I sat down with Big Green wide receiever Michael Reilly '12 and discussed his time on the team this season and the team's recent successes.
Let's start by hyping yourself a little bit. You're second on the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns this year, including a team-best 57 yarder. What do you credit your success this year to?
MR: I give credit to a number of things. My position coach played for the Sooners and then some pro ball, so he knows his stuff. I've just worked and worked on the techniques he's been teaching. Also I worked hard in the offseason to be able to do what I do.
What are your strengths as a receiver?
MR: Well, where do I start? Probably my hands, because without a good set of those receiver just isn't the position to play, so go try DB. Next is that I'm cerebral, so I can pick up what the coaches are asking me to do pretty quick. My route running is solid, and of course you gotta have some swag on the field. Look good, feel good, play good and talking to the opponent always helps.
Next time you score, do you have any elaborate TD celebrations planned?
MR: I don't necessarily plan a celebration for every upcoming TD, but I like to think about what I might do if it's a game winner or something like that. I've always wanted to elevate and throw it down through the uprights sometime. Or punt the ball away.
Has it been difficult adjusting to the three different quarterbacks you guys have used this year?
MR: Good question. They are all different in their own special ways, but in the end, my job is to get open, theirs is to get the ball there and then I gotta catch it ... it works pretty well most of the time.
How did the football team stay positive and focused in the middle of your losing streak?
MR: We knew we were young and it would take time. We also knew we could all ball out.
When you got that first big win, what did it mean to you guys? What were the coaches saying to you?
MR: It reminded us of what it felt like to have all the hard work we put into it pay off. It reminds us of how much fun winning is. They told us to remember how it felt and keep it rolling.
How did you attempt to carry the momentum of the first win into the rest of the season?
MR: Our coaches had changed up our every day schedule a little bit the week of that win and so we had the same schedule.
A lot of people wrote you guys off for just one win this season after beating Columbia. Then you guys had the OT thriller against Cornell on Saturday. What did that mean to you guys as a team?
MR: Yeah I can understand why people were doing that I mean, a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while, right? I hope this win and the upcoming wins shut them up. Against Columbia, we came out, took it to [the Lions] and kind of deflated them, as any team in baby blue would be. But Cornell was a dogfight, and it was good to finally win a close game. Hopefully they didn't get any ideas on the way back to their campus.
Talk about Dartmouth's home field advantage. Is there any?
MR: Yeah, I'd say there definitely is. They have to come up here to the north woods, and it's usually colder than whatever lesser Ivy they're coming from.
Do the fans at Memorial Field get rowdy enough for home games?
MR: For the number of fans that come, it gets to a pretty good level, but I know it could be a lot better and we are working to give more people a reason to come out.
How intimidating are black visors on football helmets? Do you wear one when you play?
MR: I love the black visor in football helmets. I always wore a visor in high school but it had to be clear. Unfortunately, they made that true for college also before I got a chance to wear one.
Nick Schwieger '12 broke the single-game rushing record just a few weeks ago. Then a freshman, Greg Patton '13, broke his new record on Saturday. Is he upset about that? Will you guys be giving him a hard time?
MR: No, I don't think he's pissed. A big thing about this team and the win [Saturday] is our unselfishness. If anything, it'll push Schwiegs to come out and break it again.
You were a serious lacrosse player in high school, did you ever consider playing lax here as well?
MR: I did, but to do that schedule plus what I already have would be a lot. Also, I actually haven't ever talked to the coach.
Whose got better on-field style, football players or laxers?
MR: I'd say they are different styles but I think overall football players do.
