Herb Donaldson Interview
Running Back - Western Illinois
7/30/08
By: Tony Conty
Tony Conty: You grew up in St. Louis, correct?
Herb Donaldson: Yes, sir.
Tony Conty: Who did you support football-wise when you grew up there?
Herb Donaldson: Honestly, I was a Cowboy fan. I was a big Emmitt Smith and Dallas Cowboy guy. When the Rams got here, I supported them because I am from St. Louis, but I am a Cowboy fan.
Tony Conty: What led you to Western Illinois?
Herb Donaldson: Well, coming out, I didn't have the best junior year, so when recruiting really started coming, it was a lot of 1-AAs and Division IIs. So, in late January, Mizzou and Ohio State were coming at me (because some guys didn't follow through) as a Linebacker, but I felt comfortable when Western, because they were one of schools that came at me early in my Senior year, so I felt comfortable there and that's where I ended up going.
Tony Conty: What is your current height, weight, and projected 40 time?
Herb Donaldson: I'm about 5'10" and between 220 and 225. This summer, I ran a 4.57.
Tony Conty: Describe a typical day for a student athlete like yourself.
Herb Donaldson: It depends. In the summer, it can get pretty hectic with this conditioning, but during the school year, it's maybe an 8:00 wake up. I try to have no classes before 9:00 or 10:00. This year, my earliest class is 9:00 on Mondays. I have classes from 9:00-12:00. We have to get our lifts in, so I try to do those around noon before practice. We get in for position meetings around 2:30 or 3:00. We are out on the field by 3:30 or 4:00, depending on how long the meetings are. We are on the field until about 6:30. Then, I just do some homework and get some sleep, getting ready to do it all over again.
Tony Conty: You were the only Junior elected Captain. Describe your leadership style on the football field.
Herb Donaldson: If we really need someone to say something, I'll say something. I'm more of a "just-follow-my-lead" guy. I'm not a big rah-rah, in-your-face guy telling you what you're not doing. I give 110% for my teammates, my brothers, and I just expect the same. If something needs to be said, I'll be the first person to do it. Usually, we have a rah-rah leader on the team, but, me, I'm mild-mannered. We practice, and I've been doing this since I was 8 years old. Ain't nothing changed.
Tony Conty: You've racked up quite a few carries over the past few years. Draft analysts used to say that shows durability, but lately "experts" have begun to worry about someone's NFL longevity after taking so many hits. What is your opinion on that?
Herb Donaldson: Sometimes, all of those guys that have a lot of tread that gets worn off from having almost 1,000 carries just in college. I want to say that I had maybe 500 carries in my whole career. So, you can take it either way. You're more of a draft guy than me. I don't pay much attention to it, but, with that perception, it's more about asking "Is he durable?" and "Does he have a lot left in the tank?". You have the guy from Central Florida last year. That was just a 1-year thing. You have Ray Rice who was toting it for the past 2 years. Those guys went in the second or third round. That makes it kind of up-in-the-air as to whether or not it affects your draft status.
Tony Conty: Would you describe yourself as the type of runner who gets stronger as the game goes along?
Herb Donaldson: I would think so. I guess you would call me a bigger back. I guess it depends on the weather. Maybe I don't shoot out of the blocks, but I'm still getting to my peak in the 4th Quarter. You always want to start fast, but if you don't, you want to be able to finish strong.
Tony Conty: What mistakes do you see younger Running Backs make, now that you are a more experienced runner?
Herb Donaldson: With our offense, you run a lot of zone. Even when we run Power, you really have to be patient and let stuff happen. I can tell you one moment. My Head Coach is always on me. When we played Wisconsin a couple of years ago, we were on the 1 and I could have scored. It was called a Power Sweep. It was all on me, because I just didn't let the blocks set up. I could have swept another, but I wanted to hit it in there really fast. That hole that you thought was there closed really fast. If I just would have been patient...that was 2 years ago, and it's 20-20 hindsight.
