Press Conference (Gee Scott)

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
I'd say the responsibility is, youknow, first and foremost, to lead
by example. I could sit thereand I can say all the things I
don't want to say, talk upa storm. At the end of the
day, you gotta just you gottawork the work you got. You gotta
do what you're supposed to do.And I think that's gonna ultimately lead guys
in the right direction. And sothat's just the thing that I can kind
of take it on. The mostis just lead by example. You get

(00:24):
up, yeah, okay, wellthe quick looks can you hurry? I'm
a flying standpoint to me, likeyou had a good year last year.
I mean you know what I mean. If we if you look back at
the opposition, how far if youcome in that realm, Yeah, I've
came along with It's it's a verysay. I'd argue to say tight end
is probably the most developmental position onthe field. It takes a long time

(00:47):
to get around to. It takesa lot of work. I think it's
a full process. It's not somethingthat it's a winner turnaround or a six
month turnaround. You come in you'retrying to catch it on the fly.
That's something that takes a lot oftime and attention. I'm just thankful for
you know, a great, greatcoaching staff and the great hit around me
and gots you back then starting offwith you know rock from those guys to
Kaid, I think there's been agreat example for the way they're supposed to

(01:08):
a tame blocking and being tied endhere at Ohio State. And I've been
just you know, thankful to beable to have that example he fail the
way what are you wait now,forty whatever? What's it been like you
have wu? Yeah, Well,what's been great. He's been good than
somebody that's came in humble and justready to work. That's that's been like

(01:30):
the only words that I have fromnot not a minute of just that many
words. But he's here, here, here to work, and he's done
just that. And I'm just thewe glad to have you learned a lot
at start. That's calling like Ididn't you guys work on Sorry Billy,
it's a poor guy anything. Butalso that's when he used to know you
guys learns a little bit, youguys k a little bit of walking.
Yeah. I think essentially that's thethat's the culture of our rooms when we

(01:52):
come off football violent. We're justlooking to swing as hard as we can.
We'll clean up your details out Andso that's kind of our mindset going
into it. And uh, yeah, you you're from blocking? How long
did you though, like to knowthat you still be a received or something
your in reality? Like you knowyou're using block people to do it,
Like how hard is it to kindof change the resection more? I know

(02:15):
you guys don't pay attest with likeoutside noise, but also block people say
you scott or catch you? Butwhat really pretty good to walk them too?
Yeah, I'd say it starts offwith like you kind of got to
It starts off with tuning out withthe outside noise and and what other people
have to say about it, Andit's really more up the mindset. I
kind of look at it as it'slike a drop in a bucket. You

(02:36):
know, if I got a bigbucket, there's no one thing I'm gonna
do to to make this bucket full. It's a daily thing where I put
one drop it in the day andyou look back over a year, two
years, three years, you lookback and be like, man, I've
gotten a lot better. And so, like I said, I'm just very
thankful for the unit, the guysthat I have around. You pushed me
very hard when I'm just thankful.You mentioned that the development kind of really
hard attend end. What was thebest challenging part that you to me developing

(02:58):
into the buddy for said, Yeah, I'd say it's definitely the size component.
You know, you can't you gotto be someone that's you know one,
uh, you got to be big, you gotta be strong, you
gotta be fast. There's a lotof jobs that you'll do. It's a
very asking job. You need toblock the bigger on some of the biggest
guys in the field, but alsorun routes off some of the smallest guys
in the kield. And so Ithink it's thankful just to be out here

(03:20):
and do exactly that. What wasit like to get that shot the other
day front of the pro scouts,you know, just run routes, catch
falls, Oh yeah, show off. Yeah. No, it was a
good opportunity. I think some ofthe big you know, reasoning behind it
was just kind of giving those guysout there that we're at DAVIA limited numbers,
so just get out there and givethose guys that we're either but I
need the opportunity to get to goout there in front of scouts. I
think that's a it's a pretty gooddeal. And your take on the quarterbacks

(03:44):
to this point, the quarterback battleis going on? What what? What's
been your take on Will, forexample, get to know him? Yeah?
And then and of course, David, I think the mindset that we
embody around here is ironing shoppening iron. And so that's kind of like it's
not just you know, one room, it's from top to bottom about this
whole team. No matter what positionyou are, we're here to work and
I think we're all here to makeeach other better. Whether it's in a

(04:04):
cornerback room, a tight end room, we running back room, offense versus
defense, coach for his coach,doesn't matter. We're all just you know,
iron and shopping iron. Especially thistime of year in spring ball,
we're not doing too much game planningfor next week, which we're really spending
this time to get better and hidjust build a good foundation for ourselves,
has something to work on moving forward. If you've seen Will, Will,
how we're fitting in more and moreis the practices have going on, you

(04:27):
know, getting to know everybody andall that kind I mean, I know
we's been beenner for a while.Yeah, No, I think I think
that's time. I think as timesgoes, no matter where you are,
you start to adapt and you startto get used to the what we got
going on here, and so it'sgood to have them. Thanks you came
in. What's it been like.Yeah, yeah, I'd say when it

(04:59):
comes to that, I think it'sall the glory to the Lord. And
I decided to give my life completelyto the Lord a little over a year
ago, and that kind of reallychanged my outlook on the way that I
approach is football. It's no longersomething that I idolize. It's just something
that I do. And I thinkfrom the time of my life where I
stopped, you know, compartmentalizing whoGod was in my life. God wasn't
just something that I do on Sundaysor something that I do in the Bible
study. It was something. Itwent from what I do to who I

