Sure, I had my share of fun in the off-season at Club G, but once the fall of 2008 came rolling around, that meant training camp for sophomore year of football was here and I was a man on a mission. I was proud of what I had accomplished as a freshman, where my 18.8 yards average per reception led the team and I set a school tight end record with 525 total yards receiving. Being named to the Sporting News freshman all-American team, the Rivals.com freshman all-American team, the Sporting News freshman Pac-10 team, and the All-Pac-10 honorable mention team was nice bragging rights, but I wasn’t happy with my year. I wanted to show my parents, my brothers, and my friends that I was the best. It wasn’t about me trying to prove my doubters wrong. It was all about me proving my people right. My people also included my training coach Demeris Johnson.
When I was in the eighth grade, my dad wanted us to get more serious about our potential. My dad’s goal was for all of us to get scholarships, but for me he had special plans. My dad had heard that Demeris Johnson was a good trainer, and he had just finished playing in the NFL. Demeris played wide receiver for three years with the Dolphins from 1993 through 1996, and then spent a year with the Buffalo Bills. Demeris was new in town and had been a professional trainer for about a year when my dad went to one of his training sessions at a nearby high school that let him use their facilities. My dad was very impressed with the session and knew right away that Demeris was the real deal as a trainer.
At the time, Gord was away at school in Florida at Jacksonville University on a baseball scholarship. Dan was a senior in high school, Chris was a junior, and I was in eighth grade. My dad told Demeris that he wanted him to train Dan and Chris so they would get football scholarships. He then introduced me to Demeris and asked him if he could make me the number-one tight end recruit in the country. Demeris looked at me and said to my dad with dead-serious intensity, “I can do that.”
Demeris then turned to me and asked me, “Are you willing to commit right here and now to work superhard for the next four years to become that number-one recruit?” I was ready to work and had wanted to be the best even before I walked in the door. My dad had instilled in the four of us to compete with one another, to go all-out to win, to work hard, to be the best and never give up. But just as important, we pushed each other, we rooted for each other; there was never any jealousy or animosity. We were family and knew what that meant, but we still wanted to beat the hell out of each other every chance we could get.
We had that mind-set before we met Demeris, but Demeris helped take it to the next level. He and my dad sat down that day and put together a four-year plan with speed and agility training to make me that number-one recruit. We followed that plan from start to finish. About eight weeks into eighth grade, my oldest brother, Gord, came up from Jacksonville to visit with us. When we told Gord how tough our workout regimen was he laughed it off, saying he could handle it, no problem.
Gord wasn’t laughing after long. In fact, he started puking after we had run six of the 400-yard sprints. The workout was a Monday workout, which was always the toughest. When we first started, Demeris would have us run four 400-yard sprints where we had to make it in 1:15 for each sprint. So we had eight weeks of training where we gradually increased our 400-yard sprints from a set of four to a set of eight. Gord handled the first four, but couldn’t make the time on the fifth and on the sixth; he was hanging over the side of a waist-high fence puking his guts out. He then collapsed onto his back. We started razzing Gord and got him good. We dunked a Gatorade bucket of ice water on him and laughed at him uncontrollably. He told us he would get up and finish, while we hysterically teased him. To Gord’s credit, he did get up and ran the full set of eight and somehow finished. From that point on we all had the utmost respect for Demeris’s workouts because they did nothing but get tougher and tougher on us. And by the way, I became that number-one high school tight end recruit thanks in no small part to our training from Demeris.
But it was those expectations from early on and that kind of support I had from my family and friends that made me set the highest expectations for myself. I was cocky about my abilities but not arrogant toward others; there’s a difference. I wanted to be the best tight end in college football and believed that I could be that guy. It wasn’t about me being better than anyone else; it was about me being my best. And even though I did some good things my freshman year, it was too much of a roller-coaster ride of ups and downs. I had some games where was I absolutely dominant and then others where I wasn’t a factor at all. The inconsistency was what bothered me. The way I saw it, inconsistent results come from inconsistent training, so I knew from growing up in my house that there’s only one way to get better—work harder.
