Super 11 Elijah Patmon Q&A: SEC commit still fueled by cross-town rivalry

How would you describe your play style, and what do you think opposing coaches see when they prepare to play you?

“I’d say watch out for me in the backfield because I’m always in the backfield. Just know I like to hit, and just know I’m a dog.”

Which game are you looking forward to most this year?

“Warner Robins. We’ve got to get our get-back, and it’s my birthday.”

What is your favorite high school memory to date?

“I scored a touchdown versus (Houston County) my sophomore year. It wasn’t, like, a real touchdown. It was a two-point conversion. The center and the quarterback were on the other side of the field, and the whole offensive line was on the opposite side, and I was lined up behind him, and the quarterback threw it to me, and I just ran behind the offensive line, and I scored. It felt great.”

What is your advice to younger players around the state that are starting to get recruited?

“Just stay on the books, and you can be good at playing football, but at the end of the day your grades have got to be good. Just hang out with the right people.”

Who was the best player you ever played against, and why?

“(Lee County offensive lineman and North Carolina commit Shavezz Dixon). He’s the person who gave me the most competition. He’s strong and he knows his technique, and he watched film on me. He told me.”

Who is the most underrated teammate or player in Georgia right now?

“(Northside (Warner Robins) WR/DB) Broderick Humphrey. He’s got a couple offers, but he’s not ranked yet. I feel like he should be because he does everything else that a 5-star would do. His grades are good, he hangs out with the right people, he’s always working when nobody’s watching, and he’s just a dog.”

What coach has made the biggest impact in your life, and why?

“Coach (Daniel ”Boone” Williams) when he got here, because at first, when he wasn’t here, I didn’t want to attack the day. I didn’t like the weight room and stuff like that, but when he got here, I was just all in. I attacked the weight room, and I got stronger now. I went from 260 on bench, but now I’m at 385 on bench. I hate cleans, and now I love it because I’ve got no choice but to do it. He makes me do it.”

What’s a line that one of your coaches says at least once a day at practice?

“I’m not going to cap. All of them are like, ‘Get off the field before everybody’s fixing to be on the line.’”

Do you have a hidden talent or interest that has nothing to do with football?

“Basketball. I’m a dog at basketball, but I’m not playing this year because I’m going to college early. I’m leaving in December, but last year, we hadn’t beat Warner Robins for the last seven years, but we went over there to their court and beat them, and I dropped 35, and we beat them for the first time. But the thing is, that same day I was supposed to be on a visit, but it snowed, so there was ice and they canceled my flight. So I came back and played in the game, and we won, but the first time, we played them twice. At our court, we had lost because I fouled out and they won by two. That’s my hidden talent though.”

Does the rivalry game against Warner Robins specifically fuel you, even now during the summer?

“Yeah, because I know at the end of the day, we’ve got to keep working hard. It’s not just about Warner Robins. We’ve got to keep win every game day by day. Right now, I’m not focused on Warner Robins. I’m focused on Perry and the teams, but I’ll be focused on Warner Robins when the weekend comes.”

Do you have a nickname most guys call you by?

“‘Big 90.’ I used to wear No. 90, but now, I wear No. 50 because I’ve got to play both sides of the ball. I won’t say I had a choice, but I wanted to to help the team out.” (Patmon added that he wanted to keep “Big 90″ going at Texas A&M next season).