Fremont’s Herring Will Be Prized Catch

It was a play in an October afternoon game that Fremont eventually lost, but Thomas Herring’s 65-yard touchdown reception might as well be named “the Play” to all who witnessed it.

Herring caught a short pass over the middle and outran Crenshaw’s defense -- including a talented and speedy secondary -- without being touched.

College recruiters surely saw his dash to the end zone. All 6 feet 7 and 290 pounds of him.

“I went to the first person next to me and said, ‘Did you see that?’ ” Fremont Coach Pete Duffy recalled with an incredulous look.

The 17-year-old hears remarks like that and takes them in with an unassuming smile.

“I remember that play,” Herring said. “Everybody was like, ‘How can somebody that big move that fast? That [defensive back] is going to Oregon. How can you do that?’

“It’s God’s gift.”

With his size and remarkable agility to match, it is no wonder that Herring’s name is plastered on every top recruiting list for 2004. Recruiting expert Tom Lemming rates the lineman 20th on his national list. SuperPrep’s Allen Wallace calls him a “top-level recruit” and lists him among the best in California regardless of position.

And so the big boys of college football have come after him. Miami. USC. Oklahoma. Michigan.

In a family of five that gets by on limited resources, Herring’s opportunity to attend a major university on a full scholarship and play for a top football program is something to rally around.

“It’s exciting,” said his mother, Rosalind Farrar. “But he’s handling it pretty good. He’s a quiet child, not like most kids who could be boasting that I’m going here and I’m going there. He’s always been that way.”

Said Herring: “In the past, we’ve had guys that got the same attention, and this year I’m getting it. I want to be a good example.”

One look gives the impression that the senior could be the most dominant force in the City Section. He plays defensive tackle and tight end for the Pathfinders, but many eventually see him as the prototypical offensive lineman.

Duffy compares him to perennial Pro Bowl tackle Jonathan Ogden and does his best to make his player realize this opportunity.

“I’m really tough on him,” Duffy said. “Some days I give him positive reinforcement, some days I give him negative reinforcement. There are days when he wonders why I’m pushing him so much. He’s got an opportunity that few kids, especially those that live in this area, have.”

Said Herring: “My goal is to dominate a lot more. The problem I had was being in shape. A lot of coaches say I should have more sacks than I do. That’s my focus, more sacks, more tackles, more big plays.”

Football is still a learning process for Herring. Always big for his age, he was often too heavy to play in the weight-based Pop Warner youth leagues.

That size worked in basketball, and Herring regularly played for the San Fernando Valley-based ARC traveling team while in middle school.

Basketball quickly became his focus. The family moved from Monrovia to the South-Central area so Herring could attend Fremont after his freshman year because of the successful Pathfinder program.

Duffy didn’t waste any time making his pitch to the youngster.

“When I first saw him, I asked him if he played football,” Duffy said. “He had to. Look at him.”

Herring wasn’t much at birth. Born two weeks prematurely, he was the smallest of Farrar’s five children at only 3 pounds. The teenager has bucked the odds since.

He has had little contact with his father, Thomas Herring Sr., in recent years but never let it adversely affect him. Farrar said her son rarely failed to do his chores and always earned good grades in school.

His mother’s story is different. About 20 years ago, she was diagnosed with lupus, a disease that attacks the immune system. In her case, the symptoms are often a great deal of pain in her joints, and it affects her organs. Because of the disease, she is unable to work and must go to USC Medical Center for treatment four times a month.

With the family relying on disability checks and federal assistance, the children often went without the brand names or the latest fashions.

Herring sees a better future. Providing for his family has become a source of motivation.

“I want to get to the pros and be a potential superstar and play amongst the greatest athletes in the world,” he said. “I want to get the best doctors for my mom. [My family] never had too many problems with wanting stuff, but there’ve been times when they wanted something and couldn’t have it.

“I want to make it so they don’t have to want anymore.”

