Few players — and even fewer linemen — enjoy running conditioning sprints when the thermometer creeps north of the 100-degree mark. But when walking off the field Friday afternoon in 102-degree heat after going through his paces with teammates in the SMU Mustangs’ voluntary workout, Marquis Frazier was nearly beaming. The reason for his glee? Frazier has been moved back to defensive end after spending the 2010 season at nose tackle.

The reason for the shift? Torlan Pittman is back on the SMU roster.

After growing up in Bryan, Texas, Torlan Pittman said his first game back with the SMU Mustangs will be made more special by the fact that it will be played at Texas A&M (photo by David Mojica).

It was no secret that Frazier didn’t like playing in the middle of the Ponies’ defensive line last season. He played defensive end in 2009, but he had to slide inside when Pittman was arrested in January 2010 and charged with aggravated sexual assault after an alleged incident at a party in Huntsville, Texas. After several delays, the case went to trial in late June and was resolved when Pittman pleaded guilty to reduced charges.

But before the case was resolved last month, Pittman played a 17-month waiting game. After he posted bond, Pittman remained a student at SMU and retained his football scholarship while the legal system ran its course, but was unable to work out with his teammates. He saw some of his teammates around campus, but his connection to the team was largely through conversations with his roommate, linebacker Victor Jones, and their neighbors, safeties Chris Banjo and Ryan Smith. He worked out on his own, lifting weights, running and playing basketball at SMU’s Dedman Center, and went to watch his team’s games with his girlfriend.

“That was frustrating, I can tell you that,” he said. “Watching those guys out there — they’re my second family. Legally, I didn’t break any laws. I know that morally, I made a bad decision — call it an ‘ungentlemanly’ decision. I knew I didn’t do what I was accused of, but I also knew I couldn’t speed everything up, so I tried not to worry about things I can’t control.

“I enjoyed hearing about what was going on with the team, what happened at practice (from Jones, Smith and Banjo, and other teammates). It helped me stay with the team as much as possible, even though I wasn’t officially associated with it. I enjoyed hearing how everyone was doing.”

Pittman said he tried not to consider the idea that he might not play again at SMU — he said he never had an interest in leaving — and is grateful not only to return to the field, but glad his first game will be at Texas A&M.

“I never thought about leaving SMU,” he said. “I love SMU so much, I’m so comfortable here.

“I’ve been looking forward to the Texas A&M game for two years. I’m from Bryan, which is right next to College Station. I can see (Texas A&M’s) Kyle Field from my house. I have a lot of friends who go to A&M, and all of my friends and family will be there. I’m grateful to be back, and the fact that I get to come back in time to play in that game, that makes it better — a lot better.”

Pittman said he is well aware of how his trial placed a strain on those close to him, and said he is grateful to those who stood by in him throughout the duration of his case.

“I give thanks to God, first, because without Him, I don’t know if I would have gotten through this,” Pittman said. “The support of my mom, my dad, my brother, my grandmother, my girlfriend … they were there for me the whole time. Coach Jones didn’t have to keep me on scholarship, but he did. My mom called me every day, asking how I was doing. My girlfriend stuck with me — that shows so much about her character and who she is.

“Of course I was happy (when the case was resolved), but I was almost happier for them. I know the stress was pretty heavy on my friends and family.”

Pittman acknowledged that the last year and a half helped him realize how much he needed to mature.

“When I got here (as a freshman), I didn’t know how to work,” he said. “Going through all this, I learned how to focus better. I tried to work out as much as I could. My grades skyrocketed.”

Now Pittman has his focus trained on his return to the field. When working out at Dedman Center, Pittman — one of the Mustangs’ strongest players — lifted weights religiously, played basketball almost every day and put in some work on the treadmill. He admits he’ll have to shake off some rust, both in terms of football technique and his fitness, but said he could end up a better player as a result of the year away from the game.

“I played as a true freshman, so I never took my redshirt year,” he said. “So I’ll be a redshirt junior in the fall.

“When I played in ’09, I started the season at about 270 pounds. By the time we got to Hawaii, I was about 280. Now I’m 295, which is right where I want to be for the season.”

He might be at his target playing weight, but Pittman was quick to point out that his body is not yet ready for the season.

“I’ve got a lot of work to do,” he said. “There’s no way to train for ‘football shape’ except to play. I’m training to prepare better for the experience, but all of the running and lifting and even practicing don’t get you ready to play football as much as playing. I’m going to do all of those things to get ready, and I’ve got a month to go, so I should be good. I always cramp up the first couple of games, but after that, I’ll be good.”

Pittman said he is grateful to be back on the SMU team again, but acknowledges he has considerable work to do in order to be ready for the 2011 season (photo by Travis Johnston).

Pittman’s return to the field not only is great news for him, but it also changes the front seven of an already-solid front seven for the SMU defense. Frazier has been moved back out to defensive end, while the Ponies could be five-deep at nose tackle, where Pittman is joined by Aaron Davis, Jordan Favreau and freshmen Darrian Wright and Rishaad Wimbley. Having a player with Pittman’s power and quickness also should allow the linebackers more running room behind him, as he is more than adept at tying up blockers.

“Having ‘Pitt’ back is huge — not just for me as an inside linebacker, but for the whole defense,” MIKE linebacker Taylor Reed said. “I thought we had very few holes as a defense, anyway, but with ‘Pitt’ back, just got deeper.

“Marquis is a defensive end. Circumstances caused him to play nose last year, and he did a heck of a job there, but he was a defensive end playing in the middle. ‘Pitt’ is a nose tackle. He’s very quick for a big guy. He just has to get back in shape. He still has the strength — I have seen that in the weight room — so all he has to do is get back in football shape.”

In his excitement over Pittman’s return, and his own move back out to defensive end, Frazier explained that he is looking forward to the extra running required of defensive ends.

“It’s really hard playing inside,” Frazier said, “but ‘Pitt’ is going to be great in there. He’s shorter than I am (Frazier is listed at 6-4, four inches taller than Pittman). I had pretty good leverage for a taller guy, but you want to get under the guy blocking you, if you can. ‘Pitt’ is a little shorter than I am, but he also plays low, and he’s so strong. He’ll be able to plug up the middle. I’ll have to run more to get ready to play outside again, but that’s OK. I can’t tell you how excited I am to have him back.”

Pittman laughed when told of Frazier’s comparison of the height between the two.

“At nose, your job is to hold up blockers and take on double-teams,” he said. “For me, being ‘vertically challenged’ kind of plays to my advantage. I’m able to get under blockers more.”

Despite having played two seasons already, Pittman said that he expects to be nervous when he suits up again with his teammates Sept. 4 against the Aggies.

“I’m never nervous until the first snap of a game,” Pittman said, “and then after the game starts, it’s just football again. I’ll probably be a little more nervous this time, because A&M is in my hometown and all my friends and family will be there, but once we get started, it will be football again. I have a lot of work to do between now and then, but I’m looking forward to the work and looking forward to playing again for SMU. I’ve been waiting a long time for this.”