Rare athlete: Dunham’s Trevor Haman Combines Talent, Desire to Impact Team’s Appearance in D3 Select State Title Game

by: William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor

Trevor Haman expected his third season at The Dunham School to follow a similar pattern.

With the graduation of two outstanding wide receivers in Jac Comeaux and Drew Bourgeois, Haman was a natural to take on a great role on offense.

He was a freshman starter at free safety when the Tigers faced St. Charles Catholic in the 2022 Division III select state championship game. It was the same position he played last season and prepared to play when spring practice began.

Dunham football coach Neil Weiner, along with defensive coordinator Calob Leindecker, said the topic of moving Haman closer to the line of scrimmage had grown in strength. With ample depth in the secondary, they believed Haman may be better suited to help at inside linebacker where his speed would be an asset. 

“When we first told him we were moving him to linebacker he never said anything negative about it at all,” Weiner said. “You could see it in his body language, ‘I don’t know if these guys know what they’re talking about’. Our team would talk about his attitude. 

“I think the team felt the same way, ‘What are we talking about’? Weiner said. “This guy’s the fastest guy on the team (4.4) and he’s our best receiver, and we’re going to put him at inside linebacker? He just said, ‘Yes sir. You’ve got it.”

It made for a unique opportunity Haman was more than welcome to embrace.

Not only would he be one of the team’s primary weapons on offense for quarterback Elijah Haven, but Haman would play in the box for the Tigers’ aggressive defense.

But that’s not all. Haman also became the team’s punt return specialist, the type of responsibility he always coveted, giving him ample chances to contribute to a team that’s one step away from the school’s second state championship.

“It kind of threw me by surprise,” Haman said. “I had my mind set on safety. I would always train at safety and do safety drills. When told me I was going to play linebacker, I was ready to do it. I wanted to do whatever I could to help the team.

“It is kind of funny playing receiver and middle linebacker,” Haman said. “(Dunham linebackers coach) Coach Mac (Mitch McIlwain) said he really wanted my speed at inside linebacker to make plays all across the field. I love playing linebacker.”

Dunham’s team-first approach has featured several key individual efforts this season and Haman’s is near the top for the No. 1 Tigers (13-0) who face No. 7 Catholic-New Iberia (12-1) for the Division III state title.

Kickoff for the Allstate Prep Sugar Bowl Classic is at 3:30 on Friday in the Caeser’s Superdome in New Orleans.

“And like everything he does, he did it to his absolute best ability,” Weiner said. “Now he’s absolutely dominant at that (inside linebacker) position. He doesn’t get a break. He returns the punts and stays on the field. He’s leading the team in touchdown receptions. You don’t see that a whole bunch where you’ve got an inside linebacker that’s the punt returner and a wide receiver.

“You want to get your best football players on the field,” Weiner said. “The old saying goes, ‘You’ve got to get the right people on the bus and figure out which seat they’ll sit in later.’ We have our best 11 defensive players and let’s see where they fit.”

A standout on both sides of the ball

Weekly meetings to hammer out Dunham’s offensive game plans turn creative when the discussion of where to place Haman arises.

Photo Courtesy: Kyle Valdez

“When we talk as a staff, we talk about how we can get the ball to Trevor,” Weiner said. “Do line him up at H-back, tailback, slot or outside receiver? Friday (title game), it will be the same thing. We have to find ways to get him the ball in space.”

Haman leads the team in touchdown receptions with 15. His catches (41), yards (685), and yards per catch (16.7) are second to Jarvis Washington and ahead of Kris Thomas (36-432, 2 TDs).

During Dunham’s 46-22 semifinal victory over Bunkie last week, Haman had a profound impact on his team’s success. He led the Tigers with seven catches for 143 yards and a pair of touchdowns and also had a 77-yard punt return for another score nullified by penalty.

For the season Haman’s returned 11 punts for a 20.5-yard average with a touchdown. 

Just where Haman will wind up on a given play is a treat for the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder who’s carried the ball as a running back, taken a direct snap at quarterback and had a touchdown pass to Haven wiped out by a penalty.

“We had Drew Bourgeois and Jac who were two amazing receivers,” Haman said of last season. “They made big plays all over the field. This year I was trying to fit that role, trying to do whatever it takes to make plays, do what I can to win.”

Haman believed that was going to play safety which included being in run support, where he often found the ball carrier tackled by the time he arrived.

That was part of the appeal of moving to linebacker where Haman learned to shed the blocks of larger offensive guards and make more plays. 

The Tigers are a unit that, albeit undersized by traditional standards, has thrived with their attention to detail and an aggressive style that fosters rallying to the football.

Next to lineman Elliot Trahan’s team-leading 72 ½ tackles, Haman is second with 66 ½ stops, 10 tackles for loss, 1 ½ sacks, and a forced fumble.

“It is a lot taking on blocks,” Haman said. “I never practiced it a lot, but I was always able to get off blocks real well. Coach Mac always tells me to be patient to fill gaps. They know with my speed I’m able to track them down even if I’m late to the gap. I love taking on guards, it was new coming from safety.

“I love the physicality where at linebacker you’re always around the ball,” Haman said. “You’re always having a chance to make a play on the ball. I just love being around the ball. I think it helps with offense as well. When we have to get three yards on a play, they’ll get me the ball to get those extra yards.”

