April 29, 2025 • 19 mins
Dan Larson, the North Dakota State University Offensive Coordinator who coached new Seahawks guard Grey Zabel in college, joins Dave Softy Mahler and Hugh Millen to talk about draft night, Zabel’s skills, mentality, how he transitions to the NFL, and scheme fit.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Live from the R and R Foundation Specialists Broadcast Studio.
Now back to Softie and Dick on Your Home for
the Huskies and the Kraken Sports Radio ninety three point
three KJR FL.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
With the eighteenth pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft,
the Seattle Seahawks, like Gray Zebo card North Dakota State, What.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Do you do tonight? What do you do tomorrow? Before
the Seahawks send.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
You out here?
Speaker 4 (00:27):
M I'm probably gonna start diving into these bush lights.
Speaker 5 (00:31):
And I don't know man, thinking of Fargo, North Dakota.
I mean, our next guests probably gonna kill me for this.
But I wonder how much there is to do besides
play football, fish hunt and drink bush lights. Well joining
us right now on the radio show. He was Grey's
Abels offensive line coach at North Dakota State. He's now
the offensive coordinator in Fargo for the Bison. Dan Larson
(00:55):
joining us on the radio show, Coach, how are you
welcome to Seattle?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
What's going on?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
I'm doing great? I appreciate this on you know, this
isn't the first time I've heard your voice. I'm a
big I'm a big PA. Nine to noon fan. They
listen to him out of the Twin Cities, and so
they have the opportunity to listen to you jump on
there and talk sports in Seattle sports over the course
to the last you know, five ten years, however long
it's been. But yeah, I appreciate this opportunity to be
(01:22):
on and there's a few more things to do. But
these guys do like playing football, they do like haunting
and fishing for the most part. And I'm sure there's
some extracurricular things that involved some other things after when
they're done doing those things that for sure.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, I know that. Well, I appreciate that, coach, And
I mean tell us about this.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
I mean, obviously, you guys at the at the university
have a great history of putting offensive linemen and not
just offensive lineman, but starting offensive lineman into the NFL.
I mean, is this becoming kind of old hat for
you guys out there? Was Thursday night when Gray went eighteenth.
Overall cause for celebration, you think, and Fargo.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Yeah, every year it's a cost for celebration. This year
is probably a little bit different. This is the first
time because of how our springs schedule worked out, how
the draft worked out that I actually got to be
in be there in person. You know port Al Wolfson,
who you know with the Bengals, Now he got drafted
in twenty twenty one. I was at a high school
(02:21):
recruiting combine, you know, staring at kids running forty yard dashes,
and he called me when Cody Mouth got drafted, you know,
and by the bucks, I was sitting at a Wisconsin
fish Friday and Friday night because the next morning we
were we had a recruiting function. So for this one
to actually be able to do it in person, see
the emotion, to see the you know, the reaction between
(02:42):
Gray and his family, just to even hear the room
go quiet when he got on the phone with the
Seahawks organization, that was a pretty special moment.
Speaker 6 (02:50):
Well, tell us what we're getting. Most sak fans have
not seen Gray. If they watched any North Dakota State games,
they probably weren't really focusing on the offensive line. So
just kind of painting a picture of what Seattle's getting
with this young man.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Yeah, Well, he's been a day one competitor for us.
We had to, you know, with the COVID situation that
happened in twenty twenty we actually had to play our
We played a spring season in twenty twenty one and
Gray that was the second semester in college and he
played right guard for US. He took practice reps at center.
(03:27):
He was a competitor from day one, and you know,
as his career went on in NBSU, we just kept
putting more on his plate. And I just think you're
getting a true competitor. You know, a guy that's gonna
love football. He's gonna have a smile on his face
when he starts getting comfortable in terms of what he's
doing and how he's supposed to do it. For the Seahawks,
(03:48):
there's gonna be some conversations he's gonna have with the
opposing defense in between plays, and when that starts happening,
you know, he's about.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Ready to have a really good game.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
I just, yeah, there's any challenge that I threw at him,
anything that we threw at him over the course of
five years, he'd ever backed down from at one time,
and he always wanted to be the best. You know,
you're you're getting a You're getting a guy that puts
football really high on the priority list, and he's gonna
want to uh, he's gonna want to make sure that
(04:18):
you know, he does all the right things to help,
you know, to help be worthy of the of the
pick in in the in the Seattle Seahawks organization putting
their trust in him.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
Well, Dan Larson again is the offensive coordinator, used to
be the offensive line coach at North Dakota State. And
I want to go back to what you talked about
there about him kind of talking a little smack to
the defensive line in the front seven between plays, because
normally in the NFL, if there's a lot of talk
and it's.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
On the edges with corners and wide receivers and things
like that.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Was that the way he was when he first showed
up to play for you or did that kind of
develop over the years you think?
