AP Photo
TDA: Why did you decide to come to Alabama?
AB: A dream come true. I always wanted to come as a kid, and it’s not far from the university.
TDA: How different was Tuscaloosa compared to a smaller town like Sunshine?
AB: Not too much of a transition. only 45 minutes away. I was usually there a lot of times.
TDA: What was the transition like for you? How long did it take you to adjust to the college game after dominating smaller school opponents?
AB: It was mainly the number of players on the field and people in the classroom. Coming from Sunshine the amount of players on the team was small compared to Alabama and the class size was a lot smaller. It also took about a year and a half to figure the system out and adjust to it.
TDA: What did you like the most about Alabama? Were you a fan growing up?
AB: Ever since the 90’s and the tradition of Alabama. Watching the ’92 game against Miami was really when I became more of a fan. How they played, the chemistry they had just drew me to them. Just wanted to be apart that.
TDA: Where did the nickname “Bear” come from?
AB: One of my best friends from high school gave me the nickname back in 1998, unfortunately he drowned after high school.
TDA: You broke the squat record at Alabama during your time there. Do you remember the most you squatted?
AB: 775 was the most, but I could have gotten 1,000, but they would’t let me because it was no reason.
TDA: Rumor has it you could dunk a basketball. Were you a good basketball player in high school?
AB: I was actually better at basketball than football, but I knew I could have a longer career in football than basketball, so I focused more on that.
TDA: What made you stay at Alabama after going through a coaching change and a probation period?
AB: All of the guys that I met we just wanted to stick together. We were close, we all hung together.
TDA: How many years did you play in the NFL?
AB: Six years.
TDA: What was the biggest difference from college and the NFL?
AB: You had more freedom in the NFL, but it was a more business atmosphere.
TDA: Do you think you could still be playing?
AB: It seemed like they wanted more younger guys. I just thank God for the six years. It takes a lot on your body so I’m happy where I’m at, pretty much done with it.
TDA: What are you up to now?
AB: Really just trying to slow things down, really want to have a family some day. My parents are getting older and I’m the youngest of five and they all have kids except for me. Still looking for that right one to settle down with though.
TDA: What do you think of Alabama’s success now? How does it feel knowing you helped pave the way for Alabama to sustain during a tough time?
AB: Feels good, going through it with the guys knowing that it would pay off, but it’s good knowing that even though we were not apart of it, but we helped make it happen. Good knowing we can come back. The door is always open for the older players.
TDA: What do you miss the most about playing at Alabama?
AB: Man, game day. Saturday. The smell of that fresh grass, playing every saturday, that’s what I miss the most.
TDA: What was the best game you played in while at Alabama?
AB: My junior year against Auburn. I had a safety that game and it put me on the map. We didn’t win the game, but that was the best game I had in college.
TDA: Did it hurt knowing you ended your career only beating Auburn once?
AB: Yeah, I only won one time against Auburn in 2001, it’s never a good feeling losing that game.
Previous interviews: C.J. Mosley
Brandon Williams is an Editor and Columnist for Touchdown Alabama. You can follow him on Twitter, @TFRdotNet, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