(05:21):
am. And so now I embodythat is who I am. And so
some of the fruits of the spiritis peace, patience, and kindness,
and so those are kind of thethings that I've started to do embody on
this on this journey. I thinkit's easy to kind of compartmentalize football away
from faith, but ultimately it's allone. It's all one. So it's
given me a spirit of patience,peace and and enjoy with the guys around

(05:43):
me. And so I'm just I'mthankful. I'm just I'm thankful to be
here. But just being quite honest, I just I know for a fact,
I wouldn't be where I'm at rightnow. And I know on the
outside looking in, you know,asked like, you know, where are
you right now? But I wouldn'tbe where I'm at, you know,
right now if it wasn't for myyou know, relationship for the Lord untually
came into my life and you know, he changed around for the body.
Gee, what did you see fromBennett Christian last year? How did you

(06:06):
go out the suspension? And howare you working about? Who got?
Yeah? I think he did agreat job. A lot of perseverance.
I think that's no matter who youare, when you kind of hear news
like that that you're gonna be outfor a year, that's hard no matter
where you are. One thing,I'm really proud of him because he you
know, he came up and hehe he came to show up every single
day, and he got better.He got better. The easy thing to
do in that kind of situation wasto throw in the towel and be like,

(06:29):
man, you know, you know, forget this, or you know,
I'll get better next year. ButI saw the drive at him,
one thing I seen out of him. Every day he showed up. He
got better, And I'm proud ofBennett, and I'm proud of this unit.
Watch a question thing like you're saying, look at your feel like if
you here people in your heart?I mean, yeah, I mean I

(06:50):
don't know. I don't really knowhow to answer that question, because if
you go from one unit to anotherunit, the moment you trade units,
you're no longer in the unit youwere initially, so you're you're now a
tight end. And so I meanto answer that question, I think the
time that I went from in thereceiver that approaches things. I love the
way the questions he asks. Ilove the way he makes mistakes and then

(07:13):
correct mistakes. It's very veteran,like, I mean, there's so much
ball he has to learn, Likehe literally does things that are good.
I'm like, do you know whatthat worked, he goes coach, I
have no freaking idea, So likeI'm trying to teach him all of that
why it worked, so then youknow, the consistency at which it works
just goes to the roof. Andso but I'm very you know, excited
and proud of the conversations we're currentlyhaving, and I'm exciting it for them

(07:36):
to keep going. I love workingwith Chip Chip is. I love talking
ball, I love the viewpoints Ilove I love the veteran that he has,

(07:57):
you know, and I love,yeah, like all love all of
it. I think that you know, early on the biggest impact, you
know, just you know, feelingperspective. I think in the run game
has been awesome, you know,and then you know, off of the
Run game some of the actions oror relief throws or all that kind of

(08:18):
stuff. I love where it's at. I love working with them, and
I would say that I sleep alittle better, all right. No,
it's it's really a great combo becauselike you know, we're obviously we're doing

(08:39):
a lot as a group. It'snot just Chip and I so but you
know, obviously Chip has an imageand a view on things that I never
had, so to have that experienceand have that viewpoint. I'm just trying
to absorb as much as i can, but then also highlight some things that
we've really done a good job ofand make sure those you know, nothing's

(09:00):
really changing, We're just trying toenhance. We're not changing, We're enhancing.
So where the things fit is perfect, you know, I think,
uh, you know, the restof the dynamics and search chip can talk
about. But it's been it's beenawesome, so I'm excited about it.
We talked to a meccha and they'rejust talking about moving from slot to the
house side. You know how goodwe've been in the slot. Is that

(09:22):
a difficult move for you guys's coachesto know how good a guy is in
at one spot but know that maybefor his long term future and the the
No. I wouldn't say it's anythingon his future, because he's capable of
doing whatever you want to get done. But I'd say that it says more
about the room. I think it'sit's the growth of you know, Brandon

(09:43):
and the growth grow of Bryson that'sreally you 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 gonna create
mismatches out there. I mean,his ability to move around is critical.
But I would say between mech,between Carnell TAS's ability to move around a
lot, it's gonna provide a lotof flexibility for our room and uh and

(10:05):
those top you know, six sevenguys that are really doing a good job.
Right now. Progress looks like thisspring for Mecca because there's no time.
I think it's one of those things. I'm sure where you has balanced
how much work does a need versustoo much? 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

(10:26):
a two way to it's a twoway conversation. And frankly, there's gonna
be times we're like, hey,Mac, what do you wanna do today?
You wanna go outside? You andgo inside? And I don't care.
So, Uh, we're not thereyet. We will be there,
but it's just more about, youknow, when the room is ready to
start mixing things up, I wouldsay, there's God. I mean,

(10:58):
I make sure I bring in guysthat are able to do all, but
I have not asked them to yet. So the only guys that in our
room currently I've asked to do thathas been Mecca and Carnell, and those
are probably the two guys that Iwould, you know, think heavily on
doing moving around a lot. I'mnot putting that on anybody else right now,
not saying they can't, but atthis point, having two guys being

