A familiar face for the Purple team was former Northampton County High School football standout Keion Crossen.
On the last play of the game, Crossen was able to break up a pass in the corner of the end zone as time expired to preserve the win for the Purple team.
(About the author: Garysburg native Jibrell Davis is a professional educator, independent writer, and author of TriangleSport.blogspot. He has covered Triangle ACC sports, Carolina Hurricanes, Durham Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, and Carolina Panthers. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Saint Paul’s College and Masters of Arts in Elementary Education from Cambridge University. He resides in Raleigh.)
Crossen just completed his first varsity year of Division 1 football for the Catamounts — a season in which he recorded 17 tackles —11 solo and six assisted.
He had two starts, one offensive and one defensive, helping the Catamounts to a 7-5 record and a second-place finish in the Southern Conference. I had a chance to talk with Catamounts defensive back via phone, to see how things are going for him personally and athletically.
rrspin: I have noticed the increased bulk. What did you weigh coming out of high school and what do you weigh now?
Crossen: I weighed 154 pounds coming out of Northampton. Now I weigh 175, but I was up to 182. I had to lose the weight because my coach said I looked sluggish, and I shouldn’t be up to that weight until my junior-senior year.
rrspin: The Catamounts finished with a 12-76 mark — 4-58 in the Southern Conference the past eight seasons. How does it feel to be a part of the changing culture at WCU?
Crossen: It feels great to win because losing does not feel good at all. From the previous teams going 1-10 and 2-10 before I got here, and to go to 7-5 and 5-3 in the conference this year has really built the team chemistry. Guys are a lot closer in the locker room. Knowing we can possibly win the conference has brought the community back, which is evident by us having four sellouts this year.
rrspin: Why did you change your number from 10 to 35?
Crossen: Starting college I was thinking I’d like 10, but I wanted to separate myself from what I did in high school because I knew it would take more to be a great player in college. I wanted a number that had no meaning to me, and one I could make something out of it. I wanted to make the number instead of the number making me.
rrspin: What are the biggest differences between playing D-1and high school football?
Crossen: Academically you have to have great study habits and be organized. Football wise, the biggest difference is the coaching. My defensive backs in high school were good coaches, but it is a different type of coaching in college, they are more strategic. You have to know your plays; you have to study your playbook like you study in the class. That’s pretty much the biggest difference, knowing your plays, technique and leverages.
rrspin: What advice would you give kids in the area about succeeding at the collegiate level?
Crossen: Well, I’d tell them academics should be first. I asked my DB coach what things, positive and negative they looked at when they recruited me. He told me it was my grades first; second, was I coachable; and then he looked at my film. Make sure you’re putting a good resume on film when you’re playing, don’t ever take any plays off and go hard every play. The last thing is, coming from a 1-A school, you’re already at a disadvantage, so you have to work two times harder than the next player. And most importantly, have fun.
rrspin: How was it playing against Big Bad Alabama?
Crossen: Wow! The experience was great, man. I mean, words really can’t explain the feeling. When you first enter the stadium the atmosphere is so different. It pushes you to play at their level. It’s a crazy experience. We got to play against the number one receiver in the nation, Amari Cooper. Also, realizing that these guys are just like us, except they have SEC on their chest and we have SoCon.
rrspin: How has spring ball been and where are you on the two deep?
Crossen: Spring ball has been great. As a defense we’ve gotten so much better. As a player I can see the growth from last fall until now, and my coaches said the same thing. Now I can recognize offensive sets and what’s going happening on the field. As far as the two deep, it’s up in the air. I’m battling with a senior who had a pretty good spring, too. If he gets it, I’m still going to keep working hard.
rrspin: What is your major and what do you plan on doing after graduation?
Crossen: I’m a double major in Sports Management/Marketing with a minor in Entrepreneurship. I can see myself pursuing a career in the NFL. My coach has talked to scouts to see how I would look as an NFL corner. They like my speed and length. The biggest thing is getting a little bigger and progressing in my craft. When I’m done playing, I would like to get into coaching. I’ve been networking with James Trapp and Steve Wilkes of the Carolina Panthers, so I have a couple connections if the NFL doesn’t work out.
rrspin: What do you do in your spare time?
Crossen: I’m in an organization called Future Christian Athletes and we go around speaking to middle and high school youth. I also like to go to the spa for massages and to the pool, hanging out with my friends, going to probates, parties and the movies.
Note: The Catamounts open up the 2015 season at Mars Hill College. Notable games are September 19 at Tennessee, October 24 versus Samford (Homecoming), and November 14 at Texas A&M. For those who want to see Crossen play locally, the Catamounts will visit East Carolina University September 3, 2016.
