Q&A: Chase Coffman, Missouri - Walter Camp On Location

Missouri All-American Chase Coffman sat down with All-Access Football Radio
at the Yale University Commons in New Haven prior to the Walter Camp 42nd Annual National Awards Diner on January 17, 2009.

What does it mean to be a Walter Camp All-American?

Coffman: It means a lot. It’s a great honor, especially from the Walter Camp foundation. I showed up here and I didn’t know if it was going to be as big of a deal, but a lot of people told me stuff and just seeing all the alumni that have been through it just really sets in how big it is.

Any of the players pop out to you? Maybe someone you rooted for as a kid?

Coffman: Not so much just one person, but everybody. Just seeing all these guys that have been there done that, won Super Bowls and gone to Pro Bowls, all that stuff that they’ve done. Just kind of hearing about them, they set the standard of what the NFL is today.

Talk about your season with Missouri, both as a team and individually.

Coffman: We were two games away from having the same season we did last year. We had a couple of games where things didn’t go our way, but overall the season was pretty successful. We came away with an Alamo Bowl victory and winning that last game definitely gives a team some momentum going into the next season.

Do you think you guys have built a nice foundation for moving forward in that program?

Coffman: Oh yeah definitely, that’s one thing you just keep trying to do, keep getting more and more wins each year so you can keep getting more exposure and better recruits in. That stuff just adds up in helping you become a better team and being named up there with the elite teams you hear about every year.

What do think of Chase Daniel’s chances in the NFL?

Coffman: Chase is a great guy and a great quarterback and it ultimately comes down to if you can play football or not. If he gets a shot than I think he will definitely prove everyone wrong.

Some people are saying your backup quarterback to Chase Daniel has pro potential, how much has he impressed you?

Coffman: He’s a great quarterback also. I think he will surprise some people. He’s good size and probably has one of the strongest arms I have ever seen. A lot of the time he puts the ball right on the money.

Have you talked to Martin Rucker during the year to get a feel of what the NFL is like as opposed to being a college player?

Coffman: Oh yeah definitely. It’s always great being able to talk to him just to see how things are going. They kind of had a rough year in Cleveland, but he got to play a lot toward the end of the season. So hopefully things will look up for him and I’m looking forward now to what’s going to happen for me.

Do you think athleticism is one of the strengths of your game?

Coffman: Definitely. We ran the spread offense so I’m not really putting my hand down on the ground which is what a lot of people think a real tight end should be doing, so I think that might hurt me a little bit. But being athletic and being able to go out and catch the ball, make a move, hurdle somebody, stiff arm or whatever it is I have to do to make a play…that’s what I’m going to do.

Are you trying to prove those wrong who think you have question marks about your game?

Coffman: Yeah definitely. That’s something that hurt Rucker last year in the draft. Just give me the shot to go down and block on the line and that’s what I’ll do. I haven’t really done it and I haven’t really learned that technique, but if you put me in there and teach me I can definitely be ready for the very first game of the season. Whatever you need to be ready for, I’m going to work as hard as I can to get there.

What are your plans in terms of getting ready for the workouts?

Coffman: I’m going to be going down to work out in Phoenix at API. I broke my foot in the bowl game so that kind of set me back a little bit. As far as that goes, I’m just going to try and get as healthy as possible and just keep doing the best I can to get my draft status up.

So I guess that means you aren’t playing in the Senior Bowl?

Coffman: No.

Are you going to be ready for the combine or are you going to have to wait until your pro day at Missouri?

Coffman: I’ll probably have to wait and end up doing it in the pro day at Missouri. We will just kind of figure things out and see how I feel.

What do you like to do besides football?

Coffman: I love watching movies, all kinds of movies except scary movies. I just don’t like them.

What kind of movies do you like and what movie is your favorite?

Coffman: I like comedy movies and action films. Gladiator is one of my favorites, along with Braveheart. All of the Will Ferrell movies are hilarious, I love comedies.

Who is your favorite actor?

Coffman: Definitely Will Ferrell. Like I said, I like comedies and he’s always good for a laugh.

Photo Credit: College Press Box (Missouri)