July 14, 2012
How did your unique name come about? Actually my dad went to high school at LBJ [Austin] and back in the day they called it `da J'. That is how they presented the school to everyone. So then he kind of put his own little twist to it and it became "Daje."
How did you make the decision to play football at the University of Texas? I was previously committed to TCU, and that was my biggest school at the time so I jumped on it real quick. So then when Texas came into the picture my senior year, I was doing really well. I have wanted to go to Texas since eighth grade, so when they jumped on, I thought hard about it, but it was Texas.
What about the Texas program attracted you? The publicity they bring. The fan base. If I were to go to the league they have all the connections for that. And the education that they provide is basically the reason why I picked Texas.
What are your thoughts on head coach Mack Brown? Coach Brown is awesome. He is a real laid back guy. He is not going to tell you lies or just try and make you feel good about things, but he will just tell you the truth. That is was I like about him and his wife, too. It is a good family.
Have you felt any of the family atmosphere that Coach Brown brings and promotes? I have gone to dinner with him, and he will text me and all that. Just seeing how I am doing. I see that he cares, and that is what I like.
Do you feel you are ready for college? My mom always talks to be about being organized and all that. She teaches at Duke University, so she is really into being organized. You know you have to have some smarts, but not necessarily be a genius. Mainly be organized and that can help you in your college experience.
What advice did your family members give you before going to college? Being organized and staying on task. Just don't fall off task and no negativity or outside distractions. Never give any attitude and a bunch of other small things.
What is the biggest transition in football for you from high school to college? I am not sure yet. Probably waking up early but for the most part, not too much. Today being my first day it has gone well. Practice wasn't too early.
Do you know anybody from the same recruiting class and if so, do you have any relationships with them? I know a bunch of guys that I met at the Oregon camp. Like Malcom Brown, Jonathan Gray, Connor Brewer, Kendall Sanders and a bunch of others. Bryce Cottrell was visiting Texas the same time as me, and we went to dinner together with Coach Brown. I know a good amount.
Do you have any goals you'd like to accomplish before the fall starts? Working on my core for the most part. The core is like everything from what my dad tells me. That is pretty much it. Maybe some other little things like working on my feet and trying to be the best player possible.
When it comes for the coaches to find a place for you, do you have a preference? I don't have a preference. I can play both sides of the ball. I got accepted at DB. They want me to play on offense at wide receiver and running back. It seems like there are a lot of places for me to be. I will probably stick to offense, but I am pretty equal on both sides of the ball. It wouldn't be a problem if I switched.
Is the idea just to contribute somewhere? Yes, basically. I am equal at both sides and anywhere they need me and for me to get on the field the fastest.
Has playing college football been a dream of yours? Oh yes. I always pictured myself playing, but just didn't know where. I always knew I would go and play college football. It has still been a huge dream, though.
What is it going to be like running on to the field for the first time? I have always been trying to picture that in my head, but I really can't get a clear picture yet. I just know it is going to be exciting in front of 100,000 people. My dad said he cried when he first walked out of the tunnel, so maybe I -no I'm not going to cry. It is going to be exciting, though.
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