October 14, 2025 • 8 mins
The Senior Center on his job as QB of the O-Line and the Cubs elimination from the baseball playoffs
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to the Yukon Football Coaches Show. Mike Chrispino
joined by Wes Ho, number seventy three of the Yukon
offensive line. He plays in the middle. He's a center.
But a few years ago, Wes you actually played fullback
for a few games at Syracuse. I want to know
about that transition when coach came to you and say, okay,
we're going to put you in the offensive line permanently.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Yeah, that was a funny move. Week two, our started
got hurt and I did a little bit in camp
and then they just said, you know what, you're up.
So week two I was up, and funny enough, it's
when I played against Yukon. So that was my first
college game was against Yukon.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
So yeah, the transition obviously from being somebody who carries
the ball to somebody who snaps the ball. That's significant.
How did that go for you when you first had
to do that.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
I was more of a blocking tight end. I wasn't
getting many touches and catches, but I loved it. I
thought it was fun. Transition was fun.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
So Yukon right now running the ball well one hundred
and eighty three and a half yards a game. Last
year you were twenty first in the country at one
hundred and ninety nine a game. You know, coach Moore
always talks about, you know, wanting balance as an offensive lineman.
Do you enjoy run blocking more or pass blocking more?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Oh, that's an easy question. I love it unblocking. It's
always fun to get after guys and throw them in
the dirt, So definitely.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Run Yeah, attacking people is always fun. The tough part
for you, I would assume obviously you got two jobs.
You got to snap the ball and the team runs
a lot of the shotgun formation, So that's number one.
I assume in your thought process when you get to
the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Absolutely snaps. The ball is everything. The ball is the program,
So absolutely snap first.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
And then when you are run blocking, the good news
is you're attacking the other guy. Correct.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, Yeah, that's typically that's the plan. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Pass blocking another story altogether. I think that's the toughest
thing to do in all of football. You guys have
done a nice job of that with Joe Finano, you know,
staying upright most every game. Tell me about that, is
that pass blocking more of a five man deal than
even an individual thing.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Yeah, we always say you have to go five for five.
I mean O lines position, where if you go four
for five, it's the difference between a good play and
the TfL or a sack and a pressure. So definitely
going five for five each play is kind of a
core fundamental of the O line.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Coming from Syracuse here last year, that was an interesting transition.
I'm sure you're an Illinois guy. We're going to talk
about that in a minute. But when you make a
move like that, and a lot of guys have done
that now in the last few years in college football,
what goes into your decision making?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
I really when I transferred over here is I just
love the place. I love the program, the coaches were amazing,
and my recruiting, I love the style of ball that
we've played here, and I really just fell in love
with you conc it was an easy decision for.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Me, right And we've heard, you know, teammates of years
talk about how important it is to have that relationship
with your coaching staff. Don't get a lot of time
to meet with them when you first are looking at Yukon.
What impressed you most about coach Mora and the coaching
staff that got you thinking I want to come here.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I think it was just their their honesty there. I
mean they didn't really hide anything. They show me exactly
what this place is about, what kind of style of
football they play, and I just I loved it. You know,
it was just an easy yes to say.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah. Well, you know, Syracuse obviously with a great name
in college football over the years, Yukon rebuilding. That was
a bit of a jump for you. I mean you
had to go from something established really to a program
that was kind of getting up on its feet again.
So I'm guessing you're the kind of guy that likes challenges.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Oh, absolutely, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
What is it about challenges that get you going?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
It's just it's always something you can wake up for
each day and be like, you know, I'm an attack
this day. I'm gonna I'm gonna do this, this and that,
and you just get up and go. You know.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
The center is like the quarterback of the offensive line.
We're talking with Wes Ho number seventy three, Yukon center,
second year here with the Husks. When you guys are practicing,
are you kind of like a quarterback with your offensive line?
Are you giving instructions? Are you directing guys as what
to do.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, I mean typical center stuff. They call out the defense.
What kind of front is it? You know who the
mic is, the idea. I make my calls. The guys
next to me make their calls based off that. But
we do a really good job of all of us communicating.
I know it's not just me, but we're really in
sync with them. Makes my job a lot easier.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
So yeah, and you don't have a lot of time
to really make those calls. I grew up covering the
Giants and bart Oaks as their center. He was brilliant
with that stuff. I mean, you have to identify things
very quickly. Tell me about that process. You don't have
a lot of time.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Starts in the film room, Coach Pace, Coach Swingle. They
do a great job getting me ready throughout the week,
so I know exactly what I should be looking for,
what I will see on Saturday. So that's where it starts.
And I once they get out there, it's almost second
secondhand nature and I just make the calls and we go.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
So yeah, doing it at home versus away. Now this
week you're at Boston College. It's a little different, isn't it.
