August 1, 2025 • 46 mins
Rob King and Max Starks are joined by Steelers' DB Corey Trice to start today's SNR coverage from Latrobe
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Videos.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Live coverage of twenty twenty five Steelers training camp is
presented by Fadex where Now meets Next and also brought
to you by CGR Wholesale Roofing and Siding Supply Center,
by Tom's Appliances, by Always Safe Flagging and Traffic Control
by Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, by Schneider Downs, by
(00:24):
Has's Steak and Seahouse, by your Neighborhood Ford Store, by
Castle Rod, by Clearview Federal Credit Union, and by US steel.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Hello and welcome inside the locker Room with King and Starks,
presented by your Neighborhood Ford Store here on the Steelers
Audio Network alongside Max Starks.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
I'm Rob King.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
We are getting ready for a Friday Night Lights Steelers
practice tonight, one of the high lights certainly of Steelers'
training camp and one of our highlights. We are joined
by Corey Trice, Steelers Cornerback. Delight to have Corey on
the program. Corey, thanks very much for being with us.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
Yes, Man, appreciate y'all for having me. Man appreciate y'all.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Hey, Corey, I wanted to ask you, just, you know,
how did your off season go? How is your camp going?
How do you feel about the way you're progressing personally?
Speaker 5 (01:19):
I was seasoning good. I did. I learned a lot
from the guys I was working out with. We're down
training in Miami for a little bit. Then I was
in I was training here with this uh with a
couple of guys on the team, and we're just grinded, man,
just having my head down and you know, just working
just you know, preparing for these moments, you know, in camp.
(01:42):
And honestly, I feel like camp been going good man,
you know, Uh, just been taking the day by day,
rep by rep, you know, and just you know, putting
my best foot forward every day. So ever, we're all
feel like it's been going good. You know. I feel good,
and you know, I got to just keep stacking these days.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Up for sure, Mike Time will talk about that all
the time, right Uh, the body of work, keep putting
it together. I wanted to ask you before we sort
of move back to your own career and your own
passage through the NFL. Here, you guys brought in a
lot of veterans in the defensive backfield, guys with tremendous
(02:19):
resumes like Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay. You bring in jan
Thornhill at the safety position. Brandon eccles, what are these
veterans supplying for young players like yourself and for the
defense in general?
Speaker 5 (02:37):
A lot of them is his knowledge, man, because like
you really don't know what you haven't seen. So they
definitely applying a lot a lot of knowledge to a
lot of young guys. And then just saying like like
the way that the old guys you know, go about
their business man, Like how they take care everybody do,
how they take those the way how they opposed the game,
and so like they bring so much experience in just
(03:00):
seeing them out there, you know, making plays on the
ball and stuff like that, and they just really showing
away for that young guys like.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Me, they bring feistiness too. I think that's uh, that's
to put it mildly. You know, we see jailing Ramsey
uh in drills, you know, running down at you know
when they're running back, you know, there's no tackling, right,
he goes through and he's running down the field and
there's jailing ramsey're running after him, trying to knock the
ball loose. And Darius Slay you know, in these seven
(03:26):
on seven drills battling and trying to get the ball
out of there. They bring a high compete level, it
seems like in sort of a level of feistiness. Uh
maybe you'd call it attitude out of what would you
call it, Corey?
Speaker 5 (03:39):
Uh, you had the right Wordy, You no fightiness and
just really just be prepared for the moment every time, man,
because you know, those guys definitely playing a lot of work, man.
And that's what I'm saying, Like the way how they
post a game when they out there, like they just
like they just like they like some mean guys out there, man.
So it's really you know, uh, showing us the way.
So when we take the field, like guys like me
(04:01):
whe had that same approach, you know. So I'm always
watching for little things like that too, man. And the
fact that y'ad knows it too, that's good man. So yeah,
they definitely out there, you know, playing playing hard.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Yeah, that is good to see. Corey Trace is our
guest inside the locker room. Corey, I wanted to ask
you about coming back from two ACL injuries on each knee.
You hurt one in college, and I mean I know
you know from talking to people it is a long,
arduous road back, and then to have it happen again
(04:33):
in your rookie season on the other knee, another long
arduous road back. You know what kept you coming back
from both of those injuries because again I've never experienced
an ACL injury myself, but from what I understand, it
is no fun at all and a lot of work
to try to get back.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
No, definitely, man, But you know, so when they first
happened in college, man, I always had the end goal of,
you know, going to the NFL and playing in the NFL.
So like, whenever my mind is set on something you
know that don't really matter, like like what to get
in front of it, I'm gonna keep going as long
as i'm you know, as long as I'm afforded the opportunity.
And I was, you know, I was. I was blessed
to you know, to be able to afford another opportunity
(05:12):
to you know, come back and play it at the
college season.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
I did.
Speaker 5 (05:15):
And then when it happened my rookie year, I was like, oh,
I've been through this before, you know. I feel like,
you know, ID would just you know, prepare me for
this moment now. So I already knew what they expect
and I still have my goals of you know, playing
you know for a long time in the NFL, making plays,
uh and and you know, becoming one of the best
corners in the NFL. So, like I said, man, whenever,
(05:36):
whenever my mind is set on something, you know, it
doesn't really matter what gets in front of it, no
matter what the circumstance is, my my goals and all
that still remain the same. I still have the same
confidence in myself. I know my abilities. You know, I
know what I can do. So the only thing I
gotta do is just be able to step on the field.
And you know, I'm let everything take care of yourself,
you know, with like this experience, and you know, and
(05:58):
the experience is definitely a one the biggest teachers man.
So you know, I'm I was able to get some
no games and stuff up under my belt. So you know,
I'm definitely excited for next year.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
So Corey, I have to ask you, you know, Denver
mile high last year and good to see you out
there and healthy and on the field. And you come
up with a huge interception in that game. I hope
people remember that Denver driving and wound up being a
one score game this year is winning thirteen to six.
Your interception in the end zone of bon Knicks. Can
(06:30):
you talk us through what you remember of that? And
there had to be some sort of feeling of elation,
not only because it was a big playing a big game,
but everything you'd been through to get yourself physically, to
get yourself back out on the field.
Speaker 5 (06:46):
Definitely, man. So yeah, like whenever it happened, man, you know,
I got in, I had got in the game in
a red zone and like, you know, everything happened fast
in the red zone and you know, no, it was
in a certain cover as well, able to you know,
or the back and see what he was looking at
and team like kind of seeing what he's seeing, and
you know, he just threw the ball and I just
(07:06):
had to go up and get it.
Speaker 6 (07:07):
Man Like.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
He threw it up for me, so I had to
go get it. And yeah, man like after it happened, man,
it was definitely like man like, like yeah, like I
knew I could play it in NFLT, like I know
I can do this, and now like now I'm just
ready just to just just to keep like you know,
continue to make plays like that and continue to show
because you know, just making it once not enough, but
when you do it up like four or five more times,
(07:30):
then then people start, you know, understanding who you is.
So man, I'm definitely I'm definitely ready to you know,
get that feeling back again multiple times.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Oh I'm sure I don't want to let that one
go yet. What was your when when did it kind
of hit you that?
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Cause?
Speaker 3 (07:46):
For like, again, you know, first of all, it's a
big play that helped your team win. I mean, you
go back and look at that game and you circle
a couple of plays that led to the students victory
in Denver, that was one of them. But for you
so understanding it happens within the realm of the team
and the and the victory. But there's also got to
(08:07):
be a personal satisfaction. I mean, was there a point
on the sidelines? What was it when it happened? Was
it on the sidelines? Was it in the plane ride back?
When did you say, wow, I got my first career
reception that's pretty cool?
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Uh? It was really after the game because because we
had got to win too, so like that, like the
wins make everything so much better. And when I was
just walking back to the locker, room. I was just
kind of sucking it all in because you know, the NFL, man,
it's kind of it's kind of tough to pull out
a win, so you gotta stay locked in because I
ended up going back in the game a corner at
(08:41):
the end of the game, whenever the game was on
the line, and so it was like, you know, I
just you know, I had to just you know, enjoyed
the moment at the moment, but then they had to
go back in on special teams and had to go
back in on defense again. So like it's really like
a short term memory thing after a corner. But when
I was walking back to the locker room, man, I
(09:02):
got the first we got it. We got another win,
and you know, we were starting off good and then
I was able to contribute to the win. So y'all
was definitely soaking it all in man. Like it was
one of those then on the plane ride back, man,
and they're just seeing like how many guys you know,
was happy for me because you know, because you know,
you know, I didn't start anything, so you know, I'm
(09:23):
always chaying for other guys, you know, especially because I
see how hard everybody working camp, So you know, seeing
all their work is coming to just coming to play man.
It was just man, it felt good, man. But yeah,
I'm definitely searching for those moments and man again.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
Yeah, the smiles a little wider when you win, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
I Mean it's hard to smile when you don't win,
even when you come up with something big like that.
But boy, when you win, that smile gets nice and wide,
doesn't it.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
Definitely? Man, Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's something back that win.
The win make everything more better.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
So Max, I'm sure you have some some questions for
Corey as well.
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Yeah, no, Corey, you know, first of all, thanks for
coming on the show.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Can you guys hear me you? Okay?
Speaker 4 (10:09):
So, so Corey, uh, Friday Night Lights, you've been through it?
Speaker 1 (10:14):
What does it like?
Speaker 5 (10:16):
I don't know if you hear him?
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Yeah? Yeah, can you hear me? Not?
Speaker 6 (10:22):
Rob?
Speaker 5 (10:25):
No, I don't think he can.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
Okay, So Corey, Well, one of the things, you know,
like when you think about the history, right you come
out here, you see the fans and everything, and I
think Rob was actually about to ask the same question
I was, you know, what does it mean to get
to this point in camp where you're headed to la Trobe,
you're mimicking, you know, the kind of start of football
that you had as a young man, right, going and
(10:49):
playing in front of the hometown crowd and Friday night games.
What does it mean to still have that kind of
atmosphere at the professional level that you can go play
at a high school stadium, pack the stadium and then
perform for the fans. And you know also what leads
up with that, right the intensity that that practice brings.
You just talk about your experiences you know with that
and what that means to you.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
Uh, it definitely mean a lot, man, because it definitely
takes me back all the high school and like where
everything all started, man, and so far CoA t to
kind of you know, put that set in back together.
That definitely amazing feeling because sometimes you do have to
dig deep inside and you know find that you know,
high school or middle school or you and then just
you know and get back to that because that's when
(11:33):
you know, like usually having like the most fun with it,
and then like just seeing like all the fans out there, man,
just seeing all the support, just seeing like the action
and then like you said, that intensity definitely go up
because it's really like a game day atmosphere like it
is like you know, we were riding on buses there,
you know, all the fans there and the field crowded
(11:54):
and and like you said, that intensity is up. So man,
it's definitely a great experience, man. And then signed the
autographs at the beginning after, you know, just giving back
to the fans and just seeing how loyal the fans is, man.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
And then on the.
