Tommy Blake
Encyclopedia
Tommy Earl Blake, Jr. is a former American football
defensive end
who played at the collegiate level for Texas Christian University
.
. After his mother died of pneumonia
when he was 10 months old, his maternal grandmother and only parent he has ever known, Ernestine Chisholm, was left to care for the family
. Nevertheless, Blake's family was "one big circle of love" and Blake became a devout Baptist
and a "mama's boy".
Blake was a stand out athlete at Aransas Pass High School, earning 12 total letters (4 in basketball, 4 in track, 3 in football and 1 in baseball). He played running back
for the Panthers, and as a senior ran for 2,101 yards and 25 touchdowns behind a stout offensive line led by an all South Texas Center. This performance earned him All-South Texas Offensive MVP honors from the Corpus Christi Caller-Times
. He was offered football scholarships at Colorado
, Arkansas
and Vanderbilt
but elected to stay closer to home to play at TCU
in Fort Worth
.
as a freshman in 2003, Blake was moved by TCU coach Gary Patterson
from tailback to defensive end because of his mix of size and speed. As a redshirt freshman in 2004, Blake earned Conference USA
All-Freshman honors with 5 sacks, the most for a TCU freshman since Aaron Schobel
in 1997. In 2005, TCU moved to the Mountain West Conference
, and Blake earned first team All-MWC honors with 7 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. College Football News
named Blake their Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
Before his junior season in 2006, Blake was named a preseason All-American by The Sporting News
. He also appeared on the watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy
, the Chuck Bednarik Award
, the Lombardi Award
, the Ted Hendricks Award
and the Lott Trophy
.
During his junior season, Blake led the Horned Frogs
with 54 tackles, 16½ tackles for loss and seven sacks. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown against UNLV
. He was again named first team All-MWC, this time as a unanimous choice. On December 19, Blake and his TCU team took on Northern Illinois
in the Poinsettia Bowl
. NIU was led by senior running back Garrett Wolfe
, who led the nation in rushing with 1,900 yards coming into the game, but was held to just 20 yards by the TCU defense.
boards and drew wide comparisons to Dwight Freeney
for his burst off the ball and his straight-line speed.Dave Campbell's Texas Football
featured Blake on its 2007 cover alongside Texas A&M
quarterback Stephen McGee and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy
.
But Blake bolted the team on August 16, 2007 and wound up missing five games with an undisclosed leave of absence that no one at TCU seems to want to discuss. When he returned to the field for the final four games of the regular season, he didn't appear ready to play: he appeared overweight and at times visibly uninterested. His draft stock plummeted. Further, he played slow, collecting only four sacks and eight tackles for a loss among 21 total tackles. Following the regular season, he was invited to the East-West Shrine Game
and checked in at 287 pounds. He played as a junior in the 255-260 range.
After extended speculation during the 2007 college football season, Blake's agent Reggie Rouzan revealed in February 2008 that Blake was being treated for depression
and social anxiety disorder
, which privacy laws had prohibited TCU
from disclosing publicly. It has been reported that the daily presence of scouts is what drove Blake off that practice field, but Blake believes what he estimates to be around 300 daily calls from prospective scouts brought about his mental illness.
Initially, he did not seek professional help for his problems during his sabbatical from the team and instead spent his time in Akansas Pass eating and watching television
with his family. More recently, and upon TCU
head coach Gary Patterson
's insistence, Blake has attended counseling sessions and begun taking medication.
Instead of attending the NFL Scouting Combine, Blake underwent several psychological tests in a nearby Indianapolis
hospital on February 24, 2008. He took his first metaphorical step toward rebuilding his NFL draft
stock at TCU
's pro day Thursday March 6, 2008 when he showed up weighing 272 pounds and ran a hand-held time of 4.75 in the 40-yard dash, the same time run by top Defensive End prospect Chris Long
of the University of Virginia
. He also had 23 reps in the 225-pound bench press, better than The University of Miami's Calais Campbell
's 16 reps or Clemson
's Phillip Merling
's 17, and logged a 30½-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 9 feet, 3 inches. He now is rated as the 17th-best defensive end by NFLDraftScout.com.
Despite his problems and likely NFL career, Blake is taking 13 credit hours this semester.
