Football Spotlight on Tyarise Stevenson

Spotlight on Senior Tyarise 'Big Cat' Stevenson
#97 Tyarise Stevenson • 6-3 • 351 • Senior • Nose Guard

What I like most about football…
You can be aggressive and take out your frustrations without getting penalized for it. It's something I enjoy. From playing football when I was young it has been a way to express my athletic abilities and go out and have fun with my teammates.

The favorite thing about my hometown of Donaldsonville, Louisiana …
The favorite thing about my hometown is the relationships between the people in town. Everyone knows everyone. I can leave my house and walk in the city and there'd be maybe 5-10 people that I wouldn't have to say who's this? I know who they are. It's the relationships in the town that are special. Everyone helps out everyone. The community altogether looks out for one another. The population is about 8,000.

What drives me…
My family and my hometown. Coming from a small town there's not many kids that can go out and experience what I'm experiencing right now by attending college in another state, making friends and building relationships with people from different backgrounds and states like myself. It's an experience that I want to be able to show the younger kids back home that whatever you want to do you can do it. It's bigger than just Donaldsonville. I want to show them that they can think and live beyond Donaldsonville – explore and get out and make connections with other people from other places.

Why I wear number 97…
I came here from high school with No. 72 because I played both ways on the offensive and defensive lines. Once I got here, TB (Tyler Bowling) had 72. So, I was given No. 97. My feeling was that this was a number that's unique to me, so why not make a name for myself and not let a number make any difference in my style of play. The number really didn't have any effect on me. It's not about the number, it's about what you do on the field.

My favorite NFL team…
Right now, my favorite team is the Cleveland Browns because one of my favorite players, Odell Beckham Jr., plays for them. At first, I was a New York Giants fan because he began his NFL career there. I'm a fan of his because he's from Louisiana.

My role model…
I'd say my cousin Kentrell Himes. He keeps me on my toes. He showed me how to be a man and how to handle my business, showing me how to make sure everything is taken care of on my end. In the future when I have kids, he showed me how to be a man and provide for my kids. I wouldn't look at anyone else as a role model besides him.

My hobbies…
Being from the south, I fish a lot and hunt. I also enjoy playing video games and hanging out with friends.

How I got the nickname 'Big Cat' …
When I played little league football, about the age of 6, my coach, Spencer Harvey, called me that. I really didn't know why until I did some research later. The name just carried on in little league, to middle school and into high school and even when I came on my visit to Tulsa, the coaches called me 'Big Cat'. I was on the computer one day in middle school, and I typed in the name 'Big Cat', and 'Big Cat' Ernie Ladd popped up on the computer. From my own perspective, when I saw his picture, he did kind of look like me. I asked my stepdad about it, and he said that's probably why Coach Spencer started calling me that, and after talking to Coach Spencer later that was the reason.

My most memorable moment at TU…
It was going to and winning the Miami Beach Bowl in 2016. I enjoyed the college bowl game experience.

Football Spotlight on Tyarise Stevenson

Players Mentioned

Tyler Bowling

Tyarise Stevenson

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