Daily photo by Brennen Smith

Nose to nose with . . .
Athens High’s Chris Cosby

Athens High senior left tackle/defensive end Chris Cosby has gained a lot through football, coming through the Golden Eagles program. Cosby is part of a senior group that will leave Athens with a lot of accomplishments on the gridiron, and he took a few minutes before practice this week to talk about those moments in 10 questions with Daily Sports Writer Brooke Milam:

Question: What is something you have learned as a senior that you did not know in previous years?

Answer: It’s harder to lead than to follow. Seniors last season like Karlos (Jones), “Pun” (Alfred McCullough), Rob (Ezell), Ferrell (Williams), Jacquez (Prize), Vincent (Azzarello), Martin Evans ... I try to lead like them. They did a very good job of that.

Q: What is one souvenir from last year’s Class 5A state championship that will always be special to you?

A: My state championship ring. I wear it a lot, but not as much during the season.

Q: It is Halloween month, so who is the scariest Golden Eagle on the football field?

A: It would probably be Coach (Allen) Creasy when he’s mad. I don’t even want to know what he’s going to say when he’s mad. I just put my head down. It helps motivate us, and it helps get us ready for the game more than what we could do ourselves.

Q: What makes all the time and hard work put into football worth it for you?

A: What you get out of it. When you win, there’s so much you can do with it and take from it.

Q: Who is one teammate you might not have gotten to know if it were not for football?

A: Probably Todd Pepper (senior quarterback). We’ve played together since seventh grade. We see each other at school and at football, both. He’s tough, real tough. And he’s very down-to-earth.

Q: What is the first thing you look forward to after a long practice?

A: I just think about going home and getting to watch college football. I love Auburn. My dad (Adolph Cosby) played linebacker for Auburn, and at Athens. He played for Coach (Pat) Dye at Auburn. (All this said while wearing a Florida sweatshirt. When asked why he was wearing a Florida sweatshirt, Cosby smiled and said: “Because we beat them.”)

Q: Who is the best team that Athens has faced this season so far?

A: The best team would probably have to be Jess Lanier. They could take the ball right down the field when they needed to and could make a big play when it needed to be made. (Athens lost to Jess Lanier 20-14 on Sept. 28).

Q: What is the hardest work you have had to do off the football field?

A: Probably school. Anatomy. It’s my hardest class by far. I was wanting to go to UAB and go into physical therapy, but now I’m thinking I’ll do business instead.

Q: What is something that you own that most of your teammates don’t have?

A: I’ve got some Wallabees (popular moccasin-style shoe). My friends laugh and wonder why I have them. They feel good. My mom bought them for me. I caught her on a good day.

Q: Besides being part of a state championship last year, what is something that you and your 17 senior teammates have accomplished together as a group?

A: We went undefeated in the seventh grade. We’ve been through a lot together, and we don’t give up. We always keep fighting until the final whistle blows.

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