By ROY LANG III, Journal Sports
Denny Duron has had plenty of memorable moments – seven decades worth to be exact. His impact extends well beyond the Shreveport Community Church (former First Assembly) his father founded, the Shreveport community, and the gridiron.
Sunday provided an opportunity to reflect on, and revel in, 70 years of family, work, devotion, and fun as every one of his children and his grandchildren attended his birthday bash.
“All those people plus my church family in the same room — how in the world can that fail?” Duron told the Journal. “It was wonderful. I sat there and took it all in — the songs, the worship, the reflection.”
Although many may believe he deserves a respite considering his personal resume and the nice round number he reached last week, Duron isn’t coasting to the finish – whenever that line may come.
“Every morning I get up at 4 o’clock with my hair on fire,” said Duron, who boasts an epic white mane. “I have more energy than I can believe. I don’t ever take a pill or an energy drink — I just love living. When you get to 70, every day is a bonus.
“When I wake up, I say, ‘I’m grateful to be alive. This is the day the Lord has made; I’ll rejoice and be glad in it.’ Then I think, ‘This is about to be the greatest day of my life, but it won’t be as good as tomorrow.’”
Duron’s normally aspirated engine is a must as the head coach of the Evangel Eagles football team aims to invigorate the former national powerhouse.
The Eagles have struggled over the past few seasons (0-8 in 2020, 3-8 last season), but they may have turned the corner with the help of battle-tested legacy twins and participation numbers that have doubled in the past two years.
The recent struggles didn’t put a dent in Duron’s desire or “The Evangel Way.”
The “iron-sharpens-iron” mantra remains prevalent. The Eagles scrimmaged West Monroe last week, will participate in a jamboree, and open the regular season with a home game against Class 4A heavyweight Neville on Sept. 2.
“We can’t wait to play Neville because they are the best,” Duron said. “You’re going to find out where you are in your journey. It just reveals so much.”
The twin sons of former Evangel legend Josh Booty and former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Sara Fulghum are back for their junior seasons. Quarterback Peyton and wide receiver Parker Fulghum are expected to lead the Eagles offense.
“They are great people, No. 1,” Duron said. “They show maturity beyond their years. Football is a part of their life, but it’s certainly not their life. They’re students of the game and they train hard. They are very affirming to the guys who play alongside them. They are true leaders.”
Peyton, who will be a third-year starter, tossed 10 touchdowns (his brother hauled in seven TDs) in 2021 despite a host of pressure from opposing defenses. Duron is optimistic both the offensive and defensive lines will show improvement this season.
“We’re really excited about the progress our guys have made for their coaches Danny Palmer (offense) and Ronnie Alexander (defense),” Duron said. “These guys are really coming off the ball.”
Even with great line play and twin leadership, things still won’t be easy – especially in District 1-4A. Duron believes local high school football may be the best it’s ever been.
“I have so much anticipation for every day because I look around at our city and there are so many people doing so many wonderful things, especially these coaches at all these schools,” Duron said. “There are a lot of good teams, man. And we have a lot of great coaches. It’s going to be incredibly competitive.”
Contact Roy at roylangiii@yahoo.com