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merged with the family he's made on Grounds, and regardless of what may have happened with his foot he cherishes his experience. "Family to me is always family, whether that's my real blood family at home or my family I have here with my team," he said. "That's been a big part of us staying together this season and really treating each other like brothers and going out there to play for each other. "It comes down to trust, but also it's about guys coming together and really having fun together," he added. "Celebrating together, being together. And then guys who transferred in like Albert Reid and T.J. Thorpe, when they talk to the team, that's one big thing that they talk about. They came from Maryland and North Carolina, and one thing this team has that they didn't feel like their past team had was that family mentality, that family vibe, that camaraderie. "That really has helped us push forward. It's going to take us a long ways no matter how this season ends. Even past this season, we have life- long friends and it's a great feeling. They're really making my last year enjoyable." You won't hear complaints from Nicholson, even if he's not always starting the way he used to. He just wants to help the Cavaliers on and off the field. He played in eight of the Cavaliers' first nine games, starting four, and compiled 28 tack- les, 1.5 tackles for loss, four passes broken up and one forced fumble. Heading into November, his 36 career passes defended ranked first in the ACC among active players and sixth nationally. "It's been very different, but I just embraced my role, whatever it is," he said. "Whatever they ask me to do, I just do it. That's something I realized I really need to focus on this year. "Just go out there, play my role, have fun and be a leader to the guys, and if it's playing the boundary, playing in certain packages, whatever it is I don't want to be selfish. I just want to play my role and have fun with the guys." ◆