Bucknell University Athletics
Veteran Francis has Seen A Lot During His Time as a Bison
10/29/2012 8:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 29, 2012
By Becky Hart, Bucknell Athletic Communications
Four years and 40 games makes you a veteran in college sports. With that much time and energy invested, you end up collecting a few stories and picking up some lessons along the way. That's just what has happened to senior captain Joseph Francis who, as he stares down the final four games of his Bucknell football career, can say he's seen a little bit of everything, including snow in October.
"It was hard getting used to the cold," says the Arlington, Texas, native as he reminisces about the adjustments he had to make upon his arrival in Lewisburg. "The main thing was the weather. I know it snowed on Oct. 15. I made a video on my phone and everything. I said, `It's October and it's snowing,' I didn't know how I was going to deal with that."
Adjusting to the cold is simple. You get a heavier coat. Not so simple for Francis and many other Bison has been the shift in personnel, both on the field and the sidelines. Francis and fellow senior Robert Owoyele, who both graduated from Juan Seguin High School, were recruited by Bucknell before the arrival of head coach Joe Susan his staff. Francis recalls the coaching transition as both one of the most difficult times and a highlight of his career in the Orange and Blue.
"Sophomore year, the coaching change, that was probably the toughest time for me. I learned how to deal with it, deal with adversity and try to become a leader, and everything got better."
Later Francis adds, "I feel like some of my best times on the field were after the midpoint of my sophomore year. After that, after I learned how to deal with the coaching change, then it started getting back to fun. It didn't feel like a job."
With that piece in place, Bucknell football saw a turnaround in its record. A 1-10 mark during Francis' sophomore season improved to 6-5 last year in his junior campaign. In 2012, the Bison have been forced to rebuild in some areas after losing a veteran core that included Josh Eden, Robert De La Rosa, Bryce Robertson and Sean Rafferty. That group accounted for some big-time defensive stats as Robertson had 13 interceptions last year and was named an AP Second Team All-American, Eden finished his career with an NCAA-record 11 blocked kicks, Rafferty led the team with 70 tackles and De La Rosa tied Eden for a Bison-high 6.5 sacks. Their graduation left a gap that Bucknell is still trying to bridge this fall.
"That's the biggest difference by far," says Francis, referring to the transition from an experienced line to the younger group on this year's squad. "It's probably the most determining factor. Everything else is fine. Everybody works hard, everybody studies, everybody watches film, everybody's disciplined and coachable. They're young, but they're willing to work hard. I feel like we're going to be fine in the future.
"We have a young offensive line this year, so we knew there were going to be struggles offensively," he continues. "They're doing a good job, it's just you can tell some of them don't have experience on the field. Regardless, the defense and special teams - besides last game against Lehigh - we're playing well. It's just trying to put all the pieces together. I feel like next year and the year after that, they're going to be a really good team with a way better record. I still like my team, though. We'll be fine."
Admittedly this season has not gone quite as planned, but the cornerback is trying to keep a level head, and his teammates' heads high, through it all. Of Bucknell's three captains - Tyler Smith and Beau Traber are the other two - Francis sees himself clearly as the vocal leader with Smith subscribing to the lead-by-example method and Traber doing his best to get under opponents' skin. But even Francis has been known to let his actions do the talking as he has developed a reputation as a hard hitter and the first one down the field on punts.
"I'm like a spark plug, just trying to make plays. Make a big play and change momentum. If we're over there on the sideline and everybody's quiet and we're on punt, I just try to make a big play," says Francis. "I try to get everybody back in the game, get them alive, get them clapping, yelling, screaming. But other than that, my role is pretty much keeping the team morale high. That's probably my most important job on the team. Don't let anybody stay with their head down. We lost some games and it's easy for everybody just to quit and go through the motions for the rest of the season, but we've still got to do better and strive to win as much as we can."
Throughout the ups and downs of the last few years, Francis has called on the guidance of those around him. In the classroom while working toward his degrees in history and Spanish, that job has fallen on his advisor, Leslie Patrick.
"Meeting her, talking to her all the time, getting her constant mentoring, it always helps," mentions Francis.
Around campus, Francis has his friends and the Black Student Union. "That's really helped me assimilate to the `Bucknell Bubble.' I really felt like an outsider for awhile."
On the field, there's the constant support of fellow players like Owoyele, who has turned from rival from an opposing middle school to high school and now college teammate. The two Texans were recruited together and even formed a kind of pact that they would only come to Bucknell if the other also came. The bond between Francis and Owoyele has strengthened over the years, but do they still find themselves in competition?
"Definitely. Always. Ever since high school. We came from rival junior high schools and we beat them every year," recalls Francis. "But we came in as freshmen, and we had to be on the same team. It was a lot of noise, talking. Every practice I try to hit Rob, but I never can hit him. He's too evasive. He's too elusive. He's just quick and fast. It's kind of been hard the last few years because he's been dealing with injuries and conditions that he can't control, but he keeps my head in the game. Before every game, we always go up to each other. `I love you.' Same thing every game. He helped out a lot."
Owoyele isn't the only touch of home Francis has to guide him as he names his mother and three older sisters as some of the most influential forces in his life.
"My mother, Lajuana Francis, she's a single parent and she's probably been the most influential person in my life. She's strong. I try to emulate her and deal with things. She deals with adversity better than anyone I've ever seen. And my older sisters pretty much molded me. That's where I got my maturity from a young age. I used to watch them.
"Plus, physically people tell me I write like a girl all the time. I tell them I was raised by women, so there's nothing I can do about it," Francis joked. "But those are probably the most influential people in my life. All women."
With all that Francis has seen in his nearly four years as a Bison, including the inside of the caf where he eats six to seven meals a day, there is still one experience he has yet to check off his list. His commitment to football has kept him in Lewisburg, unable to test his Spanish and ability to adapt while studying abroad. Before he can get that first stamp on his passport, however, he's preparing for life after football and life after Bucknell.
"I want to go to law school. I'm just trying to get prepared for the LSAT," says Francis. "If nothing else, I'm going to graduate school, but at the same time, I want to work, so I'm applying for Teach for America. I'm just trying to wait to get football out of my system. Other than that, I'm trying to talk to everybody, trying to network as much as possible, going to all the Career Development programs and seeing what I can do. I'm not ready for the real world. I'm not ready to leave."
Note: This story appeared in a recent edition of the Bucknell Football Gameday Program.
