Wimbo
Active Member
- Messages
- 4,133
- Reaction score
- 3
He is studious, spiritual - and strong
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 26, 2005
Last updated: 9:10 PM
CHARLOTTESVILLE — In his four years at Virginia, Kai Parham has sampled widely from the university’s academic menu, studying everything from the “Ethics of Black Power” to improvisational acting.
He’s delved into the role the church plays in black society. He learned to fence and to throw stage punches in a course on physical acting.
Parham started on a business major track when he enrolled, but wound up majoring in African-American studies.
“I like this,” he said. “It’s an interdisciplinary major.”
That’s appropriate because Parham, Virginia’s leading tackler, is an interdisciplinary linebacker, an equal opportunity disrupter of both run and pass. He’s also versatile enough to play fullback in the team’s goal-line offense.
Parham did not start the year on the watch list for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker. That honor went to teammate Ahmad Brooks, who has been slowed by a knee injury much of the year.
But, few, if any, linebackers in the ACC are having a better year. Parham is fifth in the conference in tackles and leads all linebackers in quarterback sacks, with 8½. Only defensive ends Mathias Kiwanuka of Boston College and Manny Lawson of N.C. State have more.
When Brooks missed the first part of the season while recovering from knee surgery, Parham emerged as the leader of Virginia’s 3-4 defense. It’s a role he’s yet to relinquish.
“He’s playing with the confidence and the ruggedness that befits a guy now that’s been through it for a while,” coach Al Groh said.
Among his teammates, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound Parham is known for his prodigious strength, his equally strong religious faith and a dry sense of humor that outsiders don’t often see.
“He’s unnaturally strong,” linebacker Mark Miller said. “He’s been strong his whole life. That’s just Kai Parham.
“He does things like tackle people with one arm,” defensive end Chris Long said. “We normal players have to use two.”
Parham, a redshirt junior, had muscles as a freshman at Princess Anne High. He comes by his strength naturally, he said.
His faith, too. Parham credits his paternal grandfather, Ike Parham, for showing him how to live a Christian life.
“Day in and day out he just set a really good example,” he said.
When Parham is playing well , he’s fond of saying that he’s “in the favor of the Lord.”
Miller has joked that the players Parham runs into aren’t as blessed.
Parham may pull his punches on stage, but not on the field. Early in his career, Groh dubbed him “The Hammer” for his physical play.
Known primarily as run stopper during his first two years, Parham has blossomed as a pass rusher this year, taking over for Brooks as an outside rusher on passing downs.
Parham is strong enough to take on offensive linemen and quick enough to run around them. Like most good linebackers, his on-field motor revs high.
“I definitely play a clean game,” Parham said. “I wouldn’t do anything illegal. But it’s physical and aggressive, and God honors me playing hard and playing for His glory.
“He wouldn’t put me out there to get by. He wants me to win.”
Virginia hasn’t won as much as Parham would like, but he keeps things in perspective. A sometimes reluctant interview, Parham has opened up a bit since his freshman year, when he once answered a question by saying, “It’s only football.”
That’s not to say he isn’t passionate about the game, but Parham has other passions as well, as his wide-ranging academic interests suggest.
“I don’t want to miss out of anything that God has in my life,” he said. “Each day is so precious.
“Your days are numbered,” he said. “You only get so much time, so it’s important to make the most out of the time allotted to you.”
Parham’s days at Virginia could be numbered. He’ll have the opportunity to enter the NFL draft after the season. Asked about it, he declined to comment .
If he comes back next year as a graduate student, Parham will certainly begin the year as a Butkus candidate .
“I would say with him, the best is yet to come,” Groh said. “I think there’s a lot more left in his game.”
And, a lot more left to learn.
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=95999&ran=185903
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 26, 2005
Last updated: 9:10 PM
CHARLOTTESVILLE — In his four years at Virginia, Kai Parham has sampled widely from the university’s academic menu, studying everything from the “Ethics of Black Power” to improvisational acting.
He’s delved into the role the church plays in black society. He learned to fence and to throw stage punches in a course on physical acting.
Parham started on a business major track when he enrolled, but wound up majoring in African-American studies.
“I like this,” he said. “It’s an interdisciplinary major.”
That’s appropriate because Parham, Virginia’s leading tackler, is an interdisciplinary linebacker, an equal opportunity disrupter of both run and pass. He’s also versatile enough to play fullback in the team’s goal-line offense.
Parham did not start the year on the watch list for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s top linebacker. That honor went to teammate Ahmad Brooks, who has been slowed by a knee injury much of the year.
But, few, if any, linebackers in the ACC are having a better year. Parham is fifth in the conference in tackles and leads all linebackers in quarterback sacks, with 8½. Only defensive ends Mathias Kiwanuka of Boston College and Manny Lawson of N.C. State have more.
When Brooks missed the first part of the season while recovering from knee surgery, Parham emerged as the leader of Virginia’s 3-4 defense. It’s a role he’s yet to relinquish.
“He’s playing with the confidence and the ruggedness that befits a guy now that’s been through it for a while,” coach Al Groh said.
Among his teammates, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound Parham is known for his prodigious strength, his equally strong religious faith and a dry sense of humor that outsiders don’t often see.
“He’s unnaturally strong,” linebacker Mark Miller said. “He’s been strong his whole life. That’s just Kai Parham.
“He does things like tackle people with one arm,” defensive end Chris Long said. “We normal players have to use two.”
Parham, a redshirt junior, had muscles as a freshman at Princess Anne High. He comes by his strength naturally, he said.
His faith, too. Parham credits his paternal grandfather, Ike Parham, for showing him how to live a Christian life.
“Day in and day out he just set a really good example,” he said.
When Parham is playing well , he’s fond of saying that he’s “in the favor of the Lord.”
Miller has joked that the players Parham runs into aren’t as blessed.
Parham may pull his punches on stage, but not on the field. Early in his career, Groh dubbed him “The Hammer” for his physical play.
Known primarily as run stopper during his first two years, Parham has blossomed as a pass rusher this year, taking over for Brooks as an outside rusher on passing downs.
Parham is strong enough to take on offensive linemen and quick enough to run around them. Like most good linebackers, his on-field motor revs high.
“I definitely play a clean game,” Parham said. “I wouldn’t do anything illegal. But it’s physical and aggressive, and God honors me playing hard and playing for His glory.
“He wouldn’t put me out there to get by. He wants me to win.”
Virginia hasn’t won as much as Parham would like, but he keeps things in perspective. A sometimes reluctant interview, Parham has opened up a bit since his freshman year, when he once answered a question by saying, “It’s only football.”
That’s not to say he isn’t passionate about the game, but Parham has other passions as well, as his wide-ranging academic interests suggest.
“I don’t want to miss out of anything that God has in my life,” he said. “Each day is so precious.
“Your days are numbered,” he said. “You only get so much time, so it’s important to make the most out of the time allotted to you.”
Parham’s days at Virginia could be numbered. He’ll have the opportunity to enter the NFL draft after the season. Asked about it, he declined to comment .
If he comes back next year as a graduate student, Parham will certainly begin the year as a Butkus candidate .
“I would say with him, the best is yet to come,” Groh said. “I think there’s a lot more left in his game.”
And, a lot more left to learn.
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=95999&ran=185903