Speaker 4 (04:51):
No, I mean, you know, he he does a good job,
like he understands, you know, like him maybe when I
was a rookie or when I was a freshman in college,
like you know, I gotta be a little bit careful
about who I talked to. But I think it was
one of those things like as he got older, like
you know, he started playing with a little bit more
confidence and he kind of understood that he was that
guy out on the football field. He wasn't afraid to
(05:13):
let players know, like, this is going to be a
long day. And you know, I think he likes, you know,
run blocking. I think that's kind of our bread and
butter here at NDSU. But that run blocking stuff would
feed into a little bit of his pass protection. All
of a sudden, every down became a long down for
some defense alignment. And yeah, if I had to rate
(05:33):
him in a little bit and pull him in, you know,
to get him a little bit focused at times, because
there was a little bit too much there. I just
knew he was playing on the right side of the
edge for the Buyson that day, and we were gonna
have a lot of opportunities to be successful on offense.
Speaker 6 (05:46):
Well, Mike McDonald and John Schneider both said the attribute
was foremost in their mind is how great finishes. Obviously
that's a symptom of a mindset. So talk about in
your offensive line meeting room, Uh, how did you coach that?
How was that just innate in him?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (06:09):
Did you see a sense of that he wanted to
have that that mindset permeate the rest of the offensive line,
just talk about that that finishing component that was so important.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
To see ours.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Yeah, you know, we've got to you know, something we
established probably three years ago and it's it's probably been
one of those things that is it's been said for
a long time at NDSU but never been put on
paper before. And so we just you know, we brainstormed
with some old offensive linemen that have played there, you
know what was important and one we called it the
Code of the Rams, Rams being kind of the affectionate
(06:42):
nickname that the people of the NDFU fans have given
to the to the old line. And you know, the
the last thing that we have on there is the
last two things that we have on there. One is
finish and then the second to last deal is physicality
overrides fundamentals and techniques. So if you know there's going
to be played where you know, our first step isn't
(07:02):
going to be great, or we might get our hands
into a bad spot. But if we just keep playing
and we keep trying to finish plays, but we can
do it and be the most ultimate physical player and
physical group on the line of scrimmage, then we got
a shot. And you know, any of the top guys
that we've had come through our program. If there's one
thing you always talked about him and was always you
(07:23):
talked about how they finished blocks. They wanted to impose
their will on the other defense. And you know sometimes
that's a demoralizing deal when you do it in the
first quarter, but you're continuing to have that same kind
of drive and finish level in the fourth quarter. Right,
and Gray wanted to embody that the way that he
had saw the rest of the top guys that have
come through there that have had a chance now to
play in the NFL, and I want to do it
(07:44):
better than those guys ever did it. So yeah, his
finish is top notch for sure.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Well.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
Dan Larson again offensive coordinator North Dakota State, was at
grays Abels offensive line coach for the last four years.
And and Fargo and look, I know, you know, Dan
Hugh and I were talking, I think it was on
Thursday or Friday about watching some of the tape. You
can go on YouTube and see all the offensive plays
of your team versus Colorado back in Week one. So
a little bit of a gauge against a you know,
(08:11):
FBS team, But I think you kind of sarcastically said,
the defensive lineman he was going up against looked like
wide receivers right at that level, They're just they're smaller
guys obviously than what you'll see in FBS and what
you'll see in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
So if somebody were to stop.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
You Dan on the street and say, look, the guy
looks the part, but I'm really concerned about the competition
he went up against and the jumping competition he'll see
in the NFL, what would you say to them?
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Yeah, I think there's a reason why our guys chop
at the bit when they get a chance to play
either FBS teams, they get a chance to participate in
you know, these postseason games, Senior Ball, East West Shrine Game,
whatever it is. I think it's just an opportunity for
them to knock it out the park. We are not
in control of the weight room and the nutrition and
and anamose types of things in terms of what the
(08:58):
other teams can put out. Again, at the SCS, all
we can go do is be the most dominant players
and try to be the most dominant offensive line that
we can be. And then when we get a shot
and they want to put us up against somebody that
Their logo says FBS the competitive spirit, you know, belief
in your skills and your and your fundamentals and your
technique and then just go play as hard as he
can and great things are going to happen for you.
(09:20):
And I think there's a reason why our guys, you know,
come out of a lot of those weeks. I don't
know if it matters the position, to be honest with you,
I think there's a reason why our guys come out
of those You know, they're all stars, but they're all competing.
