Sept. 2, 2006
Senior Quincy Black is a returning starter and a team captain this season who is taking over the safety/linebacker hybrid lobo position, made famous at UNM by All-American Brian Urlacher in 1998 and ’99. The Chicago native had an excellent spring and fall camp in his new position, and could make a run at MWC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2006.
At 6-3, 227, he is an intimidating physical presence in the secondary who boasts NFL-caliber athletic ability. Black was listed by ESPN.com’s NFL Draft expert, Mel Kiper Jr., as one of the nation’s top senior outside linebackers during the summer. Last fall, he quickly established himself as a big time playmaker against the run and pass last season in his first year starting at outside linebacker.
Black has proven to be a real steal for the Lobos. He was a late addition to the team, transferring from Harper College in Palatine, Ill. in the summer of 2004. A second team All-American at defensive end for the Harper Hawks, Black helped the team win the junior college national title in 2003.
Question: How do you see your role as a team captain this year?
Quincy Black: My role is to play to the best of my abilities and to be a voice on this team for some of those players that don’t have a voice.
Q: Are you having more fun playing the lobo position so far than you did playing linebacker last year?
QB: Oh yeah, I’m having a lot more fun. We get to do a lot more things, a lot of different variations. We get to disguise a lot more, so the offense really doesn’t know where I’m coming from or what I’m doing.
Q: How do you react when people throw out the Brian Urlacher comparisons?
QB: It’s definitely awkward. Especially being from Chicago, I saw him play the first couple years he was there and he blew up. He played in a totally different system here, but we share that lobo title. That’s where the comparisons end though.
Q: What do you think you need to improve on most in order to play at the next level?
QB: Consistency. When you’re on that level, they don’t have much patience for mistakes.
Q: What’s your favorite place you’ve played on the road so far?
QB: It’s between BYU and UTEP. They had awesome crowds. BYU’s stadium has the mountains in backdrop and UTEP, it got so loud in that stadium. So those were fun.
Q: You had 28.5 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks as a freshman defensive end at Harper College – do you think linemen in your old league are still having nightmares about you?
QB: It’s hard to say, but I’m pretty sure a lot of guys still remember me. A lot of guys that go to Harper still remember me and I’m proud of that. I’m still trying to represent for that conference. It is one of the toughest junior college conferences in the country and a lot of players have come out of there.
Q: What’s the biggest difference between the guys you faced at the junior college level and Division I players?
QB: It would definitely be speed. People have the strength at the JC level, but they don’t have the speed, technique and footwork. The O-linemen on this level are so good that it’s hard to even get 10 sacks in a year.
Q: Describe the experience of winning a junior college national title?
QB: That was great. Some of the players on that team, I will never forget. Anytime you can say that you won a national championship on any level, it’s something that not a lot of people can say they’ve done. Sometimes people try to knock on it for being at the junior college level and I ask `where’s yours?’ They have no reply.
Q: What’s the best thing about living in Chicago?
QB: The food. The food is great. Anytime I have a chance to go home and get some pizza, Italian beef, whatever, I love it.
Q: What’s the one thing you don’t miss about Chicago?
QB: I’d probably have to say the humidity. It gets hot here, but the humidity is definitely what gets you in Chicago.
Q: What’s best thing about living in Albuquerque?QB: The scenery. The mountains are very scenic and the first time I saw snow on them, it was quite amazing. Just waking up and being able to see the mountains every day is something different, especially coming from the concrete jungle.
Q: What sport, other than football, do you think you could have played at the D-I level?
QB: Basketball, definitely. Basketball was my first love. I had to give that up once football became more serious, but I think that if I worked as hard at basketball as I do in football, I definitely would have had a shot.
Q: Who do you pattern your game after on the basketball court?
QB: Kind of like a Dennis Rodman. I was just a hustler, a defensive guy, kind of like playing football.
Q: Best book you’ve ever read?
QB: I don’t read as much as I used to, but one of the best books I read back in high school was Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. It wasn’t too long, but it was a good read about African tribal life during the coming of Europeans.
Q: Favorite breakfast cereal?
QB: It’s kind of a toss up. I go with Honey Combs if I want to eat in bulk or if I’m just looking for something sweet, I’ll just go with Lucky Charms.