Stephen Sturm
Quarterback / Bentley University
Alex Khvatov: What are your measurements (height, weight and forty time)?
Stephen Sturm: I am 6’3, 210 pounds and my forty time should be about a 4.75.
Alex Khvatov: How are you currently preparing for the 2020 season with no offseason training?
Stephen Sturm: I have workout equipment in my basement. I am always either running sprints or jogging. I am also throwing routes three or four days a week. Coaches give us a menu of workouts that we can pick from. There are just simple exercises.
Alex Khvatov: Besides football, what other sports did you play in high school?
Stephen Sturm: I was a wrestling guy in PA. My whole family are wrestlers. I started wrestling from kindergarten up until the ninth grade. My dad wrestled in college at Slippery Rock. My cousins were D-I wrestlers.
Alex Khvatov: When did you start playing QB?
Stephen Sturm: I started playing QB in sixth grade. One of my coaches, hall of fame coach in PA, started me with technique and what it takes to play QB. In ninth grade, I was a starting QB and a Will LB.
Alex Khvatov: Coming out of high school, what programs showed interest in you?
Stephen Sturm: I had high expectations. I received letters from BC, Rutgers and Purdue. FCS schools in the Patriot league wanted me to play for them like Lafayette and Lehigh. But I didn’t get an offer. A bunch of D-II schools were my backup plans. OC at Bentley convinced me to go to camp on my 17th birthday. I had a good camp. They told me if I don’t go to D-I, I can come here. I had PSAC schools like Shippensburg, East Stroudsburg, and West Chester.
Alex Khvatov: How did you wind up at Bentley University?
Stephen Sturm: The atmosphere. I had a good workout there. Everything fell in line. The community and the coaches were great. The academics blew the PSAC out of the water. I was realistic about my football career, and I was planning my life for the future. We had a great football team. It is right next to the city of Boston. The campus was beautiful.
Alex Khvatov: Tell us about your overall career.
Stephen Sturm: During my freshman year, I worked my way up to backup QB before the first game. Our starter was a BC transfer. He was a fifth year senior. He played in five games. During the sixth game, he went down with an injury, and I got thrown into the fire. We won that game, and I threw the first TD pass. We also beat Assumption my last game of the season. Freshman year was all about surviving. During the sophomore year, I was the incoming starter. I had growing pains from a technique standpoint. I needed to work on proper footwork to become more of a professional player. We struggled. Last year, we started 1-4, and ended up with a 5-0 record the rest of the way. We won the league at 6-4 this past year.
Alex Khvatov: What can we expect from Bentley this upcoming season?
Stephen Sturm: Next year, our goal is to go 10-0 and get into the playoffs. Losing WR Drew Mahoney and a couple of other guys. We are reloading. Four out of five OL are coming back, our RB, and lots of starters. Last time, we made the playoffs was in 2004.
Alex Khvatov: What are your strengths?
Stephen Sturm: My poise. No matter the situation, my facial expression doesn’t change. I have been in lots of close games and two-minute drills. I am also a tough kid. I have taken my fair share of hits and gotten back up.
Alex Khvatov: What areas of your game are you trying to improve upon?
Stephen Sturm: Becoming more of a cerebral all-around guy. Knowing the down and distance and what you need to do. Identifying coverages and making checks at the line. Being more of a coach on the field.
Alex Khvatov: What is the highlight of your career up to this point?
Stephen Sturm: Being with the guys this past year. We were 1-4 in the beginning of the season. Then we went 5-0 the rest of the way. Our backs were against the wall. We actually won the conference championship and had a successful season.
Alex Khvatov: What is the biggest lesson that you have taken away from your coaching staff?
Stephen Sturm: Our head coach Bill Kavanaugh always talks to us about taking action. Take action and make a play.
Alex Khvatov: What is your favorite NFL team?
Stephen Sturm: I have grown up my whole life in PA. Since I was seven years old, I became a NY Giants fan. The first Super Bowl run was really cool to see when they beat the Patriots. I have been a die-hard Giants fan ever since.
Alex Khvatov: Who is your favorite NFL player?
Stephen Sturm: Aaron Rodgers. He is unbelievable. He didn’t have a traditional journey to the NFL. He went to JUCO and worked his tail off. He is athletic. He can move and make plays.
Alex Khvatov: What players on your team should we keep an eye on for this upcoming season?
Stephen Sturm: Two receivers. Austin Ryan caught 1,200 yards and led D-II in TD catches during his freshman year. He got hurt as a sophomore. He is fully healthy now. Noah Neville, the other outside WR. He works his tail off. He put on 20 pounds of muscle during the offseason.
Alex Khvatov: Who is the best player that you have faced on an opposing team?
Stephen Sturm: Jake Carlock from LIU Post. I played against him my sophomore year. He was a stud. He was the defensive player in the league during my sophomore season.
Alex Khvatov: What is the most important trait for a QB?
Stephen Sturm: The mental fortitude. You have to forget about the previous mistake and move on to the next play. Refocus and get back on track.
Alex Khvatov: What do you enjoy most about football?
Stephen Sturm: I have the love for the game. No one taught me how to grip or throw the football. I feel totally at home on the field. I feel relaxed.
Alex Khvatov: What are your hobbies?
Stephen Sturm: Hanging out with family and friends. I am a big movie guy. I love video games.
Alex Khvatov: What do you want to do with your life after your football career is over?
Stephen Sturm: I am a marketing major. After football, I want to get into marketing and sales. There is a competitive nature in sales.
Alex Khvatov: What five words best describe you?
Stephen Sturm: Gritty, hardworking, leader, reliable, and relentless.
