October 9, 2024 • 41 mins
Get a front-row seat to Carolina Panthers football with Sideline Pass! This week Kristen and Sharon are joined by Jonathan Stewart and Jalen Coker to discuss the numerous injuries that the Panthers are facing, this week's game against the Falcons, what it is like after a heavy workload game as a running back, and so much more!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wow. Cheers. Kristen Balboni and Sharon Thorps loved it with
your Sideline Pass.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome to Sideline Pass. We are here taking you behind
the scenes and on the field with the Carolina Panthers. So, Sharon,
it was a road game up in Chicago. You were
on sideline duty for that one. There was a lot
that we need to talk about from that game. So
I just want to start with what are the things
that stood out to you? Oh?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Wow, Well, it was just I mean, the injuries, unfortunately,
I hear the number one thing that you come away
with from that game because they were just crucial injuries
to critical players and just so many of them. It
was like the entire second half, every time I turned around,
there was another injury, and I just hate that for
so many guys, starting with Austin Corbett and that season
ending biceps injury. It's just, oh, it's just tough. So
(00:52):
it was it was difficult to play the game you
want to play. I think that they started out okay
and they went down you know, and scored on that
right with Cuba. Hubbard once again had a great game
running the ball. He just did a phenomenal job, just
a couple of yards short of another one hundred yard game,
so that they were doing some good things early on
and then things just got away from them. And you know,
(01:13):
when you're starting a rookie at middle linebacker, who's you know,
calling the defense, that makes things a little more difficult
on your defense already, especially going against a Chicago team
that has a very dynamic rookie quarterback. So things just
sort of spiraled out of control a little bit there
with the defense getting behind the eight ball, and then
the offense just couldn't get things going in a tough environment.
It was windy up there, the fans are pretty rowdy
(01:35):
up there at Soldier Field, So it was just one
of those days where it's just things just didn't.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Go their way, absolutely right, And I want to go
a little bit deeper on a couple of the points
that you made, So I want to talk to everyone.
You know, one of the cool things is that we
do take people behind the scenes. I want to talk
to everyone about what it is like for a player
to have a season ending injury. I mean, even ir
as we know, and we have certainly a lot of
(01:59):
guys that are out right now, but a season ending
injury what people don't see. You know, you kind of
think about it as all right, this person will not
be in the games, right, and you hear their injury
and you go, oh my gosh, that sounds terrible. But
then what a lot of people don't think about is
that then they go talk to the doctors. You hear
that news, then you go get a second opinion, and
(02:21):
then they go get ready for surgery most of the
time right, surgery, which is traumatic for anyone. And then
after that they start the rehab process and they typically
do that in house. So one of the things that
has always stuck out to me, Sharon about that rehab
process is that you are there every day. And I
don't know if people realize that or they think, Okay,
(02:41):
they go home and rehab. I certainly didn't know before
I worked with a team and I'd been in sports
for a long time. But they show up every day,
they work with the trainers, they're around the team, but
you don't get to play those games. You're kind of
off on the side. And I've heard people say, you know,
it's one of the loneliest things in professional sports. I
just wanted to mention that kind of how that goes
(03:05):
to people who aren't front and center in the process.
And I'm sure sharing you have seen your fair share
of those season ending injuries, and it's just tough for
the players who are you know, as people.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Right absolutely, And like you said, I mean, it's tough
for anybody to have surgery. But imagine, I mean you're
a guy that this is your livelihood. I mean, it's
one thing for you know, I've had a few ankle
surgeries in my life, and yeah, that slows you down,
but it's not going to like hamper your career, you know.
And so this is the thing where these guys and
this is what they do. This is their daily life,
and to not be able to go out there and
play it is really hard on them, and you know,
(03:36):
have to compound it with having a surgery. And like
you said, it is so lonely. That's how I've heard
so many guys describe it, because it's like you're here,
but you're sort of on the outside looking in because
you can't play anymore. One thing that I do love
about this team, though, is that they do keep those
guys as involved as absolutely possible. You know, they want
to still have them and when they're capable of going
to be in the team meetings. They're still working with
(03:58):
some of the younger guys, you know, to give them
a vice, to mentor them and to try to help them,
you know, take over the position. Like that's what they
were trying to do. Shaq Thompson was trying to do that,
you know, even coming off of his surgery, he was
already cutting up tape of the Bears last week, you know,
for guys to have and for Trevin Wallace to have
there at the inside linebacker spot to try to help
him out. So I think that a lot of those
(04:19):
guys are trying to stay involved. But yeah, it's it's hard.
It's hard to and you have to rehab. You're not
kidding every day. I mean they're here on Sunday, they
here every single day, you know, the entire week. They're
here every day trying to rehab and such.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
General.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
They can get back to things a whole lot quicker
than the rest of us can. But it's tough, and
I feel for them there, and we've had so many
guys already this season. I just hate it for them and.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Sharon that's such a good point as well too. Again
taking people behind the curtain. Is that the NFL season,
they are there in the building working seven days a week.
And again that's something that I didn't know. And I mean,
you know they have practiced, right, you know, they're in meetings,
but I did not realize that until we're looking for
a team. So Monday is film review Tuesday. This is
(05:03):
the one I always thought was interesting. And Sharon, tell
me if you did too, Tuesday is you can't see me,
but I'm holding up quotes the players day off. But
you're right. They come in, they get training or sorry,
they get rehab, they get yes and get massages, all
of those things, lifting, anything like that. So a lot
of them are still in the building and take it
(05:24):
upon themselves to do extra work. And then Wednesday's practice.
Thursday is practice Friday as well, they usually have a
walkthrough or a practice Saturday, Sharon, as you know, being
the road reporter, they go and do a walk through
and a meeting and then go straight to the to
the airport. You know, get bussed in a lot of times,
(05:44):
and then they go straight to meetings after they land,
and then you play the game, you fly home that night,
and then it starts all over again, so you're right.
I think that's something as well that, like I said,
I did not know beforehand, and it is just a grind.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, it's absolute grind. And like you said that quote
unquote day off on Tuesday, a lot of guys are
here all the time. I remember last season, Xavier Woods
was coming in every Tuesday to go over film with
some other guys to try to do anything they could
to make this defense better, to make this team better.
So guys go above and beyond and coming here on
their day off, and yeah, that generally ends up showing
(06:19):
up on the field as well. But it's it's a
full time job times ten to be in the NFL,
no doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
And then another thing that I wanted to go back
to what you said, and certainly something that I'm going
to be looking for this weekend is Trevin Wallace. So
I asked Dave Canalis yesterday about how he thought Trevin
Wallace did in that game. Obviously thrust into a big
position with Shack Thompson and Josie jeol Out. He's wearing
the green dots, so he's leading communication and he's you know,
(06:46):
he's a rookie. He's playing in the big time now
starting and Dave Canalis told me that he thought he
did fantastic. So we had fifteen tackles in that game.
I believed ten were solo tackles. Sharing you always know
stats better than I do, But off the top of
my head, I believe that's right. But the communication is not.
It's just not like having a veteran you know as
(07:07):
well as he did. But that is just a big
a learning curve, right And what I wonder is how
long does it take any player to be you know,
we talk about quarterbacks a lot. We've talked about Bryce,
young guys that are coming in and you know, coming
straight out of college and then starting, and we don't
always talk about it in other positions. And we are
seeing it right now with Trevin Wallace, who vice coaches Standard,
(07:30):
did a fantastic job really taking on more than just
playing in his spot. He is taking on a leadership
role for the defense.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Absolutely, and that is I remember way back in the preseason,
defensive coordinator Giera Verro was talking about Trevin Wallace and
how quickly he was coming along because he was saying
that that middle linebacker inside linebacker spot is one of
the toughest positions to learn for a rookie because the
transition to the NFL is just huge with the amount
of verbiage that they have to learn in all the
plays they have to learn, and it just moves so
(08:00):
much quicker, it's so much faster, and then the physicality
of it. He said that that's just one of the
toughest spots for any rookie to come in and learn.
And they talked about Trevn doing a great job. He
was trying to make that transition and now, like you said,
all of a sudden, just the rest ride in.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
He did a great job.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
He really did. I mean, he had his rookie moments,
but he did a really good job. He was huddling
with Josie Jewel almost every single time he came over
to the sidelines. Josie Jewel was out there on the
sidelines even though he was injured and not not playing
in the game obviously, but it was great to see
him working with him to try to go over what
he saw on the field, to try to, you know,
help him diagnose things that the offense was doing, how
the guys were lining up, in formations and things like that.
(08:37):
So I think that really helped him and will continue
to help him if Josie's going to be out again
this week, so we'll see about that. But yeah, Trevn,
it's a big learning curve for any rookie coming in
at what is basically the quarterback of the defense. That's
what he's doing. But I know they're real high on him.
