Former Loveland High School and Ball State Cardinals standout quarterback Drew Plitt completed 19 of his 25 attempts for 172 yards in his XFL debut to help the Arlington Renegades to a 22-20 win against the Vegas Vipers.
Plitt, who spent last preseason with the Cincinnati Bengals, will look to lift the Renegades to a 2-0 start with a win Sunday against the Roughnecks in Houston. And Arlington visits former Bengals quarterback A.J. McCarron and the St. Louis Battlehawks on March 12.
In an exclusive Q&A with The Enquirer ahead of this weekend's game on ESPN2, Plitt talked about playing in the XFL for Bob Stoops, how he grew during his time with the Bengals, Cincinnati connections with Renegades coordinators Jay and Jonathan Hayes, and more:
How would you describe your XFL experience thus far? How did your experience with the Bengals help prepare you for this?
"The experience with the XFL has been great so far. It's high-quality football with guys flying around and the games have been really exciting. It's a great experience at the professional level. When I was with the Bengals, that's how I learned to be a professional. I was able to learn from players like Joe Burrow, Brandon Allen and Jake Browning. All of them really taught me what it means to be a professional, so getting to learn from them was great."
What are some of the biggest things you've learned so far playing for Bob Stoops?
"Playing for Coach Stoops has been great. Like I said, it's just about being a professional by practicing the right way and getting things done. When you are smart about the way you practice, you are able to get more things done and be more efficient."
Did you know Jonathan Hayes when you played at Loveland and he was the Bengals' tight ends coach? Did you know Jay during the same time, when he coached the Bengals' defensive line? Do the three of you talk about Cincinnati and what you miss the most?
"I briefly knew Jonathan Hayes. We never really had any official conversation or meeting. We said 'hi' in passing, and things like that. My sister played basketball and volleyball with his daughter so we would see each other at their games. I knew Coach Jay Hayes because his son was a year older than me in school, so I had also seen him around. We've talked a little about Cincinnati and things here and there about what we miss back home. We especially miss Holtman's Donuts."
Which of your teammates did you already know from playing against them in the Mid-American Conference?
"We had wide receiver JaCorey Sullivan in camp, and I knew him previously from Central Michigan. I also played in college at Ball State with Antonio Phillips, one of the corners that plays for the Vegas Vipers. Other than that, it was a pretty new team for me. Obviously being a rookie, I haven't met a lot of guys in the league. I am pretty new to everything and pretty excited about the team that we have."
When did you find out Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia and Gerry Cardinale would be at your first game? Did you get to chat with any of them?
"The support that Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Gerry Cardinale, and the rest of the ownership group has shown is awesome. It shows that they are fully committed to this process of building and growing the XFL. I was able to see Dany right before our home opener so I said 'hi' to her."
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