Tider Insider's
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POST-SIGNING INTERVIEW
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| Kecalf Bailey admits that he's surprised about his success
on the football field. In a game of muscle, strength, and power, he’s outmatched
-- he's only 5'9, 165. But in a game of speed, he can’t be beat – why,
he’s as fast as greased lightening.
Bailey is a pure cover cornerback, what every coach in America wants. It’s no wonder that coaches from Alabama, Notre Dame, Tennessee, and Auburn, among others, made Bailey top priority this past recruiting season. But all it took last September was for Alabama to offer Bailey a scholarship, and the recruiting process for him was over before it really got started. We spoke to Kecalf on February 19. |
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| TI | Kecalf, what do you think about PARADE Magazine’s naming you the best defensive back in America? |
| KB | I was shocked. I really didn't believe it when I first heard about it. I see a lot of defensive backs out there who are 6'2 and weigh 180 to 200 pounds, and I think that there's no way anyone's going to look at me as a top defensive back. But a lot of the college coaches told me I'm the best true cover corner this year. I don't know about that, but I know I can play. |
| TI | You seem sincerely surprised at the recognition you're receiving. |
| KB | I kind of am. I mean I didn't really play much until the fifth game of my junior season. |
| TI | Really? Why not? |
| KB | Well, I think the coaches may have been concerned about my size at first. But in the fifth game of my junior season, we were going to play Jess Lanier. They had a lot of fast receivers and our coaches wanted someone who could run with them. So that week they used me at corner and I pretty much shut down my man. After that, I really gained confidence and played very well. |
| TI | You mentioned your size. You told us in a previous interview that you're 5'9, 165. Does it bother you when someone is critical of you as a player due your size? |
| KB | Really, it makes me perform better I think. People used to always tell me to stick to track. But I wanted to prove to them that I can play football. I guess I use my size as motivation. |
| TI | We know you're a top defensive back. But you're also are an accomplished special teams player. You've blocked about 16 kicks the past two seasons. What's your secret? |
| KB | Mainly, I just enjoy blocking kicks. But I do have something I look for. When I line up at the end of the line, the only things I look at are the forearm muscles of the center. When I see those muscles tense up, I take off. The muscles tensing up means he's snapping the ball. That gives me a great jump off the line and I think it's been the key for me. |
| TI | You committed to Alabama very early in the process. Did you ever have any second thoughts, and did other schools continue recruiting you? |
| KB | I never had any second thoughts. But after coach Stallings left, I was watching to see who the new coach was going to be. As far as other schools continuing to recruit me, during Alabama's coaching transition, a coach came over from Auburn one day and was watching me run some 40 yard sprints. He asked me if I was still going to Alabama. I told him yes. He said, "Alabama doesn't have a coach. Why don't you come over to Auburn." I just told him, "No thanks." |
| TI | We understand that you even encouraged other recruits to come to Alabama. |
| KB | That's true. When I went over to the campus on my visit, I talked to A.J. Diaz and Chris Horne quite a bit. I knew Alabama needed a kicker and I told A.J. that Alabama would be a good place for him. Then Chris and I went out on Saturday night and I encouraged him to come to Alabama. I asked him on Sunday morning what he thought and he said he really liked Alabama a lot. Then he told me right before he was leaving that he had committed. I felt pretty good about that. |
| TI | Have you seen or spoken to any other future teammates? |
| KB | I saw Adam Cox at a track meet recently. We talked for a little bit. He looks great. He's put together pretty good. |
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