Ajaybir Behniwal of the Daily Bruin sat down with freshman
cornerback Alterraun Verner for an exclusive interview, exploring
everything from life on the football field to strategies in the
classroom as well as life lessons he has learned and looks to pass
on to others. Daily Bruin: How did it feel to finally take the
field on Saturday against Utah?
Alterraun Verner: It felt really good. All the preparation, all
the time in training camp and all the time waiting in high school
to finally step out on the field for my first college game. It was
pretty good.
DB: You made some pretty big plays in the game and the media
was all around you at the end of the game. How did that
feel?
AV: It was really different. I�ve never
experienced that after a game, maybe fans or maybe parents coming
up to me and saying hi; but all the reporters coming up to me, that
was real different and even shocking. …
DB: In high school you played offense, defense, and returned
kicks. Which did you prefer over the other and why?
AV: I can�t say that I really have a
preference. I love all three phases of the game. Offense gets the
ball in your hands, special teams you get to make plays, and then
defense you have to stop the other team from scoring. I like all of
them, but if I had to pick one of them, I�d say
defense because I love to hit and I love to play physical and
that�s the side of the ball you get that done.
DB: You were also involved on the track and field team and
you competed in 10 different events. How did you manage to earn
above a 4.0 gpa?
AV: It was a lot of hard work; a lot of sacrifices. Sometimes I
couldn�t do stuff I wanted to do because I had to
do my schoolwork or I had to work out for football or track. It
took sacrifices and it took time management. It�s
possible, but it�s hard and it takes a lot of
dedication and commitment. …
DB: You list your favorite subject as math. When did you
realize that was at the top of your list?
AV: Math, probably since I was in kindergarten. It started at a
very young age. I just had a talent to see patterns, to figure out
equations, and to solve problems. I just took to it and I always
did well and excelled in math.
DB: What made you decide to become a peer tutor for your
teammates in high school, and did you enjoy doing it?
AV: Mostly people came up to me and asked me for help. I would
go to people, �I�m willing to
help you if you need it.� If people are willing to
come and sacrifice their time to get help, then those are the
people I would like to see succeed. So I have no problem working
with people who ask for help.
DB: When you used to give motivational speeches to youths,
what would you tell them?
AV: I pretty much just talk about my life experiences, like how
I got above a 4.0 and I played sports and I made it to UCLA. Mostly
my presence is good because people can see an actual person that
took those steps to get good grades and make it into collegiate
football. I just tell them that it takes dedication and commitment
to achieve their goals and just to never look down and keep their
heads up.
DB: What is your take on sports and academics and how do you
see yourself balancing the two at UCLA?
AV: I feel sort of the same way. I�m going to
have to make similar sacrifices. When football time is on, I gotta
stay focused on that. But when football is off, just get my work
done, pay attention in class, meet the professors. Be interactive
on and off the field.
DB: Your favorite quote on your Facebook profile was
�Sports are what you do, not who you
are.� How would you describe who you are?
AV: Haha. Well I guess I�d just describe myself
as my name � Alterraun Ennis Verner. Not the UCLA
football player or No. 1 on the football team �
not anything like that. I�m just a person that was
born in Carson, Calif., that just worked hard and tried to make a
living in life. That�s what I mean by that.
Football doesn�t define who I am.
I�m not a football player; I�m
Alterraun Verner. I�m a regular person just like
everybody else. The way I act and my personality defines who I am.
…
DB: What are some of the nicknames that
you�ve gotten so far this season?
AV: I got �Little Old Man�
from coach Dorrell. Some people say �Quick
Feet� because I have quick feet. Really they
haven�t given me a nickname.
�Little Old Man� is
what�s been going around right now. One of the
guys on the team calls me �Young
1� because I�m young and my
number is 1.
DB: What�s it like to be the youngest guy
on the team? Does anyone ever tease you or give you a hard
time?
AV: Nobody really gives me a hard time. Everyone has pretty much
accepted me. They joke around about me being a freshman, but mostly
everyone is really cool and the jokes are all for fun. So
it�s all good. …
DB: What are some things you are looking forward to doing
while you�re here in Westwood and at
UCLA?
AV: Well No. 1 is getting a college degree. Two, just to keep on
excelling as a performer and getting better at football. Three,
just expanding my connections. Get out there and not just hang out
with football players but also meet people that want to be
engineers and doctors and lawyers � get to know
everybody. And also to have fun when I have the chance.