Press Conference (Justin Fields)

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Russe knows that, uh, we'recompeting against each other every day. Him
being out there for me that youknow, helps me getting better, uh
us pushing each other. So Imean, I definitely don't have the mindset
of you know, me just youknow, sitting all year. So you
know, I'm coming in every daygiving it all I got and you know,
pushing him to be his best,and he's you know, pushing me
to be my best each and everyday. So I appreciate that you two
had a relationship before this. Yeah, is it kind of does this kind

(00:23):
of help with growing once your ownlife the same team? I mean,
yeah, you know, the firsttime I ever talked to Russell was when
I was in college, so youknow, we've we've we've known each other,
uh for for a good bit now. And the fact that I get
to you know, learn stuff fromhim. You know that the things that
he's accomplished, you know, upto this point in his career has been
great. So just me learning justa little details how he's so uh meticulous

(00:44):
in detail within every rat every individualdrill. It just kind of makes me
think, like, you know,that's what I should be doing each and
every time. So I'm glad tohave him here and glad to you know,
be able to learn from him.Just how do you look back every
time that's up? It's just reallygood? How do you look back on
the time mucho? Yeah, Imean there was a lot of ups and
downs, but all in all,I appreciate every relationship that I built,

(01:06):
all my teammates, they know that. Nothing but love for the city,
for the fans, and uh formy you know, old teammates and coaches.
Did you feel they did everything theyshould have done to associated? I'm
not really gonna, you know,harp on the past. It is what
it is. It's it's in thepast. Now I'm here now. So
like I said, I'm grateful tobe here and gratefully what it will be
a hardy team? Why needs likeJack Kenne, You're traded at ten o'clock
local time, like you, areyou able to sleep that night or are

(01:26):
you on the field? What kindof happened after you get that? I
mean, yeah, I mean I'vebeen dealing with you know, people for
you know, a long time.So my exit meeting, you know,
we were in the same situation lastyear with the having the number one pick,
and it was just a little bitdifferent this year. So I mean
I'm not I'm not naive to thefact that, you know, I can
read body languages and stuff like that. So it wasn't really just a shock

(01:48):
to where it's like, ah,I got traded, Like I knew what
was gonna happen beforehand. So I'mjust glad I got, you know,
traded to the spot that I wantedto be at. So is it a
really to get the newest don Yeah, I think so. I think when
you're just you know, waiting,cause I knew I was gonna get traded,
you know, at the end ofthe day, That's that's just what
it was. So it was justyou know, uh, just me waiting

(02:08):
and you know me you know,trying to figure out where I'm gonna be
at and uh stuff like that.It was definitely a relief to you know,
kind of be on a team anduh know where I'm gonna be at
a really good situation cause yeah,yeah, I mean, you know,
shout out to uh uh you knowpose he he you know, who would
communicate it to to him, youknow, through my agent, and you

(02:30):
know, I told him where Iwanted to be and this was the place
I wanted to be. So youknow, he's uh, you know,
honored that and I appreciate him forthat and uh glad he was uh able
to put me in the spot wherewhere I wanted to be at. What
needs to go right for you tobecome the guy? Now? You know
you kind of envisioned you when youcame out in the first round, but
you said what needs to go right? Yeah, I mean, I mean,
I know you're gonna put the workin, but you're gonna get spot.

(02:51):
And what are the little things thatyou think it's gonna take to get
you to become the guy where youall? I think, me, I
just gotta you know, keep workingevery day, like I said before,
just being detailed and every drill nottaking a day off. And it's just
good having rest here, learning fromhim, us pushing each other each and
every day. So you know,I think just controlling what I can control
every time I step on the field, you know, just just ball out

(03:13):
and uh played to the best ofmy abilities and you know, let let
let God handle the rest. Sowhat kind of that has been on the
team has been helpful to you orclosest to you as far as getting used
to the team, the organizations andplays work in practice. Yeah, I
mean, uh, this is anew offense, so nobody really has been
in the offense before. But Imean there's a lot of young guys on
the team, so I think justthat fact right there, it's easier to

(03:34):
communicate with people and kind of justyou know, kind of just built that
relationship cause you have so much incommon already. So I've already uh hung
out with a handful of guys onthe team. I already built those relationships
and you know, we're just gonnacontinue to grow, get closer with each
other and uh you know ready readyto uh get to play this season stuff.
Justin what was it about this team, this situation that appealed to you,
Uh, just the culture I reallythink at Ohio State. I think

(03:58):
there's a video that dropped with youknow coach c. Yeah, I can
just you know, feel the energyand just you know, just the consistency
throughout the years and the culture thatCoach T has and just the standard that
you know, the Steelers have havesaid this organization has set. So I
think that was the biggest of pillfor me. And you know, our
defense is always you know, gonnatop tier and you can't. You can't
win games without defense. So yeah, just just the culture, coach t

(04:21):
and you know, of course theteam itself. So it wasn't an issue
that it was a situation where theylike literally days before, had gotten a
guy that they said, this isgoing to be our startup. Nah.
I mean I wanted to come herebefore Russ got here and after too,
So it was it was more sothe team, not you know, not
worried about who was here, noneof that sense. So first thought to

(04:41):
Pittsburgh when he got here. Afterthe city, the people, I mean,
yeah, I will say this,I think Pittsburgh has one of the
or has a lot of nice people. That's one thing I've noticed. Like
I've taken a few ubers to theairport and I've had full thirty minute conversation
with the uber uber driver. Soyeah, just just people, uh,
you know, their generosity. They'rethey're not since I'm going out and people
don't even know who I am,They're just being so nice to me.

(05:01):
So I think that's one thing I'venoticed. And then I started going on
the walks, uh this past offseason, so just the different views of the
city, the bridges and stuff likethat. It's is it is pretty cool
to me. So what do youknow? The offense is new, it's
just day one. But from whatyou've learned so far, how do you
feel like Arthur's Smith's offense is gonnaput your skill sets on the future.
I mean yeah, I think,uh, you know, he's he's had
experience with you know, doing theirquarterbacks, a lot of quarterbacks in the

(05:25):
past, Ryan Marcus of course,Desmond and Tyler in the past past few
years. So you know, heknows how to play to his players strengths.
And you know, of course he'snew here too, so he's got
to figure out, you know,what guys do, uh, what things
the best way and you know we'rejust gonna keep building it and getting better
every day. But I definitely,you know, trust him to you know,
put everybody in the right spot tohave as much where he's got his

(05:46):
two cents on it, which is, you know, always the best two
cents I've heard. But me beingwho I am, you know, I'm
I'm I'm gonna throw my two centsin there, you know. So that's
just uh, it's been awesome,man. We He's he's you know,
a resource for me, just aperson that I can always bounce my thoughts
off of. And now, youknow, just a year you said,
thirteen months. Now I feel morecomfortable just you know, bringing certain things
that if you know, you neveryou never wanna come off too strong.

(06:10):
But I'm a curious guy. Igot a lot of questions. I like,
I like football a lot. Ilike to talk and talk the games.
So you know, come to findout, he's the exact same.
So we uh, you know,we get along well, and and uh,
we're gonna keep keep building that relationship. Sometimes in this league, playing
you know, eighteen games, theytryna make it twenty. You know,
it's like it sound like a littlea little fever dream to be honest,
But but uh, if we canfind a way to k you know,

(06:30):
stay up right out there and keepkeep Aaron on his feet, you know,
I'm I'm excited for that and uheverything that comes with it. But
uh but yeah, like I said, man, that's it's it's harder said
than uh or harder done. Andsaid, I guess you know, it's
one of those things. It's likethat's a lot of games, you know,
all of a sudden, take alot of hits. They take a
lot of hits where they're not looking, and it's just how can we keep
him healthy? Yeah? Yeah,are you when you think I get your

(06:51):
receiper room now? Positions you guyshave mean when you want healthy and everything
like, Yeah, you know,I'm excited to see it at at full
health. You know, I haven'tgot to see all the all the guys
out there at once, and andyou know, it's one of those positions
where every day is something might happento nick up. You know, it's
just a tough position to stay outthere at all times. But I feel

(07:11):
like we got a great group andthe number one thing is how can we
stay healthy? How can we youknow, I'll be out on the field,
and I think having depth like thisand the group we have is gonna
help us. Having guys that cando different things, that can go catch
the ball over the middle, alltypes of things that it's gonna take some
of the strain off off all ofus. You know, it's it's a
good group. So I'm excited to, uh, you know, get out
there. I feel like we haven'thad the whole whole thing together, but

(07:34):
you know, come season time,mo roll and it's gonna be exciting.
What about the guy is a yourold number? Yeah yeah, like yeah,
man, he's uh, it wasa brute and once he catches up
ball, I mean he's he's gotgreat instinct of where the defense is gonna
be at, how to make someonemiss. Yeah. Man, just just

(07:58):
so you know, you us transitionslike one of those fair intale like to
your time. But but again eitherway, you know, we talked about
it. You know, that's that'sthe how it goes, you know,
but obviously you know he sees he'she's been one of my bigges supporters.
Again, I affect everybody leads intheir own way, you know, not

(08:22):
everybody's the guys coming around like andthat's not everybody, right, Like I
feel for me, that's me specificallyon game day with the O line after
we do one on one like that'smy like, well hump did Like that's
my like big vocal time. ButI feel like I've talked to him about
this, you know, just recentlytalking about how what I want to do

(08:46):
for the room is I want tobring that hump energy that he brought right
so last year, of course,some traits been doing it for years,
but the year I spent with him, he brought a lot of energy and
excitement and the happiness in the roomwas just his natural energy to where I
only had to focus on me,you know, I didn't have to make

(09:09):
sure other other guys are, youknow, feel some type of way when
they came in here because Hump broughtthat. But other Hump's not here,
But I saw what he did forthe room. I want to be that
guy to make sure everyone's amped togo to practice, everybody's hype. Weren't
taking and field team one period.You know it's a low day or something.

(09:30):
You know, it's a it's aday, but like I want to
make it feel like parents the Tripperright now. I want to bring that
cause that's what me and Hump didto each other. People hype each other
other dudes like dudes about to bewalked through lit So I want to do
that. I want to bring thatenergy. I want to make bring more
guys, you know, to dothat. You know, I wanted to
do that from day one, youknow, I kind of I wanted to

(09:50):
do that from day one, fromjust talking to him, and obviously it's
that time I spend the off seasonbefore OTA started, just being in myself,
just thinking about what the room needs, you know, because I know
I knew a new role as oneof the leaders, you know on the

(10:11):
offense, is that we need aguy like that that's gonna make sure the
old line is picked up, readyto go. Every day I was held
accountable little things or happened to practiceand people aren't saying anything. And how
I may lead maybe different than somebodyelse may lead. You know. I
like to a practice at least liketo leave with positivity, you know what

(10:33):
I mean. So, but hethe energy yet went beyond just the old
hype up the deal line and starttoo. So that's kind of how I
wanna be s goal mine literally mywhole life. I wanna be a NFL
team captain, like specifically the NFL. I wasn't a captain of high school,
wasn't a captain of college. ButI made a joke when I was

(10:54):
in high school. I was like, there, I feel like I'm not
gonna be a captain to like getto the NFL. Yeah, but that
would be awesome, you know,but you know, if it happens,
i'd be great. But if not, either way, I wanna assume a
role as a captain from the respectof the guys on the team, vidual
a word to me and to getback to that way. Yeah, I

(11:16):
mean, I can't say that.I mean, I guess the biggest thing
is that I felt like it hasfelt like how it you used to in
the past. But it didn't takejust the first day OTAs. It took
training left and right once the seasonended, cause I didn't know what it
was gonna be sure, So ittook a lot of yeah reps just to

(11:39):
get back to feeling like myself forday one OTAs and then that whole first
week. But now like today,specifically just changing some small things with my
feet. I did today talking aboutOline coach about some things I can do
with my feet to get to theh to sell it the traditional angle that
I loved to set on. Felteven I thought I felt, I thought

(12:00):
I felt great already. By Mokat, I felt even better OPA, So
I'm even more excited tomorrow. NowI'm getting my feedback than how I liked
it the right side and on theleft side, So I'm excited. I
mean, obviously, I feel likein the league, whether I left or
right are still going against premier guys. So obviously you have high expectations for
your left hand or right tackle,but there's definitely uh, like the the

(12:24):
level of energy and like the expectations, definitely taking the human spect cause now
connected the blank side that stuff that'sde tackle roles, you know. So
so yeah, I would say interms of communication as far as just even
outside the facility and just stuff likethat, like really creating that tackle quarterback

(12:45):
bond even more off the field,I think has been something that's even been
cool. I got a text oneday as a hey, like you play
left, and I was like,yeah, you know, yeah, I've
been training both. I've been trainingboth. You know. I I asked
after the season. They're like,honestly, you know, we'll talk to
you some play in the season.And I just got a text on like
depending what happens with with the freeagency then, so I was like,

(13:11):
you know what, I had awhole season right tackle. So if I
get the word, I'm going I'mstanding right tackle. I don't just do
what I did before. I'm builton that bus. I was like,
I might as alost trained the lefttackle now as if I'm gonna be left
tackle, and I'd rather do thatthan training on right tackle and get the
CAO. Hey you're the left tackle. I'm like, oh, I didn't
even switch on my feet yet,you know what I mean. So I'm

(13:33):
like, let me just prepare inadvance. I was like, yeah,
le's god. You know, Ithink occasionally on third down there'd be a
lot of twists. I would justknow I'm gontamatically coming. And I think
that was my mindset for like thefirst half of the season, like I
didn't have to go into a gameand with surprise like oh my gosh,
they did that. I kind offigured like, okay, like this is
this is the type of rushman again, like this is how this guy usually

(13:56):
rushes. But I get the vibe, this is how the ends like the
rush, you know, tackles thatare you know, f first year guys
who got the premiere patch on.I already knew what it was gonna be,
already know every stunt and honestly justknowing that it's kind of an advantage
too. So you're not you're notyou're not old. They brought the twist
of mind side again. It wasnever an Aaron donaldd you know, the

(14:16):
coming out of minds, like threeplays in a row in two minutes.
I knew that that was gonna win. He hap, you know what I
mean, I'm watching him when everybodyelse he rarely England goes out there on
occasional third downs on the d M. I said, alright, you know
what it's gonna be. He's gonnapick me, you know what I mean,
So fact fact it's kind of ait's also kind of an advantage in
the way, but it's also exciting. I'm like, Okay, I'm gonna

(14:37):
get the hardest. Look. Youknow, those are real, real reps,
you know the bank, So really, I I'm not I really didn't
kind of process that. I waslike, hey, when they tell me,
I ain't do I guess the interviewprocess we're about how you might approach
this, and and and what doyou think is may be the the the
key element you getting the most outof those because you got two guys.

(15:00):
This ain't my first rodeo, No. I know a lot of people look
at say, well, this guyonly been on the field for three years
Westerton, Tucky and Oregon. Justbecause I didn't have the title of a
running back coach where I was atthe Memphis I never carried myself that way.
I was carried myself as a runningback coach. I approached every day

(15:20):
that way. So at Memphis wehad Darren Henderson, Patrick Taylor, Tony
Poller, Kenny game Well, TonyoGibson. I've seen talented backs, and
I've seen them be able to functionwith one another. So I hear that
all the time about well, thisain't my first rodeo. Same thing out
there at Oregon we Bucke, IrivernNorwich and George James. You go look

(15:41):
at their numbers. They all functionedwell together. We learned how to play
as one. So this ain't myfirst rodeo. So and plus I know
those two kids cause I recruited themwhen they was in high school. So
I'm up for the challenge and theresponsibility of it. Got right behind Hi,
Dan Hope eleven. It's just whatis your kind of coaching philosophy?
How do you get the best outof your running backs? I get the

(16:03):
best out'm because I love the youngmen. My main focus is to change
the hearts and minds of them,and they'll play for me. I had
just got through reading Coach Trestle's WinnersManual, and it's something that I took
from that book. You have yourpurpose and you have your goals, alright.
My purpose is to serve and pourinto the young men. Now my
goals is a football coach. Allof them are take care of themselves.

(16:26):
So that's one of the ways.I'm just real relationship base and I'm very
detailed at this position. I Iknow y'all heard me say it before,
and i'm'a keep saying this is theworst coach position in football. It's terrible.
Guys. Hire anybody to coaches positionand recruiters. CARLS Locker is not
a recruiter. I'm an elite relationshipbuilder, but I coach this position.
I'm a ball coach, so that'swho I am. So i'm'a pouring to

(16:48):
these kids. I think they kindof seeing it now and I jumped in
day one. I'm ready to coachand use the phrase never saw batch cookies.
Where did that phrase come from?Kind of always playing this or that
boy? Let me tell you aboutthat boy. I've been called everything but
the name for child of God bythe people at the other places I left,
so that I been getting pills Hey, Pillsbury, need to give me

(17:10):
a deal, cause I've been gettingI been getting some DM and texts.
I'm something. Some of'em havebeen so funny. The sawbat's cookie thing
thing came from just having a frameof mind, a mental toughness. It
had nothing to do with guys gettingin the portal and anything. Now most
people say I'm a saltbatched cookie forleaving there, but actually I'm not,

(17:32):
because it takes great strength to makea decision to leave a place. No,
a weak minded person wouldn't be ableto make the decision that I made,
So it took great strength to dothat. So I'm telling you,
if I literally in my DMS,it's some it's some great comedians out here
that have been sending me like tonsof cookies, and I'm like, it's
funny. Right behind him, howhave you got about the assessment of the

(17:55):
talent in the room? Uh?Over the past week or two? How
much as that field off field?Like, what's the process of getting to
know who you have as players?Well? I broke down well, me
being a guy that loves the runningback position, and I already broke those
kids down cause I recruit him outof high school. You know, Q
is from where I'm from in Montgomery. I was one of the first guys

(18:17):
to offer him just watching him greatcontact, balance, creative runner, great
hands and trey. I recruited himout of Virginia exceptional short air, your
bursting quickness and things that I'm gonnahelp him get better on. And then
I recruited James Peeples out of tout of San Antonio, Texas. I
knew what he was gonna what hewas gonna be TC and Sam. Those

(18:40):
two kids I'm getting to know andI'm gonna help them improve that game.
But we got different runners in there. I like to call myself, I'm
in love with this position, soI get to break down runners and help
the game. So talented, talentedroom, very talented. Uh far back
uh Jersey Birmingham podcasts much. Howdo you swear that fact? Softbast trookies

(19:02):
are actually the best cookies the PhilipBritton nis one. Those are way better
than the crunchy chips and white things. As a terrier, I mean,
do you do you got to thefirst find a balance there or someone?
Well, for me, I'm actuallynot eating any cookies. Nah, I'm
just saying I'm not eating any cookiesthis year. I gave it up for
a fast or no sweets for mefor the whole year. That's something I

(19:25):
gave up. So they the termthe south bast cookie term. Look,
guys, I actually took that fromI represent the high school coaches of me,
Miss Tennessee. I actually took thatfrom a guy that coach Slocum.
He used to always say that softbast cookie. I actually stole that from
him. I give him credit forit, and I tell him all the
time he said, you I shouldhave branded that, cause you done took
it and ran away with it.But that's just where that comes from.

(19:48):
So that that I was standing asyou get to Ohio standing and start to
look around the country, A mean, Oregon's a big place, that's a
that's a major job with How howdo you think that very gonna have to
pay a logo or the jack runthe blocko when you get out out of
the living for your trail. Howdoes that change the way that you feel
you're either receive or or does itat a different level to to just feeling

(20:14):
like I could go anywhere and getanybody in the company and that's the changest
thing for me. This is agreat place. Oregon is a great place
too. But guess what, whateverI put on, I know what I'm
going to represent for me. IN I N I know who who put
me here. I know I representedsomething higher, you know. Like I
told you, I know what mypurpose is. My purpose is to poorting

(20:37):
to people. So whatever logo Ihave on, I'm still gonna be doing
the same thing. So this isa great logo. Great logo by wear
another logo every day. It's acrossI see around my neck. I know
what I represent. So that's thegreatest logo I could ever wear. So
it doesn't matter what other logo Ihave on. I got that one on.
I'm been going to any house andbeing recruit uh deep right to camera,

(21:00):
Tick Robinson the athletic from which youyou mentioned the time at Memphis and
themnis four and about rowing backs youmentioned there. Who you learned from that
time that we that you to takeover to managing the world, And kid,
what did I learn from them?I just building a just teaching the
kids. We live in such aselfish world though, and I can tell

(21:22):
the kids all the times it's gottabe much more to football. The ball
gonna go flat one day. AsI always say, what being in that
room there at Memphis is, itwasn't four five teaching them how to be
a bo bout being one? Itell you them in all time, it
doesn't cost you anything to celebrate anotherman's success. So teaching them how to
be one, and then once theylearned to be one, they function and

(21:44):
they feed off one another. Sothat's what I learned from being there at
Memphis. Uh right in front ofAndy Bach from let them in road,
Carlos, heard of your career inlaw enforcement kind of influence you as a
coach and kind of shape where youare. Uh well, I just got
through talking to somebody about that today. When I first got in this profession
and I got my own room inWestern Tech, I was asked, No,

(22:08):
how was I was gonna be ableto handle my room? I said,
Man, I had a part withfifty one inmates. You talking about
me having got six or seven guys? Are you kidding me? I'm talking
about me having to do traffic stopsor going on domestic no viruce calls.
It's simple, easy. No.People don't know what you care also know,

(22:30):
you gotta have a certain demeaning aboutyourself. So when I walk into
a room, it's the reason whyI go train every morning. This is
one of the same things when Iwas a police officer. You look a
certain way kind of deter people fromdoing certain things. So reason why I
go train every morning. I'm gonnalook just as good as my boys look.
So it helped out a lot.In other words, from Arrol Right

(22:51):
Austin Wore the podcast Carls, Welcometo Columbus. What would it mean to
I don't know, revolutionize the wayrunning backs or coach? What does that
take you? I ain't even I'mnot gonna say Revolutionari. It's just some
good It's some good running back coachesout here. Everybody's different. It's some
great coaches out here. I justwant the head guys who say that on

(23:14):
these jobs to not just hire guysjust you know, all coaches on your
staff should be great recruiters, notjust a running back coach. We coach
a position. We developed players aswell. I just want the coaches to
realize, hey, you know what, let me look and be thorough about
this guy that I'm hiring for thisjob is he teaching the position? Is
he development the position? Because you'renot gonna hire anybody just coach quarterbacks,

(23:36):
are you. Well, it shouldn'tbe like that for the running back position
either, And I'm only passionate aboutit because I played it. I love
it, so it's the only positionI want to coach. Could I coach
the other positions? Yeah? Iplay dB in college too, but I
love the running back position, soI just want to see it coach well.
Podcasts, Yeah, a million questions. All that's a couple. Number
one. When you when you whenyour wife whatever, you got the mess

(24:00):
stuff? Are we moving again?What was? What was her reaction?
Nah? She she just knew guyhad give us, gave us a new
assignment. She w it was neverlike we're moving again. Let me tell
you guys something I grew up.My mom was in the military, so
I lived everywhere. I lived inPanama of South America. I'm used to
picking up and moving. I livedin Fort Rodley, Kansas, Montgomery's home
if it was my second home,So I'm I'm used to moving now.

(24:22):
My wife it was different for her, but she just knew guy that gave
us a new assignment. So it'stime to go. What did uh?
What did coach they tell you whenyou heard you that he wants out of
you? That may be different.It's not slamming somebody else. But what
did he say he wanted you tobring to the running back room? I
think he did his research on me. He said he wanted the guy to

(24:44):
to develop the position. And that'snot taking a shot at the coach that
was here who I'm friends with,And he said they didn't want somebody to
really get the guys going. Uh, I can only be me And I
told him that because I'm gonna beme every day now. Because see,
my mindset is when I step inthis building, I got one mindset.

(25:07):
That's to do my job so wellthat the living dead or unborn can do
it any better. So when Ileave it, that's what my mindset is.
Hopefully I'm here for a long time, but only God knows that.
So, but that's my mindset everyday that step into the Wizard Hate.
So that's my mindset. I'm gonnado my job so well that living dead
or umborn couldn't do it any better. So that's what my mindset is.
Suppose we got time for one lastquestion, Bill rabinowit's Plumbus Dispatch Carlos.

(25:30):
First of all, it's it truethat nobody calls you Carlos, never calls
you Locke. That's the truth.Yeah, I prefer to be called locked
in particular, but I wouldn't sayeveryone doesn't really know how to handle it
properly. You see it currently.I mean, it's just it's a variable
that's new and how to handle it. There's not a transcript on how to

(25:52):
handle that variable. So you justguys just trying to do what they think
is right. That's all they're reallytrying to do. And I'm not saying
that right or wrong, but hewas trying to do this, and uh,
you know, I think at theend of the day he realized he
man made the wrong decision and weconnected on it. We talked about it,
and you know, it was agreat opportunity to to to right or
wrong. And uh, obviously we'revery glad he's here. I've always believed

(26:15):
in him. We believe in him, and he believes in himself and that's
part of the just trying to understandwhat's my path right. So, uh,
but yeah, it's been great.Steps have been made. He's growing,
but he's nowhere near where he knowshe's capable of being. He's just
probly impressive Ceremiah. I love theway he lives. I love the way

(26:37):
he approaches things. I love theway the questions he asks. I love
the way he makes mistakes and thencorrect mistakes. It's very veteran, like,
I mean, there's so much Ballhe has to learn, Like he
literally does things that are good.I'm like, do you know why that
worked? He goes coach, Ihave no freaking idea, So like I'm
trying to teach him all of thatwhy it worked, so then you know

(26:59):
the consistency at which it works justgoes through the roof. And so but
I'm very you know, excited andproud of the conversations we're currently having,
and I'm exciting for them to keepgoing. Bryant like so powerful you working
with you tell I love working withChip chip Is. I love talking Ball.
I love the viewpoints I love Ilove the veteran that he has,

(27:27):
you know, and uh, Ilove now like I love all of it.
I think that you know early onthe biggest impact, you know,
just you know, feeling perspective.I think in the run game has been
awesome, you know, and thenyou know, off of the run game,
some of the actions or or reliefthrows or all that kind of stuff.

(27:48):
I love where it's at. Ilove working with them, and I
would say that I sleep a littlebetter, all right. Uh No,
it's it's really a great combo because, like you know, we're obviously we're

(28:11):
doing a lot as a group.It's not just Chip and I so but
you know, obviously Chip has animage and a view on things that I
never had. So to have thatexperience and to have that viewpoint, I'm
just trying to absorb as much asi can, but then also highlight some
things that we've really done a goodjob of and make sure those you know,
nothing's really changing. We're just tryingto enhance. We're not changing.

(28:33):
We're enhancing. So where the thingsfit is perfect, you know, I
think, uh, you know,the rest of the dynamics of search Chip
can talk about. But it's beenit's been awesome, So I'm excited about
it. We talked to him,that guy who's talking about moving from slot
to the house side. You know, how good he's been in the slot.
Is that a difficult move for youguys just coaches to know how good

(28:56):
a guy is in on one spot, but know that maybe for his launch
the future. And then no,I wouldn't say it's anything on his future,
because he's capable of doing whatever youwant to get done. But I'd
say that it says more about theroom. I think it's it's the growth
of you know, Brandon and thegrowth grow of Bryson. That's really you

(29:18):
know, allowing my mind to say, hey, Mech, be prepared.
You're gonna move around a lot.You're gonna come out of that slot,
You're gonna be outside. We're gonnacreate mismatches out there. I mean,
his ability to move around is critical. But I would say between Mech and
between Carnell Takes's ability to move arounda lot, it's gonna provide a lot
of flexibility for our room and uhand those top you know, six seven
guys that are really doing a goodjob right now. Progress this spring for

(29:41):
like a because there's no time tothink. It's one of those things.
I'm true where us balanced how muchwork does a need versus yeah, heavy
heavy emphasis on what work he needs, you know versus anything else. Uh,
I rely on him. We havegreat dialogue back and forth. It's
a two way to it's a twoway conversation, and frankly, there's gonna
be times we're like, hey,mech what do you want to do today?

(30:03):
You wanna go outside and you wantgo inside and I don't care.
So we're not there yet. Wewill be there, but it's just more
about, you know, when theroom is ready to start mixing things up.

(30:27):
I would say, there's got Imean, I make sure I'm bringing
guys that are able to do all, but I have not asked them to
yet. So the only guys thatin our room currently I've asked to do
that has been Mecca and Carnell,and those are probably the two guys that
I would, you know, thinkheavily on doing moving around a lot.
I'm not putting that on anybody elseright now, not saying they can't,

(30:47):
but at this point, having twoguys being able to swing, you probably
don't need much more than that.I need guys being experts at what they're
good at, so it helps theoffense still be great at everything and be
an experts. It's something and wecan use that to our am. I
like him. Yeah, it's abunch of good dudes just just got here,
so we're gonna keep working and Ilike I like our edge guys that

(31:11):
we picked up, and I'm excitedto work with them. You know much
about how we played against him LeonardFloyd, and what's been kind of your
earlier read on him. I thinkhe's super skilled, Russia well, good
length, and he's more athletic thanI even realized. And I think guys
like him when they come to ourscheme are the best is brought out of

(31:33):
him. So I'm excited to seewhat potential he has. He's year nine,
so I feel like you, asa d lineman, you can keep
improving all the way through ten yearsin this league. So I'm excited to
see what he's got. How olddid you know source and when he was
assistant here? And have you gottento know him a lot at what's the
relationship? Maybe right now? Iknow him pretty well. He was always

(31:57):
just a good dude around the facility. He did our ball meetings, so
he's good in front of a group. He's a good leader. He knows
the scheme really well, which isgood. I was happy to see him
promoted. He called me in theoffseason we talked. I just congratulated him,
and I think he's gonna bring somethingsimilar to what we had with the

(32:22):
Miko. It'll be good. Doyou know Brandon Stanley well at all?
I mean I was a joey playfor him. I don't know too much
about him. I've obviously heard frommy brother, but I don't even think
i've said high yet. I haven'tran into him yet, but I'm sure
i'll get to know him. Whenyou say it looks similar to the Miko
of the energy or the system,maybe a little different energy, but I

(32:45):
think just knowing the system from thefront to the back, I think he
knows how it ties in, andhe's been around with some really good coaches,
so I think it'll be pretty prettyseamless, and I think we'll be
firing on all cylinders. You're threemonths removed from the super Bowl now,

(33:06):
so how have you? I guessdigested it, and I guess physically everything
good to go. Yeah, Ifeel really good. I think it's been
one of my better off seasons ofjust kind of it was a long year,
so I took it nice and slowto get back into it. Not
as young as I once was,so I'm taking a little a little slower,

(33:28):
but everything's great. I'm feeling asgood as I felt. I'm excited
to actually get some practice in.Last year was kind of tough, getting
thrown in Week one after I walkedthrough, so that was another reason I'm
excited to be here is just toget practicing a little bit in season.
Practice is one thing, but actuallybeing able to work your stuff and not

(33:51):
have a game coming up is good. With the super Bowl unfortunately, I
know how to bounce back from toughlosses, so it was rough for a
little bit, but no, justannoying when people bring it up. Since
the last season, we've seen aRock on TV commercials and on the stage

(34:14):
with Kluke Coombs and throwing out thefirst pitch of the Giants game. But
he seems like a guy that's totallyunaffected by celebrity, which he has now.
But what have you noticed in hisleadership style and the way he carries
himself any difference at all. Ithink he's definitely getting a little more vocal
within the building, and uh yeah, I mean I don't think he's ever

(34:36):
gonna change. I don't think he'ssomebody that's gonna change even when he gets
paid next year. So he's he'sa man of faith and he kind of
reminds me of Scotti Scheffler, butexcept for just super humble and really good
kid. And yeah, he's definitelyfamous Shuffler. I don't just from watching

(35:07):
you, Armstead get released obviously meantso much to the defensive line into the
team. I mean, Colin Johnwere pretty open that they were willing to
talk about trading Deebo or are youat you? Does that just another what's
that feel like in the locker roomwhen those sort of joels happened. I
didn't even know that happened and Iwasn't here, but you're talking about this

(35:32):
offseason Armstead in alarm Eric released,So that's certainly one thing. Yeah,
it's a tough business, for sure. You have to have thick skin and
I haven't gone through that, butI think you just have to understand that

(35:52):
it is a business and the team'sgoing to try and get as good as
it possibly can with or without you, and you have to look out for
yourself. That's why you go throughholdouts and do certain things that seem selfish
in the moment, but it iswhat it is, and when everything's settled,
we're gonna come together as a teamand try and go get one.

(36:13):
What's the overall feeling around the groupright now, Like, how much does
it feel like the excitement of theramp up to the season. Even though
it's early, it feels good.It's been a couple of days for me,
so I like all the new guys. I'm getting to know everybody,
but I think the passes in thepast and we're ready to go. Do
you talk to me? You talkedto beat all about handling the business part

(36:35):
of this. He's going through somethingsimilar. We chat a little bit,
but not too much about the details. I just told him to keep his
head up and try and stay positivethrough it all over your first impressions when
you heard what your schedule would bein that Aaron Rodgers' first time, it'll
be fun. Yeah, it's gonnabe gonna be a good one. Excuse

(36:59):
me alluded to this for the factthat last year you had to have that
holdout, said that affected you somewhatearly in the season. If you hadn't
had that experience, would you behere right now? I mean, was
that part of the motivation for beinghere early just to have the opposite last
year might be. No, Idon't think that's one of the reasons.