Speaker 5 (12:07):
Tradition been going on for years, man, and to be
able to be a part of it is definitely a blessing.
So I just want to, you know, make sure you know,
I have some I make some highlights for some people nights,
you know, man, and just make sure, you know, make
sure everybody just have to you know, just having good
intensity and really just giving back to the fans, man,
because at the end of the day, we still have
to prepare like it's for a game, and like that's
(12:29):
how I approach it, because this is like our first
real setting and you know, it just helped, you know,
develop your routine. So when we do have a seven
o'clock game or a night game, and yeah, man, it's exciting. Man,
I'm definitely excited for it.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Corey.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Thank you very much, really appreciate your time, continued good luck,
continued good health and looking forward to seeing you at.
Speaker 4 (12:51):
Friday Night Lights tonight.
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Just sir, appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Corey Trice.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Max good to talk to the young man and you
know when he's healthy and and you know hopefully he
had the hamstring injury last year after the two torn acls.
But he's an exciting you know, he's almost still a
prospect in some ways because he's in his third season,
but he's bat of the injury issues, obviously lost his
rookie season. But I mean he's an exciting he's an
(13:19):
exciting young prospect for this too. There's at that cornerback position.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
No, he absolutely is.
Speaker 6 (13:25):
And you know he's one of those guys that Mike
Tomlin identified as an avatar. You know, we called him
the alien at times because he just he's such a
prototypical type of corner for today's NFL. Right, Paul lean
Fast has a great catch radius and a great area
that he can defend. He doesn't have to be pressed
(13:47):
upon you like a lot of shorter corners. He can
give about a yard and still feel like he's right
up on you.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Right.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
You know, he's still stuck to you like fly paper,
even though it might feel like there's a there's a
yard break between just because he's so long.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
And you know you could use that.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
And let's face it, you know, when we look in
our division, right, I mean, you love the matchup and
the tall leanness of a Hymn along with Joey Porter
Junior and Jalen Ramsey to line up against t Higgins,
Jmar Chase right and the like that you're going to
see this season. I mean, justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison
when we go over to Ireland, right, there's all these
(14:21):
duos of receivers and you can kind of mix and
match those guys to handle the different setups. And having
Corey Trice in that mix and healthy, I mean, only
makes the Steelers secondary that much.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
Better, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
And it's a bit of a balancing act Max between
bringing in veterans and I asked him about this early on.
You bring in veterans like Sleigh and Ramsey Thornhill of
courses at safety, but Eccles, I think in particular Sleigh
and Ramsey have that really long, great resume and we
have seen them be extremely combative, whether it is you know,
(15:00):
going down the down the field after you know kind
of a play is over and Jalen Ramsey is still
running down there trying to knock the ball loose, or
Darius Slay battling with somebody as we saw in seven
Shots yesterday and batting the ball away, and you know,
so you want to learn from those things.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
But also experience is a great teacher too.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
You want to make sure you get on the field,
So a bit of a balancing act and learning from
these guys and also learning from the experience of playing
in NFL games.
Speaker 6 (15:27):
No, it absolutely is. And and that's a good problem
to have got too much talent. I can't find enough
spaces to put all this talent on the field. That
said by no coach ever.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Just gentleman.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Nobody's ever said we're in trouble. We have too many
good players.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Yep, darn it, darn it to heck, we can't do
this because we have too much talent, right Yeah, And
so I think that that's the beautiful thing about And
that's where moments like Friday Night Lights tonight is going
to be that kind of differentiator. Right as you start
to slot and place guys and you figure who's your
who's your first team, who's your second team? Like this
goes a long way to getting ready for that first
(16:05):
preseason game down in Jacksonville where you're gonna have to
roll out these different units. How much time to divvy
up between the guys you earn that time and opportunity
on what you do at Saint Vincent's and now what
you're going to do at latrob Memorial Stadium this evening
when it gets into more of a scrimmage like script
and environment tonight.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
For sure, and Max, I wanted to ask you, and
we'll delve into this more as we go along, but
is this the next logical logical progression? I mean, you know,
you have the first day in pads and the backs
on backers and you're actually tackling out there.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Not a lot of teams still tackle.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
You know, you're tackling in eleven on eleven, and you
know the linemen are going at each other, and the
and the cornerbacks and and receivers and safeties you're going
at each other. Is this that sort of that next
logical step? I mean, you know, certainly for fans, I
think the first day in pads and this one are
ones that you circle. I would imagine it's gotta be
(17:02):
the same way as a as a player as well.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
No, it absolutely is. I mean, this is the ramp up,
you know, this is this is the real.
Speaker 6 (17:08):
Acclamation period, rob like that when we had the first
couple of days of camp, the first four days, that's
not acclamation.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
This is the acclamation. This is the callousing process that
must go on.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
And I'm sure if you ask Coach t you asked
a lot of people, you would have loved to have
gotten two padded practices in before you go into Friday
night lights, just so guys could have shown a bounce
back from day one to day two. But it is
what it is like mother nature is undefeated and the
best laid plans, you know often you know, get undone
really quickly. Because yesterday, you know, we were anticipating rain.
(17:42):
We were anticipating like a thunderstorm, and it just stayed south.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
It never crept north.
Speaker 6 (17:47):
Every other day this week it is crept into the practice.
And of course when you go for the morning practice,
it ends up being a beautiful day in the afternoon
and it threatened, but it never came close, and you
would have had second padded practice yesterday, but because of
the early turnaround, you know, you didn't want you didn't
want to risk injury. Guys still getting used to it,
(18:07):
so you know, you go with the shells practice and
now we go into tonight, you know, after a long
way off, you know, essentially get right morning right now
that's going on at campus UH to get ready for
their second padded practice. Usually that it's practice number three
that this is happening, so you get a.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Little bit more sense.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
So the guys are going to be learning on the
fly and dialing up, you know, kind of the mistakes
from two days ago and trying to see if they
can overcome those and a more and more I would
say frenzied environment. I think this is the best way
to put it. With all the fans and tickets are
sold out and there's a wait list for tickets to
get into the stadium, but there are infest activities. But
it's going to be it's going to be very interesting
(18:47):
to see how the response is once you.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Kick it, once you take it up a couple of notches.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Did we lose the kinger?
Speaker 6 (18:53):
I think we might have lost the Kinger on that one.
So with that we're gonna step aside. We'll be back
when we're trying to get King back on the line.
You are inside the Locker Room with King and Starks
here on the Steel's Audio.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Network Iheartradios live coverage of about twenty twenty five Steelers
training camp. He's presented by Vedex where Now meets Next
and also brought to you by CGR Wholesale Roofing and
Siding Supply Center, by Tons Appliances, by Always Safe Flagging
(19:28):
and Traffic Control by Greater Pittsburgh Community Food bad by
Schneider Downs, by Has's Steak and Seahouse, by your Neighborhood
Forward Store, by Castle Rock, by Clearview Federal Credit View,
and by US Steel.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Ken of Welcome Back inside the Locker Room Mctinuan Starks,
presented by your Neighborhood Ford Store here on the.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Steelers Audio Network Max.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
First of all, I wanted to see if you had
any impressions from yesterday's practice. We're obviously doing the game
while the practice was going on. Anything that stuck out
to you in particular, anything you're looking to see carried
over tonight to the big night of Friday Night Lights, Well.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
The intensity definitely was there. Yesterday. Look at it, right,
I think, uh, well, you kind of think about it.
Speaker 6 (20:16):
I think, you know, you look at John new Smith
and just you know how how how feisty and and
how how aggressive he is. I mean, I love it
because I think that gets the rest of the crowd up.
So I mean he definitely brings the Jews to practice.
So I would say both of our red rovers from
from Miami that we read rover it up here to
(20:37):
Western Pa. Him and Jalen Ramsey have been as advertised.
When you look at just how smooth his his past,
his pass route running is and then his ability to
catch the ball in a lot of different places, it
makes him a very, very very viable target in the
passing game. I think for Jalen Ramsey, the intensity was
on display just I mean he blitzed on a play
(21:02):
and then ran forty yards downfield to challenge Jalen Warren
from a screen in his pursuit drill and try and
knock the ball out. I think those are two plays
that really stand out to me and two players that
really show that hey, they're they're doing a lot to
just affect the way that guys look at practice and
how you have to mimic game like situations because that's
(21:25):
going to happen, right, You're going to get aggressive at
the point, and you have to figure out how to
control your emotions and how do you get in a
guy's head and can that guy not allow him, not
allow that that opponent to live rent free in your
head the rest of the game. You know, there's that
mental element, but then of course the physical element of putting.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
It on film.
Speaker 6 (21:46):
You know, a guy who's a top one hundred all
pro type of player running forty five yards downfield on
a non tackling drill still to challenge and threaten and
hopefully help your running backs realize always keep the ball
high and tight in those situations. But also shows the defenders, hey,
pursuit never stops.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
You don't know.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
Good things can happen when you just try a little
bit harder. So I think both of those things really
stuck out to me in practice. But I would also
say I love the intensity and the focus of how
good the O line and D line play was, you know,
mimicking kind of going over the mistakes you can't go
through at full speed. We'll see that tonight, but just
it looked a lot cleaner. You didn't see as many
(22:25):
bus along the offensive line.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
I think the communication is getting better.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
I think also with Aaron like communicating with them what
he wants because there's a lot of information that's being
passed between a lot of different groups, so you have
to make sure you're all getting in sync on how
efficiently you can pass that information.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
So watching that in practice.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
Yesterday, it was a nice little uptick and it definitely
leaves a lot of certain fun to be had this
evening as we go through Friday night lights. So I'm
really looking forward to seeing this team take that next jump.
How do they handle the second competitive practice like that
tonight under those situations that Corey Trice talked about with
(23:05):
it being such an intimate but frenzied environment, like a
lot of people there and you want to impress, you
want you want to give Steeler Nation a show and
show them hey man, you know we're working hard here,
thank you for coming out, and kind of that kind
of gratitude signing the autographs throughout practice. But also you know,
putting forth clean, good football to where fans can get
(23:26):
excited for the season.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
You know, a lot to unpack their max because every
time Max Stark says something four more questions pop up
in my mind, so I wanted to ask you this, Max,
as a follow up. When we're looking at team drills,
it feels to me like there are certain aspects in
which you know, maybe one unit is ahead of the
other unit, one section of a unit is ahead of
(23:50):
another section of the unit, and that those things, over
the course of a two and a half week can't
begin to level out of it a little bit or
maybe even tip the other way. For example, I always
felt like, you know, early on in camp, maybe you've
got some new patterns, some new things you're working on offensively.
