Behind the Facemask: Blake Ayles

June 28, 2011

CORAL GABLES, Fla —They are stories of perseverance. Stories about growing up, becoming men and being a part of a family. One-by-one, we hear from them. These are the Miami Hurricanes…

Blake Ayles | Tight End | Senior | Orange, Calif.

I’m from California, I just transferred this year. I don’t like the heat down here; the sun is a lot hotter. I just get red instead of getting tan.

I’m a Laker guy, but it was good to see the Miami Heat come together. I’m not too big of a sports fan unless it’s football, though.

My favorite NFL team is the Packers. My dad grew up in Wausau, Wisconsin, and then moved to California when he was 11.

I was a quarterback in high school, but when my coach brought me up to varsity he told me I would be a tight end after my first week of practice. I’ve played it ever since.

I like playing tight end. It’s the best offensive position; it’s almost like a defensive player. I love hitting and not getting hit too much.

I’m a big Call of Duty guy. I play with guys from back home at USC. I’m also a big Facebook guy. I stay up on my Facebook.

I’ve got a girlfriend back home that I met in high school. We’ve been going out for seven years now.

I like to cook, but I could never cook because I lived with three disgusting people who never took care of anything. Two of them moved out, so I’m excited.

I like all kinds of music. When I lift it’s mainly rock. Getting ready for the game, it usually turns to rap. Then I’ll listen to Bob Marley after the game, so I’m kind of everywhere.

I’m a wings guy. I’ll eat wings anytime of the day.  I like my buffalo wings a little spicy. I messed with the super hot wings at Smoke’t and it didn’t work so well.

I’m afraid of having another disappointing season. I’ve had three bad ones in a row. I had two that ended with an injury, and last year, there were a lot of problems with coaches that didn’t work out, which led me to come here. I’ve enjoyed it ever since I’ve been out here.

I’m going to bring back some superstitions this year. The night before a game in high school I would clean my helmet to get ready for the game. I haven’t done that at all in college, so I’m bringing it back.

I have a sister who has two daughters, Logan and Shiloh. They’re my little girls. My brother-in-law is real cool, he’s watching my dog right now, which my sister’s not too happy about. She’s a pit bull–she’s my little baby. She’s a real good dog, she’s just all about her attitude (laughs).

My dad is a truck driver, and he played high school football and ran track. That’s what made me do track. I was second in the state of California my senior year with my throw for track. He’s always been an influence, ever since growing up and throwing the ball out front and stuff like that.

I like to bike long-distance on those little speed bikes. I’m looking at getting one out here, a fixed-gear bike. That’s what me and my boys would do back in LA. All the seniors would live downtown and we lived on campus, so we would ride over there. I haven’t been doing it too much down here, but it’s something I want to start doing.

The best I’ve ever felt on the football field was my touchdown against Ohio State at USC in 2008. Having 96,000 people yelling at you, it gets you going.

I’m mad I didn’t get a chance to play in the Orange Bowl, it would have been a great place to play in.

The first time I saw Greg Olsen, I was in awe. But I know at every program there are guys who go on to the next level. The tradition around here is what’s important. I’m feeling it already with Coach Golden. I don’t know how it’s been around here the past few years, but we’re here to win a championship. This is the U. We have to protect the U and uphold the legacy.

One of the guys I look up to is Clay Matthews. I played with him at USC. He was a walk-on. His dad didn’t even start him in high school until his senior year, and even then he sat him a couple of games. Then he went to USC, never played, and gets a season and a half in and becomes a first-round pick. Two years later, he’s a Super Bowl champion. Seeing him up there, I thought that could be me one day. He’s definitely someone I look up to.

I just got an iPad. That’s been keeping me busy. It’s nice to take notes on it in class.

I’m a sociology major. I don’t really know what I’m going to do in my future, but it’s going to be dealing with kids somehow. They’re the future, so helping out is important, especially inner-city kids who don’t have the same opportunities as others.

Make sure to check in for a new Behind the Facemask profile each and everyday in preparation for the Hurricane football season opener. For a review of all past profiles, check out Behind the Facemask Central.