Behind the Facemask: Kacy Rodgers
June 29, 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…
Kacy Rodgers | Defensive Back | Sophomore | Southlake, Texas
Playing football has given me the foundation to carry on with the rest of my life. The things I learn in football not only have taught me how to be a great player, but to be a great person off the field. Hard work, determination and effort carry on into life after football.
Texas is the greatest state in the nation. I lived in a lot of states because I moved around. I lived in five different states. Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and Florida. I moved a lot. But I feel like I was raised in Texas because I spent six or seven years there. My high school years were all in Texas. My best friends are all there. I claim that’s where I’m from. I was born in Tennessee, but I feel like I’m from Texas.
My favorite midnight snack is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Has to be strawberry jelly though, on white bread. I love a good PB & J.
My favorite song right now is “I’m On One” by Drake.
I’m a Hurricane because I don’t stop. You can’t really stop a Hurricane. You have to wait until it’s over. I keep my motor going, it never stops.
The U really is a family. The fact that it feels like one when I’m so far from home in Texas is nice.
I’ve learned so much from the older guys. Not necessarily one person in particular, but the older defensive backs. I learned how to maintain in college football after switching positions from cornerback to safety. It’s a whole different ball game out here. Even coming from a top program like I did, it is way different. A lot of times you can just watch the older guys and pick up on little things and that’s how I’ve grown tremendously since I got here.
Safety is a completely different position. At corner, you play a lot by yourself. With safety, it helped me realize that I can be a transitional player. Playing safety is fun, it’s taught me a lot. You have a lot more room to cover, and you have to know a lot. It’s like you’re the quarterback of the defense back there.
The coaches have thrown a lot at me, but they throw a lot at everyone. They expect you to know your stuff. That’s something I took to heart because last year I knew I wouldn’t play that much so I was more relaxed. It wasn’t smart. In high school I knew plays but didn’t need to study the defense because I had one guy all game, usually he would be the best receiver. I had to learn a lot during the spring about how to study plays and how to balance it with school. It was hard.
Watching film is another thing I picked up from the older guys. I do it in my free time. Someone shouldn’t have to tell you to go in there and watch film; you have to take it up and doing it yourself.
One thing that everyone should know about Miami football is that it hasn’t gone away. A lot of people talk about the “old U,” and that’s all good. They set the foundation, and we’re trying to accomplish things like they did, but we’re a totally different group of guys. We have different characters, different coaches, and it’s a different era of football. We’re going try to do what they did in our own way, and try and make it special.
Coach Golden, I like him a lot. I loved Coach Shannon too. As a freshman, you always hope that you can keep your coach all four years, but having Coach Golden come in here and understanding who he is and what he stands for, I couldn’t have asked for a better person to come in and fill the shoes. I’m grateful for that.
Other than football, I’m talented at fishing. Being from the south, I really love to fish, I went with my dad whenever I could.
The actor I would want to play me in a movie is Will Smith. “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” is one my favorite shows.
If I was a superhero, I would want to be just like the Hulk. He’s strong, fast, and you can’t hurt him. I don’t know what more you could ask for there. My superhero name would be Deuce.
The song no one would believe I have on my iPod is “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus (laughs).
No one can believe I’ve flown an airplane before. My mom and I were flying to the SEC Championship game when my dad was a coach at Arkansas. I was about eight years old, and they flew the families out there on the plane. The pilot let me sit in the co-pilot’s chair, and he let me fly for a couple miles. I’m sure he was happy when I was finished (laughs).
People might be surprised to know that I’m colorblind. My dad is too, I got it from him. I used to be embarrassed that my mom had to help me pick out my clothes, but I don’t care now. Whenever I have to pick out suits and ties, I always trust her judgment (laughs).
If I could spend a day with anyone, it would be both of my grandmothers. When I was little, I spent more time with my mom’s mother, and then when I got older, it was more with my dad’s parents. Both my grandmothers have taught me many things, along with my mom. The wisdom you get from your grandma, there’s nothing like it. They’ll slap a big life lesson on you when you’re sitting on your porch and you won’t’ even realize it until a few years down the road.
The most influential person in my life is probably my mother. My dad’s job took him away a lot of the time with 14-hour days. My mom’s been there for me since day one. She’s my best friend; I can go to her for anything. I know I can go to my dad too, but there’s nothing like my mom. She’d do anything for me, and I’ve learned a lot from her, about how to be a better human being for yourself and for others.
The best advice is to believe in yourself at all times. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else is going to. It all starts with if you feel you can do something. The greatest power behind any action is you.
When I was a kid playing football, I pretended to be Steve McNair. I always had his jersey, living in Tennessee. I wanted to play quarterback all the time and I’d always wear his jersey. I had his bobble head doll and everything.
I didn’t play football until I was in seventh grade. I played center for a small private school in Texas. I was awful. When I moved to Southlake my freshman year, I was on the B-team. I was on B-team until junior year of high school, and that’s when things took off for me.
I never thought I would impact as many people’s lives as I have. A lot of people will say they never saw themselves at the U, but I always had high expectations of myself. I always wanted to be a college football player and I would do everything I could to get to that level. Touching people’s lives in my family, I hope I light a fire in people that you can do anything. I like to take care of my family. Seeing them proud of me, that makes it all worthwhile.
I was raised everywhere. I feel like I was raised by my mom. My dad’s the greatest dad in the world, but he missed a lot of stuff because he was working for me and my mom. I look up to him for that fact. I feel like I’ve also been raised by my friends. When I first moved to a new school freshman year we stayed close, about six of us, and we’re still close to this day. We’re like family. I’m the only child, I feel like they’re my brothers.
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.
