University of Richmond Athletics
RichmondSpiders.com Talks With Lawrence Sidbury
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. – After helping lead the University of Richmond Spiders to the 2008 FCS National Championship, All-American Lawrence Sidbury was drafted in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.
After four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Sidbury signed a free-agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts. Recently, Sidbury sat down with RichmondSpiders.com to discuss life in the NFL and reflected on his time at the University of Richmond.
What was the first lesson you learned in the NFL?
The game of football quickly goes from being something you do for fun to being a job. It’s all about production and the competition level is higher. You meet a lot of good guys though - guys you saw on television and guys you looked up to. At the same time, though, it’s still the same game you’ve always played.
What’s the biggest challenge in the NFL?
The biggest challenge, not just for me but also for everyone, is to always get better. People always say if you aren’t getting better you’re getting worse. You always have to find a way to refine your technique and get better.
What drew you to the Indianapolis Colts as a free agent?
Great organization, great people. They preach family here and in some ways it reminded me of the times we had at Richmond. They expressed their interest in me coming and being a part of what they built and I thought it was a great opportunity for me to come in and help continue the great tradition they have in Indianapolis.
How’s the transition going from defensive end to outside linebacker?
Going pretty good, obviously on third downs we are still rushing the passer but on first and second down it involves a lot more coverage and I have to make a lot of adjustments and make a lot of reads that I didn’t have to do at defensive end. That being said, it’s gone pretty smooth.
What are the goals the Colts have as a team this season?
We’ve made it pretty obvious what our goal is this year – we put it on the back of our shirt “Hoist the Lombardi Trophy”. We’ve got a great work ethic amongst the guys and the staff and we are all working towards that goal.
How did playing at Richmond help you prepare for the NFL?
Playing the conference we did, with the teams that were in the conference at that time, those schools were putting out guys that made it to the NFL.
What did winning the National Championship in 2008 mean to you?
As a recruiting class my freshman year, we set a goal that we were going to turn things around and, obviously, things came full circle with winning the national championship. I might be a little biased, might turn some heads but I think the 2008 team was the best team we’ve had at Richmond. We had a bunch of guys who cared, who worked hard, were committed and dedicated to getting things turned around.
What changed from 2007 to 2008?
Going in to the playoffs in 2007, I really think we could have won the title then, but we had a bunch of guys out in that playoff game against Appalachian State. So coming in to 2008, as a group of players we approached the season with the mindset that we had some unfinished business.
Why did you pick computer science as your major?
It’s something I wanted to do and I set my mind to it when I got there as a freshman. I knew it was going to be tough – people were telling me it was going to be difficult, but I was confident in my ability and got it done.
What does it mean to you to have earned your degree from Richmond?
To me, my education always came first. That’s how it was in my household growing up. I put as much effort in to my work in the classroom as I did on the field athletically. Getting my degree was something I always wanted to do and it’s something no one can ever take from me. And coming from a school like Richmond, which has such a great reputation, is another great thing.