutive carries in the drive, compiling 34 yards. This helped the team escape with a 21–17 victory. After the game, Lane stated "It felt good. That's what I'm going to do when I'm called upon to carry the ball. I'm going to put my team on my back and win."
Lane finished his senior season with just 93 rushing yards and five touchdowns. A Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
reporter wrote that this kind of performance "could push" Lane out of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
.
Lane had a chance to showcase his abilities for NFL scouts in the 2009 East-West Shrine Game
East-West Shrine Game
The East–West Shrine Game is an annual post-season college football all-star game played each January since 1925. The game is sponsored by the fraternal group Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the net proceeds are earmarked to some of the Shrine's charitable works, most notably the Shriners...
on January 17, 2009. Scouts were discouraged by his weight, which was 295 pounds at the time. During the game, he was unable to carry the ball past defenders inside the 5-yard line three times. Prior to the draft, scouts have stated that Lane could play up to his potential in the NFL if he shows his ability to control his weight. However, he was not drafted in the 2009 NFL draft and was not signed as an undrafted free agent.
Professional career
Lane signed a letter of intent to play for the West Texas Roughnecks, a team in the Indoor Football LeagueIndoor Football League
The Indoor Football League began in 1999 as an offshoot of the troubled Professional Indoor Football League. Keary Ecklund, the owner of the Green Bay Bombers and Madison Mad Dogs, left the PIFL after its first, financially-troubled, season to start his own league. Unlike the PIFL, the IFL was an...
, for the 2010 season. In 13 games, Lane compiled 326 all-purpose yards for 12 touchdowns.
Lane participated at the Texas A&M Pro Day in March 2011. He weighed in at 277 pounds and measured 5'11". He recorded a 4.87 40-yard dash, 18 bench reps, 4.41 5-10-5 shuttle, 7.58 L Drill, 32.5 vertical jump, and 8'6" broad jump.
Rushing
| Year(s) | Team | Rush | Yds | Yds/G | Avg | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Lufkin HS | 1,944 | 36 | |||
| High school totals | 3,671 | |||||
| 2005 | Texas A&M 2005 Texas A&M Aggies football team The 2005 Texas A&M Aggies football team completed the season with a 5-6 record. The Aggies had a regular season Big 12 record of 3-5.-Season:... |
119 | 595 | 59.5 | 5.0 | 9 |
| 2006 | Texas A&M 2006 Texas A&M Aggies football team The 2006 Texas A&M Aggies football team completed the season with a 9-4 record. The Aggies had a regular season Big 12 record of 5-3.-Schedule:-Roster:-The Citadel:-Louisiana-Lafayette:-Army:-Louisiana Tech:... |
166 | 725 | 55.8 | 4.4 | 19 |
| 2007 | Texas A&M 2007 Texas A&M Aggies football team The 2007 Texas A&M Aggies football team represented Texas A&M University in the 2007-2008 college football season. The team was coached by Dennis Franchione, who had coached at A&M since the 2003 season, but resigned at the conclusion of the annual game with the University of Texas... |
169 | 780 | 60.0 | 4.6 | 16 |
| 2008 | Texas A&M 2008 Texas A&M Aggies football team The 2008 Texas A&M Aggies football team represented Texas A&M University in the 2008-2009 college football season... |
35 | 93 | 7.8 | 2.7 | 5 |
| College totals* | 461 | 2090 | 42.7 | 4.5 | 49 | |
Outside of football
Jorvorskie lives with his wife and his daughters Javia and Jai'Unna and son Jorvorskie Jr. Jorvorskie is the paternal half brother of Jermichael FinleyJermichael Finley
-Green Bay Packers:Finley was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He battled Tory Humphrey in training camp to be the Packers' No. 2 tight end...
, who plays tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
.