Article content continued

Q: You were born in Liberia. Have you been back?

A: No, I have not. I came to the United States when I was five. My mother actually just went back a couple of months ago and spent six weeks there. It’s something I have to put on my to-do list, to go back and visit the home country.

Q: How many guys in this room could pick out Liberia on a map?

A: You’ve got Rolly (Lumbala) and (Stephen) Adekolu. Maybe a handful. Three would be pushing it.

Q: How many guys could pick out where Marshall University is on a map?

A: That’s a good one. If I was to tell them just Marshall and not tell them what state it is (West Virginia), I’d say maybe two: Richie Leone, because he played for Houston; and Mic’hael Brooks, because he was on East Carolina, and they were two of the schools we played.

Photo by Gerry Kahrmann / PNG

Q: There are a lot of good college sports team nicknames. Where does Thundering Herd rank?

A: Wow. I don’t want to toot our horn, but to be the Thundering Herd, that thundering just sounds so violent and threatening. That’s one of the best.

Q: I did a little homework. While at Marshall, you played in something called the Beef O’Brady Bowl and became a YouTube sensation with your hit on (current Indianapolis Colts receiver) T.Y. Hilton. How many times have you watched the replay of that hit?

A: I can’t even lie to you. It has to be over a thousand. It was just so shocking to face such a good competitor and opponent and to know the level he stood at in the game at the time and how much respect was being given to him, it was huge for me. It allows me to go back and relieve that moment every single time I watch.