Oct. 20, 2008
Columbia, S.C. – South Carolina junior cornerback Captain Munnerlyn is one of the top cover cornerbacks in the SEC. A first team All-SEC honoree as a sophomore, Munnerlyn is on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. In addition to his defense, Munnerlyn is also a key member of the special teams unit returning both kickoffs and punts.
Inside the Huddle with Captain Munnerlyn
By Michael Bohlin
Q: What is the story behind Captain being your first name?
“My mother was going to name her last child [Captain], and I’m the baby boy so they named me Captain because my great-grandfather was named Captain.”
Q: What made you want to be a Gamecock coming out of high school in Mobile, Alabama?
“Just something different, everyone in Alabama goes to Alabama or Auburn. I kind of wanted to try something new. Chris Smelley kind of influenced me on coming here, he was like, `Captain lets try something new.”
Q: How do you feel you have grown as a football player from your freshman year to now being a third year starter in the SEC?
“I’m more aware knowing what everybody’s doing on the field, instead of just knowing what I do. I just know more about the game, and more about knowing what my coaches want me to go out there and do, and the schemes we’re running.”
Q: Do you feel that starting as a freshman has helped you in being able to aid your younger teammates now that you are one of the veterans on defense?
“I feel like it helped me out having more game experience starting my freshman year to sophomore year and now into my junior year, I feel like it helped me a lot to get game experience. My teammates know I have been starting for a long time and they all look up to me and I just try to show them the right way to go.”
Q: How has it been adjusting to Coach Johnson’s new system here? And to what do you attribute its success so far?
“Coach Johnson’s system was pretty tough for me at first. I missed the whole spring (recovering from injury) and the guys who were there in the spring got it down. Getting the schemes down, and getting the terminology down, it was difficult at first but now I understand it and I feel like I can help my team by playing my position the best.”
Q: As we head into the stretch run of tough SEC games and Clemson to close out the year what do you think this team has to do to finish on a strong note?
“I think we just have to keep coming out here and practicing, just winning at practice. We win games on the practice field. We come out here work hard and give it our all, and play the schemes our coaches want us play. Then we just have to go out there on Saturday and play hard.”
Q: What is your favorite thing about being a South Carolina Gamecock?
“My favorite thing is seeing the fans when we come out for “2001,” and the screaming and stuff. Just all the fans in general and the support they show us.”
