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Questions and Answers with Colts inside linebacker Scott Lutrus.
*Question: When and why did you start playing football?
*Answer: "Eighth grade was my first year playing Pop Warner. I used to play soccer up until then. I kind of got into it because my brothers played and they were good. I just wanted to grow up, and be like my older brothers."
*Q: Do you remember anything about your first Pop Warner team?
*A: "I hardly remember my first year playing eighth grade Pop Warner. It was just kind of a learning experience, getting the feel for football and playing on a team. I really don't remember much of my first year."
Q: When did you decide that you wanted to play football professionally?
*A:* **"Sometime in college. During high school I didn't know if I'd go on and play in college, but I had a few successful seasons, did well, and I realized I could go on. (I) got and offer from the University of Connecticut to go play. So I went to UConn and played and it was kind of the same thing. I didn't think I would continue on but I had a couple of good years and I realized that it could happen, it was a possibility. So somewhere in college I realized I could continue on if I kept working hard, and I'm fortunate to be here today."
*Q: So as a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
*A: "Every kid wants to be a professional athlete or something like that, but I never thought it would be a possibility when I was that young."
*Q: You said you played soccer as a kid. Was that your best sport?
*A: "I think most of my friends played soccer growing up and we were just kind of together since we were five years old. That's when we started playing soccer, up until seventh grade, that was my last season."
*Q: Why have you stayed in football as long as you have? What about this game keeps you playing?
*A: "I just have fun. I love the game, you know. I always enjoyed the game before I even started playing. Watching it, watching my brothers play. Once I started playing, it was just something I kind of fell in love with. I'm happy I'm still playing now."
*Q: Have you played any positions other than linebacker?
*A: "In high school I played running back and linebacker as well. I probably would have wanted to continue playing running back in college, but it didn't happen. I guess it worked out."
*Q: Did you enjoy playing running back more than linebacker?
*A: "I think that I might have been better at running back in high school."
*Q: What is your favorite football memory?
*A: "The first time at UConn we beat a ranked opponent, against South Florida. It was my redshirt freshman season, my first year of playing, and I think they were a top ten team. It was the first time we had beaten a ranked team. It was pretty cool, all the fans stormed the field. It's a pretty cool memory."
*Q: Have you thought about what you want to do after football?
*A: "There are a few things I've thought about. One would be helping kids in a situation I was in. When I was in high school I didn't know how to get recruited. I didn't know how to go about it. I didn't know how to get myself out there, my high school coach really didn't either. It worked out, but just to give kids guidance and help them throughout their transition from high school to college and even beyond. I was kind of in that room with my high school coach just kind of clueless about the whole situation and how the whole process worked. But having gone through it, I feel like I could help people do that. I think kids just need that guidance to get through it and help them transition."
*Q: Was there one coach or teacher who really stood out to you?
*A: "I had a good relationship with all my coaches. It was kind of like a big family that coached. My high school coaches, besides the head coach, all the assistants went to high school together, they played together. There's a family of brothers, and another two brothers that played, so it was kind of like a big family growing up. They were my brothers' coaches, so I knew them since I was a kid growing up. Some of my assistant coaches coached my brother when he was 11 years old in Pop Warner, so we knew them for a really long time.
Q: Do your brothers keep close tabs on you now?
A: "I think my brothers are my biggest critics. They would always criticize me after a game, whether they knew what was going on or not, and just kind of pushed me to get better all throughout high school and college. Even now, they think they know what they're talking about."
*Q: You said you liked to watch football as a kid, did you have a favorite team?
*A: "Growing up I liked the 49ers. As a kid that was my favorite team. I just liked the players, Steve Young, Jerry Rice. I just really liked that team back then."
*Q: What is it about football that drives you the most?
*A: "I really enjoy playing football. I just enjoy being on a successful team. I think that's it. Throughout high school and college I've been on good teams. I want to be the best team. It's so satisfying when you win, at any level. That's just the goal, that's every player's goal. You want to be good, you want to be great, you want to win, you want to be a world champion."
