There weren’t many bright spots for Oregon in last week’s matchup with LSU, but the play of senior cornerback Anthony Gildon was one of them. With All-American defensive back Cliff Harris serving an indefinite suspension, the onus was on Gildon to lead Oregon’s pass protection. He responded with eight tackles and three pass breakups, playing with the swagger that his seniority on the team demands. The Emerald caught up with Gildon after practice this week to talk about his performance, as well as a host of other topics.
ODE: You had a breakout performance against LSU (eight tackles, three pass breakups). How do you feel like your game has improved since you were a freshman?
AG: I think it’s improved a lot, exponentially since I was a freshman. Every day, I’ve just learned a lot more from all the coaches, all the great players I’ve played against and played with. They’ve taught me a lot and it’s good to just be able to go out and play and just show what I’ve learned.
What specific facet of your game has improved the most?
Kind of just my all-around game, actually. Coming in from high school, you’re athletic and you’re young, and you might know a little bit of stuff, but once you get here is when you learn the bulk of the information that you want to know with college when it comes to like reading routes or when it comes to tackling or how to play press coverage, how to play on deep ball. Just different things that coach (John) Neal and coach (Nick) Aliotti have taught us over the years.
Obviously, you learn a lot from your coaches. Do you pick up things from teammates like Cliff Harris or Talmadge Jackson last year?
Oh I’ve picked up things from all the DBs. I’ve picked up things from Cliff, I’ve picked up things from Walter Thurmond, Jairus Byrd, T.J. (Ward), Talmadge, almost every DB that came in, everybody has a different kind of style. We all do kind of the same things that coach Neal teaches us, but we all have little different things that we can do, and they all rubbed off on each other.
How did you feel individually about your performance against LSU?
I felt I did alright. There’s always room for improvement. I’m just trying to get better and play the best I can play every week.
What are you looking at doing once your career ends here?
I’m just right now working for the season. Just trying to get better each day, and I’m just trying to get ready for this next game.
What are you interested in outside of football? I know you’re a sociology major.
Yeah, I’m a sociology major and I minored in journalism. I kind of want to get into public relations.
What do you like doing in your free time when you’re not playing football?
I just like to relax, really. That’s all I do. When I’m not at football, I’m most of the time just relaxing, hanging out with my friends, listening to music, things like that. You know, regular college kid stuff.
What kind of music do you listen to?
I try to listen to a lot of different stuff. Whatever I’m feeling that day. If I’m feeling a little something faster I might listen to that, something slower I might listen to that.
Anything on the iPod that’s been getting a lot of play recently for you?
Um, I couldn’t even tell you one thing, really. I try to keep my iPod on shuffle. You know, just see what pops up. It’s the best way to do it.
Being from the Southern California area, do you have an NFL team you root for?
Actually, my dad was always an Eagles fan, so I grew up an Eagles fan, and now I got a couple friends that play on the Eagles, too.
Yeah, Casey Matthews plays for them now right?
Yep.
What do you think about their chances this year?
Oh, we should be good this year. We were good last year, (and) we just got better over the offseason, so I think they’ll be pretty good.
Is (Pro Bowl Eagles cornerback) Nnamdi Asomugha one of the guys you look at as a model at the cornerback position?
Anybody in the NFL is a great corner. So I mean, of course there’s the elite ones like Nnamdi Asomugha, Antonio Cromartie and (Darrelle) Revis, and of course you’re going to look up to those kind of guys, because they perfected their game, they’ve taken their game to that next level and beyond. They’re great players.