Jovan Belcher's college coach says family was everything to him

Jovan Belcher's college coach says family was everything to him

Jovan Belcher played his college ball at the University of Maine and joined the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent.

(Photo: Charles LeClaire, US Presswire)

Those close to Jovan Belcher during his college playing days at the University of Maine recalled his love of family, making the tragic news all the more senseless. His position coach at that time, Dwayne Wilmot, recalled the easiest way to make Belcher smile was to tell him his mother was coming to a game at Orono. More than anything, Belcher wanted to make his brood proud.

"Family was paramount for Jovan, you could see it at every game," said Wilmot, now a coach at Yale. "His family showed up in force. He relished the opportunity to make them proud as a student and an athlete. He did what he did for their love and their adulation.

MORE: Belcher kills girlfriend, then commits suicide

"I'm devastated right now," he added. "Trying to hold together."

To the Maine athletics community, Belcher was a light - the longshot who reached the pinnacle in the NFL. His native Long Island is not considered a pro football hotbed, and he converted from outside linebacker to defensive end during his college career. Belcher then made the tricky and unglamorous switch to inside linebacker for the Chiefs as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2009.

When asked if Belcher had any off-the-field concerns in college, Wilmot mentioned he had some maturity issues but nothing out of the ordinary. He also offered that Belcher completed his college studies early.

BACKGROUND: Who was Jovan Belcher?

"Kids ages 18-22, they all have things they'd like to do over," the coach said. "When I was that age there were things I'd like to do over. To see him grow and evolve in that time, it is an absolute and utter shock to be talking about Jovan in the past tense.

"What you saw was the burning desire to be successful," he continued. "If he had the opportunity, he'd make the most of it … this is a tragic end, but his life had a greater good than just this tragic end."

Source : http://www.usatoday.com