August 6, 2025 • 8 mins
The TE from Germany shooed away offers from other schools to stay and take the Huskies offense to another level. Not to mention, he's a "freak" in the weight room
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
So, how's camp going so far for you? Really good?
I'm having a great time. I got a little dinged
up in the spring.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
I had a high ankle, and I wasn't sure how
I was going to feel playing full go again and
if it was going to flare up a little bit,
because those are kind of nagging. But I felt really
good during the back end of our summer preparation, our
summer program, and now putting the pads back on feels great,
and I'm really anxious for everything.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
To roll around. But i got to take it a
day by day, and uh, yeah, it's been going good though.
It's fun.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
A lot of new guys on the team, a lot
of new faces. They're fitting really well. It's it's been
It's been a lot of fun. Obviously, some grueling days
just being on your feet all day and it's monotonous
at times, but at the end of the day, we
all play football, which is which is what we love.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
So it's been a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Alex, Just what is this what stays out to you
about your whole journey? I mean, different countries, different positions,
different schools. Football has taken you a lot of different places.
It seems like a rewarding experience now for sure.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I mean it's always like head on and keep going
and injuries not giving back and I keep pushing away.
But then it's rare for me to look back at
that and just see where I came from and all
that stuff, and it's it's it's it's been a long journey.
I'm really proud of it, just because I mean when
I started to have that dream of playing college football,
they wasn't really many European college football players. So when
(01:20):
I ended up at TCU, initially as a quarterback, I
was kind of mind blown and I was like ready
to go, And uh, that feels so long ago now,
Like for me, there's been so many new goals up
set myself initially was hey, just just get there. I
realized that dream of playing college football, which for me
at first seemed kind of surreal. But then when I
got there, there's been a lot of changes, changing to
(01:43):
the tight end position, changing schools, changing programs, a lot
of new coaches, and I think for me it was
it was always just a love of the game and
just keep chipping away and taking it day by day.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
And it's been the hell of a long journey.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
I mean, but it's been a rewarding and good one
and I can't wait to hopefully ended up often a great,
great way this season.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Yet the sport itself has changed so much when you've
been in the college athletes are paid now, and coach
mentioned that he's really proud that guys like you, who
had opportunities to go to take money elsewhere, it shows
to stay. What was that process like for you, What
did you have to consider and why ultimately did you
want to be back here.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Yeah, well, the process I didn't like it at all,
like because I never put my name out there and
not a lot of people reaching out to me just
out of the blue, and it put me in a
position where all of a sudden I had to make
those decisions or at least think about it where which
I actually didn't want to do because my plan was
always to get to the NFL and just do it
(02:45):
from Connecticut and I felt good about that, but it
kind of forced me to just kind of evaluate and
just think about it. But we're talking to coach Moro,
who's super, super open with it. He's super easy in
the process because he wants what's best for us. He's
been around for so long I trust him with everything.
I walked into his office and talked to him, and
for a couple of days I sat on it and
just thought about what I want to do in my life.
(03:05):
And it was never I mean going into college. When
I realized I was going to get some playing time,
it was always, hey, I want to get to the league.
And it was never, hey, I want to make the
most money out of this, or I want to get popular,
I want to play at.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
A certain school.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
For me, was always the next level, and there's so
many other things that just overweight that.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
I mean, it was.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
It was an easy decision just because, like there's so
many teammates here that I care about, coaches. I care
about coaches that took a shot on me when I
was in transfer portal as somebody who hasn't proven themselves
more than just being a special teams guy. So that
all that and just being comfortable in the position I
am in, knowing coach more, how much he he loves
us guys and teammates. Joe coming back was a big
(03:45):
one too. I'd say, like he's a he's a good
friend of mine who's been through a lot with me.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
He got hurt the same.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Actually the play right before I got hurt at Georgia
State two years ago, so we were kind of stuck
being those two guys out for the year. I both
knew at the time, so it was an easy decision,
but I was with it, which did make it a
couple of week or two three days.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Yeah, how do you compliment each other?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Tight end? Oh?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
I think I think we were perfect together.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
I mean we're friends off the field, Like we hang
out a lot, we think the same way.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
A lot of times. When he' out there, we go.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Fast, we play fast, and it's great to have somebody
out there who understands like what you're thinking, who knows
who's played with you, and we all know lose a lose,
lose A consistent guy, you know what you get from him.
