00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.240
In college, you don't just get to go and play football.
00:00:02.319 --> 00:00:04.799
There's so many other like factors you can say.
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I realized that the reason why the game came so easy when I first started playing the game was because I was being so joyful when I played it.
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My feel wasn't anger, it was joy, it was fun.
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When I started finding other feels to the game, I started to lose myself.
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I only have one job, right?
00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:29.440
But it's also like the pressure, like you mess up the easy.
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Yeah, that's one job, like you don't mess up with it.
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I don't think I have a press to the next level.
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Hi everyone, and welcome to this week's episode.
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We today have a very special guest.
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Not only is he a very talented football player, but he's a good friend of mine.
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We are both athletes together at Arizona State University.
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Um, he has a very unique story.
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After moving to the U.S.
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from abroad, Adama transitioned from playing soccer to football, and he began as a walk-on defensive back at the University of Arizona, where, despite injuries and setbacks, he found resilience and lifelong bonds, calling that period necessary for his growth.
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He then, however, transferred to the rival school, Arizona State University, where he earned a scholarship, embraced new team culture, and continued to develop both as a player and a person.
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On the field, he contributes to special teams, making an impact in all 14 games during ASU's 2024 season, playing 110 snaps.
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Off the field, fashion and legacy are central to his identity.
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Inspired by his grandfather, a Supreme Court justice, Adama brings confidence and presence into the game, to his modeling and to his personal brand.
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Please help me welcome Adama Falk.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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That was pretty great.
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You know, name sounds so great.
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Thank you so much, Kate.
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Of course I'm it's a pleasure to be here.
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I'm excited to have you here.
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It is uh, you have such a unique story, and it's been so fun for me because we were both athletes at ASU together.
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But then recently, this past year, just working with um GoDaddy and all the different opportunities, I've got to learn more about you, and you have a really unique story.
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So I'm excited because more people should hear about it.
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Um, so let's just jump into it.
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Uh Tate, do you have any more introduction that you'd like to give for yourself?
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I mean it's okay.
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I won't you're good.
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I think you probably yeah.
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Okay, amazing.
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Well then, Tate, let's start off this way.
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Take me back to the very beginning.
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What was it like playing sports growing up?
00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:03.280
Tell us where you're from and just tell us that like initial youth sporting experience.
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Well, to start, um, I'm from Senegal, West Africa.
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I uh I grew up in Boer, but but my family is from Dakar, which is really like a couple hours away from each other.
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If you're familiar with that, with Senegal, you know both of those areas.
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And really um growing up, never really played organized sports, as you would say.
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Um it was more so just having fun with my with my mates, friends out on the streets.
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And soccer was like one of those sports for us.
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Really, it's the main sport all of Africa.
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And it was such an it's such a beautiful sport.
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And um, I just enjoyed really just playing and um totally fell in love with it.
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I remember times when we would watch like the World Cup.
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I'll never forget, like a core memory was the 2010 World Cup.
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I remember that.
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Really?
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Why was that?
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Because I all I remember was Spain, Spain being so good.
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Like, I genuinely like it was just I love the way they played the game.
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They were such a tight-knitted team.
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And um, yeah, I I just had so much love for soccer.
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And um, it's like over there, it's almost impossible to like grow up without having love for the game.
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Okay, very interesting.
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So then what when if soccer is the main sport there and you were a talented soccer player, how did you transition in youth to become a football player?
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Yeah, you know, that's like the million-dollar question, I guess.
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I um yeah I've always wanted, it's funny, when I came to the US uh initially, I've always wanted to pursue soccer.
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And I really I did for probably a good two weeks.
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And it's not that I like it was it was really cool.
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Like I wanted it, but there was like other factors, you know.
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Um I think that how will I say this?
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Most of like the people involved, I would say.
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Because when I came to the United States, my mom's husband at the time, my stepfather, he happened to be a soccer coach.
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And I think us having such a rough, like rough relationship, it almost took me away from the game because that would mean I'd have to like play for him or something like that.
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So I kind of wanted to go find my own, I guess, identity.
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So I picked up the basketball for a little bit.
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Uh, my mom and my dad played basketball.
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And my mom was actually uh, I don't know if she did or was supposed to play for the national team in Senegal.
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But, you know, it's I fell in love with basketball, fell in love with Kobe and the Lakers, and then shortly after that, picked up track, and then I just, I don't know, I I knew I was fast and all that stuff, and I gave football a try.
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And it's funny, like there was this man called Dwayne, and he was like this cop, and he happened to be one of the coaches of this local uh team back in Simi Valley, California, and um he wanted me to give football a try.
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And then I think from that moment on after I got my first touchdown.
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You were hooked, yeah, you could say.
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You were hooked, yeah.
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So then you were from Senegal.
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When did you move to the US?
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Uh 2012.
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2012, and why did you move?
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It wasn't planned.
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Uh it was so funny.
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I was at the beach at the time.
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I was actually I was my best friend David, and we were uh we were giving a horse a bat.
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And this may sound funny, but it's just it's normal out there, okay?
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It's like one of those side hustle things.
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We want to, you know, we would you could call us young entrepreneurs.
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Wait, did you say giving the horse a bat?
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Yeah, at the beach.
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Like okay, so you were on the beach giving the horse a bath.
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Yes.
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And then when that was just what you did every okay.
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I did a lot of other things, but that was the one I was doing.
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I remember that.
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And um, one of my uh cousins came running down because really the beach wasn't so far.
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And all I remember was uh telling telling him telling me like I I needed to go home.
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And um, so obviously I rushed back.
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And I'll never forget there was a a blue Prius uh outside my grand my grandmother's house.
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Um, and I went inside, I showered.
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They I put on, I literally didn't even take clothes.
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Like I other than the things I was wearing, I had a a shirt and it was a polo shirt.
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I'll never forget.
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It was a polo shirt, light blue, like the stripes polo shirt with the little red polo, and it was light blue and white.
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That's the only thing I brought in the US, mind you.
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Like when I came back.
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Seriously.
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So you were on the beach, you were on the beach, giving the horse a bath, hanging out with your friends, and then you were like, they just said go home, and you ran home.
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Yeah, I didn't even get and left.
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Yeah, I can't say bye to anybody.
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I remember why why saying I remember like if it was like a big street, I don't know if you could imagine Africa, if you but like it was a sandy street, and my friends are playing soccer up there, and I had to just rush home.
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But I didn't know what was happening at the time.
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I didn't know I was going to the US.
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Um, all I knew was they were like, you need to go to Dakar, and Dakar is the capital.
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Obviously, that's where the airport's at.
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And then I remember going to Dakar, staying at my uncle's house for probably like I think it was a day or so.
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Wow.
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Well, you know, I was on the I was on a plane by myself.
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By yourself?
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Yeah.
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Oh, you went, they just you were set.
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They're like chaperone me.
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I was just, I had no idea what was going on.
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But yeah.
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Well, why do you know now why that happened?
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Like, why did you just have to leave so abruptly?
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I I guess like, you know, my mom finally got custody on some in some funny way.
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Uh like she worked out a deal, and it was just probably there was just my parents, I think at the time they've decided uh that that was probably the best way for me to um and myself.
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Grow up.
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Yeah, because yeah, I didn't grow up with a with a mom and dad, you know, around.
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So yeah.
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So growing up, I was really just like, I didn't have that foundation.
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I just kind of grew up around a household full of kids and stuff, but I actually never had parents of my own around.
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So I think it's like a matter of time.
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My mom, she she was in a position where she could, and she was always obviously wants to build a relationship with her kids.
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So is growing up with um the way you did, did that kind of drive your love for sports and your competitive aspect or just like that community around athletics?
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Yeah, you know, I it's funny now that I've I've always I think about it more more often than I did in the past, just because um I've realized that it was sport has been like everything, it's taught me so much, like about so much about life and so much about myself.
00:10:07.039 --> 00:10:30.000
I mean, all my like you could say all my like ugly stages of life, like I've probably gone through in sports, like in terms of emotions, physical, like all that, like I've um and learning to deal with my emotions, learning to respond, and um yeah, when all types of stuff and learning discipline and all the lessons I've had to learn.
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And I'm I was blessed that you know, in each level of football, I've had a coach I could rely on and um and kind of lean on to just kind of be whether like a figure, you know, whether it's like a father figure or whatever.
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And um, that's initially how I met my pops.
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Now I call him Pops.
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His name is Frank Tomlinson, and my best friend, we call him three, his name Frank Tomlinson III.
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Also, a lot of Frank Tomlinson's, but when I was in elementary school, uh I met him, and um that I and he was my first basketball coach at the parking rec league that my mom had put me in, and he practically became like a father figure to me.
00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:18.480
And um, to this day, like there was a period of time in my life where I literally like I was living with them.
00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:24.080
And when I came to college, they brought me in, like they moved me into my dorm and all types of stuff.
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So they're my family.
00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:32.480
And um, so yeah, so I think football, just in general, just like sports itself, has brought me so much blessings in life.
00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:40.639
But like any my mom used to always have this saying, um, it goes like I can't say it in wall off, but I would break it down.
00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:54.480
It goes like something like everything that you've liked growing up, you've gotten in sport, in terms of like everything you like growing up with like parents that you were supposed to get from your parents, you got it from other people like outside of that.
00:11:54.559 --> 00:11:56.559
So, like whether it's sports and all that.
00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:01.600
So yeah, I would say it definitely, yeah.
00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:08.480
Yeah, so sports really helped give you that foundation, um, life skills, community, just like everything.
00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:13.440
And then you found that football was your favorite sport to try to play at another level.
00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:21.600
So if you came, you came to the US abruptly, and then you got here and you have this new family, and just everything is surrounding you.
00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:26.320
When at what point in that journey did you say, Oh, I want to try to be a college athlete?
00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:30.720
I guess I didn't know how good I was in a sense.
00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:36.320
Like, I never really thought about college because, quite honest, it was never something I thought about.
00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:39.039
I didn't, especially when I was in Africa, you know.
00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:51.840
Like, okay, I don't think I ever dreamt as a kid in terms of like I never dreamt of being anything bigger than my like surroundings because I never seen anybody do anything huge.
00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:57.440
Like, I used to like I was it's funny, like I it was one of those moments where I was just sitting at home and just thinking about it.
00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:00.399
I was like, Yeah, what did I want to be when when I grew up?
00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:04.720
And I never really had you just you were a living life, you were just a kid.
00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:22.080
It was just like I guess like and it's part of like growing up initially, but I didn't see anybody, like I didn't have anybody I could look up to to the point where I'm like, because you know, like it was also like we wasn't, I think we were rich in culture and community, community.
00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:29.759
We were rich in culture and community, but we weren't like we didn't have all the resources.
00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:38.399
So it's like it's kind of has challenged me because it's kind of one of those things that I want to do when I get older is give people opportunity to dream.
00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:43.759
Because I was like, man, if I had gone through that as a kid, I know this there's a kid going through the same thing.
00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:53.039
And it kind of like messes up your opportunity or you're like just like you don't really get to dream as much if you don't see anybody go and make something of themselves.
00:13:53.200 --> 00:14:05.200
Now, obviously, now like I'm able to like look up to people, like I'm like, oh, okay, there's this Senegalese guy, like Sadio Manet, and he's a great soccer player, and it's like great.
00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:15.840
Like one day, perhaps a kid could be like, oh, I want to be just like Adama and go play American football, especially a sport that's basically non-existent in Senegal.
00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:24.000
Yeah, well, that's what's so fascinating is you were able to take this opportunity with the sport that isn't dominant where you're from.
00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:33.360
And you're able to build a complete, like unique experience for yourself and give yourself opportunities to really change the trajectory of like your future.
00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:49.039
And that's the I I love what you said about just showing people the other opportunities because that's the entire point of this podcast is like let's you know mentor the youth generation and show them like there are opportunities out there for you, whether it's D1, D3, you know, what wherever it may be.
00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:55.759
Um, so that's really, really cool that you were able to actually do that and it be successful at it.
00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:58.480
Yeah, I mean, so far, so far, so good.
00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:00.799
Um, let's just hope keeps going.
00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:14.080
Cause yeah, I think it's all about it's important for my my one of my one of my favorite sayings that I've gotten from uh my coach, he always says, more is taught than what it more is caught than what is taught.
00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:17.200
Like basically learn more from what you see.
00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:17.919
Right.
00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:18.480
Yeah.
00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:31.440
Like and it's like I think it's so important because you know, like I think it's easier to be inspired when you see somebody go and do something that you've always wanted to be done, that you've always wanted to do yourself.
00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:32.639
And um totally.
00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:43.360
So for me, it's important to like maintain obviously like my image and like all these things, but also like make sure I'm making the right decisions because and I know it doesn't really affect me.
00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:52.799
I mean, it's funny to me now, but even when I go back home to Senegal and it's like the way I'm treated there is totally different than I remember as a kid.
00:15:52.879 --> 00:16:07.039
Like, and there it's and it's like it's cool because it's like good pressure, you know, because I always think pressure is a privilege, and like it's good pressure because okay, now I know like okay, the the kids that I've left there, they're not kids anymore.
00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:17.840
And they're like watching me on social media, whatever, like how I talk, whatever I do, like they try to be like that, and it's and like you know, and um that's important to me.
00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:24.159
I'm like honored by it, and I want to make sure that I'm doing I'm doing right by them, you know.
00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:37.200
So you were saying pressure is a privilege to you, but does going home and having that pressure on you to just like maintain what whatever it may be, whatever image and identity you have, does that ever get to you, or how do you handle that?
00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:44.159
No, um, you know, it's funny, like I've it's a it's more so a sense of like gratitude.
00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:52.879
You know, like always look at her like out of every kid, I wasn't the most, I can't say like there were so many kids that were better than me at soccer.
00:16:53.279 --> 00:17:08.079
Um, I would imagine, like, but out of all the kids I was surrounded by, and it's funny, one of my cousins, Mama do, he's playing soccer, and and uh he started playing soccer in Canada, he's Canadian, and similar story.
00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:10.880
He actually was one the first person to leave.
00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:12.880
And he was my best friend growing up.
00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:14.640
Like, he was literally like my little brother.
00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:18.240
We still talk to this day, and now he's in Germany playing soccer.
00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:21.599
And after years, we've like even we've broken down.
00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:29.359
Like we we talk about, we couldn't initially like we shared the same kind of like I would say the same privilege.
00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:36.319
Like we um I've always look at it like a gratitude thing because out of all the kids, it was us.
00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:41.279
And you gotta look at it, you can't look at it like it's like that pressure.
00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:55.279
It's it's like I that's why I say it's good pressure, it's nothing like bad, because we've yeah, and in their eyes back home, like we've we've already gone further than anybody has has ever.
00:17:55.920 --> 00:18:00.640
Like, yeah, it's like we are their like little superstars, you could say.
00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:08.720
Like they they watch and like they don't they may not understand everything that's going on, but they watch us and they cheers cheer us on from far, far, far away.
00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:21.039
And um, and I yeah, I don't I look at it like as an honor because I think one thing that I've known from my uh that I know about myself, like I am like like I would say like a confident individual.
00:18:21.119 --> 00:18:23.119
And I don't I love I love pressure.
00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:34.400
I do like I I've always loved the idea of hey, the chips, all the chips like fall in my hand if the if like game on the line, like I would want to be that guy.
00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:39.359
Like I've always wanted okay, and you embrace that pressure and you're like, give it to me.
00:18:39.519 --> 00:19:10.640
I want that because it's like I I could whether it goes good or bad, I know I could take it as an individual because I look at it like I think when I like look back now with the projection of my life, like where it started to now, and I've always looked at it like it all came down, like everything had to be so perfect for me to get the opportunity that I did at the time that I did, and to make yeah, you know, so it's it's like so I was like, I've always kind of looked at it like that's like God telling me, like, you gotta take a chance.
00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:14.880
And it's like no risk, no reward type thing, you know, no risk, no good.
00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:24.079
Yeah, so I'm willing to take risk because initially, like, by not taking the risk, like it wouldn't really make sense, I feel like.
00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:33.599
Like, I feel like no, you know, being from where I'm from and like with the opportunity that I have, I owe it to all those people back home to at least risk it.
00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:50.079
So if there's another kid in your situation right now or something similar, like what advice do you have to that young athlete listening to you who maybe what is either lost on direction, they don't know where exactly their path's gonna lead, or they're very confident they want to play a sport in college or just love their sport.
00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:53.839
What advice do you have to that younger athlete listening with your background?
00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:56.240
I would say it's a little bit cliche.
00:19:56.559 --> 00:20:06.240
Um, but I would say it's important to remember where you're from and it's important to know your lineage and you know, know your family history.
00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:19.920
Like I've always, although we wasn't like what you would consider like a kingdom or anything, but I know like I've always known that I've come from a royalty bloodline, and like, and and to me, like it means something to me.
00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:32.720
Like, it means something to me in terms of my character and the way I live my life because I feel like it's I would be dishonoring my people, my family, um, if I ever choose otherwise.
00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:34.319
And I think that's really important.
00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:53.039
And when you have that, they're obviously and the number one thing is letting God into your life and maintain and like having a strong relationship with him and talk because initially, like for the ball to roll in your favor, like I think that you have to learn to give all the glory to him.
00:20:53.759 --> 00:21:05.440
And also like take the risk, like take the jump, like you know, like don't I was told a lot, like yeah, I remember I would never forget, it was like an English teacher.
00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:16.079
Um, I want to say it was like probably my freshman year, and he had broken, I don't know, he was having this talk in the middle of the class, and I think his name was Mr.
00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:17.440
White, something like that.
00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:24.240
And he was doing the probabilities of go making it to college, D1, and all that stuff.
00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:33.839
And you know, yeah, I remember leaving that class so fired up and so and like angry because I was just like it's hard to make it to the next level.
00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:35.039
Yeah, it's hard.
00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:42.079
I was so angry, and they were telling me like out of so and and the high school I went to was Royal High School.
00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:47.680
I initially ended up transferring to Simi High, but that was before I've already finished all my football career at Royal High School.
00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.880
Like I was already committed.
00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:49.440
Okay.
00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:54.319
And there was only one guy that's ever made it to the NFL over there, Curtis Marsh.
00:21:54.640 --> 00:21:54.960
Okay.
00:21:55.279 --> 00:22:01.759
He went to college, he went to Utah State, and I was like, man, I I got And like I'm the next one.
00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:07.359
Like, I'm not going to be the I'm going to if I'm playing football and I believe what I believe.
00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:10.400
And I've always believed to myself, like, hey, I know I could do it.
00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:16.400
Like, I've, you know, like I mean, if I don't have to I'm willing to put in the work and like, you know, get them.
00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:18.880
And um, so that was kind of like my attitude.
00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:22.559
I was just kind of like, I'm just gonna go for, I'm gonna go for it.
00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:24.160
And far away.
00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:28.880
And then my junior year, colleges started coming to my high school.
00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:33.039
I remember my first college, first college to ever come to see me was UCLA.
00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:35.759
And I think after that, I was just kind of like, whoa.
00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:42.160
Like I remember they invited me to like a to UCLA, and I had like a workout for them and everything.
00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:46.720
And then of course Paul Rhodes, and he was like the first guy to ever recruit me.
00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:51.519
And um, yeah, after that, I was just like, I could do this.
00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:53.200
Like, so that's amazing.
00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:55.039
That's kind of like my thing.
00:22:55.359 --> 00:22:56.240
That's amazing.
00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:03.119
So then you like you mentioned your family history, and your grandfather you said inspires you in a lot of ways.
00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:07.119
So, how did tell us a little bit about your grandfather and your family history then?
00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:13.039
Yeah, my um my dad, it's my father's father initially.
00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:19.599
Um, he um, as you know, he was a judge and um a very serious man.
00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:24.240
That's and he passed away uh shortly before I was born.
00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:38.160
But it's funny, like they would say I was his reincarnation because like I've I kind of like I kind of found this weird love for laws and politics.
00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:39.039
It's just weird.
00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:47.599
I I didn't even see it coming, if I'm being honest with you, because it's not like I grew up watching the news or caring about anything that's going on in the world, to be honest.
00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:53.279
But it was awesome to me that somebody that I was related to made it that big.
00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:59.759
Like you gotta remember, like, not having, like I said, like not having that foundation of like mom and dad.
00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:03.119
Like, there was a lot of stories that I didn't know about.
00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:08.319
I didn't really know, like, even though I knew a little bit about myself, but I didn't know my family like that.
00:24:08.400 --> 00:24:13.039
I didn't know my family background, I didn't know where we came, yeah, you know who was who.
00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:23.599
And it's just funny, like I went to I went to Senegal, and my so my grandma's sister, which is like what my great aunt or something like that.
00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:31.440
Yeah, my great aunt, and then I found out my great cousin is like an engineer, and she's into the same thing.
00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:42.720
I'm into cybersecurity, and she's well, she's she has a career like uh back in France, and all that stuff is important to me because it's like, okay, cool, like look out, look at all of us.
00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:45.119
Like, we're we're like trying to make something of ourselves.
00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:48.720
You know, we're bringing, we're trying to build our legacy back.
00:24:48.880 --> 00:25:00.799
And um, and I feel like my grandfather was you could say was one of the ones that like started that, like, in terms of like getting a high education and going into that stuff.
00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:04.559
Because everybody else initially like they didn't get the same opportunities.
00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:10.240
You know, Senegal is like popular for having like you could have an uncle that's just at home all the time.
00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:11.519
Yeah, totally.
00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:21.599
Like there's not because not everybody gets the same opportunities, but also too, like it's a rough economy out there, you know, and to like make money.
00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:27.440
So it's if you like get an opportunity to be big and you make it, it's like, of course, you're gonna be our inspiration.
00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:32.880
And I take a lot of pride that one of those people, one of those individuals was my grandfather.
00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:34.000
That's beautiful.
00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:39.519
I'm sure he would be very proud of you today about where you're where you're going and all your aspirations, where you're ending up.
00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:52.400
You have an incredible background and just story coming to the US at a young age and the way you came here, the way you chose football, and how sport really just shaped your community and shaped your life.
00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:58.240
So, when was the moment you decided and how did that happen that you decided to play football in college?
00:25:58.319 --> 00:26:00.000
What was that initial moment like?
00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:01.759
I would say it was surreal.
00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:03.920
I mean, I didn't really know what to expect.
00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:07.200
Uh I was just kind of taking it one day at a time.
00:26:07.440 --> 00:26:12.000
Kind of like I didn't know the other side of it.
00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:15.920
Like, I didn't know how big college football was, especially in the US.
00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:19.680
I just kind of was like, oh, I'm kind of going to a new team.
00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:20.799
And yeah.
00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:22.960
How old were you when you committed?
00:26:23.279 --> 00:26:24.799
Probably like my senior year.
00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:25.920
Your senior year.
00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:28.720
And did you reach out to U of A or did they reach out to you?
00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:31.680
Nah, so yeah, it was so funny, actually.
00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:37.839
Uh, I I wanted to go to UCLA because mind you, they were the first people to like uh, I guess, recruit me.
00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:39.519
And I that was initially the plan.
00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:44.880
And Paul Rhodes, the guy that recruited me, he ended up getting a job at U of A.
00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:50.160
And I had that trust established because he was the first guy to recruit me.
00:26:50.400 --> 00:27:00.559
So I was I wanted to, in a sense, I guess, follow him up there because I wanted somebody that cared about my my development as a as a man, but also as a football player.
00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:04.400
And um, yeah, how I ended up getting an opportunity to go to U of A.
00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:06.319
He kind of orchestrated that whole thing.
00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:10.240
And then, but I never even that was never even part of the plan.
00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:11.759
It was that's awesome.
00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:15.279
Last minute, and uh, it was just kind of like a leap of fate.
00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:16.240
That's amazing.
00:27:16.319 --> 00:27:22.720
So then you decided your early, you always say your early days at Arizona at U of A are necessary.
00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:23.839
What do you mean by that?
00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:28.960
What lessons did that experience teach you, both in setbacks and relationships that you built?
00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:35.599
I would say like the importance of just like to keep like basically of showing up.
00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:39.680
Like, no matter good, bad day, gotta keep showing up.
00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:52.960
Because I really could have like, especially like in high school when you're like the star in the sense, like you've it's different when you go to a team and you're just like, oh man, I gotta restart all over.
00:27:53.119 --> 00:28:01.839
You know, it's yeah, I think it was hard for me to really like make peace with that because I like like I said, I didn't understand everything.
00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:05.759
Like I didn't have like a team that knew like how this college ball went.
00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:08.880
I just kind of was kind of like, I'm just gonna go and play football.
00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:12.799
And you don't in college, you don't just get to go and play football.
00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:23.279
There's so many other like like factors you could say, you know, in high school, like yeah, you know you're gonna get your opportunity to shine, but it's this you gotta like make your opportunity.
00:28:23.519 --> 00:28:41.440
And yeah, totally doing that, and then not long after that, I I um I had a sports hernia uh injury, and that kind of like I've never mind my whole high school career, I never had a serious injury, and it was just it was tough to like bounce back.
00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:42.880
Yeah, what'd you get?
00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:43.680
What injury?
00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:45.119
Sports hernia.
00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:47.680
How did you recover and go through that?
00:28:47.920 --> 00:28:54.400
Um it was scary, I would say, like getting surgery or like even the idea of it.
00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:56.880
Like I remember, I remember it all.
00:28:57.039 --> 00:29:03.359
It was I remember my boy Dorian Singer, he's now with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:07.200
He like went ran a nine route, which is like a streak.
00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:13.200
And the ball was in the air, made the play, made to play.
00:29:13.440 --> 00:29:22.160
But when we landed, it just I just landed funny, and he landed like on me, and it was just from then on, I was just like, I just knew something was wrong.
00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:31.279
Because when I tried to, I initially got up, and then when the next play, I couldn't even move, and I just ended up falling on the ground, and then that's all I remember.
00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:33.920
Interesting, yeah, it was not fun.
00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:41.759
Getting into like your transition from a U of A to ASU, what prompted your move from Arizona to ASU?
00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:45.839
And then how did you go from a walk-on to earning a scholarship in college?
00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:47.599
Kenny Dillingham.
00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:52.720
That's like my yo, you can't deny that man.
00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:55.200
Like he's the best.
00:29:55.759 --> 00:30:02.000
Yeah, like he's so passionate, and it's like I've never met somebody like him.
00:30:02.160 --> 00:30:05.839
To be honest, I'm quite like I'm quite just astonished by him.
00:30:05.920 --> 00:30:09.200
Cause like he's his own person for sure.
00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:12.480
He's incredible, consistent, but he's such a consistent individual.
00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:15.920
And I don't think like I want people to understand that.
00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:23.519
Like, and I'm telling you, like, the energy that I got from him from the from the phone call to now is the same.
00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:25.279
And it never was a shift.
00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:35.680
Like he and that to me is so insane because you know, like, I'm sure a college coach could recruit you, and then you come to campus, they don't even care like about you.
00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:38.160
Yeah, just like how engaging he was.
00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:45.359
I mean, I remember when he would like play video games with me, and you know, like oh, he'd get on and play video games with you as a coach.
00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:55.279
I've never been really meeting playing a coach that knows the game, like calling out all my plays and stuff.
00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:57.599
But uh that's awesome.
00:30:58.000 --> 00:31:08.160
Still working on that record though, but uh yeah, like I think when he called me and when he just told me, just come check it.
00:31:08.319 --> 00:31:09.759
I remember it was on my birthday.
00:31:09.839 --> 00:31:11.680
He just told me, just come check her out.
00:31:11.759 --> 00:31:12.880
We would like to have you here.
00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:21.119
And initially, like it felt it felt good to be wanted, like to wanted in a place where you totally appreciated.
00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:25.039
And um, I was I feel like transferring was a very scary moment for me.
00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:26.799
So it was dope to of course.
00:31:27.119 --> 00:31:35.119
Well, you've even said that ASU's allowed you to grow as both a player and an athlete, and you aren't the same person you were back at U of A.
00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:40.079
Like, how has ASU in this experience allowed you to grow and change?
00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:41.599
What's the difference?
00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:48.160
You can't approach this thing kind of like gracefully, and I think that's a mistake when I was like, I was so calm.
00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:50.319
I was just kind of like, well, I'll wait my turn.
00:31:50.559 --> 00:31:54.640
Because when I like I said, when I was coming in, I didn't know anything about college football.
00:31:54.799 --> 00:31:59.279
So what I was oh, freshmen don't typically like play.
00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:08.799
Like they made it almost seem like it's unheard of, but it's like that was terrible advice for individuals like myself because I don't even know how this works.
00:32:08.880 --> 00:32:11.440
So I kind of was like, oh, okay, like cool.
00:32:11.680 --> 00:32:14.240
And you're like, whatever, this would be fun.
00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:17.440
I yeah, I was kind of like, okay, so that's freshman year.
00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:19.680
I'm not supposed to play, kind of thing, you know?
00:32:20.400 --> 00:32:23.359
And everything comes with experience.
00:32:23.519 --> 00:32:27.200
The more experience I have, the more confident grew, and like the more reps.
00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:32.079
Like, mind you, some of my mate teammates haven't played this game since they were pop corners.
00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:44.160
And I started like a year before high school, or maybe that then my real, really real football started like freshman year of high school.
00:32:44.240 --> 00:32:49.599
And um, so there was a lot of verbiage I didn't and things that I did not understand, formation.
00:32:49.680 --> 00:33:02.400
So I had a lot to learn, and that's why that time at Arizona, when I came here, I felt more confident because I was kind of more prepared going into going into like my journey here than a UV.
00:33:02.960 --> 00:33:03.599
That makes sense.
00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:08.160
So then being more prepared, you obviously stood out and you were able to get time.
00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:15.680
I mean, you played all 14 games last season, you made an impact from the special teams, but special teams is a really unique role in football.
00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:19.519
And how does that role shape your mindset and value to the team?
00:33:19.839 --> 00:33:23.279
I think that was like it's one of the most humbling things.
00:33:23.440 --> 00:33:28.799
Um, because it's a lot of service and it ties into my fate.
00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:39.119
You know, it's kind of how I made peace with it because Coach Ragar would always say, none of you guys came to college to play special teams.
00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:45.519
Like nobody, nobody, nobody was coming to college was like, I'm gonna go and block for this guy.
00:33:45.759 --> 00:33:52.000
And it's tough because I remember my first year here when we went like 1 and 11 and I was starting on special teams.
00:33:52.079 --> 00:33:53.680
That was my first time like starting.
00:33:53.839 --> 00:33:55.200
Like, yeah, damn.
00:33:55.519 --> 00:34:01.599
I remember walking there, there was so many fans and all that stuff before the sandstorm and all that.
00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:05.839
But it was crazy blocking guys that are so so much bigger than me.
00:34:05.920 --> 00:34:10.480
But each year, like last year, I put on a little bit of size, you know, prep myself.
00:34:10.719 --> 00:34:18.159
And I I just kind of realized, like, okay, cool, like this is where I'm valued at.
00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:21.280
Like, I could I'll do whatever the team needs.
00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:27.840
Like, it really turned me into a team guy because I could block for a guy and another guy could score.
00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:32.880
I don't get the story, but I was still super happy.
00:34:33.039 --> 00:34:35.679
Like, and it was okay with me because I was like, I don't know.
00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:36.719
That's really beautiful.
00:34:36.880 --> 00:34:42.719
Yeah, like I don't mind doing the dirty work, but that's like a character growth for me because it never used to be like that.
00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:49.119
Mind you, like in high school, I I knew I was every game I was gonna score a couple of touchdowns.
00:34:49.360 --> 00:34:59.119
So it was kind of like something I had to go through myself and just tell myself, like, like, you know, it doesn't matter how you start your journey at the end of the day, but it's all about like opportunities.
00:34:59.199 --> 00:35:02.480
And my from the first, my first year here, I had that opportunity.
00:35:02.719 --> 00:35:04.000
I just took it and ran with it.
00:35:04.159 --> 00:35:13.440
And um, and it's like Matthew Slater was in the NFL for like, I don't know, 10 plus years, just doing special.
00:35:13.679 --> 00:35:13.840
Yeah.
00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:17.679
And uh, I was just like, okay, this guy did it.
00:35:17.840 --> 00:35:20.159
Like, I guess I'm gonna approach it.
00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:26.960
Well, it's something that's really unique that I think more athletes need to hear is that like you can be a team, you need to be a team player.
00:35:27.119 --> 00:35:31.519
You need to understand like your success equivalent to the team's success.
00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:35.920
And then with this, if your teammates being successful and winning, you are too.
00:35:36.079 --> 00:35:40.239
And that's something that it sounds like you learned through this position.
00:35:40.559 --> 00:35:41.039
I did.
00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:44.719
There were so many opportunities like that came with it.
00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:48.960
Like I was, I was, I mean, I took so much pride into my role.
00:35:49.119 --> 00:35:49.599
I really did.
00:35:49.679 --> 00:35:51.519
And it was super that's amazing, though.
00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:52.320
That's amazing.
00:35:52.559 --> 00:35:54.880
No, that's important, it's important to have rules.
00:35:54.960 --> 00:36:00.079
I think that not everybody, you're only gonna have 11 starters on offense and 11 starters on defense.
00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:00.239
Yeah.
00:36:00.639 --> 00:36:05.039
Take away from the fact that like you still will have your opportunity.
00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:11.280
Like at the end of the day, it's just like look, I or safety room is full of guys, seniors, and all that stuff.
00:36:11.360 --> 00:36:13.840
And I had to go wherever I could add value to that.
00:36:13.920 --> 00:36:16.400
So it's like, yeah, about just me.
00:36:16.559 --> 00:36:17.760
It was just about the team.
00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:23.280
And I think that was a big testimony to who we were, who we are, you know, as a program.
00:36:23.440 --> 00:36:29.039
It's like last everybody made the decision to show up and make a team.
00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:32.159
And yeah, we had the special year we did.
00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:33.199
Yeah.
00:36:33.440 --> 00:36:41.280
Well, that's also very unique because moving away from the team focus and just your focus, being on special teams, it demands precision and trust.
00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:45.760
It demands, like, you know, you're out there for certain plays and you have one job that needs to get done.
00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:48.639
Of course, every athlete in every role that's important.
00:36:48.880 --> 00:36:50.480
But what would you say?
00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:52.079
How do you prepare before a game?
00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:58.000
What's your preparation routine before taking the field for these really, you know, precision moments?
00:36:58.320 --> 00:37:00.960
Um, on Monday, like really, I take it.
00:37:01.119 --> 00:37:04.559
So, like Mondays, it's really Tuesdays.
00:37:04.639 --> 00:37:10.480
Like Tuesdays, we start obviously like the whole special team things, you know, Coach Reg will have the game plan and all that stuff.
00:37:10.639 --> 00:37:12.559
And from but what's your routine?
00:37:12.800 --> 00:37:14.639
Oh, yeah, no, it ties into mine.
00:37:14.719 --> 00:37:21.280
Like from Tuesday, like once I have the formations and everything down, I just kind of like watch it over and over again.
00:37:21.360 --> 00:37:24.000
I'm watching first opponents.
00:37:24.239 --> 00:37:32.880
Um, just kind of seeing the guy that I'm gonna be going against, like seeing if they're like guys that like to, you know, sometimes guys can't run.
00:37:33.039 --> 00:37:45.039
That doesn't mean they can't physically run, but they're just like bigger and more impactful guys, so they're more powerful and like working on like planning ahead how I'm gonna be blocking them on certain releases and stuff like that.
00:37:45.280 --> 00:37:48.239
And then the day before the game, it's all really like mental.
00:37:48.400 --> 00:37:55.920
Like I'm just kind of just going through everything that I've we've already like established uh as a team.
00:37:56.079 --> 00:37:59.840
And um like you said, like I only have one job, right?
00:38:00.239 --> 00:38:04.960
But I it's also like the pressure of like if you mess up, it could be huge.
00:38:05.119 --> 00:38:08.000
So you yeah, that one job, like you don't mess up that one job.
00:38:13.199 --> 00:38:27.039
But I was I just it like like he says, it's like if everybody do your do their job, like it just makes it like I I I um for me it was more so knowing like the adjustments, like certain formation.
00:38:27.119 --> 00:38:30.800
If they shift out of this formation, um I gotta adjust, like all that stuff.
00:38:30.880 --> 00:38:34.800
So knowing my adjustments and all that stuff, that was kind of what it was for me.
00:38:35.199 --> 00:38:39.199
I just kind of go through that over and over again, and then until I'm like comfortable.
00:38:39.280 --> 00:38:44.639
And I by the time Thursday hits and Friday his were on the bus, like I'm fully confident, I'm fully prepped.
00:38:44.800 --> 00:38:48.239
I've no yeah, I haven't that's key.
00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:49.280
Yeah, I'm good.
00:38:49.599 --> 00:38:50.159
That's key though.
00:38:50.239 --> 00:38:54.000
Your confidence comes from your preparation, you prepared, so you're able to be confident.
00:38:54.079 --> 00:38:57.280
People think confidence sometimes is just this like something you can learn.
00:38:57.440 --> 00:39:02.559
It's like, no, your confidence is coming from the fact that you were preparing and you put the effort in.
00:39:03.199 --> 00:39:05.760
You know what you're seeing, like you know what you're about to do.
00:39:06.639 --> 00:39:10.480
You haven't yeah, I've practiced this, so I know what you're doing.
00:39:10.960 --> 00:39:28.320
And uh yeah, I was moving away a little bit from your athletic journey because outside of your sport, you have a lot going on, you're interested in law, you have your family history, and you're very close and passionate about that, and living, you know, in your grandfather's legacy, and then also um fashion is a huge passion of yours.
00:39:28.559 --> 00:39:33.840
So, how do you navigate these different passions within your life as while being a D1 athlete?
00:39:34.400 --> 00:39:37.519
I feel like it all ties in, like it's all part of really yeah.
00:39:37.679 --> 00:39:38.960
I feel like it's all part of me.
00:39:39.119 --> 00:39:56.880
Like towards like it's just another, it's also it gives you opportunity to express yourself a lot, and um I like that whether it's like before the game, and fashion kind of initially does the same thing, it's all about expression, and uh I just I mean it's for me it's like an everyday thing though.
00:39:56.960 --> 00:40:14.320
Like, I don't really think about like I love pieces, like I don't I just love putting outfits together, and so what it could be an event, it could be just my regular everyday, like it all kind of ties into my like how I'm feeling.
00:40:14.480 --> 00:40:33.840
Obviously, being here, I have to this the heat matters, so I can't just put on any piece, but like some days I want to be super calm, some days I want to be loud, and it's so I find it so cool that you could like how we you can express yourself through fashion, you can express it in any way, form, and shape.
00:40:34.079 --> 00:40:38.480
Yeah, has your fashion um tied into what you do with NIL at all?
00:40:38.639 --> 00:40:43.280
Has NIL allowed you to kind of like embrace the fashion and bring it into your sport?
00:40:43.599 --> 00:40:47.280
Yeah, no, certainly it has like that's why I say it's ties in.
00:40:47.360 --> 00:41:04.000
Most of like my first like modeling shoe that I've ever done in my career was with Adidas, uh actually, and um it kind of tells me it was like uh for a like a back to school campaign, but Adidas is widely like, yeah, as like a sports, like you know, like brand.
00:41:04.079 --> 00:41:13.599
And um, so that was like super cool to like be modeling and stuff and seeing myself on like when I went to go when I go inside of a store and all that stuff.
00:41:13.679 --> 00:41:14.559
Like it was insane.
00:41:15.039 --> 00:41:18.559
I'm sure that's amazing, and that's another inspiration for everyone back home.
00:41:18.880 --> 00:41:31.440
Yeah, I mean, that was crazy, but I it was crazy, but not as crazy like as my sister, like when I first saw my sister on the billboard, like I was like, whoa, and that like I your sister models too, right?
00:41:31.519 --> 00:41:33.840
Yeah, and that's kind of like what I was saying earlier.
00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:40.079
It's like when you see when you see it, it's like it's easier to like be inspired by it, you know.
00:41:40.320 --> 00:41:49.119
So I was really more happy to see her like achieve it at that level because she really paved the way for me in terms of that's beautiful, that's beautiful.
00:41:49.199 --> 00:41:52.719
So it sounds like your family's had a lot of influence on your life, yeah.
00:41:52.880 --> 00:41:56.400
And your grandfather has influenced you in the passion of law.
00:41:56.559 --> 00:42:01.039
Tell us a little bit about law and um how where is that leading to you?
00:42:01.119 --> 00:42:02.559
What's that life choice?
00:42:03.760 --> 00:42:09.280
I think that part of my purpose is to service um others.
00:42:09.440 --> 00:42:14.159
I don't know and I never knew exactly in what way, but law was one of those things.
00:42:14.239 --> 00:42:19.039
I never wanted to be a persecutor, never want to be a lawyer, never.
00:42:19.760 --> 00:42:21.679
Excuse me, and I never will.
00:42:22.320 --> 00:42:34.800
But I wanted to be actually uh want to be like a diplomat and fight for people's rights rather than persecute others and um like put them in jail or whatever for whether it's good or bad.
00:42:34.960 --> 00:42:49.039
Like I and for me it was like cool that and that's kind of like what led to me studying cybersecurity, because you know, when you when I've realized when you talk cybersecurity, nobody's mentioning Senegal.
00:42:49.119 --> 00:42:53.840
I don't think people mention it a lot, which means that's an open realm.
00:42:54.400 --> 00:43:01.199
That's something that like that's something that can be built, but it's all about a choice of somebody like starting it.
00:43:01.280 --> 00:43:22.239
And um, yeah, I feel like everybody, I really do think everywhere around the world, not just Africa itself, to everybody deserve to be to be safe, like um from like to keep their identity safe and whether and also their identity, you know, and um cyber ties into everything, and so I've looked at into cyber law.
00:43:22.320 --> 00:43:26.000
So there's like many opportunities, there's many paths you could take.
00:43:26.159 --> 00:43:28.880
So I'm just taking it one time right now.
00:43:29.199 --> 00:43:30.079
That's amazing.
00:43:30.320 --> 00:43:35.280
So do you plan to go to law school or do you what do you plan to do next?
00:43:35.599 --> 00:43:36.960
Take over the world.
00:43:37.199 --> 00:43:38.239
Have my okay.
00:43:38.559 --> 00:43:39.440
I'm just kidding.
00:43:39.599 --> 00:43:43.840
Um I've thought about it, I'm still thinking about it, to be honest.
00:43:44.079 --> 00:43:49.679
I just uh working right now on an internship uh for this tech company.
00:43:49.840 --> 00:43:54.000
Uh can't say too much yet, but you know, like oh fancy.
00:43:54.159 --> 00:43:54.400
Okay.
00:43:54.880 --> 00:43:58.480
I'm I'm I'm taking them on that, like it's not out of the picture for sure.
00:43:58.639 --> 00:43:59.760
Like, yeah, really more so.
00:44:00.000 --> 00:44:06.239
So they're the part of me, I was humbly say, that does not want to go back to school for four years.
00:44:06.400 --> 00:44:07.360
I will not even lie.
00:44:07.519 --> 00:44:13.599
Like, but this part of me that's like, you know, like if the opportunity presents itself, I will take it.
00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:14.480
If it makes sense.
00:44:14.719 --> 00:44:15.440
That's beautiful.
00:44:15.840 --> 00:44:19.440
So right now I'm just enjoying things, one thing at a time.
00:44:19.760 --> 00:44:24.639
So in the same way, if the opportunity presents itself for football, would you take that to try to go professionally?
00:44:24.800 --> 00:44:26.079
Do you think that's an option?
00:44:26.320 --> 00:44:30.000
I yeah, I think as one of those things, like I I gotta finish what I start.
00:44:30.079 --> 00:44:32.960
So it's like obviously like come pro day, all that.
00:44:33.039 --> 00:44:38.239
Like, I'm gonna do, I'm gonna do I plan on doing all those, all those things and just finishing what I start.
00:44:38.320 --> 00:44:40.559
And then the rest I just leave to God.
00:44:40.719 --> 00:44:41.760
Kind of like what I did.
00:44:41.920 --> 00:44:42.159
Yeah.
00:44:42.400 --> 00:44:45.039
It's kind of what I did kind of like with my whole journey.
00:44:45.119 --> 00:44:49.679
And it's like, yeah, that's what I was up for, you know, that's what I'm gonna go do.
00:44:50.000 --> 00:44:50.239
Yeah.
00:44:50.800 --> 00:45:01.280
So what advice do you have to kids right now that are maybe thinking, okay, I want to be a college athlete, but I also have aspirations in law, cybersecurity, or these big aspirations, medical school.
00:45:01.440 --> 00:45:03.840
But they're probably told, you know, you can't do that.
00:45:04.000 --> 00:45:04.719
You can't do both.
00:45:04.800 --> 00:45:05.840
Like, yes, you can.
00:45:05.920 --> 00:45:08.000
You're a shining example of the fact that you can.
00:45:08.079 --> 00:45:10.159
So what advice do you have to those listening?
00:45:10.480 --> 00:45:28.800
I would say that realize that a lot of times in life, um, it's it's a lot more about networking, talking to people than it is than it is about actually like like going, like it doesn't like I don't know how to explain it.
00:45:28.880 --> 00:45:36.320
It's funny because a lot of it's I I know a lot of people that like from if you look at their academic stuff, it's like top notch.
00:45:36.480 --> 00:45:39.760
But if you don't have people skills, and I think this is important.
00:45:40.639 --> 00:45:50.079
If you don't have people skills, learn to build them because people skills will take you much like farther in life than anything else.
00:45:50.320 --> 00:45:51.760
Because I agree.
00:45:52.159 --> 00:45:54.320
I I think that's like so important.
00:45:54.400 --> 00:46:10.800
And I think that like the new like generation, not saying we're ancient or anything, but it's just feels like it sometimes do and like it just feels like they don't really like to talk much, they keep to themselves a lot, and that's one thing that I've learned.
00:46:10.880 --> 00:46:18.320
It's like a lot of my opportunities also came from just the fact that I was willing to like talk to in the to like people about it.
00:46:18.480 --> 00:46:26.000
Like I wasn't afraid of like walking up to somebody introducing myself because you never know who will do what in the future.
00:46:26.159 --> 00:46:30.559
I mean, we're talking if we're talking Go Daddy, that's all initially all it was.
