After earning his first start last Saturday against Stanford, senior defensive end Harrison Wilfley took a few minutes Wednesday to sit down with CalBears.com. Wilfley talked about playing in the Big Game, his mission trip to Uruguay a few years back and senior day this Saturday against BYU.
CalBears.com: What was it like getting your first start on Saturday?
Harrison Wilfley: It was awesome. It was huge, especially since my first start was the Big Game. At times, it felt like ‘oh what am I getting into’ but once I put on the pads, it was a game like any other football game.
CB: What was going through your mind when the coaches said you would be starting?
HW: I was kind of expecting it all year because I knew they’re a running team and I’m a bigger defensive end. So I wasn’t too surprised, but I was excited as heck when I heard.
CB: What was your mission trip to Uruguay like?
HW: It was an experience like none other. That country is a difficult country to live in. It’s nothing like the U.S. in any way. You go to the supermarket and there are almost no brands that you can recognize. It’s just a hard life down there. I had to help people with their lives down there in any way I could. So I was just helping build houses and cut lawns, but we didn’t have any machinery so we were using machetes and hoes to cut grass. At the same time, we were trying to preach God and just trying to make their lives better in any way we could.
CB: Were there any life lessons you took from your mission trip that you brought back to Berkeley?
HW: When we were down there life was so hard that something as simple as carpet in houses was one of the most fantastic things to come back to. I didn’t have my bare feet on carpet for two years. They don’t have sofas down there unless you’re extremely wealthy. Coming back, I was just so appreciative of everything we have here in this country. We’re so blessed here. Working down there, we had to be so persistent with everything and that helped with my schoolwork here at Cal. I was able to stay really organized and on top of all my assignments.
CB: Was it tough to get back into football shape when you arrived at Cal?
HW: When I came back, the next day I was in the gym with my trainer working out as hard as ever. My mom and I went to the grocery store and we loaded up on all the right diet foods that I needed to have. Sure enough, my weight shot back up. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be and I was able to get back from where I left off.
CB: What will it be like playing here Saturday on Senior Day?
HW: It’s going to be tough, but I’m going to make it worth it. It has been a fun ride and it’s going to be something that I’ll remember forever. I want this to be the best game yet for me. I’m just going to have fun.
CB: You grew up a BYU fan, what will it be like going up against your childhood team?
HW: I grew up watching BYU because both my parents went there. I never thought in a million years I would ever go to Cal and play them. So I was stoked to find out that I was playing them this year. It’s going to be awesome.
CalBears.com: What would it mean to get a win and become bowl eligible?
HW: That would be awesome, especially for my senior year and the other seniors here. To be able to play in a bowl game in my last game would be an awesome way to end it.