I worked at becoming a better blocker and route runner. I knew if I wanted the ball more in games, I would have to convince my coaches by having great practices. So now I was nineteen and had a full year of Arizona under my belt. I was much more confident because I understood so much more about playing college football. I realized that the intensity I had in practice, in the weight room, and everywhere else would carry over to the game.
Chris and I were in the training room every day that summer. We worked as hard or harder than anyone else on the team, lifting weights and then running. I wanted to get my body ready for the grind of a long season and knew what it would take. Having Chris as my workout partner was awesome. Every day was a fun competition in the gym with Chris, where we were talking smack and getting amped over who was stronger, who could lift more, who had bigger muscles or the better six-pack. Chris made everything fun and we were always joking around and having a good time while busting our butts. We had challenges over who could bench-press more, curl more, squat more, dead-lift more, and everything else you could lift in the gym. It was extremely productive; we were gym rats.
When I wasn’t in the gym with Chris, I was working on running routes. Sometimes I would run routes against my teammates and other times I would run them on air (by myself with the quarterback throwing me the ball). Having that full spring practice under my belt was huge for me. I learned to appreciate the value of running seven-on-sevens, which is offense versus defense but without the offensive or defensive lines. In seven-on-sevens, you really get to work on your route running and it challenges you to run them precisely, since otherwise you won’t get open.
Having a whole off-season to practice working on my routes, to watch game film, to get faster and stronger, made a huge difference in my confidence. A confident player is a dominant player. A scared player is a defeated player. The more prepared you are, the more confident you are. The more confident you are, the more fearless you are. The more fearless you are, the more focused and precise your actions will be. The more precise your entire body movement is, the greater your speed and separation will be. Precision is everything because wasted motions only slow you down. Learning all these technical details is what makes the difference between being trained versus untrained. And the trained talented athlete will always beat the untrained talented athlete. Doing all this over and over again made a world of difference for my confidence and I could not have been more ready for the start of training camp my sophomore year.
I got up at 5:15 a.m. every day to eat breakfast and be on the field ready for the 6:15 a.m. practice and then on to 9 a.m. classes. Since practice was so early, it wasn’t overly hot, which we all appreciated. There was no partying, no drinking, no nothing but football. I was off to my best start, and then out of the blue I got hit with mono, which was devastating for me. Only two weeks away from the start of the season and I was out of commission. I couldn’t understand how I got it, because I did everything I was supposed to do. I wasn’t partying; I was working out, getting my sleep, eating right, doing all the right things. It was just a bad break and I had no choice but to roll with the punches. Those first three weeks of being sick, my throat was killing me, I had no energy, I was weak, I lost weight, and I was sleepy all the time. I was sleeping eighteen hours a day, in fact. That might sound appealing but it wasn’t.
I watched that first game up in the press box with the coaches. It was a home game and we beat Idaho 70–0. The reality of watching my teammates play and seeing the football world move on without me was agonizing. After all the hard work I had put in during the off-season, to get in the best shape of my life and then miss that first game was a miserable experience. I wanted to be out there with my teammates and be part of the win and the celebrating, not up in the press box, far from the action.
However, it was a different perspective seeing the game from up high instead of down on the field. I could see the play develop, see the designed openings and the overall big picture of why offensive plays were called and worked. It gave me an improved understanding of what coaches look for and see. Still, it hurt bad to miss it.
At least I could start practicing after the first game and the aches, pains, weakness, fatigue, and all that started going away. I gained back whatever weight I had lost and my body recovered quickly.
Although I worked hard and got a lot better that week of practice, the doctor wouldn’t clear me because my spleen was still expanded from the mono. The doctor told me if I took a hit while my spleen was still expanded, it would be vulnerable and could easily pop. If that happened, he told me, it could end my career. So once again, I had to miss the game, but we won at home again versus Toledo, 41–16. I watched this game on the sidelines, which was more fun since I could at least be with my teammates.
That third week, I got my strength and endurance back up to where I wanted it, but the doctor said I needed to take off one more game to let the swelling in my spleen go down. I traveled with the team but felt helpless and pissed off since I could only stand on the sideline and watch my teammates lose at New Mexico 36–28. We should have won that game and I should have been out there to help them do that. Whether it was my fault or not, I felt like I had let the team down because I wasn’t out there. I don’t like to make excuses, and the bottom line was that I wasn’t there to help my teammates. I hated not being there to fight alongside Chris and my teammates but I had to let my spleen settle down.
