Charles Nailen/The Hoya  

Sport: Football

Position: Inside Linebacker

Hometown: Ridgewood, N.J.

High School: Ridgewood High School

School/Year: MSB ’04

Majors: Finance and Management

High School Highlights: Named All-League in three sports . Selected as All-County at running back . Broke the school career rushing record . Named to the Principal’s List for leadership.

Georgetown Highlights: Captain of the team . One of the top linebackers in the Patriot League . 2002: Patriot League’s leading tackler with 119 . Recorded 23 tackles at Colgate, setting a Georgetown school record and putting him at the top of the Patriot League for stops in a single game . Team leader in solo stops with 66 and in total tackles . Recorded first interception against Fairfield and first sack at Lafayette . Registered seven double-digit tackle games, including five straight to close the year . 2001: Finished eighth on the team in tackles with 28 . Made 18 solo tackles and had one tackle for a loss.

How long have you been playing football? For about nine years now. I started playing when I was in eighth grade. I didn’t play Pee Wee League, because my mom was afraid that I’d get hurt. My grandfather actually had to convince her to let me play. It’s really nice because he still tries to come to my games.

Greatest non-sports related achievement: Just getting into Georgetown – it’s a great academic institution, and I’m lucky and happy to be here.

If you could play on any other sports team at Georgetown, what would it be and why? I would play on the golf team. I’m not very good at golf but I enjoy playing. It’s a really relaxing sport, and one you could play when you’re older. I would definitely play either that or tennis.

Do you think people treat you differently because you play football? No, not really. Sometimes you get the occasional teacher who doesn’t like athletes, but for the most part the professors are great and really understanding. And this year we’ve had great fan support – it’s nice to see everyone out there and supporting us or hanging out in the parking lot.

Best way to procrastinate: Playing Madden or NCAA football. My roommate Mark will ask me if I want to play a half, and it always turns into a game.

What do you miss most about high school? Probably my friends from high school – we grew up together and went to school together for about 11 or 12 years, so I miss just being around my buddies and family. Also, the easy classes – the ones you could just go to and goof off a bit.

If you could no longer play football, what’s something you would do in its place? I would definitely try to do something in the community – get involved in some more community service – or get an internship. I did D.C. Reads freshman year, and it was a good time. It gives you a different perspective. We come from a nice school and go to a rundown neighborhood, so you really realize how lucky you are. And the kids are really great kids.

Most prized possession: I’d have to go with my Super Soaker 3000 or something like that. I used to stand up in Henle and get my friends going by.

If you could change one rule about football, what would it be? I’d probably change the “no late hits” rule. The offense would get a kick out of that.

Biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome: Probably getting good grades in school and getting the GPA up.

Coolest place you’ve ever traveled to: The Jersey Shore – Long Beach Island. Everyone rips on Jersey, but it’s great out there.

If you could have any actor play you in a movie, who would it be and why? [Senior linebacker] William Skultety, just because he’s intense and hysterical. He’s one of my roommates, and he actually built his bed – but he made it so it’s nine feet off the ground. We call it “Cloud Nine.”

Person you admire the most: My parents. They’ve been nothing but supportive of me over the years. My dad tries to get to as many games as he can. And they’ve done a good job with my three younger brothers, too. My brothers and I are pretty tight – one’s in college, one’s in junior high and one’s 11.

Best thing about being the oldest child: I guess I never really got beat up when I was younger.

Best meal you know how to cook for yourself: Pasta, but I can’t really make the sauce. I just use Ragu. I like Italian food – my mom makes the best chicken parm.

What do you think of the new cafeteria? I like it. I do miss New South, but the new caf is very nice. The food is presented nicely, and the big windows that look out over the Potomac are really nice. And the food is similar to New South and I liked New South food, so it’s good.

One stereotype about football players that you hate: Probably that we’re all meatheads and like to break tables and crush cans on each other’s heads.

