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Juke King

Nickname: Juke
Birthday: 3-21-82
High School: Theodore
HS Mascot: Bobcats
Official Visits: Alabama, Alabama A&M
Second Choice: West Virginia
Host During Alabama Visit: Ray Hudson

Q&A with Juke King

TI: Juke, you had a good performance in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game last weekend.

JK: Yes sir, it was OK I guess. The only problem I had with it was that I didn't get to start.

TI: Did you think you earned a starting position in practice?

JK: I thought so. I had a very good week of practices. I did a good job recognizing the offenses and carried out my assignments. I thought I earned it, but that's the way it goes sometimes.

TI: How many tackles did you have in the game?

JK: Just one. But I had the interception and almost had another one. The ball was just off my fingertips. If I had gotten that one, I would've tied the all-star game record with two interceptions.

TI: You have been labeled a 'sleeper'. Did you prove a point with performances in practice and in the game?

JK: I think I did. I don't look at myself as a 'sleeper' like some say. Just because people haven't heard of a player doesn't mean that he can't play. I'm a good player. I just needed an opportunity to show what I can do and I went out there and played as well as I could.

TI: The game also gave you a chance to get to play with some of your future teammates at Alabama.

JK: Yeah, Roman Harper and Anthony Madison played in the secondary with me. We worked pretty well together. We're good friends. It was a real good time being there with them and playing in front of the home folks. I thought the crowd would be a little bigger though.

TI: What was your most memorable play in high school?

JK: It was probably my sophomore year against Murphy. We were playing to see which one of us would go to the playoffs. It was a real close game and they had the ball at their 20. Their running back broke a few tackles and was about to break it when I stripped him. We recovered and ended up kicking a field goal that put us ahead to stay. We went on to the third round of the playoffs.

TI: What were your stats last season?

JK: It seemed like I had way over a hundred tackles, but the coaches said I had 80. And I had four interceptions. I returned two of them for touchdowns.

TI: Describe yourself as a player.

JK: I'm very coachable. I listen to what my coaches say and then I do it. And I can play just about anywhere. I don't care where they put me, I just want to play.

TI: You were a free safety in high school, but you might end up as a strong safety or an outside linebacker in college.

JK: I think I'll be a rover, which is basically an outside linebacker. I've gained some weight -- about four pounds. I'm about 210 right now and I'm 6-2.

TI: What's your 40 speed?

JK: The last time I ran it I ran a 4.5.

TI: Do you remember when Alabama started recruiting you?

JK: Yes sir. It was January 22nd.

TI: That's late in the recruiting process. What other schools were recruiting you? And how did the new staff approach you?

JK: West Virginia, Auburn, Alcorn State, Alabama A&M and Jackson State had offered me scholarships. Coach [Chris] Thurmond came by our school one day. I was going to visit West Virginia that weekend, but he said they were running out of scholarships at Alabama and if I was interested that I should visit Alabama that weekend. So I canceled my West Virginia visit and went to Alabama instead.

TI: Were you surprised that Alabama started recruiting you?

JK: A little bit. They're close to home and had always been my favorite, so I was happy about it. My mom wanted me to go to West Virginia though.

TI: Why?

JK: Because their coaches had visited our house and she thought that they were real nice.

TI: How did she feel after you chose Alabama?

JK: After she thought about it, she was glad. She said that I made the right choice. She hasn't complained since. She's real happy now.

TI: What are your impressions of the Alabama coaching staff?

JK: I think they're going to turn us around and lead us to a national championship in the next four years.

TI: Do you worry about the NCAA situation?

JK: I don't worry about it at all.

TI: Have you talked to any of your fellow incoming freshman about the NCAA?

JK: It must not really be that big a deal to us, because I've never heard it mentioned. We're not thinking about it. The coaches told us that they had nothing to do with it, and that there's nothing that they can do about it, so they don't worry about it. That's the way we look at it too.

TI: So what are your goals next season?

JK: I just want to work hard and get myself in position to play every game. I want to win the SEC too. I'd like to get a ring next season.

TI: Before I let you go, I must ask about your real first name, Tersheikiya.

JK: [Laughing] I don't know what it means. I tried looking it up in a baby book, but I couldn't find it. My aunt gave me that name. She gave a lot people in my family crazy names.

TI: Like what?

JK: I have a brother named Jardackei. I have a cousin named Kercheval and another cousin named Deairdis. I have an uncle named Deopolis and another uncle named Tonyckia. I don't know where she came up with those names.

TI: Where did 'Juke' come from?

JK: My uncle used to like that song by Foriegner, 'He's a Jukebox Hero.' And one day when I was a little kid, I was out in the front yard running around and my uncle said that I was his jukebox hero. After that, everybody just started calling me Juke.