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Akwasi
Owusu–Ansah Interview
Cornerback –
Indiana (PA)
By: Alex Khvatov
2/20/10
Alex Khvatov: You missed the East/West Shrine Game
because of a shoulder injury that you suffered in the season
finale, how is your recovery coming along?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
It is coming along great. If I had a game this weekend, I
would play in it. I had a tissue problem, but I feel 100%
right now.
Alex Khvatov: Will you be ready for the Combine?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
Oh yeah, I am at a 100% right now. I am ready for the
Combine. I am ready to go.
Alex Khvatov: Do you think that you have a lot to
prove at the Combine and are you physically and mentally
prepared for that grueling week?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
Definitely, All-Star games would have been big for me. But
the Combine is the next big step. It will be a big day for
me. I am definitely ready. I have been waiting for this day
my whole life. Teams want to see how I will do against big
school guys. They want to see how I move and run. They want
to see me mix it up in person with the bigger guys.
Alex Khvatov: I was curious, what exactly is the
meaning of your name?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
I am from Ghana in West Africa . In that country, they give
you names for different days of the week. My name means
Sunday born. My brother is named Kofi which is Friday.
Alex Khvatov: What are your measurements (height,
weight and forty time)?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
I am 6’1” and 205 pounds . I am not sure what my forty time
is. I ran a good time during my junior pro day. Everyone ran
it twice, but I had to do it only once. But my coaches
didn’t tell me my forty time.
Alex Khvatov: Besides football, what other sports did
you play?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
In high school, I ran track and played basketball. I loved
to play basketball. Soccer was a sport that I played when I
was young. I played up until second grade. It is a very
popular sport in the world.
Alex Khvatov: Coming out of high school, what
programs showed interest in you?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
I had Ohio University and Cincinnati who showed some
interest. The bigger schools didn’t offer me a scholarship.
The smaller schools offered like Ashland .
Alex Khvatov: Why did you choose Indiana (PA)?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
Out of all of the small schools, it was four hours away from
my home. It had a rich winning tradition. When I came on my
visit, I formed a tight relationship with my teammates and
my head coach. Everything felt right.
Alex Khvatov: What are your strengths on the football
field?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
My ball skills, attacking the ball and being an athlete on
the field.
Alex Khvatov: What areas of your game do you need to
improve upon?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
I definitely need to work on my technique to be a better DB.
I need to work on my backpedaling. I am very raw. I am
learning a lot from the guys that I am training with here.
They are from the D-I schools. I need to continue to refine
my technique and work on the little things that make DB’s
better.
Alex Khvatov: Do you take a lot of pride in being a
return specialist?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
Yeah, I do take a lot of pride. I was actually recruited as
a RB. They switched me to CB when I came to college. You get
the ball in your hands as a returner. You have a chance to
take advantage of it. I love being a return man. I have the
ball in my hands and I can show everyone my talents. It is a
way for me to change the outcome of the game.
Alex Khvatov: Describe to us your career at Indiana
(PA).
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
I think that individually I could have done more. These four
years flew by very fast. I am very thankful that I can play
football. Everyone is shooting to play at the highest level.
It was a reality check for me when I didn’t get a
scholarship to a Division I program. My NFL dreams went down
the drain. It was a very humbling experience coming to
Indiana (PA). My high school game crowd was bigger than my
college game crowd. But you play with guys that really love
the game. I enjoyed my career here. We had a couple of good
years as a team. But my senior season was disappointing
finishing with a 5-6 record. But it goes like that
sometimes.
Alex Khvatov: What is the most memorable moment of
your football career?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
I think that there are definitely two moments. I didn’t play
my freshman year, but we had a big comeback win against
California (PA). They are our biggest rival. We went 90
yards on the last drive to win the game. The Homecoming game
during my senior year was memorable. I had a kickoff return
and a punt return for touchdowns back-to-back.
Alex Khvatov: You are considered one of the best
small school prospects in this year’s draft class, have you
been overwhelmed by the attention that you have received
thus far?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
No, not at all. Like I said, I have been waiting for this
attention. I am very excited for the opportunity. I am not
overwhelmed at all.
Alex Khvatov: You have drawn a comparison to
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, do you think that it is an
accurate assessment?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
I don’t know. I don’t control that. I need to just perform
well at the Combine. We both come from small schools and we
are corners, so people compare us. He is a very good player.
I am a fan. I remember him shooting up draft boards in this
whole process after the Senior Bowl and the Combine.
Alex Khvatov: What is your favorite NFL team?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
Honestly, I don’t have a favorite team. I am a big Buckeyes
fan. I still root for them. I am very loyal. I grew up in
Columbus , Ohio .
Alex Khvatov: Who is your favorite NFL player?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
I was a big fan of Deion Sanders. Guys that I admire right
now are Darrelle Revis and Cromartie who is a freak athlete.
They stand out.
Alex Khvatov: Which underclassmen on your team should
we keep an eye on in the future?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
Wide receiver Mychal Skinner, safety Andre Henderson and
corner Abe Satterfield who transferred from Iowa . These
three guys definitely have the potential.
Alex Khvatov: What do you bring to the table that
other cornerbacks don’t?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
I think that I bring untapped potential and hard work not
only as a corner, but on special teams as well. I think that
I am very coachable. I am a guy that can make a difference
in the game.
Alex Khvatov: Did you ever think that you would have
a chance to play in the NFL when you were growing up?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
Honestly, no I didn’t. I had no D-I offers coming of high
school. I had to play at a Division II level. I knew that it
would be very unlikely for me to get noticed and get to the
NFL. Every year I prepared myself, so I can get better for
the team and for the new college season. I knew that I had
an opportunity to play at the next level after my junior Pro
Day. I realized that I could do it for a living.
Alex Khvatov: If you could have dinner with anyone,
who would it be and why?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
It would definitely be Barack Obama. He is a very cool and
smart man. I would try to learn a lot from him. I would like
to hear his journey of what he went through to get to the
top.
Alex Khvatov: What makes you unique?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
I think that I am very humble. It is something that makes me
unique. Getting all of this attention and going through the
draft process, I have remained very humble.
Alex Khvatov: What are your hobbies?
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
I definitely like to relax. Training can be draining on you.
Reading is a regular habit for me now. I talk to family and
friends very frequently.
Alex Khvatov: Finish the sentence, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah
is….
Akwasi Owusu-Ansah:
Humble, hard-working and a gentleman. These are the three
best attributes that describe me. I will never quit.
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