Twice as Nice

Ashley Williamson

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They are senior cornerbacks Rico Epps and Tedaro France, true CMU student athletes.

“They are both great attributes to the program. They are the kind of people that break the typical stereotype of the football player. They are the true essence of a student athlete,” said Defensive Coordinator John Milligan.

Full of experience and leadership the defensive captains are the only two senior starters in the defensive backfield.

“For the most part they are the only seniors that are playing on defense. They provide experience to the young guys on how to handle themselves during pregame and during the game,” Milligan said.

Their leadership roles extend off of the field of play.

“The people that they are ables them to be role models for freshman and sophomores. Not only on the field but off the field. They teach them how to live the lifestyle of a champion,” Milligan said. “They tell them what to do when they are done with football for the day. How to eat right, take care of business in the classroom and how to take care of themselves and that is what they do best.”

They both are true student athletes balancing football and academics.

“I balance it because I have too. You can’t get away with just being a football player or just being a student. That is the meaning of a student athlete, with athlete second,” Epps said.

Four year starter:

His coach describes Tedaro France as experienced and reliable.

With a 3.27 cumulative grade point average, France is able to balance family, school and football, with the help of his wife.

“I have a wife and a son, so its even harder to balance that. My wife helps me out a lot by helping me get some stuff off from my shoulders. My teammates, and my coaches also help me out. We are all family and if any of us are down we help each back up,” France said.

France has been a four-year starter for the team, including a second team All-MAC recognition to his name, that coming in his redshirt freshman year.

“I think they are realistic. If you don’t set high expectations for someone who has been a four-year starter, who has conference mention, who has gotten a lot of media attention, and that is a senior and a captain. If you don’t set high expectations how are they going to play,” DeBord said.

“I think he welcomes that. He is a competitor, a fighter and if you don’t give him that I don’t think it would be fair to him.”

France expects himself to step up when the team needs him.

“I am a senior and I have been a four-year starter so my coaches look for me to go out and make the plays,” France said. “ I am a leader and a captain I have to go and make big plays and lead by example.”

Defensive backfield coach Curt Mallory said that France leads quietly.

“Tedaro his is quiet but he is reliable he leads by example. He is not as vocal, but guys can count on him to make the big play,” he said.

France week-in-week-out goes against opponents’ top receivers.

“Tedaro is a gifted athlete his strong points are his coverage and he has the ability to be matched him against the opposing team's best receiver. He is our true cover cornerback,” Milligan said.

A true football player is always willing to learn.

“Tedaro has played a lot of football. He is always willing to learn. He has practiced very well that last few weeks and in return has played the way he has practiced,” Mallory said.

France had an interception in the Chippewas’ last game against Buffalo. It was his 10th career.

“He is a good athlete. He knows what kind of position to get into with a receiver he is hardly ever in the wrong position,” DeBord said. “People know about Tedaro France and they are going to try to go work on somebody else our defense. He is a competitor. You know you are going to get his best.”

Epps in two words describes France simple as “super-man.” While France describes himself simply as a “hardworker.”

After he graduates he plans on coaching in high school. And when he leaves CMU he wants to be remembered as a leader.

“A leader is a person who worked hard and gave it his all,” France said.

The New-Comer

“Rico has been put into a tough situation. He moved to corner this season, a position he hadn't played much of. He had played more of a safety position. It has been a big transition for him but he is still working hard and still working to get better,” Milligan said.

A walk on to the CMU football team Epps has worked hard for everything he has earned.

“He is going to battle, fight and be aggressive. It might not look pretty or be on a clinic tape but when it is all said and done he is going to get the job done,” Milligan said.

Shortstuff as France calls him is listed as 5’10.”

“Rico’s strong attribute is his ability to battle against receivers that he gives four-to-five inches to and who knows how many pounds, but he believes in himself. He believes that there is not one person he can’t defend,” Milligan said.

All of his coaches say that Epps is a hard worker.

“Rico is one of the hardest workers on the team. Football is very important to him. He comes out to play and guys can expect his best effort every day,” Mallory said.

Changing positions for Epps has been difficult but he is adjusting well.

“I think I am getting the hang of it. I think I am getting more experience, sometimes I think I am getting better and some other times I am not. I still have to get better at making open field tackles,” Epps said. “As far as covering I don’t think I have any problems with that. Tedaro is going to be the one covering the best wideouts and I am happy covering the second best.

You are out there on the island and you have to make open field tackles and cover receivers and deep balls. Its hard to be out there on the island,” Epps said.

But it does take time to adjust.

“Rico has switched positions, and is still learning , but yet he’s still been as good as a leader as you could want. He does a great job of leading by example,” DeBord said. “Well he is continuing to learn,” DeBord said. “That is him, he gives everything he has week in and week out. On every play he is going to give you his very best effort.”

Confidence in himself has abled Epps to keep working hard, play after play.

“Rico has great confidence in himself. You are going to get burnt at corner. There has never been a corner who wasn’t burnt. And to get burnt you have to have great confidence to comeback and play, and Rico has it,” DeBord said.

Epps uses his heart to play bigger than he is.

“Rico is a vocal leader. He is very emotional he gets into the games by yelling and screaming. He also leads by example. He is a hard worker and not many people out work him,” Mallory said.

“This carries over to the younger guys. Rico is very unselfish. When Rico is out of the game and his back-up Josh Skeel is in the game Rico is the loudest guy cheering for him.”

He is able to lead by example by using skills that he learned playing as a safety.

“Mental toughness I don’t care how big, how fast. I think it is just mental toughness I go into each game like I can’t be beat. I don’t care tall, faster, stronger. I have to go and fight, not just to fight but fight to win,” Epps said. “I played safety for two years. I bring the mentality to the position. I just play with heart, I have to get in or make the tackle, I just have to play relentless.”

Mallory believes that Epps plays physical using his 180 pounds to his advantage.

“Rico’s stature is he is not real tall but he plays real physical. While Tedaro has more speed and is able to close a little better,” Mallory said.

He describes Rico as a hardworker, and unselfish. While Epps says he uses his “mental toughness,” to get him to where he wants to be.

“I didn’t just get the scholarship by just sitting back, I had to go out and make plays dedicate myself to special teams. When I dedicated myself to special teams that is when I knew I could be a defensive player,” Epps said.

When Epps leaves he wants to be remembered as a hard worker.

“I want to be remembered as a guy who worked hard and a guy who helped his team through good and bad, a leader,” A guy who didn’t take any shortcuts. That worked hard to win games, he didn’t take the easy way out,” Epps said.

After college Epps wants to coach.

“I see myself somewhere in Division I coaching football. That is what I do after I graduate. I see myself with a family and two kids,” Epps said.

Teamwork:

France and Epps help each other on and off the field.

“Tedaro has played a lot of football he brings more experience. He can help Rico, and Rico can help Tedaro, they do such a good job of helping each other,” Mallory said.

They learned how to work hard and help each other with the Chippewas that monitored them.

“I think it goes with, over the years we have seen a lot of guys go out without a championship, without a winning season. Those guys were the ones that helped us become hard working. Hard work and dedication wins championships,” Epps said.

Dedication means even after school is out.

“Not just during the school year but during the offseason and the summer too,” France said.

When this season is over and France and Epps graduate, the Chippewas can only hope two more players emerge as leader.

“You have to have guys like Rico and you have to have guys like Tedaro,” DeBord said. “They are great people. They are great examples of Central Michigan student athletes. They will both be very successful in whatever they do.”