(37:21):
But I just talked to Kyle andhe kind of asked me. He kind
of stated how he felt about whyit would be good for me to be
here and asked if I agreed,and I on agree. So it's not
like I'm missing too much. Ithink I'm out here. It's a little

(37:42):
less workload than I'm doing back home, so it's kind of a good active
recovery thing for me, and I'mgetting football stuff, football working specifically,
so that's good. I'm not it'snot compromising my training at all, and
I get to meet all the guys. It's positive. The Joey Kitson News

(38:04):
your brother, did you have tolike let him down? And Oh no,
he's he's there. He's got anew regime over there. Did you
first? I actually thought I wascoming next week until recently, so I
was gonna have one more week athome, but we're both in California.
Everything you could like share about Conn'sreasons, reasons that you agreed with being

(38:28):
here, yeah, just the thingsI already stated, Just getting around the
guys and just getting the football stuffhoned in a little bit before camp starts.
You have been afraid. You've beenafraid to speak out on player safety
issues and things like that when itcomes to playing service and things like that.

(38:50):
The eighteen game schedule has been kindof discussed again here recently. What
what is your kind of take onthat possibility. I mean, it's I
guess it's easy to appreciate when youkind of see it working and you see

(39:10):
guys improving, getting better. Ijust think the details are really important.
You can pretend that leaving your shoesa mess or your locker a mess isn't
a big deal, and what mattersis playing football. But I think all
those tiny details and things kind ofadd up and leak into the important stuff,

(39:32):
like what you're doing on the field. So if you can have your
toe behind the line, or haveyour locker and order and all these things,
they kind of stack up into performingwell and playing well when things count.
So you know, I appreciate that. It's it also hasn't been a
fight with the guys in the lockerroom. They buy in, and you

(39:54):
know, it's a lot of youngguys, and I think they're hungry to
learn, hungry to compete and whenwalkers please. You know, it's just
an example, whether it's we talkedabout first day you have your shoot,
if you could, if you couldspend the time on these small things when
nobody's watching. I think, likeI was saying, it seems like it

(40:15):
might not out up too much,but I think in the long term it
does. And uh, it leaksinto other things, whether you're doing your
right assignment on the field, beinglate to meetings or all these things.
If you hold a standard and youyou stay to that standard, I think
it benefits you long term. It'sbeen like working with Ben Herbert, who

(40:36):
has there been any anything in histraining program or working with you that you
feel will benefit you later. Yeah, Yeah, definitely. He's He's been
great. He's a no nonsense kindof guy. But he's not an old
school in the sense that he's bringinghis way of doing things and that's the
only way to do things. Heunderstands that guys have been in the in

(40:58):
the business for a long time,Khi me and we have a way of
doing things, and all he wantsto do is add to that and help
you get better and perform the bestyou can. He's a He stresses it
all the time that he's a toolfor us, and you know, he's
been. He's been great. Theguys love him. The energy brings is
awesome, and I think the stuffthat we're doing in the weight room is

(41:21):
great, a great addition to stuffthat I may may do on the side
or whatever that is. Yeah,I think we I mean, we had
a presentation today with all the certainmeasurables that are changing, and if you
guys are in the meeting, youdefinitely see how beneficial he's been to the
team so far. So obviously stayinghealthy is is a huge factor to anybody's

(41:44):
success. I'd say it's plagued usa little bit for a while. So
yeah, I think he's He's definitelyincredibly beneficial. When are you fully cover
at the end of last season,you might have been able to play.
No, I was not ready togo last year. No, tried practicing,
tried coming back, and uh itwas it was not good, But

(42:10):
yeah, it was Unfortunately the yearwasn't going great and it just was unnecessary
risk for I mean, my footcould have had some real real issues if
I came back too early. Soyeah, it's been it's been it's been
a great off season. My foot'sfeeling great, toes good, hamstrings good.
I mean, there was a listof things last year my hand,

(42:34):
so all those things are good.Finger cut surgery on my finger, so
that's feeling good. Yeah, it'sit's nice to be feeling better going into
year nine than you have since maybefive six years ago, which I've said,
I've said I've been feeling great lastcouple of years. I'm telling you
it's a real deal this time.But obviously anything can happen. But I

(42:55):
just feel it's fun feeling really confidentin your body and being able to perform.
So I could just go out duringpractice and you know, good balls
to the wall and do everything thatI feel like I need to to be
able to prepare. It's fun.My brother and whoever I trained with my

(43:15):
trainer Todd back home, uh,I think they'd be really proud of how
I've been working this offseason and it'sjust exciting. The pointing was the injuries
on the Great Big Game. Youkind of you. I'm yeah, it
was a bit of a build up, a little bit of an overreaction,

(43:36):
but you know, it's just tough. It comes sometimes like that. And
I just felt felt really defeated comingback, had a broken hand. I'm
like, oh, yeah, Iget to play Boom for a series foot
Pops. Thought I'd have to getsurgery, and all these thoughts flooded through
my head. Broke down a bit, and yeah, it just hurts.
You know, you're losing, you'regetting injured. You've felt like you prepared

(44:00):
really well in the offseason, andthen the year before you had groin surgery,
so you know a lot of thingsbuild up. Yeah, you don't
get a break if you're injured.Everybody wants to go on. Fans are
very nice, but no, Ijust I'm grateful that I feel this way.

(44:20):
I'm still still nicey Ripe twenty eight, so not too old you had,
but yeah, I'm just excited.I can't remember what the original question
was. At this point, youget something about my body, how close
you and Gift were. How frustratingwas it that you couldn't you know soon

(44:45):
for one of those last three games. It was frustrating, but I mean
Gift was had my back the wholeway. I think for Gift, for
any but for the whole team,just to show what it means to me,
would have been important for me tobe out there, but I literally
could and I tried to practice,injured my foot worse the very first play

(45:07):
I was and in practice, Sono chance that was happening unless I wanted
to throw my next season away aswell. But no, I'm just I'm
proud of him for what he didwith the team, how he handled it,
and I need to call him back. Actually sorry, I give Yeah,
I'm happy he gets to stay closeby with the with the Rams,

(45:30):
and uh, just proud of allwe accomplished here together over the years and
and we'll be close for the restof our lives. Sure it was the
foot injury. Yeah it was thisguys say, foot sprang. Yeah,
I sprained one area of my foot. Then when I tried to return,
I sprained another area. Was ableto avoid getting surgery, which is kind
of the main goal. But yeah, it was. It was tough.

(45:53):
Sure, when it comes to theaddition of but Dupree what he felt like
he's kind of brought to the tothe room and could bring on the field.
Yeah, it's when I heard wegot my brother some I don't know,
maybe my brother told me. I'mlike, really, we just got
budd like, that's no, that'sno small pickup. He's a seriously elite

(46:15):
pass rusher has had some trouble withinjuries as well, so I understand how
that is, but not only himas a player, but as a personality.
I heard Khalil just saying he's he'sa fun guy. He's a funny
guy, and and to have thatin the room another vet is always a
great addition. But I'm just excitedto have him and Tulee and to be

(46:36):
able to rotate like that and notdrop off at all when we come off
the field is huge. And maTooley's going into a second year. Just
what do you what are you kindof What are some of the maturity maturity
areas you've seen from him? Youknow, I'm gonna say not much,
And that's a compliment because he wasalready mature in those areas. I mean,

(46:57):
he's on it everything play book wise, always doing his job, working
hard, just refining his technique andpass rush. I mean, we don't
have the pads on right now,so the real work will will begin,
you know, in six weeks now. So but yeah, I love Tulie.
I've loved him since the first day. He's he's blocked into the facility,

(47:20):
and I know he's just gonna continueto get better. Do you think
of the addition of Joe Old.Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna need to
beat him up a little bit incamp so he's so he's ready. But
no, I think anything to protectour number ten is a good, good
investment. So he seems like areal solid dude. Haven't talked to him

(47:40):
too much, great build, seemslike he has good hands, good feet,
strong. We'll see. We'll seein a few weeks when I lay
a helmet in his chin, howhe holds up. But it'll I'll take
it easy on him, yea.Rashauns A, did you know coach Harbond

(48:02):
before he came here? And ifyou did, just what were those first
couple of conversations like that? Yeah, probably have cross paths with him.
Maybe maybe not. Actually I thinkwhat was it his first year when I
was a junior? So he kickedhis ass as usual at Ohio State.

(48:22):
No, No, they just wanta championship, so I'd say they probably
have the bragging rights right now.I'm like the guy talking about his old
high school. Oh I remember,Yeah, we used to kicks. No,
but no, yeah, no,the rivalry is dead. I was
just saying this morning, you know, nine years and kind of forget about

(48:44):
that. I'm not a great alumni. Sorry, so he coached, But
no, it's great. That's what'sgreat about the NFL is you just have
guys from all backgrounds. You couldhate their guts one one year, and
then you come on the same teamand your brothers and you're all working towards
one goal together. So our firsttalk together was great. I just sat

(49:05):
down with him, went up intohis office and chopped it up about life
mainly and his opportunity here and howmuch it means to him. And uh,
yeah, I think he's a specialguy. I think he's uh the
way he conducts himself. He's aninteresting cat for sure, and I'm still
still feeling him out. But onething you can't denies that he loves football

(49:27):
and his main goal is to winfootball games. So and that's what we
need. When you see him workingout with you guys and and pushing slaves
and doing all this stuff, justhow interesting is that? Yeah? I
mean he was a he was agreat player himself, and I think he's
always been, you know, builtlike that. Lack of a better term,
but yeah, he's uh, he'spart of the guys. You know,

(49:50):
he's not this guy outside looking in. He he really, I mean
he voiced that to me, isthat his favorite part of all of it
is being with the guys and theconnections he makes. So yeah, to
to see a guy like that comein and embrace it all and kind of
be part of it himself is important. Your initial impressions of Coachman during the

(50:12):
defensive gaming, Yeah, it's funnyyou go from old gift, old gift
to this little young guy who's myage. I wouldn't want to get thrown
into a room with me and khalilIPOs his age. But he's been great.
I love messing with him a littlebit. We little sarcasm back and
forth. But no, he's great. He's uh, he's very talks very

(50:37):
fast, and I don't as youknow, so sometimes I gotta be like
slow down, coach, come on. But no, he's great. I'm
excited, you know, to getcloser as the years. As the year
goes on, and I think hehas he has a lot of passion for
the position and all he wants todo is learn and and help us to

(51:00):
improved. So I'm excited about him, and I mean I do miss Giff.
Obviously it was a long time withhim, but I am excited to
have a new face and kind ofhave that challenge for me. You worked
much with with Jesse's dad, sinceI know he coached linebackers in Michigan.
Did you ask about Jesse? Didyou ask about doing? Okay, you

(51:22):
asked about Jesse. Oh my god, I was talking about freaking doing the
whole time. You guys are soconfused. No, sorry, I thought
I thought I was. I thoughtyou mentioned coach Ronie. No, No,
coach Mentor has been great as well. Yeah, they've both been great.
Sorry, run that back. No, he's been good. Uh yeah,

(51:45):
very knowledgeable guy. Same thing.I'm excited to get to know him
more as the year goes on.Have you worked Have you worked much during
the Yeah? No, I havenot. I don't know if I've said
one word to him, but morewords to come down the road, Like

(52:07):
you said, you can been heresince twenty sixteen. Just what are some
of this stuff? You justone rambleabout the wrong guy for fifteen minutes walking
what? Yeah, what the heck'slike? Actually that's literally not the person.

(52:29):
Yeah, yeah, I figured outwhat's something that you you worked unduring
the off season, something to improveyour game or is there something that you
can Usually my answer is pretty consistentthat I just continue to try to prepare
myself physically, whether that's my sprintwork or agility work and my lifting,

(52:55):
but yeah, just to get everythingfeeling great, and I'll dealt with those
injuries. So I had to kindof ramp it up with my finger and
foot and all those things. Butnow I'm I'm full full speed out there,
and I'm just gonna continue to dowhat I know will prepare me for
the season. And uh, Iknow I'm gonna get plenty of technique work

(53:19):
and position work when I'm out here. So for now I'm going to spend
these five weeks really getting uh preparingthem. About a schematic standpoint, I
don't know the ins and outs ofwhat I'm gonna be doing yet, so
I'll wait and see soon. Butjust what everything going on? See how
to think the best fit? Chris, Chris, here we go. Yeah,

(53:44):
Drea, and welcome to Seattle.What are you looking for? And
I fight has a loaded question forreal? For uh, you know in
terms of no pay system, teammates, environment city, all those kind of
just like playing to it. Besidesjust the money thing. I know,
financials always play a big role,and I kind of steer you into the

(54:06):
direction you want to go, buteverything kind of plays into it. And
how much did you reach out toShelby Drew, knowing some of the guys
you knew the play here last yearto get a sense for what what Seattle
might offer you. I mean,not much right now, I'll talk to
I'll talk to Shelby a little bitabout it. Mainly no one Drew,
Uh just congratulated me, Bob.Did you come together pretty quickly? I

(54:35):
know you kind of a ten yearagreement on that first Monday and everything with
Seattle that come together really faster.Now, it was a long day.
Seattle came in almost out of nowhere. We had like a good set of
teams that we're talking to, justtrying to finalize what was going on,
what was it the term is goingto be? You know, and Seattle
came in hot. They showed alot of interest and uh, they kind
of just motivated me to come heremore and more. And how similar will

(54:59):
your rule you know, in termsof playing Denver. I don't know that
yet. I got of just mentionedpreviously. I don't know my role.
I don't know the ins and outyet. Once we'll get NO through the
protocols and nfl PA, we'll we'lltalk about NO, the schemes and everything,
right. Uh, so welcome.When you were in Denver in the

(55:21):
three four, where did you findyourself most comfortable and most effected? And
I played a lot of different positionsin uh Denver, I mean earlier in
my year, I played zero,I played three, two one. I
mean, I'm definitely more comfortable ina shaded position, mainly being a three
technique and five technique. That's whyI found myself to be more comfortable whether
I'm standing up or I'm not,whether it's runner or pass. Uh,

(55:43):
those seem to be my best mybest fits. And what is your impression
of Pete Carroll's defense and whole environmentin uh from Afar? It seems like
he he holds in our defense alot. Uh. I can't really say
too much about that. Yeah,I don't. I know Pete Carroll very
little. So uh, I'm justtrying to figure out more and I'll give
you a better answer later. What'sthe reputation around the league out of the

(56:07):
Seahawks. Uh, you know,hard nose, hard had type of team,
definitely on a little more lack sideas opposed to being stuck up or
military style, and which is definitelygood because then they this program is one
a lot of football games have beensuper successful for many years, as long
as I've been alive, as longas I've been watching football, and definitely

(56:27):
this has been a good program.And Pete Carroll has been a hell of
a coach for as long as Iremember, even back in his college days.
So I'm looking forward to experiencing that. John Boyle, Yeah, I
know you said you don't know yet, you know what your role is going
to be, but just what whatkind of players who haven't watched it Denver,
what what kind of player get?Definitely a high motor, definitely not

(56:50):
a one trippon any type of player. Uh. I like to attack,
you know, whether it's a firstor first through through fourth down, I
like to attack. I'm always tryingto apply pressure. I'm definitely just a
hot mortar guy in my opinion.Brady either Brady Henderson from ESPN, nice
to meet you. That's what Yeah, this is not a team that really

(57:13):
makes big splash signings in free agency. Did you think going into it that
Seattle would be in play? UhNo, not at all. Uh.
You just it's kind of like beinga cure at the county store. You
know, I've got a whole bunchof different options coming at you, uh
hearing, a whole bunch of differentcrazy things, and uh, you know,
you only get to choose one.And this is the place that that
we both chose each other. AndI mean, I'm loving Seattle so far.

(57:35):
You know, I like these colorsfor real, for real. What
what have you got to do withSeattle or see since you've been here?
Not much? Uh, just kindof just drive around the city exploring,
uh, getting down to the marketa little bit. I want to get
out of the Ferris will do somemore like touristy type of things. You
know, I'm new to the cityand I got a lot to learn about
the city. Laric. Yeah,there's been a lot of comparisons with you

(57:58):
to Michael Bennett. I was wonderingif you know Michael Bennett at all and
you think those are accurate. UhI know Michael Berger, then it n
like nothing I know nothing about it, but besides his style of play,
but uh, I'm honored to beconsidered in the same conversation as him and
uh style of play. You know, He's a Hall of Fame type of
deep lineman that I've known about sinceI was a a kid. I mean,
last time he played here, Iwas in high school. So you

(58:19):
know, it's cool to it kindof came full circle a little bit watching
him on TV and now I'm beingkind of compared to him in a way,
you know, y. I mean, I'm not touching the surface of
Michael Bennet. You know, he'sa Hall of Famer and I'm not there
yet, So you know, Ijust gotta keep doing my due diligence to
be a better player. Carvin,Hey, Dreamont, welcome to Seattle.

(58:40):
I know you get to play severalseasons for Vic Fangio and three four style
defense and Seattle's playing a similar systemnow dating back to last year as a
defensive lineman, what do you thinkis most important to be successful in that
system? Maybe fundamentals or or justplaying style to be successful. Just from
what I learned, being gap soundand being patient has always been the biggest

(59:02):
thing and that's how we've been successfulwhen I was in Denver, just kind
of like relying on each other.I know that sounds kind of cliche,
but like it's kind of like thethe realm of being in the three four
defense. You gotta really really relyon the guys behind you and the guys
on side of you to really maketheir to do their job to make your
job easier. Yeah, uh,yours did? You didn't start playing football

(59:30):
till you were junior in high schooland largely played basketball, So then that's
what made you, I guess decidedto go play football. Then? Was
that artist away from basketball? No? No, I've always loved football first.
Uh, it was just kind ofjust playing it out. You know,
I love the hoop, but youknow, football was definitely about calling.
Given I was a two hundred andsixty five pounds power forward and I

(59:51):
was like sixtytrees and change. Soyou know, I kind of told use
the route that God gave me.You know, I'm not six eight lsdena.
Yeah, if you verymm what comesto Seattle? And you've been quoted
looking at a couple of art thingsthat you as an undergog player, and
can you just talk a little bitabout that that well that some of the

(01:00:13):
newsies you know, always kind ofcounted out that US came through. Can
you elaborate more than that? Justfrom a standpoint like I always get like
over overshadowed, overlooked, whether it'sah in something, you know what I'm
saying, Like, I feel likeI do a lot more than what can
be sitting by the eyes of theinexperienced, you know, Scout and I

(01:00:34):
do a lot of different dynamic thingsthat help make plays for others. You
know, I'm definitely an active player. I'm always doing something, whether in
the runner pass game, so youknow, I think that goes on others
sometimes and I'm looking forward to puttingpeople on notice. Thanks Crady. What
uh, what do you like todo outside of football? Uh? Big

(01:00:54):
gamer? I'm definitely I've been gettingto a lot of chess lately so to
expand my brain. Uh. I'mtrying to get into reading, but if
it's not sports plated, I'm reallynot interested in reading that much, but
mainly just video gaming and chest.And then when we write and say your
name, do you prefer your grandma? Uh? I mean you can say

(01:01:15):
you can say Draymond Jones. Imean, but like just I fel like
personally, just call me dred becauseeasy, because people like to f my
name up a lot, like alot they call me DRAYMONDE. I don't
know why you put a Draymonte inmy name or drakemond t whatever you want
to say. What do you thinksome of that I'll be able to bring
out out of your games? Youcan keep trying to, you know,
just being more explosive, probably moreyards for catch with the space that he's

(01:01:38):
putting us into. The more yards, more yards have to catch, more
exposive, pick more exposed to playfor for not just only me, but
she and ak and taste them.So I'm excited to be able to be
in the system. I assume youthink you guys can be a lot more
explosive than than you in the lastcouple of years. Oh yeah, of
course. It brings a lot ofdifferent things, you know what I'm saying,

(01:02:00):
the playbook, but just accountability.I feel like that's gonna lead us
to success. They said the languageis a little a little shorter. Has
it? Have you found that thelanguage that you guys use Is it about
the same or is it it's kindof the sad Really it's a long long
plays, but it's more understanding forsure. I feel like you could get
to that more understanding plays and Uh, I feel like that's that's the difference.

(01:02:24):
Hater was saying the other day,just kind of like coming into this
offense after like twenty years of Breezeand just kind of how it was just
kind of built on top of eachother and on top of each other.
It's like kind of a lot tokind of take in. Do you do
you find that they kind of turnit down to something new starting at like
zero with everybody, it's just alittle bit easier to kind of get everybody
on the same Yeah. I feellike it's way easier. Like you said,

(01:02:44):
it was kind of more of aDrew Brees style the last playbook,
So all credit to them though theybuilt that around him, around his players.
But Uh, like I said,it's it's more. Uh, this
playbook is more for uh matchups,and I feel like it gonna be better
for us. How do you thinkit's gonna really take advantage of your skill
sets? Uh? Just building aroundthe strengths that I have. You know

(01:03:07):
what I'm saying, things that Ican do and things that she can do,
uh, things that our players cando. Is kind of focus on
what we can do and building onthat. Uh. I feel like it's
playing to the player strengths. SoI feel like it's gonna help us a
lot has been around the way thisoffense will have a lot more speed.
And how has that transition event sofar? I mean, like I said,

(01:03:28):
it's building around the players strengths.So of course we got speed uh
with me or she and ati receiver. So uh, just building around that.
H. Like I said, playingto our strengths and be able to
capitalize off that. Feel like it'sgonna help us a lot. But most
of like the up tempo astrict andyou know, getting a lot of plays
in unless time. Oh yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, that's definitely gonna
play a big difference. Like Isaid, coming from the West coast,

(01:03:49):
Uh, they bringing that stand foran offense here, So I'm excited to
be able to be a part ofthat. For you personally, what what's
what's the max level look like?For you? What do you what are
you trying to accomplish this here?Uh? Just staying consistent, man.
A couple of ups and downs lastyear just building off that. It's always
you're always gonna work on the physicalpart, but being able to bounce back

(01:04:10):
after a bad game the mental mentalaspect. Uh, just learning learned that
last year and be able to buildon that this year is a huge part.
You know with Mike Gon, doyou take it upon yourself to kind
of be that voice in the roomor to take a step forward even further
as Uh, I mean it's notreally. I mean everybody's kind of grown

(01:04:30):
in the NFL, so it's juston you to be able to have that
standard. Like I said, Ijust try to do that. Lead by
example. I'm not really outspoken,but just lead by example, working hard,
trying to dominate every rep and hopefullythey follow out of that yards after
the catch? Is that you feellike that's the strength of yours that maybe

(01:04:51):
wasn't utilize I don't know if utilizesthe right word, but you could show
more. Yeah, it's offense thatU. It is built around that.
Uh just catching the ball in space, catching the ball over the middle or
even on the outside, uh withwith space and separation. Feel like it's
built around having yards have to catch. So I'm definitely proud to be in

(01:05:13):
the system, like I said,and I'm excited. But is that is
that a mindset too? Like beinggood at yards after the catch? Like
Oh yeah, I mean of course. I mean you don't want to get
tackled by the first person. Andmy mindset is trying to take every take
everything to the house, you know, every touch. So uh, I
definitely got to do that more anddefinitely try to work on that and practice.

(01:05:33):
Keeps a great dude man. Uhsome some that I definitely needed.
Some that he relates to me.Uh, just from backgrounds and uh he's
a great coach, great leader,Uh, motivational and uh. Like I
said, I'm excited to have himaround and for him to push me is
everything that I need. So somethingyou're talking about like mentally bouncing back,

(01:05:57):
you know from tough performances or whatever. Like, did you they try to
fund your resources kind to help youfigure out how to do that? Oh
yeah, I mean it's older guys. Uh tell me that's natural. Just
have bad games. But uh,just having a standard that I have in
my career as a head coach tohave him on my staff in a couple
of places, so I got achance to see him work firsthand. You
know, I got to see himwork firsthand as a player and then as

(01:06:18):
a coach, so the success hehad is not is not surprising to me.
Is there? Where do you seeHryan the successes had? Yeah?
I think we all do that.I think we come from a unique place
and in a really small hometown inNew Hampshire where we all take a lot
of pride to where we're from,and and when anybody's successful coming out of
there, then you kind of takea little pride that that's it's the upbringing

(01:06:41):
that we all had, you know, in the UTH sports program that we
grew up in in in every aspect, whether it was football, baseball,
basketball, those coaches we had anamazing impact on us and that's why we
are where we are right now.Bill Ryan said he doesn't think of it
as you working under him, workingwith him. The fact is he's the
head coach. He makes me callhim sir though he just said can you

(01:07:06):
do that day one and I waslike, all right, right now?
But I mean he ultimately is thedecision maker. You've been a head coach,
How do you think that's going towork? Do you think there'll be
any as close as you are?Any kind of awkward moments the right term.
But when he's the ultimate decider andyou are working for him, Yeah,

(01:07:30):
I certainly understand my role. I'mnot alhag like I'm not. I'm
not in charge here. Yeah,some people get that reference. Other people
don't get that reference. But I'dcertainly understand that, and I actually kind
of relish it because I really lovethe scheming part. I love the individual
part. I love being in themeeting room of the quarterbacks and trying to
game plan. But everything we dohere is collaborative. You know. The

(01:07:51):
one thing that that really struck mewhen I walked in this place is there's
an amazing coaching staff here. Youknow, and if you get a chance
to talk to Larry Johnson just aboutfootball, or Tim Walton or Jim Knowles
or Brian Hartline or any of theseguys that are on the staff here,
it's it's a very collaborative effort.I think everybody's on the same page.
You know, it's not our offenseand their defense, and it's it's Ohio

(01:08:15):
State. You know, it's it'sOhio State versus the twelve opponents that we're
going to play during the regular season. And then beyond. So it's it's
really collaborative. And that's the thingI like, just in the short time
that I've been here, is howcollaborative everybody's been. You know, we're
all trying to make each other betterand we're all trying to develop this team.
Touched on this en you said,you know, you like to do
what you want to do and notMy sense is you, in your perfect

(01:08:38):
world, you'd like to scribble playson a napkin and not deal with boosters,
dot deal with all the stuff thatcoaches head coaches have to deal with.
Now, how much of a factorwas that in this decision? You
can just do football? No,that's not it. I mean I enjoy
I mean we've had some amazing I'vehad an opportunity and everywhere I've been to
meet some amazing people that are associatedwith the program, and they're people that

(01:09:00):
from my time at New Hampshire ormy time at Oregon. I was just
with Phil Night two weeks ago,you know, and got an opportunity to
spend some time with him and hiswife, Penny, who are dear friends
of mine that have been great mentorsto me in my career. And there's
a bunch of people that at UCLA, Terry donnahe Andrea Donna who were awesome
to me. Angela Mazzoni is agreat friend, Casey Wassman, Troy Aikman.
There was a bunch of people atUCLA that I really enjoyed, you

(01:09:20):
know, being around and talking with. So I think sometimes everybody wants to
make a narrative of it's either thisor that's it's never that. It's never
just all ball, it's never justall recruiting, it's never just all boosters.
It's it's a mixture of everything.But I think the one thing that
as this position as a head coachkept moving on is that if you look
at a lot of them, theyall become more CEOs. You know.

(01:09:43):
I can't tell you how many coachesthat have called me since I made this
decision that said I'm two years behindyou, brother, You know that are
thinking the same exact way. AndI think it's all part of what we
have to do. I think weall need to protect this game and promote
this game, and I think thereare some rules that we need to get
straightened out so that people understand wherewhat it's ab out. Because the game
is still about the players, andI hope that never gets discounted. You

(01:10:04):
know, it's it's always been aboutthe players, and I think if we
can keep that at the forefront thepeople that are making decisions on this,
and I think Jean Smith is oneof the best influences in in the NCAAA,
is to make sure we keep thatthe main thing. The main thing
needs to be the student athletes,right. You know, you're coming in

(01:10:24):
at a time where you've been throughsome places where the expectations are high.
I understand you're also coming into ajuncture where, you know, the three
losses to Michigan, the not makingthe playoff last year, the urgency is
pretty high here. I guess justsort of what perspective do you have on
kind of the stakes that there arefor Ryan this year and the decision that

(01:10:45):
then he makes to bring you into kind of help solve that. Yeah,
I think the expectations can be noharder than they are in your own
brain, you know. And Ithink if you try to worry about what
other people are thinking in their brains, you're going to get screwed up a
little bit. So, you know, I talked earlier the one thing about
Ryan that I know about him andhas always been He's the ultimate competitor.
So he's got There's nowhere that hashigher expectations of Ohio State than Ryan does,

(01:11:08):
nor the rest of us that joinedhim in our part of this and
that are working with him. So, you know, I don't think.
I think sometimes you can spend toomuch time thinking about those things. You
know, what you really have todo is just as there's a big sign
as you walk into this place,it says when the moment, you know,
I think that's a real thing thatwe have to do as coaches,
is to make sure that our playersaren't worried about what's going on in the
future, or or aren't worried aboutwhat's going on in the past, or

(01:11:28):
worry about can they get a littlebit better today, you know, and
can we make improvement? And Ithink the one thing that I've seen here,
and I've only been here for threeweeks, but there's a consistency to
the players approach when they walk inthis building every day, which is it's
unique. It's not like that everywhereelse. And it's one of the things
that I remark to Mick when Iyou know, he said Hey, what
do you think? And I waslike, it's impressive. It's impressive the
culture of the players that are inthis program right now. But I think

(01:11:49):
it speaks a lot to the leadership. There's a lot of older players on
this team, and they've set thetone for the younger players, and I
think the younger players have done agreat job of followship and getting right in
line with that. He's never hitit over play calling to someone before.
What does it mean to you?I guess he technically did it to Bill
when he was here for a coupleof weeks. But what does that mean
to you to kind of be gettingthat responsibility from him and he's calling essentially

(01:12:13):
the offense that you gave it?I guess in some way. Yeah,
I still think the play calling partwill be a collaborative effort. And by
that I mean that if it's agood play, I called it, and
if it's a bad play, hecalled it. Because the great part is
an assistant coach, you can justhen point the finger a little bit and
just say, hey, you know, I wanted to do this, but
he trumped me. So we haven'tactually discussed game day yet. You know,

(01:12:34):
we'll see how that operates. Buteverywhere I've been it's been a collaborative
effort, and all of a sudden, someone that's calling the plays isn't isn't
like pulls one out of left fieldthat you hadn't practiced and hadn't been part
of your offense and said, hey, let's do this. You know,
we're not running the annexation of PuertoRico. You know, we're not coming
up with something special you know inthe middle of the fourth quarter that we

(01:12:56):
haven't done. But I think it'sthe key to really being successful offenses is
how you game plan, how youput it all together, and then how
you practice and train for that sothat you get a chance to execute it.
Because the player's confidence comes become comesfrom their demonstrated ability that they've done
this so many times in practice thatwhen they get out on the field that
this is like that to them,you know. And it's not that they
do it so they do it right, it's they practice it so much so

(01:13:18):
that they can't do it wrong.So, you know, I think it's
that whole part of it that isreally the key to being a really good
game planning team. Second R DougLane Reeve King North chip when you had
that feeling when you were coaching thequarterbacks during Bold, did you consider at
that point maybe resigning as the headcoach and thinking like this is this is

(01:13:40):
not where I am anymore. I'llleave and then I'll look to see what
else is out there. No.I never thought about quitting anything. So,
you know, I just is therean opportunity that I think I can
that fit, you know, AndI think that's the you know, it's
no different than when you're talking toa recruit about them make a decision on
where they're going to go to school. I think that where they should go
to school is where the best videois for them. So you know,

(01:14:00):
I just entertained some opportunities and Ialways felt I felt like this was the
best fit. But I never thoughtabout quitting or not coaching. I'm gonna
coach. I'm gonna coach, andthen I'm gonna die. But I mean
that's how I think I think aboutthings. Is I can't picture that.
I know someone I was on theNike trip and they like, how much
longer are you gonna go? WhenI said I to go another fifteen twenty

(01:14:21):
years. I don't think about Idon't think about retirement. I don't think
about any of those things. That'sjust not kind of my mindset that you
know. I love football and inthe as long as I can be part
of this game, then I'll bepart of this game. Just the way
things worked out with your departure fromUCLA, is there anything that you wish
you had done differently, or anythingyou regret, or just that the circumstances

(01:14:44):
that presented themselves. Do you thinkthat you handled that departure the best that
you could have? Yeah, Imean I got an opportunity to tell my
players personally. You know, Ithink in this day and age of the
Internet, where they read it somewhereelse and you have to text message them,
you know, that was always importantto me that I wanted to make
sure I talk to my players andexplain the reasons of what I was doing.
I wasn't leaving to take a headcoaching job somewhere else. I wasn't
thinking that the grass is greener atanother university. Was just in my personal

(01:15:06):
situation, this is what I wantedto do. I wanted to take an
opportunity to go be a position coachand coordinator, and that's how it fit
you know, what I was happyis that I always thought to Sean Foster,
I think the world of them,and I think he's a special you
know. And the fact that thatthey were they gave him the opportunity to
take over there was you know,it worked out. I didn't have any

(01:15:28):
say in that decision, you know, I was gone. But I always
thought that Deshaun would be a greathead coach, and I'm really proud of
him and happy that that he gotthe opportunity to take that job right behind
him. Actually have your reputation asinnovator. Was part of the appeal of
this is that you get to getin the weeds a little bit. Uh
maybe not mad scientists, maybe tootoo strong of a work because you're working

(01:15:51):
within the system. But was therean appeal of I get to get my
hands dirty here again and innovate andget back to that side of things.
It was, But it was reallymore important of who I get to work
with, you know, and soknowing you know, I've got I know
a lot of guys on the staffbesides Ryan also, so you know,
when I know what their mindset isand what their values are and how they

(01:16:14):
do things, and so I wantto be a part of that. But
there's a part of that. Yeah, how much of a teacher you get
labeled in the innovators? The teachingsare part of this. How much of
a teacher are even? How patientare you? Yeah? I think we're
all teachers. I mean, educationis the transportation of knowledge, you know,
So it really doesn't matter what thecoach knows. It matters what the
players understand, you know. Soyou have to be able to make sure

(01:16:36):
that while you're implementing things is whatresonates with them and how does that come
back to them? So, youknow a lot of our teaching styles that
we've learned is more of the Socraticmethod of there's a lot of questions,
you know, and a lot ofcheck for understandings, just to kind of
find out where the players are comingfrom, because it's what they know that's
ultimately going to win games, notwhat we know. You know that we're

(01:16:58):
not playing the games, we're notstepping across those white lines, and you
know, in your job as acoach is to create an environment where they
have an opportunity to be successful andthen get out of their way and let
them go do it. So Ithink the teaching aspect is huge, and
we continue to research, you know, some of the latest trends in teaching
to make sure that we are transportingthat knowledge to our players. The second
roll left Steve Hellwaggen twenty four sevenSports. Yeah, coach, just treus,

(01:17:20):
you got five scholarship quarterbacks with differinglevels of experience from age and everything
else. Not to annoyed him,but just want to ask specifically about Will
Howard coming in after starting part oftwo years at Kansas State. He just
seems to promote this idea that he'sa football player, you know above all

(01:17:43):
else. Just how impressed are youwith his makeup, by his experience,
what he's bringing to the table walkingin here right now? Yeah, really
impressed. You know, you don'thave to talk to Will for more than
five minutes to kind of know wherehe's coming from. He's really focused.
You know, he knows he's gota short window left in his college career
and it really wants to capitalize onwhat that is. There's a maturity to

(01:18:04):
Will. You know, I II really I've had experience, My experience
in in this thing since the transferportal opened in college football is is some
of the best players I've had anopportunity to coach award transfers. Sometimes when
you're a true freshman and it's fiveyears out, you know, it's like,
hey, I got a ton oftime, you know. And sometimes
when you're a transfer, is thatI've got nine months, you know.

