by Lee Brecheen
May 19, 2011 -
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| Gabe Northern during his LSU days |
Lee: Gabe, tell everyone what your doing these days in coaching. What college, and how long there?
Northern: I’m at Prairie View A&M College in Houston, Texas. I’m the Defensive Line coach, Assistant Strength coach, and I also coach special teams for Kickoff and Punt Return, and anymore dirty work my brother has for me.
Lee: I heard your coaching with your Brother Hesima Northern. What’s that like for you to be on the same staff as your brother?
Northern: It’s and honor and privilege to be on such a wonderful coaching staff, and be with my brother who is the Head Coach. There were only two places I would have considered for college coaching, LSU and wherever my brother was coaching.
Lee: Gabe, tell everyone how long you played in the NFL.
Northern: 5 years
Lee: What teams did you play for and what years?
Northern: Buffalo Bills from 1996 to 1999, Pittsburgh Steelers part of 2000, and the Minnesota Vikings in 2000.
Lee: Tell everyone what position you played in the NFL.
Northern: I played Outside Linebacker and Defensive End in the NFL. For Buffalo, I played Linebacker and some Defensive End on third down situations, and for Minnesota I played Defensive End full time.
Lee: What did you like the most about the NFL?
Northern: I liked my teammates, and the teammates in Buffalo had a team atmosphere like a family similar to my days at LSU. The fans also were behind us in Buffalo.
Lee: What did you not like about the NFL?
Northern: I didn’t like the business part of the NFL. Your contract can affect your future. Sometimes the best players don’t always play.
Lee: What’s your opinion on the NFL Lock out?
Northern: I wish they could clean this thing up. Greed is ruling the world. There’s no place for this in the NFL. I think if it was up to me I would lower the price of tickets for the fans. I mean it’s hard for a family of three to spend that kind of money to support pro football. Offer a free hot dog for a game, or some food or something to help these families out who support you, and can’t afford spending 500 to 600 a game.
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| LSU VS. South Carolina |
Lee: I know you still work out from time to time when you’re in town at LSU in the weight room. How much do you miss the time you had at LSU with your former teammates?
Northern: I don’t miss it because I see my ex-teammates all the time. I still see Casey Howard, Tim Hutton, Markeith Spears, Robert Deshotel, Eric Valentino, Joe Wesley, Robert Toomer, and Pete Ballis, because all these guys live in Texas where I’m at, and the LSU following in Houston is like that of Baton Rouge. We have to stick together because of the era we played in under the dirty days of Dinardo, and Curley Hallman. When we played back in the day the facilities where not that good back then like they are today. We were the true Tiger fans as players during those tough seasons of LSU football.
Lee: Who are some of the LSU players you still keep in contact with the most?
Northern: Like, I mentioned above, I see these guys all the time in Houston, Texas and LSU alumni groups do a great job of us getting together a lot here like I’m at home in Baton Rouge.
Lee: Who are some of the NFL guys you became close to and still talk to?
Northern: Marcellus Willey who now works for ESPN, and David White, who is from New Orleans and played at St Augustine High School. David took me under his wing as a young player, like family, because we were both from Louisiana. Also Thurman Thomas of the Buffalo Bills, Marlo Perry, Big Uncle Ted Washington of the Buffalo Bills, and Eric Moulds.
Lee: What are your goals in the future for college coaching, and where do you want to be in the next five years or so?
Northern: I set my sights on at least four years at Prairie View. I’m not one that needs to move around. I want to Win Championships with my brother here, and then coach at Buffalo College. I’m in the process of getting my masters degree which is something that’s really needed in this profession in order to move up. After that I would love to come back to LSU and coach at one of the finest institutions a man can play or have the opportunity to coach.
Lee: What was the hardest adjustment of playing football for you when you got to college and then the NFL?
Northern: The tempo of practice. Knowing you have to step it up day one that your there. In high school you might go against some freshman or a dummy, but in college everybody is All State; everybody is that good. The NFL you have to go in the first day, and be ready against guys that where All Pro or been in the league a long time. I was drafted in the Second Round, so I had to be on the first team in practice day one. I remember veteran Offensive Lineman Glenn Parker in Buffalo was who I had to go against the first play in the NFL in practice. My coach told me use the swim move on him, and I told him I don’t know how to use the swim move. I remember Parker almost planted me to China when he was done with me on that first play. When I got up my Jersey #99 looked like one big grass stain.
