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Steve Martin interviews Steve Slaton
Interviewed on: Thursday, June 21st, 2007 Steve Martin: Wow, Steve. Thanks for calling me back! It's an honor...Do you have time to do that interview right now? Steve Slaton: Sure, yea...this is good. SM: OK...First of all, you should definitely stop by the website and check it out. We just put your picture that your dad sent me up in the header on our homepage. SS: Really? That's cool. Thanks. SM: No problem...Now, I know you were born on January 4th, but I couldn't find which year... SS: 1986. SM: OK, and were you born in Levittown (PA)? SS: No. I was born in Burlington, NJ. SM: How long did you guys live there? SS: Oh no, we never lived there. That's just where I was born. It's about 20 minutes from Levittown. SM: Did you live in Levittown your whole life then, or...? SS: Yep. My whole life. SM: OK...I know what your dad does (owns oil delivery business), but what about your mom? SS: She works as an engineering planner for Lockeed-Martin. SM: Steve, what is you current height and weight? SS: I am 5'10", and I weigh 196. SM: OK, so you have put on a little weight since you came to West Virginia. SS: Yes, I have. SM: That's definitely a good thing. Do you know what your 40 time is? SS: 4.36. SM: Wow, that's blazing! Was that a coach's time, or...? SS: Yea, that was our strength coach. SM: On grass, or...? SS: No, that was on turf. SM: So, who is faster....you or Patrick (White, WVU's QB)? SS: We are exactly the same. SM: Man, that is what you call a fast backfield. That has got to be the fastest combo in the NCAA. SS: I hope so. SM: Can you tell me how many reps you can do on the bench? SS: Umm....no, I'm not really sure. SM: What about your bench max, Steve? SS: I would say it's around 335. SM: What's your max in the power clean? SS: Well, I do 5 reps at 275...so...I would say around 315-325. SM: And your squat? SS: 525. SM: Wow! That's very good for a tailback. No wonder they can't take you down. SS: (laughing)...thank you. SM: Do you know what your vertical might be, Steve? SS: It's around 36". SM: OK...now, do you have any brothers or sisters? SS: I have 2 brothers and 3 sisters, but my oldest sister died. SM: Man, I am sorry to hear that...Can you tell me your brother's names? SS: My oldest brother Carl, Junior is around 32...I'm not really sure. My brother Charles Tiggett is 26. SM: And your sisters? SS: LaShanda McClain is over 30, and so is my sister Carla Brown. SM: So you are the baby of the family, huh? SS: Yes sir. SM: Were you spoiled? SS: (lauighing) I don't know, maybe a little...Charles and LaShanda were still around the house when I was little... SM: Well, when did you first start playing organized football? SS: Um...it was in 1994. SM: So you were like 8 years old? SS: Uh huh. SM: And, was that like a Pop Warner League, or...? SS: Yes, it was like Pop Warner. SM: And what position did they put you at that first year, Steve? SS: Running back. SM: So, you have always been a running back your whole life? SS: Yes, that's right. SM: Did you play any defense when you were little? SS: Yes sir, I played some safety, and linebacker...I also played a little corner. SM: How many years did you play in that league, Steve...all the way up until...? SS: All the way until high school. SM: So about 6 years then, right? SS: Yea, that'd be about right. SM: I know you went to parochial school, but what was the name of your high school? SS: I went to Catholic school, yes...it was Conwelly Egan Catholic. SM: How big a school was that? SS: I'm not sure, really. SM: Well, did they have just one division in the Catholic league, or did they break it down by size of the school? SS: They had a red division and a blue division in the Philadelphia Catholic League...I'm not sure, but I think that was based on size. SM: Well, was your school in the bigger division, or. SS: Well, I think we had about 600 students...so... SM: In you whole school? SS: Oh no, in my class...I think, but I'm not too sure... SM: That's OK, Steve. I just wanted a rough idea anyway...so, when you got to yoru freshman year, did they have a freshman team, or were you on JV, or...? SS: I started out splitting time with the JV and the varsity. But then, I started during the 3rd game of that year, and I started on offense ever since. SM: Strictly as a halfback? SS: Yes. SM: So you were full varsity from your sophomore year on? SS: Yes. SM: Did you play any defense as a sophomore? SS: No, not that year. SM: But you played some the next two years? SS: Yes. I played either free safety