And you know, I like the Senior Bowl week. I
know everyone puts a lot of stock in the one
on ones, but you know they wanted great to play
(09:41):
center and guard and a right tackle jammed his finger
and had to jump out of a play, and the
other guys that jump in there fast enough, and Gray
ran in there and played right tackle. So you know,
like bring out the competition. You know, it'll it's all
learning turve. Cody Monk went through and he went from
tackle to guard for the Bucks. It's all learning curve.
But our guys, you know, they won't be afraid of
(10:01):
that and they won't turn it down and bring on
the competition. We're going to give you everything that we got.
Speaker 6 (10:06):
We're talking with Dan Larson, the position coach of New
Seahawk offensive guard grades Abel and we're getting a window
into the mindset and it's fascinating along those lines of
potential concerns. So all the tape I watched him last year,
if I've got the snaps right coaches nine hundred and
sixty one snaps at left tackle, and I think for
(10:27):
his career eighty four percent of his snaps where tackle,
fifteen percent of guard, and you got maybe a dozen
or so at center. If he were to come into
your room, close the door behind him, and sit down
and say, Okay, now I'm going to be the left
guard of the Seattle Seahawks. I got it. I'm jumping
(10:47):
up in maybe two levels of competition. What do you
think I'll do it? You tell me whatever it is,
I'll do it. But tell me what I most need
to work on to be able to meet that challenge.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
What would you say to him, Yeah, it's gonna happen
in the pass pro room. It's it's gonna be in
the past pro world. It's gonna be everything's gonna happen
a little bit faster. Those three techniques or shades are
on you a lot faster than what they are when
you're on the edge. But we're gonna have to probably play
with our hands a little bit faster. We're gonna have
to get our cleats on the ground a little bit
quicker in pass pro. I was really impressed with the
(11:20):
work that he did from January until he got to
the senior ball. I mean, he didn't get caught off
guard a little bit of power every once in a while,
but that will come as he continues to grow into
that spot. But he'll be able to handle the run game.
I don't have any doubt in my mind about that.
He's got an athleticism and he's got some physical, you know,
intensity to them. But it'll be that it'll be those
(11:40):
first couple of pass pro reps and how fast those
three techniques or those two eyes get on you, and
then the size and the strength of them. But once
he starts to just get a feel for play a
little bit faster, trying to play a little bit longer inside,
he's got all the other natural traits I think from
a footwork standpoint, lower body base and and playing with
great bass and great fundamentals and the waist down that
(12:01):
I I just I have a lot of faith and
a lot of belief in this kid.
Speaker 6 (12:05):
Well that's a fantastic assessment. I was with the Broncos
when Alex Gibbs, as you know, the godfather of the
outside zone, was there, just watched the installation and uh,
and so there's been a lot of talk in Seattle
Clint Kubiak, the new offensive coordinator coach comes from, you know,
the the Shannan Slash Kubiak lineage, and there's a lot
(12:26):
more uh focus can be on that outside zone for
our listeners that that want to hear, you know, how
he is on the outside zone, the the challenges, what
what's important to you as a coach to kind of
talk about that and how he's going to fit in
with that new change to more outside zone.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
Yeah, you know, it's I love the fact that you
talked to that, you that your sports fan base you know,
talks about x as and O's in plays. You know,
it's it's we actually started installing it, running it a
little bit more here at Artscota State in the last year.
So I think he's got probably a little bit better
of a feel for it that he would have maybe
say two years ago. As soon as you embrace the
(13:07):
outside or the wide zone play as a physical play
and not just you know, we're trying to run around people,
but are run through you know, aiming points and be
physical at the point of attack, and I think it's
it can be a really physical play and guys start
believing it. In a little bit more, Grant's gonna do.
I think he's gonna do an unbelievable job with his
first two steps and get into the right position, and
(13:27):
then it's just a matter of how coach wants to
you know, what's the fundamentals and technique that he wants
to work with the upper body, he'll be good on it.
He'll be good on that part of it. But I
think that bloodicism from an inside standpoint is gonna mess
really well. You know, it's gonna it's gonna allow those guys,
I think, to open up and run a little bit,
and it's gonna make the defensive line have to play
(13:48):
you know, gaps, and you're gonna have some negative plays
every once in a while with it. But man, when
I don't know if there's anything prettier in football than
when you get two guys going on a double team,
and it's just a gradual drive, you know, vertical off
the ball. There's a reason the forty nine ers and
the teams that you know believe in that play. There's
a reason why they have a lot of success running it.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
I think it's gonna be a really good fit for
him from a schematic standpoint to start off his NFL career.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
Well, Dan, before you go, we do talk a lot
of x's and o's, especially when Hugh is with us
on the radio show. So just offering if you ever
get stuck with anything in your film room out there,
just give us a call, all right, and we'll we'll
fill you in and try to steer you the right way.
But I mean, we we started this thing off again.
