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1.     Who was your role model growing up?

My role model was my brother Sean.  He was 4 years older than me and I wanted to be just like him and was a big reason why I started playing quarterback.

 

2.     Who was your favorite Quarterback growing up and when did you know you wanted to be a pro-Football player?

My favorite QB was Peyton Manning.  I was a huge fan of Peyton and the way he played the game.  I always dreamed of being a pro football player from the time I was probably 8 years old.

 

3.     What was it like playing Football at Westfield High School?

Playing at Westfield was as good as a football experience as I have been part of.  There is nothing like Friday night lights and playing football with all of your buddies that you grew up with.  Some of my favorite football memories took place at Westfield.

 

4.     Your senior year you led Westfield to the Division 6 AAA Championship and helped them defeat Woodbridge High School 42 to 14. What it like to win a State Championship and be named Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year?

That state championship team was one of, if not the best team I have been apart of.  We all were fully committed to winning a state championship and prepared with the mindset that we were going to win it all.

 

5.      You picked NC State as your school, what was it like to play in your first game there?

My first game was against South Carolina on ESPN on Thursday night.  It was one of the coolest experiences jogging onto the field for the first time.  Playing in front of 60,000 people on national TV was a dream come true.

 

6.     When you were back up to Russell Wilson what was something that you learned from him that helped you after he left and you became the starter at NC State?

Russell is one of the hardest working people I have ever been around.  Every decision he makes is based upon if it can make him a better football player and I have a lot of respect for that.

 

7.     What was your favorite game you played in at NC state? And what was it like running out of the NC State Tunnel one last time on your Senior Day?

My favorite game I played in was against Florida State when we beat them 17-16.  They were ranked number 3 in the country and I threw a touchdown with 15 seconds left to win.

 

8.     As you were prepping for the NFL Draft what was it like to play in the Senior Bowl? And to be at the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium?

The Senior Bowl was a vigorous week mentally, as you are trying to impress the scouts and the GMs during all hours of the day.  It was pretty cool to be at the combine after watching it for years on TV.  You see all of the coaches and GM's you have seen for years.

 

9.     What was it like to be drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 3rd Round? Where were you when you got the call that you were going pro? 

It was a dream come true.  I had no idea they were interested in drafting me so it came as a surprise.  I was at my parents' house and got the call a few minutes before they showed it on TV.  

 

10.  What was it like to get your first NFL career win against the Miami Dolphins?

It was a great feeling.  We hadn't won a game all year and to get my first career win on Monday Night Football was great.

11.  What was your favorite game that you played in while at Tampa Bay?

In my second year, we went up to Pittsburgh and beat the Steelers.  I threw a touchdown to Vincent Jackson with 10 seconds left to win the game.

 

12.   After you left Tampa and went to the Chicago Bears what was it like to play at Solider Field and what was it like to be play in the Bears vs Packers Rivalry game, one of the oldest Rivalry’s in the NFL?

Playing for a team with as much history as the Bears have was a lot of fun.  I have great respect for the history and tradition of the organization and enjoyed my time in Chicago.

 

13.  Now that you’re a member of the Arizona Cardinals what are you looking forward to the most this season?

I am looking forward to being part of this team and helping us win a lot of games and hopefully going to the playoffs.

 

14. What advice would you give an incoming freshman that wants to play football at Westfield High School? What is something you would like to say to your head coach and Coach Day at Westfield and your NC State Coaches who helped you prepare for the NFL? 

I would tell freshman to enjoy the ride.  There is nothing like playing high school football and I would love to go back and do it all over again.  The life lessons football teaches you are irreplaceable and the memories made out on the field and in the locker room with your teammates will last a lifetime.  I would tell Coach Day that he had a huge impact on my career as my first QB coach.  He taught me the proper fundamentals to get to the next level, and most importantly "the legs feed the wolves."

15. What was it like to be apart of the Elite 11 in 2007?

It was a great experience and to be a part of a group that has multiple NFL QBs today, like Andrew Luck, is a lot of fun to look back on as we were just a bunch of 17 year olds at the time.