Nov. 4, 2005

By: Joey Mullins
Samford Sports Information

Growing up, Samford senior defensive end Steve Wisdom never thought he would be good enough to play college football. Even though his older brother played football at Jacksonville State, and then at North Alabama, Wisdom never thought of playing collegiately as an option for himself.

"The crazy thing is, I never thought I would play college football," Wisdom said. "That is why this has been such an exciting experience for me. Watching my brother and knowing how great he was, and knowing I wasn't as good as he was, it just never clicked for me. Not until Samford came and asked me to come down here."

Like a lot of young boys, Wisdom was introduced to football by his father. However, Wisdom says after his first day at football practice at the age of nine, his father was not sure he had done the right thing in introducing him to the game of football.

"My dad told me that the first day I was out there playing midget ball, I got down in my stance, and I looked like a little frog," Wisdom said. "He said he thought to himself, `what have I done.' I'll never forget him telling me that later on. He said I looked like a little frog, and he thought he had messed up and gotten me in trouble."

Wisdom caught on to the game quickly. While playing at Deshler High School in Tuscumbia, Ala., he recorded 75 tackles, eight sacks, three fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles as a senior. He also played offense in high school, catching 12 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns.

"I was fortunate to be able to move up from the junior high team to the high school team at the end of my junior high career," Wisdom said. "That jump started me as a freshman, being able to practice with the high school guys.

"Fortunately, I was at a really great program at Deshler," Wisdom said. "Our coaches really pushed us and taught us how to be tough and how to win."

When he finished high school, Wisdom decided to attend Samford for several reasons.

"One of the main reasons was I wanted to get away from home and grow a little as a person and experience life outside of my small town," Wisdom said. "Also, Samford was just a great fit for me. I know a lot of people say this is where God wanted them to be, but I truly believe that. I didn't realize it at the time, but I have seen over the years that it really was an act of God for me to be here."

As a freshman at Samford, Wisdom played in all 11 games, and he totaled nine tackles and one sack. In his sophomore season in 2003, Wisdom became a starter and he registered 38 total tackles, including eight tackles for a loss and six sacks, the second-highest sack total on the team.

In his junior season, Wisdom again had 38 tackles and two sacks. Prior to the beginning of the 2005 season, Wisdom was named one of the team's four captains.

"Being elected captain is something that I take very seriously," Wisdom said. "It is something I am proud of, and something that I am very, very thankful for."

After the first seven games of his senior season, Wisdom has 20 total tackles, including 10 solo stops, four tackles for a loss and two sacks.

Despite having posted good numbers on the field, Wisdom says he would like for his teammates to remember him for something other than what he did on the football field.

"I hope I have already accomplished this, but I would love to know, without a doubt, that when I leave Samford, the guys on the team know I care about each and every one of them," Wisdom said. "I would like for them to know that I genuinely love them as people and as teammates, and that I love them like Christ loves me."

As for when his Samford career is over, Wisdom has a specific goal in mind that might surprise some people.

"One day, I'd like to open a hunting and fishing lodge for under privileged kids," Wisdom said. "My main goal in life is to bring in handicapped kids, inner city kids and under privileged kids and bring them in to an outdoor environment, and allow them to experience something they would never experience otherwise."