Butter, Jam among Southland’s best ends

The combination of butter and jam may sound like a sweet breakfast duo on toast for most, but for the McNeese State football team, that tandem serves as key to success on its defensive line.

Senior Jammerio “Jam” Gross-Whitaker and junior Chris “Butter” Livings serve as the Cowboys’ starting defensive ends, and together they form one of the most effective duos at the position in the Southland Conference.

They combined to make 106 total tackles, 17 for loss and 15.5 sacks for 87 yards last season.

“I don’t think there is a better defensive end duo than us,” Gross-Whitaker said. “We call him ‘Butter’ because he’s a great pass rusher. When he has a bad day I’ll get him going, and if I’m having a bad day he’ll get me going. We work great together.”

Livings and Gross-Whitaker finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the SLC last year in sacks and tackles for loss. And, if you ask them, they’ll tell you they underachieved.

They say they feel that way even though most of McNeese’s defensive woes came in the form of breakdowns in the secondary that resulted in big pass plays.

“We always have the mind-set that if we get to the quarterback he won’t get the ball off,” Gross-Whitaker said. “One of best pieces of advice I’ve ever been given is to take the blame and give the credit. For them to get that many passing yards off, I take that on myself because I need to get to the quarterback quicker.”

Gross-Whitaker and Livings have developed leadership and communication skills during their time in the sport.

They possess the ability to cultivate high energy and effective teamwork with their actions on the field and their words during breaks in action.

Livings enters his junior season after a stellar sophomore campaign in which he finished fourth in the SLC in sacks and tackles for loss, establishing him as one of the premier pass-rushers in the league. Livings recorded team highs for tackles for loss (14), sacks (8) and quarterback hurries (6).

“Chris is a natural pass rusher,” said McNeese head coach Lance Guidry. “He’s got really good moves, and he’s almost like a linebacker.”

The two says they have the utmost respect for each other and what they do on the field.

Livings called Gross-Whitaker one of the hardest workers he’s ever seen, saying that work ethic inspires him to improve on a daily basis.

“Every day we’re competing to see who can work harder out of me and him,” Livings said. “He’s got me beat right now, but it’s just the first few days of camp. I’ll get my mind right, and I’m going to be me ready for him.”

When they’re not competing for superiority on the field, the tandem can often be found doing the same in front of a television playing the latest “Madden” NFL video game.

Livings said Gross-Whitaker gets just as competitive while playing virtual football as he does playing when donning a helmet and pads.

“He calls himself ‘Jamm-a-tron’,” Livings said. “He turns into a different person when the controller is in his hands. If he starts losing he’ll go crazy and start jumping up and down.”

Though, as Gross-Whitaker tells it, he never falls behind while playing the video game.

“Oh I’m definitely better than him,” he said. “I can 21-point rule him every time. He’s going to say otherwise, but I have the upper hand.”

It’s the competitive nature of their relationship that helps them thrive and achieve success on McNeese’s prideful “Defense with Attitude.”

Now that they have more than a year as leaders on the defense, they say it’s time prove what they can do and help the Cowboys achieve their ultimate goals of winning the SLC and national championship.

“We know what it takes now,” Livings said. “Looking back at last year, we see what we could have done and what we didn’t do. We’ve come back after focusing all spring and all summer. The motto has been to stay focused.”