Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, clock, this is ESPN fifteen thirty on Boegger. Thank
you so much for joining us today. We are loaded
this afternoon broadcasting on five to one, three day at
the University of Cincinnati. Now, our best, our best laid
plans kind of fell apart. We were going to broadcast
from the concourse of the baseball stadium before a game tonight.
Unfortunately that game against Indiana has been canceled because of rain.
(00:23):
So we're doing the next past thing, broadcasting from just
inside the Lender Center and starting the hour with the
head football coach at the University of Cincinnati. How productive
was spring?
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I thought it was very productive for us, you know,
I was, you know, certainly pleased the fact that, you know,
we had our defensive coordinator for second year in a row,
which was awesome to be able to you.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Know, start we left off defense.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
We can try to get better with that, so, you know,
I thought that was good. You know, I think offensively,
we brought in a bunch of receivers, running back, you know,
no lineman, a couple of linement actually, and.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Yeah, I thought so, I thought that was good.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
And then you know, specialist, you know, we brought on
a kicker in and I think, you know, that was
good to see him go out and kick in the spring.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
But other than that, I think just.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
The overall body of work that our guys were able
to do, it was very productive. We had a great
winner coach Nico and his staff in the strength strength room,
and you know, so now we're looking forward to this summer.
You know, we added a few more pieces to the
to the team and we're looking forward to getting those
guys here next week.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
I gather, you know, over the course of the last
couple of months talking to players who were here last
year and talking to some new guys, those new guys
have inherited the chip on the shoulder that exists for
the players who were here last year.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yeah, you know, and I think you know certainly, you know,
we know started out strong last year and not finish
strong at all, and so that you know, it was
a bad taste in our mouths at the end, and
I think the guys that we added got a sense
of that throughout the Winner and how competitive the Winner
was here. But also one of the unique things I
think you know about the portal stuff is like a
lot of the guys that we went out and and
got to come in here. They're coming here for something
(01:52):
to prove, you know it just as an individual.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
And then when they.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Got here, they figured out, okay, about what the Bearcats
did last year, how can we help this team? And
I think so you couple the fact of the individually
I want to play better and and prove my worth,
but also what can I do to help this team
go compete for a Big twelve championship.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
You and I talked a few months ago about the
plan for special teams.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
It has changed.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
You've got a special teams coach now, yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
You know, yeah, Luke Pascal, I think's coming from Middle Tennessee.
And I think for us, we wanted to go through
the spring. Let's let's, you know, evaluate where we're at
with the special teams, let's utilize our staff. Which we
did that and we did some really good things, I
thought this spring. But after that, you know, kind of
go back and look at the program. What can we
do better in this program? And I thought, you know,
it was going to be best for us to go
out and try to get a guy that will come in, you.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Know, certainly a guy who brings a lot of experience.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
You know, Luke's been doing it for many, many years,
and he's had some great teams over those years. Actually,
when I was at the head coach at av STATEI
was Arkansas State, we faced him, you know, did some
great things there.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
He puts a lot of pressure on teams. It's not
just getting by.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
I mean, I think it's being aggressive in the special
team aspect. And I think, you know, he's gonna be
a great addition to our staff.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Unique challenge to bring in someone like that so late
in the process.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Yeah, very very unique.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Usually this is not the higher season, you know, for sure.
I think what's unique about it really is the fact
that when they passed the rule a year ago whatever,
when you know, everybody can coach now and so there's
not a limit really, I mean, you just get you
get the best mixed that you want for your coaching staff.
And so for us, I mean we said, man, let's
go out and you know, go out and try to
get the best guy we can get for us and
(03:26):
what we need at this point toime and talked to
several guys, thought Luke did a great job, was the
best for us, and we were able to get him
on board. You're right, I mean, here it is May.
I mean, so it's a late time in the year
really to go get a guy. But now we do
have all summer and the rules have changed where we
can work with our guys in the summertime. Now we
can implement a lot of things. We got some meeting
time with them. Of course we're going into our new
(03:46):
facility this summer. That'll really help us, you know, enhance that.
And I think I think he's gonna be a great
addition to us and it really help us team. We
know how tight the marchiness are in the Big Twelve
the minute. You know, every team lost at least two
games last year. You know, if you think about that
going into this year, we got a chance, and we
got a chance to go compete for this Big Twelve championship.
And I know we got to get better at one
aspected with special teams. And I think he's certainly going
(04:07):
to help his that regard.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
You enjoy what feels like a luxury in modern college football,
which is continuity at quarterback. Where have you seen growth
from Brandon this offseason?