Maybe when you're doing a simple coverage drill, maybe that's
(24:10):
advantage or seven on seven, you know, a skeleton drill,
maybe that's advantage offense. And then the defense gets used
to tendencies and things are seeing and maybe that's that
swaps back the other way. Do you feel like eleven
on eleven, that there's a little bit of an advantage
early on to the defense and that that settles down
(24:32):
as it goes on, or do you think it's the
other way around, or do you think there is no
advantage one way or the other that progresses through camp.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
I think it matters the experience and the personnel Kinger,
I think that's what really what separates you know whether
you're going to be good or whether you know you're
going to be great right out the gates. And I
think for this camp specifically advantage defense. Right, there's more
experience on that side of the ball, There's more guys
that play together on that side of the ball at
(25:00):
key positions. So defense is going to be able to
communicate a lot cleaner out out on the outset because
you have guys returning that have communicated that in game
time situations. There is a pickup period, right, because Aaron
Rodgers is brand new to this offense. Granted he's not
new to offense in general, but he's new to the terminology,
he's new to the personnel. He's still feeling out what
(25:23):
his receivers, running backs, and offensive line and tight ends
can or can't do, and he's testing things. So I
think when you're in that testing phase and you don't
have a proven model like game experience, it's always going
to be advantaged to the more veteran squad. And so
that's where defense, I feel like has the advantage early on.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
But we also know Aaron is a very quick, quick study.
Speaker 6 (25:44):
He's a guy that can that can make things up
fast and make up that quote unquote lost ground. He
can sit there and do it, and we've seen him
done it because he's done it on multiple teams where
you had to kind of pick those things up. So
that's where I say it matters on the unit. You know,
offensive line is still young. We have new receivers, we
have new tight ends, we have new running backs. So
(26:05):
everything is really new on the offensive side at a
lot of different positions. But on defense there's some newness,
but you have a lot of veteranus. Right right, Patrick
Queen called the plays a year ago, so he's gonna
be able to do that. Deshaun Elliott was a starter
a year ago in the safety position. He can get
people in place. Joey Porter Junior was a corner a
year ago, starting and playing defensive line wise, TJ. Watt,
(26:29):
Alex high Smith, Keanum Benton, and Cam Hayward. Right, we're
here a year ago. So you can mix a match
one two or three guys and switch their places around.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
But for the most part, you have a very intact defense.
Speaker 6 (26:40):
You know, you have over half of your defense returning,
so they're gonna have an advantage.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Over at offense.
Speaker 6 (26:46):
That's switching positions, influx new guys coming in and trying
to all figure it out, a new stum lot of guys.
So that's where you're right, It is an advantage. But
I mean you look at for what I would say,
seventeen of the eighteen years that Ben Roethlisberger was a quarterback,
you know, we had an advantage because a quarterback had
(27:06):
been here, a quarterback had gone through these things, and
so offense would get off to a quicker start at
training camp with been there versus trying to figure out
what's gonna happen, what's not gonna happen. So I think
that's where we kind of talk about is very it's
varied from a year to year basis, and with the
quarterback uncertainty over the last you know, three years, three seasons,
(27:31):
it's been one where you've had to kind of figure
it out, so to speak. And that's where I think
defense has kind of taken that jump in that leap
by having experienced players.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
So I think one of the things we have seen
too to your point about progression and let's go back
to Aaron Rodgers and the receiver group. Is that there's
been a couple of times where we've seen, even when
there's no defensive backs out there, just the team, you know,
running patterns that guys maybe you're flattening out routes when
Aaron expects them. You know, say it's a crossing pattern
(28:02):
and a little bit of an angle to it. You know,
he's expecting that angle to continue, and so it looks
like an overthrown ball when the receiver flattens that out inevitably.
You know, think about either geometry. If somebody flattens out
a pattern across the middle and you're expecting them to
angle it, the throw is going to be high and
probably behind them right because you're throwing it to a
different spot. So we've seen a little bit of that
(28:23):
and I think that's another thing that will improve over
the next couple of weeks. And then as we get
into two games, the timing. You know, when are guys
coming out of their break, when are they going to
flatten a route?
Speaker 4 (28:34):
Should they never flatten a route?
Speaker 3 (28:36):
You know, all these things are going to come together
and I think make things look a little more precise.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Well, And here's the thing.
Speaker 6 (28:44):
You know, if you've ever been in a factory or
a place that creates things right fabrication, you know that
angle goes a little bit off, it doesn't fit, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
And I'll take like an.
Speaker 6 (28:55):
Auto factory, right, I've a family that's worked in the
auto industry and worked in facts, you know, from Lima, Ohio,
all the way across the state and even in different
regions of the country. You go down to South Carolina,
and you know, one of the things is, you know,
you have you have to first build the prototype mold, right,
(29:15):
and you got to figure out where the angles fit
so that when you build let's just say a fender
or a wheel well, right, if things aren't perfect, you
know from the from the get go, you're gonna have issues.
But that's what research and development R and D comes in, Right.
It's like what type of tire are we putting on here?
What type of rim?
Speaker 1 (29:33):
And how much space do I have with the shocks?
Speaker 6 (29:36):
You know, is it gonna rub on the inside of
the wheel well or rub against the fender well of it?
And we have to go back and we have to
we have to recreate, right, we have to change the
angle on it. But you need to have a prototype
or a template to go by so you understand what
you can and can't do within the framework of the vehicle.
And I think that's kind of what you're going through.
(29:57):
And prime example is I'll never forget like Aaron Rodg
just you know, threw a pass and Ben Skeronick went up,
had a very had a very good contested catch, went
to the ground.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
I don't know if you remember that and that and
that and that one on one period.
Speaker 6 (30:10):
Rob we were watching the also the John news Smith.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
And Jan Thornhill interaction.
Speaker 6 (30:15):
You know, they were working some things out in a
very physical nature that same drill. You know, Skoronic went
and ran an out route and it was contested and
he caught it and went to the ground. But Aaron
went up, you know, high five Ben. But then he
put his arm around Dante Kent, who was in coverage
against karonk and he talked to him for like three
to four minutes, you know, afterwards, about what he saw,
how did he feel.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
Here's what you're looking at. And I think that's what
this and that's why I called this place to forward
so much.
Speaker 6 (30:40):
I'm gonna keep reiterating that this is where we have
to figure out what elements working which ones don't. So,
like you said, this is where you get to try
things and see what you can and cannot get away
with as you build the perfect you know, archetype for
what this offense looks like. So you know that when
you have certain personnel groupings in this is what I
(31:00):
can and can't do. You know, I can't put the
same wheel well on afford fusion that I can afford
F one fifty, right, They're different. They're different vehicles and
they require different specs or different requirements to make the
car complete. You know, I can't just throw you know,
any type of bumper on the front end, right because
you know it's.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Not going to fit. So this is the moment where
you get to kind of try that.
Speaker 6 (31:23):
You get to fabricate and create new templates for your personnel.
And Aaron is always taking an information. That quarterback group
is always taking an information about who their personnel is
and what they can and can't do. And for the
and for the other guys, you know, for the offensive line.
Here's what this quarterback likes to do. He has a
tendency to fade to his left a little bit. When
he gets into his dropper, he feels pressure. He has
(31:45):
a natural tendency to do this, so we have to
be accommodating to that. Running backs, you know, when when
you have a reverse rollout and you're taking a pitch
to get this, this is what I need to do
to set up the offensive line. You know, if I
have fast flow linebackers, I got to stay a little
bit to give them time to push up into them
so they don't just escape really quick. And then I
got to bounce it out the backside. All these things
(32:06):
are being taken into account and that's why you practice.
That's why you come and get away, so that you
can have that intensity at one on one time so.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Guys can work things out. You can have the R
and D department.
Speaker 6 (32:18):
This is the research and development phase for creating a
football team.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
I think one of the other things that I don't
think can be understated is the Steelers desire to go
out and get players that fit their mold of how
they want to play. So the Steelers, you know, Andy
Whidell had a press conference early last year, I think
(32:44):
it was during one of the preseason games at home,
in which he talked about the drafting philosophy. Obviously Omar
Khan's at GM Andy Wide doing a lot of work
underneath him, and said, look, if you want to have
a physical football team, we want to have physical football team.
If you want to have a physical football team, you
need to draft and acquire physical players, right, like Mike
(33:08):
tom Win always says, and he said it yesterday after practice.
I want to say, or maybe it's two days ago.
I want to say woe and not sick them. So
you want physical football players and you want I also
think that they've prioritized, you know, football character. And when
you talk about Aaron Rodgers and you talk about Jalen
(33:29):
Ramsey and you talk about Darius Slay and others, Jan Thornhill,
other guys that have been added to this team, Deshaun
Elliott last year, other guys. Look, I'm I'm naming guys,
but I don't want to leave anybody else.
Speaker 4 (33:42):
I'll stop there.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
But you have you are adding guys that have football character,
that are you know, outside of Aaron Rodgers who obviously
plays the quarterback position, guys who like to play a
physical brand of football, and guys who have high, high
football character and that is going to run off on
your younger guys and continue that tradition that we've talked
(34:03):
about earlier in camp, that Cam Hayward and TJ. Watt
and others, the Steer's way, the Steelers tradition of passing
things down. I think that this has been obviously something
they thought about and accomplished thoughtfully getting players of.
Speaker 6 (34:20):
This ILK No, absolutely, I mean you just think about
the moves they made this offseason, right. DK Metcalf, very
physical presence. He has a noted history of wanting to
mix it up and create intensity on the wide receiver position.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
Jalen Ramsey We all know Jalen Ramsey.
Speaker 6 (34:39):
In fact, against Dk Metcalf, they have gotten very personal
and very physical John new Smith we saw it yesterday
on full display. But he's also had that history that
he's been with Arthur Smith where he's done those type
of things Wan Thorne Hill. So it wasn't by accident
that you had this kind of inundation or this influx
(35:00):
of strong personality types intense personality types on this team.
Is because you're trying to create that culture and identify
things that you know from the past has been an
identity of the team. That you might not necessarily get
to see because there's still so many new different pieces
and you have a lot of youth on.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
This team where they just don't know what they don't know.
Speaker 6 (35:20):
You know, not all of them have that experience or
have that history of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I think a
Ben Scronic is probably one of those exceptions. A new
guy to the team, but he grew up coming to Steelers'
training camp.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
You know, he grew up sitting.
Speaker 6 (35:33):
On the hills at now Chuck Nolefield when it was
just a field, you know, before it got named. So
you're trying to infuse those different aspects to it to
make sure that you can get back to those type
of ways and that the oral tradition or the physical
tradition that's passed down stays consistent with this team, and
you have to sometimes manufacture it from different places. You know,
(35:56):
you bring in guys from a lot of different organizations.
