Football: Lou Lombardo Q & A
9/28/2004 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 28, 2004
By Dustin Hockensmith
Maryland Media Relations Intern
Gameday: What do you think was the biggest factor in your working your way to the top of the depth chart over the past few years?
Lou Lombardo: I guess just hard work. I knew I wasn't going to walk in and start or play a big role right away, but I kind of learned from the guys that have come and gone already. I learned from them, and I learned from the coaches. Then, I kind of put everything together, and hopefully this year it will pay off.
Gameday: Was there any point in time when you felt like giving up?
LL: I think Coach Brattan says it best: "If you never feel like quitting, then you're not working hard enough."
Gameday: When did you know that you had a shot at contributing to this team?
LL: I think it was last year when [Eric] Dumas twisted his ankle during the Georgia Tech game. Coach told me to go in, and I realized that it was the big show and that I had just played against one of the top teams in the ACC. I also played some downs against Florida State, and after that I felt like I could help out this team.
Gameday: When you're going into a game, do you feel more comfortable being the underdog or the favorite?
LL: I don't know that it really matters. We've learned from our mistakes, as far as taking teams lightly, and we try and treat every game like it's the national championship. We walk into every game knowing that, whether this team's better or worse than us according to the polls - it doesn't matter. When we line up, it's going to be a dogfight, and we know that.
Gameday: What do you think the most difficult part of your position is?
LL: For me personally, it's just being able to adjust on the fly. When a defense moves and does a different thing or scheme, it's difficult to be able to adjust my calls in a split second and tell my guards or tight ends what they need to change.
Gameday: You can bench around 410 pounds, roughly 2 ½ Nick Novaks, have you ever used that as leverage since you live with him?
LL: Oh, no. Nick and I have been living together for the past four years. He and I hit it off from the get-go. I'm a big guy, and he's a little guy. Us big guys have a soft spot in our hearts for the little guy. Nick and I became good friends right away, and every year it was obvious that we were going to live together.
Gameday: If I asked Nick what the worst thing about living with you was, what would he say?
LL: Snoring. I snore like a freight train coming through every morning.
Gameday: If someone handed you $100 to spend, what would you do with it?
LL: I think I'd take all my suitemates to Maggiano's to eat.
Gameday: What would be the one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
LL: Most people find it a little odd that I am from Baltimore city, because people usually see me in cowboy boots and, on the weekend, the full get-up.
Gameday: So, where did that start then?
LL: A couple of my high school friends were really into country music, and one of their dads had a pair of cowboy boots. I tried them on and thought that they were the most comfortable shoes I'd ever worn.
Gameday: Where is the one place in the world that you would like to visit but haven't yet?
LL: Italy. My grandparents on both sides are from Italy. My grandmother on my mother's side always told us about Italy and showed us pictures, but I've never been there.
Gameday: Is there one teammate you've had here that you admire the most?
LL: Two guys - Matt Crawford and Eric Dumas. Crawford helped me in my earlier years, and Dumas helped me on my plays and in developing my technique to what it is now. And that comfort level got me pointed in the right direction, so I owe a lot to those two guys.
Gameday: What has been your favorite area of study at Maryland?
LL: I'm double majoring in criminal justice and geography, and I want to go into law enforcement. Hopefully, one day I'll get into the DEA and I can use some of my geography knowledge to go along with my law enforcement knowledge.
