SAN DIEGO -- Former San Diego State quarterback Kevin O'Connell recently sat down with GoAztecs.com to discuss how things have been going since the NFL Draft in April. O'Connell was selected by the New England Patriots with the 31st pick in the third round and 94th overall. O'Connell became the first Aztec drafted since 2006 (Freddy Keiaho and Jeff Webb), and the first SDSU quarterback selected on draft day since Dan McGwire in 1991. O'Connell started 33 games and was a four-time team captain with the Aztecs. He ended his career as the school's all-time leader in rushing yardage for a quarterback (1,312 yards) and rushing touchdowns by a QB (19) and ranked third in passing yardage (7,689 yards) and second in both attempts (1,151) and completions (664). As a senior, O'Connell completed 257-of-439 passes for 3,063 yards with 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also led the team in rushing with 408 yards. The Patriots, who were Super Bowl champions in 2003 and 2004, completed a perfect regular season in 2007 before losing to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Kevin O'Connell Q&A: Click here to watch interview. On what his experience was like at the draft:
The way the format was this year with the first two rounds being on Saturday and the last five rounds being on Sunday, it was more of draft weekend instead of a draft night. It was 7:15 in the morning getting out of bed watching the first couple picks of the third round roll off the board not really knowing what was happening. I had heard that once the first four quarterbacks were off the board anything could happen. I finally got the call from (head) Coach (Bill) Belichick about ten picks before it happened. I didn't really tell anybody I was sitting in the room with, I just sat down and waited for it to happen. It was pretty cool, but after that things really haven't slowed down since. So it's been a journey already. On what his first meeting with Coach Belichick:
The first ten minutes of it was almost like a job interview. He wanted to hear my answers on what I would be like, or would I be able to come in and work hard even though I would be behind a guy like Tom (Brady), and to know that I am going to thrive in whatever role I may have and be a leader of the young guys coming in of the rookie class. He wanted to hear what I had to say about all of that. Finally. after all that he said, 'Well alright, we are going to take you here at 94.' I got to talk to the owner (Bob Kraft) and some other people and it really didn't set in until my name flashed up on the screen. I had heard some horror stories of guys getting the call and then the team makes a last minute decision and they take somebody else, so I really didn't want to kind of jump ahead. On his experience at rookie mini-camp:
Rookie mini-camp was the following weekend and I got right out there. They kind of like to throw the playbook at you and submerge you in it, and overwhelm you a little bit to see how you handle it. Especially when it is just us rookies out there. It was definitely that; I mean an NFL playbook is three or four times more intense and in depth than a college playbook. It's just because the type of guys you are playing against and the defenses you play. The whole coaching staff; everything about the organization is just top class. They really know how to do things on a day in and day out period to win football games, and you just want to get on board with what they are doing and try not to miss a beat. On when it finally hit him that he was a pro:
I think it was that first practice, when I put the Patriot helmet on while going out to practice and just seeing coach Belichick walk out. The first time he came over and was disgusted with something I did or didn't like something I did, it was kind of neat to see that. Now that that whole side of things has kind of rubbed off it's just a hunger to get better everyday and just be a part of something special there. On the culture of the Patriot organization:
I actually just came back home. I was out there (Foxboro, Mass.) for about five weeks and kind of got to really start experiencing the culture by getting to know a lot of people. I spent a lot of time with my teammates and stuff. We had a couple veteran mini-camps and the one thing about New England, a lot of the veterans are there the entire off-season program. So getting to train side by side with those guys and see the way they do things is just a blessing. It's something that I don't think a lot of other organizations can offer their rookies. On how Coach Chuck Long and Coach Del Miller prepared him for football beyond college:
I had the privilege of my senior year having Coach Long and Coach Miller and a lot of the other offensive coaches give me a little bit more to handle and put a lot on my plate. It kind of prepared me for what I would be facing this year. I think the situation they put me in and the way they prepared me to play last year gave me every bit of the advantage I needed to have an opportunity at the next level. I owe them a tremendous amount of thanks for all that. The program in general, you can tell each day that there is more momentum building and there are young guys getting better. More people are starting to take notice of this program. I mean, we have been right around the corner from something special for a while. But people have to realize it takes rolling up your sleeves and going to work and working through the bumps and just improving everyday. It doesn't just happen by a couple good weeks of work. On his thoughts of red-shirt freshman, Ryan Lindley, filling his shoes at quarterback:
It takes a unique guy to be able to start as a freshman. I think Ryan is just that. He has the work ethic. He understands the preparation and leadership and the intangibles it takes to play quarterback at this level and any level after that. I mean, everybody can throw the ball; everybody can make plays. It's just a matter of consistently doing it and getting your teammates to perform at a high level and I think he is going to be able to do that along with the other quarterbacks. They have three very good guys, and the defense is, I think, going to be the stronghold of the team early on. They might have to be. I think guys like Russell (Allen) and Luke (Laolagi) and that secondary with Corey Boudreaux coming back, it's going to be fun to watch those guys. I think it's going to remind a lot of Aztec fans of the old days with guys like Kirk Morrison, Marviel Underwood and Matt McCoy. | 