Scott Stepping Up

Sophomore wide receiver Cordale Scott was kind enough to meet with IlliniBeat during Illinois media day and answer some questions about the 2009 season.

IlliniBeat: Thanks for your time Cordale. You graduated from Cleveland Glenville in Ohio. Your school recently has produced Ted Ginn Jr., Donte Whitner, and 2006 Heisman Winner Troy Smith... And they all went to Ohio State. What was it like turning down an offer from the Buckeyes?

Cordale Scott: "There is definitely a lot of pressure from the Ohio people to go to OSU. I just felt that I had to do what was best for me... I liked Ohio State a lot and still do, but I just felt that Illinois was the place for me."

IB: Ted Ginn Sr. was your coach in high school, and he does the Ted Ginn Bus Tour each year for Ohio high school players. Were you a part of that?

CS: "Yeah, that was a lot of fun. I got to meet some of the other top players in Ohio and visit some really nice schools. It was just a good experience both for football and personally. I made some good friends who I still talk to."

IB: Tell me a little bit more about what you saw in Illinois.

CS: "It was just the people and the whole environment. It's a family atmosphere at Illinois, and you have to think about who you will be spending the next three to five years with. The coaches and players both made me feel at home."

IB: Speaking of coaches, you were recruited by Eric Wolford (Former Illini offensive line coach now at South Carolina). What was it like losing him after forming a bond?

CS: "It was definitely tough. He and I were close and talked a lot during the recruiting process. The same thing with Coach Locksley, (Former Illini offensive coordinator, now New Mexico head coach, Mike Locksley) we were close too. But Coach Zook sat down and talked with me. This is a business, and coaches are going to move around at every level of football."

IB: What is it like working with guys like Rejus Benn and Jarred Fayson in practice?

CS: "It's great. You know that you can't take any plays off because those guys won't let you. It's important to just realize that you are lucky to be around future NFL guys, and you should soak up all you can."

IB: What goes through your head when you hear media reports that Illinois has a top-10 receiving corps?

CS: "Coach Zook tells us not to read press clippings, and I try not to. That stuff is fun and all when it's good, but it can be easy to let it get in your head when it isn't good. It's better to just try and not read it."