Gold and Black is a multi-platform media company that covers Purdue athletics like no one else.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/339722
78 ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 24, ISSUE 6 f I'm going to be moving around a lot. I played corner and safety in high school. But I can adjust to both, no real preference." What are your goals as a freshman? There's probably an opportunity or two for a freshman to get playing time in the secondary or on special teams. "Some goals for me, to get as much playing time as I can, get my name out there." Would it be difficult to redshirt, if that happens? "I feel like it would be difficult, but I don't think that will happen. I think I can work hard enough to be able to play." BEAROOZ YACOOBI, OL Your high school coach said you flipped to Pur- due from Northern Illinois due in part to Purdue's engineering program. So academics are pretty im- portant to you? "Yes. Ever since I started school, my parents always kept me on track with my grades. My grades are high priority as well as athletics." You have an older brother who plays at Penn. Who's smarter? "(laughs) I guess we're both equal in some ways. I don't know. He likes business more, and I like engi- neering." He's a defensive end, and you're an offensive tackle. He's a couple years older than you, but did you guys practice against each other much? "In the summers when he comes home, we usually work together. It's a close battle." Has you shared with you any wisdom about playing college ball? "Oh yeah. He's helped me a lot in making some im- portant decisions in my life. Because I'd say around sophomore year, I wasn't too sure how far I wanted to take my college career or if I even wanted to play col- lege ball. He opened my mind to it, and I really loved. That's what drove me, really." What'd he say? "He just said don't do anything less than your best and just work your hardest. If you enjoy what you love doing, then continue doing it, no matter how hard it is." j CEDRIC DALE, CB What excites you about coming to college? "All the hype that comes with it. I know I'm going to become a better player. We train 24-7, 365. I feel like with that training and constant push with good coach- es, I'll be the best athlete I could possibly be. In high school, you go from football to track or whatever sports you play, but you're never getting straight-up training. For football, just focusing on one position. So that's what really excites me and just for the simple fact I'm going to such a great university. When people ask me which college I'm going to, I tell them Purdue and their eyebrows go up. They seem proud of me and pretty ex- cited for me." What's the one thing you have to bring with you? "Probably the football my whole team signed for me my junior year. I broke my arm, and I was in the hos- pital, and the whole team signed a football for me. I actually played in that game. I continued to play. Once I got that, it really showed they cared about me. It meant a lot to me. I'm going to have to bring that up there and any time I feel like getting lazy or something, I'm going to look at the ball, and that's going to be what motivates me."