University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Inside Look With Desi Steib
9/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Q: You have a unique name. How did you get the name Desi?
A: That’s a good one. I get that a lot. I think my dad was a Desi Arnez fan. I didn’t know anything about Desi Arnez until people started asking me if I my name came from that show. People also ask me if that’s my real name or is it short for Desmond. That’s my real name, Desi. It’s unique and I don’t really like it, but other people seem to.
Q: What has been your family’s influence on your life?
A: My family has had a big influence on my life. It was tough because I was the only child and I didn’t have a father figure. My mom raised me by herself and it was hard for me to deal with, especially after Hurricane Katrina. Then this past summer I lost one of my cousins who was also my best friend. I did everything with him before he was killed in a car accident. I ended up going home right before camp started and that was very difficult to deal with. But overall, family is a big influence, especially being from the South. It’s been instilled in me along with the importance of religion in my life.
Q: As a senior looking back, what is the best memory of your Gopher career thus far?
A: Probably beating Michigan for the Jug. Also winning the Axe in my freshman year.
Q: What’s the best thing about playing for Coach Brewster and the new staff?
A: Enthusiasm is extremely high and you can feel it at every practice. The level of competition that he wants you to play at and the fact that he wants you to have fun are big things. I enjoy the enthusiasm of our practices and game preparations. I believe that it has made me a better player because it holds me accountable. I have had issues with my confidence but I have worked on that and how to stay focused and play with passion.
Q: How important is it to play with confidence when you are a cornerback?
A: If you don’t play with confidence in your abilities it can hurt you. Everybody’s watching you and I believe it is the hardest position to play on the field. At corner you are singled out and if you make one mistake everyone sees it.
Q: Do you feel you can unleash your talents when you play on special teams?
A: Playing special teams takes a lot of energy. You have to be real energetic to do the things that are asked of you on special teams. It can be a big transition for some players, but I love it.
Q: What has been your favorite class so far at the “U”?
A: My favorite class has been art media. I took it with Ernie Wheelwright and I really enjoyed it. We had an acting scene at the end of the class and that was one of the best aspects of the class.
Q: What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
A: Cutting grass in the middle of the day in the middle of the summer in Louisiana.
Q: What do you want to do with your life when your football career is over?
A: I’d like to open my own Southern food restaurant.
Q: What is your favorite food?
A: Gumbo and jambalaya.
Q: What makes a good gumbo?
A: A good variety of meats and sausages, shrimp and seafood and okra.
Q: Being up in Minnesota do you miss the culture of the South?
A: Yes, especially the food. I also miss the Southern accents. I used to get teased a lot for my accent. My teammates sometimes make fun of me and try to talk like me. I’ve kinda lost it being in Minnesota for five years. But as soon as I go back home I get it right back.
Q: Who are your best friends on the team?
A: Most of the guys I came in with as a freshmen in 2003. We call ourselves the New Money Clique’. It’s me, Jamal Harris, Justin Valentine, Amir Pinnix, Ernie Wheelwright, Deon Hightower and Willie VanDeSteeg.
A: That’s a good one. I get that a lot. I think my dad was a Desi Arnez fan. I didn’t know anything about Desi Arnez until people started asking me if I my name came from that show. People also ask me if that’s my real name or is it short for Desmond. That’s my real name, Desi. It’s unique and I don’t really like it, but other people seem to.
Q: What has been your family’s influence on your life?
A: My family has had a big influence on my life. It was tough because I was the only child and I didn’t have a father figure. My mom raised me by herself and it was hard for me to deal with, especially after Hurricane Katrina. Then this past summer I lost one of my cousins who was also my best friend. I did everything with him before he was killed in a car accident. I ended up going home right before camp started and that was very difficult to deal with. But overall, family is a big influence, especially being from the South. It’s been instilled in me along with the importance of religion in my life.
Q: As a senior looking back, what is the best memory of your Gopher career thus far?
A: Probably beating Michigan for the Jug. Also winning the Axe in my freshman year.
Q: What’s the best thing about playing for Coach Brewster and the new staff?
A: Enthusiasm is extremely high and you can feel it at every practice. The level of competition that he wants you to play at and the fact that he wants you to have fun are big things. I enjoy the enthusiasm of our practices and game preparations. I believe that it has made me a better player because it holds me accountable. I have had issues with my confidence but I have worked on that and how to stay focused and play with passion.
Q: How important is it to play with confidence when you are a cornerback?
A: If you don’t play with confidence in your abilities it can hurt you. Everybody’s watching you and I believe it is the hardest position to play on the field. At corner you are singled out and if you make one mistake everyone sees it.
Q: Do you feel you can unleash your talents when you play on special teams?
A: Playing special teams takes a lot of energy. You have to be real energetic to do the things that are asked of you on special teams. It can be a big transition for some players, but I love it.
Q: What has been your favorite class so far at the “U”?
A: My favorite class has been art media. I took it with Ernie Wheelwright and I really enjoyed it. We had an acting scene at the end of the class and that was one of the best aspects of the class.
Q: What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
A: Cutting grass in the middle of the day in the middle of the summer in Louisiana.
Q: What do you want to do with your life when your football career is over?
A: I’d like to open my own Southern food restaurant.
Q: What is your favorite food?
A: Gumbo and jambalaya.
Q: What makes a good gumbo?
A: A good variety of meats and sausages, shrimp and seafood and okra.
Q: Being up in Minnesota do you miss the culture of the South?
A: Yes, especially the food. I also miss the Southern accents. I used to get teased a lot for my accent. My teammates sometimes make fun of me and try to talk like me. I’ve kinda lost it being in Minnesota for five years. But as soon as I go back home I get it right back.
Q: Who are your best friends on the team?
A: Most of the guys I came in with as a freshmen in 2003. We call ourselves the New Money Clique’. It’s me, Jamal Harris, Justin Valentine, Amir Pinnix, Ernie Wheelwright, Deon Hightower and Willie VanDeSteeg.
Players Mentioned
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