Joe Gaiter: What does football mean to you?
Marcus Albert: Football is a great sport and is the catalyst for schools and the community. As a young man, it teaches me a lesson I can only learn through playing this game. Football has really saved my life. It’s bad now cause our culture teaches us to judge an activity by how it makes us feel at that moment but football does not work that way. This game of football challenges and pushes me to become stronger mentally to help overcome adversity. It .teaches me that I have to be comfortable being uncomfortable and requires me to be at my best at all times.
Joe Gaiter: What is your motivation for playing the game?
Marcus Albert: Football is everything. It’s not about where you come from but about having heart. You have to be willing to give it everything you have. The game of football is suppose to be hard. It makes you tough and prepares you for the game of life. You have to play to it and understand why we’re so mad after a tough loss because you work so hard to reach your goal. It’s hard losing but it’s great winning. You can be excited when you’re winning but if you’re down by 10 in the 4th quarter are you going to give up and call it quits or are you going to fight till the last whistle win or lose. My biggest motivation of it all is going through “The Grind”. There comes a time when workouts start to become repetitive and you have to find a way to push through it and hold yourself accountable. How you respond to the grind is all on you. It starts to challenge you more mentally than physically.
Joe Gaiter: Tell us about your season this year?
Marcus Albert:My season was pretty good. I finished 3rd on the team in tackles and had my name in the rankings in the conference for Tackles for Loss. I was selected to an ALL-MEAC conference team while helping my team go 12-0 and winning our 3rd MEAC title in 4 years. We were also able to win the HBCU national championship twice out of the last three years.
Joe Gaiter: Now I was at the Celebration Bowl. What was your team’s mind frame coming in the game. Even though your team was undefeated, was it odd that you were still the under dog?
Marcus Albert:Coming into the game we were confident with the game plan the coaches gave us. We knew that if we went into the game and executed efficiently like we knew we were capable of then we would win the game. They had a couple of playmakers on offense at quarterback in DeVante Kincade and at runningback with Martez Carter but as a defense we were determined to stop the run and force other guys around them to make plays. We live by a phrase where we say “we make chicken” meaning our formula for winning is simple. If we stop the run, protect the football and win the kicking game our chances at success sits pretty high. Heading into the game being an under dog was nothing new to us. We’ve been doubted plenty of times before. In the first Celebration Bowl that we played in against Alcorn State, they had us as an under dog so battling adversity was nothing new for us. The coaches and players that surrounds A&T are a special group of guys that all made a commitment to put this program back on top.
Joe Gaiter: What makes you ready for the NFL?
Marcus Albert:I’m a player that’s more concerned about team success rather than self success. NFL teams will not find a more team based player than me. I’m willing to play anywhere coaches want me to for the betterment of the franchise. I am the prototypical size already for NFL Strong Safety. Making the transition from college to the pros is demanding. I’m able to grasp the concept of the playbook quicker than others. My versatility, toughness and ability to make plays on the ball are some strengths that can put me ahead of those around me. I enjoy the process of getting better whether it’s from film study to weight training or applying new techniques into practice. Coaches won’t have to worry about my character as a player. I’m always punctual and where I need to be on time.
