Nick Eason Answers Your ‘Ask The Tigers’ Questions

Sept. 20, 2001

Below are Nick Eason’s answers to the selected questions that you submitted this past week to “Ask The Tigers”. ClemsonTigers.com would like to thank you for all of your questions submitted. We would also like to thank Nick for his time and sincere effort with “Ask The Tigers”.

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Nick, I know that you graduated in August with your first degree. Are you pursuing a Master’s Degree and in what field? Is it harder to balance graduate studies and football than it was as an undergraduate?Suzanne Shumway Boiling Springs, SC

Yes I am pursuing my Masters degree in Human Resources. I haven’t started the program yet, but I plan on getting started in Jan. I havent’ started grad school yet so I’m not able to answer your second question. But I’m sure it is a little harder trying to manage football as a grad student.

Nick, How do you like carrying all that extra weight since you moved to tackle?Mark Madsen Greenville, SC

Well the most I’ve weighed this year has been 287, but I lost a lot during camp. I weigh 275 now. But I can tell the difference. I worked really hard on getting in shape this summer. But I’m still not where I want to be.

Nick, First, let me say that I have tremendous confidence in the defensive line this year. But, what is it going to take for the defensive line to start putting more pressure on the QB? Do you think it is intensity, experience, etc?Billy Parks Columbia, SC

Its going to take all front four to put pressure on the quarter back. I think a lot of times all of us don’t get pressure on the quarter back at the same time. Also we haven’t played our best game yet. And I think you sill see that this week against Va. We really don’t have a lot of experience, But we have enough to get pressure on the QB.

Nick Look up into Sec R Row AA if you ever wonder if anyone is pulling for you. We Are! Thanks for being a real team player and working to make the move you’re gonna be great there! Just get those big Tiger Paws up in the air and the QB’s face! What was the biggest factor in your deciding to stick it out and make the move?Tim Hackett Columbia, SC

I’m a team player. Whatever helps the team out is what suits me best. I talked to Coach Herring and he told me that DT was probably the position I would play in the NFL. I’m only 6’3″. Most of the DE’s have a lot of height. But I didn’t mind making the move. We don’t have a lot of depth on the inside. I just want to win, which is why I made the move.

Nick, How did the tragedy in New York effect you personally and the Tiger football team?Jonathan Jackson Jacksonville, FL

Well, I didn’t know anyone, but it was a big concern having people taking over planes and diving them down all over the place. A lot of us were concerned for our safety and I’m sure some people had friends that knew people, but I don’t think anyone on the team knew anybody personally that was a victim. I’m sure a lot of guys didn’t feel like practicing that day and I know a lot of guys agreed on not having the game last week against Duke.

Nick, If the football team would’ve had to play last Saturday against Duke, how difficult/easy do you think it would have been to play your best?Nick Milner Bluffton, SC

I think that the guys would have played well. I think we would have just dedicated the game to the victims and done well. We practiced as if we were going to play anyway, so I think we would have been very mentally and physically prepared to play the game.

Nick, I read that you had interests in the Secret Service. What intrigues you about that occupation and are you still wanting to pursue that?Jen Staulworth Richmond, VA

I got interested in criminal justice in high school. I worked in a funeral home and kind of wanted to do forensic science, which is the main reason I wanted to major in sociology and criminal justice. But, I changed my mind about forensic science since I’ve been in school for a long time. With my size and everything, I started thinking about the Secret Service. I like the police TV shows, and stuff about the FBI, so I figure it will be interesting to pursue.

Nick, What is your take on the Virginia offense? What are the concerns with the two different QBs? How much of a relief is it that Womack will not be playing? What do you think of their back-up? Keep up the good work!Ben Butler Orlando, FL

Their quarterbacks don’t really concern me. They have a really big offensive line, which really doesn’t concern me either. I am kind of a veteran now, so big offensive lines don’t concern me. I’d rather Womack be playing, I think it would make the game more interesting. I don’t want them to have any excuses if they lose. Their back-up is a good runner, though. Probably not as good as Womack, but he runs just as hard.

Nick, Could you tell us a bit about the young defensive linemen that we haven’t been able to see too much of. Whipple, Bennett, Fountain, ect? Thanks a lot and good luck against the Cavs!Lynn Bates Mt. Pleasant, SC

Whipple lacks a lot of size right now. He is only about 200 lbs right now, but has a ton of quickness and should be a great passer in the days to come. Bennett is not as quick as Whipple, but he is on the third team depth chart right now. He lacks some size and strength, but once he gains those attributes, I think he will be a really good player. Moe Fountain is doing real good. He plays more than any other freshman on the defense. I think that his experience at Fork Union helped him a lot. You also have Mark Jetton, who is being red-shirted right now, but he works real hard and I think he’ll be a good player too.