I love having them out there. I love being out
there with him together. Sometimes we kind of switch off,
but I think he's a guy who who we can
(04:38):
count on and at the end of the day, the
biggest the biggest thing is consistency in football, and he's
been a guy who has proven himself and I'm happy
to have him in the room just because he's been
through a lot too he's seen a lot, he's seen
successful programs, and he can be a leader just as
I am. And I'm I'm I'm very lucky to be
in a position where I can be a leader on
the team. And I think having him with me kind
(05:00):
of gives me that Batman Robin kind of relation, where
like we can both uh work with each other to
be the best leaders we can be.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
How much talent overall is during its height end room.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Oh, I think we're stacked.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I mean we have so many different bodies, and we
have a lot of guys too. I mean at at Church,
he's a guy number eighty eight.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I mean he's massive.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
I mean he's he's about about as big as I am,
and uh just moving great, like proving himself to be
a great run blocker. And I'm excited to see him
go against real competition beat some people up because I
know that he can do that. And I think it's
great for him to develop a little more. And I
think he's gonna he's gonna do a lot for this
team than having Juice too, came in from Anti State.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
He's a he's a twitchy guy.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
He can he can do a lot for us in
the past game as well, but he doesn't He's not
scared of putting his face in the fan too. I
think we have a lot of different athletes in this room,
just like Dom as well. He means he's He's a
lengthy guy. He looks like an NFL tight end out there,
and I'm happy to have that just because I feel
like we all can do what we're asked to do.
(06:09):
And what I'm most happy about is the fact that
so many of the guys that are in the room
are gonna get playing time and our young guys who
are gonna end up being guys on this team, like
really people who this team can count on down the road,
whether it's at the end of the season with people
get banged up, or next year or the years after that,
because I mean Natar and Don both have what four
(06:29):
years left I think or three.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
Yeah, there's the athletic freak level label kind of resonate
with you or does it bother you?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Do you like it?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
What you well, it's a I think I like it.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
I think it's fun.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Obviously, there's a lot of hard work that is being
seen with that, And for me, what stood out to
me the most is when I read that article and
when Coach Brown kind of put his word in for
me is the fact that he not only did he
mention all this stuff I did in the way one
more I do on the field, and how athletic I am,
and which obviously I'm proud of, especially coming off of
a knee injury, and I wasn't sure if I was
going to be the same player, and it turns out
(07:06):
I'm actually more athletic than I was before.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
And I'm doing really well.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
And but what resonated with me was the fact that
he actually complimented my character and how I lead the
team and how I am with the guys in the offseason,
and how I help move guys along, bring guys along.
And that was really the most important part, the fact
that I'm seeing as a guy that not only like
does the work and shows it, but also like brings
people along. And I'm really thankful for Coach Brown. I
(07:30):
think he's been a great addition and I love the guy.
And I mean, I can't wait to go to Wolfurn.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
Is your blacker on the edge. What's it like to
have mel Brown get the ball out in space and
run with it?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I mean, that guy's that guy's twitchy. He comes out
like shot out of a cannon. Sometimes like he makes
your job easy. Sometimes sometimes he's got touch a guy
and he's he's past you. I mean he's a he's
a good dude. He's getting the recognition now too. And
him and Cam having those two in the backfield, I mean, yeah,
it's it makes my job much easier.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Who can clean more than your on a team or
how many guys kind?
Speaker 4 (08:06):
I mean, three ninety five is no joke.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Nobody can. Yeah, nobody can.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
And uh, I'm kind of competing against myself here, But
we got a lot of a lot of young guys
that are that are stepping up and I'm hoping that
that record stays for a little bit, but I'm not
quite sure about that.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Thirty times, yes, sir.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Now, were there the teammates around you going when you
were Yeah, a.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Lot of adrenaline going. It wasn't it wasn't just out
of the blue. It was we did that all. We
all tested it two twenty five. So having my teammates
around me and coaches fire me on that kind of
got a couple more reps out of.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Its twenty more than I can do.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Look, well, she was impressive. I got a good one
guys schedule. I guess for sure good
So, how's camp going so far for you? Really good?
