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One-on-One with the
Pirates
Tuesday,
August 14, 2010
By Ron Cherubini |
Q&A with
Andrew Bodenheimer
By
Ron Cherubini
©2012 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
If a favorite receiver was picked from amongst East Carolina's receivers,
you would have to guess that Andrew Bodenheimer’s name would be at the top
of the list. In an offense predicated on quick passes, yards after catch —
aka YAC — is an all-important measure of a receiver. And while Bodenheimer
has been a reliable receiver for several years now — making the catch,
getting the sticks, you name it — equally impressive is his ability to block
from the receiver position.
Many a Pirates receiver has a bit of gratitude he should throw Bodie’s way
because the rising senior is a phenomenal blocking receiver, capable of
springing backs and fellow receivers on any given play when he isn’t the one
with the rock.
Offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley indicated that Bodenheimer is so good at
it that opposing coaches point it out to their players. Perhaps his
dedication to refining each part of his job is why he is also a very
well-regarded and looked-up to leader in the receiving corps and on the
offense unit. What shouldn’t be lost in all of it is the simple fact that he
is also a very good receiver capable of having a big, big season this year
yardage-wise.
Andrew was kind enough to sit down for a chat with Bonesville to share his
insights on the upcoming season.
Andrew Bodenheimer in action
(ECU SID photo)
One-on-One with Andrew Bodenheimer
Q: So here it is, senior
season. Did it get here too fast?
A: Oh, man, definitely.
(Senior season) came quick… too quick. All the years
have flown by and I try to not let myself take any
moment of this for granted. I think about it and
want to be sure that I get the most out of every
experience out here.
Q: Coach Riley raves
about your leadership out there. Give me your
thoughts on the state of the offense, particularly
the WRs. Can this group be one that sets the league
on fire?
A: I think we have a
very talented group of wide receivers which also
means that we are a very deep group, too. We have
to, of course, come out and prove it on the field,
but we have a lot of guys who can make big plays. We
have to be comfortable, calm, and work on every play
whether we have the football or not. These guys are
all good at catching the football, reading defenses,
making plays. And we have a lot of guys who can make
plays down field, which we need. The (veterans) are
consistent and the young guys are stepping it up.
I do feel comfortable in
the leadership role. I have been a leader on every
team I have played on so I am enjoying the role. I
take pride in it and work each day to work with (his
teammates) to ensure that each guy is working to be
the best he can be. I feel like I have a
responsibility to make sure each guy is ready.
Q: New QB on the field
this year. Does that make things different for the
WRs? Confidence in whomever wins the job?
A: You know, a lot of
people may say that one guy should be over the other
guy, but I think for us, it really doesn’t matter
which guy it is. We do our jobs, our part. We are
confident that whomever wins the job will be good
and we will be able to develop that chemistry with
him.
Q: That said, I am going
to give a QB’s name. Could you give me a short
reaction to each one?
A: Sure.
[Rio Johnson:] A great,
great arm; [Brad Wornick:] Very focused; [Shane
Carden:] A leader… I guy who makes it happen; [Cody
Keith:] A strong armed passer.
Q: Gonna throw names at
you and you give me a quick thought on each: Hardy,
Jones, Wiggins, Webster, Harris, Arrington, OK?
A: Absolutely.
[Justin Hardy:] Wow… a
big play maker who goes hard every single play;
[Justin Jones:] Big, big target who creates
mismatches everywhere. I expect him to have a great
season both receiving and blocking, too; [Reese
Wiggins:] Smooth guy who is really crafty out there.
Reese has worked very hard this summer and I expect
a big season for Reese; [Danny Webster:] Goes 100%
all the time… gotta calm him down sometimes, but you
can always count on him going full speed all the
time and that is exciting to watch. He’s aggressive,
too; [Dayon Arrington:] He’s a senior, too, and we
have been together for a while now. He has worked
extremely hard and I expect him to be a big art of
this offense this season; [Derrick Harris:] Another
senior who is a guy you can count on always to do
things right.
Q: And how about you?
What do you expect of yourself this senior season?
A: I expect to play each
play to the best of my ability. To do my job well
each play and to be a reliable teammate, whether I
am making a catch or out there blocking. Also, I
want to prove that I can make the downfield catch,
that I am not one dimensional. I want show that I am
a dynamic receiver.
Q: What player on this
team do you most respect and why?
A: I have to give you
two. First, Shane Carden. He has been really busting
it this summer… out on the field, in the film room,
you know, he is really fighting for (the QB job) and
watching that is great. He is so motivated and his
attitude is great. (He) gets the huddle excited.
Love being around that type of attitude. Second,
Kyle Tudor. Kyle is a great linebacker and he goes
at it hard every day, every play.
Q: How is our secondary
looking in your opinion having gone against them in
the spring?
A: I can say our
secondary is working hard, very hard and there are a
lot of guys working to get a spot there. We go
against them I practice all the time — one-on-one —
and the way they are working is making us
(receivers) better and better each day. I know that
when the jobs are won, we will have great players
there.
Q: Offensive mantra this
season? Why?
A: Definitely the
“Chip.” We have a chip on our shoulder without a
doubt. We know that (no one) is going to give us
respect so we have to go out every day and take what
is ours. We need to play with an edge. We feel like
we have to prove to people that we are very good. We
definitely are wearing a chip on our shoulder these
days.
E-mail
Ron Cherubini
PAGE UPDATED
08/14/12 09:11 AM.
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