(01:18:25):
So there's a sense of urgency Ithink when you're dealing with with transfers,
and I think Will has exuded thatsince he's been here. But the other
thing that I just in the shorttime that Will has been here is how
quickly he's fit in with the entireteam, you know, and how much
the the rest of the players respecthim. You know. He was U
one of the Gold Award winners forhis work in the weight room in this
offseason, so that says a lotfor him coming in here as a in

(01:18:46):
a short time, being able towin a weight room award, you know,
to start off, you guys hopeto have the number one internally externally
at the end of spring or Iguess just let I think it always every
time I've been involved in these,I think when they're organic is when it's
the best that I don't think youcan anoint somebody or force the issue because
the players know the players would understand. They see it every single day,

(01:19:11):
you know, and there's a teamchemistry part of this thing too, So
we're not going to force the issue. But I've always seen it play itself
out. So I've been fortunate thatthere's always gonna be some quarterback battles that
at some point in time at everyschool there's a quarterback battle, you know,
and then and really you gotta letthem play it out on the field,
and that's where it has to That'sthat's where it has to be decided.
Just a couple Hey can welcome,and we we're excited to have you

(01:19:35):
here. I'm kind of to talkabout the innovative part. Ryan said that
that's something that he's always loved aboutworking with you, and now he wants
you to bring that here and howit would fit with Ohio State. Do
you have any idea what that's gonnalook like yet or is just way too
e I have no idea now.I I think part of it is is
you're trying to put the players inposition to make plays. So a lot

(01:19:56):
of that comes from getting to understandthe players and what their skill sets are
and how we feature what their skillsets are, you know, And and
the one thing after day one,I can tell you that there's a lot
of skill set out there, youknow. So that's that's what gets you
excited. You know, That's that'swhat you jump out of bed in the
morning and you're excited to go towork because of the talent that you get
to work with. But the onething that's the most impressive is the work

(01:20:19):
ethic that goes along with that talent. You know, it's not just empty
talent. It's you got some kidswho want to I mean all of them
since I've been here, want towork. So that's what gets you excited.
But I think assessing what the skillset is you know, that we
have available to us on the offensiveside of the ball, is vitally important.
And then our job is to putthose guys in positions to make place

(01:20:41):
lots of pressure. I mean,you've experienced what it's like to coach national
championship cal Over teams this program rightnow and moving into a situation where you
got to win Quicken now, Sodoes that feel like pressure here for you
or is it a little bit ofexcitement or both? Well, I've always
subscribed to is pressure is what youfeel when you don't know what you're doing.
So if you don't want to feelpersonal, then you should know what

(01:21:01):
you're doing. So, you know, I think it's it's part of that,
and I think part of our jobwith our players in terms of the
education process is getting them to understandthat too. Is that you know,
it's it's about your preparation, it'sabout you and your development. It's not
about that you can't be governed bywhat other people say. It's it's what's
my mindset and how am I intrinsicallymotivated? And then how do I really
compete against myself on a daily basisto get a little bit better. You

(01:21:25):
know, we got a little bitbetter today because we get out on the
field today and got a chance todo some football. And then the challenges
when we get back on the fieldon Thursday. Can we be a little
bit better than we were on Tuesday? And if we're doing that, then
we keep stacking good days on topof good days, and I think we'll
be in good spot. And welcome, thank you. I'm gonna ask about
the pros and cons of coaching fromthe box and coaching from the field it's

(01:21:45):
interesting talk to some offen, somecoordinators. Tom Herman talking about he swore
he wanted to coach from the box, saw the game so much better,
sterile environment, not all the chaoson the field. Some coaches you talk
to the like, I want tobe on the field so I can look
at my guys in that in theeye. Where are you as a as
a core? Honestly, And I'vethought of this a lot. I thought
of it a lot during COVID becausewe had the empty stands, you know,
so I had thought about just walkingup into the stands for a little

(01:22:09):
bit because I had a better advantage. I've always believed you can see the
game better from up above, butI believe you can feel the game better
from the field. So if therewas any way we could get a zip
wire where you could do both,you know, coach called from there and
then zip out of the field,get a chance to talk to him,
because it's a different deal when you'retalking to the quarterbacks on a phone,
you know, than being able tolook in their eye and kind of see

(01:22:29):
where they are with it. Andpart of it is the field part of
it. I remember when I coachedRyan once we were playing Ukon and he
got hit hard going out of bounceand he just walked by me, and
I was a play caller, andhe was like, run the next play,
and I just kind of looked athim. I saw the look in
his eyes because I don't think hecould have thrown it, you know,
he was still trying to get hiswin back. But you wouldn't know that
if you're up in the booth,you know, and you call a pass

(01:22:50):
play from up in the booth andyou're like, how come we can't complete
that? Well, he just tooka shot going out of bound. So
it's that fine line and I don'thave an answer, you know. I
think I think it's feel on theground and it's see from up above.
Maybe in this day a technology they'llfigure it out. But we'll see how
that that that operates, and whateverRyan feels is the best for the team

(01:23:11):
is what we're gonna do. Soyour teams at the Oregon were obviously now
we're playing at this assid pace andrunning a bunch of players per minute and
yep, maybe not by a fastpretty fast. What role do you see
tempo and having an offense and inthis stay yea in college football and has
maybe changed. I think the gameis always evolving, you know. I

(01:23:33):
think when I left in two thousandand twelve to go to the National Football
League, Oregon was the only teamthat was playing really, really fast and
had shiny helmets. And when Icame back in twenty seventeen, everybody had
shiny helmets and everybody was playing fast. So I think the game is always
going to go up and down,and there's gonna be different cycles that it

(01:23:53):
goes through. I think tempo ispart of an offense, but I don't
think it's an offense in itself.I think it's more of like if you
go to dinner, it's a sideorder. You know, it's not the
main course, but it's it's alwaysgood to have it. So I think
there's times when you'll use it,but you're you're not going to use it
extensively the entire game, just likeyou're not going to throw the ball every
single snap in the game. You'renot gonna run the ball every single snap

(01:24:14):
in the game. You know,there there's there's not a game of absolutes
anymore. I think the ability tobe diverse and and have it as a
tool in your two box, soto speak, Uh, is really how
we would look at using it here. Now work familiar with it, then
I think so, you know,I think when you first started going Temple,
there were people in the NCAA.They want to outlawd They want to
make an NCAA role that, Yeah, you couldn't do it, you know,

(01:24:35):
and I'll I'll give coach Shaping credit. I mean, I think obviously
Nick was the first one to doit. He wanted outlaud and then all
of a sudden he adapted it andsaid, all right, we like this,
you know, so we'll keep itin. But it's I think people
have it doesn't matter what you do. There's there's cycles to this game,
and then once people catch on tothat cycle, then it moves. You

(01:24:56):
know, it's no different than fourthree defenses and three four defenses. You
know what is the ray When thewhen the Giants won the Super Bowl,
they were there were three four defenseand everybody, everybody says, we have
to do that. What people didn'tunderstand is they had Carl Banks and Lawrence
Taylor. It didn't matter what defensethey were running. I know, Gym's
back there and Jim played against theYou know it was. They could have
been a four down defense and thoseguys would have been great players, but

(01:25:16):
it's not the scheme. I thinkthat the coaches that do it the best
way is they insert their players andput them in the best position to make
plays. And now, now willTemple be part of it, It'll be
part of it, but it's certainlynot going to be the main course.
Awesome. Sorry, last question,Oh, thank you very much, Jerry.
Uh. Number one, there wasthe great moment there when y'all were
warming up, when you were youwere talking with Tim Walton and Caleb Downs

(01:25:40):
comes up and conversing and as you'rein this kind of a two part question,
but number one, what was justyour take on the talent you saw
on that field today on both sidesof the ball. Where where would you
rank it? Yeah, I'll rankit. I'll be very transparent. As
I was telling Tim and Caleb wona great offensive player. I thought Caleb
would be, could be and shouldbe. But I'm not the head coach,

(01:26:06):
so I always turned stretch as aas an offensive coordinator, I'm always
looking at the defensive players like Icould use him. Oh what could I
do if I had him? Life? If you do it right away,
so you know, being accountable,you know, doing the extra stuff away
from the f uh the facility.That stuff matters at the end of the
day because all the expectations and allthat pressure, that really doesn't matter if

(01:26:28):
you do those things, you know, So what are your expectations for a
year two in this offense? I'lljust keep going. You know, the
name of the game is just execution. You know, the times where we
executed at a high level, thetimes we won those games, you know,
So that's just the goal is justto execute and to be able to
be on the same page bill chemistryright now, so you know, when

(01:26:49):
the when the ball rolls, youknow, we're very we're ready to fly
around at a high level. So, I mean that's the goal and that's
that's you know, there's goals ontop of that, but that's the that's
the foundation right now. LTA's foundationwork. So CJ, I know that,
I know that it's still pretty early, But how has it been so
far getting to work with Diggs andhow is he fitting in? So far?
He's been fitting in great. Youknow, he's coming in with uh

(01:27:11):
his head down mentality, just workingyou know, he's helped me out a
lot. Just you know, hecome comes from a from a a good
system over there where when he waswith the Bills and they did a lot
of things with him and really justoffense and tell me how like Josh played
and things like that, things thatyou know we do different that We've had
this plenty of conversation, you know, so he been He's come in and

(01:27:33):
and been a leader, which whichI'm proud of him for. And you
know it just really's has been unselfishand uh, I wanted to see other
guys eat and that was his mainthings, Like he wanted to be around
other dogs. And you know,he he he stepped into that role where
there's a dog everywhere. Every helooks right, he looks left, there's
gonna be a dog. So andhe wanted that and that's what you know.

(01:27:53):
We we break to the table andhe's been nothing but just amazing so
far. And I I'm very excitedto work with him. It's a teammate
as a what's like to have yourfriend Tank back with you? Guys?
What was it like to go fromthe camon of emotions from hearing about it
to now when it's over in yourbackyard there you'll have plenty. And it's

(01:28:14):
amazing, you know, it's Sh'Sjust a testament to him and you know,
one of the God we serve.And then two, uh, just
the work that he's put in.You know, he's been uh you know,
he came back before it was evenschedule he can get cleared. And
then on top of that, youknow, just coming back after that freak
accident. And you know, Ithink that we serve a God that's merciful
and that's that's purposeful and he knowsthat, and he stepped into and me

(01:28:38):
and him we have those conversations aboutour faith and then cause like this football
stuff, it it seems like it'severything, but it's not. You know,
we're we're people, and we wego through a lot off the field
people don't know. And you know, as his brother, I have to
be there for him, like justlike he's there for me when I go
through what I go through. SoI mean, I'm just proud of him,
man, Like the word proud iseven probably enough to like stay the

(01:29:00):
the feelings that I have for thatguy. Man, he's my one of
my best friends that I've n youknow, gotten a known over the years
in this in this world of footballand past that. Man, I feel
like I'm known since I've been threeyears old. You know, I think
for like our connections kind of likewe grew up together. And you know,
I just got a lot of lovefor that guy, and you know,
I'm very excited for him. He'sbeen snapping that practice and doing really

(01:29:21):
well and you know, to knockoff the rust that quick shows how much
work he's been in. How muchmore comfortable are you walking up to ots
this year to part the last year? Things kind of a little bit slower,
just the biggest difference to you.Yeah, it's night and day.
Man. It's really like I feellike I'm running the show and I've got
a lot more uh responsibilities from Slowand from the Beacon, from dry Bill

(01:29:45):
and really our whole officeive staff,and you know, I'm the captain of
the ship and I gotta run itthe right way. And I feel like
I've you know, stepped into thatrole just you know, and now not
only hold Guy's accountable, but alsoyou know, hold myself accountable to those
moments like I don't let anything slide, uh, cause that's that's the point.
Of winning and losing. So Ithink from last year to this year,
like I've gotten a lot better withlike controlling my emotions, controlling my

(01:30:09):
ball placement, knowing what's NFL open, knowing my food work better. There's
really every little thing I've taken astep and then on the other side of
the ball, you know, justeverything slowed down. Seeing coverage. Demico
does a good job of blitching meand you know, working on their different
coverages or different looks and start toohigh, go to one and go back
to to motion like as man,go to cover too, like all that

(01:30:30):
stuff to keep me true and honest. And you know, I think I've
tried to do my best with myoff season study to you know, be
better, and I feel like I'vedone that and had a good ota so
far. So got to finish withthat mini camp, but it's been definitely
a big transition of just more comfortabilityfrom last year to this year. College
you you always had like a reallytalented receiver room, and then last year
you had a talented receive a room. So you've had the experience of having

(01:30:54):
to feed a lot of guys.Obviously you had in Diggs, even Joe
Mison, coming out of the backfield. How much would that scars from those
you know, college and last yearhelp you with being able to make sure
that everybody's being fed the way youare. So if you can, you
have the best possible offer, ifyou guys get Moore up. Yeah,
I mean I don't think nothing changes. You know. It's like I tell,

(01:31:14):
I tell guys, cause I getthat question a lot from I got
people just walking around just anywhere,astra game whatever, and I was like,
man, it's football. You knowyou're open, you get the ball.
So uh and my thing is,you gotta pick your poison playing us,
like who you gonna double, whoyou gonna cater to? Who you
like? You got five dogs whoare who are able to get the get
the ball in each give and play? You know. So I think it's

(01:31:36):
fine. I know Slow has donea great job of being more creative and
you know, has put different personnelpackages out there, guys in different positions
that going from inside and outside,you know, And you know, I'm
I'm very excited to work with withcoach Low again. He's done amazing so
far, you know, tas andwill continue to do such. But yeah,

(01:31:57):
man, I think that past experienceof playing with Marv Jax, Garrett,
Chris Jamo, America, Julian likethose type of guys, and they'll
tell you too, Like I knowthey'll probably have said it before, but
they'll tell you like they made mebetter and I made them better. You
know, that's my job is tomake everybody around me better. So I'm

(01:32:19):
excited. Man has been healthy competition. Like I know, Garrett, I've
seen his interview day. He wastalking about Ohio. See how like the
receivers, like if Gear made aplay, Chris is like, nah,
watch this like it's the same thinghere, which is, you know,
really cool to watch. And youknow, as the quarterbacks meet, Davis
in case and Tim were the sameway too, So healthy competition is the
best way to grow and get better. And I think that that's what it's

(01:32:42):
about. You see how excited Diggsgets for Tank when he makes it play,
and metch gets for excited for whenNico makes a play, and Tank
gets excited when Rob makes a play. You know. So it's amazing.
And you know we got Noah comingback to which is gonna be amazing.
And I'm excited. Been there anda ton of guys there's a ton of
talent, Steed showing up. Really, everybody's really been doing Jay, Wayne,

(01:33:02):
Johnny you know so and man,it's been fun. Uh Nicko and
got you some some mixture talent onthe office side of the ball. Well
what do you think about the additionsthat he made on the defensive side of
the ball. Yeah, man,it's been great. It's been good on
good like MiG talks about irons,tromp and iron. You know, it's
been a lot of smack talk,a lot of just uh, just good

(01:33:23):
competition, you know. And thenit starts with me and his ease,
you know, him being the leaderof defense. I'm the leader at offense,
and you know, playing him lastyear. I man, he always
showed up on tape when I watchedthe Titans last year. So it's cool
to like see like the stuff hethinks. We you can see him at
my locker, me at his orus before practice after practice talking about plays
and you know, so, Imean it starts with us. And then

(01:33:45):
when you add Daniell, somebody who'sa vet who plays really hard, who's
gonna help will you know them twodogs? You got Kim in the in
the middle with Autry and and Sosaand ya just a ton of man you
know in the back end, yatyoung guys showing up. Kaitlyn's doing really
well in the back end along withPetrie and uh Jimmy along with Kamari Kamara

(01:34:10):
has shown up. Stein's playing wellas y'all seen. Uh So, man,
it's just been dogs on dogs,you know, like and that's that's
that's that's the best teams I've everbeen on. Has been the closest teams
personally, but also the most competitiveteam. So it's been dope season.
See that he broke out last year, Nico broke out last year, and
Nico gets the contract exception, he'shere to twenty twenty seven. What does

(01:34:30):
that do for you? Just knowingthat you haven't familiar target to work with
for the next few years. Youknow, it's just something I I'm first
of all, I'm just proud ofthat guy. Uh my brother, Nico.
He's showing up and shown out.You know when you know when his
number is called, he always makesto play. And you know, he's
just a special He's a generation talentman. He's he's like, alright,

(01:34:53):
ag is Andre Johnson in my opinionof just how fast he is, how
he gets in and out of hisbrace, his releases, how strong he
is. And I think last yearwas just a uh a preview to what
it's took come for him. Andthe one thing I'm proud of him for
is just the work has never stopped. He's constantly here working on his body,
constant in here working on his hands. Is his mobility in the weighting
room, you know. So forme, I mean just having a a

(01:35:15):
true uh. I think we havelike five number ones, you know,
So that's kind of cool to have. And I've had that before in college
and I'll have it again and it'sgonna be fine. Man. And Nico
he's gonna he's he loves to seeeverybody else he eat too, so man,
his his love for his brothers hasa change. And you know,
it's it's a it's a special feelingto see somebody who deserves to get paid
and you know, get what theyd d d wait, they what they

(01:35:39):
deserve. And you know, I'mjust really proud of him. What does
it mean for you to have anotheropportunity to work for Arvisila? Andeli Johnson.
I don't know if you remember thatwas a moment going into the playoffs
last season where you really even knowif either one of those guys told here
pretty hit. Yeah, I meanfor both of them to come back was
very special. I think we bothwe all have a better feel a little

(01:36:00):
how to work with one another.And you know the talent I am on
the field and the play caller thatBobby is, and then the comment Coach
Drovet is, you know we're allwork together and that, and you know,
slow as I'm in his office almostevery morning just going over stuff and
watch the film with him, goingover things that we need to go to
get better at. And he alwayshas his phrases, you know, working

(01:36:23):
for the end at mind, andyou know he holds me accountable when you
know it could be easier just tolike let me slide, cause you know
I'm out there still making plays,but he's like, na, you need
to be better here, here andthere. And you know that's just shows
what type of leader he is.And you know it's an honor to be
able to work with him again.And same for me, like to him

(01:36:43):
like, hey, flow, I'mnot really feeling this play or I want
to add this player to try tosee if we can get better here in
this in this practice where you know, I think we can be really good
at this type of player. Andhe's very very accepting when it comes to
that. So it's been cool towork with both of them. And I'm
very excited to get another year onour belt. What what was it like,

(01:37:04):
uh teacher football uh internationally and thether the reception that you got from
the people there, it was itwas amazing, you know. Uh,
first of all, shout out toBeijing, Shanghai and Tokyo, you know
for excepting Meeda Mica h with openarms and just the hospitality and the uh,
just the culture man there is justamazing. They wanna learn about football,

(01:37:28):
you know, and it's it wascool just to see like them already
have like the foundation of it,but wanting to grow from there. And
you know, I think football isa family sport and like those people are
our family now. And you know, the Olympics come into where it's gonna
be international with flag football, Ithink it's super dope. And to be
able to get you know, tobe able to put our feet into those

(01:37:51):
those uh doors already, you know, it's kind of cool. You know.
So I mean, I'm very gratefulwith my team with uh Bernie and
David for setting that up and evenlike the guys out there who who gave
us top notch hospitality it wa.It was just amazing man, the whole
experience. So, you know,just my first time really out the country

(01:38:12):
and just being able to like goto the Great Wall China and all that
stuff and still do what I loveto do, you know, working out
when Micah it was cool and uh, he has a lot of crazy takes,
but you know, I I gotlove for that guy, but it
was fun. Man, John andJonathan, Dad, what's uh, what's
it like? Have you kids stoverdown here with you? And what's your
relationship been like with him? Oh? Yeah, Kay's my brother. Man.

(01:38:34):
You know, I've been through takingthing with him and he's somebody who
I I often look at as likelike our moms are like the same or
our families are super close. Incollege, I think he's like my blood
brothers who like somewhere for working outof line. I don't know how it
works, but I just he's alwayslike there for me. He's always you

(01:38:57):
know, I don't know, man, Kate is just like that guy.
He's a brother that you just youknow, letting him know I'm available for
him. You know, I thinkit can be something as little as just
the steps on field goal block orfield goal protection. You know, I've
been doing it for thirteen years.It's still crazy, I'm still doing it.
But uh, you know, uh, those are the type of things

(01:39:20):
I'm just giving guidance to. Andthen you know, off the field,
it's you know, what to expectaround the city. Where should you be,
where you should be, how youcan help yourself, you know,
the little things. Yeah, whatare you looking for in your contract?
You know I'm looking to be here. You know, the value is what

(01:39:45):
we decide. But you know,I think for me, I want to
be you know, valued of myposition. You know, I understand I
came up a rough season, butI don't think it's a step down of
where I can play. You know, I think when I was at the
top of my game, I'm stillyou know, top five player in my
position. And you know I playedthe run in the past and I bring

(01:40:08):
leadership and you know that's not anythingI discover. Can you do you plan
to be here for men camp anda stortage for in the camp. Yeah,
how difficult has it been the lasttwo weeks to not be here?
I mean, you said in yourblodcasts the first time you've never not been
AOTS. Yeah, it w itwas difficult, But like you know,
the thing I got very frustrated withwas just and people questioned my communication with

(01:40:30):
the team. You know, Iuh was communicating with guys left and right,
and you know, front office,coaches, teammates, And all I
care about is how I am withmy teammates. I don't want them to
ever think I don't care about themor how I'm not in it. And
you know, you can say whateveryou want about me. But besides that,

(01:40:51):
but I always dedicate anything I canto them, and I don't want
that to every question. Isaiah saidthat it felt like sometimes you were pulled
up somewhere watching film. You texther say, hey, you miss this
or you wanna that. Well,like the first day, he was batting
all up Russ's passes, so Ihad to let him know. You know,
I, uh, you gotta takeadvantage of that. You gotta make

(01:41:12):
sure guys are you know, UHknow that you you still care and you
still wanna be a part of this. Uh, you know, just watching
practice, there's a couple of littlethings we're doing different, whether I'm communicating
with dumbbar or other people you know, to be Yeah, so you're that
You're also talking with him and youyou've given him pointers during the off season,
just constant communication. How do yousee him grow as a person,

(01:41:34):
you know, as far as howhe's approaching things, how you're getting ready
for this season from his rookie year. Uh. You know, I think
the thing with Keanu is he's morecomfortable. You know. You know,
it's not his first time around thetrack. You know, it's actually like
he can you know, uh,catch his feet under him. You know.
I always think when you're in yourrookie season, you're going from bowl

(01:41:56):
game. I don't even know Wisconsinplayed in a bowl game. Sorry Wisconsin,
I don't know. But you know, personally, I just think when
you go from bowl game to trainingfor the Combine to you know, rookie
mining camps, OTAs, the youknow mini camp, I mean the training
camp the regular season, you reallydon't get a time to really catch yourself.
You know, he understands the playbooknow, he can be more vocal,

(01:42:19):
you know, And I think whenmy absence, the other guy's absence.
You know, you need guys likethat to step up and be ready
for those opportunities you had during theseason. Was a more thorough what was
just tightening down everything, you knowon my left side because I was overcompensating
a little bit, but you knowit was it wasn't anything that lingers.

(01:42:43):
You know, I'll say this,Uh, a growing is not like an
a cl It's not like anything's thatwe're gonna get afected again. And you
know, you know, I'm feelinggood, able to do everything squat and
heavy with power and speed, soyou know, it feels good to get
after. What do you think ofwhat the team was able to accomplish yourself
eas in in terms of bringing guyslike Russian and things, you know,

(01:43:05):
I I think they're all good acquisitions. But you know, you never wanna
be known as a paper champion andso you can't win the off season.
I think the work gets done outhere on the field, gets done in
the classroom, it gets done training, uh, you know, and then
you see where you're at in trainingcamp and then you build on that.

(01:43:26):
You know, I think we gotthe right guys in the building. It's
just about uh, putting a completeteam on the field camp how temper colleagues
it to separate the business part ofthe game in the actual football player.
Uh, you know, y youalways wanna you you always have to treat
it like a business, uh,because you know one day it's gonna end.

(01:43:46):
Uh. And that's been the job. Uh. It's not like in
college where you know you got fouryears guaranteed. You know, well now
you you don't even know where nI am and know it's crap, but
the transfer portal portal. But youknow, you have to I still have
love for this game, and Istill work my tail off, and I
still put everything into it, andthat's not gonna change. But you have

(01:44:13):
to know, uh what you bringto the team and and what your what
your value is. Cay, youwanted to fel to be out there with
your teammates today. Emotionally great.You know, we got a new uh,
we got a new training staff andstill learning the the warm up a
little different. Uh, but uh, you know I loved it. Uh,
you know, just getting after it, learning new guys. Uh,
going through the same drills I've beendoing by myself. Uh. I actually

(01:44:36):
like having more people around, causelike kind of go stir crazy, cra
crazy. When it's just you andanother guy, You're like, damn,
I gotta go back up for anotherrep already. And so you know,
it's nice to be up here andget a chance to you know, be
with my guys cam were you're confidentand deple'll get done with your emotions.

(01:44:56):
Oh I'm gonna I'm we'll try toremain pretty new cause you know, I
don't wanna you know, be tooeither way. All I know is I
wanna be here, but we'll seewhat happens. Is my last year here,
I I I I've had a greatcareer here, but uh we'll look
forward to play next year. Canyou with that second surgery you said it

(01:45:19):
this time was on the left side. It was the first time around on
the right side, right side duringthe season, left side, and that
was just tightening down my corner.My corma saw. It wasn't the same
as my ad doctor. You know, you can ask doctor Bradley, uh,
doctor doctor Zuckerbron who uh did thesurgery as well. You know,

(01:45:41):
I if anything's gonna help me andit'll make me a lot stronger from hearing
up and you said you were trainingwith another guy. Who have you kind
of been Tyson? Oh? Uh, I've been training with him for the
last eight years. We've always trainedtogether. We got a trainer up north,
uh shot out of Cole Haley,who's my guy trading trained train and
uh Heath Miller, Brett Keesel.The multitude of guys that I all respect

(01:46:06):
and we've just been getting after it. Kim the very few guys historically thirty
five that paid big contracts. Youthink that's held against you. I think
there's not a lot of history behindit. But you know, for me,
I I look at as I'm notlooking to be like anybody else.
You know, my game is differentfrom everybody else in this league. You

(01:46:27):
know, I like to think,you know, I can play the run
in the past, and then that'swhere I'm different. You know. I
remember last year Mike t just broughtto my attention. You know the thing
that's really cool is you watch powerlifters, and you know, my game's built
on powering technique, and those guysgo into their forties and so you know,
that's what kind of research I'm doingbehind the scenes. But you know,

(01:46:51):
I I We'll see what happens.I it's m there's not a lot
of history, but I'm here tomake history and I'm here to you know,
win another Super Bowl year and youknow, have a great season.
Do you have a set goal foryourself or how many years you wanna play
in the NFL? Or do youjust take things here right here? You
know it? It was it wastough answering that question right after the season.

(01:47:15):
I will say this, guys,I I can't keep answering that question
right after the season. That isnot fair to the season, That's not
fair to my family. Uh youknow. But in my mind, I
got three years and I wanna maximize'em. I wanna play at a high
level, and I wanna go deepin the playoffs. And you know,
we got a good team, andI'm gonna do my part to be ready

(01:47:35):
for all those situations here. Ifyou planned on practice when you report to
the troub, or is your possibilitythat you might pull in and enforce the
negotiations. I I have not eventhought that far. I've taken a day
by day. Uh you know.Uh uh. I told my agent and
we talked about it, and wewe we were cool coming out here.
You know, I'll be here formany you know, and then I'll be

(01:47:58):
there for training pad. You know, I don't know what the work entails,
but when we get there, we'llwe'll cross that bridge or remain a
stealer for those three years. Youknow. There was a conversation between me
Omar and Mike t And there's certainguys that are one helmet guys, you

(01:48:20):
know, and I want to beone of those one helmet guys. And
you know, there's a there's ahunger and desire that I was doing a
little bit of carrying the ball.I was behind Xavier Johnson. So learning
from him and guys like that,it's it. It makes me more comfortable.
But I could. I feel likeI could do anything on the field,
and I'll do anything to play sofast and do with meat, throwing
the ball, running the ball,catching the ball, blocking anything, I'll

(01:48:43):
do. Y gotta field, I'lldo with that. Specifically, talking about
how competitive you are, where doyou think that competitor driving from? It
just comes from where I'm from,South Florida. I feel like everybody down
there, we compete to the max. There's no other place that competes like
South Florida. There's dogs all aroundthe South Florida. So, I mean,
it's just ever since I was sevenyears old when I started playing,
It's just it was instilled in meto just compete and be that dog.

(01:49:05):
Speaking of, I mean, Iplayed with Jeremiah when I was ten and
eleven, and that we played againsteach other a couple of years of high
school. So I've seen him.The growth he's made over these years is
insane. The way his body haschanged is crazy. And now seeing out

(01:49:26):
here today is just like everything comesfull circle. You know. He he's
what, he was the best playerin the country last year and for him,
for me seeing him grow up andthings like that, it's been really
good to see Fresh. It's sucha stacker. Even Marvin Harrison Junior didn't
play much as a truth Fresh,but it seems like he might be the
exception to the rule. I feellike Jeremiah is just I mean, he's

(01:49:47):
definitely he's a different caliber. Whenwhen you when you watch him and how
smooth he is and the physical abilitieshe brings to the game, I feel
like he has to play some way. He he has to play goods.
He was the better the team Jeremiahsophomore and now you guys home this year,

(01:50:16):
the next two or three years,we're gonna they're gonna get the best
receiver receiving room in the country.You know, we've been helding that narrative
for so long now, but we'regonna continue to do that. I mean,
we have conversations were like as usthree because we're we all play for

(01:50:36):
the same team. As you said, we just want to be the best,
and we know when it's our timeto come, we're gonna do.
We're gonna do that and definitely geta national championship. How special is that
for you three that you guys getIt's very special because you would have never
known in O T seven when wewere there all on the same field together

(01:50:56):
on the same team. People neverthought we would have been at the Ohouse
thing all playing on the same fieldat the same time. So it's definitely
special in the dreams come true.How's your body changed in the off season?
How I definitely think my body haschanged a lot, and it's changed
the ways of like my body fat. The sentences went down a lot,
and I just feel like I overallfeel better when I like do long runs

(01:51:20):
and stuff like that. So Ihave a good, really good stamina right
now, So I just hope tokeep that up. You guys winded this
year as you were after a fiftyseven years touchdown and your first catch that
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ifeel like it was just adrenaline rushing.
I feel like I was more sothe celebration was more tired than the run.

