Oct. 13, 2006
- By Mike "Mex" Carey
Wasington, D.C. -- There are times when he'll think "What if?"
What if he had taken the scholarship opportunity in his home state at the University of Texas-El Paso? What would it have been like to play in a big-time football bowl game?
What if something had happened with Northwestern and he had the chance to play in the Big Ten or, better yet, in a Rose Bowl?
But Georgetown University senior defensive back Derek Franks doesn't really think in those terms much these days. He's content with where his college choice has brought him. There are days, for sure, that those thoughts will creep through his mind, but for Franks, he deals in what life has given him today.
"I do think about `What if?' at times," Franks said after practice at the Multi-Sport Field on the Hilltop this week, "but we're all put in situations for a reason and I firmly believe in that.
"Sometimes I think about it, but these four years are going to help me for the rest of my life. I'm really privileged to be here."
To be here - in Washington, D.C. and attending Georgetown University - was not something that Franks had really thought about until his senior year at John Reagan High School in his hometown of Austin, Texas.
Franks' parents, Hiawatha and Sandra, had always stressed the importance of education to their three children. Derek, the youngest, was a three-sport standout growing up, but after seeing his older brother, Hiawatha, Jr., use the combination of athletics and academics to pursue a higher goal (he attended Southwest Texas), Franks made up his mind to do the same.
"When I was at Reagan, I took some Advanced Placement courses to try and get ahead," Franks said. "I knew I wanted to go to college, especially after my brother went. I was a big sports fan and when I got my first (recruiting) letter, I was really excited. It was then that I knew I had the potential."
That first letter was from Northwestern. Along the way, suitors came from UTEP and Nevada, among others.
But it wasn't until he had a visit to his home in Austin from Rob Sgarlata, the Hoyas assistant head coach and defensive backs mentor, that he considered Georgetown.
"I was going to commit to UTEP since I had an offer from them," Franks said, "but Coach Sgarlata was the first person to come to my house. He met some of my family, we had a nice chat over some cold tea and I found out about the Hilltop."
Franks knew a little bit about Georgetown. He knew about Allen Iverson and former Hoya men's basketball coach John Thompson, and he knew that the educational opportunity was second to none. What he didn't know much about was the football program.
"I first heard about the Hilltop through basketball," Franks said. "I knew about the academics, but I didn't know they had a football team. Coach Sgarlata came out here and just showed me where they wanted to go with the program and that had a big impact on me."
That was the clincher for Franks.
"It was a great opportunity to come to Washington and play for Georgetown," he said. "I had some other options, but my parents always stressed academics and I wanted to be a part of building something."
Franks, who will graduate in May with a degree in sociology and a minor in government, knows that the building of the program hasn't gone the way he's expected, but he still attacks every meeting, every practice and every game with the same passion he did when he started playing sports.
"All I think about (when I'm playing) are the people on the field," Franks said. "I love those guys. Sure, it's hard to lose, and we've had our ups and downs, but I think when we get that spark, we can really do something here."
He's done his share since he arrived on the Hilltop in 2003. As a freshman, he appeared in every game, mainly on special teams, and recorded 18 tackles. Franks became a key player during his sophomore year when he started every game at defensive back, finishing sixth on the team with 43 tackles, and was a vital cog on special teams. Last year, he started every game and finished seventh on the team with 51 tackles.
Franks is back in the same spot on the field again this season and through six games has gotten off to a strong start, ranking second on the team and among the top-20 in the Patriot League with 38 stops.
His senior year hasn't gone the way he had hoped - the Hoyas are 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the conference - but with a new coaching staff in place and a group of young and talented players behind him, Franks hopes that he's at the start of something big for Georgetown.
"From my freshman to sophomore and junior years, our defense was one of the most feared in the league," Franks said. "Coach (Kevin) Kelly has come in and he's making us accountable.
"It's great from a football standpoint because he's been around and he's been to bowl games and knows what it takes to win. I'm a senior and it's kind of hard to see the season go like this, but this is the starting point."
What next year, after graduation, holds is up in the air for Franks. He's fine with that too. He may have an opportunity to play professionally somewhere and if that comes, great. If not, he won't ask "What if?"
"In high school, I didn't know where I was going to be and here I am at Georgetown," Franks said. "I'm playing football and I'm going to graduate. I love it here. I've made some close friends and that will last forever.
"I'm going to give it (playing professionally) a shot. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and if it presents itself, I'll tackle it. Georgetown and football gave me this opportunity. I'm a Hoya for life."
And there's no "What if?" about that.
