Frank Summers Interview

Frank Summers is not worried about his combine snub.

In fact, Frank Summers doesn’t worry all that much about things he can’t control.  Summers is the type of guy who focuses his energy, and there’s plenty of it at 241 pounds, on what he can control.  When he wanted to play football as a kid, he raised the money himself by mowing lawns and washing cars while other kids his age played Nintendo and hopscotch.  He knew his mother couldn’t afford it, and he didn’t wait for someone else to fix his problem.  When his team needed a fullback at the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star game, he stepped up and played the role like Beethoven in a concert hall, grabbing four passes for 54 yards and a touchdown.  He didn’t whine about having to switch positions.  Summers did what was best for his team — voluntarily.  And he did it with passion and verve.

You see, a guy like Summers is a rare commodity.  In a league where players are quick to complain, and even quicker to blame their teammates, a running back who is as unselfish as he is genuine is worth his weight in gold.  Like I said earlier, in this case that’s a lot of gold.

There’s not a lot not to like about the former UNLV running back.  He’s a smart kid who knows that in college he was a student first.  “You have to make your grades,” he says.  “If you don’t make your grades you can’t play.  I want to be on the field making plays.”  This May, he will become the first member of his family to graduate.

At his pro day, he sprinted through the 40, the shuttles, and the three cone drill in times that would have made the supposed “top backs” sweat.  As the only UNLV player asked to workout individually, he spent 45 minutes in a bout with the Sin City heat going through position drills with Steeler’s running backs coach, Kirby Wilson.

“He really is rare,” Wilson added, “You don’t see that out of a big man much.”

Not yet content, he jogged inside where he put up 30 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.  His response:  “I wanted to do better, but I can’t complain.”  That’s because Frank Summers doesn’t complain.  Frank Summers just does whatever is necessary.

Speak to Summers for half an hour, and you’ll believe that there is still hope for professional sports.  There’s hope that team-first players are not yet extinct.  There’s hope that some guys are still dedicated to perfecting the small things.  Like going over 420 touches without fumbing or dropping a pass.  Not one.  There’s hope that stats and dollar signs are not the only values that define today’s professional football players.  Forget thirty minutes.  Listen to him for five, and tell me you’re not praying your team is the one that takes the safest gamble Las Vegas has ever seen.

Draft Zoo: Was there one specific measurable you really wanted to work on during your offseason conditioning?

Frank Summers: I would say the 40. I think that was the biggest one. I didn’t run track in high school, I threw shot put. So I had never really worked on form or breathing or getting a good start. So the 40 was something I really wanted to work on to show people that I’m faster than they thought.

DZ: What times were you running before training?

FS: I was running about a 4.7. I ran a 4.6 one time, but I was mostly running in that range.

DZ: A 4.58 is a great time for a big back. You’re around 240 right now, what weight did you play at in college?

FS: I played at 240. I actually weighed in at 241 at my pro day. I’m usually right in that area.

DZ: You’ve done most of your training in Sarasota? That’s where you learned to run that 4.18 shuttle?

FS: Right. I trained at O.P.T.I. with Rich Lansky. They did a great job. As far as the shuttle they really taught me to stay low and touch the lines and to explode out of each break. I think I had the explosiveness naturally. You can run [the shuttle] all day by yourself and still not do well, but there is a technique for every drill, and Rich did a great job of teaching [the techniques].

DZ: What was it like to be the featured guy at UNLV’s pro day and get to work with Steeler’s running backs coach Kirby Wilson?

FS: It was a great opportunity and a great feeling to have a great workout with the Super Bowl champs taking a look at me. [Wilson] has coached some great people, and it was a real honor to get put through his workouts.

DZ: I know he worked you hard. You put up 30 reps of 225 immediately after that, was that difficult after so much running?

FS: I’d love to say the workout had no effect on my bench press, but I think it did. The week before I did 33 reps. Obviously, there was more motivation with all of the scouts there, but after doing the 40 and the cone drills and finishing my individual workout, I ended up with 30. But I can’t complain. I just try to put my best foot forward on everything.

DZ: 30 reps is still more than most of the linemen could do at the combine. As far as moving from college to the NFL, do you think your experience transitioning from Laney Junior College to the FBS will help you deal with this transition?

