Walter Thurmond III is one of the top young cornerbacks in the Pac 10 Conference. At 6'0" 185 pounds, Thurmond is said to be a terrific combination of speed, instincts and toughness. In 2007, he led the Oregon Ducks in solo tackles, with 71, and was second on the team with 4 interceptions. As a sophomore, he has been a two-year starter. On Monday, December 31 Walt will take on WR Carlton Mitchell and the South Florida Bulls in the Sun Bowl. Before the game, Joshua Fischman asked Thurmond about the transition from WR to CB and the Ducks' impressive running backs corps. Enjoy this exclusive interview.

Joshua Fischman: Talk about your career in track. How has it helped your football career?

Walt Thurmond III: My track career at the U of O has gone well, [but] not as I hoped it would turn out just because I don't train year-round like track athletes. Track has helped my speed out on the football field. I feel a lot faster than from my freshman year at the university.

JF: Starring at wide receiver in high school and now patrolling the secondary, what do you miss most about playing WR? Are you trying to get back out there at receiver? What was the transition to DB like?

WT III: I miss catching the ball and making plays to help the team win games. If I had a chance to play a little WR, I would, most definitely. The transition to DB was not hard. I feel very comfortable in the secondary. I like to get physical and get my hands dirty.

JF: Talk about the type of season Dennis Dixon was having before he went down with injury. How will the team be able to replace Dennis in the Sun Bowl?

WT III: Dennis was having a Heisman season. He was producing a lot for us and, before he got hurt, the sky was the limit for us. The young quarterbacks have stepped up to fill Dennis' shoes and everyone just has to do their own job and make plays for us to win our bowl game.

JF: Talk about the frustrations and successes of the season so far.

WT III: The only frustration, really, is all the injuries that we have endured through the course of the season and the successes [were] just winning football games and playing together as a team, something we didn't do very well last season.

JF: The Pac-10 was arguably the nation's strongest conference this season. Talk about what made some of the Pac-10 teams you played so good.

WT III: The competition level is very high in our league. Everyone plays hard and with a lot of emotion.

JF: What have you heard about South Florida and how are you preparing for them?

WT III: The QB is [the] leading [rusher] for their team and he makes a lot of plays. Our main focus on defense is stopping the run and forcing the QB to throw the ball.

JF: Talk about the team's running game with Jonathan Stewart as the man at RB, but also about the underrated backs Andre Crenshaw and Jeremiah Johnson.

WT III: Jonathan is a great back. He runs hard and is physical and he will do well at the next level if he [chooses] to leave. The other two backs, Johnson and Crenshaw, they both have similar styles. They both can make you miss and Johnson's stiff arm is second to none. It comes unexpectedly on defenders.

JF: The Ducks D doesn't get talked about enough. How good is your defense and who are the key players that make it go?

WT III: The leader on defense is Patrick Chung. We can be as good as we want to be if we are focused on our keys and make plays. It starts at the D-line and they have played good for us this season as well as the linebackers. Both groups made a lot of plays.

JF: Dare to make any guarantees about the Sun Bowl?

WT III: I can guarantee that [we] will come out to the game and play to the best of our abilities and try to send the seniors off on a good note.

JF: Who do you think deserved to win the Heisman?

WT III: I think Dennis deserved to win if he didn't get hurt.

JF: Being the third Walter Thurmond, what have you learned from the two generations of Walt Thurmonds before you?

WT III: Thurmond, Sr. passed away when I was a baby, so I don't remember him. My father has taught me to never quit and always be focused and don't let anything distract me in anything that I choose to pursue.

Thurmond and the Oregon Ducks take on South Florida in the Sun Bowl on Monday, December 31 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Will Walt be able to shut down USF WR Carlton Mitchell? Watch on New Year's Eve to find out which player wins The Battle of the Sun Bowl.

For further coverage of the Sun Bowl, check out our interview with South Florida WR Carlton Mitchell.