(01:51:40):
Actually, everybody jumping on me andstuff like that. But it was
definitely a cool experience experience. Justtalk about South Is there a little Southemia?
Is there outside? It feels likethere's a little bit of South Florida
like the good track Propper. Yeah, he do you guys? Do you

(01:52:01):
see that in the corner? Ifeel like if the if if there were
anybody to be from South Florida andcorn m it would be the uh ig
be Davidson Ignos guard and looking overto the my counterpart gyuard is a great
thing to see. What what aboutCarson's skills might just allow him to shift
over one's talking where it was lastyear. White hen to be successful.
He's athletic, he's able to runthe ball. He's he's been as well,

(01:52:23):
which was all like your favorite thingworking in the space. That's uh,
it's a huge thing to have.And uh, he's just trying to
come up into the red guard spot. You know, it's him of those
counting out the guys. I gottasaid bad firing for it. But he's
doing doing a good job today.Let's see what we can do it too
summer and get into the ball camp. After Sam scored his touchdown, cochlock
and was talking to him. Thenhe kind of made his way over toward

(01:52:44):
he grabbed his shoulder head like whatwas going on there? Oh yeah,
yeah, I mean obviously, Uh, young guy scores a touchdown. The
shoe he kind of blocks out ofeverything cause I'm trying to coach the locks
on his name, trying to gethis attention back. He gets some coaching.
Uh it was it was nothing toocrazy. Coach locks it Now we
handle both the ref aunt here andso just make sure you know, uh,
obviously it's a great thing. Rightnow I'm going to touchdown. It's
great thing. Everybody showing you've seenhim score. But you have some time

(01:53:05):
of season, dunts a lot ofquarterbacks running the ball up today. Uh
back to that part of the game. I mean, I I think that
just makes uh offense even more bouncingthose sheep. Let's played eleven on the
website tenn on eleven. So it'sjust another guy to account for another guy.
You have to uh move outside thebox another guy after tend the homes
the rest of the defense open formore uh options and you know fensis.

(01:53:26):
So it's a it's an awesome thing, you know personally on on the slide,
but but uh it's it's still cool. See how difficult did that make
it last year? When ye yourlast couple of years when you really ever
had that? What does a runningfor you be able to run for quarterback
games? None, It wasn't difficult. It's just a new style of offense.
You know. Coach Kelly comes inwith uh his philosophy and what he
wants the cues to do, andthe cues are actually do went on the

(01:53:48):
spring, so uh we're just gonnakeep building off that. Obviously we uh
gisud a couple of good things todaysome uh some good runs by uh all
the cues, but just uh buildingoff of it and see what we can
do better. I think you opentoday the key formations and creative like that.
What's it like working with Chip Kellyand how is that helping the offensive
line? Is creativity? It's it'sit's really fun going through walkers. Obviously

(01:54:10):
I only get the sort of runplay at the inside outside sound, but
you know, we go back fromfilm like we were information, but it's,
uh, everything's a lot everything's alot more fun. All the guys
are buying in all the kinds ofline more fun. So coach kind of
brings us on his own juice towhat we have, what's going on,
and just every day, every guy, everyone improves off of it. And

(01:54:30):
do you feel that improvement up frontfor you guys in the offensive line?
And you feel like that's helping youguys right now? For sure? Yeah.
I mean, uh, we havea lot more experience, and you
know, aligned a lot more guyshave a year or two under the belt.
What did your impression of him?What does he do well that you're
like, okay, yeah, thisis this is the program own to take
closely born, keep those hard,Yeah, be committed right after the visit.
I mean when you came down here, was there a thought process that

(01:54:54):
you could commit. Did you comedown with an open mind or did you
kind of have a feeling that thiswas gonna be the wee gotta unt him
down with open mone. I didn'tknow about them, they really that and
then I got here. I feltthe family having her with the player of
the cook. What was that momentlike for you talking to the coaches telling
me player, telling your family?Just what was that like for you?
It was great, I have amom, my dad, or my brothers

(01:55:16):
in the room they commit. Whatwas that reaction? Well, everybody already
know except from the okay, sowhat was coach last year? It was
time when you think of like justa comment or the yeah, just an
ohio straight back? You know,whether it's physicality, like what are the
first things that come to mind whenyou think of they don't hi here anymore?

(01:55:38):
Sweed of power? Yes on andtight you about it? Yeah?
There is that something that I meanyou feel like you have to you know
we're going or is that something thatyou're like, yeah, that's the kind
of back I am. I'm justgonna be next to mine in allis.
I think that's the type of backI am. But you always pop yeah,
Well, what are kind of afew of those things that you're like,
yeah, I need to work onlike go over the course of the
next few months, just everything,make sure I keep all the details,

(01:56:00):
all security. What a coach Itell you that he likes about your game?
Is it art between the tackles orspeed or what is he like right
now? He said, you liketomorrow thou the backfield game and he liked
that. I'm not gonna what's kindof your main I mean, obviously as
an in state kid committed to thisclass, what's your pitch now to other
recruits and being like, this iswhy you should join the Hio station twenty

(01:56:20):
trains. It's a real family.I'm experience. Yeah, everybody gets them
on, everybody talking to everybody knoweach other. What'd you say once you
get into coaching, running back orbringing to a well. I've always looked
up to Bill Jackson watching this film. Do you uh that's funny? Do

(01:56:44):
you think that your boy style khere his fiscal perspective in just the way
that he won't even walk in Yeah, I think that you go Bro said,
yeah, I think I can.I think it's speeding the power.
Yeah, I think I Who arethe main guys that you're you're talking to
right now to join us full I'mreally talking to everybody the listening room and

(01:57:05):
that all the comments and any guysthat you want to join the class,
to anybody at the top of yourlist, which I'm sorry if you already
got asked this, but coming uphere as a as a recruit, as
a commitment'm sre what what did youwant to show today? What did you
want to get out of this experience? It wasn't nothing to show nothing.
I just want that just one workin Goose. Look, how did you

(01:57:26):
feel like that went? Obviously he'sstill relatively new here, but he seems
to bring up a little bit ofa different energy than than some of these
camps in the past. I feellike it really good. Yeah, do
you sense that energy? I meanwhen you're out with him, it's yeah,
I feel the intense. He's differentthan other guys though, right,
I mean kind of How would youexplain his coaching than some of the other
running back coach you may have workedwith in the path. It's just intense.

(01:57:47):
It like go go go. Yeah, did you talk to coach?
Talk on when either at Organ?I did? Okay, so when when
didn't? He didn't? Organ?Getting market er like Rufford around like half
of the season, like not tootactic. Okay, so I mean is
it was? He kind of thesame guy that he is now, just

(01:58:08):
just in a new uniform basically.And you guys obviously added Isaiah to the
class, and there's no secret theywould like to add another one. What
are your thoughts on being in aclass with three different running backs like that?
I have no problem to be ableto pass through another thing. What
do you like about Isaiah? Idon't know, do you don't know anything,
You've never met him, but youjust damn it on the person when

(01:58:30):
you committed. There were some ofthe guys that we sat to hear from
me, but in particularly about afterthey come up. I'm not really punebackers
taking Aubrey's nicet. You just betrucoming back. You're just getting in that.

(01:58:51):
I enjoy every time. Great,that's as you put your life's chances.
You walked out of the door ifyou were the last time, just
decided to work out committing and nowyou're flashed and going players us. It's

(01:59:12):
actually really bad actual ever since justeven getting the offer from here my life,
that's just the skyrocket. I justappreciate still. I mean, obviously
you get a coupe before you did. Hear it. I'm curious about how
you pitch so higher street, likehow you do pretty? It's a pretty

(01:59:32):
you started pretty good. But Imean in terms of the guys, don't
you want to join? How youyou're as pure? Great? Great?
Right? Se Because what do youwant out of a quarterback here? Like

(01:59:55):
a white absolute specific like yeah,you part of the worst characteristic gay question

(02:00:28):
Rochester, A couple of b Thankyou brothers, visit coach today, your
works child, Thank you very personagain, thank you once you give your
visits hard were talking about Kelly foundthat what do you like not I'm us

(02:00:58):
it's the first time I met him. Just what do you think you can
bring through the you know when you'reup? Yeah, like you a lot.
What's been like for you just movingup to California? Being out of
the day. This is a littleobnestly like how do you help you?

(02:01:23):
Just different being and how to staterecruit here when you were just is definitely
different. So it's flying here anew generation of recruits where I don't think
anybody outside looking at the questions thestrength of your commitment, like you're locked

(02:01:45):
into last day you send it overand over. But you're making visits around
the country, You've seen other schools. It's it's almost a totally different mindset.
How do you approach these other visitsand how do you communicate with Ohio
State about them? But what's beenthe message much House? Stay? I
just let it know that, youknow, Uh, I'm always locked in,
you know, I'm just still enjoyingthe buses or in the group.

(02:02:09):
You know, it's it's only everone time chid the siven enjoy sm uh
the other schools. I tell them, like, yes, it would be
really hard trying to get you theflip because that's so high to stay.
You know, it's where I wouldbe. Just so what is if it's
made you wanna take close to whatw chase House? The rehab process going
so far, it's doing great,man, it's just taking them one day

(02:02:30):
at a time. Up at whatstage are you? I know DA said
they wanted to see you probably intraining camp and we would know a little
bit more. I guess after nextweek when you see the doctor for what
what stage are you? Yeah,I'm back up training doing everything lifting that's
crazy, So I'm back in thatstage. Do you have a time cable,
like what would you be ready fortraining camp? Or like what is
your expectation? Uh? Right now, just take me one day at a

(02:02:51):
time. Standing in my playbook.So my numbers called them ready? And
how important for you hasn't been toI guess stay around the team while you're
in this process. Uh? Greatman? Uh, you know, definitely
getting in touch with the guys,you know, knowing a lot of s
lot of the guys already a lotof the old State boys here. So
it's been great. Are you encouragedby how you feel so far after the

(02:03:14):
procedure? Do you? Oh?Yeah, what do your expectations work?
What from what people told you?How would how would you goes? Oh
yeah, nah, I f Ifeel fine. Shit, I just ran
ten fifties. Shoot, I'm I'mgetting back in shape. Shoot, getting
in the weight room, about toget strong again. So yeah, I'm
i'm, I'm i'm'a be ready.What potential do you see with this defensive
line? Yeah? I mean nowyou definitely stacked. I see a lot

(02:03:38):
of great things. Uh you knowwe worked together. Yeah, I think
Skyt's limit. What conversations have youhad with some of the veterans, like
Cam many of the people on theG line. Yeah, just uh going
to Cam just aks'em about certainthings in terms of how he sees offenses
just whole time he's been in theleague, in terms of formations and how
he picks up on little You shouldnot read things like that, Chase.

(02:04:01):
I think making said, you knowyou dove into the deep end of the
pool. H. How I guessm much important for you to be disinvested
with his team in and how muchare you enjoying that investment? Yeah?
Nah, that's real cool, butI uh I love it here. H.
Only thing I had to get usedto is that heat. Uh but
uh it's it's real cool. Greatteammates and everybody welcome you with open off

(02:04:21):
So it's a great experience. Chase, Ho, you gonna get work?
You innswered the sorry is uh trainingcamp day one? Is I a realistic
expectations? I'm just focusing on today? Are you running it? Yup?
Marshawn is in the little house theygot just having him back in the building,
just talking about with that Oh yeah, uh yeah, b uh big

(02:04:42):
brouh. You know it's uh definitelyexcited to play with'em. We always
chatted obviously on different teams, butI'm definitely excited to to play with'em.
That's you know, that's that'd bebig for me. Was that one
of the guys making the decision thatyou you kind of talked to about what
this locker room and white, Yeah, Marshaan Tyrne, But yeah, I

(02:05:05):
mean it was we got a lotof great guys. Mi d You look
at that, you know, onpaper, you know, I feel like
definitely one of the most talented defensesin the league for sure. Now it's
all about just putting it together andyou know, coming together as a team.
Your research on that one hundred yearsago, you know, folks had

(02:05:27):
the idea of building a stadium oversixty thousand people, and that's because of
what Chick Harley was doing. Andyou know, they had a wooden bleachers
over here and all these people startedcoming in and the idea of bringing in
a stadium that of were sixty thousandpeople at the time was like, this
is crazy. What is college footballturning into? And they instead of going
to the state or going to theschool the community, they went to the
community to raise the money they raisedover at the time over a million dollars.

(02:05:51):
Well night, Fast forward one hundredyears, and the conversation still might
be like, what is college footballdoing right? And in this situation with
an il, we had to turnto the commune for help and Bucky Nation
showed up again in a big way. So, although the landscape is changing,
I don't know if you know,one hundred years later, if it's
that much different. It's just ina different time, in a different you

(02:06:15):
know, set of issues that we'reworking through. But I think it's exciting.
I think there's a lot of positivesto it. I do. I
think that we're taking the next stepwith the revenue sharing to try to institutionalize
some of it, which would bebig for US bills. Yeah, every
year's got question. It seems likethis year's team has fewer questions off the

(02:06:40):
lineard address specifically, if you lookahead to real in a month, what
are the real questions that you havein your mind about position battles? And
I would say on offense, youknow, we got to square away the
quarterback, as you know, Ifeel like, you know, the offensive

(02:07:02):
line on the right side, we'vegot to solidify that. I feel like
we got to build, you know, enough depth at receiver that we feel
like we can put in five orsix in the game and feel good about
it. On defense, I thinkwe're still looking to figure out, you
know, who are going to bethe guys inside, you know, the

(02:07:23):
third, the fourth, the fifth, defensive interier lignement that we're going to
put in the game. And thensame thing just just I would say depth,
a little bit of safety just tokind of see who those next guys
are. They're going to step up, and so we know it's going to
be a long year. We're goingto need everybody, and and so in
a lot of those areas it's depth. Special teams wise. You know,

(02:07:44):
punter is going to be you knowthat that is significant. You know,
we just brought in Nick and youknow, so there'll be a battle there.
So I'd say those are probably theareas we're focused on the most.
Right just to fall on the offensiveline, I think a school ecology guy
might be looked for a transfer inthat post spring window. Did you guys

(02:08:05):
do that? Did you guys notfind the guy or were you just confident
the guys you have, just likeyou know, in January, if if
if we're gonna bring somebody in itis to fill a hole. We're not
just gonna bring somebody in to bringsomebody in, Like at all positions,
we'll always look to see what's outthere. We did evaluate some of the
guys that were out there, andyou know, you know, we felt

(02:08:26):
like coming out of it as weevaluated it. You know, there was
a couple of guys that you know, we checked on, but but ultimately
like based on where we were andsome of the young guys that are coming
up, you know, we feltlike we saw some progress in the offensive
line in the spring. So youknow, it wasn't there wasn't as many
folks in the portal, you know, in after the spring. So we
looked at it, we identified it, We did our due diligence, but

(02:08:50):
you know we're gonna go through.We have now second round bills, right,
you're it was interesting that you havetwo of maybe the top five ors
of guys in sport and then abunch of guys who haven't plenty uh maybe
someone that I know my question,but did you consider trying to add their
understanding that probably the difficult to sell. We can have such talent, how

(02:09:11):
to bring somebody of these experiences likewhat were those conversations like and how did
you sett along being comfortable with youknow, Trey and well, like you
said, you know, I thinkwe're we would get some experience there with
those two guys. And then youknow, we felt like coming out of
the spring that James and Sam bothdid a nice job and you know,
we're gonna have to play them andthey're gonna have to you know, take

(02:09:31):
on a little bit of that.You know, we have you know,
started having conversations with Caleb Downs.I was part of the recruiting process of
possibly you know, doing a littlebit of running back as well. It's
something that he wanted to do.So we've been having him in some of
the meetings and some of the individualdrills as a possibility there if you know,
needed so down the road to continueto build depth at that position.

(02:09:52):
But you know, I think,you know, we feel like, you
know, if you have you know, four strong running backs going into it,
then you know that's gonna be that'sgonna be enough to carry the season.
I do think that the quarterbacks willrun the ball more this season,
so that should take some carries awayfrom them. But to your point,
you know, James and Sam aregonna have to step up to the guys

(02:10:13):
that we can count on. Savethat for another day. Yeah, just
fall up on it. Is hecapable of stepping in and being running back?
Obviously, we'll see. We'll see. We talked about in the recruiting

(02:10:33):
process, you know, the firsttime around and more specifically the second time
around, and so he's you know, he's been around a little bit just
to get a feel for it.We did very little in the spring.
We did I think we pitched theman option or something like that in the
spring just to kind of get themgoing. But yeah, we'll see,
we'll see where that goes. Wedon't have a specific plan right now,
but we do want to introduce himto that just the same thing like Lorenzo

(02:10:56):
Styles has played reci where he didthat Notre Dame, you know, out
there a little bit, just kindof learning. It's healthy. You know,
you're seeing it from the other sideof the ball. This time of
the year. You can get awaywith that a little bit, a little
bit in the preseason. Where itgoes, we'll see, but you just
never know. And we're trying toput some contigency plans in place because it
could be a long season. Yeah, this is my forty first year covering
House Day. I don't remember everexpectations like this In the summer, there

(02:11:20):
were some of them were almost asbig. Sure do you sense that too,
And what is that pressure like asyou're working through a summer. Yeah,
people have asked me that I goback to the expectations every year are
the same. I mean, it'sjust the truth. When opening press conference,
I said, you got to beatthe team up north, and when
every game after that, that's justthe expectations. And when you come up
short, you know, you gotto figure out a way to get those
things fixed. I think we havedone that. But the expectations are the

(02:11:43):
same every year. Pressure is thesame every year. I just like the
pressure when you've got a really goodteam behind you. So that's what we've
got right now. And you know, we know it's going to be a
long season. We know what we'reworking towards. But I will say this
about this team, Well, we'vebeen talented. That's there's been times in
the past we've been talented. Idon't know since I've been here if we've

(02:12:03):
been this talented and this experience togetherwith guys that have played a lot of
football fourth and fifth year guys,and that doesn't matter. We'll go thanks
ex door, Stephen playing since youbrought it up, maybe this is his
talk because it's summertime so you cannow just have conversations. Maybe we're making
a big out of nothing long termsituations, but we've seen it around college

(02:12:24):
football in league guys playing both sidesof the ball and doing it quite well.
Right. Travishn is doing it downin Colorado, and Kaylorn Dallas has
been apartment turns, so we seewhat he could do with the ball.
But there's also the stamina aspect ofthat. He's getting into a sixteen game
season, so I'm not saying it'sany forty snaps or something like that,
But what about his athleticism what hebrings to the table, and let you
know that if you wanted to exploreit a real game, he could last

(02:12:46):
and still be an effective seety Yeah, you know, we'd have to see
all that. He did it inhigh school. But we got some really
good running backs in a room.So it's not something that we're planning on
doing, but well, we aregonna, you know, work on a
little bit. Caleb Caleb enjoys thatpart of it. We did agree that
that was something that we were goingto look into. Where it goes,
I don't I don't really know rightnow, but I know that he has

(02:13:07):
the capability to do it. Hehas the athleticism and do it, and
you know, we'll kind of seewhere it goes, see see how he
does, and you know, maybehand the ball Tom a little bit the
preseason, because again it's going tobe a long season. We have to
make sure we have continuency plans inplace. But I know it's something that
he enjoys having the ball in hishand. So even during their first time

(02:13:28):
around the recruiting process, we even'ttalked about him coming in as a as
an offensive player. Ultimately we thinkhis ceiling is highest on defense. But
you know, but I also agree. I think that having you know,
guys go on the other side ofthe ball and just see it, listen
to the meetings is really healthy fortheir development. So we're going to do
that. Regardless. Your defensive recruitingright now is maybe further along it's been

(02:13:52):
in the years past, and Ithink we lost numous questions about it in
the past. But is this aproduct of seeing it over the last couple
of years, and now it's notjust telling you guys, hey, this
might look like this, they're seeingit in real time. Yeah, you
know, we talked about it whenJim first came in, and I think
Tim Wallons is an unbelievable job aswell in the back end, and you
know, Matt stepped right in andJames and Larry. I think they're all

(02:14:13):
doing a great job. But likeyou said, you know, it's one
thing to talk about it. That'stheory. Testimony is is look at this
is this is what we're doing.And then I think you're seeing a lot
of guys just excited about playing inthis defense and they see the capabilities and
the flexibility too. You know,right now the way we play, excuse
me, the way we play rightnow is based on you know, we
have four really talented defensive linemen thatare really good and we got a lot

(02:14:37):
of that to those positions. Butthere's also flexibility with some of the things
Gym's done in the past that youknow, we're definitely looking at and some
of the recruits that we're looking atwho brings some versatility pass rusher, you
know, we have that jack positionand those type of things. So that's
exciting as well. And I thinkyou're seeing a lot of the recruits,
you know, really get fired upwhen they get here. People. Yeah,

(02:15:00):
years, your identity was very biggerstandpoint and air it outside team.
Look at the key best talent andthe playmakers you have there. Has your
identity changed? I guess what doyou think the identity is of this point
four? Well, we'll see aswe go, but you know, we
know what we need to do toplay in the big games. That's never
changed. And we have to beable to stop the run, run the

(02:15:22):
football, take care of the ball, and there'll be opportunities to throw the
ball that'll that'll happen. But youknow we're gonna have to, you know,
do those things to win close gamesand play situational football. But I
think, you know, you won'treally get a feel for what the identity
of the team is until we getinto probably the beginning of October, you
know, and I think we allhave ideas of what it could go.

(02:15:43):
But you know, now that we'replaying in a playoff format, just like
a lot of those NFL teams sometimes, you know, they don't really quite
understand their identity until they get abouthalfway through the season. I don't think
it'll take that long. But youknow, we're able to play some games
and kind of work through some things. And I don't think our defense is
going to chang a bunch in termsof what we did last year. I
mean, it's a lot of thesame guys back. Could look a little
different on offense. Have we gottime for two more? Go to Doug

(02:16:07):
limras Hey ran you lose an importantrecruiting staffer to promotion at Michigan just the
second time. So much done toMichigan this offseason. How do you react
to something like that? Is somethingthat someone like that would take information that
was learned here that could help theMichigan or burt O highest stages. The

(02:16:31):
reaction to that, Yeah, allgood questions, And you know, I
just I want to talk about theguys that are here, you know,
the staff members that are here,the coaches that are here, the players
that are here, the ones thatare Buckeyes. Joe didgen with the scheduling
change that was announced yesterday? Howwhy did they come together? Didn't have
anything to do with the expanded playoff? Maybe thinking beginning of the season a

(02:16:54):
little different. Yeah, you know, I don't know all that came in
came with it. I know itgot presented to me a while back,
and you know I was on boardwith it. So yeah, I mean
I think, you know, wedo have to look a little bit different
at our scheduling as we move forward, based on the way the format is
at the end of the season.That's quickly about the linebackers. Got in

(02:17:15):
here a little bit late. Howdo you feel about your linebackers? Cody
seems like THEMS like he's lacking asa STARTERJ. When do you see his
role being Sonny? What do yousee his role being? Gay and all
this guy? Yeah, good versatilityall those guys, rvel Reese, Like
you said, CJ, Gabe,Sonny, Cody. You know I'm missing

(02:17:35):
a couple, I'm sure, butlike that was that y r bel Yeah,
I mean these guys are very versatileguys. You can see the length
on them, and you know theydo a good job in terms of like
fitting the runs. They can theyhave enough length, you know, to
covering zone. But they'll also blitzand that's something that we wanted to really
work on this offseason is getting betterat blitzing, you know, and hopefully

(02:17:58):
we can even take the name wegot Jeremiah J. J. Smith J
J. How'd you feel out theretoday? You got a great team,
team came out, don't three andold pool play. When you come to
these kind of tournaments, what kindof techniques do you like to work on?
It? See you think that you'regonna deep run some short stuff from
crossing routes. What do you workon when you're out of the tournament like
this? Really just getting back inthe Google doing the beat. So really

(02:18:22):
just working on my releases. Uh, that's your game, my friends,
Sat, I mean, I'm gonnachuck, So just really get back in.
Now we know you pulled the triggeron Ohio State, obviously you're gonna
take visits kind of make sure thatyou're you're perfect on your decision. What
was it about Ohio State and BrianHartline and Ryan Day It made you feel
comfortable to commit early? Really theysent me my first visit when I think

(02:18:45):
the first off they offered me offso that you feel like system prisman,
but it just what's up? What'sup? What they saw was but they
they gave me, uh really justa kid that I'm a talk mart I

(02:19:05):
wasn't top artist because I'm trying tohave a good side. Now. I
know you got some of your SFVfamily up there, you got Brandon Ns,
you got Carnal Day. What doesit mean to potentially be able to
link up with them in a yearand be able to kind of run back
what you guys have done in SouthFlorida. Express in Columbus, Ohio,
it'd be great we go there toOhio State take It'd be grateful all through,

(02:19:30):
great first round. Yeah, you'rea super humble kid. I've been
really impressed by you today. Isthere anything that you want Ohio State fans
to know about you? You knowagain, I know you're just your all
work, all work on work.But what are they getting when they get
a JJ Smith to come to Ohiosaying kid coming in the job, they
do what I gotta do, takecare of Boxcore. They'll just come in

(02:19:56):
through my job. That's perfect,man, God, bless you. I
appreciate you, my man. Watchingto thank you Smith, and then later
tonight I'll probably come back and watchthe film again. But at the end
of the day, it's just tryingto be around football, be around the
facility. How much of your filmwatching who is like solo endever just shoot
by yourself watching? How much doyou think we've had more safeties come in

(02:20:22):
throughout the spring, more guys tryto learn the system and learn the game.
But I mean, at the endof the day, you gotta do
what you gotta do to put yourselfin a best position to win. So
myself, I'll watch film at hometoo by myself, But when I'm here,
there's always other players around them thatare trying to or to get better,
just like I am. Are youonly watching yourself? Watch? No,
I watched the NFL teams, watchgood NFL safties that are playing right

(02:20:46):
now, Javon Holland, Hantswain,Winfield, go guys like that that can
that I can emulate and try tosee how they play. And then also
just watching other players here, otherplayers that do things well here, just
learning from them, try to seehow they play and trying to get better.
Caleb, what are some of thebig differences that you've seen so far
between what you went through at Alabamaand so far you've gone through up here.

(02:21:09):
A lot of it's the same,A little differences in the defense of
how they operate and how they seethings. But at the end of the
day, football's football defensive defense.So everybody gotta get to the ball and
make the type of what do youthink of Floridas? Oh? I love
the city. I love uh HighStreet. I love being in the city.
I love going to the restaurants here. The food's great here. So

(02:21:31):
uh, I ain't got no coomplace for me, cause it's like you
got the campus all of a sudden, then you also a big city.
It's it's different than Alabama, causeAlabama was a college town and test Lousa
is not as big of a city. Here, there's a lot of people
to see, a lot of differentbusinesses that you can be a part of.
So just trying to learn the cityand learn what everybody has to offer

(02:21:52):
here. He'll you probably noticed thatwhen Kid and prop the media's decision to
go back to Alabama, and thenthat starts a whole level of speculations.
Are you were you taking a backby that. Did you feel like you
needed to make a declaration off ofthat? Uh? I mean, at
the end of the day, no, I didn't feel like I needed to
say anything, cause at the endof the day, I was still here
a practice. I was still herewith my teammates. So I mean,

(02:22:15):
I feel like my actions speak tohimself. I'm I mean, I don't.
I don't need to say anything aboutthat. Cayden. I talked to
him when he did it. Icongratulated him on his decision. I mean,
that's what he feels his best,that's what he feels is best,
and I support him. But I'mhere. You guys have are in this
new generation or you have that sortof freedom, you have that sort of
control over your career in a waythat other people didn't. That it's something

(02:22:37):
that you you have to kind ofhate with a certain seriousness that you're making
that right decision at all times.I think ev I mean it, in
life, you have to make decisionsbased off of what you feels best for
yourself. So that was a bigdecision for him. And if he feels
that's what was best for himself,then I support it. But at the
end of the day, for collegesuble athletes, I think that's the best
thing because the coaches have the sameright to do what they do. Coach

(02:23:00):
can come here for a month andleave, and I mean, then he's
just leaving the player at high anddry. So I mean, if they're
gonna have the ability to do it, why would the players not have some
type of say in their in theirlife? Ken, you we made the
impact opposite last year as the freshman. What do you think you can do
an assault with the year under yourbelt? You know, I think I

(02:23:22):
can grow and what I did welllast year and increase on the qualities that
I wasn't not as a leade atduring during the season. So just being
better in coverage, being better thanthe post, being better in my tackling,
being a better communicator with my teammates, all that I think I can
offer to the team. And butat the end of the day, it's

(02:23:43):
gotta be a team collective to godo what we wanna do well. What
do you come in this odysseason?Lower the impacts? What what do you
think of being a big part ofMEDS that wasn't the heat last year and
they should be being better this year. Yeah, they were a very reliite
defense last year, and watching allthe film from last year and the whole
season, they played a gray season. They played a lot of good defense.

(02:24:03):
Excuse me, which question? Justthe idea of being hard A big
part about an league defense. Uh, I mean I can only do my
part. I can only do myone eleventh and do my job every play.
I can't. I can't try todo more than that, and every
other player just has to do theirjob and we'll do what we need to
do. Okay, we'll be talkingabout your field punching habits. Was that
the same in high school? Andwhat did that look like for you on

(02:24:24):
a regular high school My high schoolcoach is one of my favorite people in
the world, uh, Freeman Davis. Me and him watch film together a
lot, But that was more sojust myself watching film and trying to grow.
So I would say I had alot of the same habits and has
trusted over to college. But alot of that was me and my high

(02:24:46):
school coach going in the game together. Another movie around everywhere here. But
you know, it seems like you'rea that free safety spot as opposed to
the strong safety spot you played atAlabama. Just what said transition? Like?
Do you feel that does that evenmatter in this kind of de sense?
I? I mean it's the samespot really to the it's the safety
to the field safety playing in themost space. That's what I'm used to.

(02:25:09):
But at the end of the day, I feel like I can play
to the boundary. I can playthe Don Money position, I can play
Nickel. So I mean, atthe end of the day, you gotta
make plays wherever you're at. AndCalen, what have you been? What
have your thoughts about knowing that aJeremiah Snoop, a very elite athlete,
very instinctual player, has a greatball skills, should, uh should have

(02:25:31):
a big impact this year. Anybodyyou can com parents that you've seen?
Nah, J Jason's on, SoJesus, he's on. It's his own
man. Uh. Who else who'scaught your eye? At your receiver group?
Caleb is uh is elite in youropinion? Uh? I watched a
Mecca Boka a lot and co whenI was in high school watching the games,

(02:25:54):
and then last year watching some ofhis film. He's been an elite
receiver then and he's a league receiver. And Carlote has had a great spring
as well. Yeah, and uhyou you personally? Uh? After that
uh student appreciation Dale on Saturday,you were mobbed about as much as anybody.
What is what? How have youfelt the recep meaning the autograph seekers

(02:26:15):
at Saturday. Now, Uh,have you felt the reception here? Uh?
For you over the last several months, but especially like Saturday, I
think it's been very welcoming. Iappreciate everybody, and like I appreciate when
I go to class, seeing peoplethat know me and just being able to
meet them, being able to saythat I'm glad to be here, being
able to say I'm glad to behere to everybody that came up to me.
Yeah. So I'm just I'm veryappreciative of it. Do you feel

(02:26:39):
their expectations for you? You knowwhat I mean that? Uh? I
mean people mad, So it's aversatility they So I'm happy about it.
There. You moved around a lotthroughout your career that there's jumbo side you'll
tackle, I guess and says andclean book enough on the right side.
Do you think you kind of benefitfrom focusing a little bit more on the
right serve? Yeah, a littlebit. But you know, there's a
new system that we have, LikeI find my mindset most of the right,

(02:27:01):
but also have my mind set tolove too, just in case something
that's happening to like you know whatI mean like Coltland or you know,
Pete words. But I'm always gonnabe ready for life no matter what.
How quickly have you felt like youpicked up this new system that you're working
in now? Oh it's a weactually pret picked up pretty well cause it's
the same system that I'm used toback in the hot stae cause we're more

(02:27:22):
like spread back at how I state, So you know, it's pretty good.
One of these, like the draftprocess off seasons. A lot of
people outside the buildings and the readersget the right time. Yeah, a
lot of yeah, alright now,A lot of people in the building were
like we have the right time.A lot of people get motivated by that.
You follow it like a you petnature doing it though I don't,
I read into it a little bit. But also at the same time,

(02:27:43):
like they not here words, butI don't really care what they say.
I know what I can do,and the team know I what I can
do. So they trusted me rightnow and I'm not gonna live them right
now. How hard or how easyis that to compartmentalize that and use that
as fuel going for rather than thekind of marity it uh I J I
just keep receipts, and everybody knowsthat one person I don't really care for

(02:28:07):
him at Also, it's all good, but it's all love. I love
uh outside of this, But youkeep doing it, keep it better,
keep on these nights, Doe whatI can do there? You've been a
outspoken about your supporter Zamir, andobviously it's just his chance now to beat
the dog. Wait, what isit about him that you bought in so
early? The reason why I boughtit so earliest cause us I was at

(02:28:28):
a house they they always taught usantually act go getting and asksince I got
here. I'm'a always wanna go getit, and I gotta picked late.
And I always wanna prove people wrong. You know, I think prove people
are wrong all my life. Idon't wanna keep doing that. That's all
I guess. The words like weall put anything like the set you feel
like a community year nine eight differencenine day difference from my first year,

(02:28:54):
in my second year to now likenow, I'm my guy. I know
I can play, I know Ican go ahead and s one of the
best regual nights anybody else that webe going to play this year. And
I know why the new So allI gotta do now is that you meet
my potential and should do it andhelp everybody else out on the team as
well. You've practiced a lot againstMalcolm and he's really come into his own.
What is it about Malcolm that's helpedhim make that next step? There?

