footstepsfrom#27
08-12-2005, 12:31 AM
It seems like every year somebody comes out of nowhere and suprises everyone by making the team over someone we all thought was a sure thing, and this guy looks like a real long shot but you have to like this article. I was wondering who this kid was. It turns out he and Dominique Foxworth were college teamates. I found this:
Sept. 18, 2002
A 'sparkplug' in the secondary
By Brendan Glaccum
Senior staff writer
What is Curome Cox about?
Toughness.
The junior cornerback has made a name for himself among his teammates this season with some big-time hits. Ask him and he'll tell you it's a state of mind. Ask others and they'll tell you he's just rocking opponents, like when he drilled Notre Dame quarterback Carlyle Holiday flat on his back at the one-yard line to save a touchdown in the Kickoff Classic or when he hit Florida State tailback Greg Jones during Saturday's tilt with the Seminoles.
"He's been bringing the wood," junior safety Madieu Williams said. "The guy's been laying people out. It doesn't matter who it is. It might be a fullback, a tailback, a wide receiver, whoever it is, he hits 'em. He's been playing bigger than he is.
"You can tell he's been working hard in the weight room over the summer and now it's showing up on the field. When he makes contact, a lot of guys fall down. That goes to show his work ethic."
It's a state of mind, Cox said, and something he's focused on this year to become more of a complete player. It's not often a player under 200 pounds can hit the way Cox has recently, but he's doing it and not really because of increased strength.
"It's more of a mentality," Cox said. "It's not really weight room. I always want to continue to be stronger, but it's more of a mentality. This year I just wanted to take an aggressive mentality. I wanted to make sure if it was a weakness, I improved it, just make sure that I become a complete player."
His toughness is impossible to doubt.
During training camp in August, Cox dislocated the middle finger on his right hand. The dislocation was so severe the bone came through the skin on his hand. Cox immediately popped the bleeding digit back into place. Later that day he needed a surgical procedure to stabilize the finger. He was expected to be out 10 days to two weeks, but was eager to get back to practice ahead of schedule.
"Put him in that Spartan or that gladiator category," defensive coordinator Gary Blackney said. "He really is. He's a tough guy: Mentally and physically tough."
What's Curome Cox about?
Leadership.
"You always want to be a leader by example," Cox said. "That's how I feel. Maybe in the past I didn't do that, but this year I felt a little different because being one of the returning guys and a guy with real experience, I thought it was necessary in certain situations to step up. A lot of these guys are talented, but one thing you can't replace is experience."
Cox has established himself as the man - the playmaker in the Terps' secondary. He has emerged as the leader not only of a defensive backfield that graduated both its starting safeties and one of its starting cornerbacks, but of the entire team.
He started 22 of the 25 games he's played as a Terp, including nine his freshmen year when he was second on the team in interceptions. Coaches and teammates say his experience has been huge in helping the secondary, where the Terps have some new faces and some familiar faces in new positions. Sophomore cornerback Domonique Foxworth had only two games' experience heading into this year. Meanwhile Williams, a transfer from Towson, is new to the system and junior Dennard Wilson has moved from corner to safety.
Safeties Randall Jones and Tony Jackson were the leaders of the unit a year ago, but their departures left a void. Cox has filled that void with both his play and his words.
"He knows everybody - what we're going to face," Williams said. "He helps us from week to week, letting us know who we need to look out for, what kind of moves they're going to put on you with certain routes. He's got a lot of experience under his belt. And especially on days we're flat; he picks us up. He's been more than a leader for us. He's been a sparkplug for us really."
What's Curome Cox about?
No excuses.
Part of his leadership comes from his refusal to settle for anything less than his best. He's made some key plays for the Terps during this young season - not only did he make a touchdown-saving play against the Irish, he did the same thing Saturday against Florida State. Up 3-0 in the first quarter, the Seminoles stood at the Terp 6-yard line. Running back Nick Maddox took a handoff, but instead of keeping it, looked to the back of the endzone for wide receiver Robert Morgan. The pass appeared destined for Morgan's hands and six more points, but Cox closed in and went horizontal to knock the pass away.
"He prides himself on being the best," Blackney said. "He doesn't talk a whole lot about it but he works toward that end."
But tell him he's made some big plays and he'll tell you he's not so sure. He says he needs to do better. Case in point: a 56-yard touchdown pass from Seminoles' quarterback Chris Rix to wide receiver Talman Gardner. Cox appeared to have tight coverage and to be in position to make a play, only to have Gardner wrestle the ball away and skip into the end zone. Though many saw it as simply a great play by a Seminole receiver, Cox viewed it differently.
"That's the most disappointing thing," Cox said. "I have high expectations for myself. Starting out the season I didn't want any mental lapses. I knew the play. I knew exactly what I had to do and you know, I just didn't make it.
"A lot of people have been coming up to me and saying there's no way you could have covered him any better, he's a great player. Honestly he is a great player, but I feel I'm a great player too and I should have made that. I won't be happy with myself until I start making those plays and I know I should. It's the point in my career where I need to take that view and be a playmaker. You can't be an ordinary Joe back there in the secondary anymore. You have to be aware of things. You have to start making plays and standing out to people."
