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Strive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 2 Jerod FernandezA Sanford, Floride native, Jerod Fernandez began his football career playing under high school Head Football coach Scott Perry at Lake Mary High School. From there, the passion grew for the game. Originally recruited by, then, North Carolina State Wolfpack HC Tom O'brien, Fernandez arrived to Raleigh, NC in the Fall of 2013, but instead, would arrive on campus with newly hired HC David Doeren. Doeren, who previously coached the NIU Huskies, would go 3-9 in his first year. By his secomd year, in Jerod Fernandez's redshirt freshman season, it would serve as the foundation to what would be...2024-02-0459 minStrive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 1 Jmar SmithFresh off of our Winter break, the Strive Sports Podcast RETURNS for its second season, and what better way to kick things off than with one of the faces of the United States Football League (USFL), 2x USFL Champion with the Birmingham Stallions (2022, 2023), QB J'Mar Smith. In the first episode of season 2, Keegan Hartman (@KeeganHartman1 via Twitter) sits down with 2x USFL Champion, quarterback J'Mar Smith (@jMar_smith via Twitter) to talk Smith's high school/collegiate career throughout Meridian High School, followed up by his illustrious career at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, LA. Smith, 27, is embarking on...2024-01-201h 24Strive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 12 Marlon WilliamsOne of the most electrifying, most coveted names in ALL of spring football, not to mention, a 2x USFL Champion with the Birmingham Stallions, wide receiver Marlon Williams is hungry to make his long-awaited return to the gridiron after being sidelined in the 2023 season due to an Achilles injury...However, in 2022, Williams was a key offensive cog in propelling the Birmingham Stallions to a USFL Championship, recording 474 receiving yards (3rd most in 2022), and also tied for the 2nd in receiving touchdowns with four touchdowns. But, before the USFL came calling, Williams arose to prominence, serving as...2023-12-2552 minStrive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 11 James LarsenIn Episode #11 of Season 1 of the Strive Sports Podcast, Keegan (@KeeganHartman1 via Twitter) sits down with one of the most renowned insiders of spring football, Pro Football Network's James Larsen (@jameslarsenpfn via Twitter) to discuss updates surrounding the USFL-XFL merger talks. Nearing his fourth year of covering spring league football, coupled with over 650+ articles, and numerous interviews, Larsen sits down with Keegan to discuss what inspired his pursuit for a career in spring league football media. Likewise, James offers an extensive breakdown of USFL-XFL merger negotiations, and how we've got to where we are as of...2023-12-081h 06Strive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 10 Jace SternbergerAbout 57 miles northwest of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma lies a small town of about 4,800 people named Kingfisher. You may know some famous people to have honed from this town:- Sam & Bud Walton (Founders of Wal-Mart)- Curtis Lofton (former NFL LB)and the next guest on the Strive Sports Podcast this week... This is a man who had recorded 20 sacks in his junior year of high school with the Kingfisher Yellow Jackets. Actually, had been recruited by an array of colleges to play defensive end, but would ultimately go on to play tight end...2023-11-181h 07Strive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 9 Cam Echols-LuperArguably one of the most compelling, one of the most triumphant stories told on the Strive Sports Podcast thus far, in Season #1...Ladies and gentlemen, fresh off of signing with his NEW home in the USFL, New Orleans Breakers' WR Cam Echols-Luper (@Cam2xs via Twitter 'X') sits down with Host Keegan Hartman (@KeeganHartman1 via Twitter 'X') to "clear the air" on this week's installment of the podcast. Having spent his first two years in the USFL with the New Jersey Generals, helping them to propel to a 9-1 record their inaugural season (along with being...2023-11-112h 25Strive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 8 Jonathan NewsomeIn this week’s episode of the Strive Sports Podcast, episode #08 of Season #01, host Keegan Hartman (@KeeganHartman1 via Twitter sits down with former Indianapolis Colts LB, and 2x USFL Champion with the Birmingham Stallions, LB Jonathan Newsome. This week, Keegan Hartman and Jonathan "J-New" Newsome sit down to reflect on Newsome's storied career. From overcoming a multitude obstacles Newsome had faced off-the-field throughout his college career, to leading the Indianapolis Colts defense in sacks his rookie year (6.5 sacks), and even ranking 2nd in the NFL among rookies in total sacks [his rookie season] (2014). Additionally, the