By The Numbers for Week 8 of the Prep Football Season
October 28, 2015
Lafourche, Terrebone Halloweens moved to Friday
October 28, 2015
A former Nicholls State University football player was killed in a car crash last week – just days after being arrested on gun charges and resigning from the university.
Altee Tenpenny, 20, was killed on Tuesday evening in a crash on Mississippi Highway 1. He was the only person injured in the crash and was pronounced dead on the scene. Tenpenny was reportedly headed back to his native Arkansas after resigning from Nicholls State University on Monday after being arrested early Sunday for possession of a firearm and discharging a weapon – a charge that led to his dismissal from the Colonels football team.
Tenpenny enrolled at Nicholls in August, but never played a snap with the Colonels because he’d not yet become eligible.
Nicholls coach Tim Rebowe released a statement when news of the crash became public, expressing his condolences for the young man and his family.
“On behalf of the players, coaches and all of us at the University, we are extremely saddened by the news of the passing of Altee Tenpenny,” Rebowe said. “We extend our condolences to his friends, family and former teammates.”
“The entire Nicholls community is deeply saddened by the news of Altee Tenpenny’s tragic passing,” Nicholls President Dr. Bruce Murphy added. “Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his family, friends and many fans.”
FINAL DAYS END IN ARREST, TRAGEDY
The final three days of Tenpenny’s life were a whirlwind.
Less than 12 hours after the Colonels won their first game in more than two years, news broke of Tenpenny’s arrest.
According to police reports, authorities responded to Thibodaux after reports of gunshots in the city. Upon arrival, authorities said they saw Tenpenny walking in traffic. In a police report issued after Tenpenny’s arrest, authorities said he was so nonchalant that one truck had to swerve to avoid hitting him.
When in contact with Tenpenny, authorities said he admitted to drinking downtown after the Colonels win. When asked if he had a weapon, Tenpenny said yes. According to a police report, Tenpenny admitted to firing the weapon in the air in an effort to clear the weapon.
Tenpenny said the gun didn’t belong to him. According to the police report, he said the weapon belonged to teammate Kaleb Kador, who has been suspended pending a review of his university discipline.
Officers on the scene noted a strong odor of alcohol on Tenpenny’s breath. He was arrested on Sunday morning and charged with illegal carrying of weapons, illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities and obstructing public passages at the detention center. He was released on Monday afternoon after posting a $2,100 bond.
Once news broke of Tenpenny’s arrest, the Colonels acted swiftly. Rebowe suspended Tenpenny on Monday afternoon, which led to the young man resigning from the university.
Authorities said he was heading back home to his native Arkansas at the time of the accident that took his life.
Several college coaches across the country expressed sadness in Tenpenny’s passing, including his former coach Nick Saban, who signed the halfback as a four-star halfback out of North Little Rock High School – the place where he rushed for 1,379 yards and 21 touchdowns as a senior in 2012.
Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze and Arkansas coach Bret Bielema also weighed in on the accident. They, too, recruited the player out of high school.
“It’s obviously a tragedy,” Saban said. “This was a guy who was in our program and who was good friends with a lot of our players. We want to be as supportive as possible to all the people who are affected by this.”
“I never have the words that feel adequate at those times,” Freeze added. “I got to speak with him on the phone several times and one of my coaches had a relationship with him. Our prayers go out to that family.”
POTENTIAL LOST
Tenpenny’s final year on earth was loaded with scenery changes and repeated second chances. But he was undoubtedly a talented young man who never quite was able to find a home or maximize his true potential.
Out of high school, Tenpenny was a hot commodity. Ranked the No. 1 player in the state of Arkansas for the 2012 recruiting class, Tenpenny signed with Alabama and famous football coach Nick Saban. He cited the Crimson Tide’s long history of placing running backs into the NFL as the spark behind his decision.
Tenpenny played two seasons for the Crimson Tide. He never quite found his place on the depth chart, but did rush for 218 yards and a touchdown in his two-year career with the Tide.
Following last season, Tenpenny transferred from Alabama to UNLV early in 2015 – a move he made to chase more playing time in the final seasons of his career. Through social media, he said at the time that he didn’t regret going to Alabama, but just wanted what was best for his career.
“The past 2 years with the Crimson Tide has been a great experience,” Tenpenny tweeted. “I wouldn’t trade it for anything! It’s time to start a new chapter!”
Upon his transfer, media in Las Vegas called Tenpenny a program savior, labeling him immediately as one of the most talented players to ever grace the program, which is not known for its football success.
But the halfback never played a snap for the Runnin’ Rebels after being dismissed from the team in August for violating team rules.
That transfer led to his exile to Thibodaux where he enrolled at Nicholls in hopes of seeing the field for Rebowe and the Colonels.
That never happened, in part because of eligibility issues following his transfer.
And now it won’t ever happen because of an arrest and the story’s tragic end. •
