Seg 5 - FB Show Nov 11 - Donovan Branch

The Linebacker looks ahead to te final two weeks of the 2025 season after the big win against Duke

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Back on the Yukon Football Coaches Show. The senior Donovan
branch is with US number eleven, hails from Winter Garden, Florida.
Then with the Huskies the last few season big man
six four two forty five. I'm going to start right there, Donovan.
I come down on the field prior to the game
while you're warming up, and I am always impressed by
the size that you bring to the field. Tell me

(00:22):
about that dealing as a six' four. Guy how does
that help? You do you think play your position?

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Better, well it helps a. Lot actually they kind of
got my weight, wrong which it's crazy Because i'm Actually
i'm actually two hundred and sixty. Pounds whoa, Yeah but
it actually helps a lot because you, KNOW i play
with a low, center a mass OR i get low
sometimes and then it helps me bring forces to the run,
game gets. Lockout you, KNOW i don't really get mood as.
Much SO i think having that weight just helps me

(00:50):
as a person playing the run game and also helps
my teammates too to start the run.

Speaker 1 (00:54):
Game matt Brock is your defensive coordinators done an excellent
job with The Jim morris staff. Here tell me about
playing defense for? Him because he's a bit of a
maniac on the. Sideline we watch him jumping up and
down and he is out there in terms of his energy.
Level tell me about what kind of guy he is
and playing what it's like playing for.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Him he's a he's like a father figure to all of,
us you, know and playing for him is just he
has a lot of passion and he loves a job
that he. Does and you can definitely tell that from
even being like you guys looking down and seeing on this, Island,
like he goes crazy when we make big. Plays so you,
know everybody in, defense like we Love Coach, brock we
Love Coach, moore and when we have a love for

(01:36):
a coach like, that it just makes us play. Harder
so he's real passionate about. It we love playing For Coach.

Speaker 1 (01:41):
Rock the team number two in sacks, statistically tenth and
tackles for. Loss those are some very impressive. Numbers attacking
on defense is something that you guys have been doing
the last couple of years Under Matt. Brock defensive players
like to play in this kind of. System i'm gonna, sir, yes,
Sir and why do you like to play like with

(02:04):
a guy like.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
THIS i, mean, really we just get to go out
like we. Have there's just no thinking about. It like
he has the system to where it's just just, play
just play. Football it's like put the football, DOWN i
just play some. Football, seaball go. Getball that's what this defense.
Is and you, know we got some intricacies here and,
there we got to think a little. Bit but he's
like he's made it to the point where it's like

(02:26):
we all go out there with just straight confidence and
we never it's never like we're out there with no
confidence and the regardless of a bad play, happens we
learned from it and then we attack the next. Place
so anybody who loved to play for this defense is
just going out there just literally playing football like you
were going out there when you were little in the.
Backyard are just playing.

Speaker 1 (02:42):
Football, yeah it's, fun it's a. Game let's remember that
that last sequence Against duke was one of the great you,
know defensive. Stands they were driving the ball like it
got to be a little. Edgy you started to, worry
like what's going to happen, here but you came up
with a big play as a. Team tell me about.
That the joy of seeing that. Happen you, Know Trent

(03:05):
jones came up with a, fumble the play By Brian.
Parm you're Chasing mensa their quarterback, Round Darren. MENSA i
mean it was like chaos out, there but what a
great joyful moment For yukon.

Speaker 2 (03:17):
Football, YEAH i mean seeing it like it's crazy because
when we got the call, in like we all looked
at each other like we knew something good was gonna
happen for. Us and we looked at each other before
the play even, happened AND i had this, Feeling i'm,
like something's good gonna. HAPPEN i don't know who's gonna
make the, play but somebody's gonna make the. Play and
it was just it was heart woman for me to

(03:37):
like see my guys make plays Like Brian palm called,
Game trent got the, fumble and just seeing like the
joy in their faces and that joined the sideline like it.
Was it. Was it's a moment that you would never get,
back but it will be a MOMENT i always have
in mind.

Speaker 1 (03:51):
Memory and afterwards we're going to talk about that crowd
came out of the stands and you guys were mobbed out. There,
boy that must be a special feeling because you know
you have a connection with your fan base, obviously and
then that. Happens it's way different than them being in
the stands and getting, loud isn't.

Speaker 2 (04:12):
It it's a lot different seeing, That like being on
the field after you just won a big game and
then you see the student section coming, out like That's
that's all the football team ever want is to see
and have the connection with the student, section, because to
be honest with, you like we get our our drive
and our like when plays it when games are getting,

(04:32):
long people are getting. Tired WHAT i do IS i
look at the student. SECTION i look at the fans
like if they're getting, hyped they're getting all, that Then
i'm getting. Hyped so having this connection with the student
section like that just helped. Us it really helped. Us
everybody there help us win the game for.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
Sure Donovan branch WITH us linebacker for The. Huskies h
tell me about Having Jackson mitchell And Deronte jones on
the staff. Coaching those two guys over the years have
been really inspirational. Players now they're. Coaching tell me about
your relationship with those.

Speaker 2 (05:04):
Two those two are like my bigger brothers Man, Durante
he's he's molded me as a, player molded me as a.
Leader and for one thing he's always taught me is
just open up my mouth and have no regards and
just speak to the players because you never. Know SOMETIMES
i used to be like a closed mouth, leader like
SOMETIMES i wouldn't say too. Much but Having dronte next to,

(05:24):
me he would be, like you, know you open up
your mouth a little bit. More AND i started doing.
That and as far As Coach, mitchell Like Man's ceti's.
Finest so having him is my coaches like HE i don't,
know he just he gives me the most confidence to
just go out there and, play because as a senior
you start overthinking a lot to your last. Year so it's,
like oh AM i doing too? Much AM i doing too?
Little but he's always like he's like my grounding. Base

(05:47):
like he he tells me, like, look, bro just just
do you go out there and do you.

Speaker 1 (05:52):
So, Yeah Jackson mitchell one of our favorites over the.
Years Donovan branch with his final question or two, here
uh now what? Right AND i know Ja Coach moore
after the game said something Like job's not. Finished, right
let's get back to square. One what does that actually
mean to you?

Speaker 2 (06:09):
Guys exactly what he. Said you, know after the, game
a lot of people are, like you, know we back
here is football? Back AND i gave him the simple
answer is we still got two in games, Left LIKE
i don't really see it as it was a big.
Win it was a great, win you, know but twenty
four hour, rule, like we still got two. Games we
still have to finish out the season at the end

(06:30):
of the, day so the job isn't. Finished we still
Got Air force coming. Up we're still going to prepare
and we're still gonna be the best we can be
and played our standard like how we just.

Speaker 1 (06:38):
Did, yeah. Right eleven of, twelve The huskies are one at.
Home donovan branch with us and, hey, listen best of
luck on the. Weekend Air. Force they're not coming in
here thinking they're you, know they got any chance of.
Losing they think they were gonna win the ball. Game
so good luck with them and keep it. Going we
appreciate the, Thanks.

Speaker 2 (06:57):
Thank, you, guys appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (06:58):
All It's donovan Branch back with. More The Yukon Football
Coaches show continues in a moment on Liar, field