FS: I think so. I’m a firm believer that a football player will produce regardless of the level or who else is around. I’m the type of player to step up my game to whatever level I’m at. I think the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star game was a big example. Some of the best players in the nation were there, and I thought I did a great job of making myself known while being out there. Sometimes guys will get around a group of great players and kind of linger. But I thought I did a great job of making plays and making a name for myself with my touchdown catch in the game as well as having great practices.

DZ: You volunteered to play fullback in that game to help your team. With all of the “me first” players in the NFL right now, character and work ethic are becoming more valued traits.

FS: There are some really talented guys in the NFL. But I think character means a great deal in professional sports right now. You can have a very talented guy who might only be in the league for two or three years because he can’t stay out of trouble. I’ve never been arrested or suspended from any team. I’ve always made good grades. I think you could ask the school janitor about me, and he’d have great things to say. I treat everyone the way I want to be treated. That’s the way I was raised. It’s just respectful to treat people with respect.

As far as hard work goes, I’m a blue collar guy. I pride myself on that. Since high school, I’ve been saying to myself that no one is going to outwork me. You can’t control your athletic ability. But I can control my work ethic. I’m a firm believer that hard work pays off. I think [that attitude] has me in a great place right now.

DZ: You mentioned making good grades. Right now you’re finishing up your college degree. How important is that to you?

FS: Grades have always been important. If you don’t make the grades, you can’t play. I was the first one in my family to graduate from high school. And, this May, I’ll be the first one to graduate from college. My family is really proud of me, and I’m proud of this accomplishment too. It’s all about taking care of things so you can play. Hopefully, there will be many more people in my family graduating in the future.

DZ: After lining up at fullback in the All-Star game, what position do you see yourself playing in the NFL?

FS: To me, it doesn’t matter. I can play fullback. I love special teams. So hopefully I’ll be playing that as well. There’s a youtube clip of me playing kicker in high school and making the tackle on a kickoff. Punt and kickoff team were my two favorites. It was my time to get to hit somebody instead of people trying to hit me. I can play fullback and help the team in short yardage situations. I can step in and play tailback if I’m needed. I think I can fit in three roster spots as far being a fullback, tailback, and a special teams guy. I think I’ll be able to contribute and help the team win in any way I’m needed.

DZ: I imagine you bring a pretty big hit when you’re running the ball, too. After watching LeRon McClain lead the Ravens in rushing yards from the fullback position, is there a certain player you model your game after?

FS: I like LeRon McClain. I thought he did a great job. I watched their wild card game against Miami. There’s not one particular person though. There are so many great running backs. I watch Darren McFadden, Marshawn Lynch, Adrian Peterson. I like to watch guys hit the long run, the home run. That’s my pride and joy. I love scoring touchdowns. Long touchdown runs are great. I think I catch people sleeping sometimes with my speed. Once I break a tackle or two and get going, I think people are always surprised at how fast I am. As far as running downhill, that’s me, it’s just a knack I’ve always had.

DZ: Is there a certain team that you have your eye on, or that you’d like to play for?

FS: There’s not a certain team. It’s all a dream, and I’d be thankful to play for any of the 32 teams. It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the NFL, at the highest level. For me to be getting closer to this opportunity, it’s still surprising. I thank God everyday that I’m in this position. So I’ll be happy playing for any team.

DZ: Do you think there should be an NFL team in Las Vegas?

FS: I would love for there to be a team here. I think if there was one, that would be my frontrunner. I love Vegas. I think all the fans would come out and support. I think it would be a great thing.

DZ: You’re not originally from Las Vegas though. Growing up in Oakland, was there one person or event that really made you realize football was a passion?

FS: Growing up, I was raised by my mother and my grandmother. My grandmother took me every summer, and she put me in every sport imaginable. I started off playing hockey. A lot of people don’t know that. I went ice skating one night and loved it, so I asked my mom to sign me up. I played basketball and baseball too. But I was a little scared of the ball. Which no one believes.

DZ: Wait a minute, a 240 pound power back, scared of the baseball. Okay, I’ll admit, I had the same problem.