I mean at home, you kind of have the crowd
behind you, you feel like you have command of the
of the environment. But you go on the road. Tell
me about what's the difference for you.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Definitely got to lock into Joe behind the mixture. I'm
getting the snap right, the cadence right, but really just
taking that extra attention to detail and making sure everything's
right before we go.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
So this game this week, Boston College is a it's
a big one. Every week is big. But they're an
acc opponent. They're a team that Yukon is trying to,
you know, kind of get to that level and improve
some things. How do you guys view it emotionally going
into a game like this.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean DC's a great team. We're
really excited to play them. I think each week, you
know with us, there's you know, we treated, you know,
no different than if you play this or that team.
So I think we're ready to go. We're looking forward
to it.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
West Hole with us number seventy three, Yukon Center Glenn Allen,
Illinois is your home west of Chicago. So I'm gonna
say you're not happy the Cubs are out.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
No, that was not a great game to watch. For
a Cubs fan. I know me and my family weren't
too happy about that one.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, especially when you get to the winner go home game.
Right a Cubs fan growing up, I'm assuming the Midwest?
Is it I've been there many many times. I've never
lived there, but I've been there many times. Is it
strictly football? Are there really Bulls fans? Are there Cubs fans?
I mean, what's the breakdown? Oh?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yeah, I mean Chicago is just a great breakdown because
you have north side, south side Cubs socks, you got Bulls.
Everyone's a die hard Bears fan. It's really a great
city for sports. So I love it.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Yeah, you mentioned the Bears. Is that something? Is that
one of your Was that your team growing up?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Unfortunately? Yeah, big Bears fan. So I've definitely been through
the hart for Walter Toys.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Hey you can join me. I'm a Giants fan. We're
crying all the time. Remington Trophy watch list. People are
starting to watch you now. They like what you're doing.
Six four two seventy five. Does any of that play
into your motivations day to day to be a great player?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
We always say, don't listen to the outside noise, you know,
whether it's positive or negative, just focus on you, focus
on the team. So trying to keep that going, you know,
focus on us and the you know what we've got
up ahead.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
And so I'm only going to look back for one second.
But Fenway Bowl, that was an interesting experience playing in
a baseball stadium. Can you tell me about that from
your perspective?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Man, it was a fun game, seeing seeing all the
Yukon fans in that crowd, just playing in Fenway such
a great ballpark. It was special. It was fun.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Yeah, great baseball. And I remember they gave you guys
baseball bats, didn't they. Yeah, yep, that's cool. All right, Wes,
we appreciate it. Good luck this week. Let's get the
Huskies to five and two. How about that?
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Absolutely, thank you for having me on. All right.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
That's Wes ho back with more of the Yukon Football
Coaches Show in just a moment on lear Field.
Welcome back to the Yukon Football Coaches Show. Mike Chrispino
joined by Wes Ho, number seventy three of the Yukon
offensive line. He plays in the middle. He's a center.
But a few years ago, Wes you actually played fullback
for a few games at Syracuse. I want to know
about that transition when coach came to you and say, okay,
we're going to put you in the offensive line permanently.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Yeah, that was a funny move. Week two, our started
got hurt and I did a little bit in camp
and then they just said, you know what, you're up.
So week two I was up, and funny enough, it's
when I played against Yukon. So that was my first
college game was against Yukon.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
So yeah, the transition obviously from being somebody who carries
the ball to somebody who snaps the ball. That's significant.
How did that go for you when you first had
to do that.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
I was more of a blocking tight end. I wasn't
getting many touches and catches, but I loved it. I
thought it was fun. Transition was fun.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
So Yukon right now running the ball well one hundred
and eighty three and a half yards a game. Last
year you were twenty first in the country at one
hundred and ninety nine a game. You know, coach Moore
always talks about, you know, wanting balance as an offensive lineman.
Do you enjoy run blocking more or pass blocking more?
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Oh, that's an easy question. I love it unblocking. It's
always fun to get after guys and throw them in
the dirt, So definitely.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Run Yeah, attacking people is always fun. The tough part
for you, I would assume obviously you got two jobs.
You got to snap the ball and the team runs
a lot of the shotgun formation, So that's number one.
I assume in your thought process when you get to
the line of scrimmage.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Absolutely snaps. The ball is everything. The ball is the program,
So absolutely snap first.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
And then when you are run blocking, the good news
is you're attacking the other guy. Correct.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, Yeah, that's typically that's the plan. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Pass blocking another story altogether. I think that's the toughest
thing to do in all of football. You guys have
done a nice job of that with Joe Finano, you know,
staying upright most every game. Tell me about that, is
that pass blocking more of a five man deal than
even an individual thing.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Yeah, we always say you have to go five for five.
I mean O lines position, where if you go four
for five, it's the difference between a good play and
the TfL or a sack and a pressure. So definitely
going five for five each play is kind of a
core fundamental of the O line.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Coming from Syracuse here last year, that was an interesting transition.
