Marcus McNeill

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Q&A

Q: What did you enjoy most about being on last year’s football team?

A: “The atmosphere we had around here was always buzzing. A lot of people didn’t expect us to do what we did and they were real proud of us. Being around people who supported us made it that much better.”

Q: What are the advantages of being 6-foot-9? What are the disadvantages?

A: “The advantage is that I can always see over the crowd, but I definitely bump my head on a lot of doorways. I have had my share if knots on my head.”

Q: Did you ever consider a basketball career over football?

A: “Yes, I actually wanted to go to North Carolina so that I could play basketball and football, but I ended up choosing Auburn and when I got here I was so engulfed in football that I did not have time to try basketball.”

Q: Tell us about your secret life as a comedian. When did you realize you had this talent? Do you plan to pursue it as a profession some day?

A: “I might try to open up a comedy club or something like that, but I don’t know if I could get up on stage. People might boo me and I might start crying. But you know, I just like having fun. Life is fun. People are funny, naturally funny. You don’t even have to be joking around, you can just look at someone and laugh. If I couldn’t smile about something I wouldn’t want to be living. I have grown up joking around and making my family laugh.”

Q: Who is the toughest player on the team? Who is the toughest coach?

A: “I am going to go with Troy Reddick on that one. Troy is real. It is not an act he puts on. He really is tough all the time. We wrestle around, you know, and he gives me the most challenge. So I am going to have to go with Troy on that one, the bad boy, Detroit Piston of the team. The toughest coach? I really can’t say who the toughest coach is. I want to give it to (linebackers) coach (Joe) Whitt, but all of them seem to be soft-shells when you give it to them. They are all soft and cuddly, like a muffin.”

Q: Which of your teammates would make a successful boy-band?

A: “If I was going to make a boy-band, I am going to take Blake Field because he has the look of a boy-band type, pretty-boy type guy. Then I am going to take David and Kenny Irons because they are definitely animated and have plenty of dance moves for you and they are kind of on the sweet side. For my final one, we are going to take the late, great ‘Sunshine’ Josh Sullivan. We are going to take ‘Sunshine’ because he is going to be the lead singer. He has pretty boy looks and he has what it takes. In the making of the band, he has to be my lead singer. So there it is, a little bit of everything.”