One of the Tide's top signees in this year's class is defensive lineman Antonio Forbes (6-4, 270) of Meadowcreek HS in Norcross, GA. During the course of his senior year, Forbes went from a sleeper to one of the most highly recruited players in the state of Georgia. The Tide won the battle for him against Texas A&M, Florida State, Ohio State and many other top programs. Here's how it happened. Q&A with Antonio Forbes TI: Looking back to last year this time, nobody knew about Antonio Forbes. You just all of a sudden emerged through the summer camps and especially during your senior season.
AF: Yeah, that's because I didn't play as a sophomore or as a junior. I wasn't eligible, so nobody knew about me. I wasn't serious about playing football until my senior year. I was just hanging out and doing whatever I wanted to. But I got serious as a senior. I knew that I had to do everything I could do in one season to earn myself a scholarship. It all started with the camps last summer. I went to every camp ready to show them what I could do. I thought I performed great at every camp. Then when the season started I just got better every week. My confidence shot up every game. I could feel that I was physically and mentally ready to play. I was leading the team in tackles and sacks in almost every game. We were losing, but that didn't stop me from playing hard every play. I just kept getting better and a lot of schools were noticing me. TI: What was the motivation behind your turnaround? AF: It all started with my coach, George Pugh. He came in and inspired me. He said I had the size and all the ability it took to play D1 college football. He was filling my head with a lot of positive thoughts. He said I could accomplish whatever I wanted to. I always had the ability to play, but when Coach Pugh came in, he gave me the inspiration and direction I needed. TI: So by midway last season you went from having no scholarship offers to having offers from schools like Alabama, Texas A&M, Virginia, Michigan, Ohio State and Florida State. Did that blow your mind? AF: Yeah, it really did blow my mind. I mean, all these schools were offering me and I couldn't believe it. It was just happening so fast. It was happening just like Coach Pugh said that it could if I put my mind to it. All of a sudden everybody was calling me. Schools were offering. And all the other guys wanted to be in my shoes. TI: After you committed to Alabama in January you had some second thoughts. In fact, you really didn't make a final decision to stick with Alabama until the night before signing day. Why the second thoughts? AF: Some guy from one of the big websites called to do an interview with me and he said that Alabama had a lot of defensive ends already committed. I didn't know that. I realize all the schools tell you that you're their top guy, but I wasn't aware that Alabama had so many defensive ends committed. At first I kind of got mad about it. Not that Alabama lied to me or anything, but I was thinking that I really shouldn't go to a place where they had so many defensive ends already. But I'm a competitor. I knew that no matter where I went that I would have to earn my position. I knew I could compete. I came close to changing my mind [to Arkansas or Virginia], but I never committed to any school other than Alabama. TI: Your high school coach, George Pugh, played at Alabama. Was he influential in your decision to sign with Alabama? AF: Coach Pugh told me that no matter which school I chose that I couldn't go wrong. He said Alabama was a good school and that their coaching staff was very good. He said Tuscaloosa was a great town and the fans were great. He didn't really influence me, but he did say that Alabama wouldn't be a bad place to go. TI: What is it about you that made you into the Gwinnett County Defensive Player of the Year last season? AF: I believe it is my intensity and my aggressiveness. I love hitting and going after the guy across from me. To be 270 pounds and run a 4.6 40, there shouldn't be anybody that could stop me. I just developed that kind of a mindset. I don't believe that anybody can stop me. At Alabama's camp last summer, Coach Randolph nicknamed me 'Taz' (Tasmanian devil) because, he said, I was so wild that nobody could stop me. TI: You were a defensive tackle in high school. Will you play end or tackle at Alabama? AF: I want to play defensive end. But Alabama is bringing in a lot of ends. If I moved to defensive tackle or even to tight end that would be fine with me. TI: Tight end? Has that been mentioned as a possibility? AF: Someone mentioned it to me. But the coaches keep telling me I'll play defensive end. I feel like I'm a natural defensive player, but I'd do whatever they needed me to do to help the team. Coach Shula says he can't afford to redshirt me. He says I can't help them on the sidelines and he wants to get me on the field right away. TI: Do you think there's a chance that you could add 20-25 pounds and move inside to tackle? AF: I don't see myself that big. I don't want to be 290-300 pounds. I want to keep my speed and quickness. TI: Are you working out now? AF: Yeah, I'm doing part of Alabama's program and part of a program the strength coach at my school has me on. I need to get stronger, and I feel like I'm doing that. My bench is up to 365. I'm squatting 465. And I've power cleaned 330. TI: What's your exact size right now? AF: I hit a little growth spurt, so I'm about 6-4 right now. I'm right at 270 pounds. Hopefully I'll lose down to 260-265 by the time I get to Alabama. I want to be real lean and quick when I get there. I know they'll get me bigger once I get there. TI: Paul Randolph recruited you. He'll be your position coach at Alabama. Talk about him. AF: Coach Randolph is an intense guy when it comes to defense. But as a recruiter he was more laid back. He never pushed me to commit to Alabama. He told me how badly they wanted me, but he also let me know that if I decided I'd rather go somewhere else that Alabama would move on to the next guy. I never felt pressured. TI: What about Mike Shula? AF: Coach Shula is just such a nice, humble guy. I was there at A-Day when he talked to the team after the game. I saw how he treated the team and the way he talked to them. He gives the team constructive criticisms. He's not in your face. He tells you what you did wrong and he'll give you a pop on the butt, but he also pats you on the back. I think most players respond to that better than someone who is always in your face and who is always negative. TI: You had your pick of several schools. In the end, why did you go with Alabama? AF: Alabama stood out because of their dedicated fan base. When I was at the basketball game during my official visit, these two little boys came up to me and said, 'Antonio, you're 6-4. You run a 4.6. We want you at Alabama.' I mean, they knew all about me. Then when I went back for A-Day I ran into those same two little boys again and they asked me to autograph their shirts. Alabama just has great fan support. TI: Finally, how are you doing in school? AF: I'm doing fine. I've got a plan. I'll pass all my classes and graduate and get to Alabama. As soon as I graduate, I'm headed for Tuscaloosa. Notes Forbes wants 99 Tide defensive tackle Jeremy Clark has something that Antonio Forbes wants. And at A-Day, Forbes wasn't shy about asking Clark for it. "He wears number 99 and I told him that I want that number," Forbes says with a laugh. "He told me I could have it after he leaves. If I can't have 99, then I want number 88. That's the number Coach Pugh wore at Alabama." Cam Smith Forbes' former high school teammate Cameron Smith (6-0, 190, 4.4) is considered one of the nation's top high school running backs heading into next season. "He's a lot like Warrick Dunn to me," Forbes says. "He's bigger [than Dunn], but he's very quick and strong just like Dunn is." Forbes says that Alabama will have a shot at Smith. "He's already promised me he's going to take an official visit to Alabama," Forbes says. "When he comes over there, I'm going to try to persuade to come to Alabama." Smith will play his senior season at Brookwood HS in Snellville, GA. _______________________________________________ RTF mailing list RTF@rolltidefan.net http://rolltidefan.net/mailman/listinfo/rtf_rolltidefan.net
