Q&A with Cody Kater, CMU's newest starting quarterback


kater1

Central Michigan Life staff reporter Jeff Papworth recently caught up with Central Michigan's new starting quarterback, junior Cody Kater, and asked him a few questions about his journey to Mount Pleasant.

When was the first time you had thoughts of wanting to be a quarterback, and what attracted you to the position?

Cody Kater: I think I started playing quarterback at a very early age. I want to say first or second grade. My dad and my brothers all played football, and they all played different positions, and I guess maybe they saw something different in me. So, at a very young age they were throwing me in there, and you know, it just kind of stuck with me throughout.

What is your favorite pre-Central Michigan football memory?

CK: Definitely winning the (high school) state championship my senior year (in 2009). You know, Montague has a good football program. We never really got over the hump until my junior year, but we lost one game. So the next year, we just wanted to come in and go undefeated, and we worked very hard toward that goal and it all ended up working out.

Looking back, after spending some time at the FBS-level, was there anything that made your time at Grand Rapids Community College special?

CK: Oh, yeah. You get to meet people all around that couldn’t make (the Football Bowl Subdivision) because of grades or because of ability and all of that type of stuff, but they all just worked their butts off and they all just loved the game of football ... But, winning and doing all that hard work, it definitely makes you remember all the people who are a part of the program.

Was it an unusual situation for you to be on the sideline last year after leading GRCC to an 11-0 season and with your success in high school?

CK: No, not really. When I committed here, you knew it was (Ryan) Radcliff’s team. "Talent-respects-talent"-type of thing. And you can’t have a guy just barging in and trying to take over the team when it was his team for the past few seasons. That would just create controversy, and that’s not what the team needed. It was Ryan’s team, and I wasn’t ready. Ryan was definitely the guy for that job and for that team, so it wasn’t unusual at all. It definitely helped me out in the long run.

How were you alerted that you would be CMU’s starting quarterback, and what does knowing you’re No. 1 on the depth chart mean to you?

CK: It was just a sit-down talk to (head coach Dan) Enos, and he gave me the nod. It means a lot. I haven’t played in the Division I level really as a starter. So, a lot of hard work has gone into it. I have definitely gone different paths, but to end up at an opportunity to lead the team and be able to move the ball up and down the field and get these guys around me the ball, it means a lot.

What will you take from your past experiences when you step onto the field at Michigan Stadium?

CK: The past experiences definitely help you. But really, it’s just preparing yourself throughout this next week and getting confidence within yourself and having the coaches and the players' confidence behind you. With all that going into it, just get the nerves out of the way quick and focus on what you’ve been preparing for the last month.

Share: