Dan Evans (Beyond Sports): I'm fortunate to be talking with Lewis Howes today. First off, Lewis thank you for sitting down with us today, if our users have not checked out his highlight film you need to because it's impressive. For our Beyond Sports Members out there who are not familiar with your career, give us a brief history of your football career.
I actually never played any football until my Sophomore year in high school, and I haven't looked back since. Coming from a small school, and from a varsity team of 23 players, we were never a power house contender so my opportunities after my senior year were limited to mostly Division I-AA, II, and III schools. I ended up taking a scholarship to Southwest Minnesota State University, played my freshman year but realized it wasn't for me. Then I transferred to Principia College; it was the smallest football school in the country with 550 total students, and 32 players on the football squad. We were fortunate to have some talent with the minute numbers we had, (8 players went both ways, I punted, kicked, played WR and Safety) and I had a phenomenal quarterback who was able to get me the ball at will.I broke the record that year, had over 1200 yards in the 9 games we played, and was second in the nation in yards per game, and eighth in catches.
You currently hold the NCAA record for receiving yards in a game. How were you able to have that many receiving yards in a game and what were you thinking as the yards were piling up?
This was one of those rare games where I was in the "Zone" the entire time, and I never allowed any elements to affect me a negative way.I remember hearing my coach on the sideline after the first few catches say, "We can throw to Lewis all day long." That is a receivers dream! They double and triple covered me the entire time, but it was as if I was playing against high school kids and everything they tried to do, we countered with the opposite. It was one of those games where I couldn't do anything wrong. I remember at the end of the game, which we lost by 6, I thought I only had about 8-10 catches and 100 something yards because I was so in the "Zone" and I didn't even realize or have time to think about what had happened in the game, I was so focused on catching and scoring.
From your playing history I see that you played in the Ohio Athletic Conference and were a first team selection at wide receiver. The Ohio Athletic Conference is arguably the premier football conference in DIII football with schools like Mount Union, Capital, and Ohio Northern. Describe the level of talent and competition that you faced.
After I played at Principia for two years, I decided I needed to go to a more powerful conference to have a shot at making it in the NFL, and for coaches to take me more seriously. This conference is awesome! Each week the team you face is a great team and could beat you if you don't play your best. There are players in the NFL currently from this conference, and two former players are coaches with the Patriots, so there was definitely great competition.I personally faced 3 All-American defensive backs my senior year there, so it was able to give me a better taste of the Division I caliber athletes I needed to face.
Describe some of the biggest challenges you faced as a DIII football player, trying to make it in pro football.
I went to the Ohio State Combine after my senior year. That alone was a two-month challenge to get invited to workout for the NFL coaches and scouts. Then after doing an arguably better job than other wide receivers, one who is now in the NFL, I thought I had a good chance and scouts and coaches alike showed interest. However, after they saw where I went to school, they were not willing to take a chance on me. I had a few invite workouts with NFL teams, and worked out for many Arena 1 teams, but they all talk about experience and wanted to see what I was capable of doing at the DI or professional level.
I played Arena 2 this past season and even then there are politics and coaches favorites, and sometimes it doesn't matter how good you are, you may be in the wrong situation to make a name for yourself. And even now as I am entered for the All-American Football League draft, I may or may not get the opportunity I deserve to showcase my talents at the next level.
The biggest challenge is supporting myself financially while continuing to peruse my goals and dreams.I get by day to day, week to week and continue to train, call coaches, get my highlight film in front of the movers and shakers, and build valuable relationships to further my football career.Staying positive is a challenge at times when you have financial troubles, debt, injuries, and very few opportunities, but it is necessary to stay positive, keep your goals in site, and do one thing daily to make the pros.
One thing I would recommend to other DIII athletes is first make a great highlight film and bio.Spend a few hundred dollars if you have to.Then you will need to do most of the work yourself to promote it, and it may take a year or two until you get a break.Find some people you can trust to be your supporting cast to help you get contacts to call and send film to both online through email and through the mail. Train with NFL athletes!This is the biggest key in my mind.I went to a training facility to train for the Combine, and I was able to compare and compete with 30 other draftees and NFL players. This gave me the opportunity to gauge where my competition level is and what I needed to work on.Training at one of these facilities will also give you the opportunity to meet NFL players, their agents, promote your film and get a taste of what the lifestyle is like.You will know if you are good enough after a month or two at a facility, and this will give you a more realistic idea if you can in fact compete with NFL caliber players.
How do you think Beyond Sports (www.beyondsportsnetwork) helps you personally as an athlete?
Beyond Sports Network is a great avenue for me to promote my bio and film, contact with coaches and agents, and talk with other players. The more people who see my film and the more solid relationships I create, the greater my chances of making it to the next level.
Do you think the Beyond Sports Network would be a good tool for the DIII athlete and why?
The facts are hard to handle but true: It is a small percentage of athletes who make it from DI schools to the NFL, and an even smaller chance a DIII athlete will sign with a team. I think in the past few years, about 2-5 DIII athletes sign with an NFL team, per year. For these facts alone, Beyond Sports is a necessary tool for every DI, DII, and especially DIII athlete if they want to have a shot at making it to the pros. I highly recommend it!
Once again thank Lewis for chatting with us today, good luck in the up incoming season. |
