Q&A with Lance Ball

Oct. 30, 2007

By Sean McAllister, Maryland Athletics Media Relations Staff

COLLEGE PARK, MD. - Gameday: Now that you're a senior how does it feel to be a leader and a person everybody looks to for questions?
Lance Ball: "It's what I've been working for since I was a freshman. I've always wanted to be a leader and now that I'm a senior it just feels good to be the person a lot of freshmen look up to for answers."

GD: Do you like the way Coach Friedgen has been using you and Keon as the "one two punch" so far this season?
LB: "The "one two punch" has always been there since my sophomore year it's just that not many people have noticed it. We had a break out game against Virginia last year which really have coach the confidence to let us do our thing this season and it has really worked out."

GD: Before you became a star in High School was there a big emphasis on playing football from your family?
LB: "My older brother played football and was really good so there was always a pressure to play. I always liked playing baseball, but in sixth grade my family pushed football on me. I started playing as a tight end until I got to high school."

GD: Which one of your team mates are you closest to?
LB: "I would have to say Keon because we have been close since my sophomore year. All of our older friends that played graduated and now it's just the seniors of the team and we are really close."

GD: Which one of your coaches motivates you the best?
LB: "I have always looked up to coach John Donovan because he really taught me the system, taught me the way to do things right. He has giving me a lot of confidence over the years which has been a big help to me. When he was the running back coach he taught me a lot about the ACC and the Maryland system."

GD: How do you spend your free time when you're not dealing with football?
LB: "I'm either in the books trying to graduate or else I'm playing Xbox 360 (a popular video game console). I play the game Halo all the time it gets my mind off of the upcoming game or anything that is bothering me."

GD: What's your favorite music and singer to listen to before the game?
LB: "I love Styles P, and I listen to a lot of Lil Wayne before the game."

GD: What's your favorite NFL team?
LB: "The Cowboys. I love Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman"

GD: After the season is over are you going to try out for the NFL?
LB: "Hopefully I can stay healthy for the rest of the season, so I can go try out and see if anyone will take me."

GD: What are your future career goals?
LB: "I plan on going back to school after I try out for the pros. I'm a minor in health and I major in Family studies and I plan on working with families or maybe through the school system. I have a job at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) which I definitely want to keep working with whenever I get time."

GD: What's your favorite memory from a game at Maryland?
LB: "There's a lot of games that were really exciting, but my most memorable game was the game against Navy my sophomore year. It was fourth down and we needed 8 yards to keep the drive alive and the past was thrown out in front of me a little bit and I caught it one handed, made like eight guys miss, and we eventually scored a touchdown on that drive to win the game."

GD: Are you and Coach Friedgen close and what has he taught you that will help prepare you for life beyond football?
LB: "Coach has always been there for me, he has an open door policy and I can call him on his cell phone whenever I need to, which more then once has been a lifesaver. This year he has been a little different with me and has let me kind of do my thing and let me be a leader. He has experienced a lot through his life and he always has stories of situations that he has been in to make sure we don't ever get down on ourselves."

GD: In one word, describe yourself?
LB: "Fighter"

Players Mentioned

Lance Ball

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