(11:18):
able to swing, you probably don'tneed much more than that. I need
guys being experts at what they're goodat. So it it helps the offense
still be great at everything and bean expert at something and we can use
that to our to our advantage.Situational, the room's always different, frankly,

(11:39):
I mean from twenty eighteen and thennineteen and through COVID and and those
guys, and and then the depthof those guys and then where Mech and
Marvin and those guys were as freshmencompared to you know, it's just it's
always different, and uh, Iexpect this one to be different. Again,
I'm not sure at what level yet. Last question, I mean the

(12:00):
TV room when you're wade the roomespecially you know, go back to the
forwards. I'm curious, Yeah,as a leader just like you, you
know, play at Ohio same,hasn't he experience I'm curious about how you've
seen him kind of build defer backTom, especially on the recree probably not
a successfully hasn't maybe kind of theeffective your recruit how that's kind of enchanced.

(12:20):
He would probably know more for thatquestion than I would, but I
would say that, Yeah, weobviously feel right to work. Hello everybody,
Darius Robinson, University of Missouri.I just want to thank mister Bill
will Mont to your coach Gannon forthis amazing opportunity. I'm glad to be
here with Marvin Harrison right next tome. So uh, I feel great.

(12:41):
I'm really excited and I'm excited forthis journey. Gratefully see fifteen here

(13:01):
in town. Marvin, when didyou know the Cardinals were going to select
you? Did you know before theycalled or was there an agreement in place
before? No? I did notknow until I got that phone call from
the Arizona Cardinals. Marvin Richard ScienceFoxten, Welcome to the valley. I
know kind of tweeted to you,tweeted out to you once you got drafted.

(13:24):
What was it like to get amessage from the franchise quarterback and what
kind of thoughts have you had aboutteaming up with this guy in the near
future. Y, yes, sir, it's been great. You always wants
to support and love from your quarterbackand to cause a great player so excited
to play with him, and it'sgonna be my job to make his job
easier. Darius Darren Urban from Azycardinalsdot com. I know that a lot

(13:48):
of players these days aren't sticking inone school for a long time, and
you did it for five years.I mean even Marvin did it for three.
Like what went behind that and whywas it meaningful for you to to
stay in one school? Yes,at Missouri, you know, we had
some tough seasons, but we werereally built with an edge energy, details
good in emotional consistency, and Ijust find myself just trying to grow and

(14:09):
get better each year and also asa team, you know, win more
games each year. And that wasmy that was my home, I was
my family. I was blessed toyou know, get two degrees as well
off the field, and I justlove MISSOI two degrees. Wow, Marvin
Bob Mcbob McMahon at Arizona Republic,Congratulations. Thank you to both of you.

(14:31):
You're known as all business, andI want to know how that's going
to serve you well in this league. From personal standpoint, your brand,
everything you do, or daily preparation. There's a lot that goes into being
all business. Tell me what thatis to you. Yeah, yes,
it's being a pro. It's kindof raised and grew up to do and

(14:52):
keep the same mindset, same attitudethat I've had throughout my whole career.
Once I get here, continue towork hard, u consistent and discipline,
you know, and all that Ido. So I'm looking forward to putting
the work here. Marvin Josh WayneESPN. What were the best pieces of
advice your dad gave you about beingan NFL player? I mean, yeah,
it takes a lot of work,a lot of preparation. You know,

(15:15):
from Monday to Saturday, it's allwork, and then Sunday should be
the easy part. I go outthere and have fun, ready to put
the work in. So it startswith the work first and then when Sunday
comes is reek the benefits. Hey, Darius Howard, balls are from cards
Wire. I can't help. Butnotice that ring on your finger. Is
that a cotton bowl ring? Yes, it is the cotton bowler. You

(15:39):
showed it to Marvin very quickly.No, that I was telling Marvin.
You know he was glad he didn'tplay. The whole week leading up.
You know, you see Ohio State, everybody said, okay, Marvin Harrison
and now he's gonna plays, togo play. He didn't play, so
you know we lucked out. Sohey, Marvin Paul KELVC Cardinals Broadcasting,

(16:00):
do you believe that receivers have toearn the trust of their quarterback? And
if so, what does that usuallyrequire? Absolutely, you got to earn
trust of the quarterback. And thinkit starts, you know, every day
in practice and being consistent. Reallyand you can't just do it one day,
can't you do it for one week? Has to be you know,
done over and over and over again. I think that's how trust has earned.
So no matter where you get pickedyour first receivers round seven doesn't really

(16:25):
matter. Have to go and earntrust to the quarterback, your coaches,
your teammates. So it all startsin practice. What's going on, guys?
Good to see again, Tyler Drake, there's no sports systems for Darius.
What's the feeling of just being ableto represent your school as that first
round pick and what kind of impactcan that have for those guys falling in
your footsteps. Yeah, it's awesome. I feel like I'm setting the standard

(16:45):
going forward. But that's the namewith Zoo is known as Delon Zoo,
so I'm just added to the family. But now I feel like I'm setting
the standard for my younger teammates thatthis is attainable if you work really hard,
be consistent, and really get thetrust your show. I feel like
every program is built out the strimpcoach and that develops all the habits on
and off the field. Darius zacherschmanascardinals dot Com. Right over here,

