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Von Ewing

Real Name: Cleveland Lavon
Nickname: Von
Birthday: 1-11-83
High School: Henderson
HS Mascot: Trojans
HS Coach: Hugh Fountain
HS Position: LT
HS Number: 50
AL Number: Prefers a number in the 50's
Official Visits: Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Michigan
Second Choice: Tennessee
Host on AL Visit: Dennis Alexander
Committed: 1-23-2001
Roommate To Be: Anthony Madison
Academic Status: Qualified

Q&A with Von Ewing

TI: You committed to Alabama last spring. Then you switched to Georgia. Then it looked like you might go to Tennessee or elsewhere. But you finally ended up at Alabama. What was going on?

VE: I was impatient with the recruiting process. I was under a little pressure, but it was mainly just impatience. When I committed to Alabama the first time, I knew that's what I wanted to do. But then they got rid of the coaches, and with the other things going on, that started getting me to thinking. Then as the recruiting process began to wind down, I just thought to myself that no matter what happens to Alabama, it's the place for me.

TI: How close did you come to going to Tennessee?

VE: At night I would stay up and think about it and pray about it. I got pretty close to deciding to go to Tennessee because of all the problems Alabama was having. But something in my heart just kept saying that I should go to Bama. But I did get pretty close to going to Tennessee.

TI: You and Carnell Williams became good friends. There was a rumor at one point that you two were talking about going to Tennessee together. Was that true?

VE: No. I never really told a prospect that I was going to Tennessee. I always said it was down to Alabama and Tennessee if anyone asked. Carnell always told me that it was down to Tennessee, Alabama and Auburn. But we never said that we're going to Tennessee together. It never got that deep.

TI: In your conversations with Carnell late in the recruiting process, did you detect that Alabama was a longshot?

VE: He called me after his visit to Tennessee and said that he committed to them. Then I called him after he de-committed and he was talking like it was wide open between the three schools again. I guess when he took his trip to Auburn something must've clicked on for him.

TI: You had a reputation at one point in recruiting for Alabama.

VE: In the beginning I was doing that. And then at the end I started again. I would just tell them the facts about Alabama. I'd tell them about how good we're going to be and that it's one of the best programs in the nation. Anthony Madison and me became pretty close on his official visit. I was up there on an unofficial visit and we talked a lot. He was committed to Ole Miss. When he got home after the visit, I called him and we talked for about an hour and a half. He said that he was still going to Ole Miss. Then the next day he committed to Alabama. So, yeah, I can say that I tried my best to help out.

TI: Which recruits are you real close to?

VE: Mainly, I've gotten to know Clint Johnston, Brodie, Anthony Madison and Brandon Brooks. I know Freddie Roach too.

TI: Have you talked to Brodie since he's enrolled at Alabama?

VE: Oh yeah, I stayed with him one night. He loves every minute of being at Alabama. He told me one night that he doesn't regret his decision for a second. He loves the coaching staff. He's impressed with them and he's ready to get going.

TI: Are there any members of the class that you are anxious to meet?

VE: Yes sir. I want to meet Marquez Dupree and Quentin Bowens. I've heard great things about both of them as players. And Freddie Roach [Bowens' half-brother] has told me so many good things about Quentin. There are a lot of great players out there, but what separates them is the way they act. I want to have people that know how to work and have fun too.

TI: A lot of people have been critical of this recruiting class. Some have said that it's not as good…

VE: [Interrupts] People have said that but I promise that I wouldn't trade this class for another one in the whole world. This class has so much class and good people. All of these guys are very humble and good people. And every one of us are hard workers and we have good attitudes. There's nobody in this class that does drugs or anything like that. This class will not disappoint people. This class will surprise people!

TI: You might not want to discuss this, and I certainly understand if you don't, but there were a lot of rumors swirling about you and Carnell being told by a coach of another school that Alabama was going on probation and would get the Death Penalty. Do you care to comment on that?

VE: Well…[pause]. I don't want to get into that one.

TI: I understand and don't blame you for not commenting. But was there a fear on your part that Alabama could receive major penalties?

VE: It was, but I had to overlook that speculation. I didn't want to go to another school and then someday Alabama was winning big and I'd be thinking to myself that I should've gone to Alabama. I just had to do what I had to do.

TI: Let's talk about the new coaching staff at Alabama. What are your impressions of them?

VE: At first, I didn't know a lot about them. But once I got to know them I realized that they're great coaching staff. I knew that they were great coaches, but after meeting them I found out that they are great people too. All of them are very well spoken. It would've been hard to turn them down.

TI: What were your first impressions of Coach Fran?

VE: Very well spoken. And I could tell that he has a lot of character. I could tell as he was talking that he's going to do something special for this program.

TI: What are your impressions of the OL coach, Jim Bob Helduser?

VE: I can't say enough good things about Coach Helduser. He's a great guy. He's the type of coach that a player can relate to.

TI: Does it seem to you that, from the current players down to the new recruits, that everyone has taken to the new staff in a special way?

VE: Oh man, I mean in a very special way. On my official visit everyone was so excited. We went over and watched the Saturday morning workout. They had the team broken up in to four groups. Plus, Coach Fran had a group of players broken up into a "enthusiasm group". They would go around and lead the groups and try to get everybody hyped up. It was great!

TI: Who were some of the players that stood out in the workout?

VE: All of them. I really couldn't single anyone out. They were all working hard and all of them had a lot of enthusiasm. It started with players like Freddie Milons and went all the way down to the newest member of the team, Atlas Herrion. Right now there's a very positive attitude in Tuscaloosa among the players.

TI: Your high school coach, Hugh Fountain, told me that one of the areas that you need to improve in is your upper body strength. Would agree with that?

VE: Yes sir. Right now I only bench about 315 or 320. So I need to get stronger. But Dante Ellington only benched about 315 his freshman year. But I do think that's a good point that I need to get stronger.

TI: Have you met the new strength coach, Ben Pollard, yet? And has he already got you on a program?

VE: I have met him and he seems like he's going to do a great job. But he hasn't given me a program yet. I think that's supposed to be coming pretty soon.

TI: In high school you played left tackle. What position is Alabama expecting you to play.

VE: They want me to play center.

TI: Center? That's interesting. When did that come up?

VE: Coach Helduser told me about it the other day.

TI: How do you feel about it?

VE: I've never played center, but I have no problem with it.

TI: Are you doing anything to prepare for playing center?

VE: Yes sir. I'm snapping every day. I'm working out with a former All-American center at Troy State. He's their assistant strength coach. His name is Leonard Shaunessy. He started for four years at Troy and he's helping me out a lot. The first time I snapped the ball for him he said that I did real well. I can move real well and that will help me as a center. Plus, I'm real smart and that allows me to make all the different adjustments and line calls.

TI: Finally, it's Coach Fran's philosophy is that a player from Alabama will play harder for his state school. What do you think about that?

VE: I believe it. Guys like Antwan Odom and me have a special bond because we're from this state. Even though we didn't play together in high school, we knew about each other. And it's special for guys like us to play in front of the people that know us and have followed us through the years. It's state pride.