Sultan McCullough: Some cool stuff on him, interesting to read

[Skins26]

Some of these quotes from this had been posted a long time ago in the offseason when we first signed him. But I figured I would post this whole thing, since he may get the ball a few times this week if Trung cant play. These are some interviews from his college days. This guy doesnt lack confidence but seems to have the drive and talent to turn himself into something special.

http://usctrojans.ocsn.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mccullough_sultan00.html

SULTAN McCULLOUGH ON:

The advantage of speed: "Speed is what I was blessed with…I think I can run a 10 flat (in the 100)…It's hard to stop somebody when he's always at full-go and full-motion. It's hard to tackle him if he's always going hard because you don't know when he's going to cut or slip or slide or run you over. It's just hard to stop speed…But I don't use my speed yet like I should. I have speed, but I don't have quickness. I'm still learning about the tailback position…I'm so fast that I'm reading holes as I'm running. But I've learned that I should just go and let the offensive line make the holes. I need to attack…People in football at first thought of me as a sprinter. Early on, I never got a chance to show them any different. I'm getting that chance now." Football versus track: "It's not my fault that I'm fast. People think I'm a track guy playing football. I want to get that off people's minds. I want to be a strong football player…I'm not a sprinter playing football. I'm a football player who also runs track. I know the quickest way to the end zone is through the defense. I can take the punishment. I've been doing it all my life…Football is my main sport. I'm just gathering confidence in myself running track and improving my speed…It's hard doing both sports, but I don't want to limit myself. Whatever you do, you try and open doors. You don't know what's going to pay off for you…I originally ran track at USC to make a name for myself while I was waiting my turn in football…The thing about track is you can do it all yourself, you don't need blockers or anybody else…I think I could be the best in the world in the 100, the world's fastest human. But I have to think of my future. You could get up at dawn every day for months, getting ready for the one big race, and then you pull something and you're not right that day, and it's over…But I want to be a professional football player, not a professional track runner. But I don't want to look too far into the future. Anything can happen. I have to stay focused and keep praying…During the spring, switching back and forth is tough. One day you're running up high with your knees up and the next you're running down low and taking hits. It's different…People don't realize that if you run track, you have to be tough. If you're not tough, you'll quit. When a person running with you challenges you, you'll either be a winner or a quitter. Track is 90 percent mental. It prepares you for anything in life. And that's how it is on the football field, too. If you want to win, you'll do anything to win. So for me, the two go hand in hand…I like being bigger than those other little sprinters, intimidating them." His philosophy: "When I'm out there, I have to make a play. There are a lot of plays out there that should be touchdowns and big catches…I want to be the type of back to get a lot of yards on every play…All I need is a crease." His determination: "People always tell me what I can't do and I want to prove I can do anything I set my mind to…I want to be the next star, the next running back, the next go-to guy…It's my dream to be the next Marcus or the next O.J. or the next Deion, where I walk around and everyone knows me. I want to walk through a door and have everybody say, 'That's Sultan McCullough.' I want it so I can go to certain places because of who I am. But I don't want to be in the limelight. I want to stay low-key." His toughness: "People who don't know me want to see how tough I can be. They say, 'He has so much speed but he doesn't have enough toughness to carry the rock.' That's just talk. They don't know me and what's inside me. You can't judge a book by its cover." His dedication: "I don't party. I just sit at home. I have such a big family that when I go home, it's like a big party anyway. To be at the top in sports, you have to really prepare yourself. You can't just go out and eat chili fries and drink soda. It requires constant discipline." His athletic family: "It's kind of cool to come from an athletic family. There was lots of competition growing up. All my brothers played sports. It's good to have the talent, but I know I have to use it right. I need to use it to my advantage because you never know when it won't be there." His brother, Saladin: "He's a much, much better back than me. It's a proven fact. If I can do it, Saladin can do it twice as well. If I get 100 yards, it means he would have gained 200 yards…If I do something good, it's showing everyone how good he is…We both have speed, but he has that God's gift. He's a pure running back." The difference between high school and college football: "I discovered that high school football isn't college football. I learned that I wasn't big enough to break tackles in college. And if you're going to make it in college, you at least have to break that first tackle…So I got into weight training in a big way." His first name: "Growing up, I didn't know what my name meant. I asked my mom and she told me it meant 'King.' I thought I was kind of special. I thought I couldn't die. I thought I could endure pain. Then I got beat up a few times and found out that wasn't true."

