Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Q&A with senior left tackle Ernest Dye Jr.
09/11/2019 | 12:00:00 | Football
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Ernest Dye Jr. has become an anchor at left tackle for the Salukis. In a career-high 10 starts last season, he helped pave the way for an SIU offense that rushed for over 2,000 yards and allowed only 1.9 sacks per game.
Your father played in the NFL for six years. Were you old enough to remember watching him play?
He was drafted in 1993 and I was born in 1997, so I was only two years old when he retired in 1999. My parents told me about being in St. Louis after he was traded and it being freezing. My mom had me wrapped up in at least five different blankets. That is one of the stories they tell me about a lot during his playing days. My older sister probably remembers more since she experienced most of his playing career.
Did your father choose to stick around football after retiring?
He was involved in a car accident that ended his football career, so he was mainly focused on recovering from the accident and making his transition to normal life after retirement. But he is more involved now. He coaches my brother who plays high school football at Milton (GA).
How many siblings do you have?
I just have the two siblings I mentioned earlier, Cameron and Ariel. My brother is a left tackle just like my dad and I, so our family is just breeding the position at this point.
Is left tackle what you always wanted to play?
No, not at all surprisingly. I didn't start playing football until 10th grade. I was playing basketball before then, so being a big-time basketball player was the goal back then. I wanted to be just like Mike (Michael Jordan). But once I gained some weight, my dad said it was time to put the pads on and play football. I didn't really like it at first, but it came natural to me and I began to love it. The coaches started me at defensive tackle, but I hated running. They eventually flipped me to offensive tackle and I have been at the position ever since.
Did it take some time to adjust to football since you didn't start playing til your sophomore year?
The technique came natural, but learning certain things like the offense and playbook took some time. I had that figured out by my junior year and as a senior the game slowed down and I began to have some fun with it.
Were you behind in the college recruiting scene since you started later than normal?
Yeah I definitely was. I really didn't get much exposure because my high school had pretty good talent, especially at offensive line. The guys in front of me all went D1 (Division I), so I just had to earn my spot once they left.
Were there any culture shocks going from Georgia to southern Illinois?
I was use to the heat, so I wasn't ready for the cold weather during the winter. I had hoodies, but never really needed a coat back in Georgia. That quickly changed once I got to SIU. Learning how to drive in the snow and ice was an adjustment too. Even using one of those ice scrapers was a new experience.
Was it a struggle missing out of playing time because of injuries in your first few seasons at SIU?
Injuries come with the game. Taking care of your body on and off the field can go a long way. You're going to learn how your body works because football is a contact sport where injuries are bound to happen. Experiencing those injuries early on pushed me to change my diet, sleeping habits, how I workout and other little things like that. There are some things you don't always want to do like working out, dieting or going to the training room. However, I want to be a good and healthy football player, so I have made those kinds of changes to my daily routine.
Can it be tough playing a position that doesn't get a lot of attention compared to quarterback or running back?
I honestly love my position. I can go out there and do my thing. It's good if people notice, but it's no big deal if they don't. That is part of playing offensive line. You get no glamour, but that's what you sign up for. I love every part of it.
What is the best feeling about being on the SIU offensive line?
Five as one and one as five. We have a solid five and we're really starting to click. Z (ZeVeyon Furcron), Marnin (Jacob Marnin) and I started together last year, so we're a lot more comfortable now. The game is slowing down for us because of our experience together. We can pick up on certain things from the defense on the fly and the communication and trust comes much easier. We have each others backs.
How has the o-line group adjusted with new starters at right guard and right tackle?
Calvin (Calvin Francis Jr.) and Beau (Beau Branyan) have clicked well. Those two are going to be playing a lot of football for this program and I think they have a bright future ahead of them.
How did it feel to beat UMass 45-20 on the road for SIU's first victory over an FBS opponent since 2007?
We kind of played pissed off against UMass because of the loss to SEMO in week one. We did a good job of keeping our poise though. We need to keep that same energy each week and keep stacking up the wins.
Are you excited to play in front of the fans at Saluki Stadium this weekend after starting the season off with two-straight road games?
I feel like a rockstar this year because we are on a tour with all of these road games. Traveling is cool and all, but I'm excited to play at home in front of our fans. It means a lot for us and the community. We owe it to everybody to play good and we have been working really hard to make that happen.
Are there any fun aspects to traveling for football games?
I always like traveling on planes and buses to new places. It's a good time to build on the brotherhood and chemistry with the team. It can be crazy having all of us on the same bus or plane at the same time, but it's a good time.
Are there any players that you have tried to style your play after?
Laremy Tunsil is one of my favorite players. I started watching him play around 2014 at Ole Miss. I think he is the best offensive tackle in the NFL and someone who I have studied when it comes to pass blocking. I also like watching Ja'Wuan James, Trent Williams and Trai Turner.
In a previous video, you talked about the perception of "short" left tackles. Are there any advantages to being 6-foot-2 instead of 6-foot-5 or 6-foot-6?
Anchoring the bull rush is probably the biggest advantage for someone my size at left tackle. That and leverage are probably the two best pros. For some of the bigger guys, they struggle against defenders off the edge at times. I think that I can excel in pretty much every aspect at left tackle.
