Wagner discusses decision to play football
Ahmad Wagner could never shake the football bug. After three years of playing basketball for the University of Iowa, he announced on Tuesday that he would be hanging up his high tops for a pair of football cleats starting next season. Wagner spoke via teleconference on Wednesday and said he never got rid of the football bug and answers the question Iowa fans are curious about, has he had contact with the Iowa football program.
Q: How long have you been thinking about making the switch to football and when did it become serious?
WAGNER: I didn’t really want to focus on making the switch until after the season, but people have been talking to me about it and it’s been on my mind and hard to ignore. People are always asking me about it, but I wanted to stay committed to the Iowa basketball program and that’s what I did, while remaining respectful to the people who asked me about it.
Q: When you are making the decisions out of high school, you committed to basketball. Did football and the success you had in football, where you ever able to shake that feeling?
WAGNER: Exactly, I never got rid of that feeling. I went out in my senior year and with the success that I had and the experience I had with those guys, I never really got rid of that feeling. I would watch football and the memories would come back. But, basketball was important to me and something that I committed to and I wanted to honor my commitment.
Q: Is there any possibility you could stay at Iowa and have the Iowa coaches reached out to you yet?
WAGNER: They have reached out. The offensive coordinator did and they have been very respectful. At this moment I am just taking in anyone who will give me any consideration and listening to anybody who wants to give me an opportunity to play for them. I am just going to take it all in right now and listen to what people have to offer and then hopefully make the right decision.
Q: You were a wide receiver in high school. Where do you see yourself now? Could you be a tight end?
WAGNER: As of right now, depending on the school and where they want me, I am open. I played wide receiver in high school and that’s what I believe my natural position to be because of my speed and my ability to make plays. But, if a school feels I could be successful at tight end, I wouldn’t be opposed to that. I am just really listening to their professional opinions about where they think I would best fit.
Q: When you look at your decision that you will be making, is there still a comfort with staying at Iowa and does the transfer rules impact your decision?
WAGNER: I am comfortable with Iowa. Iowa has always treated me well, from the coaching staff to the people. Everyone has been wonderful since I have been at Iowa. Everything is going to go into consideration as far as my decision. Sitting out and being able to play right away will go into it. If I stay at Iowa, I would not be subject to the transfer rule and that is something I will consider, but I am considering all options right now.
Q: With all time you spent playing basketball, did you catch any footballs the past three years?
WAGNER: No. I have been working on basketball. I am excited to get out and work on my body and my hands and getting the intangibles back on the football field.
Q: Have any other schools checked in with you yet? Also, I saw James Daniels tweeted at you to push you to stay at Iowa.
WAGNER: Yeah, James sent me a text and congratulated me on making my decision. He wants me to stay at Iowa and he’s a good friend of mine. A lot of people have reached out and wished me luck and told me they are happy to see I made the decision and wish the best for me.
Q: What schools are you hearing from and how many? What is your timetable to make a decision?
WAGNER: Yeah, I want to get into a program as soon as possible. Right now the schools that want to contact me have to go through Iowa to do that. My parents are also involved with that. I haven’t talked to that many people, only a few schools, and right now I am taking my time and focusing in on my academics and make sure that’s ok when I make my decision.
Q: What gives you confidence that you can play football at the major college level?
WAGNER: I have confidence in myself and my abilities and I know what I am capable of doing on the football field. Obviously high school is different than college, but I have talked to people who have played and coached at the college level and they have confidence in me as well. They think I can be successful as well.
Q: The NFL has several guys who switch from basketball to football and had success. Is that something you look at and did it influence your decision?
WAGNER: Yeah, people talked to me about it and made comparisons. That’s always been in the back of my mind, that guys were successful doing it before and that maybe I could do it too. Even being compared to those guys is an extremely high honor and a blessing. I am going to work my hardest to make it to that next level and be successful.
Q: Who are you leaning on to guide you beyond your parents? What was the reaction from your basketball teammates?
WAGNER: Besides my parents, my high school coach, Travis Trice, is someone that has been a mentor to me and he is helping me through this process. He has been a big help to me and he is also someone that college coaches can talk to about my future in football.
I let my teammates know before the story came out. I sent them all a text message and told them about my decision. They were very supportive, as they always have been with anything I have done. They told me they loved me and I told them I loved them too. They are still going to hang out and be friends. They have been a part of my brotherhood the last three years and that bond won’t be broken.
Q: Where you ever close to do this earlier in your basketball career?
WAGNER: There is really no explaination to the timing. It’s all God’s plan for me. I was really committed to basketball, but I felt like there was an opportunity for football and I took it while I was still here. I’m happy that I have done it. I prayed about it a lot. I talked to my parents about it a lot and they were on board. The timing just seemed right, so I went for it.
Q: Both sports are physical and you have to have skills. In what ways do you think you have to do things different training wise to become a football player?
WAGNER: Some things I can do alone, like football contact. But, I can work on getting stronger in every aspect and working on my quickness. We work on that in basketball too, but you have to be stronger in football. I am also going to get on the phone with some of my old football teammates and coaches who are willing to help me and find out how they do things. I just want to work on getting my body right and I will take help anywhere that I can get it.
Q: Any regrets with your basketball career and how it went?
WAGNER: No regrets at all. Coach McCaffery and his staff have treated me with nothing but respect since the day I walked to campus and even before then when they were recruiting me. No regrets coming here. No regrets playing basketball for Iowa. No regrets at all.
Q: Do you anticipate working out for the Iowa coaches? How does that work?
WAGNER: I have not gotten that far into the process and don’t know how that works. Don’t even know how to answer that question.