By Austin Turner — Staff Writer
This season has seen a massive improvement for the defense of San Jose State’s football team. It has held big offenses like the Oregon Ducks to low scores and has shown to be more than capable of taking the ball away from opposing quarterbacks at any second.
The heart and soul of this improved defensive unit is cornerback Dakari Monroe, a graduating senior who is often viewed as the leader of the secondary. Fittingly, the leader of the defense is a Leo.
Symbolized as a lion, the “king of the jungle”, the Leo is a sign given to those who display great leadership qualities, such as loyalty and optimism.
“My mom always tells me I’m loyal to a fault,” Monroe said. “If you have my trust I’m willing to give it all to you and I’m going to work to make that relationship great.”
Monroe’s deep loyalty extends to the football field. His coaches view him as a model of what they expect from San Jose State football players.
“He’s always positive,” said linebacker coach Bojay Filimoeatu. “He’s all about the culture here and he is the perfect guy that resembles what we want here.”
Monroe is often seen talking to his teammates on the field, barking out orders or telling them what he sees from the opposing offense.
Being a good communicator is key to being a great leader – and as a senior on a young football team, communication is extremely important to the development of the younger players.
“He’s always had that big brother type of attitude towards the underclassmen,” Filimoeatu said. “He’s been helping them out with the plays, watching extra film and he’s always the guy to give a helping hand to somebody who needs it.”
A self-proclaimed “film junkie,” Monroe thinks his preparation for games plays a key part in his success on the field.
“I watch a lot of film. That’s something I take pride in,” Monroe said. “I’m always prepared.”
The Leo is always working on his game, even off the field. Monroe watches film before bed almost every night, and likes to scout the opposing team and see how its offense works.
As a leader, he often pulls teammates into his film sessions to see if he can help them prepare as well.
Monroe feels as though he has a responsibility to be a mentor to the young and less experienced players within the secondary.
“We have a lot of young guys,” he said. “I try to take guys aside and talk to them. I always try to be vocal with them. Talking makes everyone more comfortable.”
As a defensive back, players have to be able to expect the unexpected. Being nimble and quick on your feet is crucial to being a great corner, and energy is key to this. Fitting the Leo description, Monroe also describes himself as energetic, especially on the field.
“Everything I do, I try to bring a lot of energy to it,” he said. “I’m pretty laid back but at the same time when I’m on the field or in the weight room, I try to have energy.”
Like most Leo’s, Monroe has a strong desire to be great. It’s easy to tell when watching him play. He has the drive and attitude to be as good as he can be that doesn’t go unnoticed by his coaches.
“If you watch Dakari practice and watch him interact with our team, there’s a real maturity to him,” said head coach Brent Brennan. “Even in all of the tough battles we’ve had this year and how he carries himself in the flow of the game, he continues to compete at a super high level. He’s just a really great young man.”
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