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Q&A with Duke Football: Sayyid Stevens
8/12/2021 5:15:00 PM | Football
DURHAM – The Voice of the Blue Devils, David Shumate, sat down with redshirt sophomore linebacker Sayyid Stevens for a brief question and answer session.
DS:Â What's the biggest change that you've seen in yourself since you got on campus?
SS:Â Well, since I played defensive end in high school that's been the biggest change going from that to linebacker. I just see the whole field way differently. At defensive end you're just shuffling, waiting for the quarterback and just pass rushing. Now at linebacker, you've got to combine everything. Pass dropping, pass rushing, and blitzing. So definitely that's the biggest change I've had to conquer as I head into my third year.
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DS: Did you have to change weight, size anything like that switching positions?
SS: No, actually I was a pretty good size coming out of high school so that wasn't the hard part. The hard part was just coming on the field and playing linebacker.
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DS: You grew up in Midway, which from what I saw is just a little bit outside of Savannah, we're going to leave football for a second, I'm assuming you know your way around a good meal. So, what's the best meal you've ever had?
SS: Best meal I have is when my dad cooks oxtail with rice and gravy and some red snap beans. Every time I got home during the summer or whenever I get a chance to go home during Christmas, I always ask my dad to make that.
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DS: Back to football, what are the ideal traits of a linebacker?
SS: Ideal traits of a linebacker are being able to read your keys and having responsiveness. Being aware of what's going on around you. Hands, feet, all that combines to make you a good linebacker. You have to be a leader of the defense, so you have to know what the defensive line does and what the people behind you do. Just having that awareness of what's going on all around the field.
Â
DS: You wear No. 34, is there a story behind that, how'd you settle on the number?
SS: No real story behind it. I'm actually glad I got it though because my lucky number is seven so three plus four equals seven so I was just blessed to get that here.
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DS: If you're not playing football, outside of school, what sort of hobbies do you have?
SS: When I go back home my hobbies are fishing. I'm from Midway, Ga., so we go saltwater fishing to catch trout, grouper and all that type of stuff. I love fishing when I'm outside of football.
Â
DS: From a pure football perspective, who in your life has had the biggest impact on you to this point?
SS: I've had a couple coaches who've impacted me. Someone from last year was coach Billy Lewis. He knew that I struggled sometimes reading my keys so we used to meet after practice via Zoom because of COVID. We used to go over key reads and as far as right now he's had the biggest impact. Also my high school coach, coach Day. He still calls me every now and then to see how I'm doing. So those two were the main coaches that have made an impact on me.
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#GoDuke
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DS:Â What's the biggest change that you've seen in yourself since you got on campus?
SS:Â Well, since I played defensive end in high school that's been the biggest change going from that to linebacker. I just see the whole field way differently. At defensive end you're just shuffling, waiting for the quarterback and just pass rushing. Now at linebacker, you've got to combine everything. Pass dropping, pass rushing, and blitzing. So definitely that's the biggest change I've had to conquer as I head into my third year.
Â
DS: Did you have to change weight, size anything like that switching positions?
SS: No, actually I was a pretty good size coming out of high school so that wasn't the hard part. The hard part was just coming on the field and playing linebacker.
Â
DS: You grew up in Midway, which from what I saw is just a little bit outside of Savannah, we're going to leave football for a second, I'm assuming you know your way around a good meal. So, what's the best meal you've ever had?
SS: Best meal I have is when my dad cooks oxtail with rice and gravy and some red snap beans. Every time I got home during the summer or whenever I get a chance to go home during Christmas, I always ask my dad to make that.
Â
DS: Back to football, what are the ideal traits of a linebacker?
SS: Ideal traits of a linebacker are being able to read your keys and having responsiveness. Being aware of what's going on around you. Hands, feet, all that combines to make you a good linebacker. You have to be a leader of the defense, so you have to know what the defensive line does and what the people behind you do. Just having that awareness of what's going on all around the field.
Â
DS: You wear No. 34, is there a story behind that, how'd you settle on the number?
SS: No real story behind it. I'm actually glad I got it though because my lucky number is seven so three plus four equals seven so I was just blessed to get that here.
Â
DS: If you're not playing football, outside of school, what sort of hobbies do you have?
SS: When I go back home my hobbies are fishing. I'm from Midway, Ga., so we go saltwater fishing to catch trout, grouper and all that type of stuff. I love fishing when I'm outside of football.
Â
DS: From a pure football perspective, who in your life has had the biggest impact on you to this point?
SS: I've had a couple coaches who've impacted me. Someone from last year was coach Billy Lewis. He knew that I struggled sometimes reading my keys so we used to meet after practice via Zoom because of COVID. We used to go over key reads and as far as right now he's had the biggest impact. Also my high school coach, coach Day. He still calls me every now and then to see how I'm doing. So those two were the main coaches that have made an impact on me.
Â
#GoDuke
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