It's just it's just going to take a little while,
I'm sure, to get all that communication down and they
you know, it's still a little bit of fun with
(08:59):
this and how he's trying to communicate. I was talking
with Claude Cheryliss last week and he said that he's
sort of having to be the interpreter because he started
alongside Trevin and if guys don't quite understand what he said,
because he's got that heavy Southern accent, guys didn't quite
get it, he'll turn around and say.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Oh, this is what he said.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
So he's like, he's trying to interpret a little bit
of what Trevin Wallace is saying, because when Trevin gets
excited and that Southern accent and the mouthpiece all in
at the same time, sometimes it can be a little
difficult to decide for what he's saying, so Claude's trying
to pick up the slack and fill guys in.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
I think, oh, that's amazing. I think that he is
only second to Xavier Legat in terms of amazing, amazing
little twangs that they have, I should say. And then
the other thing, of course, I want to talk to
you about. We talked about Austin Corbett, but Taylor Molten,
for all intents and purposes, will not start in this game,
(09:50):
and he is going to break his streak of one
hundred and four consecutive games played. So that one unit
that had been so cohesive, so great, and had been
playing alongside each other, with the exception of Chandler Zabala
coming in for Damian Lewis in a game, they now
are going to look totally different. Sharon, Yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
And Taylor, I mean, he's been just the absolute iron man.
He has never missed a game since he entered the NFL.
Like he said, he's had one hundred and four consecutive starts,
and he's just been that the absolute iron man et there.
Played through so many injuries last year he was like
the walking wounded. I remember on the sidelines, I'd be
working on both knees and the elbow and whatever. He
was always, yes.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Yeah, he was.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Just he's a warrior, and you know that he has
to have a pretty severe injury to not be able
to get out there. The good news is it's not
season injury ending. It's not even ir worthy at this point,
so hopefully he'll be able to get back sooner rather
than later. But yeah, this offensive line all of a
sudden looks completely different than it did a couple of
weeks ago. And the good news is you've still got
some studs out there, and Damian Lewis and Robert Hunt
(10:55):
and of course Ikey Kwanu doing a good job out there.
And you've got guys now who have been here.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
And played a lot of reps.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Brady Christensen taking over at the center position, which is
what he has done for years here. He's got plenty
of reps, plenty of experience in this offense. And you know,
with these guys on the line, channels is of all
the same thing. And Josh Niman, he's new to this team,
but he has got a ton of experience coming from
the Green Bay Pactors, learned under some extraordinarily good offensive
lineman up there in Green Bay. So you've got guys
(11:23):
with a lot of experience, a lot of reps, and
hopefully you can be able to come in and seamlessly
integrate into this offensive line, because that's been one of
the really bright spots of this team this season. They
have just been a They've done a phenomenal job protecting
the quarterback and opening those rushing lanes for Cuba Hubbard
and company. So I'm hoping that they can, you know,
get out there. They're going to have the whole week
to work together and gel as a as a line
(11:44):
and hopefully go out there and do some damage against
this Atlanta defense.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Yeah, and that's such a good point about those guys
that are coming in, And yosh Niman is someone when
I talked to Dan Morgan right after free agency, that
was one of the guys that they were excited about.
Along with you mentioned it, Robert and Damian Lewis. Securing
him as well was a big centerpiece in terms of
what they were trying to do with this offensive line.
So I'm excited to see what he does with these
(12:10):
other guys and how well he can fit in there.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Now.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Yeah, I want to turn our attention to Atlanta really quick.
So we've all caught up on everything in the Bears game,
and I always appreciate you downloading me on that. But as
we look at Atlanta, the big thing that stuck out
to me in that amazing, amazing comeback that they had
on Thursday night, it's just that offense. I mean, Kirk
Cousins is locked in. They're coming off of an incredible
(12:38):
win with Hodge, you know, catching that ball from Kirk Cousins,
like the last second, they had him lifted up. I
mean it was like, you know, it was like a
wedding or college football. They had him above his head,
you know, above their heads, and you know they're confident, Sharon, Oh.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
And they've got back to back division wins against the
Saints and then the Bucks. And you know Kirk hasn't
threw for over five hundred yards in that game. They've
got the sixth ranked passing attack in the NFL. So
that offense is clicking. And you know they've got some
studs out there. I mean, starting with Drake London. Man,
is he playing exceptionally. While they brought in Darnell Mooney
from the Bears, you know, got Kyle Pitts and then
of course that running attack, even though they're not running
(13:17):
the ball as much, and they still have two tremendous
backs and Bijon Robinson and Tyler Lger, I mean, just
both of them are just increase.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
But a good run. Yeah, they could run at any
point if they wanted to, you're exactly.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Yeah, yeah, so they just don't have to right now.
But yeah, So they've got a very very potent offense
that can score and put up points and pick up
a lot of yards quickly. The defense is not as good.
They're having trouble stopping the run, which I like to
hear because that's of course what this Panther team wants
to do, especially when you've got Tuba Hubbard who's been
(13:48):
just really trucking along. So I'm hoping they can make
some headway against that defus. They've had some injuries, a
couple of key injuries to linebackers. Could be getting one
or both of those guys back this week. But their
secondary is definitely the strength of that defense. Jesse Bates,
former Wake Forest guy, out there holding down things in
the back end. They brought in Justin Simmons as well,
(14:08):
so they've got some really good guys in the back
end of that defense. That's going to make things challenging
for Angie Dlton.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Well, it is a great opportunity to make a splash.
You know, I don't think a lot of people are
giving the Panthers much of a chance in the outside media,
but that's sometimes you know, you got nothing to lose,
You're the underdog. This team is coming off of a
big win. They could not be focused on this so
and the game is at home. As you said, there's
(14:34):
always there is always a lot of excitement, a lot
of fire when it comes to these division opponents, and
especially the Falcons. So'm I'm looking forward to this one
and seeing what these guys that have been asked to
step up can do.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Absolutely, And this is a team that everybody knows. They
don't like each other. The ive revealry the Falcons are
one of the teams you really want to beat around here.
And the Panthers have won the past two matchups at
Bank of America Stadium against the against the Falcons, So
they're riding a little two game win streak against them
here in b of A, including that crazy, freezing cold,
(15:08):
torrential down, horrible weather game last year. That we won
on that last second field goal nine to seven, So
it was that was a crazy game last year. So
I'm hoping we see some more offensive output than we
did a year ago. But I'd love to make out
three in a row. And I think absolutely when it's
a division game against your rival. Like you said, people
maybe are counting the Panthers out. But this team still
(15:30):
has a lot of weapons on offense, and if they
can just get things clicking again here, get this offensive
line moving. I mean, this team could do some damages
we saw against Las Vegas. So and the Falcons defense
can be vulnerable against the run, and you know, if
they can get things going with the running game in CHEWBA,
I think that they could definitely pull this one out.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
All right, we will see what happens on Sunday at
ba A. Sharon, thank you so much. As always, I'm
looking forward to talking next week after hopefully you win.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Sounds good. Thanks a lot, Kristin.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
All right, now I'm here with Panthers Legend and the
host of Stu and the Crew, Jonathan Stewart. Hey, buddy,
how's it going.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
How you doing? Yeah, I'm doing How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (16:08):
I'm good. I'm good. Yeah. Yeah, So we the last
time I saw you, I was super pregnant and we
got we have a little baby girl now okay, she's
four months old, Zoe. Nice you have so while we're
while we're here, while I've got you here, you have
given me advice on on babies before, especially with my first,
(16:30):
and you know, going to the hospital and all of
those kinds of things. I still remember saying like bring
really good headphones and a staush. I think, yeah, what advice.
So we have a little boy at home, and girls
are a whole different ball game, So what advice do
you have for me in terms of raising a little girl?
Speaker 5 (16:48):
Raising a little girl, she's going to be very uh.
I guess it will be in for a great communication.
I think they are great communicators. They know exactly what
they want and they tell you. So it's actually a
little bit easier. I don' wouldn't know if it's actually easier,
but I can only imagine that it is pretty easy
(17:10):
because they just tell you what they want. Oh, my
daughters are pretty easy, especially when it's just with me.
You know, I feel like kids have this you know
this natural you know pool so you know, act differently
around their mom. Yes, they that's their safe place, that's
(17:33):
where they feel safe and and so they just have
this natural, you know, demeanor when they're around mom when
it comes. But when it comes to being around dad,
they act completely different. They just are They're calm, they're helpful,
they communicate well. So I mean to have a boy,
(17:53):
I'm pretty sure that little rascal was jumping around all
over the place.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
He's a Nato like. It is just we're you know,
obviously I was with him and his sister earlier today,
and just the amount of times that we have to
say like gentle, gentle, like we don't want you to,
you know, actually break her little toe or something. And
he's doing it out of love. But it's just like
it's we got to keep eyes on him at all time,
(18:19):
you know, jumping on beds. He kept trying to tell
me he was going to go upside down earlier, you know, no,
just flipping over the couches, all that kind of stuff.
And that's just like within thirty minutes.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
It just means that she's going to grow up to
be really tough.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Yes, I have two older brothers, so she's not going
to be afraid of anything.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Yeah, So it's so good.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
It is Also I wanted to ask you, and this
is not even a plug, although everyone should go watch it.
I want to ask you about Stuarts Lately, so you
and Natalie love Natalie. You guys have a show on
WCCB Charlotte. Yep, tell me about that, because I love
both of you, and I just think this is so
cool that you guys are doing this.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
Yeah, it's a show that's basically a pivot from Charlotte Lately,
which Charlotte it was a platform to basically showcase local.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Businesses and business owners and.
Speaker 5 (19:15):
Just get an in depth dive into the owner of
what they're a part of in the community, just to
basically inspire business owners to keep pushing, but also inspire
others to support small businesses and also be aware of
the causes that are out there that you can support.
