Trey Holly grew up in Louisiana and always thought LSU was the right place for him.
When he was younger he went to a football game and was so impressed with the Tigers, the level of competition and the facilities that he mistook it for the NFL.
“What kid grows up in Louisiana and doesn’t want to play for Louisiana (State)?” said Holly. “LSU is my favorite team, so I’m there every four years.”
On Sunday, Holly, a four-star running back at Union Parish, couldn’t keep it a secret and announced his signing via Twitter. He didn’t want the hat to be unveiled or wait until signing day to announce it.
“It was stressful, but it was a good kind of stress because growing up, I always dreamed of going through that process,” Holly said. “I used to dream of stuff like that – to sign on the day of the signing, to worry about everything. But why wait when I know where my heart is beating, so I might as well let it out.”
Everyone wanted to know where he would end up, but the 5-foot-8, 180-pound running back spent 2021 avoiding the question. Instead, he focused on his junior season as he neared the Louisiana high school career rushing yards record, finishing just 875 yards behind Nick Brossette, who won 8,704 yards at University High (2010-14).
He led Union Parish to a Class 3A LHSAA championship appearance in which the Farmers lost 26-24 to Sterlington.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Holly is the No. 14 recruit in Louisiana and the No. 10 running back in the nation with offers from 26 schools. He said if LSU wasn’t an option, Oregon would have been the choice.
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Holly went into the recruitment process looking for an atmosphere that reminded him of Union Parish. LSU’s spring game last month sealed the deal.
“When I went there, I felt like I was here. I felt right at home,” said Holly. “They made sure that I and my family were okay. They made sure everything is organized. They even escorted us to our personal car, so I was like, ‘Damn, they really love us down here’ and stuff like that.”
Holly said LSU running backs coach Frank Wilson played a big part in his decision. He said Wilson told him that no matter what his choice, Holly would always have him in his corner.
“Coach Wilson, he’s like another father figure in my life,” Holly said. “He made sure I was straight, made sure I had food and everything. He just took care of me like he was one of me.”
Holly said the coaching changes at LSU in 2021 didn’t affect his decision. He believes new coach Brian Kelly will bring the success he had at Notre Dame to LSU.
“I was admiring the rings when I first walked in,” said Holly. “I thought, ‘Oh my God!’ He said, ‘Let’s get that 20th. We can do it. So I was like, ‘You know what? Why not? Let’s do it.’ “
Emely Hernandez is the director of athletics and high school athletics at the University of Louisiana-Monroe. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @emhernandeznews.