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In January, ASU senior cornerback Omar Bolden sat in the third floor of the Ed and Nadine Carson Student-Athlete Center and announced to reporters that he would forego an opportunity to enter the NFL draft and return to school for his senior season.“I have decided to take my talents to the next level, and when I say next level, I mean I’m going to take my talents to the next level here at this program and go ahead and bring that Pac-12 Championship here back to Tempe,” Bolden said while unbuttoning his blue shirt to reveal his maroon No. 3 Sun Devils jersey.
The opportunity to play professional football may be a life-long goal that most people would be unwilling to pass up, but Bolden is unlike most people. Bolden is a leader, a father figure in a family he helped create.
“These are guys that I came in with,” Bolden said. “I built special relationships with certain guys on this team. They’re not only teammates of mine, but I see these guys as family and I wanted to finish that off. I started something here and I wanted to finish it with my guys.”
Bolden’s decision may have come as a surprise since he was one of four unanimous choices to the All-Pac 10 team in 2010. He was coming off a season in which he tied his career high in pass breakups and led the team in interceptions, but expectations were high for the upcoming season. Then again, expectations were simply expectations, while the NFL was a reality. Nevertheless, Bolden wanted to finish his career in Tempe.
Then, spring practices began.
On the third play of an April 2, scrimmage, five months prior to ASU’s season opening game against UC Davis, Bolden injured his left knee. It was later revealed that he had torn his anterior cruciate ligament. The 2011 season had not yet started, but Bolden’s senior season — and Sun Devil career — was more than likely over.
The ACL, one of four major ligaments in the knee, is devastating for athletes because it often requires them to sit out an entire season as the typical recovery time is six to nine months according to Bill Martin, the head athletic trainer at ASU.
Martin explained that ACL tears occur when the knee hyperextends and can happen during both contact and non-contact situations. Tearing an ACL and recovering from it is one thing, but there is no set way to prevent the injury, as it often seems to happen out of nowhere.
“ACL injury prevention focuses on strength and conditioning (while) focusing on quad and hamstring equally,” Martin said. “Some down linemen wear prophylactic bracing due to contact at the line of scrimmage. There is no one way to prevent ACL injuries.”
Bolden’s senior season may have ended 153 days before he was expected to take the field and play under the lights at Sun Devil Stadium, but Bolden’s leadership ability is arguably his biggest asset to the team and a knee injury was not going to stop him from being who he is — a captain.
“He’s our biggest cheerleader. He’s the energy bunny out there,” coach Dennis Erickson said. “A lot of times you see guys get hurt, they don’t play anymore, you don’t ever see them for whatever reason. Omar’s around here all the time coaching and trying to help these young guys.”
One of those young players, sophomore Alden Darby, enjoys having Bolden around the program and appreciates the wisdom the senior brings.
“Omar plays a huge role in the team,” Darby said. “Last year, Jan. 5, the first day I got here, he took me under his wing and he’s always a good mentor, like a big brother to me. He’s all for making me a better player. He wants me to be a better player. He wants me to be better than him. He gives me all types of tips from on the field to outside the field, to school, to life in general. He’s giving me tips and helping me out along the way.”
Attend any ASU football practice and it is evident why Darby and junior cornerback Deveron Carr refer to Bolden as a “big brother.” Bolden stands out at football practices, not because he is the only player on the scout team defense not wearing a yellow jersey, as he opts to wear his regular white defensive jersey, but because of his tireless work ethic.
Wearing black basketball shorts, which fail to mask the personalized number three black knee brace, Bolden sets down his helmet and grabs the bottom of his shirt, exposing the words “God’s Gift” tattooed across his abdomen as he wipes the sweat off his face.
Sweat may be part of everyday life for athletes, but for some it comes simply as a result of the Tempe sun, while Bolden’s constant sweat signifies his work ethic.
“You always see Omar breaking a sweat whether it’s in the weight room or outside,” Carr said. “He’s in rehab everyday when I come in there whether I’m getting tape or getting rehab on some of the injuries that I’ve had in the past. He’s in there working hard. Whether he’s running 50s or doing some sort of squat for his knee, Omar’s sweating because he’s giving it his all.”
Bolden’s motivation and desire to be the best both on and off the field is something no one questions, yet the 22-year-old California native also knows how to have fun and take a break from the rigors of college football.
While his teammates participate in seven on seven drills, Bolden is on the sidelines discussing the new Wale album with his teammates and members of the media.
