PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: AQIB TALIB INTERVIEW

DBD: Here with us today is Aqib Talib. Aqib stepped in immediately and was an impact player winning All Big 12 Freshman of The Year. In 2006 and 2007 he was an All Big 12 First Team Selection, and in 2007, he steppinged up to being become a First Team All American this past season and finishing finished off his college career as the Orange Bowl MVP.

DBD: Hey Aqib how are you doing today?

Talib: I’m doing alright.

DBD: So tell me how did a kid who played his High high school ball in Texas escape to the North and make it all the way to Kansas?

Talib: It was a well thought out decision. I wanted to pick a coach who cared about me and cared about my future as a Football football player and as a student. Then I went on to look at the Depth depth Chartchart. So I thought I had a chance to play early if I went to Kansas. I also talked it over with my family, and we made a decision of off that.

DBD: So you were also recruited by Texas?

Talib: No I wasn’t recruited by Texas. That was another thing, --I wasn’t really recruited by any of the big schools in Texas such as Texas or Texas Tech. They sent me letters and stuff, but I never got an offer from them.

DBD: I noticed that you weren’t even considered a ranked prospect by Rivals coming out of high school. So did you see this coming from yourself a few years down the road?

Talib: I went to college to play football and I got on the field and I didn’t think that this could happen. I didn’t know if I would get a chance to play in the NFL. So it kind of surprised me.

DBD: So you were just happy to have a scholarship at that point?

Talib: I was just happy to have a chance to play football and get to play against the teams like Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma. So I was just happy to get a chance to play.

DBD: When did it hit you that, “maybe I am that good”?

Talib: After my first season I made Rivals Freshman All American and my family and friends found out and they made me realize that they are talking about every freshman that played college football this year, and if they made one team I would be the starting cornerback out of all those guys. So I realized that out of my age group, I was one of the best corners in the league, so I used that as motivation to keep it going and continue being one of the best corners in the league.

DBD: Tell us about what this season was like as you guys were approaching that 11-0 record?.

Talib: It was a crazy season, . iIt started all the way in January when we sat down as a team and decided that we were going to take a whole different mentality towards football. We were going to go into the league and the season like we are the team to beat, and. I instead of going in thinking “wow we are playing Texas this week or Nebraska”, we decided to think that Nebraska has to come and play us. The coaching staff changed around the way that we did stuff and it rolled out through the seasons. We gained a lot of confidence in the off season and it carried over in the season.

DBD: How satisfying was that win over Virginia Tech?

Talib: It was a real good win for us , because if we lost the game they would have said we had a weaker schedule and didn’t play as good of teams and they didn’t win. So it put the icing on the cake that we had a pretty good season and we got a chance to play a well well-known team in a bowl game and we got it done.

DBD: So you guys did hear the criticisms like , “does Kansas really belong in a BCS Game”?

Talib: Yeah we heard it all season, “they are 6-0 but they will lose that game to Oklahoma State”, or “they are 4-0 and they will lose that game to Kansas State”, and “they can’t win on the road so they will lose this game, they can’t win on the road so they will lose that game. They are undefeated but we will lose this week.” So we just kept proving people wrong all season and we did the same thing in the Orange Bowl.

DBD: So was that a motivational factor that you guys fed off?

Talib: We used a lot of stuff, . Wwe used us not finishing games. Last year we were 6-6, but we lost 4 of our games in the closing minutes of the 4th quarter, so we didn’t think we were a bad team in 2006, but we used 2006 as motivation and the media as motivation.

DBD: So tell me why this year wasn’t a fluke and why the program will keep going in that direction?

Talib: The program is going to keep moving up, . Ffirst, they have 8 returning starters on offense, 9 returning on defense, and the brains of the operation, our Quarterback quarterback coming back, so I mean we have some pretty good players coming back and a lot of recruits stepping in ,. W we have the JUCO player of the year at Running running Back back. We also have a couple Lineman linemen coming in from JUCO. That was also our first year running a new offense and we did a pretty good job of it. So we will be able to get the kinks out of it as well. So Kansas is going to be pretty good next year.

DBD: So give me a player or two to keep an eye on next year on Kansas?

