Behind the Facemask: Ray-Ray Armstrong
July 26, 2011
CORAL GABLES, Fla.–No dream comes true without sacrifice and these young men have worked to make their dream of playing at the U come true. Here are the men behind the sacrifice…
Ray-Ray Armstrong | Defensive Back | Junior | Sanford, Fla.
Playing football has given me confidence.
I’m a Hurricane because of the tradition, because of the family, and because of the reputation of the U being a pipeline to the pros.
The U is about the family environment that coaches give to players. When I got here, I was able to relate to the players more so than at any other school. I felt like I was at home, like I was right up the street.
My favorite midnight snack is a Honeybun, or maybe milk and Oreo cookies.
My favorite song right now is “Sure Thing” by Lil Wayne.
My favorite thing about being part of the U Family is that people respect you everywhere you go. They respect the program, they know what’s happened in the past, they know the program is up and coming and we’re going to get back to where we need to be.
Competition is a must. I love it. I think competition brings the best out of players. Competition can build a lot of trust and confidence too. You’re competing with your teammates, you’re all going at it, you’re battling, and you’re beating each other out. It builds up confidence for when you get into the game.
The song no one would believe I have on my iPod is “Super Bass” by Nicki Minaj.
When I played football as a kid, I pretended to be Sean Taylor.
#26 is an honor. It’s something I know I have to uphold, something I feel like means so much. I wanted that number to honor my favorite player.
One thing everyone should know about Miami football is that we’re a well conditioned team. We’re going to be a smarter team, a tougher team, and a better conditioned team.
Other than football, I’m talented at basketball. Baseball, too. I played pitcher, first base, and the outfield. I really played everything except catcher. I got focused on football when I got to high school. I was playing basketball just to keep me doing something. In 12th grade, I really stopped playing basketball and got focused on football.
The most influential person in my life is my mom, because of the things she’s been through, the struggles she grew up with, and the things I’ve seen her provide. I have two brothers and three sisters. Through thick and thin, she’s always there to be able to give us anything. We never had to want for anything. She was always there to provide that.
Ray-Ray is a nickname that I’ve had all my life, a name my mom gave me when I was a little kid. When I started to get older, in middle school and stuff, people would try to say my name and could never pronounce it. They would always pronounce it wrong. When I was a kid, I didn’t like my name, because no one could pronounce it. Now every time I talk to a girl, they’ll tell me I have a nice name (laughs).
I’m loving the Golden Era. It’s been a great transition. I think it’s going to work out for the better. We’re learning a lot more with this coaching staff. They’re having the kids go back and be aware of the history of the program and the legacy that we’re supposed to carry on.
When I was six years old I got my first girlfriend (laughs). Her name was Gloria.
I love playing football. I have a passion for the game. It’s something I want to do for the rest of my life. I don’t want to do anything else. When I’m out there, I feel like I’m free. I feel like I’m having so much fun. You have to flip the switch out there though. I’m a safety, so I have to be tough, I have to make tackles, and I have to make hits. I’m the last line of defense. When I’m out on the field, I feel like I’m in my domain where nobody can stop me. I can do whatever I want to do out there.
I’m focused on the season. The only time I hear about the awards is when people bring them up to me. I don’t look at the Internet, so it doesn’t really bother me because I just don’t pay attention. People will call me from home asking if I saw this article or if I knew I got nominated for this award, and I’ll say no. I don’t pay attention to it. I’m focused on the season, because none of that matters until you’re out on the field. I don’t even listen to it.
The actor I would want to play me in a movie is Chris Tucker.
The best advice I’ve been given was from Ray Lewis, who told us, “waste no time.” You have to make the best of it. Every minute of your day, don’t waste any time. Push yourself to the limit everyday, be the best you can be.
We have to make our own legacy. It’s a new era. We have to define ourselves. We have to stop focusing on the past and create our own legacy.
If I could spend a day with anyone, it would be Keri Hilson.
I’ll never forget my hometown. Where I came from, and the things I’ve been through there, I really believe that’s built me into the person I am today. Seeing a lot of tough situations helped me with my decision-making, especially when I see people doing the wrong thing.
Dyron Dye and I grew up together, starting when we were five years old. I’ve known him my whole life. We always went to the same school and always played on the same teams. I believe that really helped me when I got here. I was already at a comfort level that I knew someone here, so if I had no one to talk to, I could talk to him. I knew if I got into something, he would be there with me to help me out.
One person I’m close with is Randy Phillips. He just graduated. He was an old head when I got here. He was a veteran. He showed me the ropes. He was with me a lot in practice, telling me what I was doing wrong and helping me through the process. In high school, you play off raw talent. He was the one who helped me focus on the technical part of the game and the mental part of the game.
I was raised in Sanford, Florida, by a great family. I feel like my family is my backbone. I was raised to never be afraid of a challenge. I was raised to stand for something, to set high goals, and to chase my dreams.
Running through the smoke is like no other feeling in the world. Knowing all the people that came out of the smoke, that came through the same tunnels, that wore the same uniforms. Just knowing who did it before you, it’s overwhelming. It’s a great feeling.
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.