Favorite thing about college: I like that we have a lot of time. Not so much with football, but in the spring there’s plenty of time to sleep in and play pick-up basketball. Sleep’s a big thing. We don’t really have many responsibilities besides classes, and we’re in D.C., so it’s nice to take advantage of that.

How would you finish the statement, I could not live without. Shorts and tennis balls. I’m not really a pants guy, so shorts are good.

One word you would use to describe yourself: Hopefully, a nice guy or a good guy. Or maybe energetic.

One word one of your roommates would use to describe you: [Senior fullback] Ben Finnegan always calls me “The Bionic Man.”

If you could possess any talent in the world, what would it be? I’d like to sing and dance like Justin Timberlake.

One lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way: My GPA is still suffering from freshman year. I took it easy and didn’t do too much work my first year. And it wasn’t even because I was going out all the time, I was just lazy. And my GPA is suffering from that still. It’s not hard to maintain a GPA, but once it’s in the hole, it’s hard to get it back up.

One bad habit you have: Not shaving every day. Sometimes I look like a gorilla.

Funniest memory from freshman year: Freshman year, my roommate [senior defensive line Ryan McGovern] and I messed with some of our friends’ room on another floor. We knew they’d be coming to get us back, so we disguised our door as a girl’s door – we put up pictures of guys all over and designed it so they would think that girls lived there. So the guys came to our floor and were all confused. We had a girl on our floor tell them that it was a girls’ room, and we even made up fake names. I think Ryan was “Mandy McGovern” and I was “Veronica Clarke” or something like that. Our whole floor was in on it. And then we actually got dressed up like girls, too, and walked up the stairs. It was so funny.

Three magazines on your ideal coffee table: Sports Illustrated, Time and Golf World.

Favorite childhood toy: A wiffle ball set. I don’t know if that’s even a childhood toy, I still play that a lot. And Big Wheels, too – that was a great toy.

Sports you played in high school: I played lacrosse, basketball and football. High school football is really fun and it was a great time playing basketball. I couldn’t really jump. And I couldn’t really shoot either. But playing in a packed gym on Saturday nights was great.

Worst injury you’ve had: In high school I had a stress fracture in my back, so I couldn’t play lacrosse my junior year. I was in a brace for a month, and that didn’t really help it. But physical therapy helped a lot, and just exercising. It wasn’t that bad but I had to get better before I could play anything.

Favorite TV show: SportsCenter. It’s on constantly in my house. We don’t have cable right now, and we only have a few channels, so ESPN is constantly on.

Biggest sacrifice you’ve had to make for football: My summer gets cut about three weeks early, so my buddies are still hanging out and I’m out there sweating. But it’s okay – we don’t really have any breaks during football season. Everyone goes home for Thanksgiving, and right before that is when we finish up our season, so it works out well. I know other teams have to stay here over vacations, though.

Worst job you’ve ever had: I used to have to walk these two dogs, and one would always get away. I just remember my brother and I had to chase one home once. It wasn’t that bad, just when it would run away. But finally they got those electric fences, so we could just let them run around in the yard.

Best Georgetown memory you’ve had thus far: Typhooning [senior offensive lineman] Jim Lenihan freshman year. We filled a garbage can with water and Gold Bond powder and put it up against the door and knocked, so when he opened the door, it fell on him. He was pretty happy about that.

One random goal you have for before you graduate: Swimming across the Potomac.

Where do you see yourself five years from now? Hopefully I’ll have a job at that point and maybe be playing some pick-up tennis and basketball. I’d like to live close to New Jersey. My brother will be in high school by then, and I’d like to watch some of his games since he was always dragged to mine. Hopefully it’ll be a good time, and I’ll have a good life.

One goal you have for the football team this season: Well, we have nine games left. We’d like to win all nine, but realistically, maybe seven out of nine. We’ve had a tough three games so far, but hopefully we can come out of it and win some games. And really I want everyone to just have fun out there, too.

What’s under your bed right now? Two pairs of Nike Air Force Ones, a case of Arizona Iced Tea and team tin.