He was not drafted in the 2008 NFL draft and attended the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' mini-camp as a Free Agent.
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...
defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
who played at the collegiate level for Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
.
Early life
Blake grew up in tiny town in TexasTexas
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...
. After his mother died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
when he was 10 months old, his maternal grandmother and only parent he has ever known, Ernestine Chisholm, was left to care for the family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
. Nevertheless, Blake's family was "one big circle of love" and Blake became a devout Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
and a "mama's boy".
Blake was a stand out athlete at Aransas Pass High School, earning 12 total letters (4 in basketball, 4 in track, 3 in football and 1 in baseball). He played 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...
for the Panthers, and as a senior ran for 2,101 yards and 25 touchdowns behind a stout offensive line led by an all South Texas Center. This performance earned him All-South Texas Offensive MVP honors from the Corpus Christi Caller-Times
Corpus Christi Caller-Times
The Corpus Christi Caller-Times is the newspaper of record for Corpus Christi, Texas.-Brief history:There has been a newspaper in Corpus Christi for almost as long as there has been a town. In 1883, the Caller was started in a frame building at 310 North Chaparral, now the site of Green's Jewelers....
. He was offered football scholarships at Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
, Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
and Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
but elected to stay closer to home to play at TCU
TCU
TCU is an abbreviation for:* Tauranga City United, a New Zealand association football club* Telecommunication Control Unit* Texas Christian University, a private university in Fort Worth, Texas** TCU Horned Frogs, the athletic program of the school...
in Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
.
College career
While redshirtingRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
as a freshman in 2003, Blake was moved by TCU coach Gary Patterson
Gary Patterson
Gary Patterson is the head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs college football team. He grew up in Rozel, Kansas and played football at Dodge City Community College and Kansas State University. Patterson is married to Kelsey Patterson . He has three sons: Josh, Cade and Blake...
from tailback to defensive end because of his mix of size and speed. As a redshirt freshman in 2004, Blake earned Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
All-Freshman honors with 5 sacks, the most for a TCU freshman since Aaron Schobel
Aaron Schobel
Aaron Ross Schobel is a retired American football defensive end. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft and played his entire career for the Bills, retiring before the 2010 season. He played collegiately at Texas Christian University .-High school...
in 1997. In 2005, TCU moved to the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
, and Blake earned first team All-MWC honors with 7 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. College Football News
College Football News
College Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
named Blake their Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year.
Before his junior season in 2006, Blake was named a preseason All-American by The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
. He also appeared on the watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
, the Chuck Bednarik Award
Chuck Bednarik Award
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive collegiate football player adjudged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States...
, the Lombardi Award
Lombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
, the Ted Hendricks Award
Ted Hendricks Award
The Ted Hendricks Award is given annually to college football's top defensive end. The award is named after Ted Hendricks, who is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is presented by his own 501 foundation, called the Ted Hendricks...
and the Lott Trophy
Lott Trophy
The Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented annually to the college football Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. IMPACT is an acronym for: integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community, and tenacity. The award purports to equally recognize the personal character of the winning player as well as...
.
During his junior season, Blake led the Horned Frogs
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
with 54 tackles, 16½ tackles for loss and seven sacks. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown against UNLV
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada-Las Vegas is a public, coeducational university located in the Las Vegas suburb of Paradise, Nevada, USA. The campus is located approximately east of the Las Vegas Strip. The institution includes a Shadow Lane Campus, located just east of the University Medical Center of...
. He was again named first team All-MWC, this time as a unanimous choice. On December 19, Blake and his TCU team took on Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
in the Poinsettia Bowl
Poinsettia Bowl
The Poinsettia Bowl is a post-season NCAA-sanctioned Division I-A college football bowl game that was created in 2005. The game was created by the organizers of the Holiday Bowl and is played annually at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The game is currently sponsored by the San Diego...
. NIU was led by senior running back Garrett Wolfe
Garrett Wolfe
Garrett Wolfe is an American football running back. He was drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played his college football at Northern Illinois. He is currently a free agent.-Personal life:...
, who led the nation in rushing with 1,900 yards coming into the game, but was held to just 20 yards by the TCU defense.