Tony Conty: As a team, the Leathernecks exceeded 500 yards rushing twice in the first 7 games. Are you a fan of splitting carries or do you prefer to carry a team?
Herb Donaldson: It doesn't matter even a bit. Whatever is going to get us wins, to be honest with you. If both of us are in there just wrecking shop or it's just me, it doesn't matter. This year we have Dré Gibbs, so whatever it takes to get the win. It's always good to get a break, but whatever the team needs.
Tony Conty: The most impressive tape of you that I have is against North Dakota State, with scores from 26, 2 and 1 yard out. Would you rather rack up the touchdowns or the yards?
Herb Donaldson: I guess it would have to be the touchdowns, because that's what hurt us last year. I had a bunch of yards, but we kicked, like, 30 Field Goals last year, so I am going to have to go with Touchdowns. That's what leads to the wins.
Tony Conty: You set the record for 2nd Half yards with 282 and tied conference and school records with 6 TDs. Are you the type of player who can ignore individual accolades?
Herb Donaldson: It's nice to get the personal stuff. You can be remembered for it, but I don't have any banners up in school. What I do see is "Conference Champions" and "Playoff Appearances" and that just has a better flow for the team.
Tony Conty: You are on a lot of preseason watch lists. What are your personal goals for this year?
Herb Donaldson: For real, I am just trying to get to the playoffs. It's my Senior year and my last go-round. We haven't gotten to the playoffs since I got here, so hopefully we can kickstart the program back to that playoff level. All of the individual stuff will come, because we have to run the ball to win. I'm sure that I'll get my fair share of carries. Hopefully, it all works out for the best.
Tony Conty: You went strong for almost an entire season, but an injury caused you to miss the final game. How healthy do you feel going into the 2008 season?
Herb Donaldson: Oh, I am back to 100%. Then, maybe if we had a bye week, I would have been able to make it. It was a pretty bad sprain in my ankle and I was in a boot for a couple of days. I just couldn't get it healed to 80%. It was pretty swollen. I'm back to 100%. I'm straight now.
Tony Conty: What should we expect out of the Leathernecks this year?
Herb Donaldson: Well, I think that we should have a strong showing, because we were competitive in all of our games expect for Northern Iowa. I feel like we have so many people coming back that we know what it takes to get over that bump. We've been working harder. We're trying to fix that yard that we didn't get or that false start that we committed. Make all of our shortcomings our strengths and do the little things right.
Tony Conty: Characterize the type of football played in the Gateway Football Conference.
Herb Donaldson: It's very physical. There is no Saturday that you can take off. You always have to be competitive. This year, we added both of the Dakotas, so there will be no drop-off. We were considered among the best in Division I-AA and this will get us over the hump. We are eligible for the playoff now and we have depth.
Tony Conty: You are a Broadcasting Major with a minor in African-American studies. What are your plans for life after football?
Herb Donaldson: I wouldn't mind begin a Graduate Assistant. I would love to go into coaching, perhaps in college or at the high school level. A lot of kids need help, especially back home.
Tony Conty: OK, chime in: what is your opinion on the Brett Favre situation?
Herb Donaldson: Oh, that...well, he has the right, but he put the organization in a bad position. That would be like me breaking up with my girlfriend, watching her find a new boyfriend, and calling her to tell her that I want her back. It's not fair. If he still thinks that he can play...well, he's Brett Favre.
Tony Conty: What do you think about the NFL's attempts to crackdown on off-the-field issues and character?
Herb Donaldson: It's crazy. They got to the NFL and every day it's something else. I've never seen this many in trouble, even with Roger Goodell cracking the whip. One day, it's Matt Jones and then, every other day, you see a DUI. Hopefully, it cools down once the season starts.
Tony Conty: Self-promote. Why should teams consider you early in next year's draft?
Herb Donaldson: They could consider me early or late. I will still be a great addition. I am a multi-faceted player. People forget that I was an All-Conference Linebacker in high school. If you want me on Special Teams, off the bench, or as the starter, I'm your man. I have been going since I was 7. I can't do nothing if I can't play football.