Dan Larson, offensive coordinator for North Dakota State talking about
(14:32):
Gray pounding bush lights.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
I mean, you got to you gotta.
Speaker 5 (14:34):
Give us something on this guy man, because he seems
like a fun loving guy, likes to, you know, get
after it, have some fun when he's off the field.
He's got that mustache that makes him look like he's
in the witness protection program for crying out loud. So
give me a story, give us a story or two
that we can drop on this kid when we finally
meet him and say.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Hello, Well he has. All you gotta know is that
as hard as as tough as he seems, this guy
does have a little bit of a soft side to him.
So his freshman year, he's not doing too well academically.
It's about the only thing he wasn't doing great at academically.
And so I called him out in front of the
(15:11):
entire o line and said, listen, I'll get mom in
here and she can address the room about why her
son can't play practice football this week if we can't
get these academics in order. And if you could have
done a look down his face, it went from a
pretty it went you know, pretty assy white, and the
graves popped up all of a sudden. He's got you know,
he's good. He's never never had to worry about academics
(15:33):
again after that. But it's he's still a guy that
mom and dad can put a little bit of a
thumb on the back of him and he'll straighten right
back up again. So the mustache deal, I've had to
embrace it. Two years ago. It was the worst look
of all time, and Luke has thrown in a little bit,
so we we we can embrace that part of it
just a little bit. But I think, you know, the
(15:54):
bushlight comments, I think it's going to be why you
your fan base. I think it's why the locker room
is going to embrace it. He takes football very seriously,
but he's not gonna he's not gonna not allow himself
to enjoy it and have fun doing it as well too.
I loved you know it was Yeah, it was one
thing he and I talked about. Man, when this is
your profession and you can enjoy doing your profession as
(16:15):
much as you're gonna enjoy playing professional football through the
highs and the loads, you know, you're doing something that
you love. And and he definitely loves football and the
Seahawks and the Seahawks fan base. Will we'll see that
for sure.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Well, we're looking forward to it.
Speaker 5 (16:27):
Man, Hey, listen, great stuff, and I'll pass along your
message to Paul allen uh In in Minneapolis. I was
convinced that nobody ever heard his show, so I guess
I'm wrong, by the way, So good stuff, Dan.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Get out, I get out of the Ihart. I'm the
big fan.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
You're the man, great stuff. Thanks for doing this and
we'll talk down the road.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Coach, I appreciate you, guys, Thank you very much.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Okay, you Dan Larson, what'd you make of that offensive coordinator?
North Dakota State got about a minute and a half
here reaction to what you heard from Gray's Abels position.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Coach.
Speaker 6 (16:58):
Yeah, I think there's a ten of of a toughness
and and you know, there's FCS and then there's NDSU.
Like they've just put too many linemen in the pros
that it's it's it's like they're in between or something,
you know. I mean, hell, I'm sure they put a
lot more lineman than dozens of fbs. Uh guys, though,
so they have they have got something. And here's the
(17:19):
important thing, Dave the way, and it really kind of
makes sense. They are picking from guys that in high
school all you know, they're the last guy to have
hair on their ankles. You know, they're they're six four,
maybe two thirty five, two forty, but not everybody goes
through maturity at the same age, right, And so they're
(17:40):
getting guys they have an ability to project as to Okay,
this guy we can we can get this guy to
three hundred. We can get this guy to three ten
because he hasn't even shaved yet. And so I think
that they actually they're their brand of recruiting. Obviously it
works the numbers so far, uh so itself. And then
(18:01):
and then you know, there's a toughness. You can just
feel that that there's a certain standard of toughness, which
is what the sex were drawn to. That's something that
Steve Hutchinson, you know, that kind of dominate your will type.
You know, Hutchinson had more of that than Walter Jones, right,
And so I think they're trying to get that and intelligence.
(18:23):
You know, I think I think he candidly said, hey,
there's some past protection things that he's going to have
to you know, from a technique standpoint, as we share,
everything goes faster on the inside. Guys are stronger and
there's more to process mentally when you're at guard than tackle.
But so, yeah, I don't know, I think they're just
getting a guy that's a lot like Huts.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
Well, I mean, look, you're hoping for a guy that's
going to have a ten year career in Seattle, and
maybe a guy that if he ever does become a
free agent, maybe we just franchise him and just say
the hell with it and not do the same stupid
thing we did.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
With the guy back in the day.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
I'm not even sure if Transition TAXTI leaven are are
available in the NFL, we'll get a break. That was
Dan Larson, the offensive coordinator for North Dakota State. John
Wilder is gonna join us at five Brian Schmetzer five
point forty five uh here from Jalen Molroe as well
in the six pm hour, but coming up next a
segment that Hugh Millen used to hate and now we
(19:16):
cannot do without fun with audio Baby next on ninety
three three KJRF
Live from the R and R Foundation Specialists Broadcast Studio.