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, I think just you know, another year here last
year when he gets here, you know, he's trying to
earn everything, earn the respect his teammates earned, his teammates trust,
learned the offense, all the type of things that have
to happen.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
And now haven't been here a year.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
You know, he certainly had some highlights of last season
and certainly some games he'd like to take back, and
I think he learned a lot from that. But I
thought what he did this spring was played with a
lot more poise, a lot more confidence.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
You know, we surround him with some really good players.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
I thought this spring as a wide receiver room Tylie
Walker at the running back position, I think our receiver
room with those three or four guys that we brought in,
you know, really, you know, he always to do as
a strip to football, don't try to do too much,
and I think he was able to do that this spring,
and that'll be something that will consistently try to get
better at throughout the the summer and as we head
into fall camp.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
It just you have to benefit naturally from from having
the same quarterback as last year, which used to be
a given in college football and now frankly is not.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
No, it's not I as one one position.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
As you go back and look particularly at the power
level where just about every quarterback that comes in as
a transfer, and you know, fortunately for us, you know,
we were able to hold on him and have him
throughout the whole winter and obviously this coming summer, and
he's earned the respect of his guys that are around him,
and I think he's certainly got all the tools.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
He's worked hard in the weight room.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
I mean, he's up to I think he was two
thirty eight when he left, you know, for this break
that we had running really good, throwing the ball really good,
and so we expect nothing but big things from him.
I think, you know, he could have one of these
years where he's one of the better quarterbacks in our league.
And that's saying a lot because there's a lot of
good quarterbacks that are coming back this year in this
league that have won a lot of games. And I
think sometimes, you know, we all know that, you know,
(05:53):
your quarterbacks got to play at a high level if
you want to win games, and so that that includes
taking care of the football but also making the plays
when they're there to be made. And and hopefully this
year we're gonna have some receivers that can really push
the ball down the field. Is one thing we were
not very good at last year, you know, but Jeff
Calwells a guy who's six forward that can knock the
top off on the outside. Cyrus Island, Caleb Caleb Goody
are those guys that I think that can.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
Really you know, split the middle of the defense.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Felt like a year ago we were talking about the
installation of a of a new defensive scheme and it
took some time into the season. I think you would
agree for I think for everybody to kind of get it,
and so I think you'll just benefit from from that
as well. You're obviously teaching guys a new scheme, but
not your entire team.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
Yeah, you're exactly right, well, and you've got to learn
the personalities and of the coaches and the players and
all that. I mean, it's just just something that's got
to mesh in jail, and that takes time for that
to happen. And I think, you know, we were we
were real you know Vanilla did on defense last year.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
I think we had to be and we needed to be.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
I do think that, you know, this spring, we're able
to open up and do a little bit more with defensively,
and I think as we go through the summer and
head into camp, hopefully we can open it up and
do a little more, you know as we start the season.
And I know, being in year two with the same defense,
they're used to, the calls, they're used to how we
do things, and it's only gonna help. And and the
other fact too, that we brought back most of the
majority of our front seven, uh front six guys, you know,
(07:10):
with the three linemen and three linebackers.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
I think that's gonna help.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
And then we did have some great additions I thought
in the secondary of this spring that's really gonna help
us this next next year.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
I know there's been a heavy emphasis on the weight
room this offseason as well.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Yeah, Coach Nico and the guys, I mean, they always
work hard, but I feel like we turned it up
really even more this winter and really made it difficult
and challenging for our guys. But man, our guys accepted
the challenge of it. They they didn't miss a beat
and they almost look at Coach Nika and said that, oh,
you got to bring some more. I mean, that's kind
of their attitudes in which we love, and I think
they're going to continue to enhance the summer.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
This summer will be big for us.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
But we had great leadership on our team this year
with with a lot of our older guys.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
And and the guys that we brought in.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
I felt like we're natural leaders as well, and that's
certainly gonna help. And you know, you know, one of
the other things that that that you think about is shoot, man,
you know we had we did a great job in
the classroom in the in the fall, and then we
did even better this this spring. I mean, we're we're
gonna ended up this spring over a three point four
gp A. And all that says is our guys do
things right, and they're gonna work hard in the classroom, they're
(08:09):
gonna work hard to wait room on the football field,
and I think it's gonna translate to some great stuff
this fall.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Awesome.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I can't thank you enough for doing this starting our
show off. You know, normally I come here in the fall,
and you guys don't look as well rested as fresh
as you do when I come here in May. It's
kind of nice. Yeah, yeah, we're feeling good right now.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
You know.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
It's kind of like when we start camp, we always
tell our guys that this is the best you'll feel
all year and it's going down from here.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
That's kind of the way coaches are at this time
of year.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
But but we're excited about our guys getting back here
in Monday, you know, kick the season off, the summer
season off, and we're we can't.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Wait for that. But we appreciate you. You got it.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Scott Saderfield joining us to us start the show. Broadcasting
from the Lindner Center at the University of Cincinnati. It
is five to one three Day. The entire city celebrating
U SEE celebrating as well. Five to one three Day.
You can learn more at go Bearcats dot com slash
five one three. We are with guests this afternoon. Our
(09:01):
next one is going to be the commissioner of the
Big twelve. Brett your Mark's going to call in part
of five to one to three Day as well. We'll
get to some Trey Hendrickson stuff a little bit later
on as well. Plus Jordan Bischelde, a baseball coach at
U SEE. We were supposed to be broadcasting from the
ballpark today and it would have been perfect, and then
we got a bad forecast and I guess it's gonna rain,
and so no ballgame tonight. No show from the ballpark,
(09:23):
but again, this is the next best thing.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Fourteen minutes after three o'clock.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
My name is melwggor Glad you're with us this afternoon
on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen
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