Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
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getting to know Third-Year Tight End Zach Swanson Tight end Zach Swanson already has attained a singular honor: He's been named to the inaugural Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list for football players with ties to Texas (his hometown is Katy, Texas). Swanson, a third-year, played in all 12 games last season and snared a career-long 36-yard pass against Maryland. He also is a key blocker in UVa's running game. My advice to student-athletes is: The most important thing is not to get isolated. A lot of times you get caught up in practice. Go out and interact. Part of college is going out, networking and meeting people. The primary challenge facing student-athletes today is: With the way the media is today, what athletes do well isn't always publicized to the extent that it should. Outside of sports we have a fixation with drama. That's a problem. The best thing about UVa is: I love Charlottesville. I love the lawn and the architecture. There are mountains and history here. It's a great place to live. You can interact with the community and get out and do so much. Why I chose UVa: UVa is a great academic school and I also had the opportunity to play in the ACC which I grew up watching. It has a great tight end tradition and we run a pro-style offense. What Is Your Favorite … … TV show: "Call of the Wild" … movie: "Cool Hand Luke" … actor and actress? The Robertson family from "Duck Dynasty" … Charlottesville hangout/restaurant? Wayside … musician/band? George Strait … pro sports team? Houston Texans … food? Sausage and wild rice … UVa class? Water Quality with Aaron Mills … sport (other than football): Basketball … pre-game ritual? I get dressed the same way and put on my equipment the same way. Swanson hauled in seven receptions for 64 yards during Virginia's 1-1 start this season. photo by matt riley/courtesy UVa What I like the most about football: I like the fact that you have to work with everybody else who's out there. One person can make an impact, but one person can't win a game. You have to rely on your buddies to do their jobs. I'm out here doing my job for the guy next to me. We're all trying to achieve the same goal. The highlight of my UVa athletic career: We beat Georgia Tech a couple of years ago and they were ranked in the top 10. The students rushed the field. The most important thing I've learned from football: You have to pull your weight. You have to do your part. You have to do your absolute best. Hard work in practice and learning how to perfect and improve translates into success. That's something you can apply to real life. My dream vacation would be: I'd love to go Wyoming where you can go big-game hunting and fish on the rivers. My post-college ambition is: I would like to have a lot of land and have cows. I'm not the kind of guy to sit down in an office and have a desk job. — Mike Scandura