00:46:30.639 --> 00:46:33.599
You know, they can't present themselves to the whole team.
00:46:33.679 --> 00:46:42.400
And I stayed after the meeting and I went and introduced myself and kept the relationship and built from there, and then that opened the opportunity down the line.
00:46:42.559 --> 00:46:45.679
So I just think that like yeah, that's what I would give them.
00:46:45.760 --> 00:46:46.880
That's what I would say.
00:46:47.199 --> 00:46:47.920
That's amazing.
00:46:48.000 --> 00:46:50.239
To always just like those people's skills are so important.
00:46:50.480 --> 00:46:51.199
Yeah, definitely.
00:46:51.519 --> 00:46:52.719
Well, you just mentioned something really cool.
00:46:52.800 --> 00:46:54.880
I know you had that unique NIL deal with GoDaddy.
00:46:55.039 --> 00:46:55.519
What was that like?
00:46:55.599 --> 00:46:57.360
Was that really fun to shoot and everything?
00:46:57.599 --> 00:46:58.800
Oh, so cool.
00:46:58.960 --> 00:47:01.440
Uh, I haven't been in set for a while.
00:47:01.599 --> 00:47:04.000
Um, so it was did it bring you back?
00:47:04.239 --> 00:47:05.360
It did, it did.
00:47:05.440 --> 00:47:07.440
I was just like, man, I missed it.
00:47:07.599 --> 00:47:09.679
But it was so fun.
00:47:09.840 --> 00:47:12.639
It was, you know, I would say they had me training.
00:47:12.719 --> 00:47:29.039
It was it was a training session, but really, it was not as I swear, like you, but it also it's funny, like it teaches you, like it teaches you to kind of respect like everybody's uh profession in a way, like and there's art in everything that everybody do.
00:47:29.199 --> 00:47:35.119
Like behind every passion, is like you know, like really like you have to like dedicate yourself.
00:47:35.280 --> 00:47:41.599
Like the work has to be beautiful, and they have their own angles.
00:47:41.760 --> 00:47:44.800
It's not like a football field, you're about to make an open field type.
00:47:44.880 --> 00:48:03.360
It's not those type of angles, but you know, they've they're passionate about this, and it's it's it's important for you to like be present and like yeah, be involved and like give them and like kind of I don't know, kind of like bring the uh whatever they're imagining to reality.
00:48:03.519 --> 00:48:07.920
And uh, and it's like I find that so beautiful, but it was it was such an amazing opportunity.
00:48:08.000 --> 00:48:13.519
It was so fun and super excited for the future, and I can't wait to for it to be out.
00:48:13.840 --> 00:48:14.719
Oh, that's amazing.
00:48:14.800 --> 00:48:15.440
That's exciting.
00:48:15.599 --> 00:48:17.280
Well, um, congratulations.
00:48:17.440 --> 00:48:20.000
This has been like you have such an incredible journey.
00:48:20.159 --> 00:48:22.559
So you've gone through so much and you've experienced so much.
00:48:22.639 --> 00:48:33.119
So I'd really like to take a second for you to give advice back to parents and people listening, coaches, parents, youth athletes, even current college athletes who maybe are feeling a little lost or struggling right now.
00:48:33.280 --> 00:48:39.679
So, what advice would you give to the version of yourself who first walked onto the field in California?
00:48:40.079 --> 00:48:56.719
There was a time of my career where I lost the joy for the game because I realized that the reason why the game came so easy when I first started playing the game was because I was being so joyful when I played it.
00:48:57.119 --> 00:49:00.239
My feel wasn't anger, it was joy, it was fun.
00:49:00.400 --> 00:49:03.920
I just like loved the idea of playing with a bunch of my friends.
00:49:04.159 --> 00:49:07.599
And it wasn't about winning or losing, it wasn't about any of that.
00:49:07.679 --> 00:49:11.039
Because when I when I think about it, I never thought about stuff like that.
00:49:11.199 --> 00:49:17.599
It was more so like balls in the air, like I'm gonna jump and go get it, I want to make a cool play.
00:49:17.840 --> 00:49:24.639
And and it was just like having those brotherhoods and after the game going to get pizza together and stuff like that.
00:49:24.800 --> 00:49:26.559
Like, that's what it was all about.
00:49:26.960 --> 00:49:29.920
And that's what I would say.
00:49:30.079 --> 00:49:30.960
Don't lose that.
00:49:31.440 --> 00:49:41.039
Because when I started finding other fuels to the game, I started to lose myself and I started to lose my ability.
00:49:41.119 --> 00:49:47.039
Like, and my my confidence would shift if I didn't make a play I feel like I should have made or stuff like that.
00:49:47.280 --> 00:49:53.599
So I started enjoying the game back when that's kind of like how it's just beautiful how it all ties into.
00:49:53.840 --> 00:49:57.360
And I think that God gave me like a second chance, gave me the opportunity.
00:49:57.519 --> 00:50:04.239
And that second chance was last year, like being servicing and just enjoying the moment, being there with my friends.
00:50:04.400 --> 00:50:14.719
I feel like I was the first year when we went 1 in 11, I was so like just there was so much pressure, and I was just like, not like pressure, but just I was so closed off.
00:50:14.880 --> 00:50:21.119
I was so like, I was taking it too serious, not just from the game, everything, even the process behind the game.
00:50:21.280 --> 00:50:22.320
I didn't really enjoy it.
00:50:22.400 --> 00:50:28.800
Yeah, I didn't really take the time to walk around the hotel and see people in the game room gaming or going to talk to a guy.
00:50:29.280 --> 00:50:32.880
I was just like, oh, it's game, it's game week, I gotta lock in, you know.
00:50:33.119 --> 00:50:35.280
But and now I lost the fun.
00:50:35.519 --> 00:50:37.519
Yeah, like now I just like I enjoy it.
00:50:37.599 --> 00:50:38.719
I love I love it.
00:50:38.800 --> 00:50:40.079
Like I love practicing.
00:50:40.159 --> 00:50:41.599
I don't, I do not care.
00:50:41.679 --> 00:50:48.400
Like, I don't care what what am I doing, but I I could be sitting there being a a blocking dummy.
00:50:48.480 --> 00:50:48.960
Like, I don't care.
00:50:49.039 --> 00:51:04.960
I just love I love the the the like idea of building something together and going out there and showing the world and the people seeing or relationship out there and seeing how it's like when people are all like tied into one goal.
00:51:05.119 --> 00:51:07.199
And like to me, that's beautiful.
00:51:07.360 --> 00:51:08.400
So yeah, yeah.
00:51:08.559 --> 00:51:21.760
You're just committed to the team, you're committed to the sport all that the team could not your team could not sometimes it's not a football team, sometimes you're a group of friends, sometimes your team is your family, you know.
00:51:21.840 --> 00:51:26.159
Whatever there's different, that's why I think life itself and it life itself is a sport.
00:51:26.320 --> 00:51:29.920
So that's why I think everybody's an athlete in a in some way, somehow.
00:51:30.079 --> 00:51:37.199
So if you all I know is if it's all if you give it to the team, if the team wins, you're gonna win too.
00:51:37.280 --> 00:51:39.519
So, you know, don't be on lone wolf.
00:51:39.840 --> 00:51:44.400
No, never, no iron team classic saying, the most cliche saying, but it's true.
00:51:44.639 --> 00:51:46.079
There's no iron legacy.
00:51:46.320 --> 00:51:46.960
There we go.
00:51:47.039 --> 00:51:48.400
There's no iron legacy.
00:51:48.559 --> 00:51:49.119
I like that.
00:51:49.280 --> 00:51:50.719
Is that one of your favorite mottos?
00:51:51.039 --> 00:51:53.760
Would you say came up with it myself just now?
00:51:54.480 --> 00:51:55.440
You just came up with that?
00:51:55.760 --> 00:51:58.320
I just came up with that on the spot.
00:51:58.480 --> 00:51:58.960
I like it.
00:51:59.039 --> 00:51:59.440
I like it.
00:51:59.599 --> 00:52:00.559
We'll trademark it.
00:52:00.639 --> 00:52:02.000
That's that's your saying now.
00:52:02.159 --> 00:52:09.840
Um, so then how have these experiences you went in and out of the love of your sport and all of that and the moving countries and changings?
00:52:10.079 --> 00:52:12.639
Have they just shifted your look on hard times?
00:52:12.800 --> 00:52:16.320
Like, what is your you know, perspective on a hard time now?
00:52:16.639 --> 00:52:19.119
Hard times don't even bother me anymore.
00:52:19.280 --> 00:52:20.079
Like, really?
00:52:20.320 --> 00:52:22.079
I used to ask why me a lot.
00:52:22.239 --> 00:52:26.719
Now I'm more so am like when I'm grateful for the hard times.
00:52:26.960 --> 00:52:32.880
Because a lot of the times it's like you don't know how say incredible your story is.
00:52:32.960 --> 00:52:40.239
And I I do believe this in every individual until you like talk about it, and somebody like is like, whoa, like you did that.
00:52:40.480 --> 00:52:45.039
But I never like growing up, like all the stuff that I went through, I never really thought it was a big deal.
00:52:45.199 --> 00:52:50.400
Like, I never I didn't know like this was such a unique thing, or this was so powerful.
00:52:50.800 --> 00:52:51.119
Yeah.
00:52:51.599 --> 00:52:53.199
The power in my story.
00:52:53.440 --> 00:52:58.480
Cause I was just living it, you know, when you're living it, you don't really totally it's like what others see.