or strong safety during both my junior year and my senior year. SM: So you started both way for two years? SS: Yes. SM: Now, I know you were named first team all-state as a running back for both your junior and senior seasons, but did you ever get any recognition like that for your defense? SS: Yes...I was named second team all-state on defense my senior year. SM: Now, I would assume that with you and Pat back that you guys are probably not going to change your offensive scheme very much this fall. Am I right? SS: Yes, that's basically true, but; I may be splitting out some more. Catching more passes... SM: Do you have any big-name recruits coming in at running back? I mean, are there any freshman that might make an impact? SS: Yes, we got Noel Devine. SM: Oh, that's right. So they are going to find ways to have all three of you guys on the field together then, huh? SS: Yes. I am sure we will. SM: Man, talk about explosive. Your offense is going to be unbelievable...Have you seen any preseason publications yet? Where are they ranking you guys? SS: I saw Lindy's already. They rank us 4th. SM: Man, that always seems to be the way. You guys never seem to get much respect. I remember two years ago when everyone was saying you had no chance to beat Georgia in that bowl game, and then...well....Do you use that as motivation? SS: Yea, we do. I mean it always makes us try even harder. And then, if we have a bad game or something, it doesn't hurt quite as bad either. SM: I saw you played in the Big 33 game after high school. How did that go? SS: Well, I was invited, but actually didn't get to play. I started taking summer classes at West Virginia right after I graduated, and they had just changed the rule so that if you were already enrolled in college you couldn't play. SM: Oh, that's a shame. What year did you actually graduate? SS: Ummm...I'm not sure. SM: Well, did you ever redshirt at West Virginia? SS: No...that's right...it was 2004. SM: So that means you are a true junior now, right? SS: Yea, that's right. SM: I know you were Big East rookie of the year in '05, so I am assuming you wer first-team all Big-East last year, right? SS: Yes, that's right. SM: And were you first-team all-American. SS: Yes. SM: You and McFadden (Arkansas running back) probably? SS: Yes. SM: OK...Steve, I know what I would say, but what do you see as being some of your unique strengths as a collegeiate running back. SS: Well, just...I would say that I am deceptively strong, and deceptively fast. SM: I was going to talk about your moves. I mean, one deak and your gone if you get a crease...What about something you are working to improve on? SS: My blocking. I want to be able to take on bigger rushers and do a better job of protecting the quarterback. I am also looking forward to learning and running more routes...looking to create mismatches... SM: How important is football overall to you, Steve? SS: Oh man, well...I mean it's very important. I've been doing it for so long, and I have had so much fun with it. It's definitely a part of me. SM: Is there anything more important? SS: Well, #1 is my family of course...Or, I should say God is always #1, but then famil and football. SM: Are your parents devout Catholics? SS: No, my folks are Baptist. SM: What about you then, are you Catholic or Baptist? SS: Well, I'm not really either. I just call myself a Christian. SM: Amen to that, brother....Are you one of these guys who sets personal goals for himself coming into a season? SS: Not really. I alwasy just want to win and be more productive. I want to continue to work on things from game to game, and always try to get better. SM: Sort of like the Patriots have always said..."one game at a time." SS: Yes. SM: Has the team talked about their expectations for this fall yet?...or does that come a bit later? SS: That comes later really. SM: OK...now I see your listed as an Athletic Coaching major. Is that still the case? SS: Yes. SM: What is your overall GPA? SS: It's somewhere around 2.5 or 2.6. SM: Very good. And, what is your backup plan in the even that you get hit by a bus tomorrow and can't play football? SS: Well, I would probably work with my dad in his oil business...well, actually of course I would get my degree first... SM: So, coaching wouldn't be your #1 option? SS: Oh, I'd love to coach too. SM: High school or college, or...? SS: I'd be perfectly happy to start at the high school level and work my way from there. SM: Well, Steve, it's been a pleasure man. I really appreciate your time and I wish you guys all the best this fall. SS: Thank you very much. |