(19:36):
And so we've been able to We were out, we
were approached by bay Hackle and wanted they wanted to
do a TV show, and basically it's the same thing,
but now we just you know, make content and and.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Have it on the channel.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
And so it's been awesome just being able to really
see and meet, you know, these courageous individuals that you know,
live and breathe their.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
Business but also do so much for the community.
Speaker 5 (20:10):
And so the show is basically to help inspire others,
let people know what exists, and you know, just to
do good.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
So yeah, that's great. Well, I can't wait to see it.
Like I said, not even an intentional plug. I just
think everything you guys, I appreciate that. It's cool. Yeah, yeah,
I'm genuinely excited to see.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
Yeah, make sure you check out Charlotte Lately Lately on Vehicle.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
On the channel.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Absolutely absolutely, and we're gonna I'm gonna look for whatever
is coming next, and I'm gonna be like, oh, that's
what he was talking about that he couldn't tell us.
But you said something interesting about preparation. And you and
I have done a lot of stuff together on TV
and media stuff for the Panthers, and you are, of
course one of the most prepared people and that comes
(21:00):
from I imagine from from football. And so I want
to ask you about another guy that I think, you know,
we talk about him on this podcast pretty much all
the time, but what he's doing is is great and
Cuba and he just you know, he's out there with
the jugs machines. Of course everyone has seen that if
you go to a game and practice the runner that
(21:21):
he is, the running back that he is. I think
I'm no expert. From from when he came in, I
mean he was a great college running back. From when
he came in his rookie season to now is so impressive,
and it feels like he just continues to get better.
So I want to know from you, what do you
see from him?
Speaker 5 (21:39):
Troupa's coming to his own Yeah, he is not like
any other runner that I've actually seen.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
That's my great is coming from you.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Yeah, he's a slasher.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
He's he's like a hybrid of a lot of different
types of running backs. His contact balance is amazing, but
he has this ability to like outrun people and and
and do it in a way where he's not necessarily
(22:14):
it's not like his first choice, you know, to just avoid.
And I love that about him. You know, it's like
I I welcome the contact if you're there. But he
he's very decisive in his cuts, and I think him
knowing the type of running plays the gap team if
they're run the gap steam in his own scheme, if
(22:35):
they're in the zone scheme. I think he has an
understanding of knowing what to you know, having a better
anticipation of what to expect right where where guys are
going to be, because he's making very decisive cuts at
the second level and getting north and south. And that's
what you want to see out of your your running back.
(22:58):
You want to see a guy that's willing to just
go in there and put his nose in the grind
because eventually it will break. And I think, you know,
it's hard work off the field. You know, all the
things he does after practice Jack's machine first year, people
are saying, oh, he can't really catch or whatever it
(23:19):
is that they're saying bad about him. Meanwhile, you know
you're comparing him to Christian McCaffrey. You can't do that, right.
So but he takes he takes critics and takes the
criticism and he wears it on the sleeve, right And
I appreciate I appreciate that about him, where this is
a profession that he chose, and if there's things that
(23:42):
he has to get better at, he's going to do
it all the way.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
That's a great way of looking at it. This might
be a silly question but you're talking about him coming
into his own with all the practice that that you
put in and how hard you work. When you get
in a game and you have, like you said, you've
come into your own as a running back, does it
just feel like a flow, like muscle memory as you've
just done these things over and over again.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
Yeah, it helps when you have a great offensive line.
Right now, our offensive line is playing really well. I
know we had you know, our center go down, but
it's the next man up mentality, and I think our
two guards will be able to help any center that
comes into place.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
Right.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
I think the two guards are you know, outside of
you know, they're all important features, you know, as far
as the running game, in the passing game, but when
it comes to the running the ball, the two guards
that we have in Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis is
a game changer for us. But you have consistency in
blocking schemes, you can then build a muscle memory, right,
(24:49):
you can build an anticipation of where my guard's going
to kick out, you know, the one technique or the
three technique, how he's going to get up to the
second level and where I can you know it basically envision,
you know, the back of his you know numbers and
reading the way his you know name plate. It's going
(25:12):
to be basically the guide to the next level.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
Right, It's like reading street signs.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Right, those are signs, very big street signs, by the way.
Speaker 5 (25:24):
And but again you know, the repetition, but also the
confidence in his preparation. All those types of things, you know,
lead up to you know where he is now. I
look at that running Ahead against Chicago this past week,
it was it was exactly how that play is designed,
(25:46):
and he hit his landmarks perfectly. And if you and
if you don't hit your landmarks perfectly, it's because you're hesitant.
It's because you don't trust it, right. And so when
you trust it and you're not hesitant, you hit your
landmark and you are rewarded when the play is actually
blocked exactly how it's supposed to be blocked.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
And you're rewarded with a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
That's it.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
It's amazing to watch.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Yeah, that is what I was with TD yesterday and
he of course said the same thing. We were looking
at the plan film. He was like, you could not
draw this up any better, You could not scheme it
up any better. You could not execute it any better.
And I know, like you said, that has to be
so rewarding for all of those guys. You touched on
it a little bit, and that's, of course what I
wanted to ask you about. The change in offensive line.
(26:34):
So we're going to see Brady Christiansen in at center
with Austin Corbett. That's you know, so hard when the
heat with the biceps injury. And he also, I believe,
had allowed zero pressures to this point in the season,
and so hearing that Taylor Moten is not going to
be playing for at least this game. He had a
(26:54):
streak of what one hundred and four consecutive starts. Yeah,
talk about consistence. See you talked about the guards. How
different is it if you have that continuity at guard?
Is it essentially the same kind of thing if you're
a running back or how much does that change for
you with those two positions being different.
Speaker 5 (27:14):
With the center and the right tackle. Center and right tackle,
it definitely changes because you know, as far as communication
at the amount of scrimmage, right, guys are going to
have to understand the flow and and and trust you
know what you know guys are seeing. And I think,
(27:36):
you know, for spacing, you know, you have to figure
out what that's going to feel like and what that's
going to because guys play differently. You know, Taylor Moten's
going to play way different than you know the next guy,
and so just being able to figure out how to
gel as quickly as possible is so important.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
It doesn't have to be perfect.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
It doesn't have to look exactly how it looked before
because it's not. So you just have to again coming
the next man up mentality. It's not about getting the
same result. If you can give us a better result,
that'd be great.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
You know what I'm saying. You don't need to go in.
Speaker 5 (28:22):
There and play exactly like Taylor. You don't need to
go in there and play like Shaq Thompson. You know,
you need to go in there and.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
Play like you. You play to the ability that.
Speaker 5 (28:35):
The coaching staff and the scouts got you in that
locker room sword and so, you know, I think we
are in a little bit of a pickle when it
comes to you know, depth, and I think we've known
that as an organization coming into the season, But it
doesn't mean that the guys that have an opportunity now
(28:58):
doesn't go out there and shot. This is a moment
for you to go out there and improve your work.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
Improve your value. Ah. And that's that's that's all you
can ask for.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
And hopefully, you know, our coaching staff isn't too discouraged,
you know, with everything that's gone on with you know,
the injuries. Uh and and it just continue to develop
these guys.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
And that's my my last question. It's like you're reading
my mind with these injuries? What how do you in
the locker room? You know, I know you just talked
about next man up, but how do you in the
locker room? So, say you're in there, say you're Cuba right,
and you're consistent, and you know that you've got to,
(29:47):
you know, lead this team like you have been doing,
but now more so than ever with these different guys
in at different positions. You're facing a good team like Atlanta.
You know they're going to score a lot of points.
Is it just I'm going to go to work one
day after the other or do you have to gas
yourself up more? What does that look like?
Speaker 5 (30:07):
You have to you definitely have to gash yourself up,
you know, because the guy next to me needs it.
Speaker 4 (30:14):
Let's be real.
Speaker 5 (30:15):
You're you've been the one constant thing this season, and
that's a good thing. That means that the team now
gets to ride your back. We need we need to
make sure that that Tuba is getting twenty plus carries for.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
The remainder of the year. You run the ball.
Speaker 5 (30:35):
You help your defense out by being efficient in the
run game, by taking time with the clock, which means
you're having your defense stay rested and you know, healing
up and all those types of things, and then giving
them an opportunity to go out there and stop guys.
You know you have that's the name of the game now.
(30:55):
It's it's time management and field position and where guys
down the best way possible and having Tuba there and
Miles Sanders, I mean, if it's me, you gotta go
bring back committee even more so because you don't want
Tuba to get banged up yep too much. So you know,
(31:17):
this is and and this is the time of the
year where you're you'll see a lot of those types
of injuries take place on every roster. So you're not
the only team that's going through, you know, the injury bug.
So you can't necessarily, you know, get so down on
yourself and basically say, well with me, because everyone else
is going through something something similar, right, and and you're
(31:39):
not out of this, so you still have You have
the whole entire season to play left the division games
you win those, you're in it. So that's the mindset.
No one's gonna shut down, no one ever shuts down.
And and you basically just amped it up because the
(32:00):
guy next to you needs it.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Okay, I know I said that was the last question.
I have one more before I let you go. You're
talking about you're talking about, you know, you want to
see Cuba get you know, twenty plus carries in a
game on just a normal I know what you're talking about, injuries,
but just a normal Monday after a game. What can
you describe the feeling that a running back that is
(32:24):
getting twenty plus carries in a game? What does that
feel like? I've heard you know, you see guys kind
of walk in and you know you can you can't
move your legs. I've heard it. I've heard it akin
to a car crash. Like, what does that feel like
when that's your job every Sunday and all through the week.
