Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1182928
n o r t h w e s t e r n f o o t b a l l • D I G I T A L P R O G R A M • N O R T H W E S T E R N v s . P U R D U E 33 He was not an overnight sporting success at North Kansas City High School. "I tried out for football my freshman year. I was a bigger guy, I was fast, so I tried it out," he recalls. "I really didn't do well my freshman and sophomore year, then I started to figure out how to play the game before my junior year and then eventually got a scholarship here. So it's kind of amazing I'm here." All the 'Cat newcomers receive the same message. "Come prepared to play," they are told. "He came in prepared to play," defensive line coach Marty Long recalled this week. "He was able to run with the older guys in the summer and not look like he didn't belong in the group. And he came in hand-cleaning 400 pounds. For a freshman that is ridiculous." "Tommy's done a great job all year, working his tail off," echoed Pat Fitzgerald. "A young man we felt very highly about when we were recruiting him and then he came in, got himself in really, really good shape, and kept progressing during the year. The opportunity presented itself and I thought he played pretty well on Saturday. He was pretty active. Just went out and played ball. I don't think he overthought anything. Just played and had fun. It was good to see." Among those who gave him a shout out after he announced he would be joining the 'Cats was former White Sox manager (1995-97) Terry Bevington. "Tommy," he tweeted, "another chapter awaits. You will make a great contribution to NU both academically and in football. I am a Kansas City guy and look forward to watching you!" 4 6 5 Adebawore had appeared in a pair of games before the 'Cats visited Indiana last Saturday, getting, Long says, approximately 20 snaps in each. But that night in Bloomington Samdup Miller went down with a season-ending injury and, with that misfortune, the young first year was transformed into a starter with a role far greater than the one he had been asked to handle. "When he goes down, I understand, 'OK. I need to make sure I step up. They're going to need me now,'" Adebawore says when asked if a figurative switch went off inside of him when he saw Miller was hurt. "So, yeah. Of course. But I was ready for the moment. I prepared like a one (a starter). So I was ready when they needed me." 7