2010 Football Summer Preview: Getting To Know...
The 2010 MAC Football season is quickly approaching and as part of our preview we would like to give you an inside look into the lives of our student-athletes. You can find the schedule of student-athletes we will preview by scrolling to the bottom of the page or by clicking the "Getting To Know" advertisement on the front of our homepage or football page. You can also stay up-to-date with our player features via Twitter, Facebook or our new fan blog at MACFootballNation.com
Be sure to visit www.mac-sports.com on Friday, July 30th to watch live video interviews with the league's head coaches and student-athletes as we kick off the season with our 2010 MAC Football Preview at Detroit's Ford Field
Getting To Know...Northern Illinois' Sean Progar
Sean Progar is a sophomore defensive end for the Northern Illinois Huskies. After redshirting in 2008, Progar made an impact on the Huskie defensive line in 2009. He registered 30 tackles (18 solo) and ranked second on the team in both tackles for loss (8.0) and quarterback sacks (6.0). Progar, a native of Glenview, Ill., also had two fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles. Below is a closer look at the Northern Illinois DE...
1. What are your goals for this season?
One of my goals is definitely to be a team leader, to establish my leadership and keep it going throughout the year. I also want to help develop the young players, because we need them and they need to know we need them. The coaches believe I can make all-conference, so I've set that out there for myself, and of course as a team we want to win a MAC Championship.
2. What is your favorite TV show? Why?
My roommates and I watch "Family Guy." It's hilarious.
3. How did you get started playing football?
When I was little, I loved baseball. I wanted to grow up and be a professional baseball player and I played baseball all the time. As I kept getting bigger and bigger, my dad said why don't you play football. So I started playing flag football when I was about seven years old and I completely flipped. From then on I was completely into football and have been with it ever since.
4. What is your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is failure, not living up to expectations, not doing what I've been told that I'm supposed to do for years now.
5. Why did you choose Northern Illinois University?
Throughout high school, one of my coaches had gone to Michigan, and he left our school and went to coach at Michigan. So between my sophomore and my senior year, I was 80 percent sure I was going to Michigan. But that was with the previous staff (Lloyd Carr's) so when they left, I was left out there. It was really late, so a lot of people had already filled up their scholarships and dropped me off their lists. NIU had been in touch and followed me, but when that happened I came to Coach Kill and he couldn't believe I was still out there. We talked and he convinced me and I wanted to be a Huskie. Now I'm here and I love it.
6. Who was your greatest athletic influence?
I grew up with just a sister and she didn't play sports, so my role model growing up and watching football was Warren Sapp. He was dominant on the defensive line for the Tampa Bay Bucs and I was always the biggest kid so I played on the line. I had the Warren Sapp jersey, I watched the Bucs. I just loved his attitude about the game, his work ethic, the way he played. He played nasty.
7. The person from history I'd most like to meet is...
I'd probably say Martin Luther King because of all he went through, and what he did and the courage he had to keep doing it no matter what. He never stopped working toward his goal, no matter how hard it was and what he did changed the world.
8. You are on a road trip and stop at a gas station, what snacks do you buy?
I would start with an Arizona Iced Tea, it doesn't matter what flavor. It only costs $1 and it's a large quantity. Then I have to get a Snickers bar, for sure, maybe two. That's my favorite candy. I might get some gum and a bag of Doritos. I'm not a huge snack person, but that's where I'd start.
9. What are your pregame rituals?
I don't know if I really have any. I like to be by myself, listen to my music. Usually I'll get in the hot tub to warm up my body. I don't like to go out on the field early or anything. I'll stretch inside, loosen my back and my legs. Last year, the D-line started doing the face-painting as a group - (NIU defensive tackle) D.J. Pirkle came up with that and we want to continue it.
10. The artist that takes up most of my iPod...
Gucci Mane. I grew up with rap, he's a rapper. He gets me pumped up and has a good sound. I've been listening to him for a while, it's on in the locker room a lot. Lil' Wayne would be next.
