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Football
Q & A With Defensive Assistant Tem Lukabu
March 17, 2008
Beginning February 11 and leading up to the Rams annual Spring Game on April 26, one member of the Rhode Island football coaching staff will participate in a weekly 'Q & A' session for GoRhody.com. This week's edition features defensive assistant Tem Lukabu, who joins the URI staff after working with URI head coach Darren Rizzi at Rutgers University. Talk about your first few weeks here at URI. The first couple of weeks have been a blur. We've had to play a lot of catch-up, but it's been fun. Being a younger coach, it's been a great experience because you really get a feel for why you do things rather than just being at a program where `That's just the way things are done.' Now, you know why they're done. That's been invaluable. When did Darren first approach you about joining him at URI? Talk about that process. It wasn't an easy decision. I was at a school (Rutgers) that was already established, on the rise, and is considered `big-time football.' At the same time, you realize it's a great opportunity and having the relationship with coach Rizzi that I do, it made me have to heavily consider it. Talk about your time at Rutgers. You arrived at Rutgers and were a part of the best season the Scarlet Knights have ever had in 2006, and this past season helped them win their second-consecutive bowl game.
The whole experience was unbelievable. I will always be thankful to (Greg) Schiano for giving me the chance to be a part of that. I'm going to take everything I learned there with me anywhere I end up. Everything I do will stem from what I learned there. It's one thing to explain to people what we did there as far as what was done and where it is now, but to me, it really can't be put into words. I saw the whole rebuilding process from day one until now - I knew coach Schiano because my younger brother played for him, and it allowed me to see everything up-front. When I stop and think about it, it's really mind-boggling what he's done there.
What similarities do you see between the Rutgers rebuilding process and what the staff is doing here? I thought about that the other day, and to be honest, we're two steps ahead of where Rutgers was back then. That's how crazy things were at Rutgers. Even with a 3-8 record last year, we're still slightly above where Rutgers started in the beginning of its rebuilding. That's a ray of light, but we still have a lot of work to do. What's the most important aspect of the RU football program that you hope to bring here to URI? I learned so many things. This is a very difficult thing to do, but you teach the players to have a sense of ownership over the program. When players feel like it's their program to lose or gain, and when they feel like they're in charge of what's going to happen through their hard work, that's when you really see something. I always felt that way when I was playing. The coaches give the day-to-day instructions, but it comes down to the players. They're the ones who are going to get it done when they feel like it's their program and develop a sense of pride for what direction the team will go. That's when you're successful. One of your players from Rutgers, Chenry Lewis, will also be joining to Rhode Island football program. Talk about what it's going to be like having Chenry here and what his impact will be both on and off the field? He's a great player. He's going to come in very hungry. I get the sense that he doesn't feel like his mission was accomplished at Rutgers, so he's going to come here with a chip on his shoulder looking to prove himself. He was a great player out of high school and he hasn't lost any of his ability. He's going to be that much better when he gets here. He'll play with confidence and be a great addition for us. I'm excited for him to be here. You were a standout linebacker at Colgate and played in a national championship game. Talk about that experience. Looking back, there are no words for it. A non-scholarship school wins 24-staright games...it's almost a blur. I wish I could remember more details. The more you're removed from it, the more it gets away from you. It's one of those crazy things that you don't know if it'll ever happen again, but it's a great sense of pride that you beat the odds and made history. Being not too far removed from your playing days, do you think that helps you relate to student-athletes better then, say, someone who is long removed from their glory days? Or is it a non-factor? It helps big-time. It's awesome. You'll talk to a lot of coaches who have been in it for a long time who will tell you that it's a different type of student-athlete. It's a double-edged sword. Sometimes you might not get the respect because you're close in age, but I feel as if I have established myself. They know what I'm about. At the same time, it definitely is a blessing and I want to take advantage of it for as long as I can. That's how the whole staff is, though. The kids here see that we're all pretty young and energetic and ready to go. You've held a few other jobs outside of coaching. When did you decide that you wanted to be a football coach? How did you end up at Rutgers? I never had a feeling that I couldn't be successful not being involved in football. I just felt like the challenges there weren't as exciting as doing what I love. The opportunity came up at Rutgers, and the timing was right. I was around for the entire recruiting process of my brother, but coach Bob Fraser, who coaches the linebackers at Rutgers, was my coach at Colgate. He and coach Schiano were at Rutgers together in the late 80's as graduate assistants, so when coach Fraser got to Rutgers, there was an opening and he put a word into coach Schiano. He already knew me and I left a good impression on him, so he have me an opportunity. What do you bring to the table as a coach? It will be a combination of things. Energy is one of them. I always thought that being able to have the players feed off of you was very important as a player. If you can feed off other players and feed off the coach, that's a plus. I know I came from a great X's and O's system. I've learned an invaluable amount during my playing days, the coaches I played for, and the coaches from Rutgers, and being someone that has done it gives me credibility. It's hard to get across to kids because many of them will look at your record and think `Why should I listen to you? What have you done?' I'm lucky that's the situation I have. What's been the best part about both living in Rhode Island, and working at URI? Rhode Island is a great place - it's considered New England, but it's not the same weather-wise. I've lived in the tri-state area my entire life. The people have been super-friendly and the food out here in unbelievable! There's always something to do. When you're here in New England, you're not always sure if there are outlets for you to enjoy yourself, but it's the total opposite. Its been a blessing and everything we need to be successful is here. |
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