Talib: Definitely keep an eye on the Quarterback quarterback next year, he is going to be throwing the ball to Desmond Briscoe, he scored about 8 Touchdowns. He will get a little stronger this year and know the offense a little better and make a lot of noise this year. On defense, the Cornerscorners.… Wwe have Corners corners that are going to make a lot of noise, Chris Harris, Kendrell Harper, Anthony Wells.

DBD: You played a little but of offense last year as well. You had 8 receptions and scored 4 Touchdownstouchdowns. Were you lobbying for some more time on offense? that That is a pretty good ratio.?

Talib: We were doing pretty good with it early, and then the season came when you get the little bumps and bruises which didn’t allow me to keep doing it all season, and the end of the season I got back healthy and did it a little more, but I was lobbying for it, . I always asked coach to put me in theirre.

DBD: So how tough is it to play both ways?

Talib: It’s tough as far as your fatigue, because you get tired and your body gets tired, but it’s fun. I like really like it and don’t want to come off of the field, just like when I used to play in 5th and 6th grade I used to play both ways and would play the whole game, it’s just like being on the street playing football. I don’t want to come off of the field.

DBD: What was it like playing for Coach Mangino?

Talib: It was wonderful playing for Coach, . he He told us exactly how he wanted stuff done and if we did it his way, we were going to win, . iIt took us a while to feed into it, but once we did it his way, we won games. So I am sure that they are doing the same thing this year as last year, but I loved playing for Coach, . Hhe is a winner and he knew what it was that we were lacking and that was a little confidence as a team as far as going against the bigger teams, so he implemented a little off season program to build our confidence. He was a great coach, and wonderful as a person. He has a great sense of humor, we joke around off and on the field. He was one of the best coaches I ever played for.

DBD: You guys definitely took it to Nebraska this past season I’ve got to say that. Who was one of the tougher receivers you faced this year or last year.

Talib: It actually was in that game. Maurice Purify ran his routes very well. He runs his routes a little different then most guys are able to do. So I would give it to him. The Virginia Tech receivers were the fastest I went up against. T they had a lot of speed and a solid corps, same thing with Missouri receivers--they had a lot of speed. Jordy Nelson was real good. H he was like Purify but with a different style of running his routes.

DBD: Tell us more about the different running styles you’re talking about?

Talib: You are used to a receiver coming out full speed and making his break full speed, but those guys, on tape you really cant tell but they will come out running but not their fastest, and then at their break they speed up and you have to slow yourself down and just play off of them and speed up with them. It might work and more receivers will probably do it now a days.

DBD: It’s almost like a pitcher that changes speeds?

Talib: Yeah, exactly. You really can’t cheat, you just have to follow them wherever they go, and then when they speed up on you it’s kind of hard to keep up with them that way.

DBD: I read that you would like to own a couple of businesses, . Ddo you know what type of business you want to own?

Talib: I am not really sure yet, maybe some type of apartment complexes, . iIt’s like being a head coach and setting it up. I am thinking then, maybe after some years, I can just be my own head coach and be in control.

DBD: You also are a movie buff so tell us what movies you really enjoy?

Talib: I am a big Chris Tucker fans,. I love the Fridays and Money Talks, those are my favorite comedies. I also like Harlem Nights and Pay it in Full. My girlfriend likes Mean Girls, so I watch that a lot, . It’s more of a girls movie, but if you sit down and watch it, it’s a pretty good movie.

DBD: Your favorite athlete is Randy Moss?

Talib: He just has that “it” factor, . Wwhhen the ball is in the air it’s just Randy’s ball, and I love that about him. If the Quarterback quarterback gets in trouble, he just throws it up to Randy Moss and Moss makes it happen.

DBD: Do you look forward to playing against him?

Talib: I’ve got to.o, I like look forward to being in a jump ball with him, and seeing how he does. If I could jump with Randy then I must be okay.

DBD: What Defensive defensive Backs backs do you root for?

Talib: My all time favorite was Deion Sanders, he is my favorite athlete . He showed me what it is like to be a true shut down Cornercorner, so growing up I always wanted to be like him, . Iif I could make a Quarterback quarterback not even think about throwing to my side, then that would make me feel good because that is what Deion Sanders did .. Right now though, I am a big Champ Bailey fan, and a lot of teams don’t go at Champ either, and when they do go at him, they pay for it.