(17:07):
JJ mentioned that he loves the violencethat you play with. You mentioned the
different tendencies that you picked up.The emotional consistency is the grit. How
do you balance that the violence withdiscipline on the field. Honestly, just
through preparation and practice. I'm abig guy. I'm a big believer in
inside hands, so that's why I'malways working my hand placement and then I
lift weight, so you know,that's all connected. So I'm just trying

(17:30):
to be focused on my technique asmuch as possible. Hey, Marvin over
here, David Brown with the AssociatedPress. You know a lot of rookies
come into the league and they geta little bit of leeway. It's like,
oh, he's young, he needsto grow and stuff like that.
But obviously you're gonna be expected tobe the guy here really quickly. How

(17:51):
do you deal with that pressure?How do you go about just so much
being expected of you so quickly?I mean, yeah, I have high
standards for myself, but I'm justgonna go in there and try to work,
you know, the best I can. I just want to help the
team win really so without a roleI play, you know, come September,
let me do my best, youknow, do that role. This
one's for both of you guys.The fans want to know who you guys

(18:14):
are on the inside. I don'tknow how much you're willing to reveal to
us today. A lot would benice. Can you tell us what you
like to do away from football?What what pisses you off about things,
and you know, what what makesyou roll. I'm pretty simple, I
like, you know, be inmy apartment, watch some movies. If

(18:36):
I go out and I go toa restaurant, get some food. But
other than that, they do toomuch. And then I'm pretty easygoing guys,
so try not to nothing bother metoo much. Yeah, I said
the same thing, A real chillguy, just really obsessed with football.
But outside of football, like Isaid, I got my two degrees.
I got my undergrad hospitality management andthe minor and business I got my masters

(18:56):
and positive culture with it FLA leadership. So just thinking about being well rounded.
And then I do philanthropy work.I started my own nonprofit foundation,
Darius Robinson Helping Hands Foundation. Butreally just football and then everything else.
Honestly, congratulations, guys, Welcometo the Valley. I'm Robbie Baker with
Fox ten. Darius. This isfor you. After the draft last night,

(19:19):
you had a great response about howyour process and preparing for a game.
Just kind of wondering where your lovefor kind of the grind comes from
and your love for that process comesfrom. I would say my junior year,
because I played little league ball offand on. But I got my
junior year and I was playing highschool and my whole goal is just to
earn a scholarship. But during thatprocess, I really fell in love with
the game, fell in love withworking out relationships with teammates, and now

(19:42):
it's kind of like my vice andI can't let it go and just kind
of finding ways to always get better, you know. Luke litting here with
twelve Sports, congrats abouth for you, Welcome to the valley. This one's
for you. Marvin. I'm curiousyour thoughts or what was that conversation like
with your dad after your name wascalled and you were able to be drafted
by this organization, and how surrealis it for you to be following your

(20:03):
own father's footsteps but in your ownway. Yeah, I mean it was
very brief actually just in the secondgraduation as I walk up to the stage
and then I had to do abunch of interviews afterwards. So I don't
think it's hit both of us yet. I don't know what's happened. And
I think, you know, oneof Michaels always make him proud, So
I hope I did that, Marvin, Bobrock pH and X Sports. When

(20:25):
do you anticipate catching your first passesfrom Kyler Murray? I don't know.
I don't know. I guess we'llsee and hopefully as soon as possible.
Darius, you mentioned philanthropy, andI know there's been it's been talked about
how you took some of the NInil money to do a get back to
school for the kids in Colombia.Where where did that belief in doing those

(20:48):
things come from? I said,my family, My brother and my mom
really instilled that into me. Inswerme at a young age. Just give
back your blessings to others. Inmy fiftyear on, Missou is the best
year in my life, So whywould I not show my blessings with others.
So that's what really motivated me todo that. And now being in
the NFL, you know, mygoals to do three events each year.
I just get back because you know, it's life outside of football and bigger

(21:11):
blessings out there. Marvin, youobviously played with a number of highly drafted
receivers at Ohio State. What sortof feedback have you gotten about the NFL
from them? Any you know aboutmaking the transition in the league itself.
Yeah, it's a long season.I think going from in a twelve game
record season you have in college towas it seventeen games now and you got
three preseason. I feel like justthe biggest challenge the game states is thing

(21:33):
obviously never all skilled and very talentedathletes, So the mental part is probably
the biggest thing and the biggest changefrom the college to pros Marvin, what's
your timeline for hiring an agent?Right over here on the way part right,
you haven't hired an agent? Whyis that? Is there a timeline
to hiring one? And are yougoing to sign the NFLPA licensing? I

(21:55):
think the talent on this team isreally good too, and I think that
I can come in here and makea big difference, you know, and
we can win a lot of footballgames, you know. So that was
my That was part of my decision. You're an achilles could answer that,
How tough was that? I lottake you back now. I'm one hundred
percent now, and it was likea walk in the park. It's like

(22:19):
a sprained ankle, you know,it was very easy, you know,
because I had the knee. Theknee was pretty hard, you know,
and the Achilles was I would sayit's easy, you know, just because
that's just my mentality, and itwas it was pretty easy to me.
But you know, I've had theseinjuries and it's been storm like the past

(22:40):
two years, you know, havinghaving like good, great games, and
next thing, you know, hurtand then you know, so got got
the injury prone out there, youknow. But I think the storm is
over with, you know, youknow, and I think I'm gonna gonna
take off now, you know,and there will be no set back and

