Getting to know Maurice Stovall When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted Notre Dame’s Maurice Stovall in 2006 they hoped, as any franchise would of a third-round receiver, that he would burst quickly onto the NFL scene. Instead, the build-up of Stovall’s career was, at times, frustratingly slow. Blessed with elite size, an array of physical tools and an unmatched work ethic, Stovall battled injuries over his first three seasons in the league. Worse, these mishaps seemed to flare up just when he was beginning to emerge as an important part of the offense. But it appears that 2009 may be different for Stovall. Injuries to other Buc wideouts have given him another chance, and with rookie quarterback Josh Freeman taking the reins midway through the 2009 season, Stovall seems to be forging a productive bond with the young first-rounder. Tampa Bay’s ‘09 season may be coming to an unsatisfying close, but Stovall’s career seems to be picking up steam as he looks to secure a long-term role in the Bucs’ offense. In fact, Stovall has already set a career high with 18 receptions and 280 receiving yards, and has tied his career best with one score on the year. The most hopeful sign to be plucked from those statistics is the fact that 14 of Stovall’s catches have been on balls thrown by Freeman. While injuries and other situations on offense have dictated some of that, there seems to be a budding chemistry between the two gifted athletes, and a potentially exciting pass-catching combo for the future. Regardless, the hardworking yet soft spoken Stovall – known by his teammates as “Mo” – is simply continuing his daily grind, trying to build some “Mo-mentum” down the stretch that he and the team can carry into next season and beyond. Often the only thing a young player needs in order to prove himself in the NFL is an opportunity. Do you feel like this season, particularly the second half, has been the best opportunity presented to you yet? “I think it has. Mainly, most of it is due to guys being injured, unfortunately. But at the same time, it’s an opportunity for me to show the team, my coaches, players, and the front office that I’m able to play as a starter, make big plays, and perform very well.” You’re well known for your work ethic and have been since you first arrived here in Tampa. What drives you to put so much into the game, particularly when in terms of playing time on offense, it was taking a long time for all that work to pay off? “I think mainly it comes from a lot of different things, never just one thing. I always have a motivation that I can turn something negative into motivation. Sometimes if you’re not playing, you might get frustrated, but that just drives me to work harder. At the same time, I make it a goal for myself to be the best wide receiver in the NFL, and that’s why I try to perform in the weight room, in meetings, and at practice every day, and just try to carry that into the game.” Your work ethic – is that something you’ve developed over time or something that was innate in you for as long as you can remember? “I’ve always had it since high school. My father and my mother were hard workers, blue-collar workers, and they always told me to do well in school, work hard on the football field, and everything else would fall into place. I just try to keep the same mentality in the NFL." Fourteen of your 18 catches this year have come since Josh Freeman took over as the starter. Obviously, that has something to do with injuries and opportunities, but do you feel like you’re forging good chemistry with Josh? “Definitely. I think Josh does a great jobadjusting to any receiver that comes into the game. We work a lot on individual routes in practice with Coach Olson and the other receivers also. Josh does a great job of having good ball placement; he does a good job of getting a good feel for his receivers. All of us are different heights and different speeds and run our routes differently, but he does a great job adjusting.” What are your impressions of Josh Freeman so far at the beginning of his career. The Bucs obviously intend for him to be the long-term answer at quarterback. Would you guess that he will fulfill that promise, from what you’ve seen so far? “I definitely do, without a doubt. He shows a lot of maturity to be a young guy as a rookie, handling all the attention. A lot comes with being a first-round pick, and being thrown into a game in the later part of the season, especially when the team is not doing well. I feel as though he’s handling it well on and off the field. He’s very motivated and excited to play and practice every day, but even more excited during the games. So I think he’s doing a wonderful job.” Buccaneer management wanted to win in 2009, not rebuild, but they’ve made no secret of the fact that they felt the roster needed a youth movement. That gives young players like yourself an opportunity to become part of the foundation of a new era of success going forward. Is that something that motivates you? Do you want to be a part of that? “Always I’ve been excited to build and win a Super Bowl here in Tampa, since my rookie year. My mentality hasn’t changed. That’s another contribution of me working hard on and off the field. At the same time, I do realize that we have a young team, and quote-unquote ‘rebuilding,’ or whatever. But I definitely want to be a part of that, and I try to show that every day when I’m at the facility working.” Coaches around here say that if you’re not getting better every day at work, you’re getting worse. Is there any part of your game that you’re working on right now to improve? “I think for the most part I’m working on staying mentally focused. Especially when you’re tired, it’s easy to lose focus when your record isn’t doing well. But that shouldn’t show in your performance on the field. So for the most part I just try to stay focused, always know what to do, understand my plays and read coverages well.” How do you feel about your first four seasons in the NFL so far? Has any part of it been particularly satisfying or gratifying, or any part of it particularly disappointing? “I haven’t been satisfied with any of my first four seasons in the NFL, in my fourth season now. I’m never satisfied, I’m never content. There’s always things I wish I could’ve done better, or that I wish I could’ve changed. But I feel as though I have a lot more to accomplish, a lot more to give. I just try to work hard every day to achieve those things and be patient.” What has to happen going forward for you to feel your career is a success? “For one, I always want to be a Pro Bowler. I want to have Super Bowl rings, more than one, and when I’m done with the game, I want people to say, ‘Maurice Stovall gave all that he had when he played here in the NFL, he worked hard every day, was an influence to his teammates, and made a difference in the community.’” Obviously 2009 has been a tough year, but in your opinion, do you see the pieces in this locker room to have the Bucs competing again in the near future? “I definitely do. I feel as though the Buccaneers, we have a lot of talent on our team, guys making plays downfield. We have an experienced offensive line. We have a young quarterback, and from an offensive standpoint and a special teams standpoint, I feel as though we have the tools to succeed in the future.