The Campanile: What position do you play for football?
Eli Givens: I play wide receiver and cornerback.
TC: Okay, what are your contributions to the team?
EG: I do a lot on offense, and I make big plays when I can. I try to score as much as I can when I get the ball.
TC: So how long have you been on varsity?
EG: I’ve been on varsity since the end of freshman year, but a lot of guys got moved up then.
TC: So Eli, I’m 5-foot-9 and weigh around 130 pounds. What do you think I have to do to get on your level?
EG: Well… Eat your vegetables, drink your milk and get some stronger bones ya know. Get in the weight room a little bit and do some curls, get on the bench. Run some laps, but I know you do that anyways. Probably within a year or so you’ll be just like me!
TC: Yeah, I kind of doubt that. Anyways, list two things you won’t miss about football:
EG: Running, and getting the ball after [senior] Justin [Hull] throws it 30 feet over my head.
TC: Who do you admire on the team?
EG: I really admire David Chernyak. He really contributes a lot to our team during practice. I look up to him and I wish I had the mentality he has during practice.
TC: Okay, how has the season been going in general?
EG: I think it’s been going pretty well. Obviously there are some ups and downs, but you just have to forget about the bad parts and move on. We just have to focus on the current games.
TC: So Eli, what are some of the rituals you have before a game?
EG: I go home, I have one cup of noodles, get that sodium I need. Then I go into my room and I play with my lizard. I take my lizard out of his cage, and play with him. His name is Wilson; he’s a bearded dragon.
TC: I thought you were going somewhere else with “going into your room and playing.”
EG: Nah, I watch TV with Wilson, put him on the ground and feed him some crickets. I have a lot of fun with him and he’ll sleep on the bed with me.
TC: Nice. So I know you haven’t been cramping as much this year. What’s the secret to being loose?
EG: I pop some potassium pills, stretch and roll out. But I really think that getting my ankles taped was cutting off my circulation. Ever since I stopped taping my ankles, I have not cramped once.
TC: Are there any odd things the team has made you do?
EG: I would prefer not to answer that. Sooo… no.
TC: Okay, so what are your goals for games?
EG: As I wide receiver I just love the feeling when Justin throws the ball high in the air and I see that defensive back. I just love putting my nuts on his neck, just making sure my nuts are right on his neck, so I can catch that ball. It’s a platform where I can just enjoy myself and it’s the best feeling I get in football.
