In early June, Carroll football long snapper and linebacker IV Seacat accepted a preferred walk-on role at Texas Tech. Since then, the junior has set his focus on what lies ahead for his Dragons. He has registered the second-most tackles on defense, helping Carroll to its current 2-1 record.
We were able to catch up with Seacat in this week's Q&A to chat about his commitment to Texas Tech, his future, and this year's team.
Southlake Style: Why did you choose Texas Tech? Explain your preferred walk-on status.
IV Seacat: I went out there for a football camp on the field in Lubbock. It was a special teams camp on June 13. They saw me snap out there. The coachbrreally liked it and he offered me a preferred walk-on that day. I had two optionsbrat that point at least. I had Texas Tech and Oklahoma as a preferred walk-on. Thebrsituation of playing time for me at Tech was much better than OU. [Oklahoma] had threebrseparate long snappers on the roster already. Texas Tech had two, and one was iffy on ifbrhe wanted to stay and play football or not.
My dad went to Tech and mybrgrandfather taught at Tech. I've had some ties there in Lubbock. I've beenbrgoing there since I was a child and watching football and stuff. It was alwaysbrkind of a dream to play there. When I got there, I thought it was best for me.brIt finally worked out.
I'm excited to see this team. I know that some guys have alreadybrcommitted and I've contacted some of them. I'm excited to meet them, get to knowbrthem and see their talent. It will be fun to play against Obi [Eboh] and Robert [Barnes] asbrthey’ve commited to the Big 12 as well. I know [Texas Tech is] 2-0bralready and that’s good to see. I’m excited to see how I compare to all the otherbrathletes.
SS: Talk more about the family history at Texas Tech and their outlook on your commitment.
Seacat: I think my dad was pretty ecstatic about it. Just knowing that he’s a football fanatic. When I committed, regardless he was thrilledbrabout that, but especially at Tech, it was even more special. He’s excited for mebrgoing to Tech. He’s more excited for me to play football at Tech, because he’s abrbig fan of football in general, but especially Tech. I’m glad Ibrmade that decision.
My grandfather taught electrical engineering there. I believe there'sbra hall in the electrical engineering building that's named after our family because he taught therebrfor so long.
SS: Talk about long snapping - it's such a unique position that doesn't get talked about much.
Seacat: When I was in middle school, growing up, I played center onbrthe o-line. I wasn’t ever the tallest, biggest guy, but I always liked to playbrand had a passion for it. Being center, they put me at long snapper too. Thatbrwas in 7th grade. I didn’t know how to long snap that well. I lookedbron YouTube to find out the basics of it all. I just stuck with it and liked it.
I went to a football camp and saw there were really good guys out there and maybebrI would have a future at this. I stuck it out and I'm glad I did. It got me thebrvarsity role as a sophomore. That helped a lot, giving me opportunities to longbrsnap and play linebacker. It put me on the map as well.
I attended Rubio andbrCole kicking camps. It furthered my knowledge of the techniques and whatnot.brThis last year, truly deciding I really wanted to have a future in this really [helped me] grind it out. I was snapping every single day. Not all 5-foot-9, 185-pound kids have abrgood opportunity at the next level or anything. I thought long snapping was abrgood opportunity for me. I wanted to stick it out because I really lovebrfootball.
SS: What are your future aspirations? Obviously as a long snapper, you get a chance to possibly continue your career at the next level beyond college. Is that in your plans?
Seacat: Yessir for sure. In my prayers, I hope it works out. I’m notbrgoing to give it up. I’ll keep grinding it out to snap at the last level. Ibrwant to major in petroleum engineering in college. I don’t want to rely on [the NFL] or anything. They have a good major in petroleum engineering there. That was another bigbrdeciding factor in committing to Tech over Oklahoma.
I looked into it and all the different types of engineering.brIt kind of caught my eye. It's always on the coast and I do like workingbroutside and in nature. I'd rather be doing that than in an office all day. Ibrsaw interest in it and engineering in general. I wanted to give it a try. MaybebrI won't like it when I get there, but from what I know that I've seen andbrstudied, I think I'll like it and can hopefully keep sticking out with it.
SS: This year, you have 29 tackles, which is the second most on the team. Speak to the hard work that goes into that.
Seacat: It is a lot of hard work. It’s more mentally hard than it isbrphysically hard because of how hard we train in our program. It comes with itbrand comes natural. The mental aspect of it is a lot more than just about anyonebrwould think. Having to control the whole defense the majority of the time thebrfront 7 but sometimes the whole defense. I have a lot of fun with it going outbrthere, living out those Friday nights, those dreams, because I know I don’tbrhave many more of them, it keeps me going. I’m excited to finish up the seasonbrand see what we can do.
SS: Give us your personal breakdown of all thebrgames so far.
Seacat: I think we’re looking pretty good. Our team has a lot ofbrpotential. We have to come around with it. District play is coming up. If we comebraround with it, we’ll have no problem competing with anybody in our district.brWe have to form as a team, especially on the defensive side of the ball.brDefensively, we have to become disciplined and form a lot more trust within thebrdefense. We have a young defense. We have three out of 11 starting seniors on the defense and we have eight juniors. Pretty soon, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with. I’m excited to seebrhow that folds out and that will come with trust and discipline through ourbrteam.
SS: What do you like to do outside of football?
Seacat: I go hunting and fishing quite often. I play some Maddenbrobviously, some [NBA] 2k. Nothing really besides working for football, studying forbrschool ... that’s about it. During the fall and winter we go hunting, but that’sbrabout it. I run track. I pole vaulted through junior year and then ended upbrstopping and I just ran the 100 open last year. I used to play baseball untilbrfreshman year, but I decided to hang it up and just focus on football.
SS: Anyone in particular you'd like to attribute your successes?
Seacat: I’d say my grandpa and my dad. They both motivated mebrthrough my athletic career and life. I always wanted to play for my grandpa andbrmy dad kept me on top of everything and motivated me. Playing for my familybrmotivates me, my mom and everybody, but mainly my grandpa and dad motivate mebrto be the best I can be in and out of football.