Wonder Twin Powers Activate

USD football’s Wallace brothers on their sport, life, and winning

Jarek Morgan / Assistant Sports Editor / The USD Vista

Every year, the University of San Diego comes alive as current students, recent graduates and alumni from across generations return to celebrate Torero Homecoming week. Everyone has their own favorite Homecoming traditions. Of course, a significant highlight of the weekend is the football game. The Toreros took on the Drake University Bulldogs on Oct. 16, and it was a game not to be missed. On top of some good ol’ football, this is a great weekend for families to get together and celebrate Torero pride. For the alumni visiting, reliving the glory days and sharing stories with current students is something that makes coming back all the more worth it. 

The football team has been battling all year long, and with talent all over the field the team is fortunate to have a double dose of that talent with juniors and twin brothers Amir and Zamir Wallace. The Wallace brothers have been playing together since they were kids, and while it may seem like they have everything in common, it is their differences that truly set them apart. The brothers gave us a first-hand account of what it is like playing with your best friend/twin brother and what about this weekend is so special to the football team.

Amir Wallace, talked about how intuitive he is with his brother when they are playing on the field. 

“You are around someone so much that you can instinctively predict what the other is going to do,” Amir said. 

During last week’s game, while Amir was on the sideline getting a breather, he was able to feel what he couldn’t see. 

“When Zamir made that interception, I was standing on the sideline, not able to see the play, but when they threw it his way I could already feel what was going to happen,” Amir said. “I jumped up and started running towards the opponents endzone because I knew bro was about to score.” 

Off the field, having a sibling by one’s side can really help to alleviate some of the college stress student athletes face. The daily challenges always seem much easier to manage when your brother and simultaneously, your best friend is by your side.

Zamir Wallace was excited to talk about what he loves about his brother’s on and off field mentality. 

“Amir has an amazing physicality that you just don’t see that often,” Zamir said. “Whether on the field or in the classroom Amir is always going to bring it. That’s something that I really love about him and it is truly inspiring to be a part of.” 

One would think that being twins means that they do everything the same. However, with the Wallace brothers, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Amir is a Physics major who loves the East Coast fashion and plans to let his major take him to his professional career if football does not work out post-graduation. Zamir is a Psychology major, who would rather wear everyday athletic clothing and wants to be a mental health therapist if the pros don’t call his name on draft day. 

This particular season for the football team has not gone exactly the way they had hoped. However, with a two game winning streak heading into one the season’s biggest games of the year, the team has stayed true to one another and found ways to stay motivated through adversity. 

“This season we played against some of the best very early, and because of that it has really set us up for the second half of the season to write our own destiny,” Zamir said. “We know what we are capable of and we are going to continue to treat every opponent the same no matter their record.” 

The expectations for the rest of season was summed up perfectly by the Wallace brothers as their twin powers were activated and they spoke simultaneously.  

“Every week we have only one goal on the field, and that is to go 1-0,” they said.

The football team did in fact go 1-0 this past weekend as they took care of Drake Bulldogs with a final score of 13-10. The football gods were in favor of the Toreros as they overcame a sluggish first half struggling to get points on the board and facing a three point deficit to start the third quarter. 

That was soon erased with the incredible legs of both kickers, first-year, Pablo Tager, and junior,  Brandon Eickert. Tager tied the school record for longest field goal ever made, originally set back in 1991, when he knocked through an astonishing 53 yard field goal late in the third quarter to even the score at three. 

The Bulldogs responded quickly with a touchdown that took only three plays and less than two minutes. However, Toreros answered the call and drove the ball 94 yards in just nine plays and capped it off with a touchdown of their own to even the score at 10-10. 

The final score came from the leg of Eickert, who stepped up and drilled a 44 yard field goal that would be the deciding score of the game, putting the Toreros up 13-10. 

The defense showed what they are capable of by keeping the Bulldogs out of the endzone on their final series. Redshirt senior defensive lineman, Muhindo Kapapa, dominated the final series as he earned back to back solo sacks that all but sealed the fate for the Bulldogs. One final errant throw by the Bulldogs quarterback on a fourth down, and out came the Ros’ offense in victory formation.

The Wallace brothers wasted no time in reminding everyone the team’s plans for the remainder of the season as they shouted for all to hear.

“Every week go 1-0, that’s the only thing that matters,” they emphasized.

The football team has another chance to keep that mentality going next week as they travel to Presbyterian on Oct. 23. The team will be back home, Oct. 30, when they take on Valparaiso University at 1 p.m. Don’t miss out on the action as it is sure to be a thriller.