When you play college football and major in biology, your free time during the school year is limited to a few minutes here and there.
When Dez Abrams does find himself with some down time, he chooses to relax by listening or playing music.
The love for music started when he was in a high school group, and continued when he enrolled at Louisiana Tech where he was a member of Dawgs of Soul with former teammates Ryan Moats, Shelton Richardson and Phillip Fontenot. When Moats left for the NFL and Richardson got married, the band split up.
"We played old style and all original," Abrams said during WAC Media Day in Boise last week. "Old school is the real music. Ryan is in Philly and Shelton he's married and you know what that means.
"I don' have to pop in a CD to enjoy music, I can play it myself," Abrams said. "I can sit down and start to put together a chord progression and pretty soon I've spent three hours and not even knowing it."
Abrams' love of music remains, however. His tastes are eclectic, and you'd expect nothing less from a well-rounded guy like Abrams. His favorite artist is Israel Houghton, who is well known for his black gospel type of music.
Houghton preaches and exhorts in his songs, and Abrams is telling anybody who will listen that despite its inexperience, Tech's defense will get the job done this year.
"I've played in three or four schemes since I've been here," he said. "This scheme, the 3-4, it's the third straight year we've used it. We have a lot of experience with it. I expect us to get better."
Abrams himself expects to get better. One thing that constantly nags him is that in 35 games (95 tackles) he only has one interception, that coming in the 2004 season.
Scouting reports say he is a good hitter and strong on run support, but needs to get his hands on more balls.
"I just haven't been making plays," he said. "I need to be more of a playmaker out there this year."
With cornerback Tramon Williams gone, Abrams is taking on more of a leadership role this year, and with nine new starters, he'll have to. Though many of the nine new starters played last season, there's a big difference between being a role player and an every down guy.
'The coaches are expecting me to step up and help the new guys," Abrams said. "Having been around, I know how things go and what we're trying to do out there. I don't mind at all."
With the demanding schedule the Bulldogs have this year, they need all the leadership they can get. In a five-week span, Tech plays Nebraska, Texas A&M, Clemson and Boise State, all on the road.
"They (the new players) are getting thrown into it right away, and 90,000 will jump on them real fast," Abrams said, referring to the opener against Nebraska. "Some of them have never played college ball. After that (first one), playing in front of 40 or 50,000 won't be such a big deal."
The Abrams File
Year in school: Senior
Position: Free safety
Height: 6-0
Weight: 192
Of note: All-WAC Academic squad