Focused on Improvement: Not All Goals for Ascension Catholic’s Chad Elzy Revolve Around Personal Achievements

by: William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor

With the team’s 24-hour rule in place, Ascension Catholic’s Chad Elzy wasn’t afforded the entire weekend to enjoy the performance of a lifetime. 

Elzy’s first season in the Bulldogs’ starting backfield had already produced several highlight-reel moments throughout the 2023 season when the 5-foot-9, 194-pounder took it to another level in his team’s Division IV select state quarterfinal playoff. 

Ascension Catholic eliminated Opelousas Catholic from the 2022 playoffs in the regional round and also handed the Vikings a 39-28 road defeat in the second game of the ’23 regular season. More than two months later, the Bulldogs unleashed Elzy in a record-setting outing that propelled the Bulldogs to the state quarterfinals with a 77-43 victory.

“Going into the game, I had a feeling that I was going to do something special,” Elzy said. “It was the fourth time we played them in two years, and we won all of them. I knew they were going to key on me a bit and target us from the jump because they wanted to beat us pretty bad. I didn’t expect going into the game, that I was going to score nine touchdowns. I just went into the game trying to help my team so we could advance.”

Elzy established a state playoff record with his nine-touchdown effort – including eight on the ground – to spearhead Ascension Catholic’s winning efforts. He rushed 27 times for a season-high 461 yards and also caught a touchdown pass, securing a spot on the team’s bench early in the fourth quarter. 

It was a familiar scene where Elzy, with a game already in hand, became a spectator after pouring all of his effort and energy into a dazzling game.

“I just ran my hardest,” he said. “I had to play like I had never played them before because it was going to be harder than any other game because they knew some of our plays and had been studying us for a while. I just went out and tried my best. 

“I thought about it (record-setting game) for a little while,” he said. “It was on my mind heavy for 24 hours, but I knew that was it. I had more to go and basically kind of flushed it. I focused on the next week because we were playing the No. 1 seed (Vermilion Catholic). I couldn’t be too big-headed about it. I tried to best prepare myself for that next week.”

Ascension Catholic appeared headed to its second consecutive state semifinal, jumping out to a 22-0 lead in the second quarter behind a pair of rushing touchdowns from Elzy. The Bulldogs led 22-14 at halftime and 29-27 after three quarters before the Eagles rallied in the fourth quarter for a 39-35 victory.

The second-straight season with double-digit wins did little to spoil a wonderful year for Ascension Catholic (11-3) and Elzy, who not only was named to the Class 1A All-State team but was selected the state’s top offensive player. He compiled 3,468 all-purpose yards and scored 320 points, leading the way with 2,911 yards and 47 touchdowns on the ground.

“It was like a dream come true because I always wanted to make all-state,” Elzy said. “I had to put in the work, day in and day out when nobody was looking. I had to stand out from others to advance in my craft. I’m trying to build on it like training harder than I did before. My goal is to maybe improve my stats, and the goal is to win the (LHSAA Network’s) Warrick Dunn Award.

“The reason is to show out,” Elzy said. “I know people say that I’m not this or that, that I do it because I’m in (Class) 1A. I show them what I have and prove them wrong.”

Marked Man

The nature of Elzy’s breakthrough season has given him a new perspective on what’s ahead. Opposing defenses will undoubtedly make him the target of their efforts, either trying to slow him down or neutralize his efforts, to enhance their opportunity to win. 

Elzy’s final season will be in a new system implemented by first-year head coach Lowell Narcisse, a former college quarterback at LSU and Texas San-Antonio and high school standout at St. James. 

“We’re more of a dual threat and not based just around me,” Elzy said of the team’s one and two-back offensive sets. “Whatever it takes to win, even if I don’t get that many carries or as much attention as I did last year. As long as we win, and I can help out my team, that’s all that matters. 

“The scheme is great, and he (Narcisse) gets everybody involved,” Elzy said. “I know that when the ball’s not in my hands I’m going to trust it in their hands. If I’m not getting the ball, I still know we have a great chance of scoring.”

Elzy said last year’s disappointment against Vermilion Catholic has served as the catalyst in the team’s offseason workouts. The Bulldogs open the season at H.L. Bourgeois on Sept. 5.

“The expectation’s always to get to the (Super) dome,” he said. “The main goal for this team is to win one game at a time, take it one step at a time, and not rush anything. Take advantage of what you can control.”

A description of Elzy’s running style is comparable to former Detroit Lions great Barry Sanders. With a combination of power and shifty moves, he also mimics Sanders with terrific vision and electricity that’s led to length-of-the-field touchdown runs. 

Before last season Elzy, who had sat out as a freshman after transferring from a public middle school, played cornerback in 2022 before becoming the team’s starter at running back a year ago to go with his duty at cornerback.  

He’ll play both ways this season. 

“Having to sit out my freshman year, and then my sophomore year I didn’t start,” Elzy said. “I was hungry to come out my junior year. I knew something was going to be special about it.”

College Attention, Bigger Things in Store

Elzy was an all-district selection with a 20-point scoring average in basketball, including a season-high of 42 points. He was a multi-event athlete in track, participating in the long and triple jumps, high jump, 100 and 200, and 4×100 relay.

Elzy’s also entering his senior season with the chance to add to his list of scholarship offers which includes Arkansas-Monticello, Graceland (Iowa), Millsaps, Nicholls, South Alabama, and Southeastern.

“The main thing was to come closer as a team and help that chemistry,” Elzy said of the offseason. “I’ve tried to get better 1% every day and maintain and improve my mental (health) because I know things are going to get tough. I’ve been trying to tell myself to keep my head down because I know I’m going to face a lot of adversity.

“Everybody knows that the starters are working 10 times harder than ever before, even the non-starters are working 10 times harder than ever before,” Elzy said. “Everyone’s closer together, there’s a brotherhood about us. That’s why I feel confident that we’ll do good about this year because everyone’s closer together.”