duo na...2023-11-042h 04Strive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 7 Vontae Diggs (W/ Special Guest: Jerod Fernandez)Two of the most fearless and most coveted linebackers of the USFL just so happen to sport the same uniforms on Saturdays and Sundays: New Orleans Breakers' linebackers Vontae Diggs (@diggsy13 via Twitter) and Jerod Fernandez (@J4nando via Twitter). Some might say that this duo is/are the nucleus of one of the most prolific and talented defenses of the [then] United States Football League (USFL) over the span of the previous two seasons. However, the Breakers have come up just short of a championship in both seasons, falling to the 2x USFL Champions, and hub rival...2023-10-251h 47Strive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 6 Josh SandersIn this week's episode of the Strive Sports Podcast, we divert away from the product ON the gridiron, and shift focus towards one of the [many] individuals whose played an integral role in sustaining the physical health of professional athletes, specifically within the USFL and NFL. Josh Sanders (@kernalsanders2 via Instagram) first gained his passion for athletic training when he first attended a Chicago Bears/Minnesota Vikings game in 2017. Then, his friend, and current AT of the Utah Jazz, Lionel Rice, was serving as an AT for the Minnesota Vikings. Upon observing his friend at that very game...2023-10-161h 25Strive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 5 Davion Davis"A few words that come to mind when I think of Davion Davis:- Leader- Determined- Humble- StewardIn my time with the USFL, I had the tremendous pleasure of befriending and networking with an array of personalities across the league- from players to media- and one who sticks out the most is my friend Davion Davis." - Keegan Hartman, Host, Strive Sports Podcast-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In this week's episode of the Strive Sports Podcast, Keegan Hartman (@KeeganHartman1 via Twitter) sits down with Sam Houston State...2023-10-091h 18Strive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 4 Johnnie DixonIf I could use three words to describe my friend, my colleague, former Ohio State Buckeye Wide Receiver, they'd be:- Humble- Outgoing- Resilient And Johnnie's road has not been easy. In fact, adversity is something JD knows all too well...Before he excelled at Ohio State's Football program, JD's passion for football began in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. More specifically, Dwyer High School, where Dixon would go on to become ESPN's 5th ranked Wide Receiver recruit (in the nation) in the 2014 high school recruitment class. Likewise, ESPN's 34th overall ranked...2023-10-0559 minStrive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 3 Marcus GrayOne of the kindest, hardest working, and most humbled human beings I've ever come to know, Marcus is a vibrant personality who possesses a deep knowledge and affinity for the field of Content Creation. Marcus Gray, aka @ijvisualz (you can find and follow Marcus on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter) has become one of my favorite follows on social media, but was someone who I developed a strong friendship with in my time with the USFL. His passion began in college, in which Marcus attended McNeese State University in Lake Charles, LA. A student-athlete with the the McNeese State...2023-09-281h 03Strive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep. 2 Kiante HardinOne of the most storied careers to have been cultivated out of Webb City, Missouri, but when Kiante Hardin arrived to Webb City High School in the Fall of 2010, little did he know he'd excel and flourish most on the gridiron. Ranked as the #17th best recruit in Missouri's 2015 high school recruitment class, as well as the #113 best corner in the nation (ranked by 247Sports and ESPN), Hardin's versatility as an athlete allowed for him to excel in nearly every position he was thrusted into. After his high school career under Coaching legend, 17x MSHAA Class 4/5 State Champion, HC John...2023-09-281h 01Strive Sports PodcastStrive Sports Podcast- Ep.1 Scooby WrightDuring this week's inaugural episode of the Strive Sports Podcast, host Keegan Hartman sits down with Arizona Wildcats' legend- a Heisman finalist at that (2014)- 2x USFL Champion, Birmingham Stallions' LB Scooby Wright III. In this episode, Scooby opens up about his high school and collegiate career, going from a 2 ⭐️ recruit out of Cardinal Newman High School (Santa Rosa, CA) to one of the Arizona Wildcats' most prolific defensive players, and the accolades to prove it: 🏆 Chuck Bednarik Award Winner (2014) 🏆 Rotary Lombardi Award Winner (2014) 🏆 Bronko Nagurski Award Winner (2014) 🏆 Pat Tillman PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Year (2014) and that's just college... However, near th...2023-09-2740 min