Speaker 5 (32:40):
Yeah, depends on how old you are let's be real.
You know, my rookie year. I've dealt with injuries throughout
my whole entire career. So I would say Tuesday is
the day. Oh Monday, You're like, oh, yeah, I played
a game yesterday. I'm still coming I'm still coming down
(33:01):
off a little bit of adrenaline. You know, my blood
still pumping and flowing, I'm still hydrated. Maybe who knows, Like,
uh so, there's a lot of elements that play into that.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
For me, Tuesday, I felt like total crap.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
I should be laughing.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
But yeah, And I mean some days you just wake
up and you're you're scooting.
Speaker 4 (33:24):
I mean I still scoot to the.
Speaker 5 (33:25):
Bathroom when I wake up, meaning you know, shuffling my
feet across the floor because I can't necessarily, you know,
dorst flex my ankles like a regular like a regular person,
you know, going to the bathroom in the morning, going
down steps, it's like very you know, ginger.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
You know, it's it's brutal.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
Sometimes you're like, oh man, my ribs hurt, Like so
got landed on my ribs in my back or my obleaques.
You know, there's a there's just a lot of things
that you know come and go, and it's part of
the job, right, the more banged.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
But the one thing that I know for certain is the.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
Feeling of being banged up but not injured is a
really good feeling. It means that I've put in some work,
and especially if you win a game or you have
a good performance or a good showing, it's.
Speaker 4 (34:23):
All worth it.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Yeah, so I'm sure Truba.
Speaker 5 (34:27):
Is definitely feeling some Monday and Tuesday pain looking his wounds,
but I'm also sure that the training staff is taken
care of it.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Yeah. Absolutely, Well, thank you so much. I love getting
to talk to you. I always learned so much. Really
appreciate the time, and please tell Natalie I said.
Speaker 5 (34:45):
Hey, oh, absolutely, thank you. Always good talking to you.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
I am here now with Jalen Koker, the rookie receiver
who is making a splash for the Panthers. Jalen, thank
you for taking a few minutes.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
I appreciate it, of course, thank you for having me.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
So.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
You signed as an undrafted free agent in May, You're
waived in August and then re signed to the practice squad.
I want to know about September twenty fourth, when you
got the call that you were being elevated to the
fifty three man roster.
Speaker 6 (35:13):
Yeah, I mean it was a It was a great call,
I bet you know, you love getting receiving those calls,
so especially as an undrafted guy. You know, I guess
you don't. You don't expect to be in that position,
but you know, I feel like my work on the
practice squad, you know, my extra time with the coaches,
and my preparation, you know, I felt prepared. Yeah, I mean,
(35:34):
it was just it was a great experience and I
was really happy to get that call.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
Absolutely. And then are you calling? You're calling family, you're
calling friends, Like, how does that? What does that look like?
Because I'll never have that moment, you never know.
Speaker 6 (35:47):
Yeah, there's still time, but but yeah, no, I definitely
call my mom, my dad. But you know, making the
fifty three is just one one piece of it. You know,
you still have so much more to you know, put
out there like it's an amazing honor, a great opportunity.
But you know, I didn't want to get too you know,
that's not the goal for me. You know, the goal
is to make plays on this big stage and then
(36:10):
continue to stay there. So amazing opportunity for me, though,
and I was so proud, and I definitely did tell
my family and share that with everyone.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
For sure, spoken like a true pro because I would
have just been celebrate, like, you know what, but you're right,
You're right, you have so so much more to accomplish.
We got to see a little bit of that on Sunday.
So you have your first NFL reception, Obviously you've caught
plenty of passes throughout your career high school stand out
(36:37):
at Holy Cross. Did it register in your mind though, that, like,
you know, you take it up the sideline. Are you like,
oh my gosh, like that's my first NFL catch? Or
is it like, Okay, I got that behind me now
I'm moving forward.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Yeah, I would say definitely the second.
Speaker 6 (36:52):
The second one. I feel like, you know, they brought
me here for a reason, you know, and my job
is to catch the football and that's what I do best.
So when I caught the ball, it wasn't really like,
oh my gosh, I caught it, you know, it is
what am I going to do? Now?
Speaker 1 (37:05):
I'm looking up at the clock.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
I'm trying to make sure that I'm time savvy because
we got, you know, like ten seconds left and we're trying.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
To get it before half. So that's really what I
was thinking about.
Speaker 6 (37:14):
I really was glad to get it out of the
way because I feel like that's more most legitters were
coming from, like that first ball. But then after I
got it, it was kind of like, all right, let's roll.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Tell me about working with Andy Dalton and Bryce Young.
How's that been.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
It's been great. Bryce and Andy.
Speaker 6 (37:27):
I mean, definitely two great guys to have on the team. Andy,
you know, being a you know, amazing veteran, he's done
amazing things on the Bengals and doing great stuff here.
So to have him talk to me and kind of
coach me through some things when I'm not quite where
he wants me to be or he wants me to
be in a certain area, Like just kind of having
that repetition and having him on the team is really
(37:50):
really good. And then Bryce, you know, I mean honestly
really the same. Like I mean, he's he's a younger guy,
but I mean the way he carries himself and the
way that he kind of tax his training and his
pre opiration and everything is just the same. I mean,
just as much of a veteran. And you know, I
I ask him for things sometimes and he on the
sideline he brings me up. He'll say good play, good job,
or here's where you're messed up, here's where we're looking
(38:12):
for you on this like, you know, he's he's awesome.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
It seems like this group is is great. And I
want to ask you about the wide Receiver room because
kind of like what you're saying about Andy and Bryce,
you guys have a mix of you got your veterans
like your Adam Feelens and you know you're Deantae Johnson's
and then you've got the young guys like you like
Excel Xavier Legat. What is that room?
Speaker 1 (38:32):
Like it's funny?
Speaker 2 (38:35):
Who's the funniest, who's the funniest the funniest?
Speaker 6 (38:39):
Uh, that's a really really good question. We have a
lot of funny guys in the room. I think x
is pretty is pretty funny. He's probably the funniest. But
I mean, honestly, Coach Moore might take the cake on
that one. He's uh, he's got a little bit of
the jokes with him too. But uh, but no, the
room's great. I mean I feel like just kind of
having that like it's serious but then it's not so serious.
To where you can't be yourself and you can't express
(39:00):
how you feel. So I feel like that's such a
great thing to have in a room. You don't want
to be afraid to say something. You know, you always
want to feel like your your voice is heard. And
I feel like we do a great job of that.
And you know, like you said, Adam and Deontay being
the veterans in the room, they're so good. They're not
like the guys that you can't ask questions or they're
not helping the rookies. You know, so and even you know, Mingo,
(39:23):
Dion and Praise. You know, everyone in the room is
such a you know, such a great person, a good
character person, and you know they're great football players, which
you know just makes everyone else better.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
You were someone who I can already tell just takes
everything in stride. Like I said, all of those moments,
these first for you that are happening. If it were me,
I would just be I don't know, I'd be over
the moon. And You're like, nope, I'm going to the
next thing. I have bigger goals that I want to accomplish.
So what I want to know is is how did
how did Holy Cross prepare you for where you are now.
Speaker 6 (39:57):
I think holy Cross did a great job of, you know,
just kind of teaching me, like you were kind of saying,
just rolling with the punches, like things are going to happen.
You know, you're not always going to be dealt the
best hand, but you know, what are you going to do?
You know, like when you have good success, like the
one thing you want to do is like relax and
be calm.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
And you know, coming from you.
Speaker 6 (40:15):
Know, we're we're five time Patrio League champions, Like we
won a lot, and it's hard to consistently win.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
So I think the biggest thing I took from.
Speaker 6 (40:23):
There is like, you know, it doesn't matter about you know,
whatever happened on that Saturday or Sunday. You know, you
just got to get better the next day, and you
got to get better the next day because everyone else
is going to be hunting for your spot. Everyone wants
to be in that position. So I think just kind
of like that mental fortitude that kind of just separates
you from the other players is what I took away
from holy Cross.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Okay, last question. When you score your first NFL touchdown,
have you thought are you a celebration guy? Are you.
I'm just going to flip the ball and get back, Like,
what's what do you think is going to happen?
Speaker 6 (40:57):
Well, I'd like to say that I'm just going to
flip the ball and get out of there. But I
haven't really thought of a touchdown. But I think I'm
gonna do something. I don't know what it's gonna be,
but I usually my thing is usually just kind of
going to my team. I like to do the little
where the linemen come over and they lift me up.
That's kind of like been my thing at Holy Cross
for a little bit. So now that I'm now on
the Panthers and I did it all my first touchdown
(41:17):
in preseason, So I mean, nothing too crazy, but you know,
definitely gonna enjoy the moment and have a good time
with the guys for sure.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
Oh I say get crazy. I mean we saw XL's
horse stance. You don't. Well I am. I'm really looking
forward to that first NFL touchdown. Jalen, thank you so
much for the time. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
Thank you, I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
And thank you to all of you who are listening
out there. That's been this edition of this week's Sideline fast,
We'll see you next week.
