Thorpe honoree Cason conquers difficult odds
Arizona corner stays true to his school
Thorpe honoree Cason conquers difficult odds

In order to win this year's Jim Thorpe Award, Antoine Cason had to clear three significant hurdles.

But it appeared the Arizona cornerback would be too small, too crippled and — oddly enough — too talented to be tabbed as the nation's top collegiate defensive back.

Cason formally received his award Tuesday night during an awards ceremony at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, beating out fellow finalists James Silva of Boston College and LSU's Craig Steltz for the honor.

"The race, frankly, was very tight,” Jim Thorpe Association president Lynne Draper said.

Cason nearly didn't enter the race at all.

When Cason arrived as a freshman at Los Alamitos High School in Long Beach, Calif., he stood 5-foot-5.

"I'd like to say I was 5-6, but it was 5-5,” Cason said. "During Pop Warner football, pee-wee football, I was always told I was too small, wasn't good enough, wasn't big enough, wasn't strong enough. It did kind of wear on me.”

Thankfully, a growth spurt came at age 16. But it left Cason crippled with Osgood-Schlatter Disease, which causes swelling, pain and tenderness just below the knee.

"It hindered me. I couldn't work out for eight months,” said Cason, who grew five inches that year. "I couldn't even get out of a chair without help. It was bad. My coaches were pressing me, told me I was babying it, things like that. I told them I just couldn't do it. It just hurt too much.”

Doctors told Cason the affliction would eventually go away with time. A determined Cason didn't even miss a season, and there have been no lingering effects of the disease.

Cason's third hurdle came with a decision after his junior season with the Wildcats.

He already had established himself as one of the nation's premier cornerbacks and had been a Thorpe semifinalist.

The first-team All-Pacific 10 Conference pick and former freshman All-American gave serious consideration to entering the NFL Draft rather than returning for his senior season.

Cason is the only Thorpe winner never to have played in a bowl or had a winning season, a shortcoming that understandably could have led to an early departure to the pros.

In the end, Antoine Cason stayed true to his school.

"It was tough, and that was definitely when I needed my family the most,” Cason said.

Cason didn't have to look far for advice.

His father, Wendell, played collegiately at Oregon and later with the Atlanta Falcons (1985-87). Cousins Kenyon Rambo played with the New York Jets and Avieon Cason with the Dallas Cowboys.

The affable Cason has long been a popular interview request for media in Arizona. But an overall record of 17-29 at the UA took its toll.

"It was difficult. I'm a competitive guy, and I really hate losing,” Cason said. "I tried my hardest to try to lead the team to a winning season. I tried to do all I can do. Unfortunately, it didn't happen. But I kept my spirits high, kept my team first and played hard. I was tired of losing. I didn't want to be known as a loser.”

Cason said he would not have regretted returning to school had he not won the Thorpe.

"Antoine's been through a lot in his life,” Wendell Cason said. "Everybody overlooked him. He was getting discouraged. It was a hard struggle. He had to prove a lot of people wrong.”

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