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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Drew Devillier commits to Rice as a dual-sport athlete
One of the heartbeats of a football program is a talented quarterback who plays hard, focuses on building his football IQ, and continues to learn the game. Colleges across the nation often look for resilient quarterbacks who are willing to go the distance for their program. At Plano East, Drew Devillier is just that. VYPE DFW recently caught up with Devillier following his announcement to commit to Rice University as a dual-sport athlete in both football and baseball.
Committed!! I want to thank God, my family, and my coaches for helping me get here! Go Owls!! @RiceFootball @RiceBaseball @mbloom11 @therealTUI @PlanoEastFB @peshbaseball pic.twitter.com/QfSDCiHqVE
— Drew Devillier (@DevillierDrew) June 19, 2023
Talented in the pocket for Plano East, Devillier was awarded First Team All-District for 6-6A after recording 2,271 yards and 20 touchdowns during his senior season. Doubling as a right-handed pitcher for Plano East baseball, Devillier continues to be an athletic standout to the universities watching his high school success which is why it comes as no surprise that Rice University extended a dual-sport athlete offer to this young man. Check out VYPE DFW's exclusive interview with Devillier now:
The decision to leave home is not always an easy one. What impacted your decision when choosing to commit to Rice?
"Rice is only about four hours from home, so it is possible to have family and friends come to my games. The opportunity to play both football and baseball was too intriguing to pass up. And the coaching staff and facilities for both programs are impressive."
What has been your favorite memory playing with Plano East so far?
"Our start to my junior football season last year was exciting. We had to come back from behind in all three games and started 3-0."
What professional athlete do you look up to-- why?
"I grew up a Drew Brees fan because our family is big New Orleans Saints fans. Now I'm a Joe Burrow fan from his days at LSU and as a pro. He's got the game to back up his swagger."
What has been your biggest accomplishment during your high school season so far?
"Winning First Team All-District last year was great because it showed that other coaches we played against liked the way that I played."
Do you have a gameday routine that you stick to?
"On game day, I like to stay loose so I don't really have a strict routine now. I do like to take a lap around the field before the game to warm up."
What do you do in the offseason to ensure that your skills are sharp for the season ahead?
"I train with QB Country and Landry Klann in Plano. He likes to have us bring our receivers to get extra reps with them. I also like to work on the side with receivers on the weekends and at 7v7 games."
What is your mindset going into each new season?
"Every year is a new year with a new team and new opportunities. I just try to stay focused on the job ahead of me and help my team get to the playoffs. My competitive nature keeps me working hard. That's no secret, it's just something I need to be successful."
In your opinion, what has been the secret to your team's success?
"Coach Benedetto and his staff have been instrumental in creating a new culture of high expectations at Plano East. It showed early last year, but injuries and a very tough district were challenging for us. This year, we are all learning from last year so we can take the next step as a team."
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Graham Knowles commits to Georgia Tech
As athletes around the country begin finalizing their decisions on their near future, some of them are taking to social media to announce their plans for the next level. VYPE DFW caught up with Southlake Carroll quarterback, Graham Knowles, after he announced his commitment to the Georgia Tech football program this week.
Building something special! COMMITTED and ALL IN 🐝! @GeorgiaTechFB #TogetherWeSwarm@ChrisWeinke16 @CoachBrentKey @coachrdodge @OldSchoolQB @Coach_Stanfield @CarrollDragonFB pic.twitter.com/09SzaXWLqy
— Graham Knowles (@grahamknowles24) June 18, 2023
As an athlete who has worked hard to help his team, it is clear that Knowles is dedicated to putting in the hard work and giving his all to his team. Playing in 13 games last season (with five starts), Knowles threw for 1,864 yards while tallying 18 touchdowns with a 73% completion percentage. Check out VYPE DFW's exclusive interview with Knowles below:
Leaving home isn't always an easy decision to make. What impacted your choice when deciding to commit to Georgia Tech?
"Leaving home to head to Georgia Tech was an easy choice because of how much of a family the team is. When you have guys looking out for each other and all striving towards the same end goal, it's easy to come into that system and find success."
What has been your favorite memory playing with Southlake Carroll so far?
"My favorite memory would be beating McKinney in the third round of playoffs. We played a sloppy first half with a bunch of penalties and were down 14 points, I think, at halftime. They got the ball first coming back out. Nevertheless, we fought back and took the lead late in the fourth quarter on a fade in the endzone; a moment I'll never forget."
What professional athlete do you look up to and why?
"Growing up, I looked up to guys like Tom Brady and Payton Manning. I was always amazed at how they played the game by always being a step ahead with their football IQ."
What has been your biggest accomplishment in your high school career?
"So far, it's taking our team to the fourth round, but we are working on changing that next year and ending the season on a win. With next year's goal being the state championships."
Do you have a game day routine that you stick to?
"Routine-wise, I'm a music guy. I always have to have my pre-game mix going strong in my headphones."
What do you do in the offseason to ensure your skills are sharp going into the next season?
"In the off-season is when we make our money. Ever since last year ended, we have been going at it to try and improve 1% every single day whether that is early morning lifts and conditioning to throwing routes."
What is your mindset going into each season?
"Our mindset going into each season is to play to our standard. Southlake Carroll has a storied past and standard of play upheld by Coach Dodge. So instead of worrying about whoever we are playing, we worry about ourselves and we know if we handle our business the outcome will follow. That's also a major part to the repeated success at Southlake-- having a bunch of players buy into that idea."