Wow. Cheers. Kristen Balboni and Sharon Thorps loved it with
your Sideline Pass.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Welcome to Sideline Pass. We are here taking you behind
the scenes and on the field with the Carolina Panthers. So, Sharon,
it was a road game up in Chicago. You were
on sideline duty for that one. There was a lot
that we need to talk about from that game. So
I just want to start with what are the things
that stood out to you? Oh?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Wow, Well, it was just I mean, the injuries, unfortunately,
I hear the number one thing that you come away
with from that game because they were just crucial injuries
to critical players and just so many of them. It
was like the entire second half, every time I turned around,
there was another injury, and I just hate that for
so many guys, starting with Austin Corbett and that season
ending biceps injury. It's just, oh, it's just tough. So
(00:52):
it was it was difficult to play the game you
want to play. I think that they started out okay
and they went down you know, and scored on that
right with Cuba. Hubbard once again had a great game
running the ball. He just did a phenomenal job, just
a couple of yards short of another one hundred yard game,
so that they were doing some good things early on
and then things just got away from them. And you know,
(01:13):
when you're starting a rookie at middle linebacker, who's you know,
calling the defense, that makes things a little more difficult
on your defense already, especially going against a Chicago team
that has a very dynamic rookie quarterback. So things just
sort of spiraled out of control a little bit there
with the defense getting behind the eight ball, and then
the offense just couldn't get things going in a tough environment.
It was windy up there, the fans are pretty rowdy
(01:35):
up there at Soldier Field, So it was just one
of those days where it's just things just didn't.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Go their way, absolutely right, And I want to go
a little bit deeper on a couple of the points
that you made, So I want to talk to everyone.
You know, one of the cool things is that we
do take people behind the scenes. I want to talk
to everyone about what it is like for a player
to have a season ending injury. I mean, even ir
as we know, and we have certainly a lot of
(01:59):
guys that are out right now, but a season ending
injury what people don't see. You know, you kind of
think about it as all right, this person will not
be in the games, right, and you hear their injury
and you go, oh my gosh, that sounds terrible. But
then what a lot of people don't think about is
that then they go talk to the doctors. You hear
that news, then you go get a second opinion, and
(02:21):
then they go get ready for surgery most of the
time right, surgery, which is traumatic for anyone. And then
after that they start the rehab process and they typically
do that in house. So one of the things that
has always stuck out to me, Sharon about that rehab
process is that you are there every day. And I
don't know if people realize that or they think, Okay,
(02:41):
they go home and rehab. I certainly didn't know before
I worked with a team and I'd been in sports
for a long time. But they show up every day,
they work with the trainers, they're around the team, but
you don't get to play those games. You're kind of
off on the side. And I've heard people say, you know,
it's one of the loneliest things in professional sports. I
just wanted to mention that kind of how that goes
(03:05):
to people who aren't front and center in the process.
And I'm sure sharing you have seen your fair share
of those season ending injuries, and it's just tough for
the players who are you know, as people.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Right absolutely, And like you said, I mean, it's tough
for anybody to have surgery. But imagine, I mean you're
a guy that this is your livelihood. I mean, it's
one thing for you know, I've had a few ankle
surgeries in my life, and yeah, that slows you down,
but it's not going to like hamper your career, you know.
And so this is the thing where these guys and
this is what they do. This is their daily life,
and to not be able to go out there and
play it is really hard on them, and you know,
(03:36):
have to compound it with having a surgery. And like
you said, it is so lonely. That's how I've heard
so many guys describe it, because it's like you're here,
but you're sort of on the outside looking in because
you can't play anymore. One thing that I do love
about this team, though, is that they do keep those
guys as involved as absolutely possible. You know, they want
to still have them and when they're capable of going
to be in the team meetings. They're still working with
(03:58):
some of the younger guys, you know, to give them
a vice, to mentor them and to try to help them,
you know, take over the position. Like that's what they
were trying to do. Shaq Thompson was trying to do that,
you know, even coming off of his surgery, he was
already cutting up tape of the Bears last week, you know,
for guys to have and for Trevin Wallace to have
there at the inside linebacker spot to try to help
him out. So I think that a lot of those
(04:19):
guys are trying to stay involved. But yeah, it's it's hard.
It's hard to and you have to rehab. You're not
kidding every day. I mean they're here on Sunday, they
here every single day, you know, the entire week. They're
here every day trying to rehab and such.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
General.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
They can get back to things a whole lot quicker
than the rest of us can. But it's tough, and
I feel for them there, and we've had so many
guys already this season. I just hate it for them and.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Sharon that's such a good point as well too. Again
taking people behind the curtain. Is that the NFL season,
they are there in the building working seven days a week.
And again that's something that I didn't know. And I mean,
you know they have practiced, right, you know, they're in meetings,
but I did not realize that until we're looking for
a team. So Monday is film review Tuesday. This is
(05:03):
the one I always thought was interesting. And Sharon, tell
me if you did too, Tuesday is you can't see me,
but I'm holding up quotes the players day off. But
you're right. They come in, they get training or sorry,
they get rehab, they get yes and get massages, all
of those things, lifting, anything like that. So a lot
of them are still in the building and take it
(05:24):
upon themselves to do extra work. And then Wednesday's practice.
Thursday is practice Friday as well, they usually have a
walkthrough or a practice Saturday, Sharon, as you know, being
the road reporter, they go and do a walk through
and a meeting and then go straight to the to
the airport. You know, get bussed in a lot of times,
(05:44):
and then they go straight to meetings after they land,
and then you play the game, you fly home that night,
and then it starts all over again, so you're right.
I think that's something as well that, like I said,
I did not know beforehand, and it is just a grind.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, it's absolute grind. And like you said that quote
unquote day off on Tuesday, a lot of guys are
here all the time. I remember last season, Xavier Woods
was coming in every Tuesday to go over film with
some other guys to try to do anything they could
to make this defense better, to make this team better.
So guys go above and beyond and coming here on
their day off, and yeah, that generally ends up showing
(06:19):
up on the field as well. But it's it's a
full time job times ten to be in the NFL,
no doubt about it.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
And then another thing that I wanted to go back
to what you said, and certainly something that I'm going
to be looking for this weekend is Trevin Wallace. So
I asked Dave Canalis yesterday about how he thought Trevin
Wallace did in that game. Obviously thrust into a big
position with Shack Thompson and Josie jeol Out. He's wearing
the green dots, so he's leading communication and he's you know,
(06:46):
he's a rookie. He's playing in the big time now
starting and Dave Canalis told me that he thought he
did fantastic. So we had fifteen tackles in that game.
I believed ten were solo tackles. Sharing you always know
stats better than I do, But off the top of
my head, I believe that's right. But the communication is not.
It's just not like having a veteran you know as
(07:07):
well as he did. But that is just a big
a learning curve, right And what I wonder is how
long does it take any player to be you know,
we talk about quarterbacks a lot. We've talked about Bryce,
young guys that are coming in and you know, coming
straight out of college and then starting, and we don't
always talk about it in other positions. And we are
seeing it right now with Trevin Wallace, who vice coaches Standard,
(07:30):
did a fantastic job really taking on more than just
playing in his spot. He is taking on a leadership
role for the defense.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Absolutely, and that is I remember way back in the preseason,
defensive coordinator Giera Verro was talking about Trevin Wallace and
how quickly he was coming along because he was saying
that that middle linebacker inside linebacker spot is one of
the toughest positions to learn for a rookie because the
transition to the NFL is just huge with the amount
of verbiage that they have to learn in all the
plays they have to learn, and it just moves so
(08:00):
much quicker, it's so much faster, and then the physicality
of it. He said that that's just one of the
toughest spots for any rookie to come in and learn.
And they talked about Trevn doing a great job. He
was trying to make that transition and now, like you said,
all of a sudden, just the rest ride in.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
He did a great job.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
He really did. I mean, he had his rookie moments,
but he did a really good job. He was huddling
with Josie Jewel almost every single time he came over
to the sidelines. Josie Jewel was out there on the
sidelines even though he was injured and not not playing
in the game obviously, but it was great to see
him working with him to try to go over what
he saw on the field, to try to, you know,
help him diagnose things that the offense was doing, how
the guys were lining up, in formations and things like that.
(08:37):
So I think that really helped him and will continue
to help him if Josie's going to be out again
this week, so we'll see about that. But yeah, Trevn,
it's a big learning curve for any rookie coming in
at what is basically the quarterback of the defense. That's
what he's doing. But I know they're real high on him.
It's just it's just going to take a little while,
I'm sure, to get all that communication down and they
you know, it's still a little bit of fun with
(08:59):
this and how he's trying to communicate. I was talking
with Claude Cheryliss last week and he said that he's
sort of having to be the interpreter because he started
alongside Trevin and if guys don't quite understand what he said,
because he's got that heavy Southern accent, guys didn't quite
get it, he'll turn around and say.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Oh, this is what he said.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
So he's like, he's trying to interpret a little bit
of what Trevin Wallace is saying, because when Trevin gets
excited and that Southern accent and the mouthpiece all in
at the same time, sometimes it can be a little
difficult to decide for what he's saying, so Claude's trying
to pick up the slack and fill guys in.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
I think, oh, that's amazing. I think that he is
only second to Xavier Legat in terms of amazing, amazing
little twangs that they have, I should say. And then
the other thing, of course, I want to talk to
you about. We talked about Austin Corbett, but Taylor Molten,
for all intents and purposes, will not start in this game,
(09:50):
and he is going to break his streak of one
hundred and four consecutive games played. So that one unit
that had been so cohesive, so great, and had been
playing alongside each other, with the exception of Chandler Zabala
coming in for Damian Lewis in a game, they now
are going to look totally different. Sharon, Yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
And Taylor, I mean, he's been just the absolute iron man.