College Football's Mystery Man
Heading into his senior year, Blake was named to the watch lists for both the Lombardi and Lott awards once again. http://gofrogs.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/040207aaa.html He rose into the top five on some early 2008 NFL Draft2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
boards and drew wide comparisons to Dwight Freeney
Dwight Freeney
Dwight Jason Freeney is an American football defensive end who currently plays for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse University.-Early years:Freeney attended Bloomfield High School...
for his burst off the ball and his straight-line speed.Dave Campbell's Texas Football
Dave Campbell's Texas Football
Dave Campbell's Texas Football is an annual publication, previewing football teams in the state of Texas.It is unique in that it is the only publication to preview every team in Texas , from the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, through every level of college football, to the roughly 1,400...
featured Blake on its 2007 cover alongside 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...
quarterback Stephen McGee and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy
Daniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
.
But Blake bolted the team on August 16, 2007 and wound up missing five games with an undisclosed leave of absence that no one at TCU seems to want to discuss. When he returned to the field for the final four games of the regular season, he didn't appear ready to play: he appeared overweight and at times visibly uninterested. His draft stock plummeted. Further, he played slow, collecting only four sacks and eight tackles for a loss among 21 total tackles. Following the regular season, he was invited to the 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...
and checked in at 287 pounds. He played as a junior in the 255-260 range.
After extended speculation during the 2007 college football season, Blake's agent Reggie Rouzan revealed in February 2008 that Blake was being treated for depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
and social anxiety disorder
Social anxiety disorder
Social anxiety disorder , also known as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by intense fear in social situations causing considerable distress and impaired ability to function in at least some parts of daily life...
, which privacy laws had prohibited TCU
TCU
TCU is an abbreviation for:* Tauranga City United, a New Zealand association football club* Telecommunication Control Unit* Texas Christian University, a private university in Fort Worth, Texas** TCU Horned Frogs, the athletic program of the school...
from disclosing publicly. It has been reported that the daily presence of scouts is what drove Blake off that practice field, but Blake believes what he estimates to be around 300 daily calls from prospective scouts brought about his mental illness.
Initially, he did not seek professional help for his problems during his sabbatical from the team and instead spent his time in Akansas Pass eating and watching television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
with his family. More recently, and upon TCU
TCU
TCU is an abbreviation for:* Tauranga City United, a New Zealand association football club* Telecommunication Control Unit* Texas Christian University, a private university in Fort Worth, Texas** TCU Horned Frogs, the athletic program of the school...
head coach Gary Patterson
Gary Patterson
Gary Patterson is the head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs college football team. He grew up in Rozel, Kansas and played football at Dodge City Community College and Kansas State University. Patterson is married to Kelsey Patterson . He has three sons: Josh, Cade and Blake...
's insistence, Blake has attended counseling sessions and begun taking medication.
Instead of attending the NFL Scouting Combine, Blake underwent several psychological tests in a nearby Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
hospital on February 24, 2008. He took his first metaphorical step toward rebuilding his NFL draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
stock at TCU
TCU
TCU is an abbreviation for:* Tauranga City United, a New Zealand association football club* Telecommunication Control Unit* Texas Christian University, a private university in Fort Worth, Texas** TCU Horned Frogs, the athletic program of the school...
's pro day Thursday March 6, 2008 when he showed up weighing 272 pounds and ran a hand-held time of 4.75 in the 40-yard dash, the same time run by top Defensive End prospect Chris Long
Chris Long (American football)
Christopher Howard Long is an American football defensive end for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Rams second overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.Long is a son of Hall of Fame NFL defensive end Howie Long.-Early...
of the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. He also had 23 reps in the 225-pound bench press, better than The University of Miami's Calais Campbell
Calais Campbell
Calais Campbell is an American football defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:...
's 16 reps or Clemson
Clemson University
Clemson University is an American public, coeducational, land-grant, sea-grant, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, United States....
's Phillip Merling
Phillip Merling
Phillip Blaine Merling is an American football defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Clemson.-Early years:Played tight end and defensive end at Fork Union...
's 17, and logged a 30½-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of 9 feet, 3 inches. He now is rated as the 17th-best defensive end by NFLDraftScout.com.
Despite his problems and likely NFL career, Blake is taking 13 credit hours this semester.
He was not drafted in the 2008 NFL draft and attended the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' mini-camp as a Free Agent.