(02:29:16):
Man, Malcolm, he's quiet,He doesn't really say too much.
He comes to the work every day, do what he does, and he
works hard. He doesn't flick twiceat anything. Yeah, he'll get mad
over a cop respose. At thesame time that like he has a mentality
of adult like he's he don't reallycare what y'all think or anybody else,
thanks for real. So it's justlike alright, just keep going. That's

(02:29:37):
how everybody is on the team aboutty raising too. You got that same
mindset. He does have the samemindset. Whoever a little nervous, but
uh nah nah. He has definitelygrow up a lot from his like first
year here until now like he has. But he's he's growing up a lot

(02:29:58):
mentally too. Until you get asa reimagining the offensive line a little bit
with you out there by side farmthere next to you on the last side
too, and then drafting the guyson the line. How exciting is that
to be part of something that's that'skind of being you know, having that
trust but also being reinvented a littlebit. That's very you know, but
me and doing those like they gonnakeep placing us, of course, but

(02:30:20):
all the same time, we gottakeep going, you know, Kames really
and think about what they did.All we gotta do is saying about what
what came to do with better infort as well. Sorry, they don't
put a lot on them the outsidea little bit more. How how long
are you guys working together? I'mone hundred percent now. And it was
like a walk in the park.It's like a sprained ankle. You know.

(02:30:41):
It was very easy, you know, because I had the knee.
The knee was pretty hard, youknow, and the achilles was I would
say it's easy, you know,just because that's just my mentality, and
it was. It was pretty easyto be But you know, I've had
these injuries and it's been stormed likethe past two years, you know,
having have like good, great games, the next thing, you know,

(02:31:03):
hurt and then you know, sogot got the injury prone out there,
you know, but I think thestorm is over with, you know,
you know, and I think I'mI'm gonna gonna take off now, you
know, and there will be nosetbacks and the injury prone thing will be
gone out of the window again.Yeah, I'm sorry, you gotta be

(02:31:26):
back. I am. I amexcited. You know. He does a
lot of great things, and he'sa great person, and we have a
great relationship. It's gonna be it'sgonna be a fun year. We're gonna
have a lot of fun. We'regonna do a lot of great things.
So I can't wait take here waiting. The injuries you've had, is that
just bad luck? Is every Isthere anything you've been attribute to beyond just

(02:31:48):
misfortune? Yeah, it's just unfortunate, you know. But God has a
plan always, you know. Idon't know what the plan exactly is,
you know, I don't know,but whatever plan it is, it's for
me to be here. You know. I had a great rookie year.
I didn't really have the volume asother people my rookie year, but I

(02:32:11):
still had a great rookie year.Six yards of carry, you know,
things like that. I think itwas like nine touchdowns ten including the playoffs,
and so there's always been like,all right, guy, let me
show my talent shine a little bit. Like even when I had the knee.
So I had the knee, right, A lot of people don't know,
like I didn't get hurt again.Whenever I got you know, got
cleaned up. So I went downin twenty one, right, had the

(02:32:35):
injury, the knee injury, andthen came back later the next year,
and I played the first few gamesand it just feel there was a lot
of scars issue in there. SoI had to get it cleaned up.
I didn't get hurt again. Icould have played the whole year, but
I got it cleaned up so Ican feel like me. And so after
I got that cleaned up, thefirst two games back from the injury,
I had over one hundred and twentyyards rushing right, and then went on

(02:33:01):
had great, great ending of theyear, you know, one hundred total
yards in the playoff game we lost, which I hate the most. Stays,
don't marry me. I don't wantto win. But then come back
the next year hurt again like tornachilles. So two really unfortunate injuries.
But that's just God's plan, youknow. And I think that the storm
is now over, you know,and I do think that I'll be able

(02:33:22):
to shine my light to the wholeworld. Are you concerned that you have
that label you get sat see,I could care less because I do.
I do. I know this outthere because as it should be, it
should be. I got hurt twomajor injuries back or not back to back
years. But you know, soI haven't been on the field as much

(02:33:43):
as I should. That's true,that is true, But it's not like
I'm having these little little dinky injuriesand sitting out. It's something I can't
control, literally, So that's whyI'm not bothered by it. Like,
yeah, I am injury poem.You could say that, you know,
but I do think that the Chargersare getting a guy that's going to be

(02:34:03):
healthy from now on, you know, God willing, and it's gonna be
great. And I do think thatit's gonna be. It's gonna be a
great. However, many years herewhen you've been don't feel you've been highly
adopted? Yeah, five point ofyears for very average for your career.
Like knowing that when you're out thereyou're very adopted, how much confidence does
that give you? That really allyou need is is knowledge. You need

(02:34:26):
all the confidence in the world.You know. The way I work.
I wouldn't say just from the numbers, but just the way I work,
my work ethic, you know,and my relationship with Jesus is like I
have the most confidence when I stepout there because I do know, like,
if he grants me the health,it's overweight, is it. I
don't think I would be. Youknow, I think it will be a

(02:34:48):
great year or whatever, a coupleof years. However many years he grants
me great health, you know.And I think just the work ethic,
my prayer and all that stuff,that's what helped me have that confidence.
With the numbers will be there,and they might be higher after this year,
you know what I'm saying. Andit's crazy to think about because I
had six or six yards per carry, you know. So we'll see.

(02:35:11):
You're looking forward to the running behindthis line that they put together. Oh
yeah, yeah, yeah. Iplayed with brand Lee, I played with
him, you know, I knowthe Slater, I know all the I
know all the guys, you know, and I'm excited. I think it's
like I said earlier, it's atalented group. You know. We just
got to put it together win somegames, because that's what I came here
for a year, or I wouldn'tI wouldn't say part of the recruitment,

(02:35:35):
but like whenever I decided I wasgonna sign, it was great to have
him in the room. Yeah,we're great. We're we have a great
relationship. That's he's like my brother. So I think a compliment each other
very well. You know, hecan do a lot of stuff too.
You know, got like a lotof people think he's just power, power,
power, but I think he hassome other parts of his game.

(02:35:58):
Two which it'll be great because Ifeel like I could do everything and when
one get tired, we can rollit in. We keep rolling win some
games. So when you the twoof you get going, how do you
think that's gonna look for? Whatwould like what will be that partnership kind
of back there? I know that'sa hard question. How do I think

(02:36:20):
I think it'll look beautiful. Youknow a lot of people call this a
passing league, but I think yougot to run the ball to win the
super Bowl. You know, ifyou look at the team to win the
Super Bowl, they can run theball, they can control the clock,
and so if we're both good,it'll look great, beautiful. How would
you describe the Gregor running offense?I would I would describe it as,

(02:36:41):
you know, a great offense.I think he gives a quarter He's going
to give the quarterback a lot ofoptions. He's gonna give the running back
a lot of options. He's gonnagive the receiver a lot of options,
you know. And I think it'llbe I think it's gonna be great.
His offense is going to be amazing. When we talked to him a bit,
you know, like why are youan will build something good rushing offenses

(02:37:03):
throughout your career everywhere you've been andyou said that one part of it is
just you got a call place.You got a call run place. As
a running back. You know,how much confidence, how much recite does
it give you? You know,you have a play caller that's gonna stick
with it and allow you and theoffensive line to get rid of gives me
a lot of excitement. You know, it's gonna be Like I said,

(02:37:24):
it's fun to play in his offense, you know. And I think he
does have some good things in thepast game too, But like you said,
he sticks with the run and that'sthat's the identity. You You want
an offense that has an identity,right, you won't be looking everywhere else
to find your your identity you want, you want to have it, and
so I think his offense has thatand the guys he builds and puts in

(02:37:45):
there, it complements that identity.So I think it's gonna be great.
You mentioned your one hundred percent now, so you'll be full go for training
him. That's coversation. Look,I ain't gonna answer any of the fool
if it's up to me. Yes, yeah, Look, because I had
this problem like three two years threeyears ago, I'm thinking I'm full go.
I think I'm ready to go,and the next thing, you know,

(02:38:07):
I'm on pup like, hey looksome stuffy above my prey pay grade.
So, but I don't know.Hopefully I can start. I think
I'm ready to start, you know, at the beginning of training camp.
But that's not up to me.As I've learned, I tell you how,

(02:38:28):
I wouldn't say that. I thinkI've been I've been in some great
organizations and I think this this organizationis a great organization, and the training
staff is great, and so theyjust want what's best for me, you
know, and they're they're taking careof me, which that's what you want
in an organization, and so that'swhere that comes from, which I appreciate
it, Like I really appreciate that, you know, because I'm the type

(02:38:50):
of guy, like I work reallyhard, so maybe sometime I'm blind to
you know, the danger of something, you know, So I appreciate it.
But like I said, if it'sup to me, yeah, I'm
out there. But never know whatan imustration for you during the heading into
free agency, you know, dealingwith with rehab and not you know,
having on a full season tape orproduction to go out. There was there

(02:39:13):
any part of that where you werelike god, you know, had hit
the open market with a different situation. You know. Nah, I like
it. I like, how wouldI say this? I like it the
hard way, but not, youknow, I like it the hard way.
I like it. I like trialand true relations. So I mean

(02:39:41):
the dice that I was given therole was I was coming off of Achilles
and that was that was the lowestplan. So it was beauty in that,
Like I was comfortable. I wascaught like there was multiple teams,
you know, I wasn't. Itwasn't like I didn't have any other team.
But I was comfortable and sitting backand just enjoying the process, letting

(02:40:05):
myself get fully healed. So wheneverthat team, whoever I would sign with,
who now is the Chargers, isgonna get the best me, you
know, And I think people allaround the league know that, like,
Okay, this guy, Okay,it's a high risk, high reward type
thing, right, not even ahigh risk, hlow risk because you it's
a business, right. So Igot hurt last year, so not as

(02:40:26):
much money needs to be throwing there. But I think everyone around the league
knows that whenever I am on thefield, the numbers don't lie, and
so they know that. And alot of teams were like, all right,
here, you can give you this, but we want you to be
healthy. So when I'm healthy,it's gonna be great. This is the
chance that I've been giving here.I'm so grateful and I know that's gonna

(02:40:48):
be. They won't be They won'tregret it. Are you the type of
person that likes to throw people wrong? Like you've run a couple of things
like the high risk, high rewardinjury that's two says I've heard. But
me being who I am, youknow, I'm I'm I'm gonna throw my
two cents in there, you know. So that's just uh, it's been
awesome. Man. We he's he'syou know, a resource for me,

(02:41:09):
just a person that I can alwaysbounce my thoughts off of. And now,
you know, just a year yousaid, thirteen months now I feel
more comfortable just you know, bringingcertain things. If you know, you
never you never wanna come off toostrong. But I'm a curious guy.
I got a lot of questions.I like, I like football a lot.
I like to talk and talk thegames. So you know, come
to find out, he's the exactsame. So we, uh, you
know, we get along well,and you know we're gonna keep keep building

(02:41:31):
that relationship. Sometimes in this leagueplaying you know, eighteen games, they
trying to make a twenty. Youknow, it's like it sound like a
little a little fever dream to behonest, but but uh, if we
can find a way to k youknow, stay up right out there,
keep keep Aaron on his feet.You know, I'm I'm excited for that
and uh everything that comes with it. But uh, but yeah, like
I said, man, that's it'sit's harder said than uh or harder done
and said, I guess you know, it's one of those things. It's

(02:41:52):
like that's a lot of games,you know, all of a sudden take
a lot of hits. They takea lot of hits where they're not looking,
and it's just how can we keephealthy? You think? I do
you ever see the room now,positions you guys have made when want healthy
and everything? Yeah, you know, I'm excited to see it at at
full health. You know, we'veI haven't got to see all the all
the guys out there at once.And and you know, it's one of

(02:42:13):
those positions where every day is somethingmight happen to nick up. You know,
it's just a a tough position tostay out there at all times.
But I feel like we got agreat group and and the number one thing
is how can we stay healthy?How can we you know, I'll be
out on the field, and Ithink having depth like this and the group
we have is gonna help us.Having guys that can do different things,
that can go catch ball over themiddle, all types of things that it's

(02:42:35):
gonna take some of the strain offoff all of us you know, it's
it's a good group. So I'mexcited to, uh, you know,
get out there. I feel likewe haven't had the whole whole thing together,
but you know, come season time, mo roll and it's gonna be
exciting. What about the guys inyour whole number? Yeah, yeah,
like yeah, man, you helpme a lot. Like the first guy,

(02:42:56):
just trying to help me get usedto write well, he got my
feet, used to write tackle likemy first dad practice. I'm like,
dude, I still feel feel alittle off. I don't feel as balanced
in my stands. And he showedme the small technique and to do with
my feet, which I still doeven even though I left tackle, just
cause it's part of my routine.That was part of my process of getting

(02:43:18):
in my stands. So stuff likethat that he taught me from day one,
and obviously in practice it was funjust compete with him, you know,
it's just to meet at the backof the pocket and to dap each
other back to every rep like thatwas compete, you know what I mean.
So that's my guy. And asmuch as you love him, amost
your the West Side. How bittersweetis it? In a certain matters?

(02:43:39):
Because it would happened to him.Yeah, that's the thing. That's not
how it was. Definitely how IkN a And that's not how I thought
about the transition would go. Youknow, I thought it would be you
know, homesone timing, but acardinal his whole career. You know,
you know, you wanted to playhere forever, you know what I mean
when I was talking about his plans, so you know, you you wish

(02:44:03):
transitions like one of those fairy talelike it's your time now. But but
again, either way, you know, we talked about it. You know,
that's that's the tow goes, youknow, but obviously you know he
sees he's he's been one of mybiggest supporters. Again, I affect everybody
leads in their own way, youknow, not everybody's the guys coming around

(02:44:30):
and that's not everybody, right,Like I felt for me, that's me
specifically on game day with the Oline after we do one on one like
that's my like b Hump did likelike that's my like big vocal time.
I feel like I've talked to Humpabout this, you know, just recently
talking about how what I want todo for the room was I want to

(02:44:52):
bring that Hump energy that he broughtright So last year, of course some
trait's been doing for years, butthe year spent with him, he brought
a lot of the energy and theexcitement and the happiness in the room was
just his natural energy to where Ionly had to focus on me, you
know, I didn't have to makesure other other guys are, you know,

(02:45:16):
feel some type of way when theycame in here because Hump brought that.
But out of Hump's not here,but I saw what he did for
a room. I want to bethat guy to make sure everyone's ampt to
go to practice, everybody's hype.Weren't taking and field team on period.
You know it's a low day orsomething. You know, it's a it's
a day, but like I wantto make you feel like pre paris the

(02:45:37):
trip right now. I want tobring that because that's what we Hump did
to each other. We will hpeeach other other dudes like dudes about to
get walked through and we're lit.So I want to do that. I
want to bring that energy. Iwant to make bring more guys, you
know, to do that. Youknow, I wanted to do that from
day one. You know, Ikind of I wanted to do that from
day one, from talking to andobviously it's that time. I spend the

(02:46:01):
off season before OTA started just beingin myself, just thinking about what the
room needs, you know, becauseI know I a new role as one
of the leaders, you know onthe offense, is that we need a
guy like that that's gonna make surethe old line is picked up, ready

(02:46:22):
to go every day and it washeld accountable. Little things that happened to
practice. People aren't saying anything.And how I may lead maybe different than
somebody else may lead. You know. I like to a practice at least
like to leave with positivity, youknow what I mean. So, but
he the energy yet went beyond justthe hype up the deal line to start
too. So that's kind of howI wanna be some goal mine literally my

(02:46:46):
whole life. I want to bea NFL team captain, like specifically NFL.
I wasn't a captain of high school. I wasn't a captain of college.
But I made a joke when Iwas in high school. It's like
that I feel like I'm not gonnabe captain til I get to the NFL.
Yeah, but that would be awesome, you know, but you know,

(02:47:07):
if it happens, i'd be great, but not either way, I
wanna assume a role as a captainfrom the perspect of the guys on the
team individual word to me and toget back to that way. Yeah,
I mean, I can't say that. I mean, I guess the biggest
thing is that I felt like ithas felt like how it you used to

(02:47:28):
in the past. But it didn'ttake just the first day OTAs. It
took training left and right once theseason ended, cause I didn't know what
it was gonna be sure, Soit took a lot of yeah reps just
to get back to feeling like myselffor day one OTAs and then that whole

(02:47:48):
first week. But now like today, specifically just changing some small things with
my feet that I did say talkingabout a line coach about some things I
can do with my feet to getto that to selling it the traditional angle
that I loved set on felt evenI thought I felt. I thought I
felt great already, but mokat,I felt even better o it. So
I'm even more excited tomorrow now I'mgetting my feedback to how I liked it

(02:48:09):
the right side and on the leftside, So I'm excited. I mean,
obviously, I feel like in theleague, whether I left or right,
you're still going against premier guys.So obviously you have high expectations for
your left hand and right tackle.But there's definitely uh, like the the
level of energy and like the expectationsdefinitely taking a human start, cause now

(02:48:33):
connected the blank side that stuff that'sde tackle role, you know. So
so yeah, I would say interms of communication as far as just even
outside of facility and just stuff likethat, like really creating that that tackle
quarterback bond even more off the field, I think has been something that's even
been cool. I got a textone day as a hey, like,

(02:48:56):
you play left, and I waslike, yeah, yeah, I've been
training both. I've been training both, you know. I I asked after
the season. They're like, honestly, you know, we'll talk to you
some play in the season and Ijust gotta text me like depending what happens
with with the free agency then.So I was like, you know what,
I had a whole season right tackle. So if I get the word,

(02:49:18):
I'm going I'm standing right tackle.I don't used to do what I
did before. I'm built on thatbus. I was like, I might
as wellst trained the left tackle now, as if I'm gonna be a left
tackle, And I'd rather do thatthan training on the right tackle and get
the call, hey you're the lefttackle. I'm like, ooh, I
didn't. I didn't switch on myfeet yet, you know what I mean.
So I'm like, let me justprepare in advance. I was like,
yeah, this guy, you know, I think occasionally i'm third down,

(02:49:41):
there would be a lot of twists. I would just know like it's
automatically coming. And I think thatwas my mindset for like the first half
of the season, Like I didn'thave to go to a game and with
surprise like oh my gosh, theydid that. I kind of figured like,
okay, like this is this isthe type of rush mean to get,
Like, this is how this guyusually rushes. If I get the
vibe, this is how the endslike the rush, you know, tackles

(02:50:03):
that are you know, first yearguys who got the premiere patch on.
I already knew what it was gonnabe, already knew of every stunt,
and honestly, just knowing that it'skind of an advantage too. So you're
not you're not You're not who theybrought the twist of my side again,
it was never an Aaron Donald.You know, they're coming up with minds,
like three plays in a row twominutes. I knew that it was
the wind, you know what Imean. I'm watching more than everybody else,

(02:50:26):
and he rarely England goes out thereon occasional third downs on the DM.
I was like, you know,it's gonna be He's gonna pick me,
you know what I mean, Sofact fact, it's kind of it's
also kind of advantage in a way, but it's also exciting, like,
Okay, I'm gonna get the hardestlook. You know those are real,
real reps, you know, thebank. So really, I don't know.

(02:50:50):
I really didn't kind of process that. I was like, hey,
when they tell me to let meknow, I'm just gonna train it.
I was training all left to Ta'sI can if I didn't hear anything about
T's always came in like so youknow what I mean, because just like
I'm coor training both continuing, Iwould have been cour trained both continually.
But I feel like anybody, anyposition will be like okay, like you

(02:51:15):
wanna as soon as possible, getyour feet kind of settle, settled at
your hands. Well look at say, well, this guy only been on
the field for three years westernn Tuckyand Oregon. Just because I didn't have
the title of a running back coachwhere I was at the Memphis, I

(02:51:37):
never carried myself that way. Iwas carried myself as a running back coach.
I approached every day that way.So at Memphis we had Darren Henderson,
Patrick Taylor, Tony Poller, KennyGangwell, Tonyo Gibson. I've seen
talented backs, and I've seen thembe able to function with one another.
So I hear that all the timeabout well, I say my first rodeo,

(02:51:58):
same thing out there. At Oregonwe had Bucketrivin Norwich, and George
James. You go look at theirnumbers. They all function well together.
We learned how to play as one. So this ain't my first rodeo.
So and plus I know those twokids cause I recruited on when they was
in high school. So I'm upfor the challenge and the responsibility of it.
Got right behind the damn hope elevenCarlos, Just what is your kind

(02:52:18):
of coaching philosophy? How do youget the best out of your running backs?
I get the best out them causeI love the young men. My
main focus is to change the heartsand minds of them and they'll play for
me. I had just got throughreading Coach Trestle's Winners Manual, and it's
something that I took from that book. You have your purpose and you have
your goals, alright. My purposeis to serve and pourtant to the young

(02:52:41):
men. Now my goals is afootball coach. All of them are take
care of themselves. So that's oneof the ways. I'm just real relationship
based and I'm very detailed at thisposition. I I know y'all heard me
say it before, and I'm gonnakeep saying. This is the worst coach
position in football. It's terrible.Guys, higher in everybody that coaches positioning
recruiters. CARLS. Locker is nota recruiter. I'm an elite relationship builder.

(02:53:05):
But I coached this position. I'ma ball coach, so that's who
I am. So I'm gonna pouringto these kids. I think they kind
of seeing it now and I jumpedin day one. I'm ready to coach,
you know, soft batched cookies.Where did that phrase come from?
Kind of what was playing this boy? Let me tell you about that boy.
I've been called everything but the namethe child of God by the people

(02:53:26):
at the other places I left,So that I been getting. Pillsbury needs
to give me a deal because I'vebeen getting I've been getting some DM the
texts do some of it. Someof them have been so funny. The
saubatch cookiet thing came from just havinga frame of mind, a mental toughness.
It had nothing to do with guysgetting in the portal and anything.

(02:53:48):
Now most people say I'm a saltbatchedcookie for leaving there, but actually I'm
not because it takes great strength tomake a decision to leave a place.
No, a weak minded person wouldn'tbe able to make the decision that I
make, So it took great strengthto do that. So I'm telling you,
if I literally in my dms,it's some it's some great comedians out
here that have been sending me liketons of cookies and out like it's funny.

(02:54:11):
Right behind him, Tony, howhave you going about the assessment of
the talent in the room? Uh? And over the past week or two,
how much is that on field offfield? Like, what's the process
of getting to know who you haveas players? Well, I broke down
well me being a guy that lovesthe running back position, and I already
broke those kids down because I recruithim out of high school. You know,

(02:54:33):
Q is from where I'm from inMontgomery. I was one of the
first guys to offer him just watchinghim great contact, balance, creative runner,
great hands and trey. I recruitedhim out of Virginia exceptional short of
your bursts and quickness and things thatI'm gonna help him get better on.
And then I recruited James Peeples outof t out of San Antonio, Texas.

(02:54:56):
I knew what he was gonna whathe was gonna be TC and those
two kids I'm getting to know andI'm gonna help them improve their game.
But we got different runners in there. I like to call myself, I'm
in love with this position, soI get to break down runners and help
their game. So talented, talented, room, very talented. Uh far

(02:55:16):
back uh. Jeremy Birmingham Podcast Couch, how do you swear that that the
softbast cookies are actually the best cookiesto Philip Britain mix one. Those are
way better than the country. Chipsare white things a territory. I mean,
do you do You have to firstfind a balance there or someone.
Well, for me, I'm actuallynot eating any cookies now, I'm just

(02:55:37):
saying I'm not eating any cookies thisyear. I gave it up for a
fast or no sweets for me forthe whole year. That's something I gave
up. So they the term thesofthbast cookie term. Look, guys,
I actually took that from I representthe high school coaches of meThe, Tennessee.
I actually took that from a guynamed coach Slocum. He used to

(02:55:58):
always say that softast cook I actuallystole that from him. I give him
credit for it, and I tellhim all the time he said, you
I should have branded that cause youdon't took it and ran away with it.
But that's just where that comes from. So that that now standing.
As you get to a high standum, you start to look around the country.
Every organ's a big place, that'sa that's a major job with How
how do you think that where youropposite logo under ja brand blocker. When

(02:56:22):
you get out out of the livingpre and trail. How does that change
the way that you feel you're eitherreceived or or does it add a different
level to to just feeling like Icould go anywhere and get anybody in the
com And that's the sangest thing forme. This is a great place.
Oregon is a great place too.But guess what whatever I put on,

(02:56:43):
I know what I'm going to representfor me. I N I N I
know who who put me here?Uh? I know I represented something higher,
you know, Like I told you, I know what my purpose is.
My purpose is to poorting to people. So well, logo I have
on, I'm still gonna be doingthe same thing. So this is a
great logo. Great logo by wearanother logo every day. It's across I

(02:57:07):
see around my neck. I knowwhat I represent. So that's the greatest
logo I could ever wear. Soit doesn't matter what other logo I have
on. I got that one on. I'm going to any house and be
a recruit. Uh uh deep right, camera Tick Robinson and the Athletic pro
which you you mentioned the time,if Memphis and themis four NFL running backs

(02:57:28):
you mentioned there who you learned fromthat time that we continue to take over
to manage you to grow up andkid? What did I learn from them?
I just building a just teaching thekids. We live in such a
selfish world now, and I cantell the kids all the times, it's
gotta be much more the football.The ball gonna go flat one day.
As I always say, what beingin that room there at Memphis is,

(02:57:50):
it wasn't four five? Teaching themhow to be a b by being one?
I tell you them in all time, it doesn't cost you anything to
celebrate another man success. So teachingthem how to be one, and then
once they learned to be one,they function and they feed off one another.
So that's what I learned from beingthere at Memphis, and Bam let
him in the road, Carol,start of your career in law enforcement kind

(02:58:13):
of influenced you as a coach andkind of shape where you are. Oh
well, I just got through talkingto somebody about that today. When I
first got in this profession and Igot my own room at Western Tech,
I was asked, No, howwas I was gonna be able to handle
my room? I said, Man, I had a part with fifty one

(02:58:35):
inmates. You talking about me havinggot six or seven guys Are you kidding
me? I'm talking about me havingto do traffic stops. So going on
domestic no vioence calls, it's simpleeasy. You know, people don't know
what you care. Also know,you gotta have a certain demeaning about yourself.
So when I walk into a room, it's the reason why I go
train every morning. This is whenit's the same thing when I was a

(02:58:58):
police officer. You look at certainway kind of deter people from doing certain
things. So it's just why Igo train every morning. I'm gonna look
just as good as my boys look. So it helped out a lot.
In other words, from Arrol RightAustin Ward the podcast Carls, Welcome to
Columbus. What would it mean toI don't know, revolutionize the way running

(02:59:18):
backs are coach? What does thattake? I ain't even I'm not gonna
say revolutioniz just good. It's somegood running back coaches out here. Everybody's
different. It's some great coaches outhere. I just want the head guys
who say that on these jobs tonot just hire guys. Just know all
coaches on your staffs should be greatrecruiters, not just a running back coach.

(02:59:41):
We coach a position we developed playersas well. I just want the
coaches to realize, Hey, youknow what, let me look and be
thorough about this guy that I'm hiringfor this job. Is he teaching the
position? Is he development the position? Because you're not gonna hire anybody just
coach quarterbacks, are you. Well, it shouldn't be like that for the
running back position. And I'm onlypassionate about it cause I played it.
I love it, So it's theonly position I want to coach, cause

(03:00:05):
I coach the other positions. Yeah, I played dB in college too,
but I loved the running back positionso and I just wanted to see it
coach well t May podcasts. Yeah, a million questions, all as a
couple of Number one, when youwhen you, when your wife whatever?
You got the message stuff? Orare we moving again? What was?
What was her reaction? Nah?She she just knew guy had give us,

(03:00:26):
gave us a new assignment. Shew it was never like we're moving
again. Let me tell you guyssomething I grew up. My mom was
in the military, so I livedeverywhere. I lived in Panama of South
America. I'm used to picking upand moving. I lived in Fort Rodley,
Kansas, Montgomery's home if it wasmy second home, so I'm I'm
used to moving now. My wifeit was different for her, but she
just knew guy that gave us anew assignment. So it's time to go.

(03:00:48):
What did uh? What did CoachDay tell you when you heard you
that he wants out of you?That may be different. It's not slamming
somebody else, But what did hesay he wanted you to bring to the
running back? I think he didhis research on me. He said he
wanted the guy to to develop theposition. That's not taking a shot at
the coach that was here who I'mfriends with, And he said that he

(03:01:13):
want somebody to really get the guysgoing. Uh, I can only be
me And I told him that causei'm'a be me every day now, Cause
see my mindset, this is whenI step in this building. I got
one mindset that's to do my jobso well that the living, dead or
unborn can do it any better.So when I leave it, that's what
my mindset is. Hopefully I'm herefor a long time, but only God

(03:01:35):
knows that. So, but that'smy mindset every day that step into the
Wizard Hate Center that's my mindset.I'm'a do my job so well that living
dead or umborn couldn't do it anybetter. So that's what my mindset is.
Suppose we got time for one lastquestion. Bill Rabindo has the plumber's
dispatch Carlos. First of all,it's it true that nobody calls you Carlos,
never calls you Locke. That's thetruth. Yeah, I prefer to

(03:01:58):
be lot hurable and I would saythat, not him in particular, but
I wouldn't say everyone doesn't really knowhow to handle it properly. You see
it currently. I mean, it'sjust it's a variable that's new and how
to handle it. There's not atranscript on on how to handle that variable.
So you just guys just trying todo what they think is right.

(03:02:20):
That's all they're really trying to do. And I'm not saying they're right or
wrong. But he was trying todo the same, and uh, you
know, I think at the endof the day he realized he made made
the wrong decision and we connected onit, we talked about it, and
uh, you know, it wasa great opportunity to to to write or
wrong and uh, obviously We're veryglad he's here. I've always believed in
him. We believe in him,and he believes in himself. And that's

(03:02:41):
part of the just trying to understandwhat's my path, right, So uh
but yeah, it's been great.Steps have been made. He's growing,
but he's nowhere near where he knowshe's capable of being. He's just probably
a priceless ceremiah. I love theway he lives. I love the way
he approaches things. I love theway the questions he asks. I love

(03:03:05):
the way he makes mistakes and thencorrect mistakes. It's very veteran, like,
I mean, there's so much ballhe has to learn. Like he
literally does things that are good.I'm like, do you know what that
worked? He goes coach, Ihave no freaking idea, So like,
I'm trying to teach him all ofthat why it worked, so then you
know the consistency at which it worksjust goes through the roof. And so

(03:03:26):
but I'm very you know, excitedand proud of the conversations we're currently having,
and I'm exciting it for them tokeep going. Bryan, what power
for you? Working with I loveworking with Chip. Chip is I love
talking ball, I love the viewpointsI love I love the veteran that he

(03:03:50):
has, you know, and Ilove yeah, like I love all of
it. I think that you know, early on the biggest Him act,
you know, just you know,feeling perspective. I think in the run
game has been awesome, you know, and then you know, off of
the run game, some of theactions or relief throws or all that kind

(03:04:11):
of stuff. I love where it'sat. I love working with them,
and I would say that I sleepa little better, all right. Uh
No, it's it's really a greatcombo because, like you know, we're

(03:04:33):
obviously we're doing a lot as agroup. It's not just Chip and I
so but you know, obviously Chiphas an image and a view on things
that I never had, so tohave that experience and have that viewpoint,
I'm just trying to absorb as muchas I can, but then also highlight
some things that we've really done agood job of and make sure those you

(03:04:54):
know, nothing's really changing. We'rejust trying to enhance. We're not changing.
We're enhancing. So where the thingsfit, it's perfect, you know,
I think, uh, you know, the rest of the dynamics of
search chip can talk about. Butit's been it's been awesome, so I'm
excited about it. We talked toa Mecca. He's talking about moving from
slot to the house side. Youknow how good we've been in the spot.

(03:05:16):
Is that a difficult move for youguys just coaches to know how good
a guy is in at one spot, but know that maybe for his long
term future and the no. Iwouldn't say it's anything on his future,
because he's capable of doing whatever youwant to get done. But I'd say
that it says more about the room. I think it's it's the growth of

(03:05:37):
you know, Brandon and the growthgrow of Bryson. That's really you know,
allowing my mind to say, hey, Mech, be prepared. You're
gonna move around a lot. You'regonna come out of that slot, You're
gonna be outside. We'reing create mismatchesout there. I mean, his ability
to move around is critical. ButI would say between Mech and between Carnell
TAS's ability to move around a lot, it's going to provide a lot of

(03:05:58):
flexibility for our and UH and thosetop you know, six seven guys that
are really doing a good job rightnow. Progress like this spring for like
a because it's one of those thingsI'm sure when U has balanced how much
work is a need versus yeah,heavy heavy emphasis on what work he needs,
you know, versus anything else.Uh, I rely on him.

