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Duke Football Sit Down With: Shaka Heyward
11/6/2019 11:36:00 AM | Football
This story originally ran in the 2019 edition of the Duke Football Yearbook -- Aug. 2019
The Voice of the Blue Devils, David Shumate, sat down with redshirt freshman linebacker Shaka Heyward for a quick question and answer session.
DS: It's easy to see looking at your background that football runs in your family. Your brother plays at Georgia State, you have several cousins playing football in college and even in the NFL. Was it in your blood — did you always know you were going to play football?
SH: When I grew up my brother was playing football. I tried it out, found out that I liked it, and I've just been playing the game ever since. I just love the game.
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DS: You mention your brother and his team had a massive win in their opening weekend at Tennessee. Were you guys able to talk after that game?
SH: Yeah, we were able to talk that night. Obviously for my team things didn't go as we hoped in our opener (vs. Alabama), but he was just excited and we talked about both of us just keeping our heads always going up, focusing on the next game.
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DS: So the season opener against Alabama was also your first career start, and in an incredible setting. What was that experience like for you?
SH: It was a great experience because it was in Atlanta where most of my friends and family are nearby. It was good experience to play in front of them and on that stage.
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DS: It definitely feels like there is a Georgia connection within this program, with 20 guys on the roster from there. What do you think it is about that state and Duke?
SH: Well, just being from down there I would start with the coaching. I feel like Gwinnett County has great coaches and the talent in that area is really strong. There are so many good players.
Â
DS: And what about Duke draws so many of you guys to this program?
SH: Duke is such a great school so the opportunity to take advantage of the academics and embrace the best of both worlds when you look at what you can do academic and athletically here.
Â
DS: I hear you say the "best of both worlds," and there are so many aspects of the culture here — what about those core beliefs and working with Coach Cutcliffe did you find appealing?
SH: It's about doing every little thing right. It sounds simple but I feel like Duke does a great job of focusing on the little things as a team, not just the big things. So we come out and focus on every little detail, and make sure we work as hard as we can day in and day out.
Â
DS: When you look at the linebacker spot and you think of guys like Joe Giles-Harris and Ben Humphreys that came before you, and even the guys that came before them – what is it like to play in that position? It seems like you have to have a unique mentality to succeed in that spot.
SH: During my redshirt season last year, I watched a lot of Joe and Ben's film. They were without question leaders on the field and there's a mentality you have to have to be a linebacker. You're a leader on the field, everyone looks up to you, and also looks to you to create energy for the whole defense.
Â
DS: You talk about the mentality — in your mind what creates that?
SH: I think it's a style of play, just playing fast and confident.
Â
DS: And Koby (Quansah) is obviously a captain on this team and a starter at linebacker — what does he bring to that meeting room for you guys?
SH: He's a great leader. He will help anyone out with whatever they're dealing with, whether it has to do with school or football. And he also plays so fast. In so many ways he's just a great guy to look up to on the team.
Â
DS: Coach Cutcliffe has talked a lot about this defense at the beginning of the season saying it's the fastest defense he's had since arriving at Duke. How does that speed help you guys be successful defensively?
SH: It helps us play together. If one person takes their shot and misses, we know that the next guy is going to rally to the spot, and there won't be any room for the offensive player to make another move if one us isn't able to get them down the first time.
Â
DS: Against Alabama, you may not have had the ultimate result you were looking for, but the way you guys were able to slow down what many think is one of the more dynamic offenses in college football — and a team that could easily win the national title — what does that say about what this defense is capable of moving forward?
SH: I mean that's our brand of defense, but we want to go out there and sustain the fight to them for 60 minutes and not just half of a game. So that's a point of emphasis. We have to maintain that level throughout the game — keep our energy up and keep our level of focus where it needs to be.
Â
DS: I get a chance to watch you guys practice quite a bit and each coach has their own personality. Coach (Lanier) Goethie who works with the linebackers, seems understated, but what's he like in the meeting room and even when you get away from the Xs and Os of football?
SH: He's just a really great coach. I like everything he does and stands for, like when we're working on things he'll take as much time as needed to make sure we have all the details covered. Then when you watch us on the field, all those little things we talk about really come together when we play, and I credit him for that.
Â
DS: If you had to take a step back and say what you think motivates this team this season what would that be?
SH: Just our potential. We know we have the opportunity to be great this year. It's just going to fall on us and how bad we want it.
Â
The Voice of the Blue Devils, David Shumate, sat down with redshirt freshman linebacker Shaka Heyward for a quick question and answer session.
