FOOTBALL Q&A: Keith Wenning of Baltimore Ravens

Senior quarterback Keith Wenning attempts to make a push downfield on a quarterback keeper. DN PHOTO JONATHAN MIKSANEK
Senior quarterback Keith Wenning attempts to make a push downfield on a quarterback keeper. DN PHOTO JONATHAN MIKSANEK

Financial stability is just one aspect of the NFL life that’s significantly different from playing at the college level. Record-setting quarterback Keith Wenning, statistically the best quarterback in Ball State history, said he feels like a freshman again after signing with the Baltimore Ravens practice squad.

The Daily News interviewed the two players to see what changes they have made since moving on to the NFL. The interview with Indianapolis Colts outline linebacker Jonathan Newsome can be read here.

Q: What kind of things have you picked up as a player since signing with the Ravens?

A: “Apart from the playbook and things like that, it’s just to attack every day. It’s acting like a professional and taking care of your body and doing extra work in the film room. That’s the major thing, I think. The way they prepare each game and each week.”

Q: How different is the physical aspect from college?

A: “It’s really similar. We lift three days a week and then practices are two and a half hours every day. At this level if you get injured, it might be your job, so I think part of it is making sure you’re healthy and ready to go.”

Q: NFL contracts aren’t guaranteed. What kind of things are you doing to make sure you’re financially stable beyond an NFL job?

A: “It’s hard to say. For some guys it’s a week-to-week basis where they’re cut and some other guy is in. I think all you can really do is control what you can control. You’ve got to do your best every day and work hard. Whatever happens, happens. I think you worry about that when your time comes.”

Q: With Thursday Night Football and other primetime games, how cool is it to experience that from the field?

A: “It’s a great experience but you’re not really a fan like you were last year. I’m around it every day and it feels like it's my job, and I’m here to do my routine every day. It’s fun to be on the sideline — you don’t take it for granted — but you don’t think of it as more than it being your job.”

Q: You’ve gone from being The Guy at Ball State to being a role-playing, practice-squad guy in Baltimore. What can you learn from that kind of experience?

A: “I think you have to start over. When I first got here, it was like being a freshman again. You’re not the No. 1 guy anymore, so you have to start over and learn from it. You have to get to work and try to prepare like you are The Guy. All you can control is what you do each and every day and how you prepare.”

Q: Ball State recently went through a quarterback change, and I know it was kind of a similar thing for you in your freshman year when you took the starting job from Kelly Page. From your experience, what kind of advice do you have for any quarterback jumping into the starting role?

A: “It’s a tough spot for those guys right now. They have all the talent in the world right now and they just can’t get over the hump. As far as the quarterback position, it’s hard to say. You have to prepare week-in and week-out and do all the extra work in the film room and getting guys back out to the field to throw extra passes. That’s stuff I did every day after practice. I felt like if I didn’t do that I wasn’t getting better, I wasn’t improving myself. Who ever the quarterback is has to do that. He has to know he’s important and he’s a leader. It doesn’t matter if you’re a redshirt sophomore or a redshirt junior, or whatever, you can’t see yourself as a young guy. You’ve got to see yourself as a leader.”

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