Roosevelt Williams

This interview was conducted during the 2001 football season.

DITR: What is your major and plans after graduating?
Roosevelt: My major is psychology and I would like to counsel kids after football.

DITR: What are your hobbies?
Roosevelt: I like to watch DVD movies.

DITR: What things did you work on during the off season to improve your pro potential?
Roosevelt: I worked on my strength, ran hills and worked on improving my eating habits.

DITR: What do you consider your strengths and weaknesses on the football field?
Roosevelt: My strengths are my aggressiveness and instincts. My weakness is that I gamble a lot.

DITR: What player do you look forward to playing against during the season?
Roosevelt: I have a high competitive spirit and I love to compete with anybody. However, I really look forward to playing against LaQuonne Holden #88 the wide receiver at Morris Brown College, he’s a close friend of mine.

DITR: Who has had the biggest influence on your life?
Roosevelt: My dad is my biggest influence. He really has a lot to do with my life. We never really had a lot growing up but he did make a way and provide a better life for our family and me.

DITR: What qualities can you bring to a NFL team?
Roosevelt: I can bring leadership and a competitive attitude to any NFL team.

DITR: What NFL players do you admire?
Roosevelt: I admire Dion Sanders, Ty Law, Shawn Springs, Ray Buchannan and I like to study films on them.

DITR: What coaches are tuff on you during practice and during the game?
Roosevelt: Coach Anderson and Coach Higgs stay on me a lot. They motivate me when I’m performing good and when I make mistakes.

DITR: Who is your favorite music artist?
Roosevelt: I like to listen to 2 Pac because he talks about things I can relate to and I enjoy listening to Trick Daddy.

DITR: Were you highly recruited out of high school?
Roosevelt: Yes, I was. I verbally committed to FSU however, my ACT score was off by 1 point. Therefore, in 1998 I attended Savannah State. I later transferred from Savannah State to Tuskegee because I felt that Savannah State was not supportive of the football program.

DITR: What other sports are you involved in?
Roosevelt: I’m on the track team and the Decalthon. Last season (2000) I was 4th place in the SIAC Track competition.

DITR: Who works with you in the off season with your speed?
Roosevelt: Coach Walker our track coach.

DITR: Why do you think that you have not gained the respect as one of the best defensive backs in the country?
Roosevelt: Because of the larger schools like Florida State, University of Georgia, Miami and other schools. The exposure is not the same for black college football talent. We are overlooked because some may consider our level of competition lower than other schools.

DITR: Would you like to say anything else?
Roosevelt: In due time I’ll get my respect as one of the best defensive backs in college football.