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Plant TE Charles Turns 'Amazing Into Routine'

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By KATHERINE SMITH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 4, 2008

TAMPA - Don't ever accuse Orson Charles of not having perfect timing.

In Plant's first-round playoff victory against Lakewood, the senior tight end converted a key first down with a one-armed reception, all the while teetering along the sideline in front of a University of Florida assistant coach in town to see him play in person.

It was one of the many circus-like catches Charles has made this season. He leads the Panthers and is third in the state with 62 receptions for 1,164 yards and 17 touchdowns and will try to help his team beat Armwood in Friday night's Class 4A regional final.

Charles is one of the big reasons Plant has advanced to this point in the season.

"He's kind of turned the amazing into routine," Plant coach Robert Weiner said. "Every week, we're like what can he do to one-up himself and he seems to find something. I don't know what it's going to be this week, but I'm looking forward to seeing it."

So often this season, Weiner found himself watching Charles from the sideline, not as a coach, but as a fan in awe of his performance. Those amazing receptions are the result of the greatest lesson Charles said he's learned since he got to Plant.

"Never settle or be satisfied with what you've done," Charles said. "Today's a new day. Yesterday can't pull you up today."

Weiner and wide receivers coach T.J. Lane turned a good player into a great one with a lot of hard work that began in the offseason when Charles transferred from Riverview to Plant. The transformation really took shape during 7-on-7 work this past summer.

"He's better every minute and he really has been since the moment he got here," Weiner said. "He's been better every second. He's got a tremendous desire to learn and is a great listener. He listens to exactly what you tell him to do and he tries to implement it right away. He really has been a guy who steals the moment for your team and gets you back on track at any moment."

Last week in the regional semifinal victory against Bradenton Southeast, Charles' play on both sides of the ball sparked the Plant team. He had seven receptions for 59 yards and also collected two sacks, a fumble recovery and batted down a pass during the Seminoles last-ditch drive.

Charles makes the tough catches over the middle and he'll make them in space knowing a hard hit is coming.

"If you just watch his head and his eyes on the ball, his focus and concentration, I've never seen anything like it," Weiner said. "There's a reason that he's able to catch those balls. When the ball is in the air, there's nothing else around him, except for him and the football. He doesn't care where the defender is, the crowd making noise, it's just him and the ball."

And he doesn't care that he'll likely take a hard hit. Though, when a defender tackles the 6-3, 230-pound Charles, they usually absorb the hit.

"Either way, you're going to get hit," Charles said. "You might as well get hit with the ball in your hands."

That focus has allowed him to put college plans on hold so he can concentrate on his final high school football season. He'll have nearly 30 Division I scholarship offers to choose from when he's ready.

"I told every college coach that calls me that I want to wait until after the season," Charles said. "I want to enjoy and live my senior year because you only get it once."

Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 259-7860.

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