Every day he respects the time he has. He does everything I ask him to do. He doesn’t argue, doesn’t complain and doesn’t try to get out of work. He says ‘yes, sir, and ‘no, sir,’ and is respectful in every way. – Jordan Pendleton
Tejan Koroma has taken a half year detour from BYU football.
His official return is imminent.
But is he out of shape? Is this collegiate version of the Incredible Hulk weaker, slower, wandered off track physically? Has his hiatus turned him into a burger chomping, chip-eating shadow of what we saw bulldozing would-be-tacklers last fall? Has steel turned to foam?
The stout offensive center who started every Cougar game as a freshman and logged 12 starts as a sophomore this past season was suspended from school for winter semester and missed spring football this past March. He was prohibited from being around football team activities and banned from working out on campus with teammates in the strength and conditioning facility.
It appears Koroma is on track to return to the team. At BYU football media day this Thursday, it is expected head coach Kalani Sitake will publicly update Koroma’s status and standing. BYU has not explained the reasons for his suspension.
In the meantime, Koroma spent time in Arizona before seeking offseason training opportunities to maintain his conditioning and development. For this he turned to a personal trainer, Jordan Pendleton, owner of Pendleton Performance in Lehi.
The past three months, Pendleton has met Koroma at 5:30 a.m. four times a week. “He’s never missed a day,” said Pendleton, whose clients include current Cougars Fred and Troy Warner, Grant Jones, Gavin Fowler and Quin Ficklin. He has also trained former Cougars Ryker Mathews, Skye Povey, Craig Bills, Spencer Hadley, Rob Daniel and De’Ondre Wesley.
Pendleton knew little of Koroma personally before he came to him seeking his expertise this winter. “I’d seen him play games, watched him on TV, but I didn’t know him.”
Pendleton is impressed with Koroma’s dedication, his drive and his attitude.
“That dude is a specimen. He is 290 pounds of solid muscle, certainly in the mold of the NFL type athlete of today. The old model for O-linemen is big, sloppy, big gut, out of shape huge guys who have trouble moving around. This is not him. He looks like he is only 240 pounds because he moves like he is that weight. He has big legs and biceps. He is short at 6-foot-1, but as the only lineman on the field that gets closest to the ground on every play, he is a natural.
“He has lots of speed, but we’ve been working to increase that, to improve his movements so he can make use of his strength in space. He squats 500 pounds like it is nothing. We work on the little things, polishing up so he can optimize his motion.”
Pendleton has become somewhat of a go-to guy for a lot of athletes in the offseason and preparation for NFL combines. A workout addict himself, he understands what it takes to transform a body. He is also a loyal BYU alum who wants guys like Koroma to succeed, whatever path they choose.
“Tejan is a freak of nature. To have that much strength on his frame is very impressive.”
But one of the things Pendleton likes the most about the Texan is his attitude.
“Every day he respects the time he has. He does everything I ask him to do. He doesn’t argue, doesn’t complain and doesn’t try to get out of work. He says ‘yes, sir, and ‘no, sir,’ and is respectful in every way.”
Pendleton said Koroma may have had his share of problems, but he appears to be on track to put all that behind him. “When I got him, I didn’t know what to expect. He’s not cocky. He is not a prima donna.”
In weeks to come, it will become clear what Koroma has in store for himself at BYU. There was a time BYU’s coaching staff could not contact him, as part of some stipulation of his suspension. During that time he was seen wearing University of Virginia gear, he was very close to former offensive line coach Garett Tujague, now with Bronco Mendenhall in Charlottesville. Later this spring, he was back in Cougar gear.
One thing is certain, BYU’s offensive line will take a big hit if he is not on the fall roster. It would be tough to duplicate his athleticism and experience. He is a dynamic force.
That he didn’t let his conditioning lag the past six months is a big deal. It could have been easy for Koroma to drift away and not lift Volkswagens a few times a day.
EMAIL: dharmon@deseretnews.com.
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