Now back to Softie and Dick on Your Home for
the Huskies and the Kraken Sports Radio ninety three point
three KJR FL.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
With the eighteenth pick in the twenty twenty five NFL Draft,
the Seattle Seahawks, like Gray Zebo card North Dakota State, What.
Speaker 3 (00:24):
Do you do tonight? What do you do tomorrow? Before
the Seahawks send.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
You out here?
Speaker 4 (00:27):
M I'm probably gonna start diving into these bush lights.
Speaker 5 (00:31):
And I don't know man, thinking of Fargo, North Dakota.
I mean, our next guests probably gonna kill me for this.
But I wonder how much there is to do besides
play football, fish hunt and drink bush lights. Well joining
us right now on the radio show. He was Grey's
Abels offensive line coach at North Dakota State. He's now
the offensive coordinator in Fargo for the Bison. Dan Larson
(00:55):
joining us on the radio show, Coach, how are you
welcome to Seattle?
Speaker 3 (00:59):
What's going on?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
I'm doing great? I appreciate this on you know, this
isn't the first time I've heard your voice. I'm a
big I'm a big PA. Nine to noon fan. They
listen to him out of the Twin Cities, and so
they have the opportunity to listen to you jump on
there and talk sports in Seattle sports over the course
to the last you know, five ten years, however long
it's been. But yeah, I appreciate this opportunity to be
(01:22):
on and there's a few more things to do. But
these guys do like playing football, they do like haunting
and fishing for the most part. And I'm sure there's
some extracurricular things that involved some other things after when
they're done doing those things that for sure.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, I know that. Well, I appreciate that, coach, And
I mean tell us about this.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
I mean, obviously, you guys at the at the university
have a great history of putting offensive linemen and not
just offensive lineman, but starting offensive lineman into the NFL.
I mean, is this becoming kind of old hat for
you guys out there? Was Thursday night when Gray went eighteenth.
Overall cause for celebration, you think, and Fargo.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Yeah, every year it's a cost for celebration. This year
is probably a little bit different. This is the first
time because of how our springs schedule worked out, how
the draft worked out that I actually got to be
in be there in person. You know port Al Wolfson,
who you know with the Bengals, Now he got drafted
in twenty twenty one. I was at a high school
(02:21):
recruiting combine, you know, staring at kids running forty yard dashes,
and he called me when Cody Mouth got drafted, you know,
and by the bucks, I was sitting at a Wisconsin
fish Friday and Friday night because the next morning we
were we had a recruiting function. So for this one
to actually be able to do it in person, see
the emotion, to see the you know, the reaction between
(02:42):
Gray and his family, just to even hear the room
go quiet when he got on the phone with the
Seahawks organization, that was a pretty special moment.
Speaker 6 (02:50):
Well, tell us what we're getting. Most sak fans have
not seen Gray. If they watched any North Dakota State games,
they probably weren't really focusing on the offensive line. So
just kind of painting a picture of what Seattle's getting
with this young man.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Yeah, Well, he's been a day one competitor for us.
We had to, you know, with the COVID situation that
happened in twenty twenty we actually had to play our
We played a spring season in twenty twenty one and
Gray that was the second semester in college and he
played right guard for US. He took practice reps at center.
(03:27):
He was a competitor from day one, and you know,
as his career went on in NBSU, we just kept
putting more on his plate. And I just think you're
getting a true competitor. You know, a guy that's gonna
love football. He's gonna have a smile on his face
when he starts getting comfortable in terms of what he's
doing and how he's supposed to do it. For the Seahawks,
(03:48):
there's gonna be some conversations he's gonna have with the
opposing defense in between plays, and when that starts happening,
you know, he's about.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
Ready to have a really good game.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
I just, yeah, there's any challenge that I threw at him,
anything that we threw at him over the course of
five years, he'd ever backed down from at one time,
and he always wanted to be the best. You know,
you're you're getting a You're getting a guy that puts
football really high on the priority list, and he's gonna
want to uh, he's gonna want to make sure that
(04:18):
you know, he does all the right things to help,
you know, to help be worthy of the of the
pick in in the in the Seattle Seahawks organization putting
their trust in him.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
Well, Dan Larson again is the offensive coordinator, used to
be the offensive line coach at North Dakota State. And
I want to go back to what you talked about
there about him kind of talking a little smack to
the defensive line in the front seven between plays, because
normally in the NFL, if there's a lot of talk
and it's.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
On the edges with corners and wide receivers and things
like that.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Was that the way he was when he first showed
up to play for you or did that kind of
develop over the years you think?
Speaker 4 (04:51):
No, I mean, you know, he he does a good job,
like he understands, you know, like him maybe when I
was a rookie or when I was a freshman in college,
like you know, I gotta be a little bit careful
about who I talked to. But I think it was
one of those things like as he got older, like
you know, he started playing with a little bit more
confidence and he kind of understood that he was that
guy out on the football field. He wasn't afraid to
(05:13):
let players know, like, this is going to be a
long day. And you know, I think he likes, you know,
run blocking. I think that's kind of our bread and
butter here at NDSU. But that run blocking stuff would
feed into a little bit of his pass protection. All
of a sudden, every down became a long down for
some defense alignment. And yeah, if I had to rate
(05:33):
him in a little bit and pull him in, you know,
to get him a little bit focused at times, because
there was a little bit too much there. I just
knew he was playing on the right side of the
edge for the Buyson that day, and we were gonna
have a lot of opportunities to be successful on offense.
Speaker 6 (05:46):
Well, Mike McDonald and John Schneider both said the attribute
was foremost in their mind is how great finishes. Obviously
that's a symptom of a mindset. So talk about in
your offensive line meeting room, Uh, how did you coach that?
How was that just innate in him?
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Uh?
Speaker 6 (06:09):
Did you see a sense of that he wanted to
have that that mindset permeate the rest of the offensive line,
just talk about that that finishing component that was so important.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
To see ours.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
Yeah, you know, we've got to you know, something we
established probably three years ago and it's it's probably been
one of those things that is it's been said for
a long time at NDSU but never been put on
paper before. And so we just you know, we brainstormed
with some old offensive linemen that have played there, you
know what was important and one we called it the
Code of the Rams, Rams being kind of the affectionate
(06:42):
nickname that the people of the NDFU fans have given
to the to the old line. And you know, the
the last thing that we have on there is the
last two things that we have on there. One is
finish and then the second to last deal is physicality
overrides fundamentals and techniques. So if you know there's going
to be played where you know, our first step isn't
(07:02):
going to be great, or we might get our hands
into a bad spot. But if we just keep playing
and we keep trying to finish plays, but we can
do it and be the most ultimate physical player and
physical group on the line of scrimmage, then we got
a shot. And you know, any of the top guys
that we've had come through our program. If there's one
thing you always talked about him and was always you
(07:23):
talked about how they finished blocks. They wanted to impose
their will on the other defense. And you know sometimes
that's a demoralizing deal when you do it in the
first quarter, but you're continuing to have that same kind
of drive and finish level in the fourth quarter. Right,
and Gray wanted to embody that the way that he
had saw the rest of the top guys that have
come through there that have had a chance now to
play in the NFL, and I want to do it
(07:44):
better than those guys ever did it. So yeah, his
finish is top notch for sure.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Well.
Speaker 5 (07:49):
Dan Larson again offensive coordinator North Dakota State, was at
grays Abels offensive line coach for the last four years.
And and Fargo and look, I know, you know, Dan
Hugh and I were talking, I think it was on
Thursday or Friday about watching some of the tape. You
can go on YouTube and see all the offensive plays
of your team versus Colorado back in Week one. So
a little bit of a gauge against a you know,
(08:11):
FBS team, But I think you kind of sarcastically said,
the defensive lineman he was going up against looked like
wide receivers right at that level, They're just they're smaller
guys obviously than what you'll see in FBS and what
you'll see in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
So if somebody were to stop.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
You Dan on the street and say, look, the guy
looks the part, but I'm really concerned about the competition
he went up against and the jumping competition he'll see
in the NFL, what would you say to them?
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Yeah, I think there's a reason why our guys chop
at the bit when they get a chance to play
either FBS teams, they get a chance to participate in
you know, these postseason games, Senior Ball, East West Shrine Game,
whatever it is. I think it's just an opportunity for
them to knock it out the park. We are not
in control of the weight room and the nutrition and
and anamose types of things in terms of what the
(08:58):
other teams can put out. Again, at the SCS, all
we can go do is be the most dominant players
and try to be the most dominant offensive line that
we can be. And then when we get a shot
and they want to put us up against somebody that
Their logo says FBS the competitive spirit, you know, belief
in your skills and your and your fundamentals and your
technique and then just go play as hard as he
can and great things are going to happen for you.
(09:20):
And I think there's a reason why our guys, you know,
come out of a lot of those weeks. I don't
know if it matters the position, to be honest with you,
I think there's a reason why our guys come out
of those You know, they're all stars, but they're all competing.
And you know, I like the Senior Bowl week. I
know everyone puts a lot of stock in the one
on ones, but you know they wanted great to play
(09:41):
center and guard and a right tackle jammed his finger
and had to jump out of a play, and the
other guys that jump in there fast enough, and Gray
ran in there and played right tackle. So you know,
like bring out the competition. You know, it'll it's all
learning turve. Cody Monk went through and he went from
tackle to guard for the Bucks. It's all learning curve.