He has never missed a game since he entered the NFL.
Like he said, he's had one hundred and four consecutive starts,
and he's just been that the absolute iron man et there.
Played through so many injuries last year he was like
the walking wounded. I remember on the sidelines, I'd be
working on both knees and the elbow and whatever. He
was always, yes.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Yeah, he was.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
Just he's a warrior, and you know that he has
to have a pretty severe injury to not be able
to get out there. The good news is it's not
season injury ending. It's not even ir worthy at this point,
so hopefully he'll be able to get back sooner rather
than later. But yeah, this offensive line all of a
sudden looks completely different than it did a couple of
weeks ago. And the good news is you've still got
some studs out there, and Damian Lewis and Robert Hunt
(10:55):
and of course Ikey Kwanu doing a good job out there.
And you've got guys now who have been here.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
And played a lot of reps.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Brady Christensen taking over at the center position, which is
what he has done for years here. He's got plenty
of reps, plenty of experience in this offense. And you know,
with these guys on the line, channels is of all
the same thing. And Josh Niman, he's new to this team,
but he has got a ton of experience coming from
the Green Bay Pactors, learned under some extraordinarily good offensive
lineman up there in Green Bay. So you've got guys
(11:23):
with a lot of experience, a lot of reps, and
hopefully you can be able to come in and seamlessly
integrate into this offensive line, because that's been one of
the really bright spots of this team this season. They
have just been a They've done a phenomenal job protecting
the quarterback and opening those rushing lanes for Cuba Hubbard
and company. So I'm hoping that they can, you know,
get out there. They're going to have the whole week
to work together and gel as a as a line
(11:44):
and hopefully go out there and do some damage against
this Atlanta defense.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Yeah, and that's such a good point about those guys
that are coming in, And yosh Niman is someone when
I talked to Dan Morgan right after free agency, that
was one of the guys that they were excited about.
Along with you mentioned it, Robert and Damian Lewis. Securing
him as well was a big centerpiece in terms of
what they were trying to do with this offensive line.
So I'm excited to see what he does with these
(12:10):
other guys and how well he can fit in there.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Now.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Yeah, I want to turn our attention to Atlanta really quick.
So we've all caught up on everything in the Bears game,
and I always appreciate you downloading me on that. But as
we look at Atlanta, the big thing that stuck out
to me in that amazing, amazing comeback that they had
on Thursday night, it's just that offense. I mean, Kirk
Cousins is locked in. They're coming off of an incredible
(12:38):
win with Hodge, you know, catching that ball from Kirk Cousins,
like the last second, they had him lifted up. I
mean it was like, you know, it was like a
wedding or college football. They had him above his head,
you know, above their heads, and you know they're confident, Sharon, Oh.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
And they've got back to back division wins against the
Saints and then the Bucks. And you know Kirk hasn't
threw for over five hundred yards in that game. They've
got the sixth ranked passing attack in the NFL. So
that offense is clicking. And you know they've got some
studs out there. I mean, starting with Drake London. Man,
is he playing exceptionally. While they brought in Darnell Mooney
from the Bears, you know, got Kyle Pitts and then
of course that running attack, even though they're not running
(13:17):
the ball as much, and they still have two tremendous
backs and Bijon Robinson and Tyler Lger, I mean, just
both of them are just increase.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
But a good run. Yeah, they could run at any
point if they wanted to, you're exactly.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Yeah, yeah, so they just don't have to right now.
But yeah, So they've got a very very potent offense
that can score and put up points and pick up
a lot of yards quickly. The defense is not as good.
They're having trouble stopping the run, which I like to
hear because that's of course what this Panther team wants
to do, especially when you've got Tuba Hubbard who's been
(13:48):
just really trucking along. So I'm hoping they can make
some headway against that defus. They've had some injuries, a
couple of key injuries to linebackers. Could be getting one
or both of those guys back this week. But their
secondary is definitely the strength of that defense. Jesse Bates,
former Wake Forest guy, out there holding down things in
the back end. They brought in Justin Simmons as well,
(14:08):
so they've got some really good guys in the back
end of that defense. That's going to make things challenging
for Angie Dlton.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
Well, it is a great opportunity to make a splash.
You know, I don't think a lot of people are
giving the Panthers much of a chance in the outside media,
but that's sometimes you know, you got nothing to lose,
You're the underdog. This team is coming off of a
big win. They could not be focused on this so
and the game is at home. As you said, there's
(14:34):
always there is always a lot of excitement, a lot
of fire when it comes to these division opponents, and
especially the Falcons. So'm I'm looking forward to this one
and seeing what these guys that have been asked to
step up can do.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Absolutely, And this is a team that everybody knows. They
don't like each other. The ive revealry the Falcons are
one of the teams you really want to beat around here.
And the Panthers have won the past two matchups at
Bank of America Stadium against the against the Falcons, So
they're riding a little two game win streak against them
here in b of A, including that crazy, freezing cold,
(15:08):
torrential down, horrible weather game last year. That we won
on that last second field goal nine to seven, So
it was that was a crazy game last year. So
I'm hoping we see some more offensive output than we
did a year ago. But I'd love to make out
three in a row. And I think absolutely when it's
a division game against your rival. Like you said, people
maybe are counting the Panthers out. But this team still
(15:30):
has a lot of weapons on offense, and if they
can just get things clicking again here, get this offensive
line moving. I mean, this team could do some damages
we saw against Las Vegas. So and the Falcons defense
can be vulnerable against the run, and you know, if
they can get things going with the running game in CHEWBA,
I think that they could definitely pull this one out.
Speaker 2 (15:47):
All right, we will see what happens on Sunday at
ba A. Sharon, thank you so much. As always, I'm
looking forward to talking next week after hopefully you win.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
Sounds good. Thanks a lot, Kristin.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
All right, now I'm here with Panthers Legend and the
host of Stu and the Crew, Jonathan Stewart. Hey, buddy,
how's it going.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
How you doing? Yeah, I'm doing How are you doing?
Speaker 2 (16:08):
I'm good. I'm good. Yeah. Yeah, So we the last
time I saw you, I was super pregnant and we
got we have a little baby girl now okay, she's
four months old, Zoe. Nice you have so while we're
while we're here, while I've got you here, you have
given me advice on on babies before, especially with my first,
(16:30):
and you know, going to the hospital and all of
those kinds of things. I still remember saying like bring
really good headphones and a staush. I think, yeah, what advice.
So we have a little boy at home, and girls
are a whole different ball game, So what advice do
you have for me in terms of raising a little girl?
Speaker 5 (16:48):
Raising a little girl, she's going to be very uh.
I guess it will be in for a great communication.
I think they are great communicators. They know exactly what
they want and they tell you. So it's actually a
little bit easier. I don' wouldn't know if it's actually easier,
but I can only imagine that it is pretty easy
(17:10):
because they just tell you what they want. Oh, my
daughters are pretty easy, especially when it's just with me.
You know, I feel like kids have this you know
this natural you know pool so you know, act differently
around their mom. Yes, they that's their safe place, that's
(17:33):
where they feel safe and and so they just have
this natural, you know, demeanor when they're around mom when
it comes. But when it comes to being around dad,
they act completely different. They just are They're calm, they're helpful,
they communicate well. So I mean to have a boy,
(17:53):
I'm pretty sure that little rascal was jumping around all
over the place.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
He's a Nato like. It is just we're you know,
obviously I was with him and his sister earlier today,
and just the amount of times that we have to
say like gentle, gentle, like we don't want you to,
you know, actually break her little toe or something. And
he's doing it out of love. But it's just like
it's we got to keep eyes on him at all time,
(18:19):
you know, jumping on beds. He kept trying to tell
me he was going to go upside down earlier, you know, no,
just flipping over the couches, all that kind of stuff.
And that's just like within thirty minutes.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
It just means that she's going to grow up to
be really tough.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Yes, I have two older brothers, so she's not going
to be afraid of anything.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Yeah, So it's so good.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
It is Also I wanted to ask you, and this
is not even a plug, although everyone should go watch it.
I want to ask you about Stuarts Lately, so you
and Natalie love Natalie. You guys have a show on
WCCB Charlotte. Yep, tell me about that, because I love
both of you, and I just think this is so
cool that you guys are doing this.
Speaker 5 (19:01):
Yeah, it's a show that's basically a pivot from Charlotte Lately,
which Charlotte it was a platform to basically showcase local.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Businesses and business owners and.
Speaker 5 (19:15):
Just get an in depth dive into the owner of
what they're a part of in the community, just to
basically inspire business owners to keep pushing, but also inspire
others to support small businesses and also be aware of
the causes that are out there that you can support.
(19:36):
And so we've been able to We were out, we
were approached by bay Hackle and wanted they wanted to
do a TV show, and basically it's the same thing,
but now we just you know, make content and and.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Have it on the channel.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
And so it's been awesome just being able to really
see and meet, you know, these courageous individuals that you know,
live and breathe their.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
Business but also do so much for the community.