I'm sure you're an Illinois guy. We're going to talk
about that in a minute. But when you make a
move like that, and a lot of guys have done
that now in the last few years in college football,
what goes into your decision making?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
I really when I transferred over here is I just
love the place. I love the program, the coaches were amazing,
and my recruiting, I love the style of ball that
we've played here, and I really just fell in love
with you conc it was an easy decision for.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Me, right And we've heard, you know, teammates of years
talk about how important it is to have that relationship
with your coaching staff. Don't get a lot of time
to meet with them when you first are looking at Yukon.
What impressed you most about coach Mora and the coaching
staff that got you thinking I want to come here.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
I think it was just their their honesty there. I
mean they didn't really hide anything. They show me exactly
what this place is about, what kind of style of
football they play, and I just I loved it. You know,
it was just an easy yes to say.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah. Well, you know, Syracuse obviously with a great name
in college football over the years, Yukon rebuilding. That was
a bit of a jump for you. I mean you
had to go from something established really to a program
that was kind of getting up on its feet again.
So I'm guessing you're the kind of guy that likes challenges.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Oh, absolutely, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
What is it about challenges that get you going?
Speaker 2 (03:44):
It's just it's always something you can wake up for
each day and be like, you know, I'm an attack
this day. I'm gonna I'm gonna do this, this and that,
and you just get up and go. You know.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
The center is like the quarterback of the offensive line.
We're talking with Wes Ho number seventy three, Yukon center,
second year here with the Husks. When you guys are practicing,
are you kind of like a quarterback with your offensive line?
Are you giving instructions? Are you directing guys as what
to do.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, I mean typical center stuff. They call out the defense.
What kind of front is it? You know who the
mic is, the idea. I make my calls. The guys
next to me make their calls based off that. But
we do a really good job of all of us communicating.
I know it's not just me, but we're really in
sync with them. Makes my job a lot easier.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
So yeah, and you don't have a lot of time
to really make those calls. I grew up covering the
Giants and bart Oaks as their center. He was brilliant
with that stuff. I mean, you have to identify things
very quickly. Tell me about that process. You don't have
a lot of time.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Starts in the film room, Coach Pace, Coach Swingle. They
do a great job getting me ready throughout the week,
so I know exactly what I should be looking for,
what I will see on Saturday. So that's where it starts.
And I once they get out there, it's almost second
secondhand nature and I just make the calls and we go.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
So yeah, doing it at home versus away. Now this
week you're at Boston College. It's a little different, isn't it.
I mean at home, you kind of have the crowd
behind you, you feel like you have command of the
of the environment. But you go on the road. Tell
me about what's the difference for you.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Definitely got to lock into Joe behind the mixture. I'm
getting the snap right, the cadence right, but really just
taking that extra attention to detail and making sure everything's
right before we go.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
So this game this week, Boston College is a it's
a big one. Every week is big. But they're an
acc opponent. They're a team that Yukon is trying to,
you know, kind of get to that level and improve
some things. How do you guys view it emotionally going
into a game like this.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean DC's a great team. We're
really excited to play them. I think each week, you
know with us, there's you know, we treated, you know,
no different than if you play this or that team.
So I think we're ready to go. We're looking forward
to it.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
West Hole with us number seventy three, Yukon Center Glenn Allen,
Illinois is your home west of Chicago. So I'm gonna
say you're not happy the Cubs are out.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
No, that was not a great game to watch. For
a Cubs fan. I know me and my family weren't
too happy about that one.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, especially when you get to the winner go home game.
Right a Cubs fan growing up, I'm assuming the Midwest?
Is it I've been there many many times. I've never
lived there, but I've been there many times. Is it
strictly football? Are there really Bulls fans? Are there Cubs fans?
I mean, what's the breakdown? Oh?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yeah, I mean Chicago is just a great breakdown because
you have north side, south side Cubs socks, you got Bulls.
Everyone's a die hard Bears fan. It's really a great
city for sports. So I love it.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Yeah, you mentioned the Bears. Is that something? Is that
one of your Was that your team growing up?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Unfortunately? Yeah, big Bears fan. So I've definitely been through
the hart for Walter Toys.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Hey you can join me. I'm a Giants fan. We're
crying all the time. Remington Trophy watch list. People are
starting to watch you now. They like what you're doing.
Six four two seventy five. Does any of that play
into your motivations day to day to be a great player?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
We always say, don't listen to the outside noise, you know,
whether it's positive or negative, just focus on you, focus
on the team. So trying to keep that going, you know,
focus on us and the you know what we've got
up ahead.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
And so I'm only going to look back for one second.
But Fenway Bowl, that was an interesting experience playing in
a baseball stadium. Can you tell me about that from
your perspective?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Man, it was a fun game, seeing seeing all the
Yukon fans in that crowd, just playing in Fenway such
a great ballpark. It was special. It was fun.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Yeah, great baseball. And I remember they gave you guys
baseball bats, didn't they. Yeah, yep, that's cool. All right, Wes,
we appreciate it. Good luck this week. Let's get the
Huskies to five and two. How about that?
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Absolutely, thank you for having me on. All right.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
That's Wes ho back with more of the Yukon Football
Coaches Show in just a moment on lear Field.
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