Q&A: Stewart enters spring football game with hopes of making roster
Senior Austin Stewart played football throughout high school. He gave up the sport to continue his basketball career at Central Michigan, where he played four years and averaged 4.75 points per game.
He's giving football one more try, as the 6-foot-6, 215-pounder is attempting to walk on to the football team as a wide receiver and has practiced with the team all spring.
Here's what Stewart had to say in anticipation of Saturday's spring football game:
Q: What are your emotions heading into the spring game?
A: I’m very excited. Just the chance to go out there and try and prove myself and try and make the team and be a part of what they’re trying to build this year (is exciting).
Q: What do you think the odds are of you making the team?
A: I don’t have a number, but I’m going to go out and work as if I have no
chance. I’m going to try and give it my all and do everything I can to try and
make the team.
Q: What were your thoughts when deciding whether to try out for football?
A: I didn’t want to just make this like a hobby or anything like that, I want to make an impact, I want to make a difference. But it all starts with making the team first.
Q: How do you feel you’ve done in practice so far?
A: I feel like I can always get better every single day. I haven’t been satisfied yet, so I’ve just got to keep trying to get better.
Q: What are some critiques you’ve heard from coaches?
A: It’s the route running. I’ve got to pick up the concepts and put them together with the route running. When I go through it in my head and when I go through it just studying the playbook, I can get it, but it’s a lot different obviously when it’s live and you’ve got to put it together with bodies around you.
Q: Did you consider playing football instead of basketball entering college?
A: No, actually coming to college I was completely basketball. Then, as time went on, I’ve never lost the love for the sport.
Q: What part of your game still needs to come along?
A: Blocking’s a lot harder than I thought it would be, but it always has been. I wasn’t the best blocker on the team in high school, but I was in there. I would do what everyone was asking me, and that’s what I’m going to try and do here.
I’m going to try and improve and try and become one of the better blockers on the outside as well as be a playmaker. I want to do everything I can to help the team any way I can.
Q: Has Cooper Rush done anything to take you under his wing?
A: Yeah, we’ve done routes together and he teaches me depth and steps and positioning and stuff like that. It’s always good working with Coop.
Q: When you think about your ceiling and your dreams for
yourself on this team, what goes through your head?
A: I feel like that’s down the road. Right now, I’ve just got to focus on now. Focus on making the team. That stuff is going to come.
