Barbe High senior linebacker Classie Ballou is a fighter who doesn’t know the meaning of quit.

Twice he has torn the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, but it wasn’t going to stop him from playing his senior season.

“I just love playing, plus I just love this team,” Ballou said. “I can’t give up on my guys. I knew we had a big season coming up with a new head coach and I just couldn’t give up.”

Last week he played for the first time since his second injury and recorded three tackles, playing about 50 percent of the snaps.

“It feels good,” Ballou said. “I really got comfortable in the game.

“It should be normal this week and ready to play. I have been hungry ever since I got hurt. I have been ready to play again. Working out really got me ready to play.”

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound, senior first tore his ACL early during his sophomore season.

“I was rushing, then my foot got stuck in the ground, and my knee just folded and tore my ACL up,” Ballou said.

He started physical therapy soon after surgery and was able to suit up for his junior season. But in Week 9 last year against Comeaux, it happened again. But there was never any doubt in Ballou’s mind that he was coming back.

“It was the same thing, but I was just more hungry because it is senior year and you have to get right,” Ballou said. “I have put on some muscle and got bigger faster and stronger through the offseason.

“I was just ready. I just took it on head first and jumped straight into therapy and got bigger, faster and stronger again. I already knew what it was going to be like, so I just pushed myself every day and waited to get back.”

Ballou’s return gives the Bucs some much-needed depth at linebacker where they have dealt with several injuries.

“It adds depth because we still have two linebackers out,” Barbe head coach Skeet Owens said. “It was three with him. It allows us to move one kid back out of the box onto the perimeter. It definitely helps.

“He has handled it great. He is smart and he has been patient with his rehab. He has really been doing drills for two months, working up to more aggressive drills. He has passed all the tests and he played last week in a limited role. He played probably half the snaps with no problems. He is ready to go. He is quiet, but at the same time he is one of those when he does say something everybody listens.”

Through it all Ballou has kept up his grades. He is a 4.0 student and found his future career. He wants to be a physical therapist.

“I was just trying to stay on top of everything, having homework, going to therapy and lifting at school,” Ballou said. “I put my best foot forward in everything I can do.

“I got into that (physical therapy) whenever I was going to physical therapy. I got into it because I had a cool physical therapist (Barbe graduate Josh LeBert). We wore the same number. I have learned that you have to stay consistent day after day and just keep getting better and keep going.”

Ballou says he is ready to lead the defense against the undefeated Sam Houston Broncos (2-0) on Friday. The memory of the double-overtime 43-42 loss to the Broncos last season is still fresh on his mind. It will be the Bucs’ (1-1) home opener.

“I think we have to set the tone up front,” Ballou said. “We had this game circled since last year. They beat us in double overtime. We have been waiting on this one. We have to step up and make plays and give the offense a chance to make plays.”