(23:00):
the injury prone thing will be goneout of the window again. Yep,
I'm sorry to be back. Iam. I am excited. You know.
He does a lot of great things, and he's a great person,
and we have a great relationship.It's gonna be it's gonna be a fun
year. We're gonna have a lotof fun. We're gonna do a lot

(23:21):
of great things. So I can'twait here waiting. The interest you've had
is that just bad luck? Isthat any Is there anything you've been attribute
to beyond just misfortunately? Yeah,it's just unfortunate, you know. But
God has a plan always, youknow. I don't know what the plan
exactly is, you know, Idon't know, but whatever plan it is,

(23:44):
it's for me to be here.You know. I had a great
rookie year uh, I didn't.I didn't really have the volume as other
people my rookie year, but Istill had a great rookie year. Six
yards of carry, you know,things like that. I think it was
like nine touchdowns ten including the playoffs. And so there's always been like,
all right, guy, let meshow my talent shine a little bit.

(24:07):
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 cleanedup. So I went down in twenty
one, right, had the injury, the knee injury, and then came
back later the next year, andI played the first few games and it
just there was a lot of scarsissue in there. So I did to
get it cleaned up. I didn'tget hurt again. I could have played

(24:29):
the whole year, but I gotit cleaned up so I can feel like
me. And so after I gotthat cleaned up, the first two games
back from the injury, I hadover one hundred and twenty yards rushing right,
and then went on had great,great ending of the year, you
know, one hundred total yards inthe playoff game we lost, which I
hate the most stats. Don't marryme. I want to win, but

(24:52):
then come back the next year hurtagain like torn achilles. So two really
unfortunate injuries. But that's just Guy'splan. And you know, and I
think that the storm is now over, you know, And I do think
that I'll be able to shine mylight to the whole world. Are you
concerned that you have that label youcan't stay three? I could care less

(25:12):
because I do. I do.I know this out there because as as
it should be, it should be. I got hurt two major injuries back
or not back to back years.But you know, so I haven't been
on the field as much as Ishould. That's true, that is true.
But it's not like I'm having theselittle little dinky injuries and sitting out.

(25:33):
It's something I can't control, literally, So that's why I'm not bothered
by it. Like, yeah,I am injury polling. You could say
that, you know, But Ido think that the Chargers are getting a
guy that's gonna be healthy from nowon, you know, God will it,
and it's gonna be great. AndI do think that it's gonna be
It's gonna be a great. However, many years here when you've been on

(25:56):
the field, you've been high adopted, are 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 needs is not edge. You need
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

(26:19):
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
great year or whatever a couple ofyears. 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.

(26:41):
With the numbers will be there andthey 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 you're looking
forward to running behind this line thatthey put together. Oh yeah, yeah,
yeah. I played with Brandley.I play with him. You know,
I know the slater, I knowall the I know all the guys

(27:03):
you know, and I'm I'm excited. I think it's like I said earlier,
it's a talented group. You know. We just got to put it
together win some games. Cause that'swhy I came here for discuss it all
part of year, or I wouldn't. I wouldn't say part of the recruitment.
But like whenever I decided I wasgonna sign, it was great to
have him in the room. What'syour relationship, Yeah, we're great.
We're we have a great relationship.That's he's like my brother. So I

(27:30):
think accompany ch compliment each other verywell. You know, he can do
a lot of stuff too, youknow. God Like a lot of people
think he's just power power, power, but I think he has some other
parts of his game two which itit'll be great cause I feel like I
could do everything and when one gettired, we we can roll it in.
We keep rolling win some games.So when you the two of you

(27:51):
get going, well, how doyou think that's gonna look for? What
would like what will be that partnershipkind of back there? I know that's
a hard question. How do Ithink I think it'll look beautiful. You
know a lot of people call thisa passing league, but I think you
got to run the ball to winthe super Bowl. You know, if
you look at the team to winthe Super Bowl, they can run the

(28:11):
ball, they can control the clock, and so if we're both good,
it'll look great, beautiful. Howwould you describe the Gregor running offense?
I would I would describe it as, you know, a great offense.
I think he gives a quarter He'sgoing to give the quarterback a lot of
options. He's going to give therunning back a lot of options. He's

(28:33):
going to give the receiver a lotof options, you know, and I
think it'll be I think it's goingto be great. His offense is going
to be amazing. When we talkedto him, you know, I was
like, why have you, benBilt something give rushing offenses throughout your career
every where you've been, And yousaid that one part of it is just
you got a call place, Yougot a call a round of place.
As a running back, you know, how much confidence, how much siton

(28:56):
does it give you when you knowyou have to play call or that's going
to stick with it and allow youand gives me a lot of excitement.
You know, it's gonna be LikeI said, it's fun to play in
his offense, you know, AndI think he does have some good things
in the past game too, Butlike you said, he sticks with the
run, and that's that's the identityyou You want an offense that has an

(29:18):
identity, right, you won't belooking everywhere else to find your your identity.
You want to have it. Andso I think his offense has that
and the guys he builds and putsin there, it complements that identity.
So I think it's gonna be great. Will go for Look, I ain't
gonna answer any of the if it'sup to me. Yes, Look,