DBD: Growing up you were a Cowboys fan, yYou were telling me earlier that you were always a Cowboys fan even though you grew up in Cleveland and New Jersey Jersey--even before you moved to Texas?

Talib: I was always a big Cowboys fan, those were my guys, . I loved them. I was hear here rooting for them when they got knocked out of the playoffs, but I won’t be able to be a Cowboys fan too much longer unless I get picked by them.

DBD: Did you have any of your old buddies from Trenton give you a call?

Talib: Yeah, I got a lot of calls from friends and family, and a lot of text messages during that playoff game.

DBD: Tell us about your Dad, . Yyou have him listed as your non non-sports hero?

Talib: He did everything that you can do as a Dad, perfect. He had four kids with the same women woman and even though things didn’t work out for him and that women woman, he still took care of all of us, . Hhe took care of us to the fullest, the best you can do, . Aany time we asked for something, he had it and any time we came to see him, he showed us the best time we could have, and always talked to us about real life situations. He is how I want to be as a Dad. He is just wonderful to me because it’s hard to find a Dad like that.

DBD: You are yourself a father now, you have a little baby girl. W ,and what is that like for you?

Talib: It made me a lot more responsible and it got me on track as far as my schedule. You have to wake up at this time and it just helped a lot with time management. It just makes me more responsible as a person. Instead of going out on a Saturday night, you don’t want to go out, you just want to spend time with the baby. It keeps you out of trouble, and it just makes you grow up as a person. I am glad I had my baby girl because it helped me grow up as a person.

DBD: What is your favorite hobby off of the field?

Talib: I just love seeing new things and too travel.

DBD: Your favorite food is cereal?

Talib: It could be healthy for you, but it’s sweet and you could eat two bowls and you’re full. It’s the greatest food in the world. You could eat Raisin Bran or Frosted Flakes. If you want some peanut butter, you can get Peanut Butter Captain Cap’n Crunch. You have a large variety and I don’t think there is another food that you have a variety like that.

DBD: What about the Kansas school colors, and the Giants have having similar colors-- so what do you think about that?

Talib: They just drafted a Cornerback cornerback last year in the first round so I don’t know if they are going to take me, but they have a pretty nice secondary right now as far as corners.

DBD: You are going to want to go as high as possible, but it can be a positive to go late in the first round , look at Aaron Ross right?

Talib: Yeah, he got a Super Bowl in his first year.

DBD: How difficult was your decision to leave school early?

Talib: It wasn’t that difficult because I went to school for 4 years and red shirted, and accomplished all my goals I wanted to accomplish almost. We had a pretty successful team, and drafting depends on the person a lot of but you get a lot of hype when your team is good and we were on TV a lot and people kept hearing about us and my name, . Sso I talked to my coach and my family and everyone pretty much decided that it was time for me to go to the next level. I just want to get better as a player and there is no place better to do it then the NFL.

DBD: What are you up to right now with the combine a week away?

Talib: I am out hear here at API in Arizona, and right now we are getting our legs back under us and getting ready for this combine and game day. Before that, we have been working on our 40’s and sprints and other combine drills. I’ve been out hear here for over a month just getting ready for the combine and it’ is almost time to go.

DBD: So you are just trying to make sure you that you don’t go in there worn down?

Talib: Yeah, you need to go in their there with a fresh body, and again you have to go in their there strong. They know what they’re doing because they have been doing it for years, and I am just out here listening to everything that they tell us to do.

DBD: Is the 40-yard dash the primary thing you are focusing on?

Talib: If you can run a nice 40 then they may overlook a lot of stuff.

DBD: Can we get a prediction on it?

Talib: I don’t know. I am just going to let the announcers tell you at NFL Network when I am done, hopefully it will be something that people are expecting me to run.

DBD: How important do you really think the 40 is?

Talib: It doesn’t prove if you are a good football player or not, . you You can get somebody like, Damian Hughes, who ran a high 4.6 and he was one of the best Corners corners in College college Footballfootball. If you can play football, then you can play football, . So I don’t think it plays a big part at all, just to show the NFL Scouts scouts and Coaches coaches if you are fast enough to play in this league.