Former DL Damion Square: If You Execute, The Crystal Ball will be Upstairs

When Damion Square committed to the University of Alabama, it was not the program it is today.

Success had been limited in recent years, and the schools last national championship tradition in the midst of a then 15 year drought was getting more and more difficult to sell to recruits.

But on August 11^th 2007 the standout linebacker/defensive end from Houston,Texas bought into the vision of Coach Nick Saban to bring a championship to the University of Alabama. Saban’s first season started with an avalanche of momentum, but then started to cool as the Tide struggled to finish 7-6 on the season.

However,Damion Square never struggled with his commitment. 5 years later, Square leaves a legacy.

He leaves the legacy of being part of 3 national championship teams, 2 southeastern conference championship teams, and will forever be remembered in the footsteps of Denny Chimes as a permanent team captain for the 2012 team.

Days before the 6’2, 300lbs defensive lineman joined The Game in Tuscaloosa to discuss a number of topics ranging from Alabama’s chances to three-peat to the honor of being named a permanent captain. Hear his responses below.

On being named a permanent team captain, commemorated with his hand and footprints in front of Denny Chimes.

"I remember when I first got recruited I looked at some of the great names that sit in front of that (Denny Chimes) and of course you have dreams to put your hand and footprints down there, but sometimes it doesn't go that way. Sometimes you have up years and down years, sometimes you stay average. That is something that a magazine can't do, Mel Kiper can't do, and all these guys that rate players.  This is something that is in-house, in the complex with people that deal with every day knows about you. Just to know they felt that way about me, I just want to say thank you to those guys and second, I'm honored to be a part of that.

On his feelings about the new college football playoff system

"I like the idea. At Alabama we want to compete and to all the naysayers who said we didn't get the matchup we deserved in the national championships the years that we won-this gives those guys an opportunity to play against the teams those people in the Midwest or west coast play against.  This is the system they'll try out and hopefully it brings together the best two teams in the country...I wanted to play against the teams people said we couldn't beat because of whatever reason. But with the system, it put someone else in the game and we had to handle that challenge at hand."

On his biggest concern in Alabama's quest to repeat

"First of all they have to understand that the crystal ball from last year sits upstairs in the complex, so they're not fighting or defending that.  They have to understand you can't buy into the hype, it’s a new start, a new beginning, a whole new ball they design and you have to go after that one. You have to play and win that game. You can not worry about defending it or how guys are going to come in your stadium to play you. We're used to having the target on our back, that’s they program we set out to be. You can't worry about the things you can't control. You can control your performance, you can control execution and I believe, from my time at the University of Alabama that if you execute that crystal ball will be upstairs."

To hear the interview in its entirety, visit the Alabama legends page, which can be found here.