Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1182928
36 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 Now, through this season's last month, he will be asked to blossom quickly, and to perform as if he were no longer just a first year, and to build on that bit of solid work he did that night in Bloomington. "He just has to learn the wrinkles whoever the opponent is is going to throw at him," Long said. "But he's a smart football player who's really strong. He's physical at the point of attack. We just got to get him out there and get him playing." And the keys to him playing well? "Not letting the speed of the game bother him. And just focusing on the fundamentals of what we do. Attack the line of scrimmage. See his keys. When he gets a base block or reach block, play outside. When he gets a down block, close. But. The thing that he's done a great job of is he comes off the ball and he packs a punch. Today I made a mistake at practice. I told him he didn't come off. We have video evidence. We come to the sideline. We pull up our IPads and I saw he did come off. So I had to look at him and say, 'Hey, man. I have to apologize to you. You did come off. I was just at a bad angle.' So. He's a good kid. He's going to be a good player. He's just got to continue to learn. I look forward to seeing him play these last four games, and play well." "I'm preparing the same as each-and-every week," Adebawore himself finally says, evincing not a trace of nerves in the face of the new role ahead of him. "I'm probably asking even more questions. But those guys who are down right now, they're still helping me out. I feel the coaches have done a great job preparing me, players have done a great job. Due to injury, of course, they're going to need me now. But I feel prepared. I feel ready to go. I'm going to watch film, make sure I execute the right technique, and just handle my responsibility." Then there's his uniform number, that number 49, which is not a typical number for a defensive lineman. "That's just a number I got," Adetomiwa Adebawore finally says, calm as ever. "It is what it is. I'm not worried about my number." So he's not superstitious? "Naw." 9 10