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Q+A With Duke Football: R.J. Oben
9/8/2022 10:05:00 AM | Football
DURHAM - The Voice of the Blue Devils, David Shumate, sat down with redshirt junior defensive end R.J. Oben for a brief question and answer session.
DS: The communications department sent a personality sheet to you during preseason. Tell me about the saxophone and how that was a part of your life?
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R.J.: Yea, I played the saxophone I think from third grade up until eighth grade. I started with the alto and then when I switched schools, I started playing the baritone and then back to the alto. It helps with my breathing; I really miss it a lot. It was a different aspect of listening to music rather than just bumping stuff in your headphones. Getting to play it was another way to express yourself and it was really fun.Â
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DS: Is music still a big thing for you? How do you tie music to things now that you're in college, while still obviously focusing on football?
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R.J.: I'm not producing or making any music anymore, but I think music is a huge fuel. Tying into football, listening to the music I do before games or while I'm watching film, it just getting me in the right mindset. I think it drives me, it drives my mood, drives the way I operate every day, so I'm really grateful for that.Â
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DS: I want to dig into the football side of things a little bit. You're the leading returning edge rusher on this team. What sort of mentality does it take to come off the edge and go after the quarterback?Â
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R.J.: It's huge. A while ago, it was seen as such a miniscule position, but you see guys like Von Miller and Chandler Jones coming out there and making plays and having a big impact on the game. Now I think the position has evolved to more edge rushers, becoming a really valued position. I think with that I feel like my role on the team and my perception of what I have to do is seen as more important. I know that if I do my job and do it to the best of my abilities, I can affect the game. I could become a game wrecker and create a big impact to help my team.Â
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DS: You mentioned a couple of NFL guys, so I'll go into that with your dad and the impact that he's had on your life, but also just that experience. For a lot of guys, the NFL is a dream, and they don't have much exposure to it until they get to college and start to look at the next level. How has that helped you, the perspective of growing up in and around it, and seeing the NFL and knowing what it takes to succeed there?
Â
R.J.: Yeah, it helps me understand a little bit of an aspect of what's to come at the next level and kind of what it takes to get there. My dad's always been real with me about what it takes, level of work ethic, and the reality that it comes in terms of the chances. You know, agents could try to lie to you, or people around you are telling you you're going to go first round, second round. You see past that deception when you've been around it and you're more exposed to the actual reality of it rather than all the flashy stuff.Â
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DS: This will be the first road game for you guys, at Northwestern. Chance to play in a Big Ten venue against a very good team. What's the mentality it takes to be successful on the road?
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R.J.: It's staying true to who you are. Coach K (Krzyzewski) came in to talk, and a lot of other speakers came in to talk about recreating the brand of Duke. When you're traveling on the road and you're taking it to a big city like Chicago, it's important to really think about what you're bringing with you, rather than just your past. What does that defense bring, the culture of Duke bring, what it means when they see us on the field, when they see you on TV, when the opposing fans see you from other schools, what does it mean. I think it's really important for bringing that perspective of the perception that we want to carry out.
#GoDuke
DS: The communications department sent a personality sheet to you during preseason. Tell me about the saxophone and how that was a part of your life?
Â
R.J.: Yea, I played the saxophone I think from third grade up until eighth grade. I started with the alto and then when I switched schools, I started playing the baritone and then back to the alto. It helps with my breathing; I really miss it a lot. It was a different aspect of listening to music rather than just bumping stuff in your headphones. Getting to play it was another way to express yourself and it was really fun.Â
Â
DS: Is music still a big thing for you? How do you tie music to things now that you're in college, while still obviously focusing on football?
Â
R.J.: I'm not producing or making any music anymore, but I think music is a huge fuel. Tying into football, listening to the music I do before games or while I'm watching film, it just getting me in the right mindset. I think it drives me, it drives my mood, drives the way I operate every day, so I'm really grateful for that.Â
Â
DS: I want to dig into the football side of things a little bit. You're the leading returning edge rusher on this team. What sort of mentality does it take to come off the edge and go after the quarterback?Â
Â
R.J.: It's huge. A while ago, it was seen as such a miniscule position, but you see guys like Von Miller and Chandler Jones coming out there and making plays and having a big impact on the game. Now I think the position has evolved to more edge rushers, becoming a really valued position. I think with that I feel like my role on the team and my perception of what I have to do is seen as more important. I know that if I do my job and do it to the best of my abilities, I can affect the game. I could become a game wrecker and create a big impact to help my team.Â
Â
DS: You mentioned a couple of NFL guys, so I'll go into that with your dad and the impact that he's had on your life, but also just that experience. For a lot of guys, the NFL is a dream, and they don't have much exposure to it until they get to college and start to look at the next level. How has that helped you, the perspective of growing up in and around it, and seeing the NFL and knowing what it takes to succeed there?
Â
R.J.: Yeah, it helps me understand a little bit of an aspect of what's to come at the next level and kind of what it takes to get there. My dad's always been real with me about what it takes, level of work ethic, and the reality that it comes in terms of the chances. You know, agents could try to lie to you, or people around you are telling you you're going to go first round, second round. You see past that deception when you've been around it and you're more exposed to the actual reality of it rather than all the flashy stuff.Â
Â
DS: This will be the first road game for you guys, at Northwestern. Chance to play in a Big Ten venue against a very good team. What's the mentality it takes to be successful on the road?
Â
R.J.: It's staying true to who you are. Coach K (Krzyzewski) came in to talk, and a lot of other speakers came in to talk about recreating the brand of Duke. When you're traveling on the road and you're taking it to a big city like Chicago, it's important to really think about what you're bringing with you, rather than just your past. What does that defense bring, the culture of Duke bring, what it means when they see us on the field, when they see you on TV, when the opposing fans see you from other schools, what does it mean. I think it's really important for bringing that perspective of the perception that we want to carry out.
#GoDuke
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