Matt Heagen, Football Senior, History Education
New Concord, Ohio
I WILL be a good leader
I WILL give everything I have to everything I do
I WILL aspire to be a role model
Middle linebacker Matt Heagen is one of the remaining links from the 2006 Crusader football team that at one point was ranked third best in the nation. Now a senior who has recently overcome a knee injury, Heagen talked with sports information assistant Bryan DeArdo about how he and the team will look to link together to pursue a national championship.
BD: How's your knee doing after last season's injury?
MH: It was a long recovery, but things are good and I'm on schedule. It's a little sore once and a while but overall I'm very please with my progression.
BD: What's the toughest part of rehabbing?
MH: You have to start back at zero, like learning to walk again. Your body has to get used to shifting and cutting again. It took a solid six months to feel like it did before. It's a few hours of work everyday that you have to do to improve the knee. It's frustrating, but it makes you want to achieve a lot on the field when you do come back.
BD: What was your support system like when you were going through your knee rehabilitation?
MH: My sister Kristen (who plays on Capital's basketball team) had the same injury to her knee and actually came back better than before. She showed me that it wasn't the end of the world and that I'd be fine as long as I listened to the doctors and worked hard at getting better every day.
BD: Assistant Coach Robert White said that the your two biggest characteristics are toughness and leadership. Do you think those are good descriptions of you as a football player?
MH: I hope that's what people would say about me. As a linebacker, you need to be physical and you have to be a leader on the field. That's what I pride myself on.
BD: Is the middle linebacker in many situations the "quarterback" of the defense?
MH: I like to let everyone know what to look out for when I'm on the field, so I'd say so from the perspective. But overall, it's up to everyone to look at the film and to be prepared when they're on the field.
BD: Is there another college or NFL middle linebacker that you like to watch and try to pattern your game off of?
MH: I like watching Ray Lewis, how he always plays hard and with emotion. He's one of the game's best leaders. He's the epitome of what a good middle linebacker should be.
BD: There were a slew of very good linebackers that were drafted this past season, including Ohio State's James Lauranitis (draft by the St. Louis Rams) and Southern Cal's trio of Brian Cushing (Houston Texans), Clay Matthews (Green Bay Packers), and Rey Maualuga (Cincinnati Bengals). Who do you think will have the best career?
MH: It pains me to pick Trojans over a Buckeye, but I'd say either Matthews or Cushing, because they're more versatile as players.
BD: What makes the rivalry with Otterbein so good?
MH: Both schools are close to each other, and there's always a good crowd at the game. We emphasize that game a little bit more during the week, but we want to win every game. The Mount Union rivalry has picked up during the last few years, especially when we made a run at winning it all.
BD: Speaking of 2006, what does this team need to do to emulate that success?
MH: A lot of things have to go right for you to have that kind of success. The injury bug as to stay away, and the team has to get together and get in sync at the right time of the year. Also, every player has to work hard and have a desire to be great. Having the same common goal is a big part in having success.
BD: What is, in your opinion, the best football movie ever?
MH: I would say Rudy is number one, just because it's a great story.
BD: What's worse: two-a-days in the summer or final exams?
MH: Oh final exams definitely, because two-a-days is still football. I love playing football, whether it's in a game or in practice.
BD: Quarterback Marty Assmann talked about how the team is close on and off the field. Can you talk about the atmosphere amongst the team during your time here?
MH: The group has been close-knit ever since I came here. I'm pretty much friends with every guy on the team now, and I have kept in touch with a lot of guys who have graduated. I could not have asked for a better football family than the one I have here at Capital.
BD: What would be a successful year for Capital football this fall?
MH: Success for me is being winning a national championship, and that's what we're going to try to do. If we do what we're capable of and things go right for us then we should have a shot at it.
BD: Would you like to coach as well as be a teacher?
MH: To be able to teach and coach is something I've wanted to do for a long time. I think I'm going to have to do something to stay close to the game when I'm done playing, and I think coaching is the best way to do so.
BD: Would you be more like Bill Cowher or Tony Dungy?
MH: I think I'd be more like Bill Cowher. I'm a pretty fiery guy naturally, so I think I'd be a really energetic and enthusiastic coach.