(03:06:18):
We have great dialogue back and forth. It's a two way to it's a
two way conversation and uh, frankly, there's gonna be times we're like,
hey, Mac, what do youwanna do today? You wanna go outside
and you go inside and I don'tcare. So, uh, we're not
there yet. We will be there, but it's just more about, you
know, when the room is readyto start mixing things up, I would

(03:06:52):
say, there's God. I mean, I make sure I bring in guys
that are able to do all,but I have not asked them to yet.
So the only guys that in ourroom currently I've asked to do that
has been Mecca and Carnell, Andthose are probably the two guys that I
would, you know, think heavilyon doing moving around a lot. I'm
not putting that on anybody else rightnow. I'm not saying they can't,
but at this point, having twoguys be able to swing, you probably

(03:07:15):
don't need much more than that.I need guys being experts at what they're
good at, so it it helpsthe offense. Don't be great at everything,
and be an expert at something andwe can use that to our to
our advantage. This year is different, like maybe you guys were more situational.
The room's always different, Frankly,I mean from twenty eighteen and then

(03:07:35):
nineteen and through COVID and and thoseguys, and and then the depth of
those guys and then where Mech andMarvin and those guys were as freshmen compared
to you know, It's just it'salways different, and uh, I expect
this one to be different again,I'm not sure at what level yet.
Last question, your relationship between theTV rooms when your R especially you know

(03:07:56):
the facts. I'm curiously seeing Deepas a leader just like you, you
know, played at Ohio. Samehas a help Schames. I'm curious about
how you've seen him kind of builddiermarbacks and especial recrea not specially made kind
of the effective your recruit, howthat's kind of been hands He would probably
know more for that question than Iwould, but I would say that,

(03:08:20):
yeah, we obviously feed off eachother. Right. I mean, there
really is a team sport, andwe can't do it without them, and
they can't do it without us,and we can't do it without the quarterback,
and we can't do without the oldline. So all the way through
ten years in this league, soexcited to see what he's got. How
old did you know Sores and whenhe was assistant here? And I've gotten
to know him a lot by it'sa relationship. Maybe right now. I

(03:08:43):
know him pretty well. He wasalways just a good dude around the facility.
He did our ball meetings, sohe's good in front of a group.
He's a good leader. He knowsthe scheme really well, which is
good. Happy to see him promoted. He called me in the off season.

(03:09:03):
We talked. I just congratulated him, and I think he's gonna bring
something similar to what we had withthe Miko. It'll be good. Do
you know Brandon Stanley well at all? I mean, obviously Joey play for
him. I don't know too muchabout him. I've obviously heard from my
brother, but I don't even thinki've said high yet. I haven't ran
into him yet, but I'm sureI'll get to know him. When you

(03:09:26):
say, it looks similar to theMiko of the energy or the system.
Maybe a little different energy, butI think just knowing the system from the
front to the back, I thinkhe knows how it ties in, and
he's been around with some really goodcoaches, so I think it'll be pretty

(03:09:48):
pretty seamless, and I think we'llbe firing on all cylinders. You're three
months removed from the Super Bowl now, so just how have you? I
guess digested it, and I guessphysically everything good. Yeah, I feel
really good. I think it's beenone of my better off seasons of just
kind of it was a long year, so I took it nice and slow
to get back into it. Notas young as I once was, so

(03:10:13):
I'm taking a little, uh,a little slower, But everything's great.
I'm feeling as good as I felt. I'm excited to actually get some practice
in. Last year was kind oftough, getting thrown in Week one after
a walk through, so that wasanother reason I'm excited to be here,

(03:10:33):
is just to get practicing a littlebit in season. Practice is one thing,
but actually being able to work yourstuff and not have a game coming
up is good. With the superBowl unfortunately, I know how to bounce
back from tough losses. So itwas rough for a little bit, but
now just annoying when people bring itup. Since the last season, we've

(03:10:58):
seen it rock on TV commercials andon the stage with Kluke Coombs and throwing
out the first pitch in the Giantsgame. But he seems like a guy
that's totally unaffected by celebrity, whichhe has now. But what have you
noticed in his leadership style and theway he carries himself any difference at all.
I think he's definitely getting a littlemore vocal within the building. And

(03:11:22):
uh yeah, I mean I don'tthink he's ever gonna change. I don't
think he's somebody that's gonna change evenwhen he gets paid next year. So
he's he's a man of faith andhe kind of reminds me of Scotti Scheffler,
but except for just super humble andreally good kid. And yeah,

(03:11:46):
he's definitely famous. I don't justfrom watching Armstead get released obviously meant so
much a defensive line into the team. I mean, Colin John were pretty
open that they were willing to talkabout trading Deebo or are you as youll

(03:12:07):
does that just another what's that feellike in the locker room when those sort
of joels happened. I didn't evenknow that happened and I wasn't here,
But you're talking about this offseason alarmstall in alarm er least, So that's
certainly one thing. Yeah, it'sa tough business, for sure. You

(03:12:30):
have to have thick skin and Ihaven't gone through that, but I think
you just have to understand that itis a business and the team's going to
try and get as good as itpossibly can with or without you, and
you have to look out for yourself. That's why you go through holdouts and
do certain things that seem selfish inthe moment, but it is what it

(03:12:54):
is, and when everything's settled,we're gonna come together as a team and
try and go get one Nick.What's the overall feeling around the group right
now, Like, how much doesit feel like the excitement of the ramp
up to the season. Even thoughit's early, it feels good. It's
been a couple of days for me, so I like all the new guys.
I'm getting to know everybody, butI think the past is in the

(03:13:18):
past and we're ready to go.You talk to me. You talked to
bea all about handling the business partof this. He's going through something similar.
Let me chat a little bit,but not too much about the details.
I just told him keep his headup and try and stay positive through
it. All. Were first impressionswhen you heard what your schedule would be
in that Aaron Rodgers this first up, it'll be fun. Yeah, it's

(03:13:43):
gonna be gonna be given. Excuseme kind of alluded to this, but
the fact that last year you hadto have a hold out said that affected
you somewhat early in the season.If you hadn't had that experience, would
you be here right now? Imean, was that part of the motivation
for being here early, just tohave the opposite No, I don't think

(03:14:09):
that's one of the reasons. ButI just talked to Kyle and he kind
of asked me, h. Hekind of stated how he felt about why
it would be good for me tobe here and asked if I agreed.
And I agree. So it's notlike I'm missing too much. I think
I'm out here. It's a littleless workload than I'm doing back home,

(03:14:33):
So it's kind of a good activerecovery thing. For me, and I'm
getting football stuff, football working specifically, so that's good. I'm not it's
not compromising my training at all.And I get to meet all the guys.
That's it's positive news. Your brotherto let him down, Oh no,

(03:14:56):
he's he's there. He's got anew regime over there. Did you
first? I actually thought I wascoming next week until recently, so I
was gonna have one more week athome. But we're both in California.
Share about reasons back here doesn't feeldifferent. Yeah, you know, it's

(03:15:24):
not like these last eight years havecome in and thought we were going to
lose or have have a bad year. I felt like every year when I
tell you things are feeling good andI feel optimistic, it wasn't a lie.
But yeah, I think things areare definitely, like I said,
trending in the right direction. Everybody'son the details. I'm sure it's a

(03:15:46):
word that you've heard a million times. So yeah, I think it just
feels like, uh, it feelslike coaches leading the team the way it
should be led. As a feelof being back in college, you know,
with with coach Urban Meyer, andyou know the message is sent from

(03:16:07):
the top and it doesn't get mixedup as it's moving down the ladder.
It's boom. This is how we'redoing things, and everybody's following that,
and I think it's impressive the detailsthat everybody have been on, has has
been on, the effort and justthe competitiveness that that's been going on over
the last few weeks. Yeah,it's it's it's been great. How much

(03:16:31):
do you appreciate that the note justdescribed the way Jim leads I shouldn't eat
in the messaging doesn't eat mixed up? Why do you appreciate that so much?
I mean, it's I guess it'seasy to appreciate when you kind of
see it working and you see guysimproving, getting better. I just think

(03:16:54):
the details are really important. Youcan pretend that leaving your shoes a mess
or your locker mess isn't a bigdeal, and what matters is playing football.
But I think all those tiny detailsand things kind of add up and
leak into the important stuff, likewhat you're doing on the field. So
if you can have your toe behindthe line, or have your locker and

(03:17:16):
order and all these things, theykind of stack up into performing well and
and playing well. When things count, so you know, I appreciate that.
It's it also hasn't been a fightwith the guys in the locker room.
They buy in and you know,it's a lot of young guys,
and I think they're hungry to learn, hungry to compete and win. You

(03:17:41):
know. It's just an example,whether it's we talked about first day you
have your shoot, if you could, if you could spend the time on
these small things when nobody's watching.I think, like I was saying,
it seems like it might not addup too much, but I think in
the long term it does, andit leaks into other things, whether you're
doing your right assignment on the field, being late to meetings or all these

(03:18:05):
things. If you hold a standardand you stay to that standard, I
think it benefits you long term.It's it been like Ben Herbert, has
there been anything in his training programwe're working with you that you feel will
benefit you later. Yeah, Yeah, definitely. He's been great. He's
a no nonsense kind of guy,but he's not an old school in the

(03:18:28):
sense that he's bringing his way ofdoing things and that's the only way to
do things. He understands that guyshave been in the in the business for
a long time. Khalil me andwe have a way of doing things,
and all he wants to do isadd to that and help you get better
and perform the best you can.He's he stresses it all the time that
he's a tool for us, andyou know he's he's been great. The

(03:18:52):
guys love him. The energy bringsis awesome, and I think the stuff
that we're doing in the weight roomis great, a great addition to stuff
that I may may do on theside or whatever that is. Yeah,
I think we I mean, wehad a presentation today with all the certain
measurables that are changing, and ifyou guys are in the meeting, you

(03:19:13):
definitely see how beneficial he's been tothe team so far. So obviously staying
healthy is is a huge factor toanybody's success. I'd say it's plagued us
a little bit for a while.So yeah, I think he's he's definitely
incredibly beneficial. Would you like fullfully cover I know at the end of

(03:19:35):
last season you might have been ableto play. Yeah, No, I
was not ready to go last year. No, tried practicing, tried coming
back and uh it was it wasnot good. But Yeah, it was.
Unfortunately, the year wasn't going greatand it just was unnecessary risk for

(03:19:56):
I mean, my foot could havehad some real real issues if I came
back too early. So yeah,it's been, it's been. It's been
a great off season. My foot'sfeeling great, toes, good, hamstring,
skod I mean, there was alist of things last year in my
hand, so all those things aregood. Gout surgery on my finger,
so that's feeling good. Yeah,it's it's nice to be feeling better going

(03:20:20):
into year nine than you have sincemaybe five six years ago, which I've
said, I've said I've been feelinggreat last couple of years and telling you
it's a real deal this time.But obviously anything can happen. But I
just feel it's fun feeling really confidentin your body and being able to perform.

(03:20:41):
So I could just go out duringpractice and you know, go balls
to the wall and do everything thatI feel like I need to to be
able to prepare. It's fun.My brother and whoever I trained with my
trainer Todd back home, I thinkthey'd be really proud of how I've been
working in this offseason. And it'sjust exciting winning was the injuries. I

(03:21:05):
remember that the Green Bay game.You kind of yeah, it was a
bit of a build up, alittle bit of an overreaction, but you
know, it's just tough. Itcomes sometimes like that, and I just
felt felt really defeated coming back,had a broken hand. I'm like,
oh, yeah, I get toplay boom for a series foot pops.

(03:21:26):
Thought I'd have to get surgery,and all these thoughts flooded through my head.
Broke down a bit, and yeah, it just hurts. You know,
you're losing, You're getting injured.You've felt like you prepared really well
in the off season, and thenthe year before you had growing surgery,
so you know, a lot ofthings build up. Yeah, you don't

(03:21:48):
get a break if you're injured.Everybody wants to go on. Fans are
very nice, but no, Ijust I'm grateful that I feel this way.
I'm still still nicey Ripe twenty eight, so not too old yet,
but yeah, I'm just excited.I can't remember what the original question was

(03:22:09):
at this point, my body,how close you and Gift were. How
frustrated was it that you couldn't youknow soon? For one of those last
three games, it was frustrating,but I mean, Gift was had my

(03:22:31):
back the whole way. I thinkfor Gift, for any but for the
whole team, just to show whatit means to me. It would have
been important for me to be outthere, but I literally couldn't. I
tried to practice, injured my footworsethe very first play I was and in
practice, So no chance that washappening unless I wanted to throw my next

(03:22:52):
season away as well. But no, I'm just I'm proud of him for
what he did with the team,how he handled it, and I need
to call him back. Actually sorry, I GIF. Yeah, I'm happy
he gets to stay close by withthe with the Rams and uh, I'm
just proud of all we accomplished heretogether over the years and and we'll be

(03:23:13):
close for the rest of our lives. Was the foot injury, It was
the guys foot sprain. Yeah,I sprained one area of my foot.
Then when I tried to return andI sprained another area. Was able to
avoid getting surgery, which is kindof the main goal, But yeah,
it was. It was tough whenit comes to the addition of but dupree

(03:23:35):
w he felt like he's kind ofbrought to the to the room and could
bring on the field. Yeah,when I heard we got my brother something,
I don't know, maybe my brothertold me. I'm like, really,
we just got Bud, Like,that's no, that's no small pickup.
He's a seriously elite pass rusher.Has had some trouble with injuries as

(03:23:58):
well, so I understand and howthat is, but not only him as
a player, but as a personality. I heard Khalil just saying he's he's
a fun guy. He's a funnyguy and to have that in the room
another vet is always a great addition. But I'm just excited to have him
and Tuley and to be able torotate like that and not drop off at
all when we come off the fieldis huge. And now Tuly's going into

(03:24:22):
a second year. Just what doyou what are you kind of What are
some of the maturity maturity areas yousee from him? You know, I'm
gonna say not much, and that'sa compliment because he was already mature in
those areas. I mean, he'son it everything playbook wise, always doing
his job, working hard, justrefining his technique and pass rush. I

(03:24:46):
mean, we don't have the padson right now, so the real work
will will begin, you know,in six weeks now. So, but
yeah, I love Tuli. I'veloved him since the first day he's he's
walked into the facility, and Iknow he's just gonna continue to get better.
Would you think of the addition ofJoe Alt? Yeah, yeah,
I'm gonna need to beat him upa little bit in camp. So he's

(03:25:07):
so he's ready. But no,I think anything to protect our number ten
is a good, good investment.So he seems like a real solid dude.
Haven't talked to him too much,great build, seems like he has
good hands, good feet, strong, We'll see. We'll see in a

(03:25:28):
few weeks when I lay a helmetin his chin how he holds up.
But it'll I'll take it easy onhim. No, Rashon's a beast.
Did you know coach Harbond before hecame here? And if he did,
just what were those first couple ofconversations like that? Yeah, probably have

(03:25:48):
crossed paths with him. Maybe maybenot. Actually I think what was it
his first year when I was ajunior, So he kicked his ass as
usual at Ohio State. No,No, they just want a championship,
so I'd say they probably have thebragging rights right now. I'm like the

(03:26:09):
guy talking about his old high school. Oh I remember we used to kicks.
No, but no, yeah,no, the rivalry is dead.
I was just saying this morning,you know, nine years and kind of
forget about that. I'm not agreat alumni. Sorry, sorry, coach,
But no, that's great. That'swhat's great about the NFL is you

(03:26:31):
just have guys from all backgrounds.You could hate their guts one one year,
and then you come on the sameteam and your brothers and you're all
working towards one goal together. Soour first talk together was great. I
just sat down with them, wentup into his office and chopped it up
about life mainly and his opportunity hereand how much it means to him.
And uh, yeah, I thinkhe's a special guy. I think he's

(03:26:56):
uh the way he conducts himself.He's an interesting cat for sure, and
I'm still still feeling him out.But one thing you can't denies that he
loves football and his main goal isto win football games. So and that's
what we need. When you seehim working out with you guys and and
pushing lives and doing all this stuff. Just how interesting is that to see?

(03:27:16):
Yeah, I mean he was ahe was a great player himself,
and I think he's always been youknow, built like that lack of a
better term, but yeah, he'suh, he's part of the guys.
You know, he's not this guyoutside looking in. He he really,
I mean he voiced that to me, is that his favorite part of all
of it is being with the guysand and the connections he makes. So

(03:27:39):
yeah, to to see a guylike that come in and embrace it all
and kind of be part of ithimself is important. Your initial impressions of
Coachman during the defensive ski. Yeah, it's funny to go from old gift,
old gift to this little young guywho's my age. How wouldn't want

(03:28:00):
to get thrown into a room withme and khalilis his age? But no,
he's been great. I love messingwith him a little bit. We
a little sarcasm back and forth,but no, he's great. He's uh,
very talks very fast, and Idon't as you know, so sometimes

(03:28:20):
I got to be like slow down, coach, come on, But no,
he's great. I'm excited, youknow, to get closer as the
years as the year goes on,and I think he has. He has
a lot of passion for the positionand all he wants to do is learn
and and help us to improve.So I'm excited about him and me and

(03:28:43):
I do miss Giff. Obviously itwas a long time with him, but
I am excited to have a newface and kind of have that challenge for
me. You worked much with withJesse's dad, since I know he coached
linebacker's in Michigan. Wait, didyou ask about Jesse? Does he ask
about doing? Okay, us aboutJesse? Oh my god, I was
talking about freaking Dylan the whole time. You guys are so confused. No,

(03:29:07):
sorry, I thought we I thoughtI was. I thought you mentioned
coach RONI No, No, coachMentor has been great as well. Yeah,
they've both been great. Sorry,run that back. No, he's
been good. H Yeah, veryknowledgeable guy. Same thing. I'm excited

(03:29:28):
to get to know him more asthe year goes on. Have you worked
if you worked much? Yeah,No, I have not. I don't
know if I've said one word tohim, but more words to come down
the road. Like you said,you've been in year since twenty sixteen.

(03:29:48):
Just what are some of this stuff? You just went a ramble about the
wrong guy for fifteen minutes you walkin what Yeah, what the hecks?
Actually that's literally not the person.Yeah, I figured out. What's something

(03:30:13):
that you you worked undering the offseason, something to improve your game or
is there something that you can Usuallymy answer is pretty consistent that I just
continue to try to prepare myself physically, whether that's my sprint work or agility
work and my lifting. But yeah, just to get everything feeling great.

(03:30:37):
I dealt with those injuries, soI had to kind of ramp it up
with my finger and foot and allthose things. But now I'm I'm full
full speed out there, and I'mjust going to continue to do what I
know will prepare me for the season. And uh, I know I'm gonna
get plenty of technique work and positionwork when I'm out here. So for

(03:31:00):
now, I'm gonna spend these fiveweeks really getting uh preparing my body's workouts
competitive again another gear of competitive andall that stuff. Yeah, Yeah,
it's usually too hot out there formuch competition. We're just trying to survive,
so but yeah, it's always it'sa it's a silent competition between between

(03:31:22):
each other, be like Peeking's likewhat was his time? Was his time?
But no, yeah, it's alwaysyou can never have an off day
when when you're out there and he'she's warming up like a beat, like
a freaking robot every day out there, so there's no there's no off days.
Have you got you and him talkedat all about I mean, I

(03:31:43):
mean just when you were having acontract, Dame, you have guys have
to talk about pay system, teammates, environment, city, all those kind
of just like play into it.Besides just the money thing. I know,
financials always play a big role,and I kind of steered you into
the direction you want to go.But everything kind of plays into it.
And how much did you reach outto Shelby Drew, knowing some of the

(03:32:05):
guys you knew the played here lastyear to get a sense for what what
Seattle might offer you. I mean, not much. Right now, I'll
talk to I'll talk to Shelby alittle bit about it. Mainly no one,
Drew, just congratulate me, Bob. Did you come together pretty quickly?

(03:32:26):
I know you kind of a tenyear agreement on that first Monday,
and everything with set that come togetherreally faster. Now, it was a
long do. Seattle came in almostout of nowhere. We had like a
good set of teams that we're talkingto just trying to find like finalize what
was going on, what was theterm is going to be, you know,
and Seattle came in hot. Theyshowed a lot of interest, and

(03:32:46):
uh, they kind of just motivatedme to come here more and more.
And how similar will your role be, you know in terms of playing what
you did at Denver. I don'tknow that yet. I kind of just
mentioned previously, I don't know myrole. I don't know the ins and
out yet. Once we'll get it, you know, through the protocols and
the NFLPA, we'll we'll talk aboutknow the schemes and everything. Right,

(03:33:11):
Uh, so welcome. When youwere in Denver in the three four,
where did you find yourself most comfortableand most effected? And I played a
lot of different positions in Denver.I mean earlier in my year, I
played zero, I played three,two one. I mean I'm definitely more
comfortable in a shaded position, mainlybeing a three technique and five technique.
That's why I found myself to bemore comfortable whether I'm standing up or I'm

(03:33:33):
not, whether it's runner or pass. Uh, they'll seem to be my
best, my best, fitch.And what is your impression of Pete Carroll's
defense and whole environment in set?Uh? From afar it seems like he
U he holds in on a defensea lot. Uh. I can't really
say too much about that. Yeah, I don't. I know Pete Carroll
very little, so uh, I'mjust trying to figure out more and I'll

(03:33:54):
give you a better answer later.What's the reputation around the league out of
the Seahawks? Uh, you know, hard nose hard had type of team
definitely on a little more lack sideas opposed to being stuck up or military
style, and which is definitely goodbecause then they this program is one a
lot of football games have been supersuccessful for many years, as long as

(03:34:16):
I've been alive, as long asI've been watching football, and definitely this
has been a good program. AndPete Carroll has been a hell of a
coach for as long as I canremember, even back in his college of
days. So I'm looking forward toexperiencing that. Yeah, I know you
said you don't know yet. Youknow what your role is to be,
which is what what kind of playeryou who haven't watched it time of Denver,

(03:34:37):
what kind of player get? Definitelya high motor, Definitely not a
one trippon any type of player.I like to attack, you know,
whether it's a first or first throughfourth down, I like to attack.
I'm always trying to apply pressure.I'm definitely just a high mortar guy in
my opinion. Brady either Brady Hendersonfor ESPN, Nice to meet you.

(03:35:03):
That's what. Yeah, this isnot a team that really makes big splash
signings in free agency. Did youthink going into it that Seattle would be
in play? Uh? No,not at all. Uh you you just
it's kind of like being a cureat the County store. You know,
I've got a whole whole bunch ofdifferent options coming at you, uh hearing,
a whole bunch of different crazy things, and uh, you know,
you only get to choose one.And this is the place that that we

(03:35:24):
both chose each other. And Imean, I'm loving Seattle so far.
You know, I like these colorsfor real, for real? What what
have you got to do with Seattle? Or see since you've been here not
much. Uh, just kind ofjust drive around the city exploring, uh,
getting down to the market a littlebit. I want to get down
of the Ferris will do some morelike touristy type of things. You know,
I'm new to the city and Igot a lot to learn about the

(03:35:45):
city, right. Yeah, There'sbeen a lot of comparisons with you to
Michael Bennett. I was wondering ifyou know Michael Bennett at all and you
think those are accurate. Uh.I know Michael berger Ben it like nothing.
I know nothing about it but besideshis style of play. But I'm
honored to be considered in the sameconversation as him and style of play.

(03:36:05):
You know, He's a Hall ofFame type of deep lineman that I've known
about since I was a kid.I mean, last time he played here,
I was in high school. Soyou know, it's cool to it
kind of came full circle a littlebit watching him on TV and now I'm
being kind of compared to him ina way, you know. I mean
I'm not touching the surface of MichaelBennett. You know, he's a Hall
of Famer and I'm not there yet. So you know, I just got
to keep doing my due diligence tobe a better player. Car Hey Dreamont,

(03:36:33):
welcome to Seattle. I know youget to play several seasons for Vic
Fangio and the three four style defense, and Seattle's playing a similar system.
Now, dating back to last yearas a defensive lineman, what do you
think is most important to be successfulin that system? Maybe fundamentals or just
playing style to be successful. Fromwhat I learned, being gap sound and

(03:36:54):
being patient has always been the biggestthing, and that's how we've been successful
when I was in Denver. Justkind of like we're lying on each other.
I know that sounds kind of cliche, but like it's kind of like
the the realm of being in thethree four defense. You gotta really really
rely on the guys behind you andthe guys on the side of you to
really make their do to do theirjob to make your job easier. Bob,

(03:37:18):
Yeah, Uh, your your stateplayoffs said you didn't start playing football
till you were junior in high schooland largely played basketball. So then that's
what made you, I guess decidedto go play football then away from basketball.
No, No, I've always lovedfootball first. Uh, it was
just kind of just playing it out. You know, I love the WHO,
but you know, football was definitelyabout calling. Given I was a

(03:37:39):
two hundred and sixty five pound powerforward and I was like sixtrees and change,
so you know, I kind ofchose the route that God gave me.
You know, I'm not six eightsa. Yeah, what'll come to
Seattle? And You've been quoted lookinga couple of other things that you listen

(03:38:01):
and can you just talk a littlebit about that always kind of counted out,
but can you elaborate more than that? Just from a standpoint like I
always get like over overshadowed, overlooked, whether it's in something you know what
I'm saying, Like, I feellike I do a lot more than what
can be sitting by the eyes ofthe inexperienced, you know, Scout and

(03:38:26):
I do a lot of different dynamicthings that help make plays for others.
You know, I'm definitely an activeplayer. I'm always doing something, whether
in the runner pass game, soyou know, I think that goes on
others sometimes and I'm looking forward toputting people on notice. Thanks Brady.
What what do you like to dooutside of football? Uh? Big Gamer

(03:38:48):
I'm definitely I've been getting to alot of chests lately, so just to
expand my brain. Uh. Itry to get into reading, but if
it's not sports plated, I'm reallynot interested in reading that much, but
mainly just video gaming and chest.And then when we write and say your
name, do you for your grandma? Uh? I mean you can say,
you can say Draymond Jones. Imean, but like just I feel

(03:39:11):
like personally just call me Jory becauseeasy, because people like to f my
name up a lot, like alot they call me Draymond tey. I
don't know what do you think someof that'll be able to bring out out
of your games? You can keeptrying to, you know, just being
more explosive, probably more yards percatch with the uh space that he's putting
us into, the more yards,more yards have to catch, more exposive,

(03:39:31):
pick more exposed to play for forme, not just only me,
but she and uh ak and tastethem. So I'm excited to to be
able to be in the system.I assume you you think you guys can
be a lot more explosive than thanyou in the last couple of years.
Oh yeah, of course. Itbrings to a lot of different things,
you know what I'm saying the playbook, but just accountability. Uh, I

(03:39:52):
feel like that's gonna lead us tosuccess. They said, the language is
a little a little shorter, hasit? Have you found that the language
that you guys use? Is itabout the same or is it it's kind
of the same. Really, it'sa long long plays, but it's more
understanding for sure. I feel likeyou can get to that more understanding plays
and uh, I feel like that'sthat's the difference. Hater was saying the

(03:40:13):
other day, just kind of likecoming into this offense, I feel like
twenty years of breeze and just kindof how it was just kind of built
on top of each other, ontop of each other. It's like kind
of a lot to kind of takein. Do you do you find that
they kind of turn it down tosomething new, starting to like zero with
everybody. It's just a little biteasier to kind of get everybody on the
same Yeah, I feel like it'sway easier. Like you said, it
was kind of more of a DrewBrees style the last playbook, So all

(03:40:37):
credit to them though they built thataround him, around his players. But
like I said, it's it's more. Uh, this playbook is more for
uh matchups, and I feel likeit's gonna be better for us. How
do you think it's gonna really takeadvantage of just skill sets? Uh?
Just building around the strengths that Ihave. You know what I'm saying,

(03:40:58):
things that I can do and thingsthat she can do, things that our
players can do. Is kind offocus on what we can do and building
on that. Uh. I feellike it's playing to the player strengths.
So I feel like it's gonna helpus a lot has been around the way
this offense will have a lot morespeed, and how has that transition been
so far? I mean, likeI said, it's building around the players
strengths. So of course we gotspeed with me or she and ati receiver,

(03:41:22):
So just building around that, LikeI said, playing to our strengths
and be able to capitalize off that. Feel like it's gonna help us a
lot most of like the up tempoastract and getting a lot of plays in
the less time. Oh yeah,yeah, yeah, Yeah, that's definitely
gonna play a big difference. LikeI said, coming from the West coast,
Uh, they bringing that stand foran offense here, So I'm excited
to be able to be a partof that. For you personally, what's

(03:41:43):
what's the next level look like foryou? What do you where are you
trying to accomplish this year? Uh, just staying consistent, man, a
couple of upside downs last year,Just building off that. It's always always
gonna work on the physical part,but being able to bounce back after a
bad game mental mental aspect. Justlearning learning that last year and be able
to build on that this year isa huge part. You know with Mike

(03:42:07):
Gon, do you take upon yourselfto kind of be that voice in the
room or to take a step forwardeven further as I mean, it's not
really I mean everybody kind of grownin the NFL, so it's just on
you to be able to have thatstandard. Like I said, I just
try to do that, lead byexample. I'm not really outspoken, but

(03:42:31):
just lead by example, working hard, trying to dominate every rep and hopefully
they follow out to that that yardsafter. The catch is that you feel
like that's the strength of yours thatmaybe wasn't utilize I don't know if utilizes
the right word, but you couldshow more. Yeah, it's an offense
that is built around that, uh, just catching the ball in space,

(03:42:52):
catching the ball over the middle oreven on the outside. Uh with with
space and separation, I feel likeit's built around having yards out to So
I'm definitely proud to be in thesystem, like I said, and I'm
excited. But is that is thata mindset too? Like being good at
yards after the catch? Like?Oh yeah, I mean of course.
I mean you don't want to gettackled by the first person. And my
mindset is trying to take every takeeverything to the house, you know,

(03:43:16):
every touch. So uh, Idefinitely got to do that more and definitely
try to work on that and practice. Great dude man, uh some some
that I definitely needed. Some thathe relates to me. Uh just from
backgrounds and uh he's a great coach, great leader, Uh, motivational and

(03:43:37):
uh. Like I said, I'mexcited to have him around and for him
to push me is everything that Ineed. So when you're talking about like
mentally bouncing back, you know fromtough performances or whatever, like, did
you try to fund your resources goingto help you figure out how to do
that? Oh? Yeah, Imean it's older guys. Uh Uh tell
me that's natural. Just have badgames, but uh, just having a

(03:43:58):
standard that I have for myself andthe expectations I have for myself, Uh
gets hard sometimes, so uh,just be able to be hard on yourself
but at the same time just letit go and just bounce back for the
next game is something that I learnedlast year. You one of those guys
that feels like you should always havea certain love production. Are you okay

(03:44:18):
with those certain games where the defenseis so focused on you the other guys
have big games and you're just runninggood bouts And uh yeah, I definitely
was. It was like that earlyin my career, especially in college.
Uh, but I found out,Uh, it's just about winning really,
just trying if you are that numberone guys to bring that attention to you

(03:44:39):
so other guys can get open.It's gonna be games like that. Uh,
but as long as we win andtake back with you guys, what
was it like to go from thecamera of emotions from hearing about it to
now when it's over in your backout that will feel un It's amazing.
You know, it's just a testamentto him and you know, one of
the god we've heard and then too, just the work that he's put in.

