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Q+A With Duke Football: Al Blades Jr.
11/16/2023 11:00:00 AM | Football
DURHAM – The Voice of the Blue Devils, David Shumate, sat down with graduate defensive back Al Blades Jr. for a brief question and answer session.
DS: Anytime you get to this point in the year, there is obviously a sentiment to reflect a little bit. You have had a long career – what has this year meant to you?
AB: A very long year. A very long career too. I mean, it's meant a lot to me, man. This team embraces me. It's been an honor to come here and be embraced by this program, and just to do the things we've done. We've come up short sometimes, but we've never backed down. We have always stayed strong, so we are going to keep doing what we do.
DS: What you guys are doing in the secondary is historic here at Duke. You guys have only given up like six passing touchdowns all season long. How have you guys been so dominant in the secondary?
AB: Just always raising the standard. You know, we have got to always hold ourselves accountable every snap, every drive. I mean, we've had times when we felt like the game could be in our hands. We have got to continue to be ourselves and continue to raise our standard. We are not perfect, but we have got to aim to be.
DS: Obviously you guys still have work in front of you with Virginia and Pittsburgh, tell me about the close to the season. How important is it to finish strong?
AB: We've just got to finish out. We have to close out and we have to raise our standard – starting with myself – and bring along the guys with me in our room. It is just one play, one game at a time. Honestly, man, we're just enjoying the process. Especially with the season coming to an end. A lot of these guys will never get a chance to play together again, so we're just enjoying it and we're taking it one step at a time.
DS: Anytime you get older in your career, part of it is mentoring the younger guys. What's it been like to work with Chandler Rivers and Joshua Pickett and the other guys to bring them along in their development?
AB: I've always said that it was one of my big goals coming here [to Duke] because being an older guy, you never know how your career is going to go and I knew it was my last one [year] no matter what. For a lot of guys in our room, it's not their last year. My main goal was whatever I have in my head, whatever I have known over the years, no matter how my career goes, was to make sure I leave the room that I came into better. Make sure no matter what happens next year when I come back and watch them play, I know that I did whatever I can do to make them better.
#GoDuke
DS: Anytime you get to this point in the year, there is obviously a sentiment to reflect a little bit. You have had a long career – what has this year meant to you?
AB: A very long year. A very long career too. I mean, it's meant a lot to me, man. This team embraces me. It's been an honor to come here and be embraced by this program, and just to do the things we've done. We've come up short sometimes, but we've never backed down. We have always stayed strong, so we are going to keep doing what we do.
DS: What you guys are doing in the secondary is historic here at Duke. You guys have only given up like six passing touchdowns all season long. How have you guys been so dominant in the secondary?
AB: Just always raising the standard. You know, we have got to always hold ourselves accountable every snap, every drive. I mean, we've had times when we felt like the game could be in our hands. We have got to continue to be ourselves and continue to raise our standard. We are not perfect, but we have got to aim to be.
DS: Obviously you guys still have work in front of you with Virginia and Pittsburgh, tell me about the close to the season. How important is it to finish strong?
AB: We've just got to finish out. We have to close out and we have to raise our standard – starting with myself – and bring along the guys with me in our room. It is just one play, one game at a time. Honestly, man, we're just enjoying the process. Especially with the season coming to an end. A lot of these guys will never get a chance to play together again, so we're just enjoying it and we're taking it one step at a time.
DS: Anytime you get older in your career, part of it is mentoring the younger guys. What's it been like to work with Chandler Rivers and Joshua Pickett and the other guys to bring them along in their development?
AB: I've always said that it was one of my big goals coming here [to Duke] because being an older guy, you never know how your career is going to go and I knew it was my last one [year] no matter what. For a lot of guys in our room, it's not their last year. My main goal was whatever I have in my head, whatever I have known over the years, no matter how my career goes, was to make sure I leave the room that I came into better. Make sure no matter what happens next year when I come back and watch them play, I know that I did whatever I can do to make them better.
#GoDuke
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