It’s not easy to make it in the music industry and Bolden, an artist on the field, knows he needs to adapt for the NFL, similar to the way musicians adapt to public demand. Division-1 players trying to make the NFL are like musicians trying to land their first record deal. The comparison may fit, but fails to tell the entire story.
“It’s like following me on Twitter and pretending you know me,” says Bolden who is very active on twitter with over 1,300 followers and 14,000 tweets. “It’s just Twitter. Hang out with me if you really want to know me.”
Bolden may be able to take his mind off football and discuss music between reps, but his attention never diverts from the task at hand as he is quick to compliment Carr on his footwork. While he enjoys coaching up the younger players, watching his teammates play football comes with understandably mixed emotions. The Sun Devil captain is clearly frustrated as there is nothing he would like more than to join his teammates on the field.
“It’s very frustrating because I have to sit down and watch guys play the game I work so hard to play myself,” Bolden said before acknowledging he still enjoys finding ways to contribute to the team’s on-field success. “It’s emotionally draining. Helping guys if they see something or if they’re a little confused on the field. (I) just do whatever I can talking to guys or picking guys up. If he’s having problems with his girl I can even help the situation. I’m just doing anything I can.”
Although Bolden enjoys and takes pride in helping his teammates, it’s far from fulfilling. Frustrations are evident and Bolden’s competitive nature becomes clear in his voice when talking about the close games the Sun Devils have lost this season.
“When we lose close games, a person in my position always feels that I could have made a play to help us win,” Bolden said. “But, it is what it is. It’s reality to me now.”
Talk to Bolden about his injury, the rehabilitation process or life in general, and he always come across as a positive guy with a terrific outlook on life.
Bolden’s constant laughter and infectious smile are more than acts in front of a camera. Bolden preaches living a positive lifestyle and reminds himself to do so via his “positive living” wristband and daily “life’s good” tweets.
“I’ve got a good circle of friends around me that I’ve grown up with that are like my brothers,” Bolden said with a smile. “A couple of years ago we heard this one line in a song that goes, ‘negative energy sticks to you like a thumbtack’ for some reason that line in that song really went through our ears and we heard that and have just been trying to stay positive because positive things happen to positive people.”
Six months after Bolden tore his ACL, the effects of positive things happening to positive people were seen as doctors medically cleared him on Oct. 24. He may have been cleared, but Bolden was not ready to step onto the football field until he regained confidence in his knee and was “effective as (he) was six months ago.” To those who do not quite understand the difficulties of recovering from a knee injury, Bolden’s reluctance to return to the field may have come across as a player only focused on himself and his standing amongst NFL teams.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
“I do love ASU and if I have the opportunity to play, I will,” Bolden said.
Senior linebacker Colin Parker, who had two ACL surgeries in high school, understands the difficulties of recovering from a knee surgery. Due to his knee problems, Parker missed two full seasons of football, his senior season of high school and freshman season at ASU. Because of his experience with knee injuries, Parker may be one of the best people to evaluate Bolden’s progress from a player’s point of view.
“I’m excited for him,” Parker said. “He’s running and cutting, but you can tell there’s a little hesitation at some points. You get there physically, but it takes longer mentally. It’s something you have to be out there doing for a while and realize, ‘I’m going to be okay if I do certain things.’ It takes a while to get that back.”
While he is unable to help his team on Saturday nights, Bolden provides an All-Pac-10 cornerback for the receivers to practice against. More importantly, his mere presence inspires his teammates and motivates them to work harder.
“It’s more than encouraging,” Darby said. “Having him here gives me a good feeling. He’s a good motivation and a good guy to have around. I know he’s a winner and the character he brings is a good vibe and he makes us all believe.”
It may seem normal for a player who is likely to never play a down of his senior season to regret his decision and spend his days thinking “what if,” but Bolden does not regret his decision to return to Tempe and appreciates his final season in maroon and gold. Although he did not get to play in front of NFL scouts, Bolden’s season from the sideline provides him with a different understanding of the game of football that will help him when he reaches the next level.
“I definitely see it from a different perspective,” Bolden said. “I’m a player, but I’m a player who’s watching from the sidelines now. Definitely see things a little slower now. When I’m getting back out here trying to play, I see things more clearly. As far as my mental game goes, I have certainly developed that a lot more. There are pros and cons to the whole situation.”
Reach the reporter at william.boor@asu.edu Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