(03:45:03):
You know, he's been uh youknow, he came back before it
was even schedule. He can getcleared. And then on top of that,
you know, just coming back afterthat freak accident. And you know,
I think that we serve a guythat's merciful and that's that's purposeful and
he knows that, and he steppedinto and me and him we have those
conversations about our faith and then causelike this football stuff it seems like it's

(03:45:24):
everything, but it's not. Youknow, we're we're people, and we
we go through a lot off thefield people don't know. And you know,
as his brother, I have tobe there for him, like just
like he's there for me when Igo through what I go through. So
I mean, I'm just proud ofhim, man, Like the word proud
is even probably enough to like statethe the feelings that I have for that
guy. Man, he's my oneof my best friends that I've you know,

(03:45:48):
gotten to known over the years inthis in this world of football and
past that Man, I feel likeI'm known since I've been three years old.
You know, I think for likeour connections kind of like we grew
up together, and you know,I just got a lot of love for
that guy, and you know,I'm very excited for him. He's been
snapping that practice and doing really welland you know, to knock off the
rest that quick shows how much workhe's been in. How much more comfortable
are you walking up to ots thisyear to bet to the last year,

(03:46:11):
things kind of a little bit slower. Just what's the biggest difference to you?
Yeah, it's night and day.Man. It's really like I feel
like I'm running the show and I'vegot a lot more uh responsibilities from Slow
and from de Beaca, from dryBill and really our whole office of staff.
And you know, I'm the captainof the ship and I got to
run it the right way. AndI feel like I've you know, stepped
into that role just you know,and not not only hold out accountable,

(03:46:35):
but also you know, hold myselfaccountable to those moments like I don't let
anything slide, uh cause that's that'sthe point of winning and losing. So
I think from last year to thisyear, like I've gotten a lot better
with like controlling my emotions, controllingmy ball placement, knowing what's NFL Open
knowing my food work better. There'sreally every little thing I've taken a step,

(03:46:56):
and then on the other side ofthe ball, you know, just
everything slowed down seeing average Demiico doesa good job of blitching me, you
know, working on their different coveragesand different looks to start too high,
go to one and go back totwo motion like as man, go to
cover too like all that stuff tokeep me true and honest. And you
know, I think I've tried todo my best with my off season study
to you know, be better,and I feel like I've done that and

(03:47:18):
had a good ota so far.So gotta finish with that mini camp.
But it's been definitely a big transitionof the more comfortability from last year this
year. College, you you alwayshad like a really talented receiver room,
and then last year you have atalented receive a room. So you've had
the experience of having to feed alot of guys obviously had in digs,
even Joe missing coming out of thebackfield. How much would that experience from

(03:47:41):
those you know, college and lastyear help you with being able to make
sure that everybody's being fed the waythey are. So if you can you
don't have the best possible offer ifyou guys like you more. Yeah,
I mean I don't think nothing changes, you know. It's like, uh,
I tell I tell guys, causeI get that question a lot from
I got people just walking around justanywhere, astra game whatever, and I

(03:48:01):
was like, man, it's football. You know you're open, you get
the ball. So uh and mything is, you gotta pick your poison
playing us, like who are yougonna double? Who you gonna cater to?
Who? Like you got five dogs? Who are who are able to
get the get the ball in eachgive and play? You know? So
I think it's fine. I knowSlow has done a great job of being
more creative and you know, hasput different personnel packages out there, guys

(03:48:24):
in different positions that going from insideand outside, you know. And you
know, I'm I'm very excited towork with with coach Low again. He's
done amazing so far. You know, Ota is and will continue to do
such. But yeah, man,I think that past experience of playing with
Marv Jack, Garrett, Chris Jamo, America Julian like those type of guys,

(03:48:50):
and they'll tell you too, likeyou know, they'll probably have said
it before, but they'll tell youlike they made me better and I made
them better. You know, that'smy job is to make everybody around me
better. So I'm excited. Manhas been healthy competition. Like I know
Geart, I've seen his interview day. He was talking about Ohio. See
how like the receivers, like ifGear made a play, Chris is like,
nah, watch this, like it'sthe same thing here, which is

(03:49:11):
you know, really cool to watch. And you know, as the quarterbacks
meet, Davis in case and Timwere the same way too. So healthy
competition is the best way to growand get better. And I think that
that's what it's about. You seehow excited Diggs gets for Tank when he
makes it play, and Match getsfor excited for when Nico makes a play,
and Tank gets excited when Rob makesa play. You know. So

(03:49:33):
it's amazing, and you know wegot Noah coming back to which is gonna
be amazing. And I'm excited.Got been there and a ton of guys.
There's a ton of talent steeds showingup. Really everybody's really been doing
Jay, Wayne, Johnny you knowso and man, it's been fun.
Sej Uh Nicko done got you somesome maketure talent on the office side of
the ball. Well, what doyou think about the dishes that he made
on the defensive side of the ball. Yeah, man, it's been great.

(03:49:56):
It's been good on good like Demignatalks about iron Shop behind. You
know, it's been a lot ofsmack talk, a lot of just uh,
just good competition, you know.And then it starts with me and
his ease, you know, himbeing the leader of defense. I'm the
leader at offense. And you know, playing him last year. I mean,
he always showed up on tape whenI watched the Titans last year.
So it's cool to like see likethe stuff he thinks. We you can

(03:50:18):
see him at my locker, meat his or us before practice, after
practice, talking about plays and youknow, so, I mean it starts
with us. And then when youadd Daniell, somebody who's a vet who
plays really hard, who's gonna helpwill you know? Them two dogs?
He got team in the in themiddle with Autry and and Sosa and just

(03:50:39):
a ton of guys, man,you know, in the back end,
got young guys showing up. Kaitlyn'sdoing really well in the back end along
with Petrie and Jimmy along with Kamara. Kamar is shown up. Sting is
playing well as y'all seen. UhSo, man, it's just been dogs
on dogs, you know, likeand that's that's that's that's the best teams
I've ever been a lot. Hasbeen the closest teams personally, but also

(03:51:01):
the most competitive team. So it'sbeen dope. He's see that he broke
out last year, and hego brokeout last year and he go getst the
contract Eccentrion he's here too, twentytwenty seven. What does that do for
you? Just knowing that you haven'tfamiliar target to work with for the next
few years. You know, it'sjust something I I'm first of all,
I'm just proud of that guy.Uh my brother Nico. He's shown up

(03:51:22):
and shown out. You know,when you know and his number is called,
he always makes to play. Andyou know, he's just a special
He's a generation talent man. He'she's like al age is Andre Johnson in
my opinion of just how fast heis, how he gets in and out
of his brace, his releases,how strong he is. And I think
last year was just a uh apreview to what it's took come for him.

(03:51:45):
And the one thing I'm proud ofhim for is just the work has
never stopped. He's constantly here workingon his body, constanting here working on
his hands, his his mobility inthe weight room, you know. So
for me mean just having a atrue uh. I think we have like
five number ones, you know.So that's kind of cool to have.
And I've had that before in collegeand I'll have it again and it's gonna
be fine. Man. And Nicohe's gonna he's he loves to see everybody

(03:52:09):
else eat too, So man,his his love for his brothers has a
change. And you know, it'sit's a it's a special feeling to see
somebody who deserves to get paid andyou know, get what they the d
D wait the what they deserve.And you know, I'm just really proud
of him. What does it meanfor you to have another opportunity to work
with Barbsola and Angelie Johnson. Idon't know if you remember that was a
moment going into the playoffs last season, where do you really know if either

(03:52:33):
one of those guys would beat orfret shit? Yeah, I mean for
both of them to come back wasvery special. I think we both we
all have a better feel of howto work with one another. And you
know, the talent I am onthe field and the play caller that uh
Bobby is and then the the commoncoach droved is you know, we all
work together and that and you know, slow as I'm in his office almost

(03:52:54):
every morning just going over stuff andwatch for film with him, going over
things that we need to go toget better at. And he always has
his phrases, you know, workingfor the end at mind, and you
know he holds me accountable when youknow it could be easier just to like
let me slide, cause you know, I'm I'm out there still making plays,
but he's like, nah, youneed to be better here, here
and there, And you know,I that's just uh shows what type of

(03:53:16):
a leader he is. And youknow it's a honor to be able to
work with him again. And samefor me, like to him like,
hey, flow, I'm not reallyfeeling this play or I wanna add this
player to try to see if wecan get better here in this inn in
this practice where you know, Ithink we can be really good at this
type of player. And he's veryvery accepting when it comes to that.

(03:53:39):
So it's been cool to work withboth of them, and I'm very excited
to get another year on our belt. What was it like tea last year
right here? What was it like, uh, teacher football internationally and the
the r the reception that you gotfrom the people there, it was it
was amazing. You know. Uh, first of all, shout out to
Beijing, Shanghai and Tokyo you knowfor accepting me to Micah with open arms

(03:54:01):
and just the hospitality and the uh, just the culture man there is just
amazing. They want to learn aboutfootball, you know, and it's it
was cool just to see like themalready have like the foundation of it,
but wanting to grow from there.And you know, I think football is
a family sport and like those peopleare our family now. And you know,

(03:54:22):
the Olympics come into where it's gonnabe international with flag football, I
think that's super dope. And tobe able to get you know, to
be able to put our feet intothose those uh doors already, you know,
it's kind of cool, you know. So, I mean, I'm
very grateful with my team with uhBernie and David for setting that up and

(03:54:43):
even like the guys out there whowho gave us top notch hospitality. It
w It was just amazing man,the whole experience. So, you know,
just my first time really out thecountry and just being able to like
go to the Great Wall China andall that stuff and still do what I
love to do, you know.Working out with Micah it was cool and
uh he has a lot of crazytakets, but you know, I I
got love for that guy. Butit was fun. Mann and Jonathan Dad,

(03:55:07):
what's uh, what's it like howyou cant store down here with you?
And what's your relationship been like withhim? Oh? Yeah, Kay's
my brother. Man. You know, I've been through taking thing with him
and he's somebody who I I oftenlook at as like like our moms are
like the same or our families aresuper close. In college, I think

(03:55:30):
he's like my blood brothers who likesomewhere far count of the line. I
don't know how it works, butI just he's always like there for me.
He's always you know, I don'tknow, man, Kate is just
like that guy. He's a brotherthat y uh they talk about in the
Bible, you know, like thatlike it's it's it's He's a friend that
is, you know, like justlike a brother. And I don't know

(03:55:52):
if the word brother just always justcomes up with that, like he just
always there to, you know,hold me up, and he sees me
and he knows my emotions and forhim to be able to it's impressive the
culture of the players that are inthis program right now, but I think
it speaks a lot to the leadership. There's a there's a lot of older
players on this team, and they'veset the tone for the younger players,
and I think the younger players havedone a great job of followship and getting
right in line with that. It'snever hit it over play calling to someone

(03:56:16):
before. What does it mean toyou? I guess he technically did it
to Bill when he was here fora couple of weeks. But what does
that mean to you to kind ofbe getting that responsibility from him and he's
calling essentially the offense that you gaveit. I guess in some way.
Yeah, I still think the playcalling part will be a collaborative effort.
And by that I mean that ifit's a good play, I called it,
and if it's a bad play,he called it. Because the great

(03:56:39):
part is an assistant coach, youcan just point the finger a little bit
and just say, hey, youknow, I wanted to do this,
but he trumped me. So wehaven't actually discussed game day yet. You
know, we'll see how that operates. But everywhere I've been it's been a
collaborative effort. And all of asudden, someone that's calling the plays isn't
isn't like pulls one out of leftfield that you have in practice and hadn't

(03:57:01):
been part of your offense and said, hey, let's do this. You
know, we're not running the annexationof Puerto Rico. You know, we're
not coming up with something special youknow in the middle of the fourth quarter
that we haven't done. But Ithink it's the key to really being successful
on offense is is how you gameplan, how you put it all together,
and then how you practice and trainfor that so that you get a
chance to execute it. Because theplayer's confidences comes from their demonstrated ability that

(03:57:22):
they've done this so many times inpractice that when they get out on the
field that this is like that tothem, you know. And it's not
that they do it so they doit right, it's they practice it so
much so that they can't do itwrong. So, you know, I
think it's that whole part of itthat is really the key to being a
really good game planning team, rightDoug Lane ree King North Chip. When

(03:57:43):
you had that feeling when you werecoaching the quarterbacks during Bold Operation, did
you consider at that point maybe resigningas the head coach and thinking like this
is this is not where I amanymore. I'll leave and then I'll look
to see what else is out there. N I never thought about quitting anything,
So, you know, I justis there an opportunity that I think
I can that fit, you know, And I think that's the you know,

(03:58:07):
it's no different than when you're talkingto a recruit about them make a
decision on where they're gonna go toschool. I think that where they should
go to school is where the bestfit is for them. So you know,
I just entertained some opportunities and Ialways felt I felt like this was
the best fit. But I neverthought about quitting or not coaching. I'm
gonna coach. I'm ana coach,and then I'm gonna die. But I
mean that's how I think I thinkabout things, is I can't picture that.

(03:58:30):
I know someone I was on theNike trip and they are like,
how much longer are you going togo? When I said I to go
another fifteen twenty years. I don'tthink about I don't think about retirement.
I don't think about any of thosethings. That's just not kind of my
mindset that you know. I lovefootball and in the as long as I
can be part of this game,then I'll be part of this game.
Just the way things worked out withyour departure from UCLA, is there anything

(03:58:52):
that you wish you had done differently, or anything you regret, or just
that the circumstances that presented themselves.Do you think that you hate that departure
the best that you could have?Yeah, I mean I got an opportunity
to tell my players personally. Youknow, I think in this day and
age of the Internet where they readit somewhere else and you have to text
message him. You know, thatwas always important to me that I wanted
to make sure I talked to myplayers and explain the reasons of what I

(03:59:13):
was doing. I wasn't leaving totake a head coaching job somewhere else.
I wasn't thinking that the grass isGreener at another university. Was just in
my personal situation, this is whatI wanted to do. I wanted to
take an opportunity to go be aposition coach and coordinator, and that's how
it fit. You know. WhatI was happy is that I always thought
to Sean Foster, I think theworld of them, and I think he's
a special you know. And thefact that that they were they gave him

(03:59:37):
the opportunity to take over there wasyou know, it worked out. I
didn't have any say in that decision, you know, I was gone,
But I always thought that that Shaunwould be a great head coach and I'm
really proud of him and happy thatthat he got the opportunity to take that
job. Right behind him act youhave your reputation as innovator. Was part
of the appeal of this is thatyou get to get the weeds a little

(04:00:01):
bit. Maybe not mad scientists,maybe too too strong of a work could
you're working within the system. Butwas there an appeal of get to get
my hands dirty here again and innovateand get back to that side of things.
It was, but it was reallymore important of who I get to
work with, you know, Andso knowing. You know, I've got
I know a lot of guys onthe staff besides Ryan also, so you

(04:00:24):
know, when I know what theirmindset is and what their values are and
how they do things, and soI want to be a part of that.
But there's a part of that.Yeah, how much of a teacher
you get labeled in the Innovator.The teaching is a part of this.
How much of a teacher are youand how patient are you? Yeah,
I think we're all teachers. Imean, education is the transportation of knowledge,

(04:00:45):
you know, So it really doesn'tmatter what the coach knows. It
matters what the players understand, youknow. So you have to be able
to make sure that while you're implementingthings is what resonates with them and how
does that come back to them.So, you know a lot of our
teaching styles that we've learned is morethe socratic method of there's a lot of
questions, you know, and alot of check for understandings, just to
kind of find out where the playersare coming from, because it's what they

(04:01:07):
know that that's ultimately gonna win games, not what we know. You know
that we're not playing the games,we're not stepping across those white lines,
you know, and your job asa coach is to create an environment where
they have an opportunity to be successfuland then get out of their way and
let them go do it. SoI think the teaching aspect is huge,
and we continue to research, youknow, some of the latest trends in
teaching to make sure that we aretransporting that knowledge to our players. The

(04:01:31):
second roll left, Steve Helwagan,twenty four to seven Sports. Yeah,
coach, just curious, you've gotfive scholarship quarterbacks with differing levels of experience
from age and everything else. Notto annoy him, but just want to
ask specifically about Will Howard coming inafter starting part of two years at Kids
of State. He just seems topromote this idea that he's a football player,

(04:01:54):
you know, above all else.Just how impressed are you with his
makeup, his experience, what he'sbringing to the table walking in here right
now? Yeah? Really impressed.You know, you don't have to talk
to Will for more than five minutesto kind of know where he's coming from.
He's really focused, you know,he knows he's got a short window
left in his college career, andit really wants to capitalize on what that

(04:02:18):
is. There's a maturity to Will, you know. I really I've had
experience. My experience in this thingsince the transfer portal opened in college football
is some of the best players I'vehad an opportunity to coach ward transfers.
Sometimes when you're a true freshman andit's five years out, you know,
it's like, hey, I gota ton of time, you know.
And sometimes when you're a transfer,is that I've got nine months, you

(04:02:39):
know. So there's a sense ofurgency I think when you're dealing with with
transfers, and I think Will hasexuded that since he's been here. But
the other thing that I just inthe short time that Will's been here is
how quickly he's fit in with theentire team, you know, and how
much the rest of the players respecthim. You know. He was one
of the Gold Award winners for hiswork in the weight room in this offseason,
So that says a lot for himcoming in here as a in a

(04:03:01):
short time, being able to towin a weight room award, you know,
to start off, do you guyshope to have the number one internally
externally at the end of spring orI guess just let it play out,
how do you I? I thinkit always every time I've been involved in
these, I think when they're organicis when it's the best that. I
don't think you can anoint somebody orforce the issue because the players know,

(04:03:22):
the players would understand. They seeit every single day, you know,
And there's a team chemistry part ofthis thing too, So we're not gonna
force the issue a But I've alwaysseen it play itself out. So I've
been fortunate that there's always gonna besome quarterback battles at at some point in
time at every school there's a quarterbackbattle, you know, and then and
really you you gotta let them playit out on the field, and that's
where it has to That's that's whereit has to be decided. Just a

(04:03:45):
couple Hey, welcome and we we'reexcited to have you here. Thank you.
I'm kind of to talk about theinnovative part. Ryan said that that's
something that he's always loved but workingwith you and now he wants you to
bring that here and how the fitOhio State do to the idea of what
that's gonna look like yet or isit just way too early? I have
no idea, you know. Ithink part of it is is you're trying

(04:04:07):
to put the players in position tomake play. So a lot of that
comes from getting to understand the playersand what their skill sets are and how
we feature what their skill sets are, you know, and and the one
thing after day one, I cantell you that there's a lot of skill
set out there, you know.So that's that's what gets you excited.
You know, that's that's what youjump out of bed in the morning and
you're excited to go to work becauseof the talent that you get to work

(04:04:30):
with. But the one thing that'sthe most impressive is the work ethic that
goes along with that talent. Youknow, it's not just empty talent.
It's you got some kids who wantto I mean all of them since I've
been here, want to work.So that that's what gets you excited.
But I think assessing what the skillset is you know that we have available
to us on the offensive side ofthe ball, is vitally important. And
then our job is to put thoseguys in positions to make place lots of

(04:04:54):
pressure. I mean, you've experiencedwhat it's like to coach national championship how
over teams this program right now andmoving into a situation where you got to
win Quicken now, So does thatfeel like pressure here for you or is
it a little bit of excitement orboth? Well, I've always subscribed to
as pressure is what you feel whenyou don't know what you're doing. So

(04:05:15):
if you don't want to feel pressure, and then you should know what you're
doing. So, you know,I think it's it's part of that,
and I think part of our jobwith our players in terms of the education
process is getting them to understand thattoo. Is that you know, it's
it's about your preparation, It's aboutyou and your development. It's not about
that you can't be governed by whatother people say. It's it's what's my
mindset and how am I intrinsically motivated? And then how do I really compete

(04:05:35):
against myself on a daily basis toget a little bit better. You know,
we got a little bit better todaybecause we get out on the field
today and got a chance to dosome football. And then the challenge is
when we get back on the fieldon Thursday, can we be a little
bit better than we were on Tuesday? And if we're doing that then we
keep stacking good days on top ofgood days, and I think we'll be
in good spot and welcome, thankyou. I'm gonna ask about the pros

(04:05:56):
and cons of coaching from the boxand coaching from the fields, And so
he talked to some up and somecoordinators. Tom Herman talking about he swore
he wanted to coach from the box. Saw the game so much better,
sterile environment, not all the chaoson the field. Some coaches you talk
to the like, I want tobe on the field so I can look
at my guys in the in theeye. Where are you as a as
a coordinator? Honestly, And I'vethought of this a lot. I thought
of it a lot during COVID becausewe had the empty stands, you know,

(04:06:20):
so I had thought about just walkingup into the stands for a little
bit because I had a better advantage. I've always believed you can see the
game better from up above, butI believe you can feel the game better
from the field. So if therewas any way we could get a zip
wire where you could do both,you know, coach called from there and
then zip out of the field,get a chance to talk to him.
Because it's a different deal when you'retalking to the quarterbacks on a phone,

(04:06:41):
you know, than being able tolook in their eye and kind of see
where they are with it. Andpart of it is the field part of
it. I remember when I coachedRyan once. We were playing Yukon and
he got hit hard going out ofbounce and he just walked by me,
and I was a play caller,and he was like, run the next
play, and I just kind oflooked at him. I saw the look
in his eyes because I don't thinkhe could have thrown it, you know,
he was still trying to get hiswin back. But you wouldn't know

(04:07:03):
that if you're up in the booth, you know, and you call a
pass play from up in the boothand you're like, how come we can't
complete that? Well, he justtook a shot going out of bound.
So it's that fine line and Idon't have an answer, you know.
I think I think it's feel onthe ground and it's see from up above.
Maybe in this day a technology,they'll figure it out. But we'll
see how that that that operates,and whatever Ryan feels is the best for

(04:07:24):
the team is what we're gonna do. So your teams at the Oregon were
obviously no ever're playing at this asspace and running much of plays for a
minute, and yep, maybe notby a fast pretty fast. What rule
do you see tempo and having anoffense and in the States in college football
and has maybe changed. I thinkthe game is always evolving, you know.

(04:07:48):
I think when I left in twothousand and twelve to go to the
National Football League, Oregon was theonly team that was playing really really fast
and had shiny helmets. And whenI came back in twenty seventeen, everybody
had shiny helmets that everybody was playingfast. So I think the game is
always going to go up and down, and there's going to be different cycles
that it goes through. I thinktempo is part of an offensive, but

(04:08:09):
I don't think it's an offense initself. I think it's more of like
if you go to dinner, it'sa side order. You know, it's
not the main course, but it'sit's always good to have it. So
I think there's times when you'll useit, but you're you're not going to
use it extensively the entire game,just like you're not going to throw the
ball every single snap in the game. You're not going to run the ball
every single snap in the game.You know, there's there's not a game

(04:08:30):
of absolutes anymore. I think thatthe ability to be diverse and have it
as a tool in your two box, so to speak, uh is really
how we would look at using it. Here are now more familiar with it
then, I think. So,you know, I think when you first
started going Temple, there were peoplein the NCAA. They want to outlaw
it. They want to make anNCAA role that you had. You couldn't
do it, you know, AndI'll I'll give coach Shaping credit. I

(04:08:52):
mean, I think obviously Nick wasthe first one to do it. He
wanted it outlawed, and then allof a sudden he adapted it and said,
all right, we like this,you know, so we'll keep it
in. But it's I think peoplehave it doesn't matter what you do.
There's there's cycles to this game,and then once people catch on to that
cycle, then it moves. Youknow, It's no different than for three
defenses and three four defenses. Youknow what is the rage When the when

(04:09:13):
the Giants won the Super Bowl,they were they were three four defense and
everybody. Everybody says we have todo that. What people didn't understand is
they had Carl Banks and Lawrence Taylor. It didn't matter what defense they were
running. I know Gym's back thereand Jim played against the you know it
was. They could have been afour down defense and those guys would have
been great players. But it's notthe scheme. I think that the coaches

(04:09:33):
that do it the best way isthey insert their players and put them in
the best position to make plays.And now, now will Temple be part
of it. It'll be part ofit, but it's certainly not going to
be the main course. A sorrylast question, Oh, thank you very
much, Jerry. Uh. Numberone, there was a great moment there
when y'all were warming up, whenyou were you were talking with Tim Walton
and Caleb Downs comes up and conversingand as you're in this kind of a

(04:09:58):
two part question, but number one, what was your your take on the
talent you saw on that field todayon both sides of the ball. Where
where would you rank it? Yeah, I'll rank it. I'll be very
transparent. As I was telling Timand Caleb what a great offensive player I
thought Caleb would be could be andshould be, but I'm not the head

(04:10:20):
coach. So I always turned stretchas a as an offensive coordinator, I'm
always looking at the defensive players,like I could use him. Oh what
could I do if I had him? What could I do if I have
him? But I don't. Idon't get the chick sixty. After he
came back, you know, itwas more of a just a game time
decision every week. You know,I wasn't practiced on Thursdays, and that

(04:10:43):
was the first time in my careerI've really had to really just bite the
bullet and that approach. And thenit was just responding to a game.
And then you know, after thefirst game against Tennessee, it was you
know, it was just trying toclimb up, climb up, uh and
think myself out of a hole.But you know, I wanted to get

(04:11:05):
back and I felt like I could, but I knew I wasn' gonna be
at a hundred percent, but Ihad to push it to, you know,
be there for my team. Okay, I'm to clarify you reporting today
doesn't is an indicative of your contractstatus, not at all. Yeah.
I mean you mentioned leadership and abouthow you wanna be the best figure you
can be. Do you use anyof this time, do you know speak
with any of the better or therookie players and try to, you know,

(04:11:28):
give them some guidance as approach step. Yeah, you know, whether
it's on the field, off thefield, you know communication uh dinners,
just you know, letting them knowI'm available for him. You know,
I think it can be something aslittle as just the steps on field goal
block or field goal protection. Youknow, I've been doing it for thirteen

(04:11:50):
years. Us still crazy, I'mstill doing it, but uh, you
know, Uh, those are thet type of things I'm just giving guidance
to. And then you know,off the field, it's you know what
takes back to around the city.Where should you be, where you should
be, how you can help yourself, you know, the little things.
Dah, what are you looking for? You know, I'm looking to be

(04:12:16):
here. You know, Uh,the value is what we decide. But
you know, I think for me, I I I want to be you
know, valued at my position.You know, I understand I came up
a rough season, but I don'tthink it's a step down of where I
can play. You know, Ithink when I'm at the top of my
game. I'm still you know,top five player in my position, and

(04:12:39):
you know I played a run inthe past and I bring leadership and that's
not anything I discover. Can youyou planning to be here for Mini camp
m the Story of Training Camp?Yeah? How difficult has it been the
last two weeks to not be here? I mean you said on your podcast
the first time you've never not beena OT. Yeah, it w it.

(04:13:00):
It was difficult, But like youknow, the thing I got very
frustrated with was just some people questionedmy communication with the team. You know,
I uh was communicating with guys leftand right, and you know,
front office, coaches, teammates,and all I care about is how I
am with my teammates. I don'twant them to ever think I don't care

(04:13:20):
about them or how I'm not init. And you know, you can
say whatever you want about me.But besides that, but I always dedicate
anything I can't do them, andI don't want that to every question.
Isaiya said that it felt like sometimesyou were holed up somewhere watching film,
you text your miss or want that. Well, like the first day he

(04:13:41):
was batting all up Russ's passes.So I had to let him know.
You know, Uh, you gottatake advantage of that. You gotta make
sure guys are you know, uhknow that you you still care and you
still want to be a part ofthis. You know, just watching practice,
there's a couple of little things we'redoing different, whether I'm communicating with
dumb are or other people. Youknow. So yeah, so you're that

(04:14:03):
You're also talking with him and youyou've given him the points during the off
season, just constant communication. Howdo you see new gro as a person?
You know, as far as howhe's approaching things, how he's getting
ready for this season from his rookieyear. Uh, you know, I
think the thing with Keanu is he'smore comfortable, you know, you know
it since his first time around thetrack. You know, it's actually like

(04:14:24):
he can you know, uh catchhis feet under him. You know.
I always think when you're in yourrookie season, you're going from bowl game.
I don't even know Wisconsin play ina bowl game. Sorry, Wisconsin,
I don't even know. But youknow, personally, I just think
when you go from bowl game totraining for the Combine to you know,
rookie minnicamp to OTAs the you knowmini camp, I mean the training camp,

(04:14:48):
the regular season. You really don'tget a time to really catch yourself.
You know, he understands the playbook. Now he can be more vocal,
you know, And I think whenmy absence the other guy's absence,
you know, you need guys likethat to step up and be ready for
those opportunities you had. Saying youhad during the season was a more thorough
What was just tightened down everything,you know on my left side because I

(04:15:11):
was overcompensating a little bit, butyou know it was it wasn't anything that
lingers. You know, I'll saythis, A growing is not like an
a c L. It's not likeanything's that we're going to get affected again.
And you know, you know,I'm feeling good, able to do
everything squat and heavy with power andspeed, so you know, it feels

(04:15:33):
good to get after again. Whatdo you think of what the team was
able to accomplish your shaft season inturn to bring guys like Russian and things.
You know, I think they're allgood acquisitions. But you know,
you never want to be known asa paper champion, so you can't win
the off season. I think thework gets done out here on the field,
gets done in the classroom. Wow, it gets done training Uh,

(04:15:56):
you know, and then you seewhere you're at in training camp and then
you build on that. You know, I think we got the right guys
in the building. It's just aboutputting a complete team on the field.
Can how timper colls to separate frombusiness part of the game in the actual
football player? Uh, you knowyou always wanna you always have to treat

(04:16:18):
it like a business because you knowone day it's gonna end. Uh and
that's been job. Uh. It'snot like in college where you know you
got four years guaranteed. I don'tknow, well now you don't know what
nil and know it's crap. Imean the transfer portal portal. But you
know you have to I still havelove for this game, and I still

(04:16:41):
work my tail off and I stillput everything into it and that's not gonna
change. But you have to knowwhat you bring to the team and what
your what your value is. Howdid it feel to be out there with
your teammates today? Emotionally great?You know we got a new Uh,
we got a new training staff.I'm still learning the the warm up a
little different, but Uh, youknow, I loved it. Uh,

(04:17:04):
you know, just getting after it, learning new guys, Uh, going
through the same drills I've been doingby myself. I actually like having more
people around, cause like kind ofgo start crazy when it's just you and
another guy, You're like, damn, I gotta go back up for another
rep already. And so you know, it's nice to be up here and

(04:17:26):
get a chance to you know,be with my guys. Cam. Are
you confident and be able to getdone with your emotion? Oh, I'm
gonna we'll try to remain pretty neutralbecause you know, I don't wanna,
you know, be too either way. All I know is I want to
be here. But we'll see whathappens. This was my last year here

(04:17:48):
and I've I've had a great careerhere, but I'll look forward to play
next year. With that second surgery, you said it just turns on the
left side. It was the firsttime around on the right side, right
side in the season. Left sidethat was just tightening down my corner.
My corma saw. It wasn't thesame as my ad doctor. You know,

(04:18:08):
you can ask doctor Bradley, uh, doctor doctor zucker Bron who uh
did the surgery as well. Youknow, I if anything's gonna help me
and you'll make me a lot strongerfrom hearing up. Can you say you
were training with another guy who youkind of been Tyson? Oh, I've
been training with him for the lasteight years. We've always trained together.

(04:18:30):
We got a trainer up north,uh shadowt Cole Haley, who's my guy,
traded trained trained, uh Heath Miller, Brett Hezel. The multitude of
guys that I all respect, andwe've just been getting after Cam. The
very few guys historically thirty five thatyou paid big contractor you think that's held
against you. I think there's nota lot of history behind it. But

(04:18:55):
you know, for me, II look at as I'm not looking to
be like anybody else. Know,my game is different from everybody else in
this league. You know, Ilike to think, you know, I
can play the run in the past, and then that's why I'm different,
you know, I remember last yearMike t just brought to my attention.
You know the thing that's really coolis you watch powerlisters, and you know,

(04:19:17):
my game's built on powering technique andthose guys go into the forties and
so you know, that's what kindof research I'm doing behind the scenes.
But you know, I I we'llsee what happens. It is, there's
not a lot of history, butI'm here to make history. And I'm
here to you know, and winanother Super Bowl year and you know,

(04:19:38):
have a great season. Do youhave a set goal over yourself on how
many years you want to play inthe NFL? Or do you just take
things year by the year. Youknow, it was it was tough answering
that question right after the season.I will say this, guys, I
I can't keep answering that question rightafter the season. That is not fair
to the season, That's not fairto my family, you know. But

(04:19:59):
in my mind, I got threeyears and I wanna maximize'em. I
wanna play at a high level,and I wanna go deep in the playoffs.
And you know, we got agood team, and I'm gonna do
my part to be ready for allthose situations. Here. If you plan
on practice when you report to Latropor it is your possibility that you might
pulled in and they force the issuations. I I have not even thought that

(04:20:21):
far. I'm taken a day byday. Uh you know, uh uh?
I told my agent and we talkedabout it. I mean, we
were cool coming out here. Youknow, I'll be here for many you
know, and then I'll be therefor training parent you know, I don't
know what the work entails, butright when we get there, we'll we'll
cross that bridge. Why is ita fore or remain a stealer for those

(04:20:44):
three years? You know, therewas a conversation between me Omar and Mike
t And there's certain guys that areone helmet guys, you know, and
I wanna be one of those onehelmet guys. And you know there's a
there's a hunger and desire there.But that doesn't mean just hanging it up

(04:21:06):
and calling her career. To me, I think, you know, I
got more bullets to fire, anduh, you know, I'm excited to
do that. What does it meanto you? Last one? You and
Russell Wilson are going to be outthere with Waltimnon. Uh what Waltimpayton man
in the year patter. I sawRuss's on social media, but I haven't

(04:21:26):
had a chance to see it.Uh. I'll let that surprise happens when
it happens. But at the sametime, we're in the process of recruiting,
you know, people to our teamas opposed to drafting. So it
is different than the NFL, andthere's a lot of things to consider,
especially with some of the i AWP rules that come with recruiting prospect Back

(04:21:47):
left with me, Ran, youtalked a lot about evaluating players with considering
the truth for Portland, trying tokeep guy and all that is it more
just trying to get as many ofthe best players as we can out words,
it's still very positioned, focused andfilling gaps. Has that changed at
all? Well, I think thefirst thing is you have to bring in
the people that fit Ohio State.That's the thing, and now more than

(04:22:07):
ever. I mean, you knowwhat do you hate said it a long
time ago. You win with peoplelike that's more prevalent now maybe even the
back then. And I say thatbecause there's so much that goes with today's
day and age. You know,there's there's the portal like you're saying,
there's nil, there's just there's alot. So you want to have great
people in your program, great coaches, great staff members, great supporting you

(04:22:27):
know, people around the program,supporting the people, but also you know,
the players you know, the familymembers, it's all going to fit.
And I think it's important that wemake sure we're doing that at a
high level. And you know,just say well, let's go bring in
the best players in the country.Like, it doesn't work that way.
You have to build a culture anda winning culture, and that's what we're

(04:22:48):
focused on now, right. Iknow things can certainly change again in August.
But when you guys wrap top,can't where you planned on Josh Bryer
right tackle, maybe side of thelineup what you guys saw. Yeah,
we see Josh making a lot ofprogress. He's had another he's had a
really good June, an other goodoffseason, and we felt like the spring
he did a nice job there.So we feel like there's there's just been

(04:23:11):
a lot of progress. Man.I think coming off of last year,
he built some confidence and then heknows he can do it. He knows
the area's got to improve in inorder for him to, you know,
help us win the games we needto win. So we feel confident with
him playing guard and tackle. We'vegot to figure out what that right side
looks like. You know, Iwould say we're probably leaning towards, you

(04:23:32):
know, playing him at tackle andtrying to figure out who that right guard
is at this time. But wedo have some flexibility there. And you
know, he's been a leader forus, he's on the Leadership committee and
and just looking at you know,his numbers and how he's changed his body,
we're expecting a big fall from him. All right. When you look
at all this stuff that's changed sinceyou took over, how do you constantly

(04:23:52):
continue to adjust? I mean atthis point it's every single day. How
do you allow him for yourself tokind of change with change? Well,
it even started, you know,I feel like in nineteen that was like
the first year we were making atransition, and then you know, COVID
hit, and then you know,every year it just seems like there's something
else. And I could come tothe conclusion that every year is going to
be different and we have to adapt. But there's certain things that we're not

(04:24:15):
going to change. There's certain valueswe're not going to change. It just
you know, you know, principlesthat have you know, stood the test
of time. And I shared thiswith a group before when I started doing
some research as we were doing somesome of our recruiting, you know,
introductions and some of our you know, talks about, you know, the
traditions of Ohio State. We talkedabout how Ohio Stadium was built, you

(04:24:40):
know, and when you when youwhen you do your research on that one
hundred years ago, you know,folks have the idea of building a stadium
over sixty thousand people, and that'sbecause of what Chick Harley was doing.
And you know, they had awooden bleachers over here and all these people
started coming in and the idea ofbringing in a stadium that of our sixty
thousand people at the time was like, this is crazy. What is college

(04:25:00):
football turning into? And they insteadof going to the state or going to
the school the community, they wentto the community to raise the money they
raised over at the time over amillion dollars. Well, I fast forward
one hundred years and the conversation stillmight be like what is college football doing
right? And in this situation thenI l we had to turn to the
community for help, and Bucky Nationshowed up again in a big way.

