T. McKenzie at the Senior Bowl

January 25

After what appeared to be a solid week on all fronts, former USF standout Tryone McKenzie piled up seven tackles and one pass breakup for the North team in Saturday's Senior Bowl.  The North lost 35-18, but McKenzie was able to post the second highest tackle total of any player.

GoUSBulls.com will check in with McKenzie soon to find out his take on the game, the week of practice and what is next for the NFL-bound Bull.

T. McKenzie at the Senior Bowl

January 24

You heard it here first... straight from the linebacker's mouth.  On Thursday, Tyrone McKenzie told GoUSFBulls.com that his stock was on the rise and that he was having a great week and then the Tampa Tribune reiterated those claims in their Saturday edition. 
Here is an excerpt and link to the complete story from Buccaneers' beat writer Roy Cummings on McKenzie's week:

"MOBILE, Ala. - Joe Fitzgerald has been coaching NFL linebackers for 15 years. He has seen a lot of them rise and fall during that time. He believes he sees one on the rise when he looks at USF linebacker Tyrone McKenzie.

McKenzie has spent his week here at the Senior Bowl working under the tutelage of Fitzgerald and the rest of the Cincinnati Bengals staff, and it's safe to say he has made a positive impression.

"Right out of the gate, on Sunday and then again on Monday in the meeting rooms, he was standing out," Fitzgerald said. "He was asking questions and clearly picking up what we were talking about right away.

"And that's nice, but a lot of times guys aren't able to transfer that onto the field. Not him. He's transferred it very well. I mean, I'm really pleased with what I see from him."

Click here to read the complete story...

T. McKenzie at the Senior Bowl

January 22

Former USF linebacker Tyrone McKenzie is the midst of Senior Bowl week in Mobile, Ala., but he took time out from his schedule to check in with GoUSFBulls.com.

Below is a Q&A with the Riverview native, who is trying to improve his stock during workouts that are watched by every NFL team:

GoUSFBulls.com:  How are things going?
Tyrone McKenzie:  Very well, very well.  I'm feeling good about my performances and getting a lot of positive feedback.

USF: Take us through the daily routine.
TM: We get up early and have to be ready to go at 9 a.m. for practice.  Practice runs until 10:30 a.m. and then we go into meetings and lunch. After that the day is filled with interview and meetings with NFL personnel.

USF: How do the practices differ from your standard collegiate practice?

Media & Team Coverage of McKenzie... DraftHeadquarters.com Pictures of McKenzie NFLDraftScout.com "Versatile Tyrone McKenzie (South Florida) is just a solid player who doesn't do any one thing great, but seems to consistently be around the ball." St. Pete Times "USF linebacker Tyrone McKenzie has been impressive in workouts. He is projected in a 4-3 scheme as a strongside linebacker because of his" TampaBay.com "Several mock drafts have McKenzie going late in the second round of April's draft. He'll get a chance to improve his stock Saturday at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., where he'll be scouted by coaches and general managers from all 32 NFL teams. Players in the All-Star game accounted for 88 first-round draft picks and 712 overall picks from 2000 to 2007, according to Senior Bowl officials." DraftBoard Insider "In Final 11-on-11 drills South Florida's Tyrone McKenzie began with great penetration and TFL in the flat."  MockingtheDraft List McKenzie as the seventh best prospect at outside linebacker. National Footbal Post "Versatile Tyrone McKenzie (South Florida) is just a solid player who doesn't do any one thing great, but seems to consistently be around the ball."

TM: Well they are shorter but the intensity is cranked up.  They are very intense, no rest and no breaks.  Everything is done in full pads, at full speed and you have to stay on top of the action.  We are not hitting like you would in a game, but we are definitely working at game speed.

USF: What is the staff of the Cincinnati Bengals throwing at the South team?
TM: Not as much as you would expect.  They have asked us to learn some new terminology and learn a basic NFL defense.  There isn't time to stand around and process the information.  I think that is one of the areas where I am the most prepared.

USF: Which Bengals coach are you working with directly and what advice has he given you?
TM: I am working with the Bengals' linebackers coach Jeff Fitzgerald.  He told the Tampa Tribune and St. Petersburg Times some good things about me today.  He's said that he is impressed with my work ethic and how fast I am adjusting.

He's also let me work on my cover skills.  I told him I wanted to work in a man-to-man defense and face the best athletes during practice.  They threw former Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew at me and I blanketed him in pass coverage. Coach Fitzgerald was impressed with my abilities in pass coverage, especially because of the athletes the Bengals have to face within their own division.  He wanted to see if I could stay with college guys that compare to the Cleveland Browns' Kellen Winslow and other players like that.

USF: How does the process of interviewing with NFL teams occur?
TM:  In the main lobby, every NFL squad has a table set up.  It's simple, you walk through and the teams pull you aside and arrange 30-minute appointments. So far I have met with about 15 different teams.

USF:  What are you hearing from the teams during the interviews?
TM: Good things, they say I am doing a great job and bringing a tremendous amount of effort each day.  They have told me that my stock is rising this week.

USF:  What are they asking you, that they might not be asking other players?
TM: The two things are about my transfers and cover skills.  I have explained how I ended up at USF (after transferring from Michigan State to Iowa State) and I think I have answered their questions on my cover skills in practice.

USF: During your time at USF, you put an emphasis on character and presenting yourself professionally. Has that helped during your multiple interviews?
TM: I wanted to come in and be well-spoken and give well-thought-out answers to their questions. This is a business and we are talking about my career. I want teams to understand that I am a reliable person that will represent their team with class on and off the field.

USF: What was the strangest question that has been thrown at you during interviews?
TM: One team asked me to draw up a play on the dry-erase board. I erased what was on the board when I came into the meeting and drew the play.  After I finished the play, they asked me what I erased from the board.  They wanted to test my awareness and how I absorb my surroundings.  Don't worry though, I knew what they wrote on the board.

USF: Coach Burnham always praised your willingness to watch film, has that helped you when teams have asked you to diagram plays?
TM: Everybody knows about Coach Burnham and he gets his players ready for the next level.  He prepped me well over the last two years and it has definitely helped me this week.

USF:  So what is your mental state after three days in Mobile?
TM: I came out here to give everything I have.  I came to compete and I was confident that I could dominate and show that I should be considered the best linebacker here.  I came to this event knowing that I had to put everything on the line, fail or succeed.  I think I have succeeded by proving I can go toe-to-toe with the best players in this year's draft.  Each day I have heard more and more teams say my stock is rising, so I am going to stick to the same script the next couple days and try to continue that momentum through Saturday's game.

USF: Finally, tell us who you have bonded with this week?
TM: Two guys in particular ? Nic Harris of Oklahoma and Derrick Williams of Penn State.  Nic and I have been training in Atlanta, so we know each other well already.  We'll both go back to Atlanta after the Senior Bowl and continue preparing for the combine in February.

USF: Can we check in with you again later this week?
TM: Definitely, lets talk Friday and connect after the game Saturday or Sunday.