Trentin Duper accounted for almost 3,000 yards and 33 touchdowns for Centre College last season. (Centre College Athletics Photo)
Quarterback Trentin Duper was so excited about the upcoming Centre College football season for a lot of reasons. However, he won’t be playing after recently being diagnosed with Sarcoma, a type of cancer that can occur in various body locations.
He recently had surgery in Tampa and faces seven to nine months of chemotherapy and localized radiation for his tumor.
“I will obviously not be playing this season with the extensive chemo will not be able to attend school either,” Duper said.
After breaking his wrist his senior year at Decatur (Ala.) High School he opted to attend Auburn and give up football. But after another surgery his freshman year, his wrist got better and he transferred to Centre in January of 2020 and started four games in the COVID-shortened season.
Last year he led Centre to an 8-2 record when he ran for 822 yards and 11 touchdowns and threw for 2,141 yards and 22 scores. He completed 157 of 265 passes with just four interceptions.
Duper went on the Centre football trip to Ireland in June and played in that game. When the team got back, he went to Tampa to start his summer internship.
“I had a week at work and then one night out of the blue I had pain in my chest. I thought it was a heart attack,” he said. “That’s when X-rays and a Cat scan found the tumor.”
“To say that was unexpected is an understatement. I am young and healthy. I am sure anyone who would get diagnosed would be surprised but this was really another wild addition to my journey. I am just lucky where I am in Tampa that there is a state of the art cancer center where I am getting care.”
Duper, who turned 22 on Aug. 1, hopes he will eventually move closer to him at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.
“The first couple of rounds of chemo are supposed to be pretty tough and they make you stay five days in the hospital after the first one,” Duper said. “But hopefully I will eventually get to UAB which is about 45 minutes from home.”
Duper wanted to make sure his teammates heard the news from him and had coach Andy Frye share a letter with each Centre player. He thanked teammates for their past support and said he had “never been more grateful” to be part of a program.
“Unfortunately, I was recently diagnosed with a cancer called Sarcoma, which has many different subtypes but is most likely under the umbrella of the Ewing’s Sarcoma family of cancers,” Duper told his teammates. “Surgery is not an option because of the size of the tumor, which would make it necessary to remove essential parts of organs that the tumor is touching. Fortunately, the doctors are confident that the tumor will respond well to chemotherapy.”
Duper shared that the doctors believe the chemotherapy and radiation will “cure” the cancer and have not ruled out him being able to play football again.
“I know that is just a major hope but if at all possible I want to get back on the field next year once I get back to school,” Duper said. “It’s not a sure thing but I have got to keep my hopes up.”
Duper also explained to his teammates in his letter that he wouldn’t be around Danville because of his weakened immune system.
“It breaks my heart to share this with you guys because I love each and every one of you, and it is hard to believe I won’t be able to experience this next school year with y’all —especially my senior brothers who have embraced me and taken me in since I got here.” Duper told his teammates. “Regardless of how much I can be around this year, you can guarantee I will be keeping up and tuning into every single game.”
“Also, I don’t know if I will be staying here in Tampa or moving to UAB for treatment, but I am going to do everything in my power to be there on Nov. 5th to watch you guys beat the crap out of BSC (Birmingham-Southern). I can’t wait to watch you guys go 10-0 this year, win a conference championship, and compete for a national championship, and I will stay involved as much as I can during the season.”
Duper has already talked to Frye about helping with scouting reports or editing film clips for offensive coordinator Rick Fox.
“I am going to stay involved. I need something to do,” Duper said.
His parents are both doctors and have made sure he understands exactly what doctors are telling him about his cancer and treatments.
“Obviously they have been pretty heartbroken and hate it for me but they are both so supportive,” Duper said. “They are taking care of whatever I need. Mom drove 10 hours straight to get to the hospital the night I was admitted. I love them so much and they’ve had their share of tears, too.”
“But the support from my team and the Centre family has been insane. It’s hard to know how strong the alumni network and Centre family is until you are out of it or have something like this happen. I just wish I could communicate to other guys on the team how special our alumni network is.”
He’s just as convinced the 2022 football season that starts in just over a month will be special for the Colonels without him.
“We have almost everybody back on offense. The guys around me were unbelievable last year and propelled me to what I did,” Duper said. “I know this is going to be a special year and know we are going to compete for the conference championship.
He knows the Colonels will be fine at quarterback with seniors Nick Osterman and Beau Buchanan, his backups last year, running the tam.
“They are both good friends of mine. They both grind and will be awesome,” Duper said. “They deserve a chance to shine. Everybody always wants to play but we have all stayed close friends. They are really good friends and really good players. I can’t wait to see how well they do.”
What an attitude. Frye said Duper’s resilience and love for Centre football is amazing and that the team will support him and “look forward to his returning” to play for the Colonels in 2023.
Duper ended his letter to his teammates this way:
“I don’t know what the future holds, but I am leaning heavily on God and the ‘Praying Colonels’ to help me get through this adversity and (possibly) get on the field for the 2023 season,” Duper wrote. “Again, I love you all, you guys are all brothers to me (even you new freshmen), and I hope to see you all soon.”
