Ahmad Black - Raising the Curtain
Monday, September 6, 2010 | Football
By Amanda Brooks, UF Communications
University of Florida senior safety Ahmad Black has no regrets. He enters his final college season with determination, confidence and a readiness to show the nation what the Gators have in store.
“I work hard for every day, for every game, for every season… but I think this season, more than anything, makes me realize what I want to prove,” Black said. “What I want our team to prove.”
This desire to prove himself and his teammates comes following a 2009 campaign that saw the Gators go 13-1 with a 51-24 rout of Cincinnati at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Black was stellar against the previously-undefeated Bearcats, combining with a stalwart Gator defense that held the high-scoring Bearcats to 24 points, tying for their lowest output of the season and below their 39.8 points per game average heading into the contest.
Although the Bearcats entered the postseason ranked sixth in the nation in yards per game (464.2), they were held to just 246 on the night, 55 of which came in the first half.
It is this competitive fight that Black wants to continue to carry into his senior year. The Lakeland, Fla. native returns to The Swamp as one of 18 seniors, a small number compared to the 53 freshmen, redshirt or true, on the Gator roster this fall. He takes this role seriously, as someone who wants to put his mark on the program one more time.
“We are a young football team, but we have a lot of talent across the board,” Black noted. “There is a lot of talent and I am excited to see us play. The young guys look good. They are coming along and learning from the coaching staff.”
“I have to take more of a leadership role this year,” Black continued. “I need to be more of a vocal leader and keep everybody in line. I was a leader last year, but I had a couple of other guys helping me out. Now I am just kind of taking it by myself with Janoris Jenkins and helping the young guys.”
Success has followed Black his entire career, having won every championship possible throughout his little league football days. In high school, Black helped Lakeland extend its winning streak to 45 games, as the squad claimed its third-consecutive Class 5A state championship and second-straight USA Today national championship in 2006, his senior season.
With such a stellar senior season as a prep and an incredible three years as a Gator, one might think that these accomplishments are enough for Black. With numerous All-SEC accolades under his belt, along with being recognized as an honorable mention All-American by Sports Illustrated his sophomore year, Black could have walked through that tunnel one last time and left for the NFL as one of the best safeties in recent Gator history. He would already have what many players only dream of: success.
However, that is not the path Black opted to take. He returned to the Gators for his senior year after playing in 35 games and amassing 136 tackles in his career thus far. He began his career as a cornerback before switching to safety and starting all 14 games at strong safety during Florida's 2008 BCS National Championship run.
“I stuck with the people I trust,” Black said when contemplating a chance to move on to the NFL. “It wasn't really that difficult, I listened to my parents and my coaches.”
Black credits his parents as the greatest influence on his development as a player and a person, noting his closeness to them as one of his greatest accomplishments.
“I talk to my family every day. My mom and dad, they have been with me through everything,” Black, also known as A.J. (his first and middle initials), stated. “They have always been there for me, supporting my roles both as a football player and a son.”
Solidifying that fact? Directly after making that statement, Black's mom called to make sure he was having a good day. Black smiled after the quick conversation and continued, “My parents are always looking out for me and my best interests. They care about my performance on and off the field.”
It is this support that has steered Black's career path as well. As a Family, Youth, and Community Sciences major, Black hopes to work with kids after his football career is over. He remembers his experiences as a kid in little league football and remembers all of the amazing lessons he learned from his coaches growing up.
“I talked a lot with Coach Heater recently and I see myself working with kids with all of this is over,” Black said. “I love doing community service with the team and it only makes it better when there are kids involved. I want to have a positive influence on them the same way my parents and coaches had on me.”
First and foremost, however, the strong safety has to finish the mission. Black said earlier in the year that he wanted to work on the fundamentals and the small details before trying to take his game to the next level. Black, whose jersey number 35 also equals the number of games he has appeared in for the Gators, works tirelessly at every practice and workout to be his best. At the moment, however, he and the rest of the Gators are focusing on the upcoming season and a third-straight trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game.
"This is probably one of the toughest offseasons we've had," Black stated. "There are a lot of shoes to fill, and we have to get guys ready so they can be physically and mentally prepared to get out there and play."
“We're only looking forward. What's in the past is in the past, both the good and the bad,” Black commented. “Of course we want to win an SEC Championship, a National Championship, all of it.”
“This is Florida. We have the best of everything: coaches, fans, facilities, teammates. We want to win… and we're ready to win.”
