November 3, 2005

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Fuqua is inspired by father\'s NFL past

As a youngster, Derrion Fuqua got to meet some of his dad\'s friends -- Terry, Franco and Lynn. At the time, it was nice and all, but it was also no big deal. Whenever Fuqua recounts those days to his friends and Wayne State football teammates, however, they listen in amazement. \"Unfortunately, when he was playing football, I never saw it. That was before I was even born,\" said Fuqua, talking about his father, John. \"But he let me meet Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris and Lynn Swann.\" John (Frenchy) Fuqua played seven seasons as a running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, collecting two Super Bowl rings in the process. He still holds the team\'s single game rushing record of 218 yards, set in 1970. The matter-of-fact relationship the young Fuqua saw between his father and former NFL teammates didn\'t really sink in until he was old enough to appreciate it. \"I didn\'t know what it really meant at the time,\" Fuqua said. \"But it makes me step back to think about it. Sometimes, it even blows me away. My friends can\'t believe I got to meet those kind of people.\" Just as his father was part of something special in NFL history, the younger Fuqua is hoping to be part of the start of something special at Wayne State . The Warriors, who picked up a 14-7 win over Gannon last weekend, have a chance to finish this season with some momentum. Wayne State (3-6 overall) finishes its season Saturday at Hillsdale. The Warriors went 3-2 at home but are 0-4 on the road. \"Right now, we want a winning (home) record to set it up for next year,\" Fuqua said. \"We only lose three or four senior starters, so most of our team is coming back. I have high expectations for next year.\" Fuqua leads Wayne State \'s secondary with two interceptions this season.

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