Speaker 5 (20:10):
And so the show is basically to help inspire others,
let people know what exists, and you know, just to
do good.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
So yeah, that's great. Well, I can't wait to see it.
Like I said, not even an intentional plug. I just
think everything you guys, I appreciate that. It's cool. Yeah, yeah,
I'm genuinely excited to see.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
Yeah, make sure you check out Charlotte Lately Lately on Vehicle.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
On the channel.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Absolutely absolutely, and we're gonna I'm gonna look for whatever
is coming next, and I'm gonna be like, oh, that's
what he was talking about that he couldn't tell us.
But you said something interesting about preparation. And you and
I have done a lot of stuff together on TV
and media stuff for the Panthers, and you are, of
course one of the most prepared people and that comes
(21:00):
from I imagine from from football. And so I want
to ask you about another guy that I think, you know,
we talk about him on this podcast pretty much all
the time, but what he's doing is is great and
Cuba and he just you know, he's out there with
the jugs machines. Of course everyone has seen that if
you go to a game and practice the runner that
(21:21):
he is, the running back that he is. I think
I'm no expert. From from when he came in, I
mean he was a great college running back. From when
he came in his rookie season to now is so impressive,
and it feels like he just continues to get better.
So I want to know from you, what do you
see from him?
Speaker 5 (21:39):
Troupa's coming to his own Yeah, he is not like
any other runner that I've actually seen.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
That's my great is coming from you.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Yeah, he's a slasher.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
He's he's like a hybrid of a lot of different
types of running backs. His contact balance is amazing, but
he has this ability to like outrun people and and
and do it in a way where he's not necessarily
(22:14):
it's not like his first choice, you know, to just avoid.
And I love that about him. You know, it's like
I I welcome the contact if you're there. But he
he's very decisive in his cuts, and I think him
knowing the type of running plays the gap team if
they're run the gap steam in his own scheme, if
(22:35):
they're in the zone scheme. I think he has an
understanding of knowing what to you know, having a better
anticipation of what to expect right where where guys are
going to be, because he's making very decisive cuts at
the second level and getting north and south. And that's
what you want to see out of your your running back.
(22:58):
You want to see a guy that's willing to just
go in there and put his nose in the grind
because eventually it will break. And I think, you know,
it's hard work off the field. You know, all the
things he does after practice Jack's machine first year, people
are saying, oh, he can't really catch or whatever it
(23:19):
is that they're saying bad about him. Meanwhile, you know
you're comparing him to Christian McCaffrey. You can't do that, right.
So but he takes he takes critics and takes the
criticism and he wears it on the sleeve, right And
I appreciate I appreciate that about him, where this is
a profession that he chose, and if there's things that
(23:42):
he has to get better at, he's going to do
it all the way.
Speaker 2 (23:46):
That's a great way of looking at it. This might
be a silly question but you're talking about him coming
into his own with all the practice that that you
put in and how hard you work. When you get
in a game and you have, like you said, you've
come into your own as a running back, does it
just feel like a flow, like muscle memory as you've
just done these things over and over again.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
Yeah, it helps when you have a great offensive line.
Right now, our offensive line is playing really well. I
know we had you know, our center go down, but
it's the next man up mentality, and I think our
two guards will be able to help any center that
comes into place.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
Right.
Speaker 5 (24:24):
I think the two guards are you know, outside of
you know, they're all important features, you know, as far
as the running game, in the passing game, but when
it comes to the running the ball, the two guards
that we have in Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis is
a game changer for us. But you have consistency in
blocking schemes, you can then build a muscle memory, right,
(24:49):
you can build an anticipation of where my guard's going
to kick out, you know, the one technique or the
three technique, how he's going to get up to the
second level and where I can you know it basically envision,
you know, the back of his you know numbers and
reading the way his you know name plate. It's going
(25:12):
to be basically the guide to the next level.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
Right, It's like reading street signs.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
Right, those are signs, very big street signs, by the way.
Speaker 5 (25:24):
And but again you know, the repetition, but also the
confidence in his preparation. All those types of things, you know,
lead up to you know where he is now. I
look at that running Ahead against Chicago this past week,
it was it was exactly how that play is designed,
(25:46):
and he hit his landmarks perfectly. And if you and
if you don't hit your landmarks perfectly, it's because you're hesitant.
It's because you don't trust it, right. And so when
you trust it and you're not hesitant, you hit your
landmark and you are rewarded when the play is actually
blocked exactly how it's supposed to be blocked.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
And you're rewarded with a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
That's it.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
It's amazing to watch.
Speaker 2 (26:12):
Yeah, that is what I was with TD yesterday and
he of course said the same thing. We were looking
at the plan film. He was like, you could not
draw this up any better, You could not scheme it
up any better. You could not execute it any better.
And I know, like you said, that has to be
so rewarding for all of those guys. You touched on
it a little bit, and that's, of course what I
wanted to ask you about. The change in offensive line.
(26:34):
So we're going to see Brady Christiansen in at center
with Austin Corbett. That's you know, so hard when the
heat with the biceps injury. And he also, I believe,
had allowed zero pressures to this point in the season,
and so hearing that Taylor Moten is not going to
be playing for at least this game. He had a
(26:54):
streak of what one hundred and four consecutive starts. Yeah,
talk about consistence. See you talked about the guards. How
different is it if you have that continuity at guard?
Is it essentially the same kind of thing if you're
a running back or how much does that change for
you with those two positions being different.
Speaker 5 (27:14):
With the center and the right tackle. Center and right tackle,
it definitely changes because you know, as far as communication
at the amount of scrimmage, right, guys are going to
have to understand the flow and and and trust you
know what you know guys are seeing. And I think,
(27:36):
you know, for spacing, you know, you have to figure
out what that's going to feel like and what that's
going to because guys play differently. You know, Taylor Moten's
going to play way different than you know the next guy,
and so just being able to figure out how to
gel as quickly as possible is so important.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
It doesn't have to be perfect.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
It doesn't have to look exactly how it looked before
because it's not. So you just have to again coming
the next man up mentality. It's not about getting the
same result. If you can give us a better result,
that'd be great.
Speaker 4 (28:20):
You know what I'm saying. You don't need to go in.
Speaker 5 (28:22):
There and play exactly like Taylor. You don't need to
go in there and play like Shaq Thompson. You know,
you need to go in there and.
Speaker 4 (28:30):
Play like you. You play to the ability that.
Speaker 5 (28:35):
The coaching staff and the scouts got you in that
locker room sword and so, you know, I think we
are in a little bit of a pickle when it
comes to you know, depth, and I think we've known
that as an organization coming into the season, But it
doesn't mean that the guys that have an opportunity now
(28:58):
doesn't go out there and shot. This is a moment
for you to go out there and improve your work.
Speaker 4 (29:05):
Improve your value. Ah. And that's that's that's all you
can ask for.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
And hopefully, you know, our coaching staff isn't too discouraged,
you know, with everything that's gone on with you know,
the injuries. Uh and and it just continue to develop
these guys.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
And that's my my last question. It's like you're reading
my mind with these injuries? What how do you in
the locker room? You know, I know you just talked
about next man up, but how do you in the
locker room? So, say you're in there, say you're Cuba right,
and you're consistent, and you know that you've got to,
(29:47):
you know, lead this team like you have been doing,
but now more so than ever with these different guys
in at different positions. You're facing a good team like Atlanta.
You know they're going to score a lot of points.
Is it just I'm going to go to work one
day after the other or do you have to gas
yourself up more? What does that look like?
Speaker 5 (30:07):
You have to you definitely have to gash yourself up,
you know, because the guy next to me needs it.
Speaker 4 (30:14):
Let's be real.
Speaker 5 (30:15):
You're you've been the one constant thing this season, and
that's a good thing. That means that the team now
gets to ride your back. We need we need to
make sure that that Tuba is getting twenty plus carries for.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
The remainder of the year. You run the ball.
Speaker 5 (30:35):
You help your defense out by being efficient in the
run game, by taking time with the clock, which means
you're having your defense stay rested and you know, healing
up and all those types of things, and then giving
them an opportunity to go out there and stop guys.
You know you have that's the name of the game now.
(30:55):
It's it's time management and field position and where guys
down the best way possible and having Tuba there and
Miles Sanders, I mean, if it's me, you gotta go
bring back committee even more so because you don't want
Tuba to get banged up yep too much. So you know,
(31:17):
this is and and this is the time of the
year where you're you'll see a lot of those types
of injuries take place on every roster. So you're not
the only team that's going through, you know, the injury bug.
So you can't necessarily, you know, get so down on
yourself and basically say, well with me, because everyone else
is going through something something similar, right, and and you're
(31:39):
not out of this, so you still have You have
the whole entire season to play left the division games
you win those, you're in it. So that's the mindset.
No one's gonna shut down, no one ever shuts down.
And and you basically just amped it up because the
(32:00):
guy next to you needs it.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Okay, I know I said that was the last question.
I have one more before I let you go. You're
talking about you're talking about, you know, you want to
see Cuba get you know, twenty plus carries in a
game on just a normal I know what you're talking about, injuries,
but just a normal Monday after a game. What can
you describe the feeling that a running back that is
(32:24):
getting twenty plus carries in a game? What does that
feel like? I've heard you know, you see guys kind
of walk in and you know you can you can't
move your legs. I've heard it. I've heard it akin
to a car crash. Like, what does that feel like
when that's your job every Sunday and all through the week.
