Bierria Has Blossomed Into An Alpha Dawg
October 25, 2017 | Football
By Rich Myhre
In four-plus seasons at the University of Washington, Keishawn Bierria has obviously blossomed into an elite football player.
But beyond athletic prowess, Bierria has also grown personally and academically since arriving on campus back in the summer of 2013. In ways he never could have imagined, Bierria's UW experience has turned a wide-eyed youngster into a young man of confidence, passion, leadership and, above all, great possibilities.
"Everybody has their own story, but mine's been kind of unique," Bierria said. "I'd say my experience (at Washington) has been extraordinary and kind of surreal."
A native of Carson, Calif., and a product of Narbonne High School in neighboring Harbor City, Bierria was recruited to Washington by former head coach Steve Sarkisian. Bierria was part of a stellar 2013 recruiting class that included such future UW standouts as wide receiver John Ross, defensive linemen Joe Mathis and Elijah Qualls, tight end Darrell Daniels, defensive back Kevin King, running back Lavon Coleman, offensive lineman Coleman Shelton and fellow linebacker Azeem Victor. Bierria, Coleman, Shelton and Victor redshirted as freshmen and are now fifth-year seniors.
"They told us we were going to be the (class) that changed the program," Bierria recalled. "They said we'd be the ones that took us back to winning championships, and we all believed that."
But shortly after the 2013 season ended, Bierria's football world was knocked awry when Sarkisian left Washington for the head coaching job at USC. Yet despite the initial shock and disappointment, Bierria and his teammates were soon reassured by the subsequent hiring of longtime Boise State coach Chris Petersen.
Petersen's coaching savvy and his expectations for player commitment and conduct were evident "from Day 1," Bierria said.
"When he came in and we had that first meeting, I was like, 'Wow, this is about to get serious.' I mean, we'd been pretty serious as a team (before), but now I'm talking about every level – school-wise, football-wise and character-wise. A lot of guys were getting into (questionable) stuff back then and (other) guys were just brushing it off. But now it was like we were taking everything serious."
Petersen introduced his "Built For Life" program, which emphasizes varied aspects of personal development, including individual accountability and integrity. As Petersen has explained, the goal for every player is to become "the best version of yourself," both now and in the future.
"For me," Bierria said, "it means finding places where I'm uncomfortable and making myself comfortable. I was always comfortable on the football field and in the weight room, and mostly in the classroom. But now I'm finding an uncomfortable spot in the classroom and getting comfortable. I'm speaking out in class and I'm volunteering myself for internships and jobs. … I'm putting myself in a position to start thinking about different careers and exploring different paths."
Earlier in life, Bierria said, "no one was ever really pushing me to look forward. But that's what Coach Pete has done here."
Asked to compare himself today to the person he was as a freshman, Bierria believes he is "pretty much the same, but I've also matured a lot as far as understanding what I want to do with my life. Growing up I was like, 'Whatever I get, I get,' as far as football and school. But now I'm actually setting goals and trying to accomplish them. And I'm trying to become a better leader."
Now in his fifth Washington season, he has also become a better football player. Bierria has developed into one of the most dependable Huskies, having started 38 of 48 games at inside linebacker in his UW career, and 34 of 35 games in the past 2½ seasons. His 168 tackles since 2015 are second to Victor among Washington players in that span, and Bierria's seven career fumble recoveries are one shy of a school record.
And when it comes to respect among teammates, Bierria also stands out. A year ago, after receiving second-team All-Pacific-12 Conference honors, he received Washington's prestigious Guy Flaherty Most Inspirational Award.
Among the team's linebackers, said UW linebacker coach Bob Gregory, "he's really our alpha dog in the room. He's a great leader and he's grown tremendously over the years. If you have him in that room, you've got instant credibility and leadership in there with all the other guys.
"I think Keishawn's one of those players who's actually improved every single year (at Washington)," Gregory added. "Sometimes when a player gets to be a fifth-year senior you don't see a lot of improvement, but he just keeps improving every year, every game. … Guys that play in the NFL for a long time keep improving because they take things very seriously. They practice hard, they study tape and they take care of their bodies. And that's what Keishawn's all about."
"He's a brother," said Victor. "There's no other way to put it. He's just my brother."
Bierria will complete his UW eligibility in the coming months, and then see what the future has to offer. He hopes for an NFL opportunity, but he also wants to find ways to have a positive impact outside of football. He already has a degree in sociology and American ethnic studies with a minor in anthropology, which should confirm his genuine interest in people and relationships.
Indeed, he said, "I just know that I want to help a lot of people. That's one of my goals in life."
When it comes to a post-football career, he has considered social work, teaching and coaching. But regardless of what he ends up doing, his foremost desire "is to try to put as many kids in college as possible."
"You really don't need a college degree to do whatever you might want to do," he explained. "But as far as knowledge, you can learn a lot more in college. And it gives you a lot more opportunities."
Given that he is personable, articulate and determined to make a difference, it was suggested that politics might be his eventual calling.
"Maybe," he said with a smile. "I might run for president."