But the one core value, the one core strength of
their stylid play is they're very physical, they're very verbal,
and they're relentless, and that's what you want to continue
to create because you're not gonna have a Cam Heyward
for forever right, There is a shelf life for a TJ.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Watt.
Speaker 6 (36:15):
No matter how extensive the resume is, there's always a
shelf life.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
It is very finite. Now how long that finite product
is is a difference.
Speaker 6 (36:24):
But sometimes you have to kind of abridge and you
got to kind of put some extra elements in there
to keep the same fire going.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
We're going to talk about one of those players that
you have just described who's back at practice for the Steelers.
We'll see how much availability he's going to have. We
have plenty more still to come. Inside the Locker Room
with King and Starks presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
iHeartRadio's live coverage of about twenty twenty five Steelers training
camp is presented by FedEx Now Meets Next and also
brought to you by bud Light, Independence Health System, by
Pennsylvania One Call System, by Live Casino, Calciente Pizza and
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(37:17):
we Max Select Realty, the Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Shop, and
by US Steel.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
And Welcome back to the Locker Room with Tigging Starks,
presented by your neighborhood Ford Store here on the Steelers
Audio Network. Good to see Isaac Cmalu back. You know,
we were talking about Isaac Cimala. We're talking about max
high character guys, guys that play with a physical edge.
I think that's a pretty good description of him. He
and Broderick Jones working their way back. I don't know
(37:48):
what their availability is going to be for Friday night Lights.
I'm assuming Isaac, well, my guest would be he's not
going to be I'm not going to make an assumption.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
My guest would be that he's not going to be there.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
But your thoughts on getting those guys back and what
they're gonna mean for this offense.
Speaker 6 (38:04):
Yeah, No, this is a positive progress because this is
the intended starting lineup, so to speak. So you and
the more you can get healthy guys back in to
start building that cohesion, start building that chemistry as a
unit is always very welcome, you know, Like you said,
Isaac cemalo being on that NFI list and getting activated,
you know, just yesterday and kind of moving around for
(38:27):
the first time with the team. Did not participate in
team drills, but did you know some of the individual stuff,
some of the walkthrough stuff as the starting left guard
spinster Anderson still assumed the left guard duties during the
actual team segments. But this is what you want to get,
you know. Broderick Jones also in there. Saw both of
them in the walkthrough together, so you wonder if there
(38:48):
will be a next ramp up. Maybe they'll participate a
little bit more tonight at Friday Night Lights, and we
get kind of a preview of what we expect this
intact starting five opening Day raw to be. Now, there's
still plenty of competition and still a lot of camp
left to kind of figure out what that unit is
because it is such a young unit. But this goes
(39:09):
a long way to at least seeing the first phase
of it and putting all of them together and seeing,
of course what that gumbo becomes. You know, you got
you got all the different pieces. Now let's get all
of them together. Let's see how it turns and how
it takes shape as a unit. So I'm really excited
to have Isaac back, really excited to have Broderick back
and really see what this starting five looks like, because
(39:31):
the anticipated starting five for all the fans out there
would be Progerick Jones at left tackle, Isaac c Amalo
at left guard, Zach Frasier at center, Mason McCormick at
right guard, and Troy.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
Fatanu at right tackle.
Speaker 6 (39:42):
That's what the anticipated lineup is to be, and then
we'll figure out how that rounds out. Spencer Anderson's been
getting the starting reps at left guard. Calvin Anderson and
Dylan Cook have kind of been running two man duty
for swing swing tackle capabilities and seeing how they do
at both right and left in there. Stephen Jones has
been another one that's been kind of doing some swing stuff.
(40:04):
Gareth Warren the rookie, so we're getting a good little mix.
Aiden Williams another rookie mixing up Max Sharping. I mean,
we've had a lot of different guys, Doug Nester, there's
a big, deep group and a lot of guys have
starting experience and a playtime experience in this league. So
you know, you have an opportunity to really come up
with a great combination out of that offensive line room.
Speaker 3 (40:24):
Yeah, we talked about that offensive line yesterday and I
told you that I feel like from just from fans talking,
there's a lot of Hey, who's going to be the
you know, are this Judent's gonna go ouad and make
a trade for a wide receiver. We went through that
all last year. Of course, the number two question outside
look Aaron Rodgers. Obviously he's always a big topic for fans,
but you know, a lot of the topic is that
(40:44):
offensive line. And you know, you and I discussed this briefly,
so we don't have to go over too much. But
it's going to be interesting to watch tonight because this
is a big opportunity for a lot of guys to
step forward. But as you mentioned, you know, look, they
signed Calvin Anderson do a two year deal. They believe
that Calvin Anderson is in an NFL offensive lineman. He's
(41:05):
that he's the tackle you're talking. You have Broderick Jones,
and you have Troy Faltano. Dylan Cook is a guy
who's got NFL experience. Ryan McCallum has started games, Max
Sharping has started game, Spencer Anderson has started your games.
That's your projected next five behind the offensive line. So
I understand people saying, look, you know, Broderick he's played
(41:26):
right tackle, now how's he going to handle left tackle?
Troy Faltano, He's a rookie, how's he going to handle
right tackle? What happens with Zach Fraser and Mason McCormick
in the second time around the league? Do they continue
to progress because people are going to be studying film
and looking for weaknesses and hoping they can find those things.
I understand the trepidation, but when you sort of step back,
(41:48):
you know, look, there's a reason that Roderick Jones and
Troy Futana were taken in the first round, Zack Fraser
in the second, and Mason McCormick the Steelers pounced on him.
Ciamalo is a guy that has a great track record,
that depth behind it. And now, if you're one of
those offensive linemen you mentioned, the young guys coming into
play tonight boy, at the very least, you want to
(42:08):
make sure that you're either there if something happens to
a player they don't exceed or they don't live up
to expectations one of those veteran guys, or heaven forbid,
they're injured, you know, or maybe it's a practice squad situation.
There's a lot to play for for those young offensive
linemen behind that first ten oh lineman for this Teelers.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
Yeah, there is.
Speaker 6 (42:30):
There's a lot of opportunity out there, and like you said,
you can make a name for yourself. And it starts
with Friday night lights or like coming out and showing
that I know what to do, I know how to
do it, and I do it with a lot of
intensity and vigor. That's really what the key is. And
when you're talking about the offensive line position, you know,
it's a lot of other elements that go into it,
(42:50):
as far as the chemistry and get along and communication
with with your buddy next to you, and how well
you do how well you play telephone so to speak,
the pass information down the LA line. But like you said,
when you've got guys with experience that it kind of curves,
you know, it accelerates the learning curve, so to speak.
I was gonna say curves the learning, but that didn't
(43:10):
make sense. So yeah, it accelerates the learning curve for
a lot of guys in that room because you.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Have NFL experience.
Speaker 6 (43:17):
I think a year ago it was we don't know,
we don't know, and it's like, well, some of us
have experienced, some of us have zero experience. Think about
when Mason McCormick came in when when James Daniels went
down right zero NFL experience, But by the end of
the year you're like, oh, yeah, he knows what he's
doing there, right position, Zach Frasier day one starter. Nate
Herbig goes down and is unavailable the entire season, as
(43:41):
Zach Fraser becomes your your day one starter. There was
a competition there in camp and he had zero experience
when he started. Troy Fautano and Broderick Jones battling for
the right tackle position because Dan Moore was at the
left along with Isaac Camalo, and you lose a Dan
Moore and at the beginning camp you don't.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Have Isaac Camalo together. So all of these different.
Speaker 6 (44:01):
Challenges or opportunities, however you want to look at it right.
You know, we talk about pressure. There's those that feel it,
those that apply it. That's where you're trying to figure
out in the pressure cooker what works and what doesn't work.
And I think that's what you have to do on
a year by year base, especially when you have such
a young unit. You've got to figure out how it works.
You got to figure out who works best under certain situations. Right,
(44:24):
one guy might be excellent run blocking, but he's a
liability in pass blocking and vice versa. Or you have
a guy that's kind of a good all around player
and he can he can fill at your interior positions.
You have one guy who is okay and can get
you out of a game, you know, at the tackle position.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
You're all trying to figure out what that list is.
Speaker 6 (44:42):
And you know, after tonight, I'm sure you'll see coaches
and scouts starting to put things together and start to slot,
you know, and I think that's the other thing. Start
to slot guys as far as where they rank on
the listing of priorities. You'll start to see those things
starting to take shape as we get into this first
preseason action next week. And we had some last night
that kicked off football in America at the Hall of
(45:05):
Fame game. But this is what you do. These are
the things you're trying to get to. The next check mark,
the next mile marker, and the next quote unquote opportunity
to accelerate towards team cohesion.
Speaker 3 (45:16):
And I don't want to leave out the fact that
Max Starks gave us all words to live by when
it comes to pressure, those who feel it and those
who apply it.
Speaker 4 (45:25):
You one who applies it right.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
Always always, Max Starks, great stuff, man, I didn't want
to leave that gem inside Max.
Speaker 5 (45:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
No, I appreciate it and it applies everywhere.
Speaker 6 (45:34):
I mean, you use it today. Like listen, I'm pressuring
that cook to put out more food.
Speaker 1 (45:38):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 6 (45:39):
Like, I'm applying the pressure to him, like yes, no, sorry,
all the chicken nugs are gone.
Speaker 1 (45:44):
You need more?
Speaker 6 (45:44):
Yeah, go back there to the fry and bring me
some more. I'm putting the pressure on him. He's Max
apply He's.
Speaker 3 (45:50):
Max Starks on Rob King. We're gonna talk a little
bit about the Hall of Fame game is football kicks off.
We'll talk about, you know, what are the intended outcomes
of Friday Night's practice, the Friday Night Lights practice. What
are we looking for? What is a team looking for?
We know there's individual things that are hoping to be accomplished.
A lot to talk about. We may get to the
guy that Max mentioned briefly, who I think might be
(46:11):
the most underrated acquisition the Steelers made in the offseason.
Speaker 4 (46:15):
We have lots more to come.
Speaker 3 (46:17):
You are listening to the locker room with King and
Starks presented by your neighborhood Forwards tour on the Steelers
Audio netw
Videos.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Live coverage of twenty twenty five Steelers training camp is
presented by Fadex where Now meets Next and also brought
to you by CGR Wholesale Roofing and Siding Supply Center,
by Tom's Appliances, by Always Safe Flagging and Traffic Control
by Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, by Schneider Downs, by
(00:24):
Has's Steak and Seahouse, by your Neighborhood Ford Store, by
Castle Rod, by Clearview Federal Credit Union, and by US steel.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Hello and welcome inside the locker Room with King and Starks,
presented by your Neighborhood Ford Store here on the Steelers
Audio Network alongside Max Starks.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
I'm Rob King.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
We are getting ready for a Friday Night Lights Steelers
practice tonight, one of the high lights certainly of Steelers'
training camp and one of our highlights. We are joined
by Corey Trice, Steelers Cornerback. Delight to have Corey on
the program. Corey, thanks very much for being with us.
