From bitter to brilliant: LaDarius Owens
Owens at press conference Tuesday
Mackenzie Grant
Winter Springs High School
Winter Springs, FL
On Wednesday afternoon at the Auburn Sports Complex, a press conference was held with LaDarius Owens, Auburn's redshirted linebacker. Students grades 10-12 received the opportunity to interview Owens.
Among the trophies that afternoon Owens stood at 6’2’’, wearing Auburn orange and bearing the unmistakable frame of a linebacker. Even thicker than his homegrown Alabama accent was his Auburn pride, which seemed to have been built into his DNA and influenced by his famous uncle, James Owens.
“My uncle was the first African American to play here at this university (Auburn University) on a scholarship, so it’s always been part of my family. It’s all I’ve ever known,” said young Owens.
Growing up with a single mother, Owens lived in Birmingham, Ala., were he first played the game in a junior league. After transferring to Jess Lanier High School in Bessemer his sophomore year, he sat the year out, gaining enthusiasm and excitement that paid off his junior year.
Owens equates his red-shirted season to his sophomore year of high school and as he prepares for the upcoming season, he is more than ready to step on the field to fight with his teammates.
Teammates, or brothers as Owens refers to them are his “family.” On vacations and days off from training, he takes them home with him to Birmingham. His mother, Ora Owens, he says, is his motivation to keep going when a hard practice or a difficult day arises. She even has a family-like relationship with head coach Gene Chizik.
“For Father’s Day, my mom called him and left a message saying ‘Happy Father’s Day’ and he returned her call… After our team meeting that night he just came up to me and told me how much he appreciated her calling him,” Owens said.
His family oriented upbringing, gives him strength on and off the field. He describes the rush he feels when he plays as the quintessential butterflies but more importantly that he is “fighting for his family.”
Though his soft spot for family is evident, the gentle and kind Owens feels differently about the University of Alabama. He warns that whoever the quarterback is at Alabama is going to be wearing a huge red target as his most desirable sack for this upcoming season.
In preparation for the fall, Owens says he’s dedicated. He describes himself as a “workaholic.”
“I don’t feel right doing just enough,” he said.
He pushes himself and lives for the grind most athletes dread.
“I love the long hours and no sleep,” Owens said.
Before every game next season, fans can be sure that Owens' pregame activities will consist of listening to Lil Boosie and stuffing his socks with money.
“The bigger the game, the bigger the money,” Owens laughed.
All jokes aside, Owens claims his biggest goal is to just get on the field and make an impact, but he’s prepared to prove he deserves to wear orange and navy.
“I like being the underdog. I’ve been the underdog my whole life. Just means, we got nothing to lose.”
Winter Springs High School
Winter Springs, FL
On Wednesday afternoon at the Auburn Sports Complex, a press conference was held with LaDarius Owens, Auburn's redshirted linebacker. Students grades 10-12 received the opportunity to interview Owens.
Among the trophies that afternoon Owens stood at 6’2’’, wearing Auburn orange and bearing the unmistakable frame of a linebacker. Even thicker than his homegrown Alabama accent was his Auburn pride, which seemed to have been built into his DNA and influenced by his famous uncle, James Owens.
“My uncle was the first African American to play here at this university (Auburn University) on a scholarship, so it’s always been part of my family. It’s all I’ve ever known,” said young Owens.
Growing up with a single mother, Owens lived in Birmingham, Ala., were he first played the game in a junior league. After transferring to Jess Lanier High School in Bessemer his sophomore year, he sat the year out, gaining enthusiasm and excitement that paid off his junior year.
Owens equates his red-shirted season to his sophomore year of high school and as he prepares for the upcoming season, he is more than ready to step on the field to fight with his teammates.
Teammates, or brothers as Owens refers to them are his “family.” On vacations and days off from training, he takes them home with him to Birmingham. His mother, Ora Owens, he says, is his motivation to keep going when a hard practice or a difficult day arises. She even has a family-like relationship with head coach Gene Chizik.
“For Father’s Day, my mom called him and left a message saying ‘Happy Father’s Day’ and he returned her call… After our team meeting that night he just came up to me and told me how much he appreciated her calling him,” Owens said.
His family oriented upbringing, gives him strength on and off the field. He describes the rush he feels when he plays as the quintessential butterflies but more importantly that he is “fighting for his family.”
Though his soft spot for family is evident, the gentle and kind Owens feels differently about the University of Alabama. He warns that whoever the quarterback is at Alabama is going to be wearing a huge red target as his most desirable sack for this upcoming season.
In preparation for the fall, Owens says he’s dedicated. He describes himself as a “workaholic.”
“I don’t feel right doing just enough,” he said.
He pushes himself and lives for the grind most athletes dread.
“I love the long hours and no sleep,” Owens said.
Before every game next season, fans can be sure that Owens' pregame activities will consist of listening to Lil Boosie and stuffing his socks with money.
“The bigger the game, the bigger the money,” Owens laughed.
All jokes aside, Owens claims his biggest goal is to just get on the field and make an impact, but he’s prepared to prove he deserves to wear orange and navy.
“I like being the underdog. I’ve been the underdog my whole life. Just means, we got nothing to lose.”