Junior wide receiver Drew Barksdale is back in action

Before we celebrate our last home game with Senior Day this weekend, let’s check in with a current Eagle.

After suffering a season-ending leg injury last year, Junior finance major Drew Barksdale is back as wide receiver for the Eagles. The Ohio native was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll last year,  and like Justin Simmons, also cites his father as his greatest role model.

Drew discusses with The Tab his road to recovery, balancing football and school and his favorite college moment.

How does it feel to be a starter?

It feels good. You work hard your whole life to get to this level. It is rewarding to see your hard work pay off.

How does it feel to be back on the field? How tough was it to be on the sidelines last season? What kind of training did you do to get back into shape?

Definitely being injured is always a depressing time- not being able to play the sport you love and not being able to help your teammates out.I went through a lot of offseason physical therapy and exercises to get myself back into shape. But definitely just being back this season is really great. When practice started up in the spring, it was kind of like a shock to my body because I’ve been gone from the game for so long. So I have been out of shape but that helped me prepare from spring practice to summer camp.It’s all about getting myself into peak performance and peak physical shape and mental shape, as well.

Last season, you were named on the ACC Academic Honor Roll. How is it managing your schoolwork and football throughout the season and offseason?

Last year was definitely easier to do that since I was hurt. Unfortunately, I didn’t have as big of a football commitment as I do this year and freshman year, so I didn’t have to worry about multitasking.

Starting up the school year this year, I’m trying to adjust myself to see when I have free time and when I can do my work. The process is difficult to kind of organize yourself and you have to make sacrifices to be successful both on the field and off the field. It doesn’t come easy.

What has been your favorite moment in your college career so far?

I would have to say upsetting USC last year. That was definitely the best moment of my life, one of them probably. It is the atmosphere and everything the game stood for.

What are your thoughts on the way the season is ending?

Obviously the season hasn’t been going the way we had expected but we have to keep going and keep practicing to get better. We are really focused on the next game that we have up which is NC State.

What is your biggest goal for the rest of the season? 

My biggest goal for the rest of the season is just to be as consistent as I can. Just consistently going out there and getting better each day and preparing myself and getting my team prepared for the opponent for that week.

What kind of adjustments have you guys made to help you guys prepare for the next game? 

I am just trying to get better everyday and help my team in anyway I can. We have just been trying to come together and hone in on getting better.

Describe Coach Addazio in one word.

“Intense.”

White or black backpack? 

I do the old school black backpack from freshman year. I don’t like the flashy white backpack. I keep it low key.