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A&M's Carpenter regains his focus

By BRIAN DAVIS
The Dallas Morning New

By his own admission, cornerback Marquis Carpenter fell off the ladder last season at Texas A&M.

After leading the Aggies in interceptions and pass breakups in 2005, Carpenter thought he could sail through 2006. He missed some classes, showed up late to team meetings and, as his older brother Jeterrius said, "It was party, party, party."

Marquis Carpenter got a big reality check late last year, when his girlfriend became pregnant. When Kayden arrived on July 16, Carpenter realized play time was over.

Raising a daughter crystallized Carpenter's mission at Texas A&M. Now he's taking everything more seriously - classes, football and life. Three interceptions so far this season can't compare to the two-plus months he's spent as a father.

"That right there, that did scare him up," Jeterrius Carpenter said. "But at the same time, I'm glad it did. He sees reality. He's not just living for himself. He's living for that child, too."

Marquis Carpenter, a 23-year-old senior, knows all about losing a father figure. He was one of five boys raised by a single mother in Melbourne, Fla.

"Marcus is the only one who went to college and is doing something with his life," said Twanise Carpenter, who refers to her second-oldest son as either Marcus or Kay. "The whole family is proud of him."

When Marquis was 14, his father was jailed at the Tomoka Correctional Institute in Daytona Beach, Fla., for cocaine possession and two counts of resisting arrest. Tommy Terry is scheduled to be released in 2015, according to the Florida Department of Corrections database.

"I always wanted to do what's right, anyway," Marquis said. "I never tried to go down the bad road. I'm trying to get something out of life. I love my life. I'm trying to make the best of what it is for my family and my mom and four brothers."

That's music to Van Malone's ears. The A&M defensive backs coach has been pushing Carpenter ever since Malone joined Dennis Franchione's staff prior to last season.

"My job is to force him to go where he doesn't want to go," Malone said. "He's really come a long way, because when we first got here, he wasn't accountable academically or accountable off the field. Quite honestly, those things catch up."

Carpenter said he and Malone have had long talks about life and being a man.

Carpenter said he views Malone as a father figure.

"I probably wouldn't have lost accountability last year if he had been here my first year," Carpenter said.

Carpenter has made several plays that were infectious, defensive coordinator Gary Darnell said, the types of plays that energize the sideline. Against Baylor, Carpenter intercepted a pass on a fake punt and then plucked another ball out of midair.

He has six interceptions and 66 tackles in two-plus seasons. Carpenter's mother is just happy Marquis is becoming a man at A&M. But she's also keeping her fingers crossed that he can eventually play in the NFL.

"He doesn't like when I talk like that, because he just wants to have a good season," Twanise Carpenter said.

"But I keep putting it in his head that you're going to make it."

• Brian Davis' e-mail address is brdavis@dallasnews.com.