9 with Number 90
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Defensive End |
Grambling State Tigers Junior defensive end Christian Anthony burst on the Black College football scene this year with 76 tackles, fifteen tackles for loss, eight sacks, seven quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles, two fumbles recoveries, five interceptions and two touchdowns. Anthony's gaudy stat sheet earned him the Birmingham, Alabama, native the 2009 SBN Mel Blount Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Criminal Justice Major took a few minutes to answer questions from SBN Director of Sports, Ty Miller.
TM: What colleges heavily recruited you and why did you choose Grambling State?
Anthony: The ones that recruited me hard were Clemson and Southern Mississippi. Clemson wanted me as a tight end and Southern Miss. recruited me for defense. When it was time to sign my letter of intent, both schools still wanted me but suggested I go to Junior College first. Well, Grambling had also been recruiting me and they gave me the option to work on my grades, workout and pretty much come in a as redshirt my first year.
TM: You had 12 tackles in a game against Oklahoma State this season. Is there any doubt you can compete with big time competition on that level?
Anthony: Football is football. You watch film, you prepare to play, the only different was the tempo that Oklahoma State played when they went to their hurry-up offense. That's how they got us. (The Cowboys won 56-6) When we got lined up and got ready, it was no doubt we could compete with them, especially up front. I found I could do some of the same things I did against Prairie View and Jackson State.
TM: What is the best thing about Black College Football?
Anthony: Awww man, it's the pride and emotion and the rivalries. It feels so good when you walk around your campus or a place in town like an airport or bus station and you got Grambling gear on. People come up to you and it just makes you feel good.
TM: What is it like to play in the Bayou Classic? (Annual Grambling-Southern matchup)
Anthony: It's very emotional. It feels like playing in an all-star game or the Super Bowl of the SWAC. The passion and rivalry between the two teams is so deep.
TM: What NFL team did you grow up rooting for?
Anthony: In the 1990's it was the Dallas Cowboys. They had Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, Emmit Smith, Troy Aikman and the way played and dominated, it was just fun to watch.
TM: The current Cowboy team includes for Grambling defensive end and 2007 SBN All-American Jason Hatcher. What are your thoughts when you watch him play?
Anthony: It makes me feel good because when we have conversations he's a down to earth person and watching him shows me what I could possibly do because he came from the same school. I wear number 90 because he wore it and it seems like whoever puts that number on, makes things happen. That's why I love watching Julius Peppers (#90 Carolina Panthers).
TM: What are your thoughts on being named SBN's/Mel Blount Defensive Player of they Year?
Anthony: That was one of my goals this season. I wanted to win the SWAC Championship, the National Black College Championship and win the defensive player of the year. And since I'm coming back for my last year, I really want to try to repeat that.
TM: Why did you decide to major in criminal justice/
Anthony: Birmingham, my hometown, has become more violent and the crime and murder rates are up, so in the field of criminal justice you will likely have a job and a chance to make a difference. I've always had a dream of being a judge.
TM: Who are your heroes?
Anthony: My dad and my mom. My dad is my personal hero because of the ups and downs he went through to raise me, my brother and my sister to stay on the right path. Before every game, I call my mother and we have prayer and then on my iPod I play Donnie McClurkin's song, “We Fall Down" because everybody falls down during the game. There's always gonna be a low point and high point but every time you fall down, you always gotta pick yourself up.
