Columbus” quiet man is making noise in the National Football League.
Leslie Frazier, a 1977 graduate of Lee High School, was recently promoted from defensive coordinator to interim head coach of Minnesota Vikings on Monday after the Vikings decided to part ways with coach Brad Childress.
Now Frazier has the attention of Vikings players and fans, but doesn”t have to yell to hold it.
“He never said three words. But you could tell he wanted more than just staying in Columbus,” said Dennis Coleman, owner of Coleman Realty in Columbus and a former NFL player who coached Frazier at Lee High. “Leslie was a real reserved kid. He was not a loud guy. He basically didn”t say much of nothing. But he was a good kid. He never complained on the field.”
Sammie Smith said yelling just isn”t Frazier”s style. Smith helped raise Frazier along with his mother, Frazier”s grandmother, Ozella Frazier.
“He doesn”t like yelling,” Smith said. “He treats everyone with respect. But you take him seriously. If he tells you to do X, Y and Z and you only do X and Y, he”s not going to be happy,”
Mayor Robert Smith, who worked on Coleman”s coaching staff as a defensive line and linebackers coach, also attested to Frazier”s composure. He says Frazier maintained that same calm attitude throughout his playing career at Alcorn State University and with the Chicago Bears, where the defensive back suffered a career-ending injury on a punt return during the 1985 Super Bowl.
“He”s a motivator. He”s low-key, but guys respect him to the utmost. They”ll tell you they enjoy playing for him,” said Mayor Smith.
However, Frazier”s trademark cool didn”t extend to his friends and family, who have been elated ever since the announcement of his promotion earlier this week. In addition to his uncle, Frazier”s aunt and brother still live in Columbus.
Sammie Smith spoke to Frazier early Wednesday but couldn”t get him back on the line for The Dispatch. He said Frazier is likely busy preparing for Sunday”s game against the Redskins.
Smith estimates Frazier must win at least four of the Vikings” six remaining games to lock down the head coaching position permanently. As a defensive coordinator, Frazier has generated a great deal of interest with regard to his services as a head coach, interviewing with seven teams, including Detroit, Dallas, Miami and Buffalo in recent years.
Smith believed Frazier would get the call from either St. Louis or the Carolina Panthers next season before Minnesota fired Childress.
Mayor Smith, who has remained close with Frazier since he graduated from Lee High, believes Frazier has what it takes to be a successful head coach in the league. Before joining the Vikings, Frazier served as defensive coordinator in Indianapolis — where he won another Super Bowl as a coach — and Cincinnati. He was a defensive backs coach in Philadelphia and coached Trinity College in Illinois to two National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics titles.
During his time in Columbus, Frazier, whose mother and father moved around due to military service, played on some underwhelming Lee High teams. His junior year, the team went 3-5-1. His senior year, they went 4-5.
Still, Frazier stood out.
“He looked like he was just loping. It didn”t look like he was moving that fast, but he was running,” said Sammie Smith, describing Frazier”s deceptive speed.
After starting at tailback and defensive back his senior year, Coleman said Frazier was obviously physically equipped to play at the next level. He tried to get Ole Miss, his alma mater, to check Frazier out, but “they wouldn”t even look at him.”
Mayor Smith helped Frazier secure a football scholarship at Alcorn State, where Frazier also played baseball. He played football, basketball and baseball at Lee, but excelled at football. He was selected to the Southwest Athletic Conference all-star game while at Alcorn.
Once in the NFL, he started for Chicago”s vaunted defense as well as returned punts on special teams.
Despite wild success, Frazier remained humble and close to Columbus. Sammie Smith said Frazier is always willing to sit and talk when he comes to town. He doesn”t expect any elaborate celebrations during Frazier”s next visit because the former member of St. James Methodist Church has never drank or smoked.
Frazier visited Columbus in March and spoke to a group of special-needs individuals from Columbus Community Programs before signing autographs.
Even away from Columbus, Frazier always took care of his friends and family. This October, when Mayor Smith and a delegation from Columbus were in New York visiting bond-rating agencies, Frazier, who was in town to play the Jets, left Smith a ticket to the game at the will-call window.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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