Finally, I was cleared to play and was like a starving lion let out of a cage after being teased with a steak in front of him for weeks. I couldn’t wait to suit up, put the helmet on, run onto the field, hear the roar of the crowd, and get insane.
We were on the road against UCLA. The crowd was loud and although I was far from being one hundred percent, my adrenaline helped make up the difference. I spent the first quarter blocking and getting comfortable, but no passes came my way. At the start of the second quarter, we were down 3–7, but we had the ball and were driving. With the ball at the UCLA 22-yard line, the coach called a play where I run a flag route (same as a corner route). That was my favorite route because I knew the ball was going to come to me if I got open and I knew I could get open all the time on it.
Every time that route is called for me, I’m expecting the ball, and this time was no different. The flag (or corner) route is designed for me to run straight downfield for ten yards, throw a fake head move, and stutter-step inside, but instead break outside heading on a 45-degree angle toward the pylon at the goal line.
When I left the huddle, I was excited but focused. As I lined up, I ran the route in my head, envisioning what I had to do. Willie snapped the ball and I took off. I made my fake move to sell the route and then broke for the pylon at the end zone. I got separation and saw the ball coming my way. I wasn’t scared or nervous. I didn’t have the jitters. I was just focused and caught it like I had done a million times before in practice. I made the play, scored the touchdown on my first pass, and we took the lead, 10–7. I felt so relieved and happy to put everything behind me and be back to playing ball.
Later in the fourth quarter, I caught a four-yard touchdown to give us a big lead and we won the game 31–10. I had three catches for 32 yards, which isn’t much, but two of those catches were for touchdowns. I couldn’t have been happier. I had just a few weeks to get my wind back and my feet under me and it was tough going, but I got through it and we won. I was exhausted when we got home but had to celebrate at Club G with my boys later that night.
To me, life doesn’t get any better. I was playing the game I love, my brother was my teammate, we won the game, and now it was time to celebrate. I couldn’t have been any happier . . . until the next week.
Playing my first home game of the season had me fired up. The University of Washington Huskies were coming into our backyard and I was ready. Having that extra week of practice really helped me recover and get back to where I was before getting sick. It was a night game and I made it one of the best nights of my life. I matched a school record, catching three touchdowns, and I had five catches for 109 yards and we won 48–14. The first touchdown was a screen pass where my offensive coordinator thought the defense would blitz and they did. It was a great call. I caught a short screen, made a move to break a tackle, and then sprinted in to take it to the house.
Then in the second quarter, we had the ball at Washington’s nine-yard line and Willie threw me a short pass over the middle. I hung on to the ball and had to take three hits but fought my way into the end zone. The crowd went wild! From there we just kept rolling and won 48–14.
Next up was Stanford, on the road. We should have won that game, but we didn’t. We lost a close one and for whatever reason, I wasn’t a factor. I had only two catches for 30 yards and no touchdowns. It was frustrating but all I could do about it was have a good week of practice and get ready for 25th-ranked California back on our home turf.
I had a bad taste in my mouth all week and the only way to get rid of it was to beat a better team (than Stanford) in our backyard. Cal was a tough team; they came to play and were up at halftime 24–14. I had a few catches in the first half but no monster plays. We took the lead in the third quarter, capitalizing on a pick six (interception returned for a touchdown), and were up 35–27 late in the third. On second and seven at the Cal 35-yard line, Coach called the play for me to run a seam route up the middle, full speed. It was a nice throw over the middle and I caught the ball, making the play over the safety. We got the W, beating Cal 42–27. I had 6 catches for 91 yards and it was a sweet win.
What’s great about winning is it takes away all the pain from last week’s loss. Our record was 5-2 and we were having a strong season with a real chance for a bowl game. We had sixth-ranked USC next and that was a real test for us. They had an NFL-caliber roster on defense and unfortunately we couldn’t get anything going on offense. I was frustrated the whole game. They played well together and had a good game plan. I had only two catches for 12 yards and didn’t score. Tough loss for us at home, 17–10, to a good team.
The only positive thing about losing a game in the middle of the season is that you get to play again next week to make it right with a win. We had to go on the road to match up against Washington State.