(29:44):
because I had this problem like threetwo years three years ago. I'm thinking
I'm full go. I think I'mready to go, and the next thing,
you know, I'm on pup,like, hey, look some stuff
above my prey pay grade. Sobut I don't know. Hopefully I can
start. I think I I'm readyto start, you know, at the
beginning of training camp. But that'snot up to me. As I've learned,

(30:07):
I wouldn't say that I think I'vebeen I've been in some great organizations,
and I think this this organization isa 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

(30:30):
it, Like I really appreciate that, you know, because I'm the type
of guy like I work really hard, 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 you never know whatan I frustration for you during the heading
into free agency, you know,dealing with with rehab and not you know,

(30:52):
having on a full season tape orproduction to go out there. Is
there any part of that where you'relike, gosh, you know, had
hit the open market? You know? Nah, I like it. I
like n How would I say this? I like it the hard way,
but not, you know, Ilike it the hard way. M I

(31:15):
like it. I like trial andtrue relations. So y, I mean
the the dice that I was givingthe role was I was coming off of
a ur Achilles and that was thatwas the Lord's plan. So it was
beauty in that, like I wascomfortable. I was caught like there was

(31:37):
multiple teams, you know, Iwasn't. It wasn't like I didn't have
any other team. But I wascomfortable and sitting back and just uh that
we wouldn't have had initially at thistime of the year, you know,
last year. You know, thosethose tougher conversations, those ones where we
might disagree, where we do agree, where where he's got his two cents
on it, which is, youknow, always the best two cents I've
heard. But me being who Iam, you know, I'm I'm I'm

(31:59):
gonna throw my two cents in there, you know. So that's just uh,
it's been awesome, man. Wehe's he's you know, a resource
for me, just a person thatI can always denounce my thoughts off of.
And now, you know, justa year you said, thirteen months,
now I feel more comfortable just youknow, bringing certain things up.
You know, you never you neverwanna come off too Stan. But I'm
a curious guy. I got alot of questions. I like, I
like football a lot. I liketo talk and talk the games, so

(32:22):
you know, come to find outhe's the exact same. So we uh,
you know, we get along welland and uh we're gonna keep keep
building that relationship. Sometimes in thisleague, playing you know, eighteen games,
they tryna make a twenty. Youknow, it's like it sound like
a little a little fever dream tobe honest, but but uh, if
we can find a way to kyou know, 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 withit. But uh but yeah, like

(32:45):
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 like that's a lot of games, you know, all of a sudden,
take a lot of hits. Theytake a lot of hits where they're
not looking, and it's just howcan we keep him healthy? Yeah?
Yeah, are you when do youthink I get your a receiver room now?
Missions you guys have made one wanthealthy and everything like, yeah,
you know, I'm excited to seeit at at full health. You know,

(33:06):
you've I haven't got to see allthe all the guys out there at
once, and and you know it'sone of those positions where every day is
something might happen to nick up.You know, it's just a a tough
position to stay out there at alltimes. But I feel like we got
a great group and and the numberone thing is how can we stay healthy?
How can we you know, I'llbe out on the field, and
I think having depth like this andthe group we have is gonna help us.

(33:27):
Having guys that can do different things, that can go catch' ball over
the middle, all types of thingsthat it's gonna take some of the strain
off off all of us. Youknow, it's it's a good group.
So I'm excited to, uh,you know, get out there. I
feel like we haven't had the wholewhole thing together, but you know,
come season time, maroll and it'sgonna be exciting. What about a guy
that's in your whole number? Yeah? Yeah, like a yeah man,

(33:49):
he's uh it was a brute.And I think it's like, you know
how to write, like when youuse your right hand, you know how
your handwriting should look. What's gonnatake in the run to make sure matches,
I guess, you know, sojust taking the reps to get back
to that, I think it wasall what it is. I mean,
obviously, like he's one of mybiggest supporters, you know, so obviously

(34:12):
you know he's he's he's excited aboutthe opportunity for me, you know,
so I'm excited about it. Withevery oh a lot. He helped me
a lot, even felt like thefirst day, just trying to help me
get used to to write tackle.He got my feet used to write tackle.
Like my first day practice, I'mlike, dude, I still feel

(34:35):
feel a little off. I don'tfeel balanced in my stands. And he
showed me the small technique thing todo with my feet, which I still
do even even thought left tackle justcap part of my routine. That was
part of my process, like gettingto my stands. So stuff like that
that he taught me from day one, and obviously in practice was fun.
Just compete with him, you know. It's just to meet at the back

(34:58):
of the pocket and to dap eachother about every rep like that was competing,
you know what I mean. Sothat's my guy. As much as
you love him on the west Side, how bit or sweet, is it
a certain matters because it would happenedto him. Yeah, that's the thing
that's not how it's definitely how Iand and that's how I thought about the
transition will go. You know,I thought it would be you know,

(35:19):
home, some timing and a cardinalhis whole career. You know, you
know, you want to play hereforever, you know what I mean when
always talking about his plans, Soyou know, you you wish transitions like
one of those fairy tale like it'syour time. But but again either way,

(35:39):
you know, we talked about it. You know that that's that's the
how it goes, you know,but obviously you know he sees he's he's
been one of my biggest supporters.Again, I affect. Everybody leads in
their own way, you know,but not everybody's the right guys coming around

(35:59):
like that's not everybody right, likeI felt for me, that's me specifically
on game day with the old lineand after we do one on one like
that's my like, well Hump did, like 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 wantto do for the room was I want