I'm having a great time. I got a little dinged
up in the spring.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
I had a high ankle, and I wasn't sure how
I was going to feel playing full go again and
if it was going to flare up a little bit,
because those are kind of nagging. But I felt really
good during the back end of our summer preparation, our
summer program, and now putting the pads back on feels great,
and I'm really anxious for everything.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
To roll around. But i got to take it a
day by day, and uh, yeah, it's been going good though.
It's fun.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
A lot of new guys on the team, a lot
of new faces. They're fitting really well. It's it's been
It's been a lot of fun. Obviously, some grueling days
just being on your feet all day and it's monotonous
at times, but at the end of the day, we
all play football, which is which is what we love.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
So it's been a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Alex, Just what is this what stays out to you
about your whole journey? I mean, different countries, different positions,
different schools. Football has taken you a lot of different places.
It seems like a rewarding experience now for sure.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
I mean it's always like head on and keep going
and injuries not giving back and I keep pushing away.
But then it's rare for me to look back at
that and just see where I came from and all
that stuff, and it's it's it's it's been a long journey.
I'm really proud of it, just because I mean when
I started to have that dream of playing college football,
they wasn't really many European college football players. So when
(01:20):
I ended up at TCU, initially as a quarterback, I
was kind of mind blown and I was like ready
to go, And uh, that feels so long ago now,
Like for me, there's been so many new goals up
set myself initially was hey, just just get there. I
realized that dream of playing college football, which for me
at first seemed kind of surreal. But then when I
got there, there's been a lot of changes, changing to
(01:43):
the tight end position, changing schools, changing programs, a lot
of new coaches, and I think for me it was
it was always just a love of the game and
just keep chipping away and taking it day by day.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
And it's been the hell of a long journey.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
I mean, but it's been a rewarding and good one
and I can't wait to hopefully ended up often a great,
great way this season.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
Yet the sport itself has changed so much when you've
been in the college athletes are paid now, and coach
mentioned that he's really proud that guys like you, who
had opportunities to go to take money elsewhere, it shows
to stay. What was that process like for you, What
did you have to consider and why ultimately did you
want to be back here.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Yeah, well, the process I didn't like it at all,
like because I never put my name out there and
not a lot of people reaching out to me just
out of the blue, and it put me in a
position where all of a sudden I had to make
those decisions or at least think about it where which
I actually didn't want to do because my plan was
always to get to the NFL and just do it
(02:45):
from Connecticut and I felt good about that, but it
kind of forced me to just kind of evaluate and
just think about it. But we're talking to coach Moro,
who's super, super open with it. He's super easy in
the process because he wants what's best for us. He's
been around for so long I trust him with everything.
I walked into his office and talked to him, and
for a couple of days I sat on it and
just thought about what I want to do in my life.
(03:05):
And it was never I mean going into college. When
I realized I was going to get some playing time,
it was always, hey, I want to get to the league.
And it was never, hey, I want to make the
most money out of this, or I want to get popular,
I want to play at.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
A certain school.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
For me, was always the next level, and there's so
many other things that just overweight that.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
I mean, it was.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
It was an easy decision just because, like there's so
many teammates here that I care about, coaches. I care
about coaches that took a shot on me when I
was in transfer portal as somebody who hasn't proven themselves
more than just being a special teams guy. So that
all that and just being comfortable in the position I
am in, knowing coach more, how much he he loves
us guys and teammates. Joe coming back was a big
(03:45):
one too. I'd say, like he's a he's a good
friend of mine who's been through a lot with me.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
He got hurt the same.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
Actually the play right before I got hurt at Georgia
State two years ago, so we were kind of stuck
being those two guys out for the year. I both
knew at the time, so it was an easy decision,
but I was with it, which did make it a
couple of week or two three days.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Yeah, how do you compliment each other?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Tight end? Oh?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
I think I think we were perfect together.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
I mean we're friends off the field, Like we hang
out a lot, we think the same way.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
A lot of times. When he' out there, we go.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Fast, we play fast, and it's great to have somebody
out there who understands like what you're thinking, who knows
who's played with you, and we all know lose a lose,
lose A consistent guy, you know what you get from him.
