# @willbradleysp on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CLAms3sJNiU
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/15524310-willbradleysp-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/cd6e5a6320.jpg
- **Posted:** 2021-02-07T23:28:59.000+00:00

## Caption

There are PLENTY of Temple Owls on both sides of tonight’s Super Bowl matchup! I wish them all luck, but one guy in particular holds a special place in my heart...Tampa Bay Buccaneers Safeties Coach Nick Rapone!

My first couple of years on the Temple Football team were spent on the scout team, which meant I spent a hefty amount of my formative D-I years with the defensive side of the ball. More specifically, Coach Rapone as he ran the scout team. Rapone was HIGHLY respected...if he stamped you, you KNEW you were legit, because compliments from him were more rare than cheesesteak shops running out of cheese!

Two football instances I’ll never forget...

1) At the end of practice on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s, we would scrimmage 1’s vs 2’s and VERY rarely 1’s vs 1’s. Only a handful of players got reps in that team period!! Some scholarship players didn’t even get reps. I had just made the team less than a month earlier (Yes...I did the Hardaway. No PWO life for me), and Rapone called me into the scrimmage from out of nowhere in front of the ENTIRE team...you want to talk about nervous!? I was more concerned about not making him look bad than I was my own success. You know I got right!

2) A few years later...I’m now on scholarship and competing for a starting position on a BCS (Now Power 5) football team. I’m now confident enough to “outwardly” show confidence. I’m showboating every time I score or make a big play in practice. I’m doing anything I can to make the coaches see me as a starter. After practice one day Rapone says to me “I don’t like the showboating, but if anyone out here has earned the right to do it, it’s you! I’m honored to have been able to witness your development and growth over these last 4 years. When he told me that, you couldn’t tell me NOTHING! You know how the story ends..I ended up grabbing one of those first 4 starting WR spots.

I know I’m only one of thousands, but I appreciate your role in my life, and hope that you’re able to accomplish this huge milestone tonight!

#WholeCliqueEatin #TUMF

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## Tags

tumf, wholecliqueeatin

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