DS: It's easy to see looking at your background that football runs in your family. Your brother plays at Georgia State, you have several cousins playing football in college and even in the NFL. Was it in your blood — did you always know you were going to play football?
SH: When I grew up my brother was playing football. I tried it out, found out that I liked it, and I've just been playing the game ever since. I just love the game.
Â
DS: You mention your brother and his team had a massive win in their opening weekend at Tennessee. Were you guys able to talk after that game?
SH: Yeah, we were able to talk that night. Obviously for my team things didn't go as we hoped in our opener (vs. Alabama), but he was just excited and we talked about both of us just keeping our heads always going up, focusing on the next game.
Â
DS: So the season opener against Alabama was also your first career start, and in an incredible setting. What was that experience like for you?
SH: It was a great experience because it was in Atlanta where most of my friends and family are nearby. It was good experience to play in front of them and on that stage.
Â
DS: It definitely feels like there is a Georgia connection within this program, with 20 guys on the roster from there. What do you think it is about that state and Duke?
SH: Well, just being from down there I would start with the coaching. I feel like Gwinnett County has great coaches and the talent in that area is really strong. There are so many good players.
Â
DS: And what about Duke draws so many of you guys to this program?
SH: Duke is such a great school so the opportunity to take advantage of the academics and embrace the best of both worlds when you look at what you can do academic and athletically here.
Â
DS: I hear you say the "best of both worlds," and there are so many aspects of the culture here — what about those core beliefs and working with Coach Cutcliffe did you find appealing?
SH: It's about doing every little thing right. It sounds simple but I feel like Duke does a great job of focusing on the little things as a team, not just the big things. So we come out and focus on every little detail, and make sure we work as hard as we can day in and day out.
Â
DS: When you look at the linebacker spot and you think of guys like Joe Giles-Harris and Ben Humphreys that came before you, and even the guys that came before them – what is it like to play in that position? It seems like you have to have a unique mentality to succeed in that spot.
SH: During my redshirt season last year, I watched a lot of Joe and Ben's film. They were without question leaders on the field and there's a mentality you have to have to be a linebacker. You're a leader on the field, everyone looks up to you, and also looks to you to create energy for the whole defense.
Â
DS: You talk about the mentality — in your mind what creates that?
SH: I think it's a style of play, just playing fast and confident.
Â
DS: And Koby (Quansah) is obviously a captain on this team and a starter at linebacker — what does he bring to that meeting room for you guys?
SH: He's a great leader. He will help anyone out with whatever they're dealing with, whether it has to do with school or football. And he also plays so fast. In so many ways he's just a great guy to look up to on the team.
Â
DS: Coach Cutcliffe has talked a lot about this defense at the beginning of the season saying it's the fastest defense he's had since arriving at Duke. How does that speed help you guys be successful defensively?
SH: It helps us play together. If one person takes their shot and misses, we know that the next guy is going to rally to the spot, and there won't be any room for the offensive player to make another move if one us isn't able to get them down the first time.
Â
DS: Against Alabama, you may not have had the ultimate result you were looking for, but the way you guys were able to slow down what many think is one of the more dynamic offenses in college football — and a team that could easily win the national title — what does that say about what this defense is capable of moving forward?
SH: I mean that's our brand of defense, but we want to go out there and sustain the fight to them for 60 minutes and not just half of a game. So that's a point of emphasis. We have to maintain that level throughout the game — keep our energy up and keep our level of focus where it needs to be.
Â
DS: I get a chance to watch you guys practice quite a bit and each coach has their own personality. Coach (Lanier) Goethie who works with the linebackers, seems understated, but what's he like in the meeting room and even when you get away from the Xs and Os of football?
SH: He's just a really great coach. I like everything he does and stands for, like when we're working on things he'll take as much time as needed to make sure we have all the details covered. Then when you watch us on the field, all those little things we talk about really come together when we play, and I credit him for that.
Â
DS: If you had to take a step back and say what you think motivates this team this season what would that be?
SH: Just our potential. We know we have the opportunity to be great this year. It's just going to fall on us and how bad we want it.
Â
Players Mentioned
Coach Diaz Media Availability: Connecticut
Wednesday, November 05
DaShawn Stone Media Availability: Connecticut
Tuesday, November 04
Anderson Castle Media Availability: Connecticut
Tuesday, November 04
Coach Brewer Press Conference: Connecticut
Monday, November 03