But our guys, you know, they won't be afraid of
(10:01):
that and they won't turn it down and bring on
the competition. We're going to give you everything that we got.
Speaker 6 (10:06):
We're talking with Dan Larson, the position coach of New
Seahawk offensive guard grades Abel and we're getting a window
into the mindset and it's fascinating along those lines of
potential concerns. So all the tape I watched him last year,
if I've got the snaps right coaches nine hundred and
sixty one snaps at left tackle, and I think for
(10:27):
his career eighty four percent of his snaps where tackle,
fifteen percent of guard, and you got maybe a dozen
or so at center. If he were to come into
your room, close the door behind him, and sit down
and say, Okay, now I'm going to be the left
guard of the Seattle Seahawks. I got it. I'm jumping
(10:47):
up in maybe two levels of competition. What do you
think I'll do it? You tell me whatever it is,
I'll do it. But tell me what I most need
to work on to be able to meet that challenge.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
What would you say to him, Yeah, it's gonna happen
in the pass pro room. It's it's gonna be in
the past pro world. It's gonna be everything's gonna happen
a little bit faster. Those three techniques or shades are
on you a lot faster than what they are when
you're on the edge. But we're gonna have to probably play
with our hands a little bit faster. We're gonna have
to get our cleats on the ground a little bit
quicker in pass pro. I was really impressed with the
(11:20):
work that he did from January until he got to
the senior ball. I mean, he didn't get caught off
guard a little bit of power every once in a while,
but that will come as he continues to grow into
that spot. But he'll be able to handle the run game.
I don't have any doubt in my mind about that.
He's got an athleticism and he's got some physical, you know,
intensity to them. But it'll be that it'll be those
(11:40):
first couple of pass pro reps and how fast those
three techniques or those two eyes get on you, and
then the size and the strength of them. But once
he starts to just get a feel for play a
little bit faster, trying to play a little bit longer inside,
he's got all the other natural traits I think from
a footwork standpoint, lower body base and and playing with
great bass and great fundamentals and the waist down that
(12:01):
I I just I have a lot of faith and
a lot of belief in this kid.
Speaker 6 (12:05):
Well that's a fantastic assessment. I was with the Broncos
when Alex Gibbs, as you know, the godfather of the
outside zone, was there, just watched the installation and uh,
and so there's been a lot of talk in Seattle
Clint Kubiak, the new offensive coordinator coach comes from, you know,
the the Shannan Slash Kubiak lineage, and there's a lot
(12:26):
more uh focus can be on that outside zone for
our listeners that that want to hear, you know, how
he is on the outside zone, the the challenges, what
what's important to you as a coach to kind of
talk about that and how he's going to fit in
with that new change to more outside zone.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
Yeah, you know, it's I love the fact that you
talked to that, you that your sports fan base you know,
talks about x as and O's in plays. You know,
it's it's we actually started installing it, running it a
little bit more here at Artscota State in the last year.
So I think he's got probably a little bit better
of a feel for it that he would have maybe
say two years ago. As soon as you embrace the
(13:07):
outside or the wide zone play as a physical play
and not just you know, we're trying to run around people,
but are run through you know, aiming points and be
physical at the point of attack, and I think it's
it can be a really physical play and guys start
believing it. In a little bit more, Grant's gonna do.
I think he's gonna do an unbelievable job with his
first two steps and get into the right position, and
(13:27):
then it's just a matter of how coach wants to
you know, what's the fundamentals and technique that he wants
to work with the upper body, he'll be good on it.
He'll be good on that part of it. But I
think that bloodicism from an inside standpoint is gonna mess
really well. You know, it's gonna it's gonna allow those guys,
I think, to open up and run a little bit,
and it's gonna make the defensive line have to play
(13:48):
you know, gaps, and you're gonna have some negative plays
every once in a while with it. But man, when
I don't know if there's anything prettier in football than
when you get two guys going on a double team,
and it's just a gradual drive, you know, vertical off
the ball. There's a reason the forty nine ers and
the teams that you know believe in that play. There's
a reason why they have a lot of success running it.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
You know.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
I think it's gonna be a really good fit for
him from a schematic standpoint to start off his NFL career.
Speaker 5 (14:11):
Well, Dan, before you go, we do talk a lot
of x's and o's, especially when Hugh is with us
on the radio show. So just offering if you ever
get stuck with anything in your film room out there,
just give us a call, all right, and we'll we'll
fill you in and try to steer you the right way.
But I mean, we we started this thing off again.
Dan Larson, offensive coordinator for North Dakota State talking about
(14:32):
Gray pounding bush lights.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
I mean, you got to you gotta.
