Quotables: Christian Ramirez

So back on offense? Is this messing with your emotions?
“I got the call at 8:30 this morning that coach wanted to try me here, so I gave it a shot. It’s not messing with my emotions. If anything, it’s making me excited, that coach wants to put me somewhere, that he wants to find somewhere for me to play. I told him, I want to play anywhere. I just want to have fun this year, and so far it’s been that.”

Last year, you came in labeled the starter with all these expectations; how is this year different?
“When I was named the starter, I can say I probably got a little complacent. Now that I have to work for this, it reassures me that I can do this stuff. I am a pretty good athlete. It’s nice to know that coach realizes that.”

Is the move permanent?
“(Coach) told me, ‘I just want to try you here.’ But he gave me the option to play safety in the spring game.”

Were you settling in at safety?
“Yeah, I started to feel a little comfortable out there. All I have to do is get my footwork right. I’m starting to get that down pat. Everything is starting to settle in. It’s the same concept as the F. They want me to come over and block. All I need to do is come over and hit somebody. That’s the easy part.”

Does it get frustrating being the backup at so many different places.
“That just pushes me to work harder. Every opportunity I can get, I’ll show him I can do whatever he needs me to do. He needs me to block or run a route or cover somebody or make a tackle, I will. I came here as an athlete, and football goes back to those fundamentals.”