Thankful for his past

Thankful for his past

Maulet leads the Tigers defense in 2016

UofM Media 'I never thought I would be playing Division I football.'

Arthur Maulet might have been right to think that several years ago. After being displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and playing just one season of high school football before walking on at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, it would have been easy to agree with Maulet's statement.

But, for Maulet, it's always been about believing – in football and in life.

First-year head coach Mike Norvell continually emphasizes 'fit' and 'family' as part of his program. Norvell and his staff work to build strong relationships and gain the players' trust. Once trust is built, players believe the coach's message.

'Those are the core values of our program, and Arthur is a perfect example of them,' Norvell said. 'The level of his play and the type of young man he is, he's pretty special. You hope that the other guys within our program have the same values.'

Maulet is the oldest of four siblings that were raised mostly by their grandfather in New Orleans' Seventh Ward. They later moved to the Ninth Ward, which was thrust into the nation's spotlight because of catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Katrina.

In the years following, Maulet was in and out of schools, as he and his siblings left New Orleans for Dallas, Texas, and subsequently Ann Arbor, Mich. The family didn't stay long in either location and later relocated to Atlanta, Ga., where Maulet stopped going to school for a time.

'It was so crazy because it all happened so fast,' said Maulet. 'It was two months here and two months there. We lived in Atlanta for a year, and that was kind of my downfall. I took the bad road. I really wasn't focused. It just wasn't working, and my aunt and uncle back in Louisiana asked me to move back with them.'

When he returned to New Orleans, he enrolled at Bonnabel High School. Maulet first played basketball, priding himself as a lockdown defender at point guard. Using his quick feet and fluid hips, he shut down the opposition's guards.

It was those natural abilities that caught the eye of Bonnabel High School defensive backs coach, Donald Cox – a man Maulet calls 'Dad.'

'I saw a young man with so much raw talent and so much God-given ability,' Cox said. 'He just needed someone to give him guidance. He had greatness in him, but he needed someone to teach him how to be a better person off the field.'

Maulet, who had not played organized football before his junior year of high school, had only one year of eligibility left as a result of the ever-changing school situation he went through in the years following Hurricane Katrina. His only previous football experience was when he was young, playing against older kids in the neighborhood.

Under Cox's tutelage, Maulet made an immediate impact on the football field. As a junior in 2010, he was named to the New Orleans Times-Picayune Metro All-District 8-5A team.

Following that season, Cox left Bonnabel High School, but offered Maulet the opportunity to move in with him and his family.

'Arthur was already spending time with our family before he came to live with us,' Cox said. 'He had grown so close to my little boy, who had never had a big brother. It was such a blessing that he decided to come with us, and I knew right then that he was going to be a part of our family forever.'

After that junior season, Maulet couldn't play high school football and didn't have much game film to grab the attention of college coaches. He spent every day of his senior year working out under the direction of Cox, attempting to get on the radars of some college programs.

'Arthur believed in me and believed in our family,' said Cox. 'He knew the love we had for him and that I was not going to let him fail.'

Maulet didn't fail. His path to Division I football was just beginning.

As time was running out to find a place to continue his football career, Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi invited Maulet for a tryout. He was invited to fall camp as a walk-on, but wasn't guaranteed a roster spot. The Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC) allows only eight out-of-state spots on each school's roster. If a Division I transfer came in late, Maulet could have been cut in favor of a high-profile player.

'That was probably the toughest thing I've ever done. My first year, through fall camp, I woke up every day hoping I wasn't getting sent home. All I could do was work hard and show them I could help the team,' Maulet said.

Maulet did make it and started every game of his junior college career. He helped lead the Wolfpack to the 2014 MACJC South Division championship and earned MACJC All-State second team honors in the process. That season, he led all junior college defensive backs with 20 pass breakups. Maulet finished his Co-Lin career with six interceptions and 67 total tackles.

Now, Maulet was on the radars of coaches around the country. He received offers from several Division I football programs before signing with Memphis.

'It felt more like family, and it reminded me of home,' Maulet said. 'Then, I saw how hard the team worked. I'm a hard worker, so I knew it would be the right fit.'

Maulet's next challenge came in his first season in 2015. Maulet missed the 2015 spring drills, so he played catch-up during preseason practices. He performed well in preseason camp, enough to earn a starting job in the 2015 season opener against Missouri State.

Memphis began the season with a 2-0 record, and the defense allowed just three touchdowns. Maulet's confidence was at an all-time high.

'I jumped in right from the start and let the success kind of get to my head,' said Maulet. 'I thought I knew the speed of the game, but as we went along, the game speed was totally different.'

Over the next few weeks, Maulet and the Tigers defense faced some of the nation's top passing offenses. Despite surrendering 38 points and 487 passing yards per game in that stretch, Memphis won those match-ups. After a win at Tulsa, changes were made to the defensive backfield, and Maulet moved to a reserve role. Naturally, his confidence took a small hit.

The future remained somewhat uncertain following the 2015 season. A new coaching staff was in place for Maulet's senior season, and he would have to learn a new defensive scheme. And, he would have a new defensive backs coach in Marcus Woodson.

Aformer college defensive back himself, Woodson experienced adversity in a different way. His playing career at Ole Miss was cut short by recurring injuries. Woodson now uses those experiences to help coach his players, including Maulet, on and off the field. 'Playing defensive back, I firmly believe that whether you think you can or think you can't, you are always right. Arthur is a guy that always thinks he can,' Woodson said.

This season, Maulet has not only regained his confidence, but is thriving in the Tigers' new defensive system. He recorded his third career interception in the season opener against Southeast Missouri, and he leads the team with six pass break-ups. Maulet also has served as a team captain every game this season.

Maulet isn't shy about his past. He knows all of his previous experiences have brought him here to Memphis – a place he calls a second home.

'I think about my past all the time,' Maulet said. 'I'm thankful for my past. It taught me not to give up and to trust my help. I can only be thankful.'

By Kevin Rodriguez