Getting To Know Conquest QB Dan Cole
July 10, 2008 - arenafootball2 (af2)
Albany Firebirds News Release
This week the Albany Conquest PR department sat down with Conquest starting quarterback #7 Dan Cole, the Albany native and graduate of both Bishop Maginn High School and RPI to explore the guy who leads the Conquest onto the field each week.
What are your thoughts on the season so far? The team has struggled at times but you are still in playoff contention.
Yeah, we started out on a good note winning three of our first four games. Hopes got high, and then we kind of struggled through the middle part of the season. But we still have a chance to make something out of the season. If we get these three wins, starting this week with Louisville, we give ourselves a chance to get into the playoffs with a little help from other teams.
How do you feel about the way you have performed in your first year as a starter in af2?
You know, I'm happy with my play at times. I just wish we were able to pull out a couple more wins along the way, have a better record, and give ourselves a better chance at the playoffs instead of fighting for a spot at the end of the season. I'm happy with the way I've played so far, but I know I could have played better in some games.
You served as the backup for the majority of last season. Did it help you at all to be able to first watch the arena game before jumping right into it?
Absolutely. Last year's experience helped me to learn the game more and get more adjusted to it, rather than just jumping in as the starter right away. It gave me a comfort zone as I headed into this season.
You're one of the few guys on the team who grew up right here in Albany and you have a pretty big family who attends all the games. It must be nice to have that kind of support night in and night out.
Absolutely. You come into home games and you look up in the end zone and I got all my family, friends of my family, and friends of mine there to support me. It's a great feeling to have that both at the college level and again at the professional level.
Speaking of college, you broke almost all the school passing records at RPI. You were named Offensive Player of the Year by both the Liberty League and the ECAC during your senior season when the team went all the way to the playoff semifinals. That led to an invitation to attend mini-camp with the New England Patriots in 2004. Not many quarterbacks out of Division III schools get that type of opportunity. What was that experience like?
I'm very honored to have had an experience like that, to have a successful senior year at RPI and a successful career where we were able to win each year. To do what we did my senior year and to get a chance to make it to an NFL tryout, I'm honored. I'll always look back on it and be able to tell my kids what I did when I was in college and after college.
You are now the Quarterbacks Coach at your alma mater. How does that experience as a coach translate to how you play on the field?
I think it helps me out a lot as a player because now I understand both sides of the ball. In college I was just an offensive player, but after college I was able to see the other side of the field. It definitely helped me learn the game more and become more comfortable and able to adjust in different ways.
What do you do for work away the football field?
I work construction with one of my brothers.
And what about for fun?
I like to relax and I like to play golf. But I'm absolutely not the best golfer around. I don't know how many guys on the team play, but I definitely would not be one of the best.
You were a die-hard Red Sox fan even though you grew up in New York. How did that happen?
I got it from my family. My family all grew up being Red Sox fans and I grew right into it. You get teased a lot because you're from New York and you like the Sox. (Laughs) You know, it comes with the territory.
You also played baseball and basketball in high school. Which was the most fun sport for you to play?
I don't really know. Each sport I played I had fun with during the season. I think basketball in high school was fun because we had a good year and it's always nice doing things the school hasn't done in a while. I continued to play intramurals throughout college. It was a lot of fun playing with teammates that you play football with and actually being able to do something else with them, and we put together a pretty good team.
What was your favorite NFL team growing up?
The Buffalo Bills, and I got harassed for it when they lost four Super Bowls in a row. I'll tell you what; I took a lot of abuse for that. My family is mixed when it comes to NFL teams. There are some Cowboys fans, some Patriots fans, so its fun watching the NFL on game day and seeing all the different teams play.
Do you model your game after NFL players, past or present?
I'm a big fan of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. The way they carry themselves on the field and the work they put in off the field really gives them a good chance to be successful on Sunday.
Was Tom Brady there during your tryout with the Patriots in 2004?
Yeah, he was there, but I didn't get a chance to talk to him and he didn't practice with us.
When Coach Hoffman heard you were a big Garth Brooks fan, he said he didn't believe it.
(Laughs) Yeah, I'm a country music fan.
What is one thing we don't know about Dan Cole?
One of my other hobbies is drawing. I did a lot of it when I was a kid, drawing cartoons and whatnot, and I still enjoy doing it today.
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The Conquest are on the road again in Week 16 as they look to keep this playoff hopes alive against the Louisville Fire. Kick off is scheduled for 7:05 pm on Saturday, July 12th at Freedom Hall in Kentucky. Albany's next home game is not until Week 17 as they host the Manchester Wolves for a 7:00 pm kick off on Friday, July 18th at the Times Union Center.
Group and individual game tickets are now on sale for the remainder of the 2008 Albany Conquest regular season. For more information please contact the Conquest at (518) 487-2244 or online at www.albanyconquest.com.
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