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How They Rate

A look at the top offensive linemen in the Southland

City Section

*--* Rk Player, School Ht Wt Yr Comment 1 Thomas Herring. Fremont 6-7 290 Sr Looks like future NFL player 2 Aleksey Lanis, Crenshaw 6-5 310 Jr Left tackle headed for stardom 3 Raul Suarez, Sylmar 6-4 315 Sr Ready for All-City season 4 Geoff Schwartz, 6-7 300 Sr Three-sport star improving Palisades fast 5 Matt Streid, Granada 6-3 290 Sr Loves to play against the Hills best 6 Dejuan Clark, Fremont 6-3 285 Sr Veteran with good skills 7 Marvin Arnold, Carson 6-4 275 Sr Best friend of running backs 8 Daniel Patricio, 6-6 330 Jr Showing improvement Birmingham 9 Eric Barrios, Fairfax 6-4 300 Sr Lions will run behind him 10 Dionicio Ibarra, 6-2 285 Sr All-Marine League returner Gardena 11 Hector Zapien, L.A. 6-1 235 Sr All-leaguer and captain Wilson 12 Maurice John, Grant 6-2 300 Sr Key blocker for Lancers

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Southern Section

*--* Rk Player, School Ht Wt Yr Comment 1 Chilo Rachal, 6-5 300 Sr Committed to USC Dominguez 2 Chris Joseph, Santa 6-5 265 Sr Three-year starter Ynez 3 Dustin Hensel, La 6-7 310 Sr Terrific pass protector Palma Kennedy 4 Brian Abraham, 6-6 265 Sr Committed to UCLA Rancho Cucamonga 5 Shannon Tevaga, La 6-3 295 Sr Committed to UCLA Mirada 6 Jacob Hucko, Cerritos 6-8 290 Sr Size and strength are impressive 7 Alex Mack, San Marcos 6-3 260 Sr Intelligent and tough 8 Leo Talavou, 6-3 310 Sr Likes to mash linebackers Fountain Valley 9 Dan Rowlands, Los 6-5 270 Sr Hard work has paid off Alamitos 10 Jonathan Toailoa, 6-4 255 Sr Can be a standout Long Beach Poly 11 Adam Speer, Chaminade 6-3 275 Sr A rising prospect 12 Michael Combes, 6-2 265 Jr Young, athletic and improving Bishop Amat 13 Jon Ioane, Tustin 6-5 315 Sr Has size to push people around 14 Devin McWilliams, 6-1 320 Sr Keys running game Riverside North 15 Ronnie Strait, 6-5 280 Jr Has lots of potential Salesian 16 Matt Gray, Esperanza 6-3 270 Sr Center plays hard every down 17 Eben Britton, 6-6 280 Jr Future Division I player Burbank Burroughs 18 Clarence 6-0 280 Sr Reliable blocker Tuioti-Mariner, Corona 19 Brandon Williams, 6-7 280 Sr Leads Bulldog running game Buena 20 Tony Lee, Serra 6-4 275 Sr Dominant blocker 21 Ryan Sorenson, 6-5 300 Sr Newbury Park transfer has Westlake size 22 Tom Beaty, Paso 6-3 245 Sr Has been varsity standout Robles 23 Mark Gray, Loyola 6-2 275 Sr Bench presses 425 pounds 24 Eric Rouser, St. 6-7 272 Sr As strength improves, so Bonaventure does he 25 Zach Drucker, South 6-3 240 Sr Will be four-year starter Torrance 26 Josh Harwell, 6-3 325 Sr Center who opens holes Redlands 27 Justice Clegg, Lompoc 6-4 280 Sr All-Southern Section pick 28 Mike Senella, Alemany 6-2 265 Sr Two-time all-leaguer 29 David Lord, 6-6 330 Sr A giant in the Inland Empire Eisenhower 30 Albert Duran, Oxnard 6-2 260 Sr Important blocker for Pacific View champs 31 Sione Fua, Crespi 6-3 283 So Headed for big-time status 32 Rameses Arceo, St. 6-4 302 Sr Making steady progress Paul

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Eric Sondheimer