(36:21):
to bring that Hump energy that hebrought right so last year, of course,
some traits, been doing it foryears, but the year when I
spent line, he brought a lotof the energy and excitement and the happiness
in the room was just his naturalenergy to where I only had to focus
on me, you know, Ididn't have to make sure other other guys

(36:45):
are, you know, feel sometype of way when it came in here
because Hump brought that. But outof Hump's not here, but I saw
what he did for the room.I want to be that guy to make
sure everyone's ampt to go to practice, everybody's hype. Weren't taking the field
team on period. You know it'sa low day or something. You know,
it's a it's a day. Butlike I wanna make you feel like

(37:07):
parents the tripper right now. Iwanna bring that cause that's what we help
do to each other. We wannahpeeach other up. Dude, like dudes
about to people walked through. We'relit. So I wanna do that.
I wanna bring that energy. Iwanna make bring more guys, you know,
to do that. You know,yeah, I wanted to do that
from day one, you know,I kind of I wanted to do that
from day one, from just talkingto him and obviously it's that time.

(37:30):
I spend the off season before OTAstarted just being in myself, just thinking
about what the room needs, youknow, because I know I knew a
new role as one of the leaders, you know on the offense, is
that we need a guy like thatthat's gonna make sure the old line is

(37:50):
picked up, ready to go everyday and it was held accountable. Little
things aren't happened to practice and peoplearen't saying anything, and how I may
leave maybe different than somebody else maylead. You know, I like to
a practice at least like the legalpositivity, you know what I mean.
So, but he the energy yetwent beyond just the hyped up the deal
I start too. So that's kindof how I wanna be s goal mine

(38:16):
literally my whole life. I wannabe a NFL team captain, like specifically
the NFL. I wasn't a captainof high school. I wasn't a captain
of college. But I made ajoke when I was in high school.
It's like the I feel like,I'm not gonna be a captain to like
get to the NFL. Yeah,but that would be awesome, you know,
but you know, if it happensI'd be great, but if not,

(38:37):
either way, I wanna assume arole as a captain from the respect
of the guys on the team.They dual work to me and to get
back to that way. Yeah,I mean, I can't say that.
I mean, I guess the biggestthing is that I felt like it has
felt like how it you used toin the past. But it didn't take

(39:00):
just the first day OTAs. Ittook training left and right once the season
ended because I didn't know what itwas gonna be sure, So it took
a lot of reps just to getback to feeling like myself for day one
OTAs and then that whole first week. But now like today, specifically just

(39:21):
changing some small things with my feet. I did day talking about a line
coach about some things I can dowith my feet to get to that to
sell at the traditional angle that Ilove to set on. Felt even I
thought I felt, I thought Ifelt great already by mokat, I felt
even back up it. So I'meven more excited tomorrow. Now I'm getting
my feedback and how I liked itthe right side and I'm on the left

(39:42):
side, So I'm excited. Imean, obviously I feel like in the
league, whether I left or right, you're still going against premier guys.
So obviously you have high expectations foryour left hand and right tackle, but
there's definitely uh like the the levelof energy and the expectations definitely taking a
human start, cause now conneted theblank side that stuff that's de tackle role,

(40:07):
you know. So so yeah,I would say in terms of communication
as far as just even outside thefacility and just stuff like that, like
really creating that but tackle quarterback bondeven more off the field, I think
has been something that's even been cool. I got a text one day and
I was like, hey, likeyou put left and I was like,

(40:28):
yeah, you know, yeah,I've been training both. I've been training
both. You know. I Iasks after the season, They're like,
honestly, you know, we'll talkto you STI play in the season.
And I just got a text melike depending on what happens. But with
the free agency then, so Iwas like, you know what, I
had a whole season right tackle,So if I get the word, I'm
going I'm standing right tackle. Idon't need to do what I did before.

(40:51):
I'm built on that bus. Iwas like I might as alost trained
the left tackle now as if I'mgonna be a left tackle, and I'd
rather do that than on the righttime because the call, hey you're the
left tackle, I'm like, oh, I don't even I didn't switch on
my feet yet, you know whatI mean. So I'm like, let
me just prepare in advance. Iwas like, yeah, this guy,
you know, I think occasionally onthird down there would be a lot of

(41:12):
twists. I would just know likeit's automatically coming. And I think that
was my mindset for like the firsthalf of the season, Like I didn't
have to go into a game andwas surprise like, oh my gosh,
they did that. I kind offigured like, okay, like this is
this is the type of rush,minute gain, this is how this guy
usually rushes. But I get thevibe, this is how the ends like
the rush, you know, tacklesthat are you know, first year guys

(41:35):
who got the premiere patch on.I already knew what it was gonna be,
already knew of every stunt, andhonestly, just knowing that's kind of
an advantage too. So you're notyou're not You're not. Oh they brought
the twist of my side. Again, it was never an Aaron Donald,
like you know, they're coming outof minds, like three plays in a
row and two minutes, I knewthat that was the way happened. So,
like, you know what I mean, I'm watching more than everybody else,

(41:57):
and he rarely goes out there onoccasional third down on the d end.
I was like, alr, youknow what's gonna be. He's gonna
pick me, you know what Imean? So fact fact it's kind of
it's also kind of advantage in away, but it's also exciting, like
Okay, I'm gonna get the hardest. Look. You know, those are
real, real reps, you knowthe bank. So really, I don't