Having only two catches versus USC made me very hungry to get the ball against Washington State. We didn’t throw the ball much in the first quarter and did a lot of running, which was working because we were moving the ball. Toward the end of the first quarter, we had the ball at Washington State’s 43-yard line. The score was tied and it was a critical third down because we didn’t want to punt. We wanted to drive down and score and needed one more first down to get into field goal range. I was frustrated because it was our third drive and I wanted to make plays and help take the game over. With about a minute left in the first quarter, I finally got my shot.
Willie threw me a short pass and I was determined to take it all the way for a 43-yard score. I made guys miss and ran threw the defenders to score the touchdown and take the lead. From there, we never looked back and kept scoring until we won, 59–28. I had a total of four catches for 83 yards, which was solid, but the key is we won and got back on track for getting into a bowl game.
Up next was another game on the road, this time against Oregon, a talented team. We lost that game 55–45 but it was a great game. We were down 45–17 in the first half. The only good part about the first half was that Chris scored on a 37-yard touchdown catch. In the second half, we caught fire and came back to within three points, down 45–48 late in the fourth. That stadium atmosphere was crazy. The students were going wild and the crowd was right on top of you. It was awesome football on both sides of the ball.
Something happened in that second half where I just felt invincible, like I could do anything. I was breaking tackles, running through hits, making crazy catches, throwing guys around with my blocking, and getting open. It’s the greatest feeling when you feel so confident, so strong, so fast, so quick, and so explosive that no one can stop you. I felt like I could take on the whole defense. I was in the zone, using spin moves, making people miss, running over people. I was matching up against really good players like Jairus Byrd and Patrick Chung. We had the ball late in the fourth at mid-field and we went for it on fourth and three. We didn’t convert and never got back in the game. It hurt bad to lose that game. To come back from so far and come so close was brutal, but we played well as a team together that second half. If we had won, that would have been my all-time favorite college game, but we didn’t. I wound up with 12 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown, and it was great, until time ran out and we didn’t get the W. I won the John Mackey National Tight End of the Week award, but since it was off a loss, I couldn’t really enjoy it.
I thought after playing such a good second half against Oregon that we would pick up where we left off and get off to a good start in our next game, but I thought wrong. We were home versus 21st-ranked Oregon State. I had only three catches for 50 yards and a touchdown. We lost 19–17. It was really frustrating to be so inconsistent, where one game our offense was clicking and we were scoring points and then another game we weren’t.
The whole season came down to playing our archrival, Arizona State. This year we matched up against them on our home turf. They had beaten us the year before in the final game of the season and we wanted revenge. There was a lot on the line. If we beat them we would get to go to a bowl game for the first time in ten years, which was huge for our school and fans. This time we were fired up and showed up. I scored on a 17-yard touchdown pass and we led 7–0 toward the end of the first. It was a seam route toward the left side of the field. I knew I had to get open and that if the ball came my way I would score. I got open, it came my way, I made a nice catch, hung on to it, and fell down in the end zone. I wound up with six catches for 95 yards and it was a great win. To beat our archrival, to do it at home and with the win get the invitation to play in a bowl game, which hadn’t happened for ten years, was the ultimate way to close out the regular season. Now it was on to the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl.
I know what you are thinking. Me in Vegas for a football game means I was going to have some fun. Well, it didn’t happen. We were way too busy and football was the only thing on my mind. I was nineteen and didn’t know anything about Vegas but I knew I’d be back, and I was right (I’ll get into that later).
For now, we had a monster game to play versus 25th-ranked BYU and I was all business. We played well as a team and it wasn’t one of my best games (4 catches for 27 yards, no TDs) but with a great week of practice we got the win, 31–21, and that was the bottom line. It was a winning year for us to finish 8-5. To close the season with a bowl game win for our fans was a great feeling. Chris had a big game.
Overall, the 2008 season was a step in the right direction. My stats for the year were 47 for 672 and 10 TDs. Five of my touchdowns came in the first two games back after being sick. I had some really good games where I was dominant but I was not dominant in every game, I was not consistent the way I wanted to be. My junior year was coming up and I wanted to break all the records and be the best ever. I had to make it happen.