By: Joey Mullins
 
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Today, we continue our series named the S-Club Profile, focusing on former student-athletes and giving updates on what they have been up to since finishing their Samford playing careers. In this month's edition, we highlight Fabian Truss, a former All-SoCon running back and All-American kick returner for the Bulldog football team.
 
Truss grew up in the Birmingham area and attended Shades Valley High School. The closeness to home was one of the factors that attracted him to Samford. However, he had several reasons for signing with the Bulldogs.
 
"Being able to play in front of family was big," Truss said. "As well as Coach (Pat) Sullivan, he was a big part. He preached a lot about faith, family and just those pillars. Also, Samford was one of those schools where I could get a first-class education, but also have a chance to further my dreams playing football. With the classroom size, you can be on a first-name basis with your professor, and those were some of the things that stood out to me."
 
Truss played at Samford from 2010 to 2013. After backing up starter Chris Evans in 2010, he stepped in as the starting running back as a sophomore in 2011. He led the team in rushing for the next three seasons, including rushing for 1,063 yards in his junior season. He finished his career third in career rushing yards at 3,088.
 
Truss also shined as a kick returner. In his career, he returned four kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged an impressive 29.3 yards per kickoff return. He holds the school record for all-purpose yards with an astounding 6,640 all-purpose yards in his career (3,088 rushing, 764 receiving, 295 on punt returns and 2,493 on kickoff returns).
 
When asked what area he preferred, rushing, or returning kicks, Truss said any time he could get his hands on the ball, he loved it.
 
"Really just having the ball in my hands and being able to impact the games in so many ways," Truss said. "A lot of times you see guys that only play running back, and they're only able to impact the games on the offensive side, but I felt that I wanted to be a threat on kick returns and punt returns, as well as on the offensive side of things. I really fell in love with anytime I could be a threat and be able to change the game."
 
Truss said one of his favorite moments in the game was taking a kickoff back for a touchdown.
 
"That's a great feeling, especially when you've got 11 guys running down full speed at you and you have to figure out a way to get the ball to the other end zone," Truss said. "So, it's a great feeling when you kind of have to juke and jive your way through the crowd, but once you find a hole and you hit it, and from there it's pretty much off to the races. It's a wonderful feeling, returning a kick."
 
In Truss' senior season, he helped lead the Bulldogs to unprecedented heights. That season, Samford won a share of the Southern Conference championship, the football program's first Division I conference title ever. The team also reached the NCAA Division I-FCS Playoffs for the first time since 1992. Truss talked about the feeling of being a part of that conference championship.
 
"It was great, especially with it being my senior season and all of the hard work that me and those guys put in that summer, especially with the strength and conditioning coach and the training staff," Truss said. "I really felt that everybody kind of bought in as a team. Week in and week out that season was really fun. I was a senior at the time and just being able to play beside Kelsey Pope and Jaquiski Tartt, those guys that I came in with as a freshman, it was always a goal of ours to make it to the conference championship and it really was a good finish for us."
 
After finishing at Samford, Truss got a free agent invitation to rookie minicamp with the New York Jets. Unfortunately, an injury ended his time with the Jets. However, he had done an internship with the Birmingham Barons while still at Samford and when his time with the Jets was over, he contacted them about a full-time position.
 
"I came back to Birmingham, and I reached out to the Birmingham Barons, and they had a full-time position open for me in group sales where pretty much I was dealing with ticket sales, reaching out and generating revenue for the organization," Truss said. "So, the Birmingham Barons was my first full time job after graduation. I did that for about the next two years."
 
After two years with the Barons, an opportunity came up for Truss to work with an NBA franchise, and he took full advantage.
 
"I wanted to branch out and learn more and get to a major professional team, so I reached out to the Charlotte Hornets, interviewed and got accepted to group sales," Truss said. "For my first three years I was in group sales and dealing with groups and suites."
 
After working in that position for a few years, Truss earned a promotion with the Hornets.
 
"This past year I was promoted to premium sales now where I deal strictly with court-side seats, premium suites, any luxury type of seating inside the organization, I pretty much handle that," Truss said. "It's been great."
 
Truss credited his professors at Samford for preparing him to be successful after graduating from the school.
 
"I think the professors at Samford put you in the right place and they do a really great job of setting you up for success.," Truss said. "So, I credit those professors for having presenters come and speak to my class because it definitely opened my eyes. Everything I learned from playing football, the hard work, the dedication, the drive, those are things that you've got to have in sales and those are the pillars that I stand on with my job now."
 
For more information on the S-Club, contact Hal Langston at hlangst1@samford.edu. For giving opportunities, please contact Maggie Folker at mrountr1@samford.edu.