Speaker 5 (32:40):
Yeah, depends on how old you are let's be real.
You know, my rookie year. I've dealt with injuries throughout
my whole entire career. So I would say Tuesday is
the day. Oh Monday, You're like, oh, yeah, I played
a game yesterday. I'm still coming I'm still coming down
(33:01):
off a little bit of adrenaline. You know, my blood
still pumping and flowing, I'm still hydrated. Maybe who knows, Like,
uh so, there's a lot of elements that play into that.
Speaker 4 (33:13):
For me, Tuesday, I felt like total crap.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
I should be laughing.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
But yeah, And I mean some days you just wake
up and you're you're scooting.
Speaker 4 (33:24):
I mean I still scoot to the.
Speaker 5 (33:25):
Bathroom when I wake up, meaning you know, shuffling my
feet across the floor because I can't necessarily, you know,
dorst flex my ankles like a regular like a regular person,
you know, going to the bathroom in the morning, going
down steps, it's like very you know, ginger.
Speaker 4 (33:46):
You know, it's it's brutal.
Speaker 5 (33:49):
Sometimes you're like, oh man, my ribs hurt, Like so
got landed on my ribs in my back or my obleaques.
You know, there's a there's just a lot of things
that you know come and go, and it's part of
the job, right, the more banged.
Speaker 4 (34:05):
But the one thing that I know for certain is the.
Speaker 5 (34:08):
Feeling of being banged up but not injured is a
really good feeling. It means that I've put in some work,
and especially if you win a game or you have
a good performance or a good showing, it's.
Speaker 4 (34:23):
All worth it.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (34:25):
Yeah, so I'm sure Truba.
Speaker 5 (34:27):
Is definitely feeling some Monday and Tuesday pain looking his wounds,
but I'm also sure that the training staff is taken
care of it.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Yeah. Absolutely, Well, thank you so much. I love getting
to talk to you. I always learned so much. Really
appreciate the time, and please tell Natalie I said.
Speaker 5 (34:45):
Hey, oh, absolutely, thank you. Always good talking to you.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
I am here now with Jalen Koker, the rookie receiver
who is making a splash for the Panthers. Jalen, thank
you for taking a few minutes.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
I appreciate it, of course, thank you for having me.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
So.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
You signed as an undrafted free agent in May, You're
waived in August and then re signed to the practice squad.
I want to know about September twenty fourth, when you
got the call that you were being elevated to the
fifty three man roster.
Speaker 6 (35:13):
Yeah, I mean it was a It was a great call,
I bet you know, you love getting receiving those calls,
so especially as an undrafted guy. You know, I guess
you don't. You don't expect to be in that position,
but you know, I feel like my work on the
practice squad, you know, my extra time with the coaches,
and my preparation, you know, I felt prepared. Yeah, I mean,
(35:34):
it was just it was a great experience and I
was really happy to get that call.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
Absolutely. And then are you calling? You're calling family, you're
calling friends, Like, how does that? What does that look like?
Because I'll never have that moment, you never know.
Speaker 6 (35:47):
Yeah, there's still time, but but yeah, no, I definitely
call my mom, my dad. But you know, making the
fifty three is just one one piece of it. You know,
you still have so much more to you know, put
out there like it's an amazing honor, a great opportunity.
But you know, I didn't want to get too you know,
that's not the goal for me. You know, the goal
is to make plays on this big stage and then
(36:10):
continue to stay there. So amazing opportunity for me, though,
and I was so proud, and I definitely did tell
my family and share that with everyone.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
For sure, spoken like a true pro because I would
have just been celebrate, like, you know what, but you're right,
You're right, you have so so much more to accomplish.
We got to see a little bit of that on Sunday.
So you have your first NFL reception, Obviously you've caught
plenty of passes throughout your career high school stand out
(36:37):
at Holy Cross. Did it register in your mind though, that, like,
you know, you take it up the sideline. Are you like,
oh my gosh, like that's my first NFL catch? Or
is it like, Okay, I got that behind me now
I'm moving forward.
Speaker 1 (36:50):
Yeah, I would say definitely the second.
Speaker 6 (36:52):
The second one. I feel like, you know, they brought
me here for a reason, you know, and my job
is to catch the football and that's what I do best.
So when I caught the ball, it wasn't really like,
oh my gosh, I caught it, you know, it is
what am I going to do? Now?
Speaker 1 (37:05):
I'm looking up at the clock.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
I'm trying to make sure that I'm time savvy because
we got, you know, like ten seconds left and we're trying.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
To get it before half. So that's really what I
was thinking about.
Speaker 6 (37:14):
I really was glad to get it out of the
way because I feel like that's more most legitters were
coming from, like that first ball. But then after I
got it, it was kind of like, all right, let's roll.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Tell me about working with Andy Dalton and Bryce Young.
How's that been.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
It's been great. Bryce and Andy.
Speaker 6 (37:27):
I mean, definitely two great guys to have on the team. Andy,
you know, being a you know, amazing veteran, he's done
amazing things on the Bengals and doing great stuff here.
So to have him talk to me and kind of
coach me through some things when I'm not quite where
he wants me to be or he wants me to
be in a certain area, Like just kind of having
that repetition and having him on the team is really
(37:50):
really good. And then Bryce, you know, I mean honestly
really the same. Like I mean, he's he's a younger guy,
but I mean the way he carries himself and the
way that he kind of tax his training and his
pre opiration and everything is just the same. I mean,
just as much of a veteran. And you know, I
I ask him for things sometimes and he on the
sideline he brings me up. He'll say good play, good job,
or here's where you're messed up, here's where we're looking
(38:12):
for you on this like, you know, he's he's awesome.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
It seems like this group is is great. And I
want to ask you about the wide Receiver room because
kind of like what you're saying about Andy and Bryce,
you guys have a mix of you got your veterans
like your Adam Feelens and you know you're Deantae Johnson's
and then you've got the young guys like you like
Excel Xavier Legat. What is that room?
Speaker 1 (38:32):
Like it's funny?
Speaker 2 (38:35):
Who's the funniest, who's the funniest the funniest?
Speaker 6 (38:39):
Uh, that's a really really good question. We have a
lot of funny guys in the room. I think x
is pretty is pretty funny. He's probably the funniest. But
I mean, honestly, Coach Moore might take the cake on
that one. He's uh, he's got a little bit of
the jokes with him too. But uh, but no, the
room's great. I mean I feel like just kind of
having that like it's serious but then it's not so serious.
To where you can't be yourself and you can't express
(39:00):
how you feel. So I feel like that's such a
great thing to have in a room. You don't want
to be afraid to say something. You know, you always
want to feel like your your voice is heard. And
I feel like we do a great job of that.
And you know, like you said, Adam and Deontay being
the veterans in the room, they're so good. They're not
like the guys that you can't ask questions or they're
not helping the rookies. You know, so and even you know, Mingo,
(39:23):
Dion and Praise. You know, everyone in the room is
such a you know, such a great person, a good
character person, and you know they're great football players, which
you know just makes everyone else better.
Speaker 2 (39:35):
You were someone who I can already tell just takes
everything in stride. Like I said, all of those moments,
these first for you that are happening. If it were me,
I would just be I don't know, I'd be over
the moon. And You're like, nope, I'm going to the
next thing. I have bigger goals that I want to accomplish.
So what I want to know is is how did
how did Holy Cross prepare you for where you are now.
Speaker 6 (39:57):
I think holy Cross did a great job of, you know,
just kind of teaching me, like you were kind of saying,
just rolling with the punches, like things are going to happen.
You know, you're not always going to be dealt the
best hand, but you know, what are you going to do?
You know, like when you have good success, like the
one thing you want to do is like relax and
be calm.
Speaker 1 (40:14):
And you know, coming from you.
Speaker 6 (40:15):
Know, we're we're five time Patrio League champions, Like we
won a lot, and it's hard to consistently win.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
So I think the biggest thing I took from.
Speaker 6 (40:23):
There is like, you know, it doesn't matter about you know,
whatever happened on that Saturday or Sunday. You know, you
just got to get better the next day, and you
got to get better the next day because everyone else
is going to be hunting for your spot. Everyone wants
to be in that position. So I think just kind
of like that mental fortitude that kind of just separates
you from the other players is what I took away
from holy Cross.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
Okay, last question. When you score your first NFL touchdown,
have you thought are you a celebration guy? Are you.
I'm just going to flip the ball and get back, Like,
what's what do you think is going to happen?
Speaker 6 (40:57):
Well, I'd like to say that I'm just going to
flip the ball and get out of there. But I
haven't really thought of a touchdown. But I think I'm
gonna do something. I don't know what it's gonna be,
but I usually my thing is usually just kind of
going to my team. I like to do the little
where the linemen come over and they lift me up.
That's kind of like been my thing at Holy Cross
for a little bit. So now that I'm now on
the Panthers and I did it all my first touchdown
(41:17):
in preseason, So I mean, nothing too crazy, but you know,
definitely gonna enjoy the moment and have a good time
with the guys for sure.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
Oh I say get crazy. I mean we saw XL's
horse stance. You don't. Well I am. I'm really looking
forward to that first NFL touchdown. Jalen, thank you so
much for the time. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
Thank you, I appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
And thank you to all of you who are listening
out there. That's been this edition of this week's Sideline fast,
We'll see you next week.
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