It was an incredible play, from either sideline’s vantage point.
South Florida quarterback BJ Daniels wouldn’t go down, contorting his torso, keeping his feet moving and yelling at Antonio Lowery the whole time, “Let me go.”
Lowery, Rutgers’ weakside linebacker, kept yelling back, “No!” He’d shot through the line, he’d gotten his hands on Daniels’ chest and after driving the redshirt freshman back 40 yards, he looked set to drive him all the way into the endzone. Incredible.
Except, apparently, to Damaso Munoz.
“I was wondering what the heck was taking so long. I look up and see Antonio dancing back there with the kid,” Rutgers’ strongside linebacker said. “Someone’s got to teach him to tackle.”
Munoz stamped that with a pronounced head shake, Lowery shot him a head shake back and in those minutes after Rutgers’ 31-0 destruction of South Florida, the only thing Lowery might’ve had to actually learn was how to cut off Munoz’s media lanes.
“It’ll never happen,” Lowery said. “’Maso always has something to say.”
Well, play this much, the material adds up. Lowery’s started every game for Rutgers, going from surprise first-teamer to expected playmaker. His 48 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss are both third on the team, his two forced fumbles are tied for best and he has a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown. Something, incidentally, Munoz couldn’t manage off his one interception.
The junior from Miami comes home after every game to watch the DVRed version with roommate and best friend Tim Brown (“He’s always talking too,” Lowery said) and he’s very much the big brother to his ginormous freshman tackle little brother, Antwan.
“I’ve always wanted to do everything he does,” Antwan said.
Here’s a blueprint, Antwan. Ladies and gentlemen, Keep it Brief with Antonio Lowery.
Best part of being a Miami guy in NJ… “the snow.”
Worst part of being a Miami guy in NJ… “the snow.”
My dream job is… “starting linebacker for the Miami Dolphins.”
The next defensive player to get a touchdown will be… “me.”
One thing I don’t do enough of is… “go home to Miami.”
My teammates envy my… “head.”
When Coach Schiano yells… “spit comes out.”
The best part of dealing with the media is… “the jokes.”
If I didn’t play football, I’d… “be at home in Miami.”
Mama always says… “Be respectful.”
The commercial I could star in is… “The Oreo cookie one, with Antwan. Like Peyton and Eli Manning.”
When I finish playing football, I will… “move to Hawaii.”
The best dancer on my team is… “Devon Watkis. And Julian Hayes. Can I say two?”
I’m afraid of… “heights.”
The superhero power I’d most like to have is… “reading girls’ minds.”
The last chick flick I saw was… “The Notebook. It’s a great movie. Really.”
The non-Rutgers Big East player I’d like to have on my team is… “BJ Daniels.”
My advice to Coach Schiano is… “Keep chopping.”
The last Keep it Briefs: Kion Wilson.
Aditi Kinkhabwala has written a regular column for SI.com and been published in Sports Illustrated.