The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/406183
112 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY MATT CARTER L ast spring, NC State assistant ath- letics director for communications Annabelle Myers approached Wolf- pack sophomore cornerback Jack Tocho with an idea: Tocho would interview other players for a video series. "I kind of halfheartedly agreed," Tocho remembered. "I didn't think she was really going to make me do that." When the 2014 season got underway, Myers did follow through. She had decided to call the piece "You Don't Know Jack" with a set that played off former NCSU student and popular comedian/actor Zach Galifianakis' "Between Two Ferns" bit. Galifianakis plays the role of an inter- viewer with an awkward interviewing style and off-the-wall questions with celebrities that lead to a painfully comedic exchange. Tocho was to play the part of the inter- viewer. His first guest was sophomore run- ning back Matt Dayes. Tocho watched Galifianakis' show and knew he could play the role, and he came up with his own questions to ask Dayes. "Matt had no idea, and Matt doesn't like doing interviews anyway," Tocho joked. Tocho started the interview with a straightforward question: "So Matt, you have been having a very good season so far. What is your take on that?" After Dayes' answer about working hard and following his coaching, Tocho went with the follow-up, straight-faced question: "Does it have anything to do with everyone thinks Shadrach Thornton is a better run- ning back than you?" In another sequence, Tocho asked the Fort Lauderdale native Dayes why people in South Florida were known to be fast. "Is it the water?" Tocho asked. Dayes answered that it is true in his opin- ion that Florida is the fastest compared to other states. "I find that very interesting because when I go to the weight room and look at 40 times, yours isn't the highest," Tocho responded. "Is there a reason for that?" The bit proved popular enough to spawn two more episodes of "You Don't Know Jack" with more planned. Tocho for his part has no problems doing them. "I like having fun, I like joking," Tocho said. "I pick on myself before I pick on anybody else, but I love having a good time. It also helps just getting my face out there and let people know I do something besides playing football." There certainly is a lot more to Tocho than being NCSU's starting cornerback. Both of Tocho's parents are natives of Kenya who migrated to the United States in 1993. His father, David, lived in Charlotte and was attending a Kenyan-related func- tion in Atlanta when he met Gertrude, who was living in Atlanta. David played soccer and rugby and ran track in Kenya while Gertrude was a good basketball player. Tocho noted his mother had a chance to compete in basketball. "You have to choose between staying and playing the sport or coming to Amer- ica and having a family and a better life," Tocho said. His father's situation was similar in that he was choosing for a better life. Both of David Tocho's parents died when he was 14, leaving him and his grandmother in charge of six younger siblings, which was not an easy task for a young teenager. "After going through all that, you want to get away and have a better life for your- self," Tocho said. "Not to be selfish or any- thing, but you've done so much for your family, it's time to do something for you now." The Tochos, however, have never forgot- ten their roots. Tocho has been to Kenya three times. The family tries to time their trips every five years and stay around a month. Although Tocho has seen noticeable progress in development in the country, he has gained an appreciation for everything he has in America. "Between 2000 and 2005, my great aunt came over to America and she was kind of like our babysitter," Tocho said. "She was living with us, taking care of us because my parents were both working. Going back with her in 2005, I saw her house. Not that we have anything huge, but we have a standard-sized home and things like that. You go to hers, she had to build her own house out of clay. "It was just heartbreaking seeing people that actually live like that. When we go we go with tons and tons of suitcases, but when we leave we come back with maybe one suitcase because we just give everything away. It's just stuff that we want, but it's stuff that they need." Football is still important to Tocho. His father developed into a fan of the sport when he came to America, and father and son watched it together. In the fourth grade, Tocho was asked what sport he wanted to play and he chose football. "I played on maybe one of the worst Pop Warner football teams in Charlotte, but my dad was at every game faithfully," Tocho said. He started his high school career at Butler High, but during his freshman year he was redistricted to rival Independence High. At Independence, Tocho played line- backer as a sophomore and then moved to corner for the last two years. He had offers from Army, Ball State and Charlotte heading into the summer of his senior year. Then NC State offered Tocho after he had a strong showing at its camp. Duke and Wake Forest were also interested, but Tocho got tired of "talking" with those schools and committed to State. He set a goal of playing special teams as a true freshman, leading to a few reps on defense and eventually earning a starting job. That's exactly what happened. Tocho's first start was against Syracuse in week six. Tocho got some tickets for relatives that lived in Raleigh that had never been to a college football game before, and of course his dad was in attendance. Tocho intercepted two passes in his first career start. "I knew my dad was growing crazy in the stands and my whole family," Tocho said. This offseason, Tocho worked hard on his technique and his self-confidence. He noted that he has approached practice with more enthusiasm so that he would be more excited rather than nervous before games. Off the field, he is majoring in account- ing. He has the potential to graduate from NC State in three years, and if football does not work out he would like to follow in his mother's footsteps and become an accountant. "I wouldn't mind being in a firm, but eventually I want to rise up and begin my own firm and run that," he said. "I wouldn't mind settling down. "I've done a lot, done almost everything you can do sports-wise, and I've seen a lot, been to a lot of places. It wouldn't be bad to take a break for a little bit." ■ Well-Rounded Sophomore Cornerback Jack Tocho Is Proving Himself On And Off The Field Tocho made 29 tackles, broke up five passes and intercepted one throw during the Wolf- pack's 4-4 start this season. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN