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Antwan Odom

Nickname: Twan
Birthday: 9-24-81
High School: Alma Bryant
HS Mascot: Hurricanes
HS Coach: Mark Lassiter
HS Position: DE
HS Number: 99
AL Number: 90
Official Visits: Alabama
Second Choice: FSU or Mississippi State
Host During Alabama Visit: Kenny King
Committed: 9-26-99

Q&A with Antwan Odom

TI: Even though you were highly recruited by several top programs, you committed early to Alabama. Why did you decide to commit so early?

AO: It was pretty simple. I knew that I wanted to be at Alabama from the get-go. At first I thought I was going to look around at a few schools, but I knew there was no doubt that I wanted to be at Alabama. I just decided that it would be best to go ahead and get it out of the way. I wanted to concentrate on my senior season.

TI: Once you committed, did other schools stop recruiting you?

AO: No. They all kept recruiting through the football season. But as time went on, most of them figured out that I was definitely going to Alabama.

TI: Was the recruiting process clean? Or were any schools negative about Alabama?

AO: There was one school that told me I would never play at Alabama. They said I would never have the grades to make it. That made me mad at first. But I took it as a challenge. It made me more determined to have a great career at Alabama.

TI: Speaking of grades, what is your academic status?

AO: Very good. My core is up to where it needs to be. I've got a 2.5 now. I took the ACT last week and I think I did very good on it. I'm expecting a 17. The last time I took it I made a 15.

TI: Talk about your reasons for choosing Alabama?

AO: It's where I've always wanted to go. Alabama is a real tight knit family. The players there are great guys. I became friends with Kenny King, Kenny Smith, Kindal Moorehead, Antonio Carter, Santonio Beard and Dennis Alexander. All of them talked to me a lot. They told me how they feel about Alabama. That made me comfortable with the program.

TI: What were your impressions of the Alabama coaching staff?

AO: Coach Cottrell recruited me and he's a great recruiter. He knows how to talk to young guys like me. He just made me feel comfortable. The thing I liked the most was that I could talk to him and he listened. He shot it to me straight too. I like that. I want to be at a school where I can trust the coaches.

TI: Are you friends with any of your fellow signees?

AO: Yes. The recruiting class is a close group already. I've talked to Anthony Bryant, Mac Tyler, Wesley Britt and Albert Means. Everyone is very excited about going to Alabama. We know that a lot of people expect great things from us. We don't want to disappoint them. We want to help Alabama win a national championship.

TI: Do the Alabama coaches expect you to play a lot next season?

AO: They say that I have a chance to play a lot at defensive end. They think I could start, or at least play as much as the starter. The main thing is that I can add speed rushing the quarterback. That's something the defense needs. I want to cause some problems for quarterbacks.

TI: Is your goal to be a starter next season?

AO: That's my main personal goal. I want to start, but if I don't, as long as I get to play and improve I'll be satisfied. Another goal is making the freshman All-American team.

TI: Are you already thinking about the first game next season against UCLA?

AO: I think about it all the time. I'll be excited.

TI: Will you be nervous?

AO: Nah, not at all. I get nervous about some things, but playing football isn't one of them. I never get nervous about a football game because I love to play. Playing is fun to me. I get excited, but I don't get nervous.

TI: What are you doing now to prepare yourself for next season?

AO: I start my summer workout program tomorrow [Monday, May 15]. I'll be lifting weights and running all summer. I want to add some weight before practice starts [in early August]. I need to get a little stronger too.

TI: Looking back to your high school career, what was your most memorable moment?

AO: Last year's game against Theodore. Theodore is a big rivalry game for us. We were losing 13-10 with about 30 seconds left when I caught a touchdown pass to win the game. I remember going up for the ball in the end zone. It went through the hands of a couple of the defensive backs and I somehow came down with it. I landed on the ball when I hit the ground and it knocked the air out of me. I didn't care though. I got up and started celebrating. It was a great feeling.

TI: You went up against Marcus White [Auburn signee] in the game. How did that go?

AO: He blocked on me most of the night. But he never really blocked me. He was always trying to cut me at my knees. He was rolling on the ground most of the night.

TI: Depending on whether he plays offense or defense in college, you might get to go against him again.

AO: Yeah, that's possible. I'll be looking forward to that.