HE LEARNED THE VALUE OF HARD WORK AND PERSEVERANCE AT AN EARLY AGE .
had its share of obstacles and controversy . In 2009 , former UCLA basketball player Ed O ’ Bannon , former Rutgers football player Ryan Hart and former Nebraska and Arizona State football player Sam Keller filed lawsuits against the NCAA , Electronic Arts and Collegiate Licensing Company . The suits claimed likenesses and characteristics of college athletes were being used by EA in video games without permission or compensation to the athletes . Both suits also alleged the NCAA was aware of the practice .
ollege sports video games continued to be released until 2014 before halting due to the litigation . That same year , the case was settled for $ 60 million . As part of the settlement , gaming companies still cannot use a college athlete ’ s likeness or individual characteristics , so IMV will use community names and other generic features for their game .
Louis was one of the players who took part in the suit , and he understands the line between marketing collegiate athletes and paying them is a delicate one .
“ At the end of the day , nobody wants to pay the players ,” he said . “ If you pay players , it ’ s against the rules . I think gaming companies feel defeated ; they don ’ t want to deal with the NCAA … it ’ s a ( complicated ) scenario .”
The oldest of three siblings , Louis grew up in Breaux Bridge , Louisiana , a small country town near Lafayette . He learned the value of hard work and
perseverance at an early age . Unlike many of his peers , he was fortunate to have both parents in the household . His father , Kennedy , played college basketball at Louisiana Tech . His mother , Redell , worked for the school system .
“ I always had my mother there to instill education in me , and I had my father to push me through sports ,” Louis explained . “ They taught me the mentality I had to have and how to be humble . I was brought up in the church , so I have faith in my abilities and in God , what strengths and weaknesses he ’ s given me , and how I can use that to my advantage .”
Louis played football , baseball , basketball and ran track as a kid . Following his freshman year at Breaux Bridge High , his father advised him to focus on one sport , so he chose football .
Toward the end of his sophomore season , Louis tore an ACL in practice .
It was especially bad timing since an LSU scout just happened to be in attendance . He was forced to sit out his junior year , a critical time for players hoping to be noticed by college recruiters . No offers came .
“ That ’ s when my faith really kicked in ,” he recalled . “ I had one year left to accomplish my dreams , and by the grace of God , I was able to .”
As a running back , Louis rushed for 293 yards and a touchdown in his senior season . He also had 37 solo tackles , two sacks and an interception at linebacker . Scout . com ranked him 111th in its final 2012 Southeast Top 150 , and he was named to ESPN ’ s All- Louisiana Team . Several offers came his way , including LSU , the school he ’ d always wanted to attend .
he excitement of playing for a powerhouse SEC school eventually faded . Louis worked hard in practice , but playing time was difficult to come by . Discouragement began to set in , but Louis ’ s faith and encouragement from his parents and fiancé , Raigyne Moncrief , kept him from giving up .
“ If it wasn ’ t for them , I don ’ t know where I ’ d be ,” he said . “ My junior year , I wanted to enter my name in the ( NFL ) draft early . I knew I wasn ’ t going to get picked up , but I had in my mind I was going to try out for a team and say I gave it all I had . But my parents encouraged me to stick it out .”
He did , earning a degree in sports administration . In four seasons , he
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