Northwestern University Athletics
The Skip Report: Play Like Your Hair is on Fire
9/21/2016 5:19:00 PM | Football
By Skip Myslenski
NUsports.com Special Contributor
YOU ARE JUNIOR SAFETY GODWIN IGWEBUIKE AND. . . .
. . .YOU not only picked off your first interception in two years last Saturday against Duke. You also played as if, to use a term you have employed, your hair was on fire. "That's something I've got to work on personally, just going out there and playing with passion, playing as if— you never know when you can go down," you say when that analogy is tossed your way. "You look around us, especially in the secondary, we've got guys going down, veterans who never saw it coming. So that's how you have to approach the game. Hair on fire. Going all out. Doing everything you can. Doing the extra stuff, the little things. I feel I did that better last Saturday. Going into this Saturday (when the 'Cats open Big Ten play at home against Nebraska), I'm trying to see where I can be better. Trying to see where I can get my teammates more fired up so we can play with more passion as a group."
. . .YOU marinated during your early years under Ibraheim Campbell and Traveon Henry, who were respected elders at your position. "Those are two strong, alpha-male guys who were able to make a lot of things happen for us because of their football IQ," your coach, Pat Fitzgerald, says of them. "So a little bit at the beginning of Godwin's career, he could sit back and just let those guys go. That was a good deal for him. When you get coached by different guys, they are part of who you are, right? Same thing with your older teammates."
"One of the main things I learned was the importance of preparation, especially from Ibraheim," you say when asked that pair's influence on you. "He was a man of the books, man. He was always in his film, always working to get better. The thing I remember is he always took notes. Even as a fifth year, he was still taking notes. I'm like, 'What are you taking notes for? You know all of this stuff.' That's one thing I do now. I'm in the film room taking notes, always taking notes, always trying to find the small things, the little things that might give me that small edge. Same with Traveon. He was into film too, he learned that from Ibraheim as well. And Traveon just being a very passionate individual—learning how that made me feel, learning how that motivated me. Somedays you wake up, 'I'm tired. I want to go back to bed.' That kind of messes with your attitude. But one thing I learned from him is having that positive attitude, having that passion can affect other people on the team, other people in the DB room and allow them to play better."
. . .YOU knew, way back in January, that your role would be different this fall, that this fall you would be one of the respected elders in the DB room. "My motto's always been to lead when able to lead. But I never wanted to force myself to do anything that wasn't necessary, and I think we had great leaders last year who were able to fill that role," you say when asked how that realization effected you. "Obviously, when people leave, I felt it was my responsibility to be not only a leader by example, but to be more vocal. That's something I strived to do all off-season and coming into the season. It might not be your strength at first. Some people might be afraid to speak up. But I've learned when you begin to live out these traits, even in small instances, you grow stronger and you grow more confident. I've become more confident in leading my team and being vocal and understanding that they respect what I have to say."
. . . YOU are currently the only healthy elder in the defensive backfield. Redshirt junior corner Keith Watkins was injured in camp and replaced by true sophomore Montre Hartage. Then senior corner Matthew Harris was injured in week two and replaced by redshirt freshman Trae Williams. Finally redshirt junior safety Kyle Queiro was a late scratch for last week's game and replaced by redshirt sophomore Jared McGee.
"An elevated role on the team," you say when asked the effect of being the last elder standing. "Obviously I'm always trying to perform. But I have to be the commander back there when it comes to getting everybody in the right spots. So I've got to be more vocal, I've got to be more passionate in order to get them to that point. Playing with veterans, they're used to that spotlight. They know how to get ready and get right. Sometimes the younger guys aren't used to that environment, so I let them know that I'm out there, I'm confident. They're looking at me, my whole charisma, my attitude, my confidence, so I know I have to be on it even more than I was in the past, which I think helps me as a player and also helps them. Obviously the rest takes care of itself. These guys, as you saw, are very talented, very talented young guys. So I'm very excited about this weekend and the challenge we have in front of us."
"That all starts before we get to game day," one of those guys, McGee, says when asked how you have guided them. "He helps us prepare. He helps us watch film. A lot of times, if we're not doing anything, he'll hit my phone and be like, 'Let's get in the film room and study these guys. Make our checks and calls to the film.' Then when we're out there on the field it helps to know that he's super confident because he's been doing it for a long time. He's a veteran guy. That helps settle me when I'm trying to make my calls and my checks. Having him out there is actually spoiling."
"I'm the same way," says Williams, the other guy. "Having Godwin out there is a big plus. He was in the same position I was, making his first start as a redshirt freshman. Now to see that he's been able to become one of the best players in the Big Ten at his position, that really shows what kind of work he does. To have him back there with me, I can look to him. If stuff goes bad, he's always there. He's always there with us, he's always upfront with us. He's a really good leader for us, especially the young guys."
. . . YOU have an even greater appreciation for your opportunity now that an injury has stripped it from Matthew Harris, who is one of your closest friends. "Without a doubt," you say firmly. "Like I said earlier, you never really know when it's going to be your time to go down. One of my best friends actually, he broke his leg, the surgery didn't go well and he had to have his leg amputated. This was last year, this was during the winter time. You see things like that happen around you, it really changes your perspective on life in general and also on the game of football.
"Like I said, when I wake up in the morning, OK, the first thing I'm going to do is thank God I'm alive, that I woke up this morning. Then just get my mind right to attack the day. No matter how I'm feeling, attack the day with everything I have. That's one thing I want to respect my teammates with while I have the chance to, while I'm still here. Just have that positive attitude and to realize how blessed we are playing this game of football. Hopefully when I leave here, I can leave that impact on them."
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