Wake's Smith chats with Anthony
Wake Forest redshirt sen
ior cornerback Alphonso
Smith is probably the most
humble superstar I've ever
met.
He's definitely one of the
best defensive backs in col
lege football this year. But
he works as if he's got some
thing to prove each game,
and doesn't say much about
himself ? despite his flam
boyant style of play on' "the
football field. Halloween
was last week, but Alphonso
seemingly plays the part of
Clark Kent everyday. That is
until he puts his cape on
before games on Saturdays.
I say that because he's so
chill and unassuming off the
field. I caught up with my
favorite college defensive
back earlier this week to talk
about his new school record
for interceptions, the NFL
Draft, Allen Iverson being
traded, the Texas Longhorn
DBs and a few other things.
Take a look at some of
the other things A. Smith
and I rapped about during a
fun interview earlier this
week.
Anthony: What's up, A?
Alphonso: What's up''
Anthony: (Smiles.)
ney, big game on Saturday
Two picks. The Jast on'e
sealed the victory. What are
your thoughts after having a
game like that, man?
Alphonso: (Smiles.) It's
just refreshing because that
was kind of a make or break
game (against Duke). You
know. We needed that win in
the worst way. It was great
to come out on the winning
end. Ya know.
Anthony: No doubt.
Alphonso: (Smiles.) We
have to put that win behind
us now, though.
Anthony: OK. (Smiles.)
Hey, I have new adjective to
describe your play on the
field.
Alphonso: Oh yeah.
What's that?
Anthony: I'm going to
start calling you Swae
Tastic.
Alphonso: (Laughs.)
That's hot. I like that.
Anthony: (Laughs.)
You ve got the most swag
out of any guy in college
football right now.
Alphonso: (Smiles.)
That s hot. I mean, I'm just
going out there to have fun.
I try to relish the moment
that God has blessed me
with. Every chance I get I'm
gonna have fun. I only have
an hour to play football
each week.
Anthony: How does it
feel to be the university's
all-time leader in intercep
tions?
Alphonso: It feels great.
After the game, I said that I
had to call E. King (Eric
King) while I was on the
Stan Cotton Show. It feels
great. It s a great accom
plishment. I'm very thankful
of coach Grobe, Dean Hood.
Brad Lambert, coach
Billings, my parents and
God. I'm very appreciative
of the opportunity they gave
me.
Anthony: What goes
through your mind before
each passing play? I mean,
are you thinking, "They bet
ter not throw it my way. I'm
gonna pick this or I gotta get
a pick." I mean, what are
you thinking out there?
Alphonso: (Laughs.)
Uh, what's going through
my mind is: "If they throw it
this way I'm gonna make a
play." What's really going
through my mind is trying to
be the best player that I can
be. ?
If I have an opportunity
to make a play then I'll
make it. I didn't do that dur
ing the Miami week. And, I
was real upset with myself. I
came back in practice to
work on my catching. I just
think about having fun, and
doing me.
Anthony: Are you the
best defensive back in col
lege football this year?
Alphonso: No, I'm not.
Anthony: What?
Alphonso: I'm not.
There's 100 defensive backs
better than me. But I am the
best receiver on defense,
though. Defensive backs are
the guys thai just play
Photo by Charlie Pfaff
Wake redshirt senior cornerback Alphonso Smith became
the school's all-time interception leader after finishing with
two picks over the weekend.
One-on-One
with Anthony Hill
Smith
defense. I make plays.
Anthony: (Both laugh.)
I like that. How many picks
have you taken to the house?
Alphonso: I don't know.
Maybe four.
Anthony: Have you
looked at any of the mock
NFL Drafts to see where you
might go?
Alphonso: Uh, no. I
don't pay attention to that.
I'm just thinking about my
senior season. You can't get
drafted if you don't have a
good senior season.
Everything else will take
care of itself.
Anthony: Well, how has
your senior season been
going for you?
Alphonso: It's been all
right. It hasn't been as good
as I anticipated. I anticipated
an undefeated season right
now. I set my goals pretty
high in the off season. The
entire team set high goals.
We still have four more
games. So, we still have a
chance at having a great sea
ertn
Anthony: Definitely.
The ACC race is so close.
Do you look at what other
teams need to do before each
game to put you guys in a
better position, or do you
simply worry about Wake?
Alphonso: I just think
about that game. Like, once
you start thinking about
other things you lose your
focus. Coach Grobe always
tells us that we can only
worry about us.
For instance, going into
this game on Saturday I'm
not worried about what
Florida State or Maryland
does. I'm only worried
about what Wake Forest
does.
Anthony: OK. What
else is going on with you?
Alphonso: Um, just
school and football. I just
did pretty good on a test.
(Smiles.) I also just got an
extension on a paper. I'm
pretty happy about that. As
you can probably tell, I'm
all jittery.
Anthony: (Smiles.)
Have you watched any
SportsCenter today?
Alphonso: Uh, no. I
have not. What's new?
Anthony: Allen Iverson
is getting traded to the
Detroit Pistons for Chauncy
Billups and two other play
ers.
Alphonso: (Laughs.)
Yeah right.
Anthony: I'm serious.
Alphonso: Wow. I
missed that. I've been doing
work all day. I woke up at 7
a.m. for meetings. I've been
in the Miller Center all day.
Anthony: What are some
of the nicknames guys on
the team call you?
Alphonso: Zoe. Zoe
pound. No more Prime
Time. They couldn't call me
that anymore because there's
too many people adopting
that name. So I did away
with that.
Anthony: OK. If you
could go head-up with any
one in college football who
would it be?
Alphonso: (Michael)
Crabtree. I'd love to go
against him.
Anthony: That would
be nice. Did you watch him
in the last play of that Texas
Tech/ Texas game?
Alphonso: Yup. I did
see that.
Anthony: Could you
believe that? What were
those Texas DBs thinking?
Alphonso: (Laughs.)
That toas crazy. I don't
know.
Anthony: Let me go
back to the Navy loss. Did it
kind of feel like the season
was going downhill after
losing to them?
Alphonso: No. Coming
into the season we knew
they were gonna be tough.
A.C. (Aaron Curry) made
the comment that this was
going to be our toughest
game. He pointed at Navy
and everyone was like,
"What?" He said if we lose
one it's gonna be that one.
He was telling us not to take
them lightly all week.
(Smiles.) I mean, he was
right. We still think about
that game.
Anthony: If you could
change anything about your
self what would it be?
Alphonso: I'd probably
make myself about 6-8 so I
could play basketball
instead.
Anthony: (Both laugh.)
OK. Let's finish with free
association. You know what
that is.
Alphonso: (Smiles.)
Right.
Anthony: Chip Vaughn.
Alphonso: Beast.
Anthony: Wake Forest.
Alphonso: Greatest
opportunity I've ever had in
my life.
Anthony: Alphonso
Smith.
Alphonso: (Giggles.)
Swag-Tastic.
Anthony: (Smiles.)
Number two.
Alphonso: Deion.
Anthony: Winston
Salem.
Alphonso: Tre-4.
Anthony: Florida Boy.
Alphonso: (Smiles.)
Swag.
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