Lee: I know you bench pressed a lot in college at LSU and in the NFL. Tell everyone what was your max top presses back in the day (squat, bench, and clean).
Northern: In college, I squatted 565, benched 405, and cleaned 315. Back then at LSU I remember we set goals all the time.
Lee: Gabe, what can you do today in the bench press?
Northern: Lee, the other day I was working out, and I did 405 pounds six reps in a row.
Lee: Who was the strongest teammate you ever were around in college (LSU) and the NFL?
Northern: College there were more than one. RB Robert Toomer’s power clean and technique was incredible, and the weight he could lift. LB Robert Deshotel would strike fear in a man by just walking by him, and watching this guy lift weights. The NFL I would say DT Ted Washington and Pat Williams from Monroe, LA. My teammates in Buffalo were super strong dudes.
Lee: Tell us about Prairie View A&M, and what 2011 looks like as a team and the defense.
Northern: Honestly I think we have a great opportunity in front of us. The coaching staff has a brotherhood toward one another, and it rubs off onto the players. I think we have some kids coming up that could get drafted in the NFL. The SWAC is similar to the SEC conference where everyone is good. Our Defense will be lead by John Pearce. We will use multiple fronts depending on who we’re playing. The SWAC just got tougher with Alcorn State hiring Melvin Spears, and Grambling College getting Doug Williams. It will be fun this year because my brother Heisma is a great guy to work for.
Lee: What’s it like for you to play Southern in football being in the same Conference, the SWAC, and you growing up a Baton Rouge boy, not far from Southern?
Northern: It’s an interesting game for me. The stadium is 7 minutes from where I grew up. My brother played for Southern in that stadium. Mark Orlando on our staff coached there a long time, and my brother was up for the job at Southern. My family and extended family will be at the game. Coach Mitchell I know is working hard at Southern, but it is a big game for us to determine I think for a SWAC Championship. Prairie View has welcomed me and my brother with open arms and we’re excited this year.
Lee: Gabe, tell me the most impressive High School you have been to in Louisiana to recruit a kid.
Northern: Lee, I would have to say Ouachita High School in Monroe, Louisiana. I recruit North Louisiana for Prairie View and this place is set up like a college university. Their head Coach John Carr is big on kids getting exposure. If all coaches had a situation like Coach Carr, Louisiana would be in much better shape school wise for kids.
Lee: Any advice for the young men out there that read this about getting ready for college and beyond from your experiences being a NFL and College football player?
Northern: What I would tell recruits as a coach is when I come to your school to recruit you and maybe offer you a scholarship, present yourselves as the type of young man that’s ready to earn a job. If your ready to play college football, be ready to meet a coach at your school. Have your hair combed to perfection and not your hair all messed up, be dressed nice, shoes tied, pants not messed up and baggy, no funny hair dos. If I’m coming to your school to give you scholarship money and the potential for you to make millions of dollars one day and put my job on the line be ready to meet me and look the part.
Lee: Gabe, tell everyone about the great camp coming up at Memorial Stadium that you and several other former Baton Rouge NFL and college players are putting on.
Northern: The camp is for ladies only. It’s called the Ladies Lunch & Learn: Fundamentals of Football 101 Camp. It’s May 21st from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. at Memorial Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The camp idea was brought to me by Kimberly Haynes, a friend of mine from high school at Southern Lab. The camp promotes Breast Cancer Awareness. She called me to get involved with this camp so it was a done deal for me. My cousin was affected by breast cancer, and I lost my grandmother to this disease.
The ladies will learn what I like the most is how to (Scoup and Score) and take it to the house. They will also learn blocking schemes. Ladies always seem to ask why the football ran this way or that way, and we will show them why. We have a lot of big time college players, coaches, and many local former and current NFL players that you know Lee. People like Mewelde Moore, Michael Clayton, Eric Randall, Marcus Randall, Jimmy Williams, and Jerald Sowell just to name a few attending. Ladies will learn all the basics of football.
Anyone interested in registering for the camp should go to http://ladieslunchlearn.eventbrite.com or call Kimberly Haynes at 404-822-3231 or email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . All proceeds will go toward the Sallie Astor Burdine Breast Cancer Foundation.
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