The Daily Toreador - Student Newspaper of Texas Tech

Issue date: 4/29/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Trent Barnes

Texas Tech senior safety Daniel Charbonnet used to flood his parents with text messages and phone calls to check the status of his little brother's high school football games.

Nowadays, checking on his brother, freshman cornerback Taylor Charbonnet, will not be so hard.

With Taylor Charbonnet no longer a redshirt, the pair has played together for the first time in their respective careers through recent spring practices.

"Not many people get to experience that and go to college with their brother, and be on the same team," Daniel Charbonnet said. "(We are) definitely blessed."

The age difference never allowed the pair to play on the same team in high school, so their mom, Sheila Charbonnet said it is an enjoyment to watch their careers coexist.

"We feel so blessed because we know a lot people who would love to have one child play in Division 1 college football," she said. "Having four boys, we've been through lots of football and have lots of friends who have kids playing football. So to have two on the same team, playing at a school like this, it's a lot of fun, and it's a huge blessing."

Taylor Charbonnet probably never would have committed to Tech if it weren't for his brother, who transferred from Duke in 2005, indirectly persuading his younger brother to attend the university.

Of course, Daniel Charbonnet still has the big brother mentality, so he said he tries to help out as much as possible on the field, dropping in some words of wisdom from time to time.

"He knows that I'm just doing it to try to help him out," Daniel said. "Not to criticize him, just trying to give him some help because I've been through it and I've made a lot of the dumb mistakes."

Daniel Charbonnet, who is expected to receive a lot of snaps this season, finished 2007-08 with 31 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble.

Safeties coach Carlos Mainord said Daniel Charbonnet should see playing time this year because of the experience and work ethic he brings to the secondary.

"He's progressed well," Mainord said. "He's been here long enough that he really knows the system. He's a smart guy, and he really knows coverages, he studies receivers. He's just gotten better ever since he's been here, and it showed this spring."

Taylor Charbonnet is fighting for playing time opposite starting cornerback Jamar Wall, and most likely will not see a whole lot of action this season. However, more playing time could be in his future.

Continued...

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