University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Matthew Smith
Tigers Football Q&A: Trevon Tate
Nov 29, 2018 | Football
Two-time All-American Athletic Conference offensive lineman has made 47 starts in his Memphis career.
Note: The Trevon Tate Q&A first appeared in the Tigers Football GameDay program Nov. 23 when Memphis hosted Houston.
Q: When did you decide that you wanted to come play football at the University of Memphis?
A: I was being recruited by every school, but I decided that I was going to come to Memphis when I met former (head) Coach (Justin) Fuente. The type of guy that he was, he just came to my house and sat down and ate gumbo with me. I felt the vibe. I really didn't listen to a lot that he said because recruiters all say the same things, but I went off of the vibe that he gave me and how we got along. From the moment that we first talked, I knew that this was the place for me. When I met the guys on my official visit, they were very similar to me, hard-nosed in the way were brought up. They were a bunch of guys that learned discipline and became great football players.
Q: You ate gumbo. Where are you from originally?
A: Houston, Texas. I have lived there as long as I can remember. We also did a lot of traveling back-and-forth to Louisiana as a lot of my family lives there.
Q: Was your family impacted from Hurricane Harvey in 2017?
A: Almost everyone I knew was impacted. I called my mother, and she showed me videos and pictures of my grandpa having to get around by boat in the water. I am very thankful that it wasn't worse for my family. My family was not affected as badly as others were.
Q: How did you decide that you wanted to be on the offensive line?
A: It was kind of the vibe and the energy that I got when I first walked into the room. I had been playing nose guard (when I first got to Memphis). After the first semester and the Miami Beach Bowl, the coaches said there was no way I was going to play on the defensive line, and that I was going to play on the offensive line. I originally started as the fourth-string right guard. Through hard work and dedication, I worked my way up to a starting spot for the
Kansas game in the 2015 season.
Q: What does it take to be an offensive lineman?
A: It takes the willingness to listen, and you have to be hard, smart and tough. You have to be able to bond with your brothers. You have to be able to listen to your brothers, and you have to be able to hold every one of them accountable. It's not like other positions. There are five guys trying to work as one. In order to have that happen, you have to all be goal-oriented in the same direction, and you have to be dedicated to make it happen that way.
Q: What is it like to have the support of your teammates, such as the quarterback who you protect on every play?
A: Hearing Brady White always brag on us makes us feel good because there are a lot of people outside of football who don't know what really goes on. If something happens, they automatically assume that the quarterback did something wrong. It's always great knowing that he has faith in us. We know that he's not worried about us, and it allows for him to make great checks and throw it to the open guys. It makes us feel good knowing that we are
appreciated. Most quarterbacks don't shout out their offensive line. Being around Brady is awesome as he is one of the most calm, cool, composed guys I have ever met. I don't worry about him. I know he has our back just like we have his.
Q: What are your plans after football?
A: I plan on trying to go to the next level. If I do have the opportunity to go to the next level, I don't want to spend my whole life there. I want to make a good amount of money and retire. I want to be able to come home and have a family. I want to be able to take care of my children and provide them with a life that I didn't have the opportunity to have as a kid. I love football at the end of the day, but I don't want it to be my entire life.
Q: What has football done for you?
A: It has done everything for me. It has gotten me out of a poverty situation back in Houston. It got me away from a lot of guys that if I were still hanging out with them I would be dead or in jail. At the end of the day, it has done everything for me.
Q: When did you decide that you wanted to come play football at the University of Memphis?
A: I was being recruited by every school, but I decided that I was going to come to Memphis when I met former (head) Coach (Justin) Fuente. The type of guy that he was, he just came to my house and sat down and ate gumbo with me. I felt the vibe. I really didn't listen to a lot that he said because recruiters all say the same things, but I went off of the vibe that he gave me and how we got along. From the moment that we first talked, I knew that this was the place for me. When I met the guys on my official visit, they were very similar to me, hard-nosed in the way were brought up. They were a bunch of guys that learned discipline and became great football players.
Q: You ate gumbo. Where are you from originally?
A: Houston, Texas. I have lived there as long as I can remember. We also did a lot of traveling back-and-forth to Louisiana as a lot of my family lives there.
Q: Was your family impacted from Hurricane Harvey in 2017?
A: Almost everyone I knew was impacted. I called my mother, and she showed me videos and pictures of my grandpa having to get around by boat in the water. I am very thankful that it wasn't worse for my family. My family was not affected as badly as others were.
Q: How did you decide that you wanted to be on the offensive line?
A: It was kind of the vibe and the energy that I got when I first walked into the room. I had been playing nose guard (when I first got to Memphis). After the first semester and the Miami Beach Bowl, the coaches said there was no way I was going to play on the defensive line, and that I was going to play on the offensive line. I originally started as the fourth-string right guard. Through hard work and dedication, I worked my way up to a starting spot for the
Kansas game in the 2015 season.
Q: What does it take to be an offensive lineman?
A: It takes the willingness to listen, and you have to be hard, smart and tough. You have to be able to bond with your brothers. You have to be able to listen to your brothers, and you have to be able to hold every one of them accountable. It's not like other positions. There are five guys trying to work as one. In order to have that happen, you have to all be goal-oriented in the same direction, and you have to be dedicated to make it happen that way.
Q: What is it like to have the support of your teammates, such as the quarterback who you protect on every play?
A: Hearing Brady White always brag on us makes us feel good because there are a lot of people outside of football who don't know what really goes on. If something happens, they automatically assume that the quarterback did something wrong. It's always great knowing that he has faith in us. We know that he's not worried about us, and it allows for him to make great checks and throw it to the open guys. It makes us feel good knowing that we are
appreciated. Most quarterbacks don't shout out their offensive line. Being around Brady is awesome as he is one of the most calm, cool, composed guys I have ever met. I don't worry about him. I know he has our back just like we have his.
Q: What are your plans after football?
A: I plan on trying to go to the next level. If I do have the opportunity to go to the next level, I don't want to spend my whole life there. I want to make a good amount of money and retire. I want to be able to come home and have a family. I want to be able to take care of my children and provide them with a life that I didn't have the opportunity to have as a kid. I love football at the end of the day, but I don't want it to be my entire life.
Q: What has football done for you?
A: It has done everything for me. It has gotten me out of a poverty situation back in Houston. It got me away from a lot of guys that if I were still hanging out with them I would be dead or in jail. At the end of the day, it has done everything for me.
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