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Boston College's Matt Tennant may not be the first player that comes to mind when thinking about the Eagles, but he is a crucial element of the on-field support system that allows the offense to make its huge plays. After appearing in five games in 2006, the sophomore made a leap into a leadership role this year as the starting center.
How did you get started playing football?
My mother told me I was running around my house too much. I wasn't doing enough so I had too much energy and my mom got me involved in football in kindergarten at the pee-wee level. I've been playing ever since.
What is your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?
My greatest accomplishment as an athlete was probably getting a Division I scholarship to Boston College.
What do you still hope to accomplish?
My goal, like always, is to win an ACC championship. I've got two more years left after this, so hopefully we can (contend) two more (times).
Also, get my degree - that's a big thing, I want to walk away with that. I'm a communications major. I'm really interested in movie-making and directing, so I've taken a couple classes involved with that.
Who is your most influential role model?
That would probably be my grandpa. He played football back in the old days, when they had leather helmets and everything. He always told me to keep my head down and really work hard at it and it will be very rewarding. It was always, "Hit 'em hard and hit 'em low," so I think about that before every game.
What is the best advice you've received from a coach?
(laughs) That's a good one! Probably just to never give up. Even if something bad happens to the team, you can always still shine. So maybe if your team doesn't play well, you as an individual can still play well.
How have you adjusted to the new coaching staff this year?
I really didn't have to adjust that much. A couple of the other guys had to lose a lot of weight to adjust to the zone offense, which we run now. I was never a real heavy guy. The major adjustment I had to do (was a leadership one). Being at center, we tell everybody where to go, so we're really directing traffic, which is more of a leadership role. As a sophomore, I didn't think I was going to have to do that, but it comes with the position.
After starting the season 8-0 and then dropping two games before winning the last two, how was the your mindset and that of your team affected?
It's a great feeling being 8-0, but I hate to say it's a good thing to lose a game here and there because it really keeps you in check. It doesn't let your mind wander, thinking you're unbeatable, because no one is, especially this year. It makes you go back to the basics, makes you look at the film and say, "I can do this better." It really helps you reassert yourself and what you need to do better.
What does it mean to you to be starting in the ACC championship game as only a sophomore?
It's a huge thing. We're known as "O-Line U," a lot of great offensive linemen have been through here and they told me to just take it all in, work your butt off, and you can be very successful. It's huge. I try to listen to what my coaches tell me and just do my best - make Matt Ryan look good!
Speaking of Matt Ryan, what is it like playing in front of such a storied player and Heisman candidate?
Oh, he's a great guy. He gives me a lot of trouble and I give it right back to him. He's an excellent quarterback, really somebody who could play at the next level as soon as he gets drafted. Really the best player I've been around. It's great, when you give him time, he does amazing things like at Virginia Tech. That's what we're planning to do in the championship.
What are your thoughts about playing Virginia Tech again? Any different preparation knowing that they will certainly be coming in hungry for this one?
No, not really. They've been playing very well. The Virginia Tech game is by far the greatest game I've ever played in, so I'm excited, we're excited, and are just going to go out there and compete with them. (The first game) was a real sloppy game, with the rain and all, so hopefully it's nice in Jacksonville.
What's your most memorable moment in sports?
Probably in the Virginia Tech game when Matt was scrambling out of the pocket, and I ran and cut the guy who was trying to get him right as he threw the ball. I looked up at Matt and he didn't have the ball. I looked over, and with the glare, I couldn't see where the ball was - and then I just heard the stadium go silent, and I figured that was a good thing! (laughs) I finally saw the guy (Andre Callender) with the ball, so that's my most memorable moment.
Why did you choose Boston College?
The city's great! The Patriots, the Celtics, the Red Sox - it's a great town to be a part of and (Boston College) is a great place to get a degree from.
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Virginia Tech's Vince Hall has been a considerable force on one of the conference's top defenses. The redshirt senior led the ACC in tackles in 2006 and was named First Team All-ACC last year. The preseason Defensive Player of the Year helped direct a defense that finished at the head of the ACC in several defensive categories in 2007.
How did you get started playing football?
Watching my brother. At first I played soccer - I was a soccer guy - but after seeing my brother's team win a championship, I started liking football. I couldn't play until we moved to Virginia in seventh grade. That was my first year of tackle football.
What is your greatest accomplishment as an athlete?
Getting selected for the First Team All-ACC and being the leading tackler in the ACC last season.
What do you still hope to accomplish?
To be All-American. I want them to retire my jersey back in high school, but to do that, you have to be All-American in college.
Who is your most influential role model?
I'll say my dad, my mom, and my brother. My dad and my mom because they were both athletes in high school. They changed their routes because they had my brother and me. My brother because he's the one who really started the whole football thing, the whole athletic thing for me when we moved to Virginia. At first, when we were in California, he was the big-time athlete and I was just the little brother. When we moved to Virginia, the roles switched around. He's been playing a bit of college basketball (though) at Barton College (in Wilson, N.C.).
What is the best advice you've received from a coach?
Never settle for less and act like you've been there before (Defensive Coordinator &
Inside Linebackers Coach Bud Foster).
What is your most memorable moment in sports?
I have two. My first is when we played USC and I got my first real big hit. It was on LenDale White on 4th-and-1, and that put me on the map at linebacker. (My second is) when we won the ACC championship against Miami in 2004.
What does it mean to you to be playing in the championship game for a second time?
It means a whole lot. We set goals and we're accomplishing the goals that we set right now. One of the things is that you want to try to end your career with a bang. We'll go out as one of the best winning classes ever and we've done that so far, but we're trying to end up on top.
What are your thoughts about playing Boston College again?
It's good. Last time I wasn't able to play against them, so it was a long hard game on the sideline. At least I'll be out there on the field this time.
Can you describe the tradition of the lunch pail?
The lunch pail is one of those little motto things that we use for our defense in general. When we go different places and we win there, we put a little bit of the turf in the lunch pail. At the beginning of the year, we all take an oath and go over the rules of being on the defense, and if you want to be on the defense, you've got to sign this and take responsibility for your actions.
How has this affected you personally?
Like I said, we set goals and we put all the goals we set into the lunchpail. It's my senior year, so I'm trying to make sure we check off all the goals we set.
How are you preparing - mentally and physically - for the game this Saturday?
Mentally, I go in and watch a lot of film. I've watched plenty already but you can never watch too much film. Physically, the weight room. Just gotta make sure you're ready come Saturday.
What are you taking away from your career at Virginia Tech?
I want to say I'm taking away my personality. I don't like really being down around here, I'm always uplifting, always happy. When I leave, the mood might change a little bit. When I'm around, it's always going to be joy (laughs).
Any plans yet for after graduation?
Not yet. My major is Apparel, Housing & Resource Management and I've talked to a couple of companies about doing an internship just in case some things don't work out. I'm trying to prepare for after I graduate.
Why did you choose Virginia Tech?
Coming out of high school, a lot of guys from my high school came here. The university treated them well, like it was home. It was a home away from home, that's what all the players had told me. And then when I came up here, they treated me cool and I was able to chill and not do too much and have a good time. That was good enough for me!
Any advice you would want to give to the younger players on the team or high school players coming up?
Just make sure you go where your heart tells you to go. A lot of people want you, (but) you're going to do good anywhere. If your heart tells you Virginia Tech is your home, then you should go for it.
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