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LaBrae’s Truss still working toward his NFL dream
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Bowling Green defensive back Cameron Truss delivers a hit on San Jose State’s Ina Liaina, forcing a fumble during the 2012 Military Bowl at RFK Stadium in Washington. For the past three weeks the LaBrae High graduate has been in Fort Wayne, Ind., at the Athletes With Purpose training facility prepping for March’s NFL Draft.
In a way, the next chapter in Cameron Truss’ life is beginning much like the previous one did after graduating from LaBrae High School five years ago.
The former Vikings multi-sport star left Leavittsburg in 2009 after leading the football team to a 10-2 season. He went to Bowling Green State University with the intention of making the football team as a walk-on.
“I was very fortunate that Coach [Dave] Clawson was there when I got there,” Truss said of his former college coach, who was in his first season with the Falcons. “He had faith in me and that gave me faith in him.
“He told me, ‘walk on or not, if you put in the work you’ll get a scholarship’.”
From that point on, Truss said he could be found in either the weight room, the film room, or with his head buried in the defensive playbook learning as much as he could.
At LaBrae he was talented enough to play both sides of the ball, but as soon as he stepped foot on campus at Bowling Green, Truss decided his focus was going to be on defensive back. He was given a red-shirt his first year and eventually earned a scholarship.
“I still remember my first [college] game,” Truss said. “I gave up a touchdown and I was all upset and I just remember my coach coming over to me, calming me down and telling me, ‘this isn’t an easy position to play. You’re going to give up some plays; it’s all about how quickly you forget about it and move on’.”
Over the next four years, playing the position with a short memory, Truss compiled 220 total tackles (170 solo, 50 assisted), four interceptions and 26 pass breakups.
This past season, his final one at Bowling Green, the Falcons defeated Northern Illinois in the Mid-American Conference championship game.
Truss had his best statistical game of the season that night with eight tackles and a pass breakup.
“It was a great season, especially for us seniors,” Truss said. “It was a nice way to end our senior year because this has been a process in the making, and buying into the system the coaches had for us, it was great to finally see us succeed.”
For the past three weeks, Truss has been in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the AWP (Athletes With Purpose) training facility preparing for his pro-day in March. He’s training with other players in similar situations and said the competition has been good for him mentally and physically.
“Honestly you just have to be confident in your ability, but also humble enough to correct your weaknesses,” Truss said. “We push each other each and every day and, I mean, we’re all striving for the same goals.”
Much like at the start of his college career, his NFL potential will be dependent on how hard he’s wiling to work when nobody’s watching.
Truss said his training days usually start around 9:30 with a speed workout, followed up by a couple hours of positional drills. Then, in the afternoon, they do anything from pool work to weight lifting.
It’s all done with one goal in mind.
“Being in the NFL, it’s always been a dream of mine,” Truss said. “When I have my mind set on something, a dream of mine, nobody’s going to get in my way.
“I just have to give it my all.”