Junior linebacker Alvin Bowen can remember where he was on that morning five years ago.

“To be honest, at the time I was skipping class. I was in the cafeteria,” said Bowen, who was a sophomore in high school at the time. “Word spread like wildfire. We didn’t know exactly what happened. We just heard that some planes crashed, and then more that they were trying to crash into buildings.”

A native of East Orange, New Jersey, Bowen lived in a town less than 15 miles away from New York City, much closer to the tragedy than his any of his teammates. Still, he had the same feelings throughout the experience as much of the student population – confusion, fear and uncertainty of what would happen next.

“I thought that was probably going to send us into war,” Bowen said. “I was scared that there might be a draft, there’d be a draft and I might be selected, because at the time I was close to the age of 18.”

One of Bowen’s best friends lost an uncle in the World Trade Center.

“It was just shocking all over New Jersey, because we were right next door to them,” Bowen said. “We can actually see [the Twin Towers].”

Meanwhile, in the Midwest, defensive end Shawn Moorehead was driving to school when he first learned of the situation.

“I heard something on the radio about a plane running into a building,” Moorehead said. “I think it was the Bob and Tom Show. I thought it was a joke. When I got to school, I heard two planes had flown into buildings . Everyone was shocked. A few people had family in the World Trade Center, and they were obviously more upset than anybody.

“Myself, I didn’t know what was going on at the time. We didn’t know it was terrorists.”

Now, with the Iraq war and American enemies seeming to surface, terrorism hasn’t gone away and the dangers of the world seem to be increasing.

“It really makes you realize that it’s so easy for anyone to go in, and if they’re willing to kill themselves, just blow something up,” Moorehead said. “That’s a very scary thought, especially when you are flying and going to bigger cities.”

Moorehead said Iowa gives us more peace of mind.

“In Iowa, I don’t really worry about it, because we don’t have anything worthwhile [to attack]. But on planes and stuff, it’s kind of always in the back of your head,” Moorehead said.

Wide receiver Austin Flynn said he agrees with the course of action our country has taken since that day.

“I think if anybody had a part in 9/11 over there, I’m all for [the Iraq conflict],” Flynn said. “Let’s keep them on their heels, let’s keep it over there.”

The Texas native said to this day he is angry over the attack.

“You looked up after the first tower was hit, and you’re like ‘what’s going on?’ You don’t understand, then you actually see the plane hit the second one, it was just unbelievable and something that will always be in my mind,” Flynn said. “I’ll always remember. I know Pearl Harbor was a big-time situation, probably a little more than [Sept. 11], but it will always be in my mind.”