FightingIllini.com
The Official Home of University of Illinois Athletics
- Men's Sports
- MEN'S SPORTS
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Football
- Golf
- WOMEN'S SPORTS
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
Abdullah Anxious For Opportunity To Knock Off 17th-Ranked Spartans
  |
|
The diminutive Sharriff Abdullah and the Illini secondary will have to play big when they take on Michigan State this weekend if the Orange and Blue expect to win.
|
AUDIO - Post-practice with Head Coach Ron Zook
AUDIO - LB Anthony Thornhill
Sept. 21, 2005
by Jared Gelfond, UI Sports Information
 Junior Defensive Back  |
|
Growing up on the infamous west side of Detroit, right on Dexter and Davidson, Abdullah's first obstacle was to stay away from everything that was going on around him as a young kid.
"Back in the 1970's and early into the 1980's, it was like a war zone over there," said Abdullah, as he reflected back on his childhood days. "There was a group of guys that called themselves the 'YBI' or 'Young Boys Incorporated' that were killing people and flooding the neighborhood with drugs."
When Sharriff was old enough to know what was going on, the YBI was gone but the dangers on the street still remained.
"There was just a ton of violence in the area. It wasn't so much that there were so many gangs and different groups, but it was like everyone thought they were tough and violence came from anybody."
Like so many kids growing up in that type of neighborhood, Abdullah was able to turn to sports and specifically football to keep him away from the street. In fact, he was so excited to get on the field that he began his football career a year early.
"When I started to play football I was only seven years old and you had to be eight to play," laughed Abdullah as he recalled his early football days. "It was a year too early, but the team would let me practice with them and then, when I finally turned eight, I was ready to play."
It was more than just football that kept him grounded and away from trouble.
"I was always with my coach, and he used to take me everywhere. He used to take me to watch his son play, he used to take me to NFL games, and we built a great relationship because he wanted to show me more and I was more than willing to listen and learn.
"It kept me away from home a lot, and there were times as I was growing up that I wouldn't see my little brothers and sisters that much."
Always small and able to use his blazing speed to make plays, it should come as no surprise that as a young football player Abdullah was a tailback, but the real shock comes with his love for another position.
"I used to play linebacker and I loved to play that position," recalled Abdullah. "Even in high school when the coaches needed somebody on the scout team to run around, blitz and make some plays, I would play linebacker."
While a 5-9, 170-pound linebacker isn't going to cut it in the Big Ten Conference, Abdullah has already made a name for himself as a steady defensive back for the Illini. After redshirting in the 2002 season, he has played in all 23 games during the last two seasons in the Illini defensive backfield.
|
|
Succeeding at Illinois was just another way of proving everybody wrong. Throughout his whole life, Abdullah has been pestered with the thoughts he was too small to play the game of football.
"I have always believed in myself and I didn't need any fans, coaches or others to tell me I was big enough. I work as hard or harder than anybody else, and it doesn't matter if I am tall or short.
"It does kind of fuel me at times to hear those kinds of things, because when I am out on the field-on that island-I just know the guy is thinking that and he is coming at me."
After three games this season, Abdullah's impact is becoming greater. Playing in all three games in the non-conference season, he is sixth on the team in tackles, and while he believes the best is yet to come, he gives a lot of the credit for his improved play to his new position coach.
"Coach Mallory is just so excited and he kind of coaches on the run. Sometimes he and his brother get going so much and they have so much running through their mind they tend to forget stuff, too. He is a great coach, though, and gets us fired up for practice and lets us know where we are at and where he wants us to be."
He is also enjoying playing for Zook in Mallory's new defensive system.
"Right now we are more of a "cover-2," team and last year we were more of a cover-4 team. We ran cover-2 last year, but now we do it more often. With Coach Zook's system, the adjustments we make are a lot simpler and it's easier to pick up stuff."
Born in Detroit, his roots were with the Detroit Lions and Detroit Pistons, but he also grew up a Michigan Wolverine fan. But, to the happiness of Illini fans everywhere, it hasn't taken long for him to get acquainted with the ways of the Illini.
"Since I have gotten here, I don't even like Michigan any more. I mean it's not a dislike thing and I respect the guys on their team, but they are the competition and they are the team to beat."
While it's not the Wolverines he is lining up against this weekend, the Spartans are just as formidable. Informed that Illinois hasn't beaten Michigan State since 1992, Abdullah can't believe how long ago that was.
"I was eight years old at the time, and that is a long time. I am definitely going to have to let the guys know about that."
So when you look out on the field this weekend and it seems like there is a big mismatch as Sharriff lines up to guard a much bigger wide receiver, just remember that he has him right where he wants him.
He has lived his life overcoming obstacles much harder than that.
