All Day, All-Access: Week Six

He's one of the most dynamic players in the history of college football and one of the most in-demand personalities in America today. In a special to SoonerSports.com, University of Oklahoma junior running back Adrian Peterson speaks his mind with his own weekly feature.

Given the nickname "All Day" as a youth for his uncanny endurance on the football field, A.D. will share his unique look on fame, football and life in general.

This week's game against Iowa State may be the most special in Peterson's career as it is the first time his father will be able to see him don the Crimson & Cream live in person. Adrian reflects on his experiences with his father...
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Week No. 6 of All Day: All-Access -- Father Knows Best
Posted: Thursday, Oct. 12, 2006

Adrian Peterson

A.D. needs just 334 rushing yards to pass Billy Sims (4,118) as OU's all-time career rushing leader. He is collecting 150.4 yards per game.

SoonerSports.com: What does your relationship with your father mean to you?
Adrian Peterson: My father means a great deal to me. My father and I are close, real close. I was right there by his side all the time. He taught me a lot, about how to be a man. Even while he was locked up and wasn't there physically, we always kept that connection with each other through letters, talk and visiting him. Mentally we had that bond that you can't break. It was like he was there in a way but not really. We have a real special relationship, real special. To keep that while he was locked up for nine years, that's real special. I thank God for that.

SS: How has your father taught you to be a man?
AD: First of all, with him having 10 kids you have to be responsible and never make excuses for your actions. Family, he's all about family. When you grow up and have kids, you must be a good role model for your kids; and hopefully, if you are put in a situation where you can be a good example for others and make the best of it. That's what I've been trying to do. Just really the little things between me and him, the little conversations we've had that made me a stronger person and know how to handle different situations and cope with different stuff.

SS: As a child, how did your father contribute to you learning the game of football?
AD: My dad was the first person to put a ball in my hands. He signed me up for the little league. I was so excited when I got that phone call. I was at my grandma's house (he was out of town) when he called and told me, “Tell your mom to take you up there. I've already signed you up and paid for everything. Go up there and get sized and fitted for your pads and everything. I'll be back tomorrow. I figure you're ready to throw the football.” It was him taking the steps to get me out there and putting the ball in my hand.

Once I started, it was the small things. He always taught me to be the best in whatever I did, whether it was conditioning, getting out there and practicing your heart out or lifting weights. Some times after practice or during our free time, we used to go out and go over plays or go over different moves, teaching me to protect the ball. When you run to the left side or the right side you always have the ball on the outside hand. He taught me stuff like that. It's kind of crazy. I still find myself in the habit of having the ball in the opposite hand. He still gets on to me about that. Just the little stuff he taught me at a young age made me a better player. I will always remember all the time going on the side of the house going over plays just after practice and keeping it tight and in the right path.

SS: Do you have any keepsakes that remind you of your father?
AD: I've always kept his letters and read them from time to time. Actually, I remember my freshman year when I got here after the Orange Bowl he made this mirror with the Orange Bowl with USC and Oklahoma with the date and everything on there. That was something very special that I still have. He made it for me.

SS: What does it mean to you that your father believes in you so much?
AD: It means a lot because he is one of the people that is real close to me and I value his opinion and what he thinks. It means a great deal, him being one of the people that I look at like that. There are not too many people I look to like that, what they say or do doesn't affect me. He just happens to be one of the few people.

SS: What will it be like for you to have your father cheer for you at the Saturday game?
AD: It will be special, just him being in the stands for the first time and me being able to look up there. Hopefully, after I score a touchdown I can look to him and let him know, “That was for you.” The whole experience will be crazy. Having him be there in the stands cheering me on, screaming my name will be very exciting.

SS: What about football, is there anything he's always told you about football?
AD: You've got to be tough; you've got to be tough, especially as a running back. Be tough. Be smart. Go out there and play every game like it is your last game. That right there is saying a lot. Playing the game like it is your last game, playing hard at every game.

SS: Do you have a favorite memory with you father?
AD: One of my favorite memories was our last time being together. We took a trip to Orlando. He was coaching along with my godfather; they both got locked up at the same time. It was crazy having them both gone, my father and my godfather. We took a trip to Orlando to Disney World for this tournament. They had been coaching an older team for a couple of years and we got to travel to a lot of different places but this particular tournament was in Orlando at Disney World. Just that whole week up there traveling, we took charter buses up there. We went through the different states and took little stops and enjoyed being around my father and brothers. Just the quality time we had there to spend after the games, going out to eat, walking around Disney World and going on different rides. The whole weekend was exciting and something I will always remember. I also remember getting on the Tower of Terror but I don't think I'll ever get on that again.

