Football: UL welcomes three into Hall – Jackie Causey, Danyele Gomez, Charles “Peanut” Tillman

Football: UL welcomes three into Hall – Jackie Causey, Danyele Gomez, Charles "Peanut" Tillman

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, October 6, 2012

For Charles "Peanut" Tillman, getting away from work on a fall football weekend is not the easiest thing to do.

He’s usually quite busy playing cornerback for the NFL’s Chicago Bears.

And this weekend is no different.

But even with the Bears playing at Jacksonville today, Tillman was granted special permission by his employer to come to Lafayette for Saturday’s homecoming game between the Ragin’ Cajuns and Tulane so he could be inducted — along with former softball outfielder Danyele Gomez and high-jumper Jackie Causey — into the UL’s Athletic Hall of Fame.

"It means a lot," said Tillman, a second-round selection of the Bears in 2003 and a Pro Bowl pick in 2011. "(Chicago) Coach (Lovie) Smith is a great guy, and, not only that, he’s a great coach to be under.

"It was his choice to allow me to come here and be a part of this ceremony, so I’m very grateful to him for allowing me to come."

As much as that means, though, Saturday’s halftime ceremony meant even more to Tillman.

"I never expected to be a Hall of Fame inductee or anything like that," he said. "I never in a million years thought about it — and, to be honored, it truly is a blessing. "» I’m very thankful, and I’m glad to be here."

Gomez, a three-time NFCA All-American from 2003-06, and Causey, who won an NCAA Division II Outdoor national championship in 1969 and an NAIA Indoor national title in 1970, felt similarly grateful.

"It’s great to be thought of and considered for this opportunity," said Causey, who won his two college national titles with jumps of 6-foot-10 and — back in the days of sawdust pits for high-jumpers — went on after his time at UL to clear as high as 7-2.

"This is pretty special," added Gomez, who helped UL to the Women’s College World Series as a freshman in 2003 and who finished her Cajun career with a .359 batting average, 83 home runs and a .946 fielding percentage. "The softball team has always been like a second family, so it’s big honor for them to have nominated me. "» (And) it’s pretty stout company, so (it’s) really, truly an honor."

Gomez, now a nurse at Tulane Medical Hospital in New Orleans, left UL not long ago.

But it’s been awhile since Causey competed, and since Tillman made it back to his old school.

"The campus has really grown," said Causey, a home-health CEO from Leesville who watched the Cajuns play football at McNaspy Stadium when he was at then-USL. "The student body looks really enthusiastic, and I’m just proud to be a part of this.

"I was telling my kids when we drove up — we didn’t have tailgating parties back then. We didn’t have this atmosphere. Although we had great crowds and great student spirit, it wasn’t quite as exciting as it is today."

Tillman, proud to call UL his college home for as long as he’s been in the NFL, could feel the growth too.

"The program has come a long way," said Tillman, who delivered a pre-game pep to coach Mark Hudspeth’s club at the Cajuns’ Lafayette team hotel prior to playing the Green Wave. "I told people, ‘When I was in school here, we were struggling like the 60s.

"Homecoming wasn’t this nice. The team didn’t stay in a hotel (pre-game); we stayed in our dorms. Coach Hud has done a tremendous job of turning this football program around, and I think they’re on the right path."

Tillman, who earned his degree from UL in criminal justice, said it’s important to "not forget where you come from."

"I only won (nine) games my entire collegiate career," said Tillman, who started at left cornerback each of the four seasons he played for the Cajuns.

"But if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing," he added. "I think everything happens for a reason. I chose this school because it was the right fit for me, and the school did me right."

Athletic Network Footnote:

Click here for Blackjack Landry dedication photo gallery.

Click here for "Paint the Town Red" Homecoming story featuring Lowry’s.