WHAT OTHERS SAY:

Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti: "There's no question that the speed factor with Sultan McCullough is scary. You have to play great defense, you have to cancel gaps and you have to take the proper leverage angles. Your pursuit has to be almost perfect. If you leave a seam open, he can hit that seam and be gone." Saladin McCullough, his brother: "It's scary what he's going to be. He's a home run hitter every time he touches the ball." USC head track coach Ron Allice: "He's such an amazing athlete. He will do very, very well in football, because he's not only quick, but he's tough. Can you imagine a sweep where he takes the pitch and turns the corner? Watch out…He's probably as gifted a track athlete as I've ever had. He does this on a part-time basis and is one of the premier college sprinters in America. To run in the low 10s is phenomenal. I hate to think what would happen if he did it full time…His work ethic is good. He oozes confidence. He is a tremendous competitor and he'll let you know that. One of the things people don't realize is he really wants to be better at everything he does. It's not just talk…They say he's intimidating sometimes verbally. He wants to prove he's the best. But Sultan can back it up. There are a lot of people who talk and deep down don't believe it. Sultan believes he can do it." USC assistant track coach John Henry Johnson: "Sultan is a fiery competitor. He is definitely a game-day guy. He has this knack, this talent. The things he doesn't do right in practice all week long he somehow manages to do right on race day. Some athletes are flat on the day of competition. They get insecure. Sultan is the exact opposite."

Alright that was it. I like what this guy has to say about himself and what other say about him. We all saw his talent in preseason, now the question is, can he do it when the games count???

[Mad Mike]

I hope he plays.

[Griff]

I have a really good feeling about this kid, I think he is going to be a good one.

[Luca Brasi]

A big game against Buffalo could earn him a spot on the active list for the rest of the year. The question is, how would we make room for him?

[SkinsThug]

Not a word on his blocking ability. My guess is he makes Candidate look like Jonathan Ogden.

[Riggo-toni]

Originally posted by SkinsThug

Not a word on his blocking ability. My guess is he makes Candidate look like Jonathan Ogden.

ding ding ding!!!

Like it or not, our O really misses Kenny Watson - but only for his blocking ability. This was why a superior runner like Betts took so long last year to get into the lineup, and it's why Sultan is still a year away.

[Dexter's Better]

You don't need to block if your holding the ball.

[NavyDave]

I really miss smashmouth

[Awesome]

Guy's brother's name is Saladin???

Is his dad's name Sadaam?

[GB81]

Just keep this is the back of your head...from his pre-draft report--this is why he went undrafted:

Negatives: Lacks size and does not have great vision or play strength. Is an average receiver who has questionable hands, needs to be wide open to catch the ball and lacks run instincts. Has small hands and is a body catcher, and also is a sloppy route-runner. Not a natural running back. Very questionable character. Has a chip on his shoulder and rubs people the wrong way. Not a good learner. Lacks strength and toughness as a runner. Not explosive or very tough. Average make-you-miss for his size. Not interested in blocking. Profane, disrespectful and undependable. Needs reps. Negative leader. Plays to speed. Does not run with much power or determination and arm tackles can often bring him down. Needs an attitude adjustment and maturity. Durability questions won't go away, especially after he pulled his hamstring in the East-West Shrine Game. The injury prevented him from testing the track at the Scouting Combine.

[Mad Mike]

GGB81. Some of those things have already been proven to be wrong.

He's been a model citizen so far. He gets along with the coaches. He ran hard in preseason. Hue Jackson coached him in college and said he does not have an attitude problem and wanted to draft him.

That said, I don't know how well he can block and that will be important if he wants to play.

[freakofthesouth]

OJ? Chili fries?

JK, can't wait to see this mfer play.

And that scouting report may not be all that accurate. I heard his biggest problem was his attitude, but that was mainly his environment at USC.

Like Mad Mike said, this report may not be that accurate. I bet he has been working on blocking w/ the rest of the backs this whole season.

We won't know until he gets some reps.

Let's see what happens on Sunday!

[Skins26]

As far as that scouting report said. Most all of those have proven to be wrong.

In preseason he showed a lot of explosiveness, and vision. He ran tough, dont know where the hell they got that one from!?!??! But he is a tough runner and very explosive. He hasnt done anything wrong attitude wise so far. As far as his receiving ability, i went to training camp twice, and both times they did hitting scrimmaging type stuff, twice in those drills against the 1st team defense he caught deep passes with a guy basically hanging off of him, one of those he caught with one hand. He also made several other catches, with his hands not his body!

This report may HAVE been accurate at the time, but since he's been here he has improved greatly then. I know that his trainer, dont know his name, but his trainer from USC called up former Skins RB Ricky Irvins, and said this guy was a great kid and asked Irvin to help him with a few things and get him prepared to make this football team. Kinda teach him a few things about being a back. So maybe that helped him a great deal.

But all of these proved to be false in the preseason. Except his blocking, we really dont know about that yet. Thats the toughest thing for every back, its takes them a while to get it down. But if he's ripping off 5 yard runs or so then the play action we can create off that can make up for his lack of blocking.