Cousins Commencement Speech Weaves Faith, Football & ‘The Nard Dog’

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Mar 19, 2019
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Cousins, 30, is not too far removed from one of the seats occupied last week, yet he is preparing for his eighth NFL season.


He said that “WHAT” questions have their place, but the “WHO” questions are far more important.


“I can tell you from experience that your joy in life moving forward will come far more from WHO you do life with than from WHAT you do,” Cousins said.


He reminded those in attendance that he served as a backup for two of his four-and-a-half years at Michigan State and for three of his seven NFL seasons. Cousins credited his former coach Don Treadwell for encouraging him to “prepare and lead like the starter.” Cousins said it became clear that just punching a clock “wasn’t going to get me where I wanted to go.”


Cousins also traced back to a major source of inspiration after his first Spartans practice in August 2007.


He tried to call out the plays but would have done just as well with a mouthful of marshmallows and peanut butter. Getting the snap count right wasn’t a snap, and when the ball was in his hands, he missed reads.


Cousins told the graduates that as he left the field that day, the idea of transferring back to his hometown crept into his mind.


Defensive tackle Justin Kershaw (2004-08) provided a boost, walking up to — and lifting up — the freshman.


Kershaw: “How do you think practice went for you?”


Cousins: “Not well, Justin.”


Kershaw: “I don’t know man, you may not know the plays yet, but those of us on defense could see you have a lot of raw ability. Just keep working, and it will come. We all struggled on our first day.”



Does Cousins, who finished his first season in Purple as the only player in NFL history to pass for at least 4,000 yards, 30 touchdowns, complete at least 70 percent of passes and throw 10 or fewer interceptions in a season, wonder what would have happened without Kershaw’s influence as a “window” person?


“I certainly would have walked off the field and gone on to practice the next day with far less confidence,” Cousins said Tuesday in an interview. “I don’t know that I would have for sure transferred in that moment, but it was certainly a shot in the arm to have a veteran player speak belief into me and help give me perspective.


“My freshman year as a whole, much like your rookie year in the NFL, is a learning experience and a grind, and you have a long ways to go to keep the long view in mind and understand it’s a marathon and not a sprint,” Cousins added. “It’s so important to just keep learning and believe that the accumulation of knowledge and skill over the season can become a powerful thing, but it does take time to learn and grow into the player that you someday hope to be. I think that’s why I’m grateful for my college career, because it taught me so much that then happened again in my pro career, but having gone through it one time prepared me so much more for what was coming.”
 
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