DURHAM, N.C. – GoDuke.com sat down with senior cornerback Chris Rwabukamba on Monday to discuss the upcoming season and the experience of getting drafted by the Canadian Football League.
Q: Has it sunk in that this is your final year?
A: Not really but it will probably sink in as soon as we start camp.
Q: Have you taken on a bigger leadership role this summer?
A: Definitely because we lost a lot of good players last year and it is our responsibility as seniors to really show and lead this team where it needs to be.
Q: Are you excited about the new defense installed during spring practice?
A: We are really excited about this defense. We have a lot of faith in it and loved playing it during the spring and in 7-on-7 drills this summer. It has been doing really well for us so we will just see how it goes during the season.
Q: What can fans expect to see from the secondary in 2010?
A: A lot of different players making plays. We will be an aggressive secondary and not tentative at all. Our defense is geared towards us making plays so we are excited about going out and doing that.
Q: What are your goals for this season?
A: I just want to take the program to the next step. During the last couple of years I have been fortunate to play in some big games and help the team. Now as a senior it is the responsibility of myself and the other seniors to take the team to that next step and play in a bowl game.
Q: Talk about getting drafted in the Canadian Football League draft?
A: When the CFL draft came up and I was drafted by Hamilton I didn’t get much of a chance to meet with them. I really haven’t had much contact with anybody in the CFL. I was excited when I saw Hamilton drafted me because it is the closest team to where I grew up. If I ever end up playing in the CFL that is the team I will be playing for.
Q: Have you considered playing in the CFL after you finish your career at Duke?
A: I see it as a great opportunity to play football for money if I can’t play in the NFL. Playing football after college is something a lot of people don’t get to do so it would be great to have that opportunity.
Q: What was it like coming from playing CFL rules to American rules from high school to college?
A: It has been a wonderful process. There were some tough times coming in and adjusting to the American game, especially getting the technique and speed of the game down. Through a lot of hard work I have found myself in a position to make plays this year.
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