Haman’s biggest contribution in the spring was the symbolism attached to his unselfish move to another position. Teammates in similar positions could turn to Haman as an example of a selfless player regardless of his talent level.

“Other players could see it,” he said. “Young guys may come into high school thinking they would play one position, but they end up getting put in another position that’s going to help the team better and sometimes they’ll get down on themselves. Seeing the older guys doing that, and doing what it takes to help the team win, would inspire them to be in those positions to help the team.”

‘I’ve always tried to outwork everybody’

The passion for playing football beyond high school actually started to consume Haman in the sixth grade.

While kids his age were either riding bikes or playing video games, Haman followed his father Mike, a former basketball player at Louisiana College, to the gym to work out. 

At 5 a.m.

“He was always the most disciplined kid, always putting in work when he was younger,” Haman said of his dad. “It just hit me all of a sudden. I wanted to be the best and I knew I had to do what others didn’t.”

His methodical approach gained steam and by the time he reached Dunham, and later received his driver’s license, early morning workouts with teammates were the norm – before school began.

“I even did two-a-days,” he said. “I did that for so long and I’m finally getting to see that pay off.”

Haman did fieldwork at home, worked out with trainers, and began developing his receiver skills with the caveat of playing college football one day.

“I’ve always tried to outwork everybody,” Haman said. “I’ve always wanted to play college football. I started taking it seriously in the sixth grade. I put a lot into sports and football. Six days a week, just training with a rest day on Sunday. I’ve done that for the last six years.”

Weiner compared Haman’s journey to that of former Chicago Bears’ All-Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Urlacher played running back, wide receiver, and defensive back and was a return specialist for his high school team in New Mexico. He signed with the University of New Mexico where the 6-3, 258-pounder transitioned to linebacker and became an eventual first-round NFL draft choice of the Bears.

“He doesn’t have the stature right now,” Weiner said of Haman. “But that’s exactly what Brian Urlacher did in high school. He did all the things Trevor’s doing and he got bigger and bigger and had a great career in the NFL.”

Haman spent the summer competing against some of the top athletes at camps at LSU, UL-Lafayette, Tulane, and Houston. It was a method of getting his name out on the recruiting circuit where he still awaits his first scholarship offer.

“Trevor’s just been fantastic,” Weiner said.

Team’s fastest, strongest player 

Another of the tangible examples of Haman’s strict workout mentality took place in the summer.

Dunham’s entire team competes for the ‘Top Tiger Award’ which is a series of lifts on the bench press, squat, and power clean with a component added in for speed testing.

Former cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., an All-American at LSU and first-round draft choice of the Houston Texans set the program standard until Haman grabbed bragging rights and will have his picture adorned on the team’s weight room.

“He’s the strongest and fastest kid we have,” Weiner said. “He’s super smart. We felt from sideline to sideline there won’t be anyone in the state that could cover ground like he can at linebacker. You can allow him to blitz, you can let him drop into pass coverage which he can do because he played safety the past two years. He’s the perfect hybrid guy to put there.”

Haman, who worked with Dunham strength and conditioning coach Tevin Moton, said winning the event wasn’t his ultimate goal.

“I wanted to beat my past lifts and get faster,” he said. “That was pretty awesome to do that. I’ve been training since I was in sixth grade, always working out and pushing myself. The goal was to be as strong as I can. A lot of people train to look better. When I started working out, I wanted to be the strongest I could be.

“All the work in work in the weight room helps a lot,” Haman said. “You wouldn’t think a receiver would lower his shoulders and drive a pile. I think about all of the work in the weight room I’ve put in and the strength I have compared to other DBs.  I’ll lower my shoulders to get extra yards.”

The hours of sweat and commitment enabled Haman to make significant gains that have been part of the team’s season-long success.

He’s been an impactful member of a highlight-reel offense, a passion-driven defense that’s performed well along with his play on special teams.

Photo Courtesy: Kyle Valdez

“It’s amazing to make plays on offense, that’s really fun,” Haman said. “The brotherhood of the defense … Everybody’s in together. Everybody’s trying to make a tackle. I love both of them.”

Haman realizes the vast difference in his second trip to the Superdome since his freshman year.

“None of us had been to the dome and we were taking it in,” he said. “It was more like a field trip; we were in awe of it. This year, it feels like we have a game to play and enjoy the experience. We have to finish the job. We’ll be more focused. We’re all excited.”

It’s been 20 years since Dunham won the school’s first state title. The Tigers, under coach Joey Thibodeaux, were the No. 7 seed that defeated Oak Grove 42-20 and finished 13-2.

This year’s Tigers are one of five undefeated teams remaining and have the opportunity to not only record the school’s first undefeated season but the 148th in LHSAA history.

“That’s one thing we all want to do,” Haman said. “We’re going to try not to get caught up in the moment. We know what’s at stake. Nothing we’ve done has changed this week. We’re going to treat it like every other game we’ve played.

“It’s just another game we’re going to play,” Haman said. “We want to leave that mark at Dunham. It’s been exactly 20 years since that team won it. That would be something, and we would get to talk about that for the rest of our lives.”


Photo Courtesy: Kyle Valdez