Graham Pocic Goes Big

Welcome back for another inside look at Illinois football. IlliniBeat met with Illinois offensive lineman Graham Pocic recently, and here is what he had to say.

IlliniBeat: Camp Rantoul as a true Freshman and Camp Rantoul this year... How much of a difference is there?

Graham Pocic: "It's like night and day. Your first time out there you feel a little bit lost, and you're still trying to get used to the speed of the game. You want to come out and prove that you belong, but at the same time you aren't quite sure where to go or what to do. It's all a comfort thing."

IB: How have you improved since you got to college?

GP: "The coaching that you receive in college is completely different from the coaching in high school. There is much more one on one time. Technique is big at this level and they stress that a lot more than in high school."

IB: Well at 6'7", 320 lbs. you probably didn't need much technique back then.

GP: "A lot of the time that was true, but not anymore. At this level the defensive lines are too strong and fast to just rely on your size. Footwork and technique become the difference between a big guy and a football player."

IB: One of the things I have been asking a lot of the guys about is the transition from one offensive coordinator to a new one. Does that affect you guys on the line too, or does it mostly apply to the skill guys?

GP: "That's mostly for the position players. We still use a zone blocking scheme and the playbook is mostly the same so the transition wasn't a big deal."

IB: You played a big part in recruiting other players to Illinois when you were in high school. You committed early and called other guys encouraging them to join you. Did the coaches push that?

GP: "They didn't discourage it it by any means, but it's not like they told me who to call and when. I was very excited to commit to Illinois, and I just wanted to try and bring in the best class possible. You can work hard on your own, but when you know the other guys are doing the same it's easier to give 110%."

IB: What do you think about the running backs this year? Do you feel like you have some good guys to block for?

GP: "I really do. Everyone is talking about the wide receivers and Juice, for good reason, but I really feel like the running backs are good too. From the top of the depth chart to the bottom, the guys all work hard."

IB: Tell me about Justin Green.

GP: He's going to be good. He cuts hard and is very good at hitting the holes we create for him. Justin is the kind of guy that can score every time he gets the ball."

IB: Lastly, I saw offensive lineman Craig Wilson do a cartwheel after a touchdown in camp, can you do one of those?

GP: "(Laughing) Trust me, no one wants to see that!"