Speaker 5 (01:04):
Yes, Man, appreciate y'all for having me. Man appreciate y'all.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Hey, Corey, I wanted to ask you, just, you know,
how did your off season go? How is your camp going?
How do you feel about the way you're progressing personally?
Speaker 5 (01:19):
I was seasoning good. I did. I learned a lot
from the guys I was working out with. We're down
training in Miami for a little bit. Then I was
in I was training here with this uh with a
couple of guys on the team, and we're just grinded, man,
just having my head down and you know, just working
just you know, preparing for these moments, you know, in camp.
(01:42):
And honestly, I feel like camp been going good man,
you know, Uh, just been taking the day by day,
rep by rep, you know, and just you know, putting
my best foot forward every day. So ever, we're all
feel like it's been going good. You know. I feel good,
and you know, I got to just keep stacking these days.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Up for sure, Mike Time will talk about that all
the time, right Uh, the body of work, keep putting
it together. I wanted to ask you before we sort
of move back to your own career and your own
passage through the NFL. Here, you guys brought in a
lot of veterans in the defensive backfield, guys with tremendous
(02:19):
resumes like Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay. You bring in jan
Thornhill at the safety position. Brandon eccles, what are these
veterans supplying for young players like yourself and for the
defense in general?
Speaker 5 (02:37):
A lot of them is his knowledge, man, because like
you really don't know what you haven't seen. So they
definitely applying a lot a lot of knowledge to a
lot of young guys. And then just saying like like
the way that the old guys you know, go about
their business man, Like how they take care everybody do,
how they take those the way how they opposed the game,
and so like they bring so much experience in just
(03:00):
seeing them out there, you know, making plays on the
ball and stuff like that, and they just really showing
away for that young guys like.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Me, they bring feistiness too. I think that's uh, that's
to put it mildly. You know, we see jailing Ramsey
uh in drills, you know, running down at you know
when they're running back, you know, there's no tackling, right,
he goes through and he's running down the field and
there's jailing ramsey're running after him, trying to knock the
ball loose. And Darius Slay you know, in these seven
(03:26):
on seven drills battling and trying to get the ball
out of there. They bring a high compete level, it
seems like in sort of a level of feistiness. Uh
maybe you'd call it attitude out of what would you
call it, Corey?
Speaker 5 (03:39):
Uh, you had the right Wordy, You no fightiness and
just really just be prepared for the moment every time, man,
because you know, those guys definitely playing a lot of work, man.
And that's what I'm saying, Like the way how they
post a game when they out there, like they just
like they just like they like some mean guys out there, man.
So it's really you know, uh, showing us the way.
So when we take the field, like guys like me
(04:01):
whe had that same approach, you know. So I'm always
watching for little things like that too, man. And the
fact that y'ad knows it too, that's good man. So yeah,
they definitely out there, you know, playing playing hard.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Yeah, that is good to see. Corey Trace is our
guest inside the locker room. Corey, I wanted to ask
you about coming back from two ACL injuries on each knee.
You hurt one in college, and I mean I know
you know from talking to people it is a long,
arduous road back, and then to have it happen again
(04:33):
in your rookie season on the other knee, another long
arduous road back. You know what kept you coming back
from both of those injuries because again I've never experienced
an ACL injury myself, but from what I understand, it
is no fun at all and a lot of work
to try to get back.
Speaker 5 (04:51):
No, definitely, man, But you know, so when they first
happened in college, man, I always had the end goal of,
you know, going to the NFL and playing in the NFL.
So like, whenever my mind is set on something you
know that don't really matter, like like what to get
in front of it, I'm gonna keep going as long
as i'm you know, as long as I'm afforded the opportunity.
And I was, you know, I was. I was blessed
to you know, to be able to afford another opportunity
(05:12):
to you know, come back and play it at the
college season.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
I did.
Speaker 5 (05:15):
And then when it happened my rookie year, I was like, oh,
I've been through this before, you know. I feel like,
you know, ID would just you know, prepare me for
this moment now. So I already knew what they expect
and I still have my goals of you know, playing
you know for a long time in the NFL, making plays,
uh and and you know, becoming one of the best
corners in the NFL. So, like I said, man, whenever,
(05:36):
whenever my mind is set on something, you know, it
doesn't really matter what gets in front of it, no
matter what the circumstance is, my my goals and all
that still remain the same. I still have the same
confidence in myself. I know my abilities. You know, I
know what I can do. So the only thing I
gotta do is just be able to step on the field.
And you know, I'm let everything take care of yourself,
you know, with like this experience, and you know, and
(05:58):
the experience is definitely a one the biggest teachers man.
So you know, I'm I was able to get some
no games and stuff up under my belt. So you know,
I'm definitely excited for next year.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
So Corey, I have to ask you, you know, Denver
mile high last year and good to see you out
there and healthy and on the field. And you come
up with a huge interception in that game. I hope
people remember that Denver driving and wound up being a
one score game this year is winning thirteen to six.
Your interception in the end zone of bon Knicks. Can
(06:30):
you talk us through what you remember of that? And
there had to be some sort of feeling of elation,
not only because it was a big playing a big game,
but everything you'd been through to get yourself physically, to
get yourself back out on the field.
Speaker 5 (06:46):
Definitely, man. So yeah, like whenever it happened, man, you know,
I got in, I had got in the game in
a red zone and like, you know, everything happened fast
in the red zone and you know, no, it was
in a certain cover as well, able to you know,
or the back and see what he was looking at
and team like kind of seeing what he's seeing, and
you know, he just threw the ball and I just
(07:06):
had to go up and get it.
Speaker 6 (07:07):
Man Like.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
He threw it up for me, so I had to
go get it. And yeah, man like after it happened, man,
it was definitely like man like, like yeah, like I
knew I could play it in NFLT, like I know
I can do this, and now like now I'm just
ready just to just just to keep like you know,
continue to make plays like that and continue to show
because you know, just making it once not enough, but
when you do it up like four or five more times,
(07:30):
then then people start, you know, understanding who you is.
So man, I'm definitely I'm definitely ready to you know,
get that feeling back again multiple times.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
Oh I'm sure I don't want to let that one
go yet. What was your when when did it kind
of hit you that?
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Cause?
Speaker 3 (07:46):
For like, again, you know, first of all, it's a
big play that helped your team win. I mean, you
go back and look at that game and you circle
a couple of plays that led to the students victory
in Denver, that was one of them. But for you
so understanding it happens within the realm of the team
and the and the victory. But there's also got to
(08:07):
be a personal satisfaction. I mean, was there a point
on the sidelines? What was it when it happened? Was
it on the sidelines? Was it in the plane ride back?
When did you say, wow, I got my first career
reception that's pretty cool?
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Uh? It was really after the game because because we
had got to win too, so like that, like the
wins make everything so much better. And when I was
just walking back to the locker, room. I was just
kind of sucking it all in because you know, the NFL, man,
it's kind of it's kind of tough to pull out
a win, so you gotta stay locked in because I
ended up going back in the game a corner at
(08:41):
the end of the game, whenever the game was on
the line, and so it was like, you know, I
just you know, I had to just you know, enjoyed
the moment at the moment, but then they had to
go back in on special teams and had to go
back in on defense again. So like it's really like
a short term memory thing after a corner. But when
I was walking back to the locker room, man, I
(09:02):
got the first we got it. We got another win,
and you know, we were starting off good and then
I was able to contribute to the win. So y'all
was definitely soaking it all in man. Like it was
one of those then on the plane ride back, man,
and they're just seeing like how many guys you know,
was happy for me because you know, because you know,
you know, I didn't start anything, so you know, I'm
(09:23):
always chaying for other guys, you know, especially because I
see how hard everybody working camp, So you know, seeing
all their work is coming to just coming to play man.
It was just man, it felt good, man. But yeah,
I'm definitely searching for those moments and man again.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
Yeah, the smiles a little wider when you win, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (09:41):
I Mean it's hard to smile when you don't win,
even when you come up with something big like that.
But boy, when you win, that smile gets nice and wide,
doesn't it.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
Definitely? Man, Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's something back that win.
The win make everything more better.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
So Max, I'm sure you have some some questions for
Corey as well.
Speaker 6 (10:00):
Yeah, no, Corey, you know, first of all, thanks for
coming on the show.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Can you guys hear me you? Okay?
Speaker 4 (10:09):
So, so Corey, uh, Friday Night Lights, you've been through it?
Speaker 1 (10:14):
What does it like?
Speaker 5 (10:16):
I don't know if you hear him?
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Yeah? Yeah, can you hear me? Not?
Speaker 6 (10:22):
Rob?
Speaker 5 (10:25):
No, I don't think he can.
Speaker 6 (10:27):
Okay, So Corey, Well, one of the things, you know,
like when you think about the history, right you come
out here, you see the fans and everything, and I
think Rob was actually about to ask the same question
I was, you know, what does it mean to get
to this point in camp where you're headed to la Trobe,
you're mimicking, you know, the kind of start of football
that you had as a young man, right, going and
(10:49):
playing in front of the hometown crowd and Friday night games.
What does it mean to still have that kind of
atmosphere at the professional level that you can go play
at a high school stadium, pack the stadium and then
perform for the fans. And you know also what leads
up with that, right the intensity that that practice brings.
You just talk about your experiences you know with that
and what that means to you.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
Uh, it definitely mean a lot, man, because it definitely
takes me back all the high school and like where
everything all started, man, and so far CoA t to
kind of you know, put that set in back together.
That definitely amazing feeling because sometimes you do have to
dig deep inside and you know find that you know,
high school or middle school or you and then just
you know and get back to that because that's when
(11:33):
you know, like usually having like the most fun with it,
and then like just seeing like all the fans out there, man,
just seeing all the support, just seeing like the action
and then like you said, that intensity definitely go up
because it's really like a game day atmosphere like it
is like you know, we were riding on buses there,
you know, all the fans there and the field crowded
(11:54):
and and like you said, that intensity is up. So man,
it's definitely a great experience, man. And then signed the
autographs at the beginning after, you know, just giving back
to the fans and just seeing how loyal the fans is, man.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
And then on the.
Speaker 5 (12:07):
Tradition been going on for years, man, and to be
able to be a part of it is definitely a blessing.
