Cecil Shorts III is a starting wide receiver for the Mt. Union Purple Raiders. Cecil and the Purple Raiders won the D-3 National Championship while Shorts himself has had a very successful career.
You played alongside Pierre Garcon who is currently playing for the Indianapolis Colts. Can you describe the experience of playing alongside an NFL player?
It's a great feeling to see somebody that went through the same stuff as you become successful. He is a great role model on and off the field and to see him become successful is like a dream come true for all of us that knew him.
What is it like to play for Mt. Union, such a prestigious D-3 program?
It's a honor to play for not just a prestigious program, but a prestigious coach as well. He has really installed how to become men at this program. It's a gift and a curse at the same time because everybody expects us to win the national championship every year and if we don't, we feel like we let them down. But it's a blessing to be in that situation year in and year out, not too many teams can say they have been in the national championship 5 years in a row.
How did you know Mt. Union was the right choice for you and why did you make the decision to play there?
When I made the visit to Mount Union I felt comfort and love from the coaching staff and players that I didn't feel on my other few visits that I had. Also, they have a wonderful Education program here and that's my major.
You were voted as an All-American this past year. Are you trying to pursue a career in professional football or do you think you will end up choosing a different career path?
If the opportunity presents itself, I will do my best to take full advantage of that. If not, then that's the reason I'm in school in the first place. Student-athlete is the phrase used, not athlete-student. So if the next level doesn't happen for whatever reason, I'll be teaching and/or coaching somewhere.
What were some of your favorite memories playing for Mt Union?
Winning the national championship in 2007 was a great memory for me. We really wanted to bounce back from the previous year and send the seniors out on top and we did. Another one would be from this year in the semi-final game against Wesley when I had to play QB during the second half and we ended up winning 24-7, while advancing to the national championship game.
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