00:52:58.800 --> 00:53:09.519
So it's like I would say like hard times is hard times is a is a privilege, and it's also hard time means that you were picked to do something.
00:53:10.000 --> 00:53:14.079
Yeah, good times, everybody's it's like it's a circle of life.
00:53:14.159 --> 00:53:16.079
You're gonna have good times, you're gonna have bad times.
00:53:16.239 --> 00:53:23.519
Like, don't instead, and when you do have those hard times, instead of asking why me, because it's never good to be a victim.
00:53:23.679 --> 00:53:25.840
I would say that's aspects in life.
00:53:25.920 --> 00:53:26.960
Do not be a victim.
00:53:27.119 --> 00:53:29.599
So instead of saying why me, say why not you.
00:53:29.840 --> 00:53:35.280
And when you when you change that, it's it changes your life and everything that you do.
00:53:35.440 --> 00:53:35.840
Why not?
00:53:36.159 --> 00:53:39.039
Well, you said something, well, you said something that's really unique.
00:53:39.199 --> 00:53:43.360
You said, like, um now you you were just living your life.
00:53:43.519 --> 00:53:44.800
You said something that was very unique.
00:53:44.880 --> 00:53:47.599
You said, you know, you were just living your life, you weren't even realizing.
00:53:47.760 --> 00:54:05.280
Do you almost feel like today with these athletes that are they're just living their life, but now with NIL and all these different pressures of being an athlete in social media that they think they have to um share every ounce of it and they have to put it out there for themselves and they have to like make sure they're this perfect role model.
00:54:05.360 --> 00:54:10.639
Like you said, you feel that pressure that sometimes you get lost and you're no longer just living your life.
00:54:10.800 --> 00:54:16.880
Like that's that's no, like truthfully, like you gotta stay true to who you are and stay true to yourself.
00:54:17.039 --> 00:54:22.239
Like opportunities will, I've always believed opportunities come to the authentic.
00:54:22.400 --> 00:54:24.400
It always like I it doesn't matter.
00:54:24.559 --> 00:54:38.960
I wasn't, you know, it's like I think it's a it's a testimony in itself that hey, I'm not the one catching touchdowns on Saturdays, nor am I the one like throwing them, or you know, like I'm not starting safety or none of that.
00:54:39.199 --> 00:54:43.519
But when you speak of our team, my name gets brought bring brought up.
00:54:43.599 --> 00:54:57.440
And I probably have one of the most minimal jobs on the field, but it's like when you stay authentically, when you're like authentic to who you are and um do like opportunities will align with that.
00:54:57.599 --> 00:55:07.199
Like it will it just will because when you do have interactions with people, they see they see that and they they see that about you and they appreciate you for who you are and what you do.
00:55:07.360 --> 00:55:09.519
And it doesn't matter how big or small it is.
00:55:09.679 --> 00:55:18.559
I think we I think nowadays everybody thinks that they need to be this huge star to initially like eat fam.
00:55:18.960 --> 00:55:21.199
It's a yeah, it's a huge plate.
00:55:21.440 --> 00:55:31.039
You can totally you just gotta you just there's like it's so much like bigger than just what you do on the field.
00:55:31.119 --> 00:55:34.000
And IL really is a challenge to your character.
00:55:34.079 --> 00:55:39.679
Uh like could you really be as versatile of a person as you think you you are on the field?
00:55:39.760 --> 00:56:00.800
Like it's just like you gotta be versatile, you gotta be willing to do things you're uncomfortable with, whether it's sitting in a room talking to people, like yeah, if somebody's willing to give you your money, their money and stuff like that, you gotta be willing to like put yourself out there, but that doesn't mean like pretend or like build this character in your head, like just be you, yeah.
00:56:01.360 --> 00:56:04.480
Yeah, there's gonna be people that appreciate that.
00:56:04.800 --> 00:56:09.360
Yeah, there's gonna be people that appreciate that, and you also gotta stay consistent.
00:56:09.519 --> 00:56:20.320
Like, also nowadays, it's like I always tell my friends like you can't be that one guy that's like, okay, you you want to have that one, two posts, you want to be cool, you want to have like an aesthetic on Instagram.
00:56:20.480 --> 00:56:21.199
Oh, yeah.
00:56:21.440 --> 00:56:23.360
It's like, okay, that's a decision.
00:56:23.519 --> 00:56:26.000
And with every decision, there's a consequence.
00:56:26.159 --> 00:56:29.360
So it's like it's all about what you put out there.
00:56:29.519 --> 00:56:33.119
So I totally never really thought about okay, like I wanted this aesthetic.
00:56:33.280 --> 00:56:38.880
I always kind of thought about I want my page to reflect who I am as a person, to also reflect my character.
00:56:38.960 --> 00:56:42.960
Like, I want when somebody goes to my page, they'll be able to say these three things.
00:56:43.119 --> 00:56:48.800
He loves, he loves God, he loves family, and he loves football.
00:56:49.039 --> 00:56:53.119
And those are those are one of the most the three most important things for me.
00:56:53.199 --> 00:56:54.079
So it's like great.
00:56:54.159 --> 00:56:55.599
So that's what I'm gonna put out there.
00:56:55.760 --> 00:57:12.639
And then if uh and a lot of the times NILs, like with these brands and all that stuff, they're more so just looking for authentic people because when you're authentic, you you find it's a it's initially just a new way to promote their stuff.
00:57:12.880 --> 00:57:13.440
Totally.
00:57:13.679 --> 00:57:22.079
They want to use your story to share their story, and if you're just a copy cut paste of like an algorithm, then they have nothing to promote.
00:57:22.400 --> 00:57:25.199
And you need to be true to yourself in order to actually share that.
00:57:25.280 --> 00:57:27.679
I really like that you brought that up because that's a good point.
00:57:27.920 --> 00:57:28.960
I would say that.
00:57:29.199 --> 00:57:30.320
Yeah, amazing.
00:57:30.559 --> 00:57:30.960
Amazing.
00:57:31.119 --> 00:57:38.480
Okay, well, to finish us out here, we're gonna get into a little like rapid fire session called TMI, too much insight.
00:57:38.719 --> 00:57:46.239
And it's rapid fire ishes, just a bunch of questions that we're gonna get, you know, your a little inside look into you and who you are.
00:57:47.599 --> 00:57:48.559
No, no, no, no.
00:57:48.639 --> 00:57:49.599
They're they're great questions.
00:57:49.760 --> 00:57:50.639
You enjoy them.
00:57:51.119 --> 00:57:53.119
Okay, starting off strong.
00:57:53.280 --> 00:57:58.480
What is your favorite fashion piece or look that helps you stand out and stay true to yourself?
00:57:58.800 --> 00:58:00.159
Dang, that's unfair.
00:58:00.400 --> 00:58:03.760
Go to um okay.
00:58:03.840 --> 00:58:04.960
I love cactus.
00:58:05.039 --> 00:58:08.239
This is a brand called Cactus Valley, and they have these pants, right?
00:58:08.400 --> 00:58:09.119
They have these pants.
00:58:09.280 --> 00:58:10.960
All of them have like bedazzles.
00:58:11.119 --> 00:58:13.840
I know it's not like people think it's like it's super shiny.
00:58:13.920 --> 00:58:14.559
I love those.
00:58:14.639 --> 00:58:16.960
I would go okay, like a jogger.
00:58:17.199 --> 00:58:23.119
I I love the those joggers and a simple tea from Lululemon, black, white, whatever.
00:58:23.280 --> 00:58:24.880
Um, and a nice cap.
00:58:25.039 --> 00:58:25.760
That's my go-to.
00:58:26.079 --> 00:58:27.119
That's your go-to look?
00:58:27.920 --> 00:58:33.119
Okay, so it's a little bit of a little fancy fashion, but it's it's a little simple, it's also simple.
00:58:33.519 --> 00:58:35.920
Your go-to hype song on game day.
00:58:38.800 --> 00:58:40.400
I should not say this.
00:58:41.840 --> 00:58:43.280
Oh no, what is it?
00:58:43.840 --> 00:58:45.119
Maybe just say the artist.
00:58:45.199 --> 00:58:47.599
What's your go-to artist on game day?
00:58:48.159 --> 00:58:50.480
Okay, I'm gonna I'll say it.
00:58:50.559 --> 00:58:51.280
It's fine.
00:58:51.519 --> 00:58:52.639
I don't really listen.
00:58:52.719 --> 00:58:54.239
I only live like I listen to it.
00:58:54.400 --> 00:58:55.440
Is it Taylor Swift?
00:58:55.519 --> 00:58:56.320
I know it's Taylor.
00:58:56.639 --> 00:58:57.360
No, it's not.
00:58:57.519 --> 00:58:57.679
No.
00:58:58.639 --> 00:58:59.920
I should change my question.
00:59:00.159 --> 00:59:01.360
I should change it.
00:59:01.840 --> 00:59:02.159
Okay.
00:59:03.039 --> 00:59:05.199
You ever heard of the song Pyramid?
00:59:06.480 --> 00:59:07.440
You never heard of the pyramid?
00:59:07.599 --> 00:59:08.079
By who?
00:59:08.400 --> 00:59:09.039
By who?
00:59:09.519 --> 00:59:10.719
The old song.
00:59:10.880 --> 00:59:11.440
It's the old.
00:59:12.800 --> 00:59:14.960
It's called Are you playing it for us?
00:59:15.840 --> 00:59:16.960
Should I play it?
