MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama football linebacker Bryson James recently sat down with USA Athletic Media Relations to discuss the season as well as life off the field.

What has the step up in competition been like?
“We played two FBS schools that had a lot more experience than us, but we just practiced and played like it was any other game. We played with them, there were just a few mistakes, a few plays that had they gone our way we could have come out with the win. They aren’t going to make many mistakes, and we couldn’t afford many mistakes. We had a few here and there, and that is what made the difference in those games. But it [the environment] was more intense. The fan base made it more exciting and we were on television, but you could just see the excitement in everyone’s eyes.”  

Talk about the depth at the inside linebacker position.
“That all comes from coach [Kurt] Crain’s coaching. He doesn’t treat any of us bigger than the other; we are all the same. We all may have our different flaws, but we’re all on one page. He makes sure everyone is on the same page in meetings before we move on to the next play. I play Mike [middle linebacker] and Will [weakside linebacker], so I also help him with the other linebackers because I understand both positions.”

What have you learned from coach Crain?
“The biggest thing he tells us is there are no excuses. But I have learned a lot from him; he is a professional linebacker. My drops have been better and my reads are much quicker, and I have learned how to be a grown man.”
 
What have you gained from your uncle’s experience in the NFL?
“He told me all of the things I need to focus on. It’s not all about my weight. He told me I had to get big, but it’s about the little things. He said the game gets faster at each level, and I have seen that since I came to college. Everything is faster. And he told me to just get after it. At linebacker, I have to be a mean man in there.”

Who has had the biggest influence on your career? Why?
“My mom has had the biggest influence on me because she is always there. She had two brain surgeries, and she’s not supposed to fly. But this year she came to the North Carolina State game. She surprised me because she had a VIP pass to be on the field. When we came out of the tunnel I looked to my left and I saw her. It just brought joy to me. I didn’t even know she was going to be there, but she is my number-one supporter. She keeps me going and I can talk to her about anything. She’s just the one.”

How do you feel you have progressed as a linebacker since your freshman season in 2009?
“I have put on about 45 pounds. I came in at 185 [pounds] and now I am at 230. I still have my speed – I can cover better from what coach Crain has taught me. And I have become more vocal. Now I know I have to express what the call is and say it over and over until everyone knows what we’re doing.”

Talk about the impact the offseason conditioning program has had on you mentally.
“It has let me know that I can take on the linemen much easier. I feel like I am bigger and that it creates more difficulty for someone trying to block me.”

What are some of the strengths of the defense?
“We all communicate – that is the biggest thing. And our defense is full of speed, from the linemen to the safeties. We are good in pursuit as a defense, and that’s what coach drills us on – getting the ball out. That’s what we focus on, pursuit, getting the ball out and just being where you need to be. We had speed as a defense last year, but it seems like it continues to get faster each year. We know the competition we have, so in practice or in games everything is full speed.”

What went into your decision to come to South Alabama?
“When my mom had those surgeries, I wanted to stay close to home but I wanted to get out of Louisiana. I wanted to get out, and South Alabama offered me a scholarship. Coach Crain came and talked to me he told me about the program and how they wanted to use me, and ever since then it has been like he said.”

What are some challenges in playing in a 3-4 scheme at your position?
“You have to watch film and get in your playbook a lot more than in high school. Now you have to know what everyone else is doing. That is the difficult part. As a linebacker, I have to know what the defensive backs are doing, make the call and make sure everyone is in that check and on the same page. I have to know the formations, how deep I have to be in my alignment and what gap I have. You just have to know everything about a lot of different things.”

What has it been like to see the program’s progression?
“From day one, I could see that we became a family. At first, you didn’t know anyone but we came together in that first year. Now it is a very strong bond three years into it. We love each other and have each other’s backs – it’s just a strong team now.”

What do you like to do away from football?
“I like to just stay inside and stay out of trouble. I do a little homework if I have it, and just play Call of Duty or Madden.”

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