Franklin Provides Punch on Both Sides of the Football for LCCHS

Friday Football Feature  – A kickoff for your weekend high school football 

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(October 14, 2022 10:05 AM) Lumen Christi Catholic High School football player Devian Franklin learned a valuable lesson as a freshman in the football program.

He missed a practice and heard about it from longtime Coach Herb Brogan and a number of the senior captains.

It was then he learned the value of discipline and brotherhood shared in the storied football program at Lumen Christi.

Franklin is a valuable member of the Titans starting on defense as an outside linebacker and on offense as a short-yard specialist at running back. He has led the Titans in tackles in four of the first seven games for Lumen Christi.

His job is to find the ball carrier on running plays and find quarterback on passing attempts.

“I have a quick get off so they send me on blitzes,” Franklin said. 

Offensively, Franklin only has 210 rushing yards, but has scored eight times in the first seven contests.

“My mindset is I am never going down on the first hit,” Franklin said of short-yardage runs. “We need three good yards and I am good for it.”

The Titans started the season with three losses – to two of the top teams in the state in Division 7 and the best team in the Interstate-8 Conference. They have since won four games in a row heading into week eight. 

“Losing the first three games was definitely a mental challenge,” Franklin said. “Physically, we could beat any of those teams.

“Our mindset right now is to go 11-3.”

Franklin enjoys the brotherhood formed through relationships with fellow Lumen Christi players.

“Playing football is a lot of fun because you are on the field with your best friends,” Franklin said. “It is not just one person who leads the team … it is all of us.

“Coach Brogan says if we are not all functioning well, we are not functioning well as a team.”

Franklin believes he can play college football and is getting some looks from Division 2 schools. 

“I think I can play Division-1 college football,” Franklin said. “I am willing to put in the work until I am successful. 

“That is the mindset that everyone develops here.”

He maintains a 3.1 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and would like to study sports management and business.

“Sports teaches you how to wake up in the morning at 5 a.m. and do something that you don’t want to do,” Franklin said. 

Friday football games

Napoleon at Addison 7 p.m. 

East Jackson at Michigan Center 7 p.m. 

Lumen Christi at Pennfield 7 p.m. 

Hastings at Northwest 7 p.m. 

Grass Lake at Manchester 7 p.m. 

Ida at Columbia Central 7 p.m. 

Clinton at Hillsdale 7 p.m. 

Concord at NorthPointe Christian 7 p.m. 

Homer at Reading 7 p.m. 

Jackson at Mason 7 p.m. 

Union City at Springport 7 p.m. 

Marshall at Western 7 p.m. 

Stockbridge at St. Charles 7 p.m. 

Hanover-Horton at Jonesville 7 p.m. 

Leslie at Eaton Rapids 7 p.m.