"It has been hot this summer," added
Andre Wadley. "That has been the main thing, you get hot. I am still working
hard. We played Independence on Friday in a jamboree. I think I had a total of
10 tackles and 1 sack in a half. We won 21-7."
Most college recruiters
see Wadley ending up at either defensive end or defensive tackle on the next level,
but Andre continues to play MLB for Hernando.
"I really have not talked
to any colleges about which position I would play for them, but I would think
most of them would like me at either DE or LB. I am not really sure. To be honest,
I have never played defensive end, but I can play it. I just do not have any experience
playing on the line. As long as I tackle, I can do it regardless of my experience
or not."
Andre has dropped a few pounds this offseason.
"I
have lost around 15 pounds this summer. I am down to 262. I am real proud of that.
I have been trying to lose some weight and get stronger and faster."
Wadley's
preseason recognition has brought on some added responsibilities.
"Last
year at the same time, I had other people look up to, but now I am the guy everyone
is looking up to. I feel like I am the top dog and everyone is looking for me
to carry the team. I have a big responsibility to the team."
Does
Andre feel the pressure to live up to his name?
"I do not put any
pressure on myself, I let the coaches do that (laugh). They have expected big
things every since I was in 10th grade, so it really does not add any pressure
on me."
Andre has high hopes for his club this season.
"We
really are looking real good. I do not want to let out all of our secrets out,
but we looked a lot better in our jamboree than at any time last year. We do not
have the size that we had last year, but we are much faster."
Has
the All-South 150 member received any new offers this summer?
"No,
I have not gotten any new offers. Nobody has come around, still just Auburn, Ole Miss, and MSU."
Any schools getting close to an offer?
"Georgia,
I was talking to them at once, but they have not come around. I was looking at
them, but they have not been showing me much interest. Tennessee was at once,
but not really anymore. I am still wide open. I have been looking mainly at the
three schools who have offered me, but I am still waiting on the other ones to
come around. I am not worried about the lack of offers, but I am wondering why
some of them have not come through."
What does Andre think is the
hold up?
"I do not know. To be honest, I am am pretty much stunned
about all of this. I do not know what the hold up is right now. I am not saying
that I am not impressed with the three schools who have offered me, because I
am. I am just wondering what is going on. I am wide open. I mean that. I hear
people say that I am going to Auburn because I want to win, or that I am going
to MSU because my brother played there. I just laugh at all of the wild things
people say. I am wide open. I want to see who all is going to recruit me."
Where
did the rumors start about Andre going to either Auburn or MSU?
"I
think I messed that one up by telling the media that I wanted to go to a winning
team, and I guess they just assumed that was going to be Auburn because they are
the only one out of those three that have been winning. Do not get me wrong, I
do want to win, but I am open to anybody. My options are still open. I probably
got my words mixed up. Like the people who say I am going to MSU because of my
brother. Hey, that was my brother's decision. I have got to decide on the best
school for me, not for him. I have not decided on any school yet."
What
is important for Wadley when he is trying to decide on a college to attend?
"I
do not know yet, to be honest. I have not really just thought about the important
things yet. But yea, I want to win, but football has to be a family thing. When
I made my decision, I want to feel like I am still at home. It is more to it than
just winning."
Does Andre plan to attend any college games this Fall?
"Yea,
I wanted to check out Ole Miss when they played Memphis up here this weekend,
but I forgot to take off and I have my hands full, so I will probably end up at
a couple of Ole Miss games to see what Bradley (Sowell) is doing. I might go down
to a MSU game. I am not sure. I was also thinking about going to Atlanta to see
my brother and check out a Georgia game. I have not decided yet. I will have to
looking into that."
What does Ole Miss bring to the table for Wadley?
"My
partner, Bradley Sowell, plays for them. He is a cool guy, and he really likes
it up there. But I have not really looked into them yet. I will go see them play
a couple of times this fall, so I can get a better feel for them."
Which
campuses has Andre visited through the years?
"I have only been to
two campuses and that was MSU and Ole Miss. I went to both of their football camps,
and I went down to see my brother a couple of times when he was at MSU. That is
why I am going to wait and take all of my visits before I even begin toeven think
about all of that stuff. I just have not looked into anybody yet."
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