I love having them out there. I love being out
there with him together. Sometimes we kind of switch off,
but I think he's a guy who who we can
(04:38):
count on and at the end of the day, the
biggest the biggest thing is consistency in football, and he's
been a guy who has proven himself and I'm happy
to have him in the room just because he's been
through a lot too he's seen a lot, he's seen
successful programs, and he can be a leader just as
I am. And I'm I'm I'm very lucky to be
in a position where I can be a leader on
the team. And I think having him with me kind
(05:00):
of gives me that Batman Robin kind of relation, where
like we can both uh work with each other to
be the best leaders we can be.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
How much talent overall is during its height end room.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Oh, I think we're stacked.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
I mean we have so many different bodies, and we
have a lot of guys too. I mean at at Church,
he's a guy number eighty eight.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
I mean he's massive.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
I mean he's he's about about as big as I am,
and uh just moving great, like proving himself to be
a great run blocker. And I'm excited to see him
go against real competition beat some people up because I
know that he can do that. And I think it's
great for him to develop a little more. And I
think he's gonna he's gonna do a lot for this
team than having Juice too, came in from Anti State.
Speaker 1 (05:45):
He's a he's a twitchy guy.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
He can he can do a lot for us in
the past game as well, but he doesn't He's not
scared of putting his face in the fan too. I
think we have a lot of different athletes in this room,
just like Dom as well. He means he's He's a
lengthy guy. He looks like an NFL tight end out there,
and I'm happy to have that just because I feel
like we all can do what we're asked to do.
(06:09):
And what I'm most happy about is the fact that
so many of the guys that are in the room
are gonna get playing time and our young guys who
are gonna end up being guys on this team, like
really people who this team can count on down the road,
whether it's at the end of the season with people
get banged up, or next year or the years after that,
because I mean Natar and Don both have what four
(06:29):
years left I think or three.
Speaker 5 (06:31):
Yeah, there's the athletic freak level label kind of resonate
with you or does it bother you?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Do you like it?
Speaker 2 (06:39):
What you well, it's a I think I like it.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
I think it's fun.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Obviously, there's a lot of hard work that is being
seen with that, And for me, what stood out to
me the most is when I read that article and
when Coach Brown kind of put his word in for
me is the fact that he not only did he
mention all this stuff I did in the way one
more I do on the field, and how athletic I am,
and which obviously I'm proud of, especially coming off of
a knee injury, and I wasn't sure if I was
going to be the same player, and it turns out
(07:06):
I'm actually more athletic than I was before.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
And I'm doing really well.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
And but what resonated with me was the fact that
he actually complimented my character and how I lead the
team and how I am with the guys in the offseason,
and how I help move guys along, bring guys along.
And that was really the most important part, the fact
that I'm seeing as a guy that not only like
does the work and shows it, but also like brings
people along. And I'm really thankful for Coach Brown. I
(07:30):
think he's been a great addition and I love the guy.
And I mean, I can't wait to go to Wolfurn.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
Is your blacker on the edge. What's it like to
have mel Brown get the ball out in space and
run with it?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I mean, that guy's that guy's twitchy. He comes out
like shot out of a cannon. Sometimes like he makes
your job easy. Sometimes sometimes he's got touch a guy
and he's he's past you. I mean he's a he's
a good dude. He's getting the recognition now too. And
him and Cam having those two in the backfield, I mean, yeah,
it's it makes my job much easier.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
Who can clean more than your on a team or
how many guys kind?
Speaker 4 (08:06):
I mean, three ninety five is no joke.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Nobody can. Yeah, nobody can.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
And uh, I'm kind of competing against myself here, But
we got a lot of a lot of young guys
that are that are stepping up and I'm hoping that
that record stays for a little bit, but I'm not
quite sure about that.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
Thirty times, yes, sir.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Now, were there the teammates around you going when you
were Yeah, a.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Lot of adrenaline going. It wasn't it wasn't just out
of the blue. It was we did that all. We
all tested it two twenty five. So having my teammates
around me and coaches fire me on that kind of
got a couple more reps out of.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Its twenty more than I can do.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Look, well, she was impressive. I got a good one
guys schedule. I guess for sure good
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