Q&A with linebacker Brouce Mompremier

Senior linebacker Brouce Mompremier has been a huge part of USF's up-and-down season -- a leader on USF's defense, sorely missed since suffering a traumatic neck injury in a win at Florida International. After missing two games, he returned to play in two games, but a blow to the back of the head late in USF's loss at Louisville reminded him of health risks he no longer wanted to take. We sat down with Mompremier on Thursday to talk about his season and being recognized as one of 21 seniors at the home finale Sunday night against Connecticut.

GA: Wanted to ask you about Sunday, knowing it'll be your last time at Raymond James Stadium as part of that team.

BM: It's a good feeling and a sad feeling. It's my last time being able to watch the guys play. I'm not playing anymore, but it's a good feeling that I've had five years here. It's been a wonderful time in my life, and I'm going to miss it, just being out with the guys.

GA: I'm sure you already miss it some.

BM: Yeah. I just started mine early.

GA: Have you talked as seniors about wanting to go out the right way?

BM: We've been close throughout the whole year. I'm sure the whole team is on the same page, wanting to send the seniors out the right way.

GA: How tough has this been for you -- I know it can't have been an easy decision not to play anymore, or to watch as things have gone the way they have for the team.

BM:  It's been hard, but not as hard as I thought. The guys on my team, my family and friends have made it easier for me. You can't prepare yourself for something like that, your season ending real early. I've just been taking it one day at a time. I can't say it's easy or hard, it's just something I'm going through.

GA: Some guys in your position remove themselves from the team, but you've been out there at practice every day, around your teammates as much as possible. It seems like you've wanted to stay a part of things.

BM: I have to. It's all I know right now. I can't be selfish. Just because I can't play doesn't mean I can't help the guys out. The younger guys like Sabbath (Joseph), even T-Mac (Tyrone McKenzie) and Kion (Wilson) still need some help. Being out there, being vocal, doing what I can.

GA: You have an understanding of the defense, a recognition that some of the guys out there right now would probably like to have, knowing where to be and what to do. Do you like being able to help that way?

BM:  I enjoy that I can still be a help, that I'm still useful to the team. Nobody wants to feel unwanted.

GA: Talk about this defense and what they can do to get things right, to play like they were in the first half of the season.

BM: We just have to line up. A lot of our mistakes are misalignments, bad communication. Somewhere along the line, it seems we forgot how to tackle, in that Pittsburgh game, but we've cleaned some of that up. Basically, we have to get back to what we were doing, by talking: "I'm back here, I've got your back back here." Just communicating, that's all.

GA: We've talked about a players-only meeting during the off week, about playing with passion and emotion in games. Did you see more of that against Rutgers?

BM: I saw it in the Rutgers game, but then I saw that second half. I can almost pinpoint the moment when guys just started to lay down. I feel like some guys kind of gave up. I'm not sure why. I'm guessing it's just frustration, things not going right. You've got guys going 100 miles an hour, just doing everything they can and not seeing any results.

GA: What are your best memories, when you think about five years here?

BM: I would say, it might not seem like it, but my best times, the most fun I had here was at the Sun Bowl. We had so much fun there. We lost, and we weren't prepared for that, but we had so many good times at the Sun Bowl. ... It wasn't so much the event, just us being around each other, joking around.

GA: We didn't get to talk to you after the Louisville game, so I wanted to ask you what happened there that made you not want to play anymore or risk any further injuries.

BM: There was a screen play, and one of the o-linemen hit me in the back of the head, their helmet hitting my helmet. Getting up off the floor, I had like flashbacks of the whole thing happening again. At that moment, I kind of knew that was it. It's not worth it. The risk is just too high for the reward. It hurt me real bad to think this could be my last game, and for it to be a loss makes it worse. Sometimes I felt kind of selfish, like maybe I still can play, maybe I can be out there helping the team. I thought about it, and in the end, it's just a game. My teammates, they understand, and that helped make it a lot easier.

GA: What's next for you? Where do you go from here?

BM: I only have one class to graduate, so I'll graduate this December. I'll be in Tampa. My plan is to be a fireman. It's one of the things I've been thinking about for a while, and I'll still be here in Tampa, here around the guys.

Comments

[KBull]

First class young man. I hope Brouce stays involved with the team at some level. Character like his is what this team needs to move ahead. Good luck Brouce.

[Bulliever]

I have the 2006 WV game tivoed...Brouce was all over the place! I watch that game in the Summers when I am missing football...

He was missed this year and wish it could have worked out better for him (with regards to playing)...But, I am very happy to hear he will be graduating and he has thought about his career.

Godspeed Brouce!

[561]

The game at FIU was the ruination of the 2008 season along with the UCF 1st down call with 3 minutes left..

Best wishes Brouce and try to fire this team up these last 2!!!!

[Bull Daly]

Thanks for all that you did for USF, Brouce!!! Life is more important than football. Good to see that Brouce is going to become a true hero in the near future.

[Rich]

nice piece Greg. Best of luck Brouce.

[Sailingbull]

This season was over the minute Brouce was airlifted off the field at FIU. That game was an absolute kick in the nuts with a lot of key injuries. How many guys did we loose that day? That game alone killed the heart of this team. It just took a delayed reaction of two weeks to see it.

Was the Louisville hit a cheap shot? I didn't get to see that game thanks to the local dips at ABC 28.

Good luck to you in your future endeavors Mr Mompremier. I wish you a complete recovery and a long healthy happy life.

[Mike Lakeland]

Great writeup, Greg.

I wish Brouce the best in everything he does.