(04:25:22):
So although the landscape is changing,I don't know if you know, one
hundred years later, if it's thatmuch different, it's just in a different
time in a different, you know, set of issues that we're working through.
But I think it's exciting. Ithink there's a lot of positives to
it. I do. I thinkthat we're taking the next step with the

(04:25:45):
revenue sharing to try to institutionalize someof it, which would be big for
us. Yeah. Every years question, it seems like this year's team has
question of the line. Specifically,if you look ahead tore in a month,

(04:26:07):
what are the real questions that youhave in your mind about position battles
and who's gonna I would say onoffense, you know, we've got to
square away the quarterback as you know, I feel like, you know,
the offensive line on the right side, we've got to solidify that. I
feel like we got to build,you know, enough depth at receiver that

(04:26:30):
we feel like we can put infive or six in the game and feel
good about it. On defense,I think we're still looking to figure out,
you know, who are going tobe the guys inside, you know,
the the third, the fourth,the fifth defensive interier linement that we're
gonna put in the game. Andthen same thing just just I would say
depth, a little bit of safetyjust to kind of see who those next

(04:26:52):
guys are they're going to step up, and so we know it's going to
be a long year. We're gonnaneed everybody, and and so in a
lot of those areas depth special teamswise, you know, punter is going
to be you know that that issignificant. You know, we just brought
in Nick and you know, sothere'll be a battle there. So I'd
say those are probably the areas we'refocused on the most. Ryan just to

(04:27:17):
fall from the offensive line, therewas I think a school applogy you guys
might have looked for a transfer inthat post spring window. Did you guys
do that? Did you guys notfind the guy or were you just confident
the guys you have Just like youknow in January, if if we're going
to bring somebody in, it isto fill a hole. We're not just
going to bring somebody in to bringsomebody in. Like at all positions,

(04:27:38):
we'll always look to see what's outthere. We did evaluate some of the
guys that were out there, andyou know, you know, we felt
like coming out of it as weevaluated it, you know, there was
a couple of guys that you know, we checked on, but but ultimately,
like based on where we were andsome of the young guys that are
coming up. You know, wefelt like we saw some progress in the
offensive line in the spring, soyou know, it wasn't there wasn't as

(04:28:00):
many folks in the portal, youknow, in after the spring. So
we looked at it, we identifiedit, We did our due diligence,
but you know we're gonna go withthrough. We have now second round.
Bill landis right, you're it wasinteresting that you have two of maybe the
top five ors of guys in sportand then a bunch of guys who haven't
plenty uh maybe someone that I knowmy question, but did you consider trying

(04:28:25):
to add there? Understanding that probablythe difficult to sell. We have such
talent, how to bring somebody ofthese experiences? Like what were those conversations
like and how did you settle onbeing comfortable with you know, Trey and
well, like you said, youknow, I think we're we will get
some experience there with those two guys. And then you know, we felt
like coming out of the spring thatJames and Sam both did a nice job

(04:28:47):
and you know, we're gonna haveto play them and they're gonna have to,
you know, take on a littlebit of that. You know,
we have you know, started havingconversations with Caleb Bowns. I was part
of the recruiting process of possibly doinga little bit of running back as well.
It's something that he wanted to do. So we've been having him in
some of the meetings and some ofthe individual drills as a possibility there if
you know, needed so down theroad to continue to build depth at that

(04:29:11):
position. But you know, Ithink, you know, we feel like,
you know, if you have youknow, four strong running backs going
into it, then you know that'sgonna be that's gonna be enough to carry
the season. I do think thatthe quarterbacks will run the ball more this
season, so that should take somecarries away from them. But to your
point, you know, James andSam are gonna have to step up to

(04:29:32):
the guys that we can count on. Save that for another day, Yeah,
just fall up on it. Ishe capable of stepping in and being
running back? Obviously, we'll see, we'll see. We talked about in
the recruiting process, you know,the first time around, and more specifically

(04:29:55):
in the second time around, andso he's you know, he's been around
a little bit just to get afeel for it. We did very little
in the spring. We did Ithink we pitched them an option or something
like that in the spring just tokind of get them going. But we'll
see. We'll see where that goes. We don't have a specific plan right
now, but we do want tointroduce him to that just the same thing

(04:30:15):
like Lorenzo Styles has played Recier wherehe did that Notre Dame. You know,
he's out there a little bit,just kind of learning. It's healthy.
You know, you're seeing it fromthe other side of the ball.
This time of the year. Youcan get away with that a little bit,
a little bit in the preseason.Where it goes, we'll see,
but you just never know. Andwe're trying to put some contingency plans in
place because it could be a longseason. Yeah. This is my forty
fourth year cover of How Today.I don't remember ever expectations like this in

(04:30:37):
the summer. There were some ofthem were almost as big. Sure do
you send that too? And whatdoes that pressure like as you're working through
a summer. Yeah, people haveasked me that I go back to the
expectations every year the same. Imean, it's just the truth. When
opening press conference, I said,you got to beat the team up North
and whenevery game after that. That'sjust the expectations. And when you come
up short, you know you've gotto figure out a way to get those

(04:30:59):
things fixed. I think we havedone that. But the expectations are the
same every year. Pressure is thesame every year. I just like the
pressure when you've got a really goodteam behind you. So that's what we've
got right now. And you know, we know it's going to be a
long season. We know we're workingtowards. But I will say this about
this team, Well, well,we've been talented. That's there's been times
in the past we've been talented.I don't know since I've been here,

(04:31:21):
if we've been this talented and thisexperience together with guys that have played a
lot of football, fourth and fifthyear guys, and that doesn't matter.
We'll go ex door, Stephen,since you right up, maybe this is
just talks because it's summer conmaus,so you can just have a conversations.
Maybe we're making a big lot ofnothing long term situations. But we've seen
it around college football in the league, guys playing both sides of the ball

(04:31:45):
and doing it quite well. Right, Travis Huner is doing in Colorado and
Kayla Dallas has been apartment turns,so we see what he could do with
the ball. But there's also thestamina aspect of that. I just get
into a sixteen game season, SoI'm not saying it's any forty snaps or
something like that, but what aboutathletics and what he brings to the table
and let you know that if youwanted to explore it a real game,
he could last and still be aneffective See. Yeah, yeah, we'd

(04:32:07):
have to see all that he didit in high school. But we got
some really good running backs in aroom. So it's not something that we're
planning on doing, but uh,we all we are gonna, you know,
work on a little bit. Caleb. Caleb enjoys that part of it.
We did agree that that was somethingthat we were going to look into.
Where it goes, I don't Idon't really know right now, but
I know that he has the capabilityto do it. He has the athleticism

(04:32:29):
and do it, and you know, we'll kind of see where it goes,
see see how he does, andyou know, maybe hand the ball
Tom a little bit of the preseasonbecause again, it's going to be a
long season. We have to makesure we have continuency plans in place.
But I know it's something that heenjoys having the ball in his hand.
So even during their first time aroundthe recruiting process, we even talked about
him coming in as a as anoffensive player. Ultimately we think his ceiling

(04:32:52):
is highest on defense. But youknow, but I also agree. I
think that having you know, guygo on the other side of the ball
and just see it, listen tomeetings is really healthy for their development.
So we're gonna do that regardless.Your defensive recruiting right now is maybe further
along it's been in the years past, and I think we passed much questions

(04:33:14):
about it in the past, Butis this a product of seeing it over
the last couple of years and nowit's not just telling you guys, hey,
this what might look like this,they're seeing it in real time.
Yeah, you know, we talkedabout it when Jim first came in,
and I think Tim walls an unbelievablejob as well in the back end,
and you know, Matt stepped rightin and James and Larry. I think
they're all doing a great job.But like you said, you know,
it's one thing to talk about it. That's theory. Testimony is this,

(04:33:37):
look at this is this is whatwe're doing. And then I think you're
seeing a lot of guys just excitedabout playing in this defense and they see
the capabilities and the flexibility too.You know, right now the way we
play, excuse me, the waywe play right now is based on you
know, we have four really talenteddefensive linemen that are really good, and
we got a lot of depth tothose positions. But there's also flexibility with

(04:33:59):
some of the things Jim's on inthe past that you know, we're definitely
looking at, and some of therecruits that we're looking at who bring some
versatility, pass rusher, you know, we have that jack position and those
type of things. So that's excitingas well. And I think you're seeing
a lot of the recruits, youknow, really get fired up when they
get here. People. Yeah,coach, your first couple years, your
identity was was very far from anawful, standpoint and air it out type

(04:34:22):
team. Look at the key besttalent and the playmakers you have there,
has your identity change? I guesswhat do you think the identity is of
this point point four. Well,we'll see as we go, but you
know, we know what we needto do to play in the big games.
That's never changed. And we haveto be able to stop the run,
run the football, take care ofthe ball, and there'll be opportunities

(04:34:42):
to throw the ball that'll that'll happen, but you know we're gonna have to,
you know, do those things towin close games and play situational football.
But I think, you know,you won't really get a feel for
what the identity of the team isuntil we get into probably the beginning of
October, you know, and Ithink we all have ideas of what it
could go. But you know nowthat we're playing in a playoff format,

(04:35:04):
just like a lot of those NFLteams sometimes, you know, they don't
really quite understand their identity until theyget about halfway through the season. I
don't think it'll take that long.But you know, we're able to play
some games and kind of work throughsome things. And I don't think our
defense is going to change a bunchin terms of what we did last year.
I mean, it's a lot ofthe same guys back could look a
little different on offense. Have yougot time for two more go to Doug

(04:35:25):
Limerries. Okay, right, youlose an important recruiting staffer to promotion at
Michigan just so much this offseason.How do you react something like that is
something that someone like that would takeinformation that was learned here that could help

(04:35:48):
the Michigan or Stages reaction. Yeah, all good questions. And you know,
I just I want to talk aboutthe guys that are here, you
know, the staff members that arehere, the coaches that are here,
the players that are year. Wegot Jeremiah J J. Smith j J.
How'd you feel out there to day? Got the team came out?

(04:36:08):
Don't three and old pool play?When you come to these kind of tournaments,
what kind of techniques do you liketo work on it? See you
think that you're gonna deep run someshort stuff from crossing the routes? What
do you work on when you're outof tournament like this? Really just getting
back into Google, you know,doing the week so really just working on
my releases. Uh that's when yourgame my fridge, I can I'm gonna

(04:36:30):
chuck. So just really getting backin. Now. We know you pulled
the trigger on Ohio State. Obviouslyyou're gonna take visits kind of make sure
that you're you're perfect, done yourdecision. What was it about Ohio State
and Brian Hartline and Ryan Day thatmade you feel comfortable to commit early?
Really? They sent me my firstvisit when I think the first ca off
you, they offered me off.So do you feel like system? Prison?

(04:37:00):
But it just what's up? What'sup? What's what they sell?
Was? They they gave me,uh really just a kid that I'm a
talk martists. I wasn't talk artist. Guys, I'm trying to have a
good side job. Now. Iknow you got some of your s F
family up there. You got Brandonn s, you got Carnal Day.
What does it mean to potentially beable to wake up with them in a

(04:37:21):
year and be able to kind ofrun back what you guys have done in
South Florida Express in Columbus, Ohio. It'd be great we go there to
Ohio State take over. It'd begrateful all crazy find out more first rout.
Yeah, you're a super humble kid. I've been really impressed by you
today. Is there anything that youwant Ohio State fans to know about you?

(04:37:41):
You know again, I know you'rejust your all work, all work,
all work. But what are theygetting when they get a J.
J. Smith to come to Ohiosaying, you kid coming in the front
job on the day. What Igot to do, take care of about
explore that just come. That's perfectman, God bless you. I appreciate

(04:38:03):
you, my man. Also watchingtoday, Thank you so much. J.
Smith. You to be ahead ofhim. Just really, what is
your time away from the practice school? It's like it allows you to be
such a love. First off,coaches line, he here all day no
matter what. But for me myself, ever since I was a kid,
my dad always instilled me and mybrother to work hard and be like just

(04:38:26):
be around football, be around whatwe want to be good at. So
after here I'll go watch more film, do some a little school work,
and then later tonight I'll probably comeback and watch the film again. But
at the end of the day,it's just trying to be around football,
be around the facility. How muchof your film watching is like solo endever,
just you buy yourself watching stuff?How much do you want for We've

(04:38:49):
had more safeties come in throughout thespring. More guys try to learn the
system and learn the game. ButI mean, at the end of the
day, you gotta do what yougotta do to put yourself in a best
position to win. So myself,I watch film at home too by myself,
but when I'm here, there's alwaysother players around me that are trying
or to get better, just likeI am. Are you only watching you

(04:39:11):
watch? No? I watched theNFL teams, watch good NFL saties that
are playing right now, Javon Holland, Hanswine Widfield, go as like that
that can that I can emulate andtry to see how they play. And
then also just watching other players here, other players that do things well here,
just learning from them, try tosee how they play the game,
trying to get better. Cab,what are some of the big differences that

(04:39:33):
you've seen so far between what youwent through at Alabama and so farver you've
gone through. If you're a lotof it's the same. A little differences
in the defense and how they operateand how they see things. But at
the end of the day, football'sfootball, defensive defense, So everybody gotta
get to the ball and make thetype of were the colds. Oh,
I love the city, I loveuh High Street. I love being in

(04:39:57):
the city. I love going tothe restaurants here. The food's great here.
So I I ain't got no complacefor me, cause it's like you
got the campus all of a sudden. It may be also a big sitting.
It's it's different than Alabama, causeAlabama was a college town and Tessalusa
was not as big of a city. Here, there's a lot of people
to see, a lot of differentbusinesses that you can be a part of.

(04:40:18):
So just trying to learn the cityand learn what everybody has to offer
here. He'll you probably noticed itwhen Kaden Procta made his decision to go
back to Alabama. Then that startsfull level of speculation and stuff. Are
you were you taking back by that? Did you feel like you needed to
make a declaration off of that?Uh? I mean at the end of
the day, No, I didn'tfeel like I needed to say anything,

(04:40:38):
cause at the end of the day, I was still here a practice,
I was still here with my teammates. So I mean, I feel like
my actions speak for themselves. I'mI mean, I don't I don't need
to say anything about that. Caydenand I talked to him when he did
it. I mean, I congratulatedhim on his decision. I mean that's
what he feels his best as whenhe feels his best, and I support
him. But I'm here. Youguys have this new generation of you have

(04:41:02):
that sort of freedom, You havethat sort of control over your career in
a way that other people didn't.Is it's something that you you have to
kind of take with a certain seriousnessthat you're making that right decision career at
all times, I think ev Imean it, in life, you have
to make decisions based off of whatyou feels best for yourself. So that
was a big decision for him.And if he feels that's what was best
for himself, then I support it. But at the end of the day,

(04:41:23):
for college sable athletes, I thinkthat's the best thing because the coaches
have the same right to do whatthey do. Coach can come here for
a month and leave, and Imean then he's just leaving the player at
high and draw. So I mean, if they're gonna have the ability to
do it, why would the playersnot have some type of say in their
in their life. Kevin, youyou made them packed option last year as

(04:41:44):
a freshman. What do you thinkyou could do as sought when you're under
your belt. Yeah, I thinkI can grow and what I did well
last year and increase on the qualitiesthat I wasn't not as a leader during
during the season. So just beingbetter in coverage, being better in the

(04:42:06):
post, being better in my tackling, being a better communicator with my teammates,
all that I think I can offerto the team. And but at
the end of the day, it'sgotta be a team collective to go do
what we want to do. Butwhat do you come in this offseas will
love the defas what what do youthink those being a big part of me
is? It wasn't the elite lastyear and it should be better this year.
Yeah, they were a very elitedefense last year, and watching all

(04:42:27):
the film from last year and thewhole season, they played a great season.
They played a lot of good defense. Excuse me a wish up question,
just the idea of being the part. I'm a big part. I'm
not an E League defense. Imean I can only do my part.
I can only do my one eleventhand do my job. Every player I
can't. I can't try to domore than that, and every other player

(04:42:48):
just has to do their job andwe'll do what we need to do.
Okay, we'll be talking about yourfield clutching habits. Was that the same
in high school? And what didthat look like for you want to regular
high school? My high school coachwas one of my favorite people in the
world, uh, Freeman Davis.Me and him watch film together a lot,
but that was more so just myselfwatching film and trying to grow.
So I would say I had alot of the same habits, and that's

(04:43:11):
trusted over to college, but alot of that was me and my high
school coach sport in the game togetheranother movie. You around everywhere here,
but you know, it seems likeyou're at that free safety spot as opposed
to the strong safety spot you playedat Alabama. Just what said transition?
Like, do you feel that doesthat even matter in this kind of defense?
I I mean, it's the samespot really to the it's the safety

(04:43:33):
to the field safety playing in themost space. That's what I'm used to.
But at the end of the day, I feel like I could play
to the boundary. I can playthe Don Money position, I can play
Nickel. So I mean, atthe end of the day, you gotta
make plays wherever you're at Calen?What have you been? What have your
thoughts got on the Jeremiah Snap avery elite athlete, very instinctual player,

(04:43:56):
has a great ball skills. ShouldUh, I should have a big impact
this year. Anybody you can comparents what you've seen? Nah Ja Jason's
own sef Jesus, he's on it'shis own man. Uh. Who else?
Who caught your eye? In thatR receiver group? Kayle that uh
is elite in your opinion? Uh? I watch a Mecca Boka a lot

(04:44:19):
o H and co when I wasin high school. Yeah, watching the
games and then last year watching someof his film. He's been an a
leade receiver then and he's a leadereceiver now. And Carlote has had a
great spring as well. Yeah.And uh you you personally, Uh after
the uh Steve Appreciation Day on Saturday, you were mobbed about as much as

(04:44:40):
anybody. What is what? Howhave you felt the receipt meaning of autograph
seekers, et cetera? You know, Uh, how have you felt the
reception here? Uh? For youover the last several months, but especially
like Saturday, I think it's beenvery welcoming I appreciate everybody, and like
I appreciate when I go to classseeing people that know me and just being
able to meet them and being ableor to say that I'm glad to be

(04:45:00):
here, and being able to sayI'm glad to be here to everybody that
came up to me. Yeah.So I'm just I'm very appreciative of it.
Do you feel their expectations for you? You know? Uh, I
mean people may have expectations, butat the end of the day, only
one person kimberly judge me, andthat's God. I mean, other than
that, at the end of theday, it doesn't really matter. Just

(04:45:21):
how much have you been going betweetingthe three different safety spots every day?
I take reps at all three spotsjust to try to It helps you understand
and learn the defense from a newperspective. So being able to see the
ball from the boundary safety, seethe ball from the nickel spot, being
able to see the ball from thedime, it helps you be able to
see the whole game and be ableto understand everything that goes on around you,

(04:45:44):
because when you've moved the scrimmage,you're flying to There few talks on
some Sacks. It's a been avocalpoint, one of the vocal points just
opposition quarter back on the top exactly. All right, We are back on
the Andre Duke Show with Carl Smithand we have a massive special guest tonight
Kirk Barton, former Ohio State offensivelineman, former NFL player, and it

(04:46:10):
is a massive thank you Kirk forcoming on. How are you doing.
I'm doing great, man. Iappreciate you guys having me and I love
the Massive shirt. That is theThat's my favorite shirt I've ever created because
we put Massive in our YouTube titlesa lot and then I people made fun
of it that don't like us,and I was like, well, I'll
put on a shirt and we're gonnasell it. We sold more of those

(04:46:33):
than any any item in our shop, So thank you for buying that.
I appreciate you, my man.No no problem, Carter. How are
you doing doing this same? I'mdoing doing great man, Just you know,
going through the week getting it done. Super excited to have a chance
to talk with Kirk. I lovedKirk when he was a player at Ohio
State. He's got a good relationshipwith my brother, so I've met him
a couple of times to that.So just really excited to have you on

(04:46:56):
the show. Kirk. Really appreciateyou taking the time to do this always.
Man, Man, I appreciate youguys. So with that being said,
we will hop right into it.Kirk, You've talked on your podcast
Buckeye Scoop about the Texas game intwo thousand and five. So and you

(04:47:21):
brought it up that the kicker fromMiami of Ohio went to went to Alabama.
So how big would a kicker bein a game like that back when
you were playing? Well, Imean, you know I played with NuGen
obviously Nugel on second round and youknow he hit a game winning fifty five

(04:47:41):
yard field goal against Marshall where wecould have lost that game. I mean
we were tied, you know,with like three seconds left and he hit
a field goal that thankfully didn't sendus to overtime, but you know,
we and again I'm not pitting thison Josh Houston. You know he kicked
five field goals that night, butyeah, we have a fifty yarder to
basically ice the game over, andyeah, we would have been up nine

(04:48:04):
with no time, you know,four minutes left, so they would have
needed two scores. They'd everyone havegotten two scores versus our defense, and
we missed it. And again that'snot blaming Josh, It's just stating of
fact, you know. Or ifwe have Mike Nugent or we have you
know, an Ace kicker, youknow, we we win the Texas game,
and I think that we have awhole different set of circumstances. Like

(04:48:26):
I remember in OH four, wewere so bad on offense, especially in
the beginning of the season that,like Mike Duge, that we played NC
State. NC State had one ofthe best defenses I've ever seen. They
had Mario, they had three firstround picks on their defensive line. They
had Mario Williams, Manny Lawson,uh uh da, Mario Presley, Tank
Tyler. I mean, I meanit was literally like unbelievable how good their

(04:48:48):
defense was. And Steven Tullock wasalso like a second round pick liberg so
their front seven was incredible and Nugelike kicked I think he kicked four or
five, but we won like twentytwo to like fourteen or some weird score,
and Nude kicked like five field goalsthat day. I think he kicked
five, and like you know,if we don't have Nuge, we lose
that game. We lose as aMarshall game. So I just think in

(04:49:11):
the air of the transfer portal,man, when you can get a kicker
who's maybe kicked early in his career, you know, because sometimes like kickers,
they're not the easiest thing to evaluate. But if a kid goes somewhere
where we can start as a freshman, he does great. And like a
kid like this who's got a yearleft, I think you take him in
a heartbeat and just totally fortify theoffense and make it an a plus offense

(04:49:33):
because you see, like the bestoffenses in the NFL. You know,
Lamar Jackson won the MVP. Hehad justin Tucker. The Chiefs obviously had
Harrison, Butker, I just Ilove kickers that have huge legs, like
guys that can hit from mid fiftieshit from fifty And there's got to be
a kicker somewhere on this earth that'syou got eligibility, that can do that.
And we haven't had a guy thatcould do that consistently for a long

(04:49:56):
time. But Michigan finds guys andthese the school somehow fun guys and in
the transfer Portal Era. I thinkthat our kicking, uh not punting.
Our punters have been good, CamJohnston still in the NFL, but our
kicking, you know, we haven'thad a kicker do anything in the National
Football League since Nuge and that wasan four, So I don't know how
that's possible. But again that's justmy opinion. And you know, Jaden

(04:50:19):
Feeling might prove me wrong. Ihope he listen to everything I say and
he proves me wrong and he winsthe gross of this year. Because again,
Mike NuGet as a true freshman wasterrible and then as a sophomore he
was the best kicker in America.So things can change. But you know,
I just I think that kickers arevaluable. And again, I know
everyone makes makes fun of kickers andthey're not real players, but you know

(04:50:41):
when they win national championships and theywin Super Bowls, and you know,
they're the guys that have their ballson the line, you know, with
one second left and they got toace it down the middle to win the
game, like that counts to me. So that's just my opinion. I
was very disappointed we didn't get thiskid from Miami because I was praying that
he'd hit the portal, and hedid, and then of course it goes
Alabama. So that's my thoughts.Yeah, And I mean, how big

(04:51:03):
would it have been to have akicker like Nugent in the Georgia game a
couple of years ago, right whereyou could possibly win the game there if
you have a kicker that can burya fifty five yarder. Yeah, I
mean, that's I mean. Andand honestly, it's sometimes it's not just
that that end of game kick,but sometimes there's just there's points in games
with where when you miss a fieldgoal, it's a humongous momentum swing and

(04:51:26):
you can feel like the air comeout of the building sometimes, like when
we miss one on the road oror when you hit it. If you
hit it, it's a huge youknow, going in at halftime or whatever,
like you get some points on theboard. Anyway, people might think
that that's nothing getting n X orthree, But you know, when you
miss a field goal, man,especially in a tight game versus like equal
talent, it really means something.So when you play Michigan, then you

(04:51:48):
got to hit your layups, man, You got to hit your three,
you know, and that's the thingthat we're not we haven't been great about
absolutely. So just real quick,going back to the Texas game from that
year, obviously they were dealing withanother quarterback battle this year. Correct me
if I'm wrong. You guys kindof had a quarterback battle going on to
start that season. Correct, Yeah, it was. It was a weird

(04:52:11):
situation because you know, Troy obviouslygot suspended for the l Mobile and for
Week one versus Miami of Ohio.Uh, and then you know, we
uh, you know, Justin Justinplayed the ELM Mobile. He did a
great job, he did well againstMiami of Ohio, and then you know,
week two, we're playing Texas,who's the best team in the country.
They won the national title, andwe had this kind of a wonky

(04:52:32):
rotation where Justin started and then Troycame in, and you know, it
just it was one of those circumstanceswhere it was tough because you know,
I mean, I hate rotating quarterbacks. I don't think it's fair to the
quarterbacks, but I think that whenyou've got two guys that are equal,
and I felt like it at theend of O four, Troy separated,
but then he kind of stubbed histoe with the suspension, So it was

(04:52:53):
a tough call and again I doI wish that we would have just picked
one and one with it, probablyespecially if we got to pick Troy,
but it uh. You know,the quarterback things aren't always as cut and
dry as as you can think,especially when guys aren't they're non contact in
fall camp. You know, becauseTroy, you know, when guys can

(04:53:14):
can move, you know, whenyou see these modern quarterbacks like Kyler Murray
and Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson,the guys that you take in your fantasy
football league, and basically it's likehaving like a third running back in your
starting lineup when you have the guysthat are athletic, like when they're when
those guys are in a quarterback competitionduring fall camp and they're non contact and
they can't create and do the thingsthat make them special, then all of

(04:53:36):
a sudden, I don't think youreally know what they can do until you
put them out there in a realgame where there is no black jersey,
there is no non contact jersey.But you know, a guy like Troy,
you know, when he could createon the run, it was kind
of like Alan Iverson with his crossover, you know, I mean like when
you get open man, I mean, he could, he could make things
happen that nobody in the history ofa high slay football could make happen.

(04:53:59):
So I uh, you know itwas it was tough. Again, it
was. Uh that's one of thosehaunting ones. I mean that that game
probably haunts me more than Florida becauseFlorida we just got our our wheels,
we got our doors blown up.But Florida also like we weren't we weren't
really that good in O six,Like in O five we were really good,
like like that O five Ohio Stateteam if they had have played the
O six team, the five teamwhen a dog locked us, just because

(04:54:22):
our defense was so much better andand and really our offense was too,
because we had nick Mann Gold andRobsons, like we had NFL dudes on
our line. Uh that were muchbetter than the guys that we played in
in O six. So that thatTexas game haunts me to this day because
we had the best team in thecountry beat and we let them go,
which that sucks. Yeah. Absolutely. In another game that you're what about

(04:54:48):
Penn State, did we played thoseyeah. That was the first white out,
so that spawned the white out crazeand it was. It was.
It was the best college foot balland ironment of all time. I mean
it was. It was so loud, it was so crazy and and honestly,
you know, I'd never been there. Most of us had never been
there. Some of the older likelike uh, you know something like Rob

(04:55:12):
SAMs, Nickmangle, they've been there, but they played and I think it
was a noon game in three,but they we'd never experienced a white out
before, so I don't think wewere ready for the noise. And I
got hurt, which is what reallysucked. In the second quarter, I
blew my knee out on a fieldgoal protection and it hurt bad, and
it sucked, and I couldn't finishthe game. And their their best player

(04:55:33):
was their d n that I blockedall day. And he was a first
round pick. Tom Behalley played forthe Chiefs. I was pro bowler and
like, I played him in OHfour and I thought he was good,
but I didn't think he was likeincredible or anything like. I didn't think
he was like some guy was like, oh my god, how I'm gonna
block this guy? And when Iwas in there O five, like,
I handled him and he played andI played against them the whole game because
he didn't flip, like they don'tflip their dns. They play the same

(04:55:56):
guy plays against the red tackle thewhole game. So I was handling them
and and I killed him in Ofour when I was a freshman, and
I frankly wasn't even good. Andyou know, so then when I got
hurt, it like it got alittle bit tougher because we had to put
you know, we put Rob Simsat right tackle. Rob Sims it never
played right tackle his life, andthey put him out there, and then
we put Booty out there at righttackled. Booty was a true freshman,

(04:56:18):
and you know, no eighteen yearold can handle that environment. He actually
did pretty well. But you know, at the end of the game,
you know, Tom of course sacksthe quarterback and it's like my nightmare,
Uh realized when the guy that Ihandled the whole year, like ends the
game and kills Stray and trade asa summersault, and like they still play
that clip when we play at PennState because it was the dramatic of an

(04:56:40):
ending. So that sucked so yeah, those are the two and that was
the hardest part. Man, islike by that time in the season,
like the season was over basically becausewe lost two. And you know,
back then it was like if you'renot in the you know, the top
two, ish, you're not goingto have a shot to play for the
championship. That was pre BCS,but it was still you know, once
you get down you get a secondloss through like six weeks, man,

(04:57:02):
your season's over for you. Youknow, in terms of winning the Natty,
which was our natural that was actuallyour goal. Yeah, absolutely,
back then it was you know,one loss you might still have a chance,
but two losses basically you're out ofit. So that had to be
tough and then kind of getting awayfrom maybe some of the more negative memories
of that year. The one gamethat I personally had a invested interest in

(04:57:26):
was the I believe it was aFiesta Bowl with Notre Dame. Kind of
walk me through what you guys thoughtwhen you watch them on film and kind
of your guys's mentality going into thatgame. Well, I mean, we
knew they were really good. Weknew that they had a lot of NFL
guys that were really well coached.People can say whatever they want about Charlie

(04:57:47):
Weiss, but you know their offensewas was really good. I mean Brady
was playing at a very high level. Obviously, he was a guy that
probably could have left him been atop ten pick. I don't think it's
safe for his senior year helped him. I think if he had left after
that third year, he had havemade more good running back Darius Walker.
Their line was really good. Ryanharriy had a bunch of NFL guys.

(04:58:08):
Ryan Harris the left tackle, goodplayer, Samarja who ended up being a
pitcher in the in the big leagues. Uh was a force as a wide
receiver. Defensively, I remember thatvictor Or Abbey AMII who again that was
there were another team that didn't flip. So I played against Victor abby Mary
the entire game and he was thebest player in their entire defense. He
ended up being a second round pickby the Eagles. Uh. They had

(04:58:30):
Zibbi Thomas of Mkowski who actually hadthe same agent. So we actually became
pretty tight once we got to theleague. But you know they they had
uh, they had dudes. Butagain we we had we had guys that
could really run, and we thoughtwe could get after their back end a
little bit, and we