Houston, he's had some problems

Houston, a senior, has waited a long time to be in a position to secure the financial future of his family.

"Knowing this was my last year, I've been a lot harder on myself,'' said Houston, who with 57 yards will team with Gerald Riggs to give UT its first duo of 1,000 yard running backs in the same season. "Earlier in my career, I didn't see my old self. I lost some confidence and got down on myself, and I shouldn't have let that happen.''

Houston has battled to stay focused on football since he was in 10th grade in Clarendon, Ark., when he fathered a daughter, 6-year-old Precious.

Former UT running backs coach Woody McCorvey, who is offensive coordinator at Mississippi State, remembers flying to Arkansas with assistant coach Steve Caldwell following Houston's freshman year to help counsel the troubled tailback. Houston had taken a bus home and was thinking about leaving school.

Then came the summer of 2003, when Houston lost his father, his grandmother and his aunt within a three-week span.

"That was the worst summer I ever went through,'' Houston said. "At a point, I didn't want to play football anymore. It was the last thing on my mind. I didn't have the passion. I was worried about my family.''

McCorvey said it was heartbreaking to see Houston endure the emotional family setbacks.

"Ced wanted to be able to help with his child,'' McCorvey said. "We explained he would be able to take care of his family, but it was just going to take some time and patience.''

And sacrifice.

Houston sent his Pell grant money home to help support his daughter, 12-year-old twin brothers and mother throughout his collegiate career.

During the summers, when many Vols would stay on campus taking classes and working out, Houston returned home and worked at a gas station.

"I'd fix flats, change tires, change oil; whatever I could find to do,'' Houston said.

It was humbling work for a football star, but Houston knew it was necessary.

"I'm like the dad of my two little brothers,'' Houston said. "Sometimes it was hard being here knowing how much I wanted to be back home taking care of everybody.

"The summer is when I'd deal with all of my family issues. I think it probably slowed me down.''

The pressure increased this season when Riggs wrestled the starting tailback job away for three games after Houston played the first five games with an ankle injury.

"I was very upset, but I didn't say anything to anybody,'' Houston said. "Things got intense. Gerald brought a different element to my game after he got his act together.''

The competition inspired Houston to run with fury the second half of the season. He's displayed a more physical style and broken more tackles than at any point in his career.

Houston exhibited most every trait an NFL team would be looking for on a 70-yard touchdown run against Auburn that was called back on account of a meaningless hold 5 yards behind the play.

Houston showed vision cutting back into a hole, broke a tackle, turned on his speed and outran the defense.

"Cedric does a lot of things that the folks at the next level will like,'' UT coach Phillip Fulmer said. "He's a good receiver, a good route runner, he does a good job in pass protection and he's a good runner with the ball.

"He has shown the ability to make the big plays in the tough games, and he's stayed healthy this year.''

Houston can pass NFL star Jamal Lewis and move into fourth place on UT's all-time rushing list with 106 yards against Texas A&M. His next 38 yards move him past Jay Graham into fifth.

Fulmer said if not for some nagging injuries that forced Houston to miss games his sophomore and junior seasons, he could have had three 1,000 yard seasons. Houston's freshman season was a waste, as he carried the ball only 18 times.

"Not playing threw me off,'' Houston said. "And I was lifting all those weights getting bigger. I went from 205 (pounds) to 225, and became more of a North-South guy.''

Houston, who is down to 220, believes he's regained some of his quickness and has started relying more on his cuts and vision.

"When I run with my eyes,'' he said, "I'm a different players.''

With a Senior Bowl invitation and likely NFL Combine date ahead of him, the Houston family's future is finally coming into focus.

"Everything he wants to accomplish is right there for him,'' McCorvey said. "Whoever gets Cedric Houston, they can know he'll give them all he's got.''