The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
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Tyrique Howard Emerging as Leader Ahead of 2023 Season
6/28/2023 3:22:00 PM | Football
Tyrique Howard is no stranger to understanding what it means to be a leader. The 6-foot-6, 340-pound defensive lineman from Independence, Miss., served time in the United States Army straight out of high school. While he did not want to join the military initially, he describes it as his fresh start, or the reset button. "When you're in your younger years, you don't understand, and you don't take yourself out of your body to look at the picture. I've had a chance to do that," said Howard. He said the military made him into the man he is today and credits the military for changing his mindset and discipline.
After serving his two years in the Army, Howard was ready to begin his collegiate football career. He said the COVID-19 pandemic affected his football plans. "COVID came around and not everybody was getting the offers that were correctly desired," he claims. Howard decided to enroll at Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Miss., where he competed for two seasons. In 2020, Howard was named to the All-MACCC First Team and the MACCC Co-North Division Defensive Lineman MVP. In 2021, Howard was named to the All-MACCC North Division Second Team. After those two seasons, he found his new home at UAB in December 2021. During the 2022 football season, Howard played in all 12 games and recorded 18 tackles and half of a sack in a reserve role. He had a season high four tackles against LSU in Baton Rouge.
Howard has found family at UAB with his teammates. He stated he has always had a resilient mental state, but his teammates reinforce that. "I think my teammates, like Mike Fairbanks and Fish McWilliams…they had this energy where they just go, even when they don't want to go," he said. "Every day is a workday, but it's what you make out of it."
Howard has now become a leader on the field and is poised for a breakout season in 2023. He likes to look at the human aspect of football in a leadership sense. "You can't be scared to miss the shots you take because not all leaders are perfect," he said. "I try to teach people to not make a habit, but we all make mistakes." Howard has found similarities in the military and football as well, noting comradery and discipline go hand in hand in both.
Howard chooses to spend his time off the field relaxing, fishing, cooking, and spending valuable time with his family and girlfriend, who he says keeps him moving. Howard will be starting his senior season with the Blazers in the Fall.
After serving his two years in the Army, Howard was ready to begin his collegiate football career. He said the COVID-19 pandemic affected his football plans. "COVID came around and not everybody was getting the offers that were correctly desired," he claims. Howard decided to enroll at Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Miss., where he competed for two seasons. In 2020, Howard was named to the All-MACCC First Team and the MACCC Co-North Division Defensive Lineman MVP. In 2021, Howard was named to the All-MACCC North Division Second Team. After those two seasons, he found his new home at UAB in December 2021. During the 2022 football season, Howard played in all 12 games and recorded 18 tackles and half of a sack in a reserve role. He had a season high four tackles against LSU in Baton Rouge.
Howard has found family at UAB with his teammates. He stated he has always had a resilient mental state, but his teammates reinforce that. "I think my teammates, like Mike Fairbanks and Fish McWilliams…they had this energy where they just go, even when they don't want to go," he said. "Every day is a workday, but it's what you make out of it."
Howard has now become a leader on the field and is poised for a breakout season in 2023. He likes to look at the human aspect of football in a leadership sense. "You can't be scared to miss the shots you take because not all leaders are perfect," he said. "I try to teach people to not make a habit, but we all make mistakes." Howard has found similarities in the military and football as well, noting comradery and discipline go hand in hand in both.
Howard chooses to spend his time off the field relaxing, fishing, cooking, and spending valuable time with his family and girlfriend, who he says keeps him moving. Howard will be starting his senior season with the Blazers in the Fall.
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