Speaker 5 (14:34):
Give us something on this guy man, because he seems
like a fun loving guy, likes to, you know, get
after it, have some fun when he's off the field.
He's got that mustache that makes him look like he's
in the witness protection program for crying out loud. So
give me a story, give us a story or two
that we can drop on this kid when we finally
meet him and say.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Hello, Well he has. All you gotta know is that
as hard as as tough as he seems, this guy
does have a little bit of a soft side to him.
So his freshman year, he's not doing too well academically.
It's about the only thing he wasn't doing great at academically.
And so I called him out in front of the
(15:11):
entire o line and said, listen, I'll get mom in
here and she can address the room about why her
son can't play practice football this week if we can't
get these academics in order. And if you could have
done a look down his face, it went from a
pretty it went you know, pretty assy white, and the
graves popped up all of a sudden. He's got you know,
he's good. He's never never had to worry about academics
(15:33):
again after that. But it's he's still a guy that
mom and dad can put a little bit of a
thumb on the back of him and he'll straighten right
back up again. So the mustache deal, I've had to
embrace it. Two years ago. It was the worst look
of all time, and Luke has thrown in a little bit,
so we we we can embrace that part of it
just a little bit. But I think, you know, the
(15:54):
bushlight comments, I think it's going to be why you
your fan base. I think it's why the locker room
is going to embrace it. He takes football very seriously,
but he's not gonna he's not gonna not allow himself
to enjoy it and have fun doing it as well too.
I loved you know it was Yeah, it was one
thing he and I talked about. Man, when this is
your profession and you can enjoy doing your profession as
(16:15):
much as you're gonna enjoy playing professional football through the
highs and the loads, you know, you're doing something that
you love. And and he definitely loves football and the
Seahawks and the Seahawks fan base. Will we'll see that
for sure.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Well, we're looking forward to it.
Speaker 5 (16:27):
Man, Hey, listen, great stuff, and I'll pass along your
message to Paul allen uh In in Minneapolis. I was
convinced that nobody ever heard his show, so I guess
I'm wrong, by the way, So good stuff, Dan.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
Get out, I get out of the Ihart. I'm the
big fan.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I love it.
Speaker 5 (16:43):
You're the man, great stuff. Thanks for doing this and
we'll talk down the road.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Coach, I appreciate you, guys, Thank you very much.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Okay, you Dan Larson, what'd you make of that offensive coordinator?
North Dakota State got about a minute and a half
here reaction to what you heard from Gray's Abels position.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Coach.
Speaker 6 (16:58):
Yeah, I think there's a ten of of a toughness
and and you know, there's FCS and then there's NDSU.
Like they've just put too many linemen in the pros
that it's it's it's like they're in between or something,
you know. I mean, hell, I'm sure they put a
lot more lineman than dozens of fbs. Uh guys, though,
so they have they have got something. And here's the
(17:19):
important thing, Dave the way, and it really kind of
makes sense. They are picking from guys that in high
school all you know, they're the last guy to have
hair on their ankles. You know, they're they're six four,
maybe two thirty five, two forty, but not everybody goes
through maturity at the same age, right, And so they're
(17:40):
getting guys they have an ability to project as to Okay,
this guy we can we can get this guy to
three hundred. We can get this guy to three ten
because he hasn't even shaved yet. And so I think
that they actually they're their brand of recruiting. Obviously it
works the numbers so far, uh so itself. And then
(18:01):
and then you know, there's a toughness. You can just
feel that that there's a certain standard of toughness, which
is what the sex were drawn to. That's something that
Steve Hutchinson, you know, that kind of dominate your will type.
You know, Hutchinson had more of that than Walter Jones, right,
And so I think they're trying to get that and intelligence.
(18:23):
You know, I think I think he candidly said, hey,
there's some past protection things that he's going to have
to you know, from a technique standpoint, as we share,
everything goes faster on the inside. Guys are stronger and
there's more to process mentally when you're at guard than tackle.
But so, yeah, I don't know, I think they're just
getting a guy that's a lot like Huts.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
Well, I mean, look, you're hoping for a guy that's
going to have a ten year career in Seattle, and
maybe a guy that if he ever does become a
free agent, maybe we just franchise him and just say
the hell with it and not do the same stupid
thing we did.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
With the guy back in the day.
Speaker 5 (18:55):
I'm not even sure if Transition TAXTI leaven are are
available in the NFL, we'll get a break. That was
Dan Larson, the offensive coordinator for North Dakota State. John
Wilder is gonna join us at five Brian Schmetzer five
point forty five uh here from Jalen Molroe as well
in the six pm hour, but coming up next a
segment that Hugh Millen used to hate and now we
(19:16):
cannot do without fun with audio Baby next on ninety
three three KJRF
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