AU Athletic News Conference
Audra Tatum
Flomaton High School
Flomaton, Al.
Everybody is a little anxious when a 6 feet 2 inches, 242 pound guy walks into the room but with LaDarius Owens it is a different story. He is as nice as can be and very well spoken. He grew up in Bessemer, Al and went to high school at Jess Lanier. He played little league football in Birmingham but didn’t stick with it. He began playing again his junior year of high school after transferring schools and having to sit the bench his sophomore year. Nobody ever thought after playing just two years of football that he would be offered scholarships to the top Division one Southeastern colleges.
After many campus tours and meetings with the coaches, Owens made his final decision; he was going to Auburn University. He said one thing that made him choose Auburn was the family atmosphere. “They treated me like family,” Owens stated. He also said that Auburn was in his family. His uncle, James Owens, was the first black scholarship football player at Auburn.
He was not only good in football but he also was smart. He majored in kinesiology and was also on the Dean’s list.
His freshman year he was redshirted even though he was so highly recruited. When asked how he felt about that he said “Life sometimes throws stuff at you, you just have to deal with it.” Even though he was sort of bitter about the whole thing, he said you just can’t go around moping. His freshman year enabled him to get better, faster and stronger for the upcoming years.
When asked about how he feels about the upcoming year he says he feels very anxious and enthusiastic. “I just want to play,” he told us. “Everybody said we were one and done, but I don’t see it that way. We lost experience, not talent. I just hope someone will step up and be a leader,” Owens stated.
I know many people are anxious are about this upcoming year with the recent National Championship but I guess we will all have to wait and see.
Flomaton High School
Flomaton, Al.
Everybody is a little anxious when a 6 feet 2 inches, 242 pound guy walks into the room but with LaDarius Owens it is a different story. He is as nice as can be and very well spoken. He grew up in Bessemer, Al and went to high school at Jess Lanier. He played little league football in Birmingham but didn’t stick with it. He began playing again his junior year of high school after transferring schools and having to sit the bench his sophomore year. Nobody ever thought after playing just two years of football that he would be offered scholarships to the top Division one Southeastern colleges.
After many campus tours and meetings with the coaches, Owens made his final decision; he was going to Auburn University. He said one thing that made him choose Auburn was the family atmosphere. “They treated me like family,” Owens stated. He also said that Auburn was in his family. His uncle, James Owens, was the first black scholarship football player at Auburn.
He was not only good in football but he also was smart. He majored in kinesiology and was also on the Dean’s list.
His freshman year he was redshirted even though he was so highly recruited. When asked how he felt about that he said “Life sometimes throws stuff at you, you just have to deal with it.” Even though he was sort of bitter about the whole thing, he said you just can’t go around moping. His freshman year enabled him to get better, faster and stronger for the upcoming years.
When asked about how he feels about the upcoming year he says he feels very anxious and enthusiastic. “I just want to play,” he told us. “Everybody said we were one and done, but I don’t see it that way. We lost experience, not talent. I just hope someone will step up and be a leader,” Owens stated.
I know many people are anxious are about this upcoming year with the recent National Championship but I guess we will all have to wait and see.