FS: People are surprised by that. They say, ‘you can take a hit from a 250 pound linebacker, but you’re scared of a little ball?’ But I played everything. Tennis, golf, swimming, and I had trophies for all of them. I loved trophies. When I was in the sixth grade, I was looking around my room, and I noticed that I didn’t have a football trophy. So that was my motivation to play football – I wanted a trophy. I knew that football was expensive and that my mother didn’t have the money, so I washed cars and mowed lawns all summer, and saved up enough to play. When the time rolled around, my mother took me to sign up, and I was 30 pounds too heavy to be on the team. The money was non-refundable so I decided to lose the weight. I practiced with a plastic bag on. When we got our equipment, I put it on and ran everywhere in it. There was a lake near our house that was three miles around, and I ran it everyday in full pads. In a months time I had lost 32 pounds. I was running everyday. When it came time to weigh in, I was two pounds under the limit. That was a great accomplishment for me. I think that’s when I really started to learn the value of hard work. I had to eat right, and I really learned how to do all of the little things that make you successful. I ended up playing offensive and defensive line, and I loved it. From that point on, football was a passion for me. I try to enjoy every minute of it.

DZ: I think it paid off. You’re the only player in UNLV history to lead the team in rushing and receiving touchdowns in one season, and you’ve now gone over 420 touches without a fumble or a dropped pass.

FS: Since I was little, my mom has always played catch with me. And I think one of the biggest things I’ve taken from other running backs is the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. One of the best examples I’ve seen is Ladainian Tomlinson. And before him, it was Marshall Faulk. That’s what separated them from the rest of the running backs – they were catching the ball. The more times you can get the ball in your hands, the more opportunities you’ll have to make plays. I figure [scouts] know I’m 240 and [scouts] know I’m a downhill runner, but I can catch. So, instead of a coach having to take me out [in passing situations] they can leave me in the game. I want to be the best option no matter what play the coach draws up. To stay in the game you have to catch the ball. On screens, or deeper routes. I take great pride in not dropping the ball, and turning up field after catching it.  Two of our longest passes at UNLV were to me. They were three yard flat routes, and I took them the rest of the way. I told our quarterback, ‘Hey, if you throw me the ball and I run for 50 extra yards, the stats won’t say Frank Summers: three yard catch and 50 yard run, they’ll say Omar Clayton: 53 yard touchdown pass.

DZ: What about holding onto the ball in the rushing game?

FS: When I was at Cal, we (the running backs) were coached by Ron Gould. One game, I remember J.J. Arrington fumbled and Coach Gould took him out. Then Marshawn Lynch fumbled and he got taken out. So Coach Gould stuck Justin Forsett in there and the other two guys never made it back into the game. I knew right then that if I fumbled, I wouldn’t get onto the field. And if you’re not on the field, you can’t make plays. I’m a team guy, and I would hate to lose a game or give the other team momentum by turning the ball over. If you turn it over, you won’t see the field, and I want to be on the field making plays.

DZ: Turnovers definitely played a part in this year’s BCS title game. A lot of scouts are down on him, but do you think Tim Tebow can play QB in the NFL?

FS: I think Tim Tebow is a great athlete. I think we both have had to deal with people wanting us to play different positions. But I think I’m a hard worker, and a good athlete as well. I think it’s good motivation to get to prove people wrong about you. I think Tebow will be able to play his position in the NFL. Somebody will take him. That’s what I’m hoping for. A chance to play and be good enough to make people think they should have taken me. It’s okay, there are doubters in every aspect of life, and there are people like me to overcome those doubts. I just take it as a challenge, and I’m sure he does the same thing because he keeps winning.

DZ: Leadership is a big part of overcoming adversity. You’ve been a leader throughout your career. Is there a particular leadership style that you find most effective?

FS: I think that leading by example is important. That goes back to working hard and doing all the little things necessary to be successful. There is a time to be a verbal leader too, but you can’t do that without being a good example. I like to talk to my teammates about what’s going on in their lives off the field. I think that sometimes [non-football issues] can affect how a guy plays. I just want to communicate with my teammates and let them know that if there’s anything I can do for them, I’m there for them.

DZ: Alright, one last question. You’re nickname is “Frank the Tank.” Have you ever seen Old School?

FS: Yeah, I’ve seen it. [laughs]. I saw it on the way back from a JUCO game. It was funny to see the nickname in a movie. A lot of guys made some jokes after we saw it. It was funny because my mom’s being calling me that since I was a little kid.

Alright, so you’re the original. I’ll let Will Ferrel know that he’s got some competition for the name. Thanks for your time, Frank, and good luck with the draft.  For the rest of you, check out some vintage Frank Summers highlights.  Especially the one 38 seconds in when he trucks some scrub from USC.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC1OFDMdMik]