So I just want to, you know, make sure you know,
I have some I make some highlights for some people nights,
you know, man, and just make sure, you know, make
sure everybody just have to you know, just having good
intensity and really just giving back to the fans, man,
because at the end of the day, we still have
to prepare like it's for a game, and like that's
(12:29):
how I approach it, because this is like our first
real setting and you know, it just helped, you know,
develop your routine. So when we do have a seven
o'clock game or a night game, and yeah, man, it's exciting. Man,
I'm definitely excited for it.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
Corey.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
Thank you very much, really appreciate your time, continued good luck,
continued good health and looking forward to seeing you at.
Speaker 4 (12:51):
Friday Night Lights tonight.
Speaker 5 (12:53):
Just sir, appreciate you.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Corey Trice.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Max good to talk to the young man and you
know when he's healthy and and you know hopefully he
had the hamstring injury last year after the two torn acls.
But he's an exciting you know, he's almost still a
prospect in some ways because he's in his third season,
but he's bat of the injury issues, obviously lost his
rookie season. But I mean he's an exciting he's an
(13:19):
exciting young prospect for this too. There's at that cornerback position.
Speaker 1 (13:23):
No, he absolutely is.
Speaker 6 (13:25):
And you know he's one of those guys that Mike
Tomlin identified as an avatar. You know, we called him
the alien at times because he just he's such a
prototypical type of corner for today's NFL. Right, Paul lean
Fast has a great catch radius and a great area
that he can defend. He doesn't have to be pressed
(13:47):
upon you like a lot of shorter corners. He can
give about a yard and still feel like he's right
up on you.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Right.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
You know, he's still stuck to you like fly paper,
even though it might feel like there's a there's a
yard break between just because he's so long.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
And you know you could use that.
Speaker 6 (14:01):
And let's face it, you know, when we look in
our division, right, I mean, you love the matchup and
the tall leanness of a Hymn along with Joey Porter
Junior and Jalen Ramsey to line up against t Higgins,
Jmar Chase right and the like that you're going to
see this season. I mean, justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison
when we go over to Ireland, right, there's all these
(14:21):
duos of receivers and you can kind of mix and
match those guys to handle the different setups. And having
Corey Trice in that mix and healthy, I mean, only
makes the Steelers secondary that much.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
Better, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:35):
And it's a bit of a balancing act Max between
bringing in veterans and I asked him about this early on.
You bring in veterans like Sleigh and Ramsey Thornhill of
courses at safety, but Eccles, I think in particular Sleigh
and Ramsey have that really long, great resume and we
have seen them be extremely combative, whether it is you know,
(15:00):
going down the down the field after you know kind
of a play is over and Jalen Ramsey is still
running down there trying to knock the ball loose, or
Darius Slay battling with somebody as we saw in seven
Shots yesterday and batting the ball away, and you know,
so you want to learn from those things.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
But also experience is a great teacher too.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
You want to make sure you get on the field,
So a bit of a balancing act and learning from
these guys and also learning from the experience of playing
in NFL games.
Speaker 6 (15:27):
No, it absolutely is. And and that's a good problem
to have got too much talent. I can't find enough
spaces to put all this talent on the field. That
said by no coach ever.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Just gentleman.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
Nobody's ever said we're in trouble. We have too many
good players.
Speaker 6 (15:44):
Yep, darn it, darn it to heck, we can't do
this because we have too much talent, right Yeah, And
so I think that that's the beautiful thing about And
that's where moments like Friday Night Lights tonight is going
to be that kind of differentiator. Right as you start
to slot and place guys and you figure who's your
who's your first team, who's your second team? Like this
goes a long way to getting ready for that first
(16:05):
preseason game down in Jacksonville where you're gonna have to
roll out these different units. How much time to divvy
up between the guys you earn that time and opportunity
on what you do at Saint Vincent's and now what
you're going to do at latrob Memorial Stadium this evening
when it gets into more of a scrimmage like script
and environment tonight.
Speaker 3 (16:24):
For sure, and Max, I wanted to ask you, and
we'll delve into this more as we go along, but
is this the next logical logical progression? I mean, you know,
you have the first day in pads and the backs
on backers and you're actually tackling out there.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Not a lot of teams still tackle.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
You know, you're tackling in eleven on eleven, and you
know the linemen are going at each other, and the
and the cornerbacks and and receivers and safeties you're going
at each other. Is this that sort of that next
logical step? I mean, you know, certainly for fans, I
think the first day in pads and this one are
ones that you circle. I would imagine it's gotta be
(17:02):
the same way as a as a player as well.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
No, it absolutely is. I mean, this is the ramp up,
you know, this is this is the real.
Speaker 6 (17:08):
Acclamation period, rob like that when we had the first
couple of days of camp, the first four days, that's
not acclamation.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
This is the acclamation. This is the callousing process that
must go on.
Speaker 6 (17:19):
And I'm sure if you ask Coach t you asked
a lot of people, you would have loved to have
gotten two padded practices in before you go into Friday
night lights, just so guys could have shown a bounce
back from day one to day two. But it is
what it is like mother nature is undefeated and the
best laid plans, you know often you know, get undone
really quickly. Because yesterday, you know, we were anticipating rain.
(17:42):
We were anticipating like a thunderstorm, and it just stayed south.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
It never crept north.
Speaker 6 (17:47):
Every other day this week it is crept into the practice.
And of course when you go for the morning practice,
it ends up being a beautiful day in the afternoon
and it threatened, but it never came close, and you
would have had second padded practice yesterday, but because of
the early turnaround, you know, you didn't want you didn't
want to risk injury. Guys still getting used to it,
(18:07):
so you know, you go with the shells practice and
now we go into tonight, you know, after a long
way off, you know, essentially get right morning right now
that's going on at campus UH to get ready for
their second padded practice. Usually that it's practice number three
that this is happening, so you get a.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Little bit more sense.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
So the guys are going to be learning on the
fly and dialing up, you know, kind of the mistakes
from two days ago and trying to see if they
can overcome those and a more and more I would
say frenzied environment. I think this is the best way
to put it. With all the fans and tickets are
sold out and there's a wait list for tickets to
get into the stadium, but there are infest activities. But
it's going to be it's going to be very interesting
(18:47):
to see how the response is once you.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
Kick it, once you take it up a couple of notches.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Did we lose the kinger?
Speaker 6 (18:53):
I think we might have lost the Kinger on that one.
So with that we're gonna step aside. We'll be back
when we're trying to get King back on the line.
You are inside the Locker Room with King and Starks
here on the Steel's Audio.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Network Iheartradios live coverage of about twenty twenty five Steelers
training camp. He's presented by Vedex where Now meets Next
and also brought to you by CGR Wholesale Roofing and
Siding Supply Center, by Tons Appliances, by Always Safe Flagging
(19:28):
and Traffic Control by Greater Pittsburgh Community Food bad by
Schneider Downs, by Has's Steak and Seahouse, by your Neighborhood
Forward Store, by Castle Rock, by Clearview Federal Credit View,
and by US Steel.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Ken of Welcome Back inside the Locker Room Mctinuan Starks,
presented by your Neighborhood Ford Store here on the.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Steelers Audio Network Max.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
First of all, I wanted to see if you had
any impressions from yesterday's practice. We're obviously doing the game
while the practice was going on. Anything that stuck out
to you in particular, anything you're looking to see carried
over tonight to the big night of Friday Night Lights, Well.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
The intensity definitely was there. Yesterday. Look at it, right,
I think, uh, well, you kind of think about it.
Speaker 6 (20:16):
I think, you know, you look at John new Smith
and just you know how how how feisty and and
how how aggressive he is. I mean, I love it
because I think that gets the rest of the crowd up.
So I mean he definitely brings the Jews to practice.
So I would say both of our red rovers from
from Miami that we read rover it up here to
(20:37):
Western Pa. Him and Jalen Ramsey have been as advertised.
When you look at just how smooth his his past,
his pass route running is and then his ability to
catch the ball in a lot of different places, it
makes him a very, very very viable target in the
passing game. I think for Jalen Ramsey, the intensity was
on display just I mean he blitzed on a play
(21:02):
and then ran forty yards downfield to challenge Jalen Warren
from a screen in his pursuit drill and try and
knock the ball out. I think those are two plays
that really stand out to me and two players that
really show that hey, they're they're doing a lot to
just affect the way that guys look at practice and
how you have to mimic game like situations because that's
(21:25):
going to happen, right, You're going to get aggressive at
the point, and you have to figure out how to
control your emotions and how do you get in a
guy's head and can that guy not allow him, not
allow that that opponent to live rent free in your
head the rest of the game. You know, there's that
mental element, but then of course the physical element of putting.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
It on film.
Speaker 6 (21:46):
You know, a guy who's a top one hundred all
pro type of player running forty five yards downfield on
a non tackling drill still to challenge and threaten and
hopefully help your running backs realize always keep the ball
high and tight in those situations. But also shows the defenders, hey,
pursuit never stops.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
You don't know.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
Good things can happen when you just try a little
bit harder. So I think both of those things really
stuck out to me in practice. But I would also
say I love the intensity and the focus of how
good the O line and D line play was, you know,
mimicking kind of going over the mistakes you can't go
through at full speed. We'll see that tonight, but just
it looked a lot cleaner. You didn't see as many
(22:25):
bus along the offensive line.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
I think the communication is getting better.
Speaker 6 (22:28):
I think also with Aaron like communicating with them what
he wants because there's a lot of information that's being
passed between a lot of different groups, so you have
to make sure you're all getting in sync on how
efficiently you can pass that information.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
So watching that in practice.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
Yesterday, it was a nice little uptick and it definitely
leaves a lot of certain fun to be had this
evening as we go through Friday night lights. So I'm
really looking forward to seeing this team take that next jump.
How do they handle the second competitive practice like that
tonight under those situations that Corey Trice talked about with
(23:05):
it being such an intimate but frenzied environment, like a
lot of people there and you want to impress, you
want you want to give Steeler Nation a show and
show them hey man, you know we're working hard here,
thank you for coming out, and kind of that kind
of gratitude signing the autographs throughout practice. But also you know,
putting forth clean, good football to where fans can get
(23:26):
excited for the season.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
You know, a lot to unpack their max because every
time Max Stark says something four more questions pop up
in my mind, so I wanted to ask you this, Max,
as a follow up. When we're looking at team drills,
it feels to me like there are certain aspects in
which you know, maybe one unit is ahead of the
other unit, one section of a unit is ahead of
(23:50):
another section of the unit, and that those things, over
the course of a two and a half week can't
begin to level out of it a little bit or
maybe even tip the other way. For example, I always
felt like, you know, early on in camp, maybe you've
got some new patterns, some new things you're working on offensively.
Maybe when you're doing a simple coverage drill, maybe that's
(24:10):
advantage or seven on seven, you know, a skeleton drill,
maybe that's advantage offense. And then the defense gets used
to tendencies and things are seeing and maybe that's that
swaps back the other way. Do you feel like eleven
on eleven, that there's a little bit of an advantage
early on to the defense and that that settles down
(24:32):
as it goes on, or do you think it's the
other way around, or do you think there is no
advantage one way or the other that progresses through camp.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
I think it matters the experience and the personnel Kinger,
I think that's what really what separates you know whether
you're going to be good or whether you know you're
going to be great right out the gates. And I
think for this camp specifically advantage defense. Right, there's more
experience on that side of the ball, There's more guys
that play together on that side of the ball at
(25:00):
key positions. So defense is going to be able to
communicate a lot cleaner out out on the outset because
you have guys returning that have communicated that in game
time situations. There is a pickup period, right, because Aaron
Rodgers is brand new to this offense. Granted he's not
new to offense in general, but he's new to the terminology,
he's new to the personnel. He's still feeling out what
(25:23):
his receivers, running backs, and offensive line and tight ends
can or can't do, and he's testing things. So I
think when you're in that testing phase and you don't
have a proven model like game experience, it's always going
to be advantaged to the more veteran squad. And so
that's where defense, I feel like has the advantage early on.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
But we also know Aaron is a very quick, quick study.
Speaker 6 (25:44):
He's a guy that can that can make things up
fast and make up that quote unquote lost ground. He
can sit there and do it, and we've seen him
done it because he's done it on multiple teams where
you had to kind of pick those things up. So
that's where I say it matters on the unit. You know,
offensive line is still young. We have new receivers, we
have new tight ends, we have new running backs. So
(26:05):
everything is really new on the offensive side at a
lot of different positions. But on defense there's some newness,
but you have a lot of veteranus. Right right, Patrick
Queen called the plays a year ago, so he's gonna
be able to do that. Deshaun Elliott was a starter
a year ago in the safety position. He can get
people in place. Joey Porter Junior was a corner a
year ago, starting and playing defensive line wise, TJ. Watt,
(26:29):
Alex high Smith, Keanum Benton, and Cam Hayward. Right, we're
here a year ago. So you can mix a match
one two or three guys and switch their places around.
Speaker 1 (26:38):
But for the most part, you have a very intact defense.
Speaker 6 (26:40):
You know, you have over half of your defense returning,
so they're gonna have an advantage.
Speaker 1 (26:45):
Over at offense.
Speaker 6 (26:46):
That's switching positions, influx new guys coming in and trying
to all figure it out, a new stum lot of guys.
So that's where you're right, It is an advantage. But
I mean you look at for what I would say,
seventeen of the eighteen years that Ben Roethlisberger was a quarterback,
you know, we had an advantage because a quarterback had
(27:06):
been here, a quarterback had gone through these things, and
so offense would get off to a quicker start at
training camp with been there versus trying to figure out
what's gonna happen, what's not gonna happen. So I think
that's where we kind of talk about is very it's
varied from a year to year basis, and with the
quarterback uncertainty over the last you know, three years, three seasons,
(27:31):
it's been one where you've had to kind of figure
it out, so to speak. And that's where I think
defense has kind of taken that jump in that leap
by having experienced players.
Speaker 3 (27:40):
So I think one of the things we have seen
too to your point about progression and let's go back
to Aaron Rodgers and the receiver group. Is that there's
been a couple of times where we've seen, even when
there's no defensive backs out there, just the team, you know,
running patterns that guys maybe you're flattening out routes when
Aaron expects them. You know, say it's a crossing pattern
(28:02):
and a little bit of an angle to it. You know,
he's expecting that angle to continue, and so it looks
like an overthrown ball when the receiver flattens that out inevitably.
You know, think about either geometry. If somebody flattens out
a pattern across the middle and you're expecting them to
angle it, the throw is going to be high and
probably behind them right because you're throwing it to a
different spot. So we've seen a little bit of that
(28:23):
and I think that's another thing that will improve over
the next couple of weeks. And then as we get
into two games, the timing. You know, when are guys
coming out of their break, when are they going to
flatten a route?
Speaker 4 (28:34):
Should they never flatten a route?
Speaker 3 (28:36):
You know, all these things are going to come together
and I think make things look a little more precise.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Well, And here's the thing.
Speaker 6 (28:44):
You know, if you've ever been in a factory or
a place that creates things right fabrication, you know that
angle goes a little bit off, it doesn't fit, you know.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
And I'll take like an.
Speaker 6 (28:55):
Auto factory, right, I've a family that's worked in the
auto industry and worked in facts, you know, from Lima, Ohio,
all the way across the state and even in different
regions of the country. You go down to South Carolina,
and you know, one of the things is, you know,
you have you have to first build the prototype mold, right,
(29:15):
and you got to figure out where the angles fit
so that when you build let's just say a fender
or a wheel well, right, if things aren't perfect, you
know from the from the get go, you're gonna have issues.
But that's what research and development R and D comes in, Right.
It's like what type of tire are we putting on here?
What type of rim?
Speaker 1 (29:33):
And how much space do I have with the shocks?
Speaker 6 (29:36):
You know, is it gonna rub on the inside of
the wheel well or rub against the fender well of it?
And we have to go back and we have to
we have to recreate, right, we have to change the
angle on it. But you need to have a prototype
or a template to go by so you understand what
you can and can't do within the framework of the vehicle.
And I think that's kind of what you're going through.
(29:57):
And prime example is I'll never forget like Aaron Rodg
just you know, threw a pass and Ben Skeronick went up,
had a very had a very good contested catch, went
to the ground.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
I don't know if you remember that and that and
that and that one on one period.
Speaker 6 (30:10):
Rob we were watching the also the John news Smith.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
And Jan Thornhill interaction.
Speaker 6 (30:15):
You know, they were working some things out in a
very physical nature that same drill. You know, Skoronic went
and ran an out route and it was contested and
he caught it and went to the ground. But Aaron
went up, you know, high five Ben. But then he
put his arm around Dante Kent, who was in coverage
against karonk and he talked to him for like three
to four minutes, you know, afterwards, about what he saw,
how did he feel.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
Here's what you're looking at. And I think that's what
this and that's why I called this place to forward
so much.
Speaker 6 (30:40):
I'm gonna keep reiterating that this is where we have
to figure out what elements working which ones don't. So,
like you said, this is where you get to try
things and see what you can and cannot get away
with as you build the perfect you know, archetype for
what this offense looks like. So you know that when
you have certain personnel groupings in this is what I
(31:00):
can and can't do. You know, I can't put the
same wheel well on afford fusion that I can afford
F one fifty, right, They're different. They're different vehicles and
they require different specs or different requirements to make the
car complete. You know, I can't just throw you know,
any type of bumper on the front end, right because
you know it's.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
Not going to fit. So this is the moment where
you get to kind of try that.
Speaker 6 (31:23):
You get to fabricate and create new templates for your personnel.
And Aaron is always taking an information. That quarterback group
is always taking an information about who their personnel is
and what they can and can't do. And for the
and for the other guys, you know, for the offensive line.
Here's what this quarterback likes to do. He has a
tendency to fade to his left a little bit. When
he gets into his dropper, he feels pressure. He has
(31:45):
a natural tendency to do this, so we have to
be accommodating to that. Running backs, you know, when when
you have a reverse rollout and you're taking a pitch
to get this, this is what I need to do
to set up the offensive line. You know, if I
have fast flow linebackers, I got to stay a little
bit to give them time to push up into them
so they don't just escape really quick. And then I
got to bounce it out the backside. All these things
(32:06):
are being taken into account and that's why you practice.
That's why you come and get away, so that you
can have that intensity at one on one time so.
Speaker 1 (32:15):
Guys can work things out. You can have the R
and D department.
Speaker 6 (32:18):
This is the research and development phase for creating a
football team.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
I think one of the other things that I don't
think can be understated is the Steelers desire to go
out and get players that fit their mold of how
they want to play. So the Steelers, you know, Andy
Whidell had a press conference early last year, I think
(32:44):
it was during one of the preseason games at home,
in which he talked about the drafting philosophy. Obviously Omar
Khan's at GM Andy Wide doing a lot of work
underneath him, and said, look, if you want to have
a physical football team, we want to have physical football team.
If you want to have a physical football team, you
need to draft and acquire physical players, right, like Mike
(33:08):
tom Win always says, and he said it yesterday after practice.
I want to say, or maybe it's two days ago.
I want to say woe and not sick them. So
you want physical football players and you want I also
think that they've prioritized, you know, football character. And when
you talk about Aaron Rodgers and you talk about Jalen
(33:29):
Ramsey and you talk about Darius Slay and others, Jan Thornhill,
other guys that have been added to this team, Deshaun
Elliott last year, other guys. Look, I'm I'm naming guys,
but I don't want to leave anybody else.
Speaker 4 (33:42):
I'll stop there.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
But you have you are adding guys that have football character,
that are you know, outside of Aaron Rodgers who obviously
plays the quarterback position, guys who like to play a
physical brand of football, and guys who have high, high
football character and that is going to run off on
your younger guys and continue that tradition that we've talked
(34:03):
about earlier in camp, that Cam Hayward and TJ. Watt
and others, the Steer's way, the Steelers tradition of passing
things down. I think that this has been obviously something
they thought about and accomplished thoughtfully getting players of.
Speaker 6 (34:20):
This ILK No, absolutely, I mean you just think about
the moves they made this offseason, right. DK Metcalf, very
physical presence. He has a noted history of wanting to
mix it up and create intensity on the wide receiver position.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
Jalen Ramsey We all know Jalen Ramsey.
Speaker 6 (34:39):
In fact, against Dk Metcalf, they have gotten very personal
and very physical John new Smith we saw it yesterday
on full display. But he's also had that history that
he's been with Arthur Smith where he's done those type
of things Wan Thorne Hill. So it wasn't by accident
that you had this kind of inundation or this influx
(35:00):
of strong personality types intense personality types on this team.
Is because you're trying to create that culture and identify
things that you know from the past has been an
identity of the team. That you might not necessarily get
to see because there's still so many new different pieces
and you have a lot of youth on.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
This team where they just don't know what they don't know.
Speaker 6 (35:20):
You know, not all of them have that experience or
have that history of the Pittsburgh Steelers. I think a
Ben Scronic is probably one of those exceptions. A new
guy to the team, but he grew up coming to Steelers'
training camp.
Speaker 1 (35:31):
You know, he grew up sitting.
