Sept. 14, 2006
By Iliana Limón
The Albuquerque Tribune (www.abqtrib.com)
Bo Greer has started every game of his two-year UNM career at offensive guard and shown all-conference potential. Though very personable off the field, Greer is tough, physical force between the lines who has brought brings tremendous leadership to the offensive line group. He redshirted the 2004 season after transferring from Garden City (Kan.) Community College where he played with current Lobo teammates in quarterback Chris Nelson, offensive tackle Anthony Kilby and safety OJ Swift. A native of Princeton, Ind., Greer originally signed with Indiana out of high school, but did not qualify academically.
Iliana Limón: How did you get your start playing football?
Bo Greer: I got my start playing football in the backyard. My older brothers were already playing football, and I had a set of pads, so we just used to hit each other. Then I moved up
IL: How did you end up in New Mexico instead of staying closer to home in Indiana?
BG: I was actually signed with Indiana University and didn’t qualify academically, so I had to go to junior college in Kansas. I ended up meeting (Anthony) Kilby, and he kind of started preaching New Mexico to me. And the thing I knew (former offensive line coach Bob) Bostad was recruiting me. I visited, I liked the city and I stayed.
IL: What’s the biggest difference between New Mexico and Indiana?
BG: It’s so dry here. There’s no corn fields. It’s not as green. There’s lots of differences between here and where I’m from in Indiana, but it’s all good. You get used to and it’s nice.
IL: Have you gotten used to the food?
BG: My stomach is still getting adjusted to the food. About the hottest thing we eat in Indiana is black pepper, but I like it. My girlfriend’s always cooking chile for me.I have to say I’m more a fan of red chile than green chile. I’m a Lobo. I go with the red chile.
IL: What have the adjustments on offense been like this year?
BG: I think the adjustments we had to make this year with our new offense are great. It’s good to be challenged as a football player with a new system. When you change like that, it challenges you first personally and then pushes you to get better as a unit. I think that’s where we’re at right now — trying to get better as a unit because we’ve got the individual stuff down.I don’t care what kind of system you have, the biggest adjustment for me is not having big Ryan Cook to lean on in the middle. I mean having a guy like that to your inside, you didn’t have to worry about anything getting through. It’s different, but I think Vince (Natali) has stepped up and done a great job.
IL: Coming from a big military and law enforcement family, what are anniversaries like Sept. 11 like for you?
BG: I do come from a big military and law enforcement family. The thing I try to always do during events like the anniversary of Sept. 11 is sit down and try to remember where I was that day. I think a lot of people in our country forget that things like that happen and forget how they felt. It’s important to remember.
IL: What were you doing on Sept. 11?
BG: On Sept. 11, I was a senior in high school about to take an economics quiz I hadn’t really studied for when all of a sudden the principal comes in and calls us to the auditorium. So I’m walking down the hallway and everybody’s crying. I was like `What’s going on?’ I went around the corner and the twin towers were on fire on the big projector we had in the cafeteria. I thought, `Oh my God.’ And then immediately I thought of all my friends and family there in the military.
IL: What would you be doing if you weren’t playing football?
BG: If I weren’t playing football right now, I’d be in some branch of the military or working as a cop somewhere. Football just kind of put that on hold for me for a few years.
IL: I heard you used to spend time in the summer working with law enforcement back in Indiana. Is that true and what can you tell us about it?
BG: I used to go back home to work with the sheriff’s department back in Indiana and work as a corrections officer during the summer when I had time during the summers. I got to do some pretty cool stuff. I was in on one high speed-chase. It was awesome.
IL: How did the chase end?
BG: The chase ended when we found both of them hiding out in a swamp. They had drugs all in the car and felonies and warrants. It was great.
IL: Do you have any pre-game rituals?
BG: My No. 1 favorite pre-game ritual is the baked potato at the Courtyard Marriott. If I don’t have my baked potato, I wouldn’t be able to play. My baked potato gets me ready for the game like no other.The first thing I put on the baked potato is butter. And then I put spaghetti sauce. And then sour cream, ranch and then I top it off with bacon bits and more sour cream.
IL: You don’t get sick eating that?
BG: No, I don’t get sick. It’s a fat man’s power bar. I don’t need power bars. All I need is a baked potato with everything on it.
IL: Are you the only guy who goes for loaded baked potatoes?
BG: We always have the baked potato. A lot of the players on the team are spaghetti eaters or lasagna eaters before the game. But the o-linemen, we’re baked potato eaters.
IL: Do you listen to music before games?
BG: I used to listen to music last year before games, and I think a lot of that had to do with fear. Now that I’m more comfortable and I’ve been in the situations, I try to sit there and visualize the game.
IL: What is the toughest opponent you’ve ever faced?
BG: The D-linemen for TCU are the toughest opponents I’ve ever faced. By far, I think they’re the strongest defensive line. People may say they’re just fast, but those boys are strong. They’re really strong.
IL: What is your best football memory?
BG: My best football memory, so far was going into Missouri last year and beating them. That was the greatest thing I’ve ever been a part of. I’ve never won any state titles before, so that was great.