Wednesday, April 20, 2011

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

As the date to leave for Tennessee quickly approaches, reality starts to sink in that once I get there my home will be 2,147 miles away. A big difference from the 15min drive I use to make from USC to go home. The second thoughts started to pop in my head. Did I really need to go that far? Should I have stayed on the westcoast? Plenty of things go through my mind now. When I signed to go to Tennessee it was all celebration, but now its time to actually go through with it. Back in highschool distance was one of the main reasons I chose USC. I wasn't ready to leave out of state after being at home for 17 years. Being older I thought it would be easier to be able to go away, which it is but you still know in your mind you're leaving home and gonna be on your own. And it wont be a quick trip anymore just to hop in a car and go home. 

But with all that I try to think about the positives. Knowing that I'm going to a school that has great coaches and families that will look out for me. When I was on my visit in Tennessee it was the only visit I took that I really felt at home, and I was comfortable there. I try to just look forward to going to a great university and playing football in front of the best fans in america. I can actually say I look forward to going to school because of all the technology I saw in the classrooms. I think it will be a fun environment to learn in with having the classrooms equipped with the latest technology. 

Leaving home isn't easy but knowing the great opportunity I have in front of me makes me excited and eager to get there. I can't wait to get with the team and start our journey to winning a championship. Until then I'll enjoy my time I have left at home and continue to workout and finish school.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Future At Tennessee

The time to arrive in Tennessee is quickly approaching and i am getting more and more excited each day. I've told you guys already what I've been doing up to this point with workouts and school. Both are still going good. Some have asked me about my future at Tennessee after i arrive, and any goals I may have. I had a question asking what it will take to get Tennessee back on top. I will try to touch on all these topics in this week's blog. 

My main thing is to get to Tennessee and get settled in and adapted to my new home for the next two to three years. Then I'll sit down with my counselors and look over my graduation plan again that they made for me during the recruiting process and get a feel for what i have ahead of me education wise. When i get there ill be in summer school and going through summer workouts with my new team. I know we have a top recruiting class and especially a good class of defensive backs coming in to go along with the guys there now, so it should be one of the stronger postion groups on the team. Coming in from juco I'm a little different compared to the freshman coming in with me. I don't have as much time as they do to try to get use to the system and take time to develop. I will be expected to play right away and thats what i plan to do. I train and prepare as if im the starter now instead of waiting to get there to turn it up. I have no problem with stepping up and being the leader of the DB's and i think each position group should have atleast one leader to keep everyone on the same page and have that togetherness that each player will push each other and go out on the field and give it all for each other. Over the years the teams that i have been on that have won championships we had team chemistry that was like a brotherhood, willing to do whatever for the team to succeed. There were no individuals and everybody believed we could win. Winning is an attitude you have to have and you get it from outworking each other in practice and workouts.  I know we have the team to win at Tennessee and having the same coaches back from the previous season has given the team more stability and confidence. Its up to the players to learn and perfect the system and go out and excute on saturdays.  I dont expect anything less then championships while at UT. Why else would i be playing ? I don't see why we can't do it. We have an offense in place with great receivers and quarterbacks that will get plenty of work from me and the rest of the DB's everyday so they will be ready. The o-line is coming alone well for the running backs we have that are just as good as any other backs around the country. On defense everything comes down to heart. Size and speed is only part of the equation, if you have it set in your mind that you're gonna win your match up with the offensive player in front of you then 90 percent of the battle is won already. The rest will come from film study during the week and perfecting your techinque. Defense is swagger. The offense will have to work for every yard they get. Our d line will be solid, the linebackers will be fine and the secondary will hold everything together. If we can get all 11 guys to the ball every play i dont see many teams being able to handle us. I know the team overall was young last year so guys had to play who may have not been ready but that gave them a year under them to know what to expect so they're use to being in big games already, now we can just line up and play. I don't really have any teams i look forward to playing because i treat each game as a big game. With that said i dont fear anyone on our schedule. I dont predict wins and losses based on who we play because i expect to go undefeated. Florida, Georgia, Alabama etc., they all practice just like we do, they put they pants on one leg at a time just like we do and they strap the pads on just like we do. So what gives them the advantage before the game is even played that they will win? I play to win and will lay down for no one no matter what they did in the past. As far as personal goals go, i hope to leave tennessee with all tbe records for interceptions and hopefully the thorpe award for the best db in college. But as always ill trade any individual awards for championships any day