Speaker 6 (35:33):
On the hills at now Chuck Nolefield when it was
just a field, you know, before it got named. So
you're trying to infuse those different aspects to it to
make sure that you can get back to those type
of ways and that the oral tradition or the physical
tradition that's passed down stays consistent with this team, and
you have to sometimes manufacture it from different places. You know,
(35:56):
you bring in guys from a lot of different organizations.
But the one core value, the one core strength of
their stylid play is they're very physical, they're very verbal,
and they're relentless, and that's what you want to continue
to create because you're not gonna have a Cam Heyward
for forever right, There is a shelf life for a TJ.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Watt.
Speaker 6 (36:15):
No matter how extensive the resume is, there's always a
shelf life.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
It is very finite. Now how long that finite product
is is a difference.
Speaker 6 (36:24):
But sometimes you have to kind of abridge and you
got to kind of put some extra elements in there
to keep the same fire going.
Speaker 3 (36:32):
We're going to talk about one of those players that
you have just described who's back at practice for the Steelers.
We'll see how much availability he's going to have. We
have plenty more still to come. Inside the Locker Room
with King and Starks presented by your neighborhood Ford Store
on the Steelers Audio Network.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
iHeartRadio's live coverage of about twenty twenty five Steelers training
camp is presented by FedEx Now Meets Next and also
brought to you by bud Light, Independence Health System, by
Pennsylvania One Call System, by Live Casino, Calciente Pizza and
Drafthouse by Tons Appliances, South Hills Auto, Laurel, Highlands Visitors Bureau,
(37:17):
we Max Select Realty, the Pittsburgh Steelers Pro Shop, and
by US Steel.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
And Welcome back to the Locker Room with Tigging Starks,
presented by your neighborhood Ford Store here on the Steelers
Audio Network. Good to see Isaac Cmalu back. You know,
we were talking about Isaac Cimala. We're talking about max
high character guys, guys that play with a physical edge.
I think that's a pretty good description of him. He
and Broderick Jones working their way back. I don't know
(37:48):
what their availability is going to be for Friday night Lights.
I'm assuming Isaac, well, my guest would be he's not
going to be I'm not going to make an assumption.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
My guest would be that he's not going to be there.
Speaker 3 (37:58):
But your thoughts on getting those guys back and what
they're gonna mean for this offense.
Speaker 6 (38:04):
Yeah, No, this is a positive progress because this is
the intended starting lineup, so to speak. So you and
the more you can get healthy guys back in to
start building that cohesion, start building that chemistry as a
unit is always very welcome, you know, Like you said,
Isaac cemalo being on that NFI list and getting activated,
you know, just yesterday and kind of moving around for
(38:27):
the first time with the team. Did not participate in
team drills, but did you know some of the individual stuff,
some of the walkthrough stuff as the starting left guard
spinster Anderson still assumed the left guard duties during the
actual team segments. But this is what you want to get,
you know. Broderick Jones also in there. Saw both of
them in the walkthrough together, so you wonder if there
(38:48):
will be a next ramp up. Maybe they'll participate a
little bit more tonight at Friday Night Lights, and we
get kind of a preview of what we expect this
intact starting five opening Day raw to be. Now, there's
still plenty of competition and still a lot of camp
left to kind of figure out what that unit is
because it is such a young unit. But this goes
(39:09):
a long way to at least seeing the first phase
of it and putting all of them together and seeing,
of course what that gumbo becomes. You know, you got
you got all the different pieces. Now let's get all
of them together. Let's see how it turns and how
it takes shape as a unit. So I'm really excited
to have Isaac back, really excited to have Broderick back
and really see what this starting five looks like, because
(39:31):
the anticipated starting five for all the fans out there
would be Progerick Jones at left tackle, Isaac c Amalo
at left guard, Zach Frasier at center, Mason McCormick at
right guard, and Troy.
Speaker 1 (39:40):
Fatanu at right tackle.
Speaker 6 (39:42):
That's what the anticipated lineup is to be, and then
we'll figure out how that rounds out. Spencer Anderson's been
getting the starting reps at left guard. Calvin Anderson and
Dylan Cook have kind of been running two man duty
for swing swing tackle capabilities and seeing how they do
at both right and left in there. Stephen Jones has
been another one that's been kind of doing some swing stuff.
(40:04):
Gareth Warren the rookie, so we're getting a good little mix.
Aiden Williams another rookie mixing up Max Sharping. I mean,
we've had a lot of different guys, Doug Nester, there's
a big, deep group and a lot of guys have
starting experience and a playtime experience in this league. So
you know, you have an opportunity to really come up
with a great combination out of that offensive line room.
Speaker 3 (40:24):
Yeah, we talked about that offensive line yesterday and I
told you that I feel like from just from fans talking,
there's a lot of Hey, who's going to be the
you know, are this Judent's gonna go ouad and make
a trade for a wide receiver. We went through that
all last year. Of course, the number two question outside
look Aaron Rodgers. Obviously he's always a big topic for fans,
but you know, a lot of the topic is that
(40:44):
offensive line. And you know, you and I discussed this briefly,
so we don't have to go over too much. But
it's going to be interesting to watch tonight because this
is a big opportunity for a lot of guys to
step forward. But as you mentioned, you know, look, they
signed Calvin Anderson do a two year deal. They believe
that Calvin Anderson is in an NFL offensive lineman. He's
(41:05):
that he's the tackle you're talking. You have Broderick Jones,
and you have Troy Faltano. Dylan Cook is a guy
who's got NFL experience. Ryan McCallum has started games, Max
Sharping has started game, Spencer Anderson has started your games.
That's your projected next five behind the offensive line. So
I understand people saying, look, you know, Broderick he's played
(41:26):
right tackle, now how's he going to handle left tackle?
Troy Faltano, He's a rookie, how's he going to handle
right tackle? What happens with Zach Fraser and Mason McCormick
in the second time around the league? Do they continue
to progress because people are going to be studying film
and looking for weaknesses and hoping they can find those things.
I understand the trepidation, but when you sort of step back,
(41:48):
you know, look, there's a reason that Roderick Jones and
Troy Futana were taken in the first round, Zack Fraser
in the second, and Mason McCormick the Steelers pounced on him.
Ciamalo is a guy that has a great track record,
that depth behind it. And now, if you're one of
those offensive linemen you mentioned, the young guys coming into
play tonight boy, at the very least, you want to
(42:08):
make sure that you're either there if something happens to
a player they don't exceed or they don't live up
to expectations one of those veteran guys, or heaven forbid,
they're injured, you know, or maybe it's a practice squad situation.
There's a lot to play for for those young offensive
linemen behind that first ten oh lineman for this Teelers.
Speaker 1 (42:29):
Yeah, there is.
Speaker 6 (42:30):
There's a lot of opportunity out there, and like you said,
you can make a name for yourself. And it starts
with Friday night lights or like coming out and showing
that I know what to do, I know how to
do it, and I do it with a lot of
intensity and vigor. That's really what the key is. And
when you're talking about the offensive line position, you know,
it's a lot of other elements that go into it,
(42:50):
as far as the chemistry and get along and communication
with with your buddy next to you, and how well
you do how well you play telephone so to speak,
the pass information down the LA line. But like you said,
when you've got guys with experience that it kind of curves,
you know, it accelerates the learning curve, so to speak.
I was gonna say curves the learning, but that didn't
(43:10):
make sense. So yeah, it accelerates the learning curve for
a lot of guys in that room because you.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Have NFL experience.
Speaker 6 (43:17):
I think a year ago it was we don't know,
we don't know, and it's like, well, some of us
have experienced, some of us have zero experience. Think about
when Mason McCormick came in when when James Daniels went
down right zero NFL experience, But by the end of
the year you're like, oh, yeah, he knows what he's
doing there, right position, Zach Frasier day one starter. Nate
Herbig goes down and is unavailable the entire season, as
(43:41):
Zach Fraser becomes your your day one starter. There was
a competition there in camp and he had zero experience
when he started. Troy Fautano and Broderick Jones battling for
the right tackle position because Dan Moore was at the
left along with Isaac Camalo, and you lose a Dan
Moore and at the beginning camp you don't.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Have Isaac Camalo together. So all of these different.
Speaker 6 (44:01):
Challenges or opportunities, however you want to look at it right.
You know, we talk about pressure. There's those that feel it,
those that apply it. That's where you're trying to figure
out in the pressure cooker what works and what doesn't work.
And I think that's what you have to do on
a year by year base, especially when you have such
a young unit. You've got to figure out how it works.
You got to figure out who works best under certain situations. Right,
(44:24):
one guy might be excellent run blocking, but he's a
liability in pass blocking and vice versa. Or you have
a guy that's kind of a good all around player
and he can he can fill at your interior positions.
You have one guy who is okay and can get
you out of a game, you know, at the tackle position.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
You're all trying to figure out what that list is.
Speaker 6 (44:42):
And you know, after tonight, I'm sure you'll see coaches
and scouts starting to put things together and start to slot,
you know, and I think that's the other thing. Start
to slot guys as far as where they rank on
the listing of priorities. You'll start to see those things
starting to take shape as we get into this first
preseason action next week. And we had some last night
that kicked off football in America at the Hall of
(45:05):
Fame game. But this is what you do. These are
the things you're trying to get to. The next check mark,
the next mile marker, and the next quote unquote opportunity
to accelerate towards team cohesion.
Speaker 3 (45:16):
And I don't want to leave out the fact that
Max Starks gave us all words to live by when
it comes to pressure, those who feel it and those
who apply it.
Speaker 4 (45:25):
You one who applies it right.
Speaker 3 (45:26):
Always always, Max Starks, great stuff, man, I didn't want
to leave that gem inside Max.
Speaker 5 (45:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
No, I appreciate it and it applies everywhere.
Speaker 6 (45:34):
I mean, you use it today. Like listen, I'm pressuring
that cook to put out more food.
Speaker 1 (45:38):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 6 (45:39):
Like, I'm applying the pressure to him, like yes, no, sorry,
all the chicken nugs are gone.
Speaker 1 (45:44):
You need more?
Speaker 6 (45:44):
Yeah, go back there to the fry and bring me
some more. I'm putting the pressure on him. He's Max
apply He's.
Speaker 3 (45:50):
Max Starks on Rob King. We're gonna talk a little
bit about the Hall of Fame game is football kicks off.
We'll talk about, you know, what are the intended outcomes
of Friday Night's practice, the Friday Night Lights practice. What
are we looking for? What is a team looking for?
We know there's individual things that are hoping to be accomplished.
A lot to talk about. We may get to the
guy that Max mentioned briefly, who I think might be
(46:11):
the most underrated acquisition the Steelers made in the offseason.
Speaker 4 (46:15):
We have lots more to come.
Speaker 3 (46:17):
You are listening to the locker room with King and
Starks presented by your neighborhood Forwards tour on the Steelers
Audio netw
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