Sept. 18, 2002
A 'sparkplug' in the secondary
By Brendan Glaccum
Senior staff writer
What is Curome Cox about?
Toughness.
The junior cornerback has made a name for himself among his teammates this season with some big-time hits. Ask him and he'll tell you it's a state of mind. Ask others and they'll tell you he's just rocking opponents, like when he drilled Notre Dame quarterback Carlyle Holiday flat on his back at the one-yard line to save a touchdown in the Kickoff Classic or when he hit Florida State tailback Greg Jones during Saturday's tilt with the Seminoles.
"He's been bringing the wood," junior safety Madieu Williams said. "The guy's been laying people out. It doesn't matter who it is. It might be a fullback, a tailback, a wide receiver, whoever it is, he hits 'em. He's been playing bigger than he is.
"You can tell he's been working hard in the weight room over the summer and now it's showing up on the field. When he makes contact, a lot of guys fall down. That goes to show his work ethic."
It's a state of mind, Cox said, and something he's focused on this year to become more of a complete player. It's not often a player under 200 pounds can hit the way Cox has recently, but he's doing it and not really because of increased strength.
"It's more of a mentality," Cox said. "It's not really weight room. I always want to continue to be stronger, but it's more of a mentality. This year I just wanted to take an aggressive mentality. I wanted to make sure if it was a weakness, I improved it, just make sure that I become a complete player."
His toughness is impossible to doubt.
During training camp in August, Cox dislocated the middle finger on his right hand. The dislocation was so severe the bone came through the skin on his hand. Cox immediately popped the bleeding digit back into place. Later that day he needed a surgical procedure to stabilize the finger. He was expected to be out 10 days to two weeks, but was eager to get back to practice ahead of schedule.
"Put him in that Spartan or that gladiator category," defensive coordinator Gary Blackney said. "He really is. He's a tough guy: Mentally and physically tough."
What's Curome Cox about?
Leadership.
"You always want to be a leader by example," Cox said. "That's how I feel. Maybe in the past I didn't do that, but this year I felt a little different because being one of the returning guys and a guy with real experience, I thought it was necessary in certain situations to step up. A lot of these guys are talented, but one thing you can't replace is experience."
Cox has established himself as the man - the playmaker in the Terps' secondary. He has emerged as the leader not only of a defensive backfield that graduated both its starting safeties and one of its starting cornerbacks, but of the entire team.
He started 22 of the 25 games he's played as a Terp, including nine his freshmen year when he was second on the team in interceptions. Coaches and teammates say his experience has been huge in helping the secondary, where the Terps have some new faces and some familiar faces in new positions. Sophomore cornerback Domonique Foxworth had only two games' experience heading into this year. Meanwhile Williams, a transfer from Towson, is new to the system and junior Dennard Wilson has moved from corner to safety.
Safeties Randall Jones and Tony Jackson were the leaders of the unit a year ago, but their departures left a void. Cox has filled that void with both his play and his words.
"He knows everybody - what we're going to face," Williams said. "He helps us from week to week, letting us know who we need to look out for, what kind of moves they're going to put on you with certain routes. He's got a lot of experience under his belt. And especially on days we're flat; he picks us up. He's been more than a leader for us. He's been a sparkplug for us really."
What's Curome Cox about?
No excuses.
Part of his leadership comes from his refusal to settle for anything less than his best. He's made some key plays for the Terps during this young season - not only did he make a touchdown-saving play against the Irish, he did the same thing Saturday against Florida State. Up 3-0 in the first quarter, the Seminoles stood at the Terp 6-yard line. Running back Nick Maddox took a handoff, but instead of keeping it, looked to the back of the endzone for wide receiver Robert Morgan. The pass appeared destined for Morgan's hands and six more points, but Cox closed in and went horizontal to knock the pass away.
"He prides himself on being the best," Blackney said. "He doesn't talk a whole lot about it but he works toward that end."
But tell him he's made some big plays and he'll tell you he's not so sure. He says he needs to do better. Case in point: a 56-yard touchdown pass from Seminoles' quarterback Chris Rix to wide receiver Talman Gardner. Cox appeared to have tight coverage and to be in position to make a play, only to have Gardner wrestle the ball away and skip into the end zone. Though many saw it as simply a great play by a Seminole receiver, Cox viewed it differently.
"That's the most disappointing thing," Cox said. "I have high expectations for myself. Starting out the season I didn't want any mental lapses. I knew the play. I knew exactly what I had to do and you know, I just didn't make it.
"A lot of people have been coming up to me and saying there's no way you could have covered him any better, he's a great player. Honestly he is a great player, but I feel I'm a great player too and I should have made that. I won't be happy with myself until I start making those plays and I know I should. It's the point in my career where I need to take that view and be a playmaker. You can't be an ordinary Joe back there in the secondary anymore. You have to be aware of things. You have to start making plays and standing out to people."