Quentin Poling – May 11, 2018
Friday, May 11, 2018
Linebacker Quentin Poling
(Looking at the statistics you complied in college, they’re very, very impressive. A lot of tackles for losses, a lot of turnovers. Why do you figure you lasted so long in the draft with those kind of stats? Size?) – “Maybe. For some people, that’s an issue. I’m a little short for maybe some people and their liking – maybe a little light; but it was a good year for linebackers in my opinion in the draft. (There were) a lot of great athletes. I think I attribute that to being a big reason.”
(Hopefully this is the last time I ask you this: is it Po-ling or Paul-ing?) – “Po-ling.”
(Any Power 5 conference offers coming out of high school?) – “Nope.”
(Have you felt overlooked during that process as a high school senior?) – “Not really. I started the whole camp scene in high school a little late. To pick up some of those Power 5 offers, you’ve got to get at it a little bit earlier than I had really known. It’s a hindsight thing.”
(How big of a party was there in Gomer, Ohio when you were drafted? It is population 102, correct?) – “Yes. Not much of a party. I limited it to select family members. Even then, I was kind of out in my dad’s garage and fielding phone calls and things like that, so it was a stressful day.”
(How about in terms of the town itself? I can’t imagine there would be many people in Gomer, Ohio that get drafted in the NFL.) – “Not too many. (laughter) It was good. Very exciting. I’m sure probably a third of that population doesn’t even know that I came from there or who I am. The people who I’m pretty close with, the neighbors, they’re excited.”
(What gives you confidence that going from playing in the conference you did in college to playing at the highest level of football in the world, that you’re going to be able to make that transition?) – “Just knowing that I’m going to prepare to do it. Preparation and knowing what you’re doing will allow you to make up a lot of the game-speed type things. You can’t play fast if you don’t know what you’re doing. Just hitting the books a little harder than everyone else is and trying to learn my position and the whole defense and everything.”
(You probably – I don’t know your schedule – but you probably played in some big road stadiums, is that right?) – “Yes.”
(What’s the biggest you played in?) – “Tennessee.”
(Alright, so 65,000 at Hard Rock Stadium won’t be overwhelming for you then?) – “No.”
(Did you just say a third of the people in your town might not know that you’re from there?) – “Correct.”
(That’s 30 people!) – “About half. (laughter)”
(How is that possible? You’re just joking right?) – “No.”
(You’re not like a celebrity there?) – “No. It’s a classic town set up with a T – two roads, road, road. So this road, probably pretty good, well known. This road … (laughter)”
(They do have television there right?) – “Most houses.”
(So why don’t you have the crossover appeal? What’s going on?) – “I don’t know. All my friends live on this road.”
(Wait a minute, there’s only like one high school there I’m assuming.) – “I go to high school not in that settlement. It’s not big enough to even be called a village.”
(That’s why half the city doesn’t pay attention to who you are?) – “Correct.”
(You’ve gotten too big for them.) – “Yes. (laughter)”
(You had 18 college sacks. How often were you a blitzer and how effective are you?) – “Pretty frequently. We got after people. We had some blitzes that were very effective in the run and pass game. We blitzed a lot and did some limited man stuff, but a lot of it was kind of a hug-and-add to your man pressure-type-thing on the running back when you have man (coverage). So it gets you some coverage sacks and stuff like that.”
(And in pass coverage, you had seven picks obviously in four years there. How often would you be used in coverage? Do you feel good about your abilities with that?) – “Yes, I was used frequently … A lot of our Cover 4 stuff, I would just area drop and there were running backs and things like that, so it was very basic; but we expanded a lot more into Cover 3 and Cover 2 stuff my junior and senior season. I feel comfortable with where I am right now, but not really. I’ve got to make the transition here, so you’ve got to stay a little uncomfortable with everything and I can always get better.”
(Do you have any doubts that you can play on this level?) – “No.”
(Why do you say that?) – “Just because I know I’m going to prepare and give my best effort. If I doubt myself and my best effort, then I probably wouldn’t have even came here.”
(What do you think of playing on special teams, because as you might guess, that’s going to be an avenue where you can make the team doing that?) – “Absolutely. Special teams are a lot of fun. It wasn’t something that I was asked to do in college, because I took so many reps on defense and coaches didn’t want me to potentially get hurt. It’s a third of the game and it’s exciting. It’s man-on-man, who’s the better athlete, who’s going to beat who. In terms of that aspect, just going up against someone and competing, I don’t think there’s any more true form than special teams.”
(Have you been told, “Hey man, special teams is going to be a thing for you?”) – “Yes. Kind of going through the draft process and taking visits everywhere and meeting with coaches it’s kind of, ‘Hey, this is going to be your foot in the gateway. You’ve got to be good on special teams. You’ve got to make those teams, be starting on those teams and develop your game as a linebacker.’”
(What will it take for you to be a celebrity in your entire town?) – “I’m not sure. I’m not sure if I could ever reach that status. (laughter)”
(Who’s the famous person in that town? Is it like the mailman? Who are you chasing?) – “So, this guy Ed Sandy, he passed away recently – he used to play Major League Baseball way back in the day. He struck out Babe Ruth. He’s like the man. I guess I don’t know if I’ll be able to dethrone that. Maybe if I strip-sack (Tom) Brady a couple of times, I might. (laughter)”
(I saw a picture of you with a dolphin. Can you give details on when that picture was taken, how often you’ve done that and where it was?) – “The tweet?”
(The tweet of the picture of you with the dolphins.) – “That was at the Bahamas Bowl. At the Bahamas Bowl, they had an event with the seniors or the captains rather, where our captains and UAB’s captains did a swim with the dolphins event. The guy, the trainer was … He was making us each give the dolphin a kiss on the head and give it a fish. He told two to three guys prior that we could … He was like, ‘You can kiss the dolphin.’ And they’re like, ‘No way. No way.’ I was like, ‘I’ll do it.’ I’m not above that. (laughter)”
(For the sake of perspective, if Dan Marino went into your town, would everybody know who he is?) – “No.”
(So it’s okay that more people know you in that town than Dan Marino?) – “Probably not. (laughter) There’s always going to be … There’s like 15 or 20 that I don’t think you’re quite going to reach.”
(For somebody that’s never seen you play, how would you describe how you play?) – “(I’m a) fast, high-motor guy – a smart guy. I’m always going to put myself in the best possible positon to do my assignment and my technique.”
(You have an ability to make a lot of impact plays, plays in the hole. What do you attribute that to?) – “Kind of playing the positon I was at Ohio, that middle linebacker, being in the middle, you have an opportunity on most plays to make a play. When you’re stuck to one side of the field, teams can go away from you a little more. When you’re in the middle, teams can’t just avoid the middle of the field the entire time.”
(Is it your strength that allows you to get in there or is it speed?) – “A combination. Just overall being a football player.”
