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Steve Martin interviews Antoine Cason
Interviewed on: Thursday, September 28th, 2006 Steve Martin: Hey Antoine, is this a good time to get an interview with you? Antoine Cason: Yes, this is alright, but you're phone is breaking up on me... SM: OK, I'll call you right back. AC: OK. SM: (Break to redial) Is this better? AC: Yes, that's a lot better. SM: OK, I just interviewed Wilrey (Fontenot) last night and he was kind enough to give me your number, so... AC: Oh, OK...that's cool. SM: I read up on you on the website and I really like your game. I just want to start by having you tell me what is a really accurate height and weight for you. AC: OK. I am 6' even and I weigh 186 pounds. SM: And what is a good safe forty time I can put down for you that you know you can beat at a pro day or the Combine. AC: I run in the 4.4s, so I would say let's put 4.47. SM: OK. And do you know how many reps you can do at 225? AC: 18. SM: Do you guys ever max on the bench or the power clean, or squat? AC: No. We workout in all those, but we don't max. SM: Do you know what your verticle is? AC: Yes, it's 39 inches. SM: OK....I see your dad (Wendell Cason)played for the Atlanta Falcons, but I don't remember what position he was. AC: He was also a corner. SM: Oh cool, so you might say you've got that in your blood, huh? AC: Yes, that's true. SM: Do your folks still work, or are they retired? AC: They both still work. My mom works in the housing office at Cal State-Long Beach, and my dad and his brother operate a trucking operation that contracts with the US Postal Service. SM: And I know you have a brother named Dione. Is he still at Washington State? AC: No, he's finished now. SM: What does Dione do? AC: Well right now he's just back at home doing a little of this and that, working some, but just trying to get his career going. He majored in computer science at WSU. SM: Do you have any other siblings? AC: Yes, I do. I have a younger sister named India who runs track for Long Beach Poly High. SM: When did you first start playing organized football, Antoine? AC: I was 8 years old when I started. SM: Was that Pop Warner? AC: Yes. SM: Where did they put you that first year? AC: Cornerback. And I played running back and quarterback on offense. SM: How long did you play Pop Warner? AC: All the way up until I was 13 and until I was a freshman in high school. SM: When you were a freshman at Los Alimitos did you play on the freshman team, or the JV team? AC: Actually I played freshman ball at Long Beach Poly. I transferred to Los Alamitos after my freshman year. I've always lived in Long Beach but I commuted to Los Alamitos after my freshman year. SM: Were you born in Long Beach? AC: Yes. SM: How far was that commute for you as a sophomore? AC: About 15 minutes. SM: What positions did you play as a sophomore? AC: Strictly cornerback. SM: So you have played cornerback all your life huh? AC: Yes, I did play both ways as a senior though. I was a running back on offense again my senior year. SM: How did you do as a running back? AC: I did well. I didn't start, but I would come in and give the other guys a break. I did well. SM: Do you remember any of your stats as a running back? AC: No, not really. SM: When did you first start hearing from recruiters? AC: It was in April or May of my junior year. I'll never forget it. Coach Riley had come down from Oregon State in person, and they actually called me out of class to meet with him. I hadn't even gotten any letters from anyone or anything at that point and he offered me a scholarship right on the spot. SM: Man, you must have been on Cloud Nine!? AC: I sure was, it was pretty incredible. SM: Did you go to any summer camps after that year? AC: Yes. I went to the Stanford Nike Camp and I also went to the USC individual camp. SM: So who else did you eventually get offers from? AC: Washington State, Oregon State and Arizona. SM: So were they the teams that made your short list? AC: No, I also liked Colorado a lot, but that was the period when they were having all those problems there. Cal talked to me quite a bit also. When it came down to it I had offers from three schools though: Oregon State, Washington and Arizona. SM: So how did Arizona win that competition? AC: Well Coach Stoops had just got the job here, so I knew it was going to be a stable situation to come into. Oregon State was really in the running too, but they had Brandon Browner already and they were telling me they would redshirt me. I really liked the idea of coming in and playing right away. I felt I had the ability to do that, and at Arizona that was wide open for me to do. Oregon State said all the right things, but in the end I just considered that a new coach looking to make his mark with new talent at Arizona was a better situation. It just seemed to fit for me. SM: So that means you are a true junior. You know this is kind of a weak year for corners, right?...you have a big decision ahead of you, right? AC: Yes, I do. If everything goes perfect I would come out, but things rarely go perfect. SM: When are you planning to graduate, Antoine? AC: Right now it is December of 2007. I onlt have two more semesters to go. SM: Well, I would always tell a guy to stay in school and get your degree, unless you absolutely had no other options. Like you say, things rarely do go perfectly, and you really need to have something to fall back on...So...tell me, what do you see as some of your unique strengths as a cornerback? AC: I think I have a knack for reading routes well. I have the midset to make the tackle no matter what, and I will sell out to do that. I move around pretty good for my size--quite a few people have told me that. I just turned 20, so I have room to grow and get better. SM: What about something specific you are still working on to get better at, Antoine? AC: Well, you are always trying to improve...good question...I would say my speed, my awareness...just continue to concentrate on sure tackling. SM: Where is football in your list of priorities? AC: Family--school--football.... SM: What were your personal goals coming into this season? AC: To complete all of the games. To play each game from start to finish. To get at least 7 interceptions... SM: How many do you have right now (Note: After four games)? AC: I've got two... SM: OK, so you are on pace to do that. AC: Yes...Also to make all of my tackles, and just to be a leader. This is my first year as a captain, so I really want to display my leadership. SM: Are you still a political science major? AC: Yes. SM: What is your current GPA? AC: Around a 2.8. SM: What would be your backup plan in case for whatever reason you were unable to play football as a career? AC: I would probably go and work with my father in his business. SM: But that really has little to do with your major? AC: True. I also have an interest in Real Estate...you could put that ahead of working for my father I suppose. I also have a minor in urban planning and regional development, so I do have an interest in that. I also have another minor in African-American studies. SM: Well, Antoine I am so pleased to have had this opportunity. It was cool to be able to interview you and Wilrey (Fontenot) on the same day. Look for that little article about the two of you now... AC: I will. Thank you for the opportunity. SM: You're very welcome. Good luck the rest of the way. We'll stay in touch. AC: Thank you. |