SS: What do you see in your father that is also in you?
AD: Our smile. I think we react in the same way to dealing with different stuff, no matter whether it's bad or good. We are both emotional and not afraid to express how we feel or express our feelings towards something. It is good to let that out. He is always being himself no matter what. I see that in me also.

The one thing I see the most that I can say “Hey, I got from my dad” is that it I absorb things easily and I absorb a lot. I really don't say too much around a lot of people, I just absorb and take stuff in. It's easy for me to figure things out. Have you ever been around someone you try to outsmart but you can't for any reason? That's how my dad is. Even growing up, there were things that I did trying to sneak around him and outsmart him, but it's like he knew what I was doing even before I could sit there and think about it. He knew what I had in my mind and would sit there and talk it out “Yeah, you thought you were slick because you were going to do this and that.” Then, I'm like “Dang, how did he know that.” I think I got that from him because I do that a lot. I figure stuff out quick. And my eyelashes, I got my eyelashes from him. Those curly eyelashes, his are even curlier than mine.

SS: In your lifetime, what are you doing to make your father proud?
AD: Stay focused. Grow up to be a man and take care of your responsibilities. Take care of your kids and make sure your child has something. Be the person that other kids, people and generations to come can look up to and say I want to accomplish some of the same things Adrian Peterson did.

SS: How have you learned from your father?
AD: Don't deal with drugs, and don't make the same mistakes he made. My dad would preach to me all the time about different stuff. He is right about a lot of things. During middle school, before I got on track and got my head together, he would say, “Son, if you don't focus on your grades you're not going to play. No pass, no play.” He taught me a lesson my fifth grade year. I had failed one class and he didn't let me play. He just told me this is how it is going to be. And with him getting locked up and kind of taking it for granted I had to learn from that. Then playing my seventh grade year I missed a couple of games, with my mind off track. I wanted to run the streets and kick it with my friends. I wasn't thinking of what was more important: the books. He taught me that.

SS: What should it mean to be a father?
AD: Being a father means you teach your children the right things to do and how to be successful in life. You are somebody that they can come talk to; not the type of parent that they are scared to come talk to. To be the type of father that they can come talk to about anything and be there to give them advice. A parent can't be there to make decisions for their kids, but they can show them and give them advice.

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A.D. Answers Your Questions

Stacey Tescier from Fallbrook, Calif., asks: Your pass blocking has really improved over the years, what have you done to focus on this part of the game?
I just really set my mind to it and dedicated myself to getting better. I looked at myself in the mirror and realized the little things I had to do to make myself a complete player, a better player. And one of those things was pass blocking. So during pass drills every day, I made working on my pass blocking a priority and never just went through the motions.

Jeff Wolf from Fontana, Calif., asks: If you could go back in time and see a running back play, who would it be and why?
I have to say it would be two running backs: Eric Dickerson and Barry Sanders. I say Eric Dickerson because a lot of people say I run like him; we have the same running style. It would be neat to watch him play in person. Another running back would be Barry Sanders, probably one of the best running backs, I feel, ever to play the game. His elusive style and how he ran the ball gave him a one of a kind ability. I've seen him do some amazing things that would just leave you like, “How do you do that?” I wouldn't mind seeing him play again.

J.E. Burton from Norman, Okla., asks: What classes do you like best, and what do you enjoy doing in the little spare time you have?
I like my religion and war class. You get to hear different peoples' opinions and voice your own. Some people's opinions shock you. I guess it's because everybody has this American way. But you also hear people's opinions from different countries that go to school here. From their responses you can get a whole different outlook.

In the little spare time I do have between football and classes I just kick back and relax. The majority of the time I'll catch up on my sleep. Or after a game I'll go out and kick it. I'd like doing different stuff like going to the mall, but there's not really very much I can do out in the open. So the majority of the time I find myself in my little cave, that's what I call it, my little cave at my house.
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Have a question you would like to ask Adrian?
Click here and we'll select the best for him to respond.

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Missed an entry of All Day, All-Access?
No. 1 (Aug. 30) - The Heisman Trophy
No. 2 (Sept. 7) - The Music of A.D.
No. 3 (Sept. 14) - Pumping Iron
No. 4 (Sept. 20) - At the Movies
No. 5 (Oct. 4) - Fan Support
No. 6 (Oct. 12) - Father Knows Best

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