Pennsylvania native Christian Pierce (3) has become a mainstay on the Western Illinois defense since transferring from the University of Delaware last season. (Photo by GoLeathernecks.com)
By Dan Verdun
Christian Pierce comes from a football family.
“We have a big history with college football,” the Western Illinois defensive back told Prairie State Pigskin. “My first cousin Logan used to play at Southern (University) and Nicholls State with his older brother Lindsey Scott Jr. He was a pretty good quarterback. I think he won player of the year at UIW (Incarnate Word).
“Their dad, Lindsay Scott Sr., played running back at Southern University and then played in the CFL. My uncle on my dad’s side, Travis Pierce, was an offensive lineman at Delaware State. My dad played at Delaware.”
Pierce, whose hometown is Conshohocken, Penn., didn’t fully know his pedigree growing up.
“They started telling me about it when I got to high school. I always knew my family was athletic, but I didn’t know to that extent,” he said.
An all-area wide receiver and defensive back at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, Pierce began his college career at the University of Delaware.
Pierce transferred to Western Illinois last season, head coach Joe Davis’s first in Macomb. Pierce recorded 54 tackles in 12 games for the Leathernecks.
Four games into this season, Pierce ranks third on the team with 30 tackles. He leads Western with 16 solo stops and has two pass breakups to his credit.
Get to know Christian Pierce in this week’s Q&A.
When did you start playing football?
Not until eighth grade. My parents put me in the sport because they didn’t want me just staying in the house. I just thought it was fun.
You played four sports in high school. What were the four?
Basketball, lacrosse, track and obviously, football. I also did one semester of swimming and diving.
Which was your favorite?
Lacrosse was pretty fun. I liked it because it’s a big thing on the East Coast. I was playing it with my friends, so it was football in the fall and then lacrosse in the spring.
Lacrosse is basically football with sticks. It’s pretty competitive.
How did your lacrosse skills translate over to the football field?
You’re in a lot more open field situations, so it’s a lot of quickness and agility. You have to make a guy miss when you’re carrying the ball or stick with your man on defense. You’re working in a team setting. Sometimes you’re a man down (due to a penalty), so you have to work together on defense to prevent them from scoring.
How did your time playing receiver help you as a defensive back?
The offense I played in high school was a Wing T with a lot of motion. Being a wide receiver in that offense taught me how to be physical because you had to block knowing you might not get the ball.
Along with that, there are skills such as working releases. You have to know situations. A receiver might try to get inside, or if it’s third down he might break off his route to get to the sticks. A five-yard hitch might turn into a seven-yard route.
What did you know about Western Illinois prior to transferring there?
I actually had a teammate from Delaware who transferred here before I did. So, I knew about the school but didn’t really do a deep dive. I heard back in the day they played in the Missouri Valley so I was familiar with some of those opponents.
Fall is upon us. Outside of football, what is it you like about autumn?
I love the weather. There’s always activities like going to a (corn) maze. I love Halloween. That’s one of the big things I always think about. And, of course, there’s always football going on. Fall is a great season for me. I love it.
What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid?
I was a big Power Rangers and Spider-Man kid. There are a few photos of me in both my costumes. I never took them off.
What was your favorite Halloween candy?
I have to go with either Nerd Ropes or Sour Patch Kids. Those are pretty good.
Continuing along the list of favorites, what is your top choice for WIU uniform combinations?
You can’t go wrong with the all white or white with the camouflage, but the one that’s really grown on me is the one with the gold jerseys. It’s the white pants, the white helmet and the gold jerseys. That’s a pretty nice touch.
But, then again, I’d say the white on white or the white tops and camo pants are it (laughs).
Who is the unsung hero of Leatherneck football?
Coach (Sophia) Tedesco, who runs football operations. She makes sure we get food. She makes sure we have everything in order for away games.
Coach does a really great job and doesn’t get the recognition and praise that she deserves. She’s one of the main contributors behind the scenes.
What’s a hidden talent you have?
I used to play the piano when I was younger. I remember playing Mozart and “Fur Elise,” which were the basic ones for recitals.
What’s something you collected growing up?
Legos. I had a lot of them. I had a Stars Wars set. There was a spaceship that I used to build.
Do you have a favorite pro sports team?
I’m a huge Saints fan. My mom is from Louisiana. I remember when they won the Super Bowl. I was 8, but I remember it pretty clearly.
Dan Verdun is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin. He has written four books: NIU Huskies Football, EIU Panthers Football, ISU Redbirds Football and SIU Salukis Football.
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