Q&A with Outland Trophy, Lombardi Candidate Bryant McKinnie
July 11, 2001
CORAL GABLES, Fla – (www.hurricanesports.com) – SID intern David Cruz recently tackled senior offensive lineman Bryant McKinnie, a first team all-American selection last season and a consensus pre-season All-American and contender for the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award.
McKinnie has a good friend in QB Ken Dorsey, as he’s not allowed a sack in his collegiate career.
A diverse individual, McKinnie ran the 400-meter run at Woodbury High School, a varsity letterman on the wrestling team, played bass drum in the marching band and was an avid participant in step aerobics! He has an incredible eight-foot wingspan (96 inches)!
Q: Describe your off-season on and off the field, particularly your work out schedule.
Bryant McKinnie: “I have been working out extremely hard, trying to get in better shape, trying to put on a little bit more weight because I know it’s my last year and you have to have more weight on you when you go to the next level. Off the field, I am taking classes and pretty much relaxing and enjoying the little free time I do have.”
Q: What if anything has made this off-season more productive?
McKinnie: “We have worked a lot harder and the things that we ended with last summer session, we began with, like running 20-110’s and the agilities. We would have a day where we would do agilities and that’s it, but now we do agilities and lift weights afterward. So we add more, more and more everyday, which gets me in better shape.”
Q: What are your personal thoughts on Coach Coker?
McKinnie: “I think nothing is really going to change. We just have to go out there and play our game. He knows pretty much how to run this football team because he knows everybody on the football team. He knows how to handle situations and he knows how we like to work.”
Q: What are your personal goals for this upcoming season?
McKinnie: “My personal goal is to take one game at a time, hopefully win the BIG EAST and go on to contend for the National Championship. Then I hope to make All-American again this year and be drafted high.”
Q: Where do you see yourself off the field in the future?
McKinnie: “Off the field I would probably be doing something with children, giving back to the community. I would be a social worker.”
Q: What is the strongest aspect of your game?
McKinnie: “My pass protection because with my long arms I am able to reach defenders before they get to me so that helps me a lot.”
Q: Have you made any significant changes over the off-season that might change the way you approach the game?
McKinnie: “Now I’m more determined, trying to stay a lot more focused and I’ve been working on my run blocking because I know it’s one thing that I need to work on. I also gained weight that will help me a lot.”
Q: How can you apply the experiences of football into life?
McKinnie: “My football experience has been a good one. In my life it just teaches me how to work with other people. It helps you later on if you have to go to a job, be able to be around people, work with other people, because not everybody is the same. It allows you to be around a lot of different people, different attitudes, different backgrounds.”
Q: What advice would you give to young kids?
McKinnie: “I would tell them, especially if they’re going to college, to be patient. Don’t expect your first year to go out here and take somebody’s position who has been here and worked hard. Your time will come and patience is really a virtue like they say. And if you have an opportunity to graduate you want to stay in school and get your degree. Maybe you get drafted, but you will still have a degree that says I graduated from the University of Miami or whatever school you go to.
Q: What was your favorite summer movie?McKinnie: “Scary Movie 2 was my favorite summer movie, but I haven’t seen The Fast and the Furious yet.”
Q: What was the last book you read?McKinnie: “The last book I read was The Scarlet Letter. That was a good book, about the lady who had to wear the “A” because she committed adultery.
Q: What do you do to relax and relieve stress?
McKinnie: “I try to go to the pool, to the beach or go swimming, to me that’s relaxing.”
Q: What do you like most about the city of Miami?
McKinnie: “The weather because I am from New Jersey and it’s cold. Down here there’s only spring and summer, you only have the two seasons, whereas up there you have to go through different changes.”
Q: As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
McKinnie: “When I was little I actually wanted to be on the WWF. By the time I got to my junior year in high school I became interested in football, but I always wanted to be on WWF.”
