MidValleySports.Com

By George Hernandez

[Montebello] – I sat down with Montebello’s Donovan Murillo who was a huge part of the Oilers CIF finals run last season. Murillo rushed for 1,183-yards and 15 touchdowns he also caught 22 receptions for 301 yards and another three scores. Murillo looks to finish Montebello’s story this season. 

Q: What’s up kid, hows it going?

A: It’s going great. The team and I are excited to get back on the field. I am looking forward to this season and have high expectations for us.

Q: You’re coming off a CIF Finals appearance. How is the team preparing for this upcoming season?

A: The goal is always to be superior to who we were last season. Like you said we’re coming off a CIF Finals appearance so we are working hard in the weightroom, the field, and the classroom to make sure we bring it home next season.

Q: What are you doing to have an even better season statistically than last year?

A: Last year, being my first year starting, I lacked some experience. I definitely didn’t get the start of the season I wanted but ended the season strong with more than 200 carries. This next season the goal is to start off how I ended last season. My coaches have been preparing me for this season and I am confident that with a full year of starting experience and the great coaches at Montebello I will have better stats this year.

Q: Who do you model your game after?

A: I personally model my game after Ashton Jeanty’s senior year at Boise State. He proved you don’t need to be on a superstar team to shine. His style of running the ball, yards after contact and shiftiness to make the defense miss is the way my coach wants me to play and it is how I hope to play this next season.

Q: How would your teammates and coaches describe you

A: I believe my coaches and teammates would describe me as a very well rounded student athlete. Academics are very important to me. I maintain myself in the top of my class with a 4.4 GPA while still making time to get out there with my boys and give it my all at practice and Friday nights.

Q: Every athlete has a routine. What does your game day look like from the moment you wake up until you step onto the field 

A: My game day routine starts the night before when I put my uniform and gear together for the next day. I head to school in the morning to go through a quick walkthrough with the team. I would definitely say music is a big part of my pregame routine. Throughout the school day I like to listen to pregame music and go over past games on HUDL to see my mistakes and how I can improve my game. Then we start our team pregame. We all come together in the locker room and play some music and get our gear together to make sure nothing is missing. Then we head together to our pregame meal where our coaches talk about the expectations for that night. We go get dressed, go through a couple more walkthroughs and finally head on to the field. 

Q: What is the biggest lesson you have learned from football so far?

A: The biggest lesson I have learned from football so far is that no one will remember how you started the season. All that matters is how you end it. Last season we didn’t have the season we wanted and no one would have ever picked Montebello to be a CIF Finalist. Towards the end of the season we proved everyone wrong and even though we didn’t get the fairy tale ending we wanted we set a standard for following years an expectation for Montebello football in the following years.

Q: How do you handle the pressure of playing in high-stakes games?

A: I handle pressure very well because I believe pressure is a good thing. Having pressure is a good sign that you are performing well and are held at a high standard. A quote from Lebron James that I really live up to is “Expectations are not a burden, they are a privilege.” Feeling pressure during high-stakes games pushes me to show out and understand the importance of the game.

Q: What game are you looking forward to the most?

A: Like every other season the game I am looking forward to the most is Schurr week. I always enjoy the atmosphere coming into this game and the city dividing to see us play. This season will be my last season playing Schurr and the team and I am working hard to change the outcome of the game this season.

Q: Anything else you would like to say or want us to know?

A: I would like to say that this season I speak for the whole team when I say we expect nothing less than last year. Anything under 14 games for me would be disappointing. We are working hard every day to get better every time we step on that field and my expectations on next season are very high. I see the potential in this team and the players. We owe the city and ourselves a championship