Jacob Weese
Bryan wide receiver Terrence Lewis used to be all about keeping people out of the end zone.
It sounds funny to say that now since teams spend a lot of time and energy keeping him from scoring on Friday nights and soon enough on Saturdays as he's committed to North Texas.
But Lewis didn't enter high school as a wide receiver, although he had experience at the position, he came into Bryan as a quarterback and safety. And when head coach Ricky Tullos arrived ahead of his sophomore season, Lewis was just at safety.
About two weeks before the first game though, Lewis said Tullos moved him over to receiver.
A move that Lewis liked and one that's paid off over the last three seasons as he's become one of the Brazos Valley's best at wide receiver.
Heck, the move paid off in Lewis' varsity debut as he had three touchdowns, scoring on a punt return along with catching three passes for 100 yards and two scores in a 67-21 win over Waller.
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"I didn't even expect to do nothing that game because it's my first game, so I ain't come in with high expectations," Lewis said. "I told my family if I get the ball, I'm scoring. And then they kicked a punt and that was the first time of me touching the ball and I scored. And then I just didn't expect me to get three."
That game was a confidence boost for the then 14-year-old Lewis and helped set the stage and put him down the path for what's been an impressive three-year run with the Vikings. So far through the first two weeks of his senior season, Lewis has caught nine passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns.
In 22 career games, Lewis has caught 86 passes for 1,742 yards and 19 touchdowns. He's also added 28 carries for 326 yards and five scores.
His path to this point has been paved with a lot of work and some friendly competition over the years.
Lewis credits three main coaches for helping him develop his skills at wide receiver. Current Bryan assistant Charlie Robinson, who Lewis says started working with him when Lewis was 9, so it means a lot to Lewis that they're getting to finish together.
He also credits his wide receivers coach from his sophomore season for helping him maneuver around the varsity field. Lastly and certainly not least is former Brenham wide receiver Brandon Collins.
Lewis says Collins made him into the receiver he is today. They started working together when Lewis was in eighth grade and while he was playing corner at the time, he was still playing wide receiver.
He says Collins taught him different releases, how to stem a route, how to get back on the corner and just in general taught a lot of stuff that not a lot of people would have taught him.
While he doesn't work with them, Lewis also looks up and tries to model his game after former college standouts and current NFL receivers Justin Jefferson and DeVonta Smith. The two have similar builds to Lewis as Lewis is 6-foot, 170-pounds, while Jefferson is 6-1, 195 and Smith is 6-0, 170.
"They're not the biggest guys and I'm not the biggest guy, so I kind of watch how they run routes, how they maneuver because they're in the NFL, they're not 180, 190 [pounds], 6-foot-4, so if they can do it, I can do the same thing," Lewis said.
That work with Collins wasn't one-on-one as Lewis did it with good friend and current Rudder wide receiver Jaquise Martin. The pair met in seventh grade and have a strong bond along with a rivalry on the field about who's the better receiver.
"Most definitely, that's my guy," Lewis said of Martin. "Me and him are always going to compete when it comes to this sport but off the field we're like brothers. When it comes to this sport, he know I'm that dog, I'm number one, [he's] that dog too but me and him definitely going to keep competing when it comes to yards, touchdowns this whole season."
Currently, Martin leads the competition with 14 catches for 421 yards and six touchdowns.
"He may be in the lead but give me until about Week 5 to district, y'all going to see," Lewis said.
NOTES -- Lewis and the Vikings (1-1) take on Brenham (2-0) Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Merrill Green Stadium for the team's home opener and Homecoming game...The matchup means a lot for Lewis since he is from Brenham and still has family there along with knowing pretty much the entire Brenham team. His dad is from Bryan though and Lewis has always attended Bryan ISD schools with the exception of one year. "It's definitely Homecoming for me because I'm running for Homecoming king, so if we win the game, I win the king, I can get two wins in one."
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