00:59:17.119 --> 00:59:18.559
Yeah, go for it.
00:59:20.559 --> 00:59:22.079
Why is this your hype song?
00:59:22.239 --> 00:59:23.280
Why, why, why?
00:59:24.880 --> 00:59:33.920
And game day, I'm just more so trying to be free, not like so it's like it's kind of like a and I used to listen to like high school musical too.
00:59:34.000 --> 00:59:34.800
Like, that's one of them.
00:59:35.039 --> 00:59:40.239
But I also listen to I'm not like, but it's like, hold on, you know the song?
00:59:42.800 --> 00:59:43.679
I can't hear it.
00:59:43.840 --> 00:59:45.119
You gotta turn it up.
00:59:46.000 --> 00:59:47.760
We can't hear anything.
00:59:52.320 --> 00:59:54.239
I'll edit, I'll edit the song.
00:59:55.679 --> 00:59:56.559
No, I don't.
00:59:56.719 --> 00:59:58.000
I couldn't, we can't hear it.
00:59:58.159 --> 01:00:00.480
Okay, that's your go-to song.
01:00:00.800 --> 01:00:02.320
No, this song is fire.
01:00:02.480 --> 01:00:03.199
Real talk.
01:00:03.360 --> 01:00:07.679
All right, I'm gonna edit the song in and make sure that everyone can hear your favorite song.
01:00:07.920 --> 01:00:08.480
That's your go-to.
01:00:08.639 --> 01:00:10.559
I song I'm going to for sure.
01:00:12.239 --> 01:00:13.119
Okay, okay.
01:00:13.360 --> 01:00:17.920
What would you say is your favorite um travel memory with the team?
01:00:18.079 --> 01:00:25.360
One of your favorite all-time, just like not necessarily on the field, just like a behind-the-scenes favorite memory with the team traveling.
01:00:25.679 --> 01:00:27.760
Have you been watching my vlogs on YouTube?
01:00:28.320 --> 01:00:30.239
It's uh it's all game day vlogs.
01:00:30.320 --> 01:00:35.679
I would say my favorite one is probably uh dang.
01:00:36.639 --> 01:00:37.599
Oh, easy.
01:00:37.679 --> 01:00:39.199
It was easy, Atlanta.
01:00:40.320 --> 01:00:40.880
Why?
01:00:41.280 --> 01:00:47.519
First of all, never been to a hotel that big, but we have this whole like space.
01:00:47.840 --> 01:00:49.760
It was like they made it all for us.
01:00:49.840 --> 01:00:53.679
And it was like the biggest game room I've ever seen.
01:00:53.760 --> 01:00:56.000
I mean, anything it was bath, yeah.
01:00:56.079 --> 01:01:05.440
We had basketball, we had we had all sorts of video games, Xbox, PS5, pool tables, uh ping pong, everything.
01:01:05.599 --> 01:01:11.599
We even had barbers and people like I literally got my hair done in the middle of Are You Serious?
01:01:12.480 --> 01:01:13.920
Before the game, the night before the game.
01:01:14.079 --> 01:01:17.199
We like barely had ice packs at some of our games.
01:01:17.679 --> 01:01:20.239
Well, this was the Big 12.
01:01:20.320 --> 01:01:21.679
I mean, this was the playoff game.
01:01:21.840 --> 01:01:22.559
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:01:22.719 --> 01:01:24.239
No, fair enough, fair enough.
01:01:24.400 --> 01:01:25.280
That's awesome.
01:01:25.440 --> 01:01:26.079
That's awesome.
01:01:26.880 --> 01:01:27.280
It's cool.
01:01:27.360 --> 01:01:28.639
That was a cool experience.
01:01:28.960 --> 01:01:32.320
When when you're traveling, who on your team is like the energizer?
01:01:32.400 --> 01:01:35.760
Like, who's just gonna get everyone ready for game day?
01:01:36.079 --> 01:01:38.320
Crook, Jordan Crook.
01:01:38.639 --> 01:01:59.519
Okay, Zay doesn't say much, so Zay is like super light, he's super light until we're like in the locker room, and then he switches like he has this crazy switch, like he can go for Zay, and then all of a sudden he's in the locker room, like punching walls, not like punching wall, but like try to get the team attention, get us hyped up.
01:01:59.840 --> 01:02:04.719
And crook, same way, like just kind of like y'all pick it up.
01:02:04.800 --> 01:02:07.920
Like, crook is such a cool, like energy guy.
01:02:08.239 --> 01:02:11.360
Um, all right, we have a bunch of personalities.
01:02:11.679 --> 01:02:13.519
Sam, yeah, Jordan.
01:02:13.760 --> 01:02:15.519
Like, yeah, we have a bunch of personalities.
01:02:15.679 --> 01:02:19.440
Some some guys are more chill, some guys are more loud, so whatever.
01:02:19.679 --> 01:02:22.639
Okay, if you could switch sports for a day, what are you trying?
01:02:22.960 --> 01:02:23.679
Tennis.
01:02:23.920 --> 01:02:24.639
Tennis.
01:02:25.440 --> 01:02:26.400
Why tennis?
01:02:26.639 --> 01:02:28.400
Because I feel like I'd be pretty good.
01:02:28.480 --> 01:02:31.039
I just feel like okay, all right, fair enough.
01:02:31.679 --> 01:02:35.199
All right, what is your dream NIL collab?
01:02:36.079 --> 01:02:37.440
Oh okay, yes.
01:02:37.679 --> 01:02:43.440
It would be with a movie, uh like Sony or Marvel.
01:02:43.679 --> 01:02:44.400
Oh, cool.
01:02:44.800 --> 01:02:46.079
That's a really cool answer.
01:02:46.239 --> 01:02:47.280
That's really unique.
01:02:47.440 --> 01:02:48.880
Yeah, okay.
01:02:49.119 --> 01:02:50.239
Um, okay.
01:02:50.559 --> 01:02:55.280
Last question here is what does being committed while you're off duty mean to you?
01:02:55.679 --> 01:02:56.960
Really, I think it means everything.
01:02:57.119 --> 01:03:01.280
Like it's also it's like committed and consistency for me goes hand in hand.
01:03:01.440 --> 01:03:13.679
Like, um, especially off the field, I feel like that's more you that's requires more commitment because you can't you can't only give like you can't only be committed when you're say on the field or something.
01:03:13.840 --> 01:03:16.639
Like you have to have a lifestyle for you.
01:03:16.880 --> 01:03:23.599
You know, you have to go to bed at a certain time, you have to eat a certain way, and just in life, like you just gotta be consistent.
01:03:23.679 --> 01:03:26.079
And um, yeah, I'll say that consistency.
01:03:26.800 --> 01:03:27.440
I love it.
01:03:27.519 --> 01:03:28.400
I loved it.
01:03:28.719 --> 01:03:33.119
Well, thank you so much for taking the time today to come onto the podcast.
01:03:33.280 --> 01:03:36.480
It was very fun getting to know you a little bit more, share your story.
01:03:36.639 --> 01:03:41.199
Um, is there any last-minute words of advice you have or anything you want to share to those listening?
01:03:41.280 --> 01:03:44.159
And how can they get in touch with you if they want to reach out?
01:03:44.639 --> 01:03:55.280
Uh I would say I'm super proud of you for bringing your vision to reality, and I'm super grateful that I was one of the guest speakers.
01:03:55.440 --> 01:03:57.199
Oh, that's so kind of you.
01:03:57.440 --> 01:04:07.519
Um yeah, I would say that definitely follow your podcast committed thank you by Gage Fish Daryl.
01:04:07.679 --> 01:04:15.199
Um, and I would say to get a hold of me, my Instagram, my email, you can't have my number.
01:04:15.519 --> 01:04:16.400
I'm just kidding.
01:04:16.559 --> 01:04:19.519
What's your Instagram so they can look you up?
01:04:20.079 --> 01:04:24.480
Adama Adama D as in dog fall.
01:04:24.960 --> 01:04:26.639
And uh my email.
01:04:26.800 --> 01:04:31.280
I'm not gonna put my email, but yeah, no, it's not your your Instagram's good, but thank you.
01:04:31.760 --> 01:04:34.880
Check out my YouTube channel at Dama2.0.
01:04:35.440 --> 01:04:37.440
It's like three A's at the end.
01:04:37.760 --> 01:04:39.280
You will not be disappointed.
01:04:39.519 --> 01:04:42.960
Also, amazing vlog coming out soon.
01:04:43.199 --> 01:04:44.719
And I'm great, I'm excited.
01:04:45.039 --> 01:04:46.559
This senior year movie.
01:04:47.440 --> 01:04:52.639
Okay, yeah, so so we've got a lot of atima to look forward to coming up.
01:04:54.000 --> 01:04:54.880
Oh, I'm excited.
01:04:54.960 --> 01:04:58.159
Well, thank you so much for coming on today, and I'm so excited.
01:04:58.320 --> 01:04:59.360
Good luck this season.
01:04:59.599 --> 01:05:00.800
You're getting kicked off.
01:05:00.880 --> 01:05:08.320
I know by the time this is coming out, you'll probably be going through season, so we're excited to see what you do and everything that ASTU accomplishes.
01:05:08.400 --> 01:05:11.440
They got a big season ahead of them after last year, so here we go.
01:05:11.599 --> 01:05:13.679
But thank you again, and good luck.
01:05:13.840 --> 01:05:14.559
We're excited.
01:05:15.760 --> 01:05:16.239
Good luck.