(42:19):
know. I really didn't kind ofprocess that. I was like, hey,
when they tell me to let meknow, but I'm just gonna train
it. I was training all leftto Ta's. I guess if I didn't
hear anything about Ta's, I wouldhave came in like so you know what
I mean, Cause just like I'mcool training both continuing, I would have
been cool training both continually. ButI feel like anybody, any position will

(42:43):
be like okay, like you wannaas soon as possible, get your feet
accountability at the times what if uhwhat have you seen the guy counted all?
Yeah, I mean he's quick.You know, he can create a
lot of space and uh small spaces, so uh it's quick, you know,
uh savvy with his route running,and you know he's just he's just
a hard worker. You know.You know there's some plays where he knows

(43:05):
he's not getting the ball and he'sstill still winning the route. So you
know, just to have that player, uh A a player like that give
that much effort uh on the fieldevery play, it's really really good to
see. And I think it's youknow, really uh gonna rub up on
the other guys too. I'm good. I'm about the i'm'a get another.
What's it like working with uh someof the tight ends that you guys happened
them there, I know after Smithystraight just talking about the persatility that a

(43:28):
lot of the guys have, especiallyin that grip. Yeah, I mean
we have a different uh uh alot of you know, different guys in
the tight end room. You know, Darnell he brings sides to the room.
Uh, Rodney Speed Connor, hehas a great awareness in the field.
Pat of course he's you know,he's a great all the round sight
end. And then uh, youknow, uh, crew, he's a
he's a bat. He's smart,he knows what he's doing. So,

(43:51):
I mean just all the guys inthe room, you know, they're smart
and intensive and they've i f Ifeel like they're j justice they off as
well. So what's been like workingwith Tom or and what's he been kind
of work on what you want to? Yeah, I mean Toal's been great.
Uh just his a tis attention todetail, the way he comes you

(44:12):
know, in each and every day. He comes in as the same guy
every day and uh to be onceibing. You know, I don't think
I've had to coach that detailed oras Tom. You know, he's very
detailed in terms of you know,practice review sending us, uh the info,
breaking down each and every play andreally just really just focused on the
details, to be honest with you. I think, uh that's the thing

(44:32):
that sets him apart. And youknow he's he pushed us to be hard,
I mean our our indie periods oryou know conditions. So of course
that's good for us. But Imean he's been great so far. So
excited to uh, you know,allow that our allow our relationship to grow,
and excited to work for the future. And it's what he's doing kind
of compliment what you're doing individually,you know, when you're away from the

(44:53):
facility, working with you know,coaches one on one anything like that.
He said, what does he whatdoes he do? Year? That kind
of compliments what you do away fromthe facility when you're trying. I mean,
I think he does different stuff.So I think, uh, that's
a good thing about it. Youknow, some stuff that we do here.
Oh sorry, Uh, I don'tyou know, usually do outside of

(45:15):
the facility. So it's good gettingthat different work in, different drill work
that I can you know, implementinto my you know, off season program
and stuff like that. So it'sgood that I'm learned this stuff. For
sure. You're deep all of efficiencymeum versus a time that especially the last
year. What what what what isuh? Our smith in the offense talk
about you of trying to make makethat incorporate that into to being a big
part of this offer. I meanyeah, uh, I think we have

(45:38):
fast guys, guys that can getdown the field with speed. Uh,
Guys like Quez Calvin, Scottie VanUh. You know me and rest.
You know, we've we've had alot of deep off success and a lot
of explosive plays in the past.So you know that's just uh, you
know what, Yeah, I guesshow our offense is built. To be
honest with you, but I mean, our job is to create explosives and

(45:59):
you know, push it out downthe field. So anytime we get those
ops, we definitely wanna capitalize onthose. Are your coach just resting any
part of your mechanics in any way? I mean yeah, uh, I
think there's always room to improve,uh, mechanic wise and stuff like that.
So I think you know, MattBaker, uh, he's a quarterback
consiste. He you know, usuallystays on me the most about it.
Okay, So I appreciate the factthat he does that, and I usually,

(46:21):
you know, make sure he doesn'tmake sure I just just stay on
top of it, you know,as a whole, and you know,
make sure my mechanics are always clean. Can you talk about one particular albument
that they're stressing. It's it's differentareas, to be honest, I don't
think it's just one specific area,but it's it's different areas, justin in
your opinion, was there something thatyou wanted to work on, maybe get
better at when you got here atthis point of your career. I mean,

(46:42):
like, like I said, there'syou know, no matter who you
are, you know, there's alwaysstuff to get better at, always different
areas. Nobody's perfect in one area. So I think you can continue to
prove in all yours in my game, you know me personally, so I'm
just focused on getting better. Youshould never heard. So when do we
talk about Rust? Yesterday? Hesaid that Rust said that he personally felt
kind of revived, you know,being in another step in his career.

(47:04):
Is there any of that sense ofmaybe rejuvenation or feeling revived? Obviously you
haven't been in the league for thirteenyears, but is there a new energy
that you get being in a differentorganization, going through mini camp in a
different way for the first time.I think so, you know, just
being around a new team, uhan organization that's you know, just just
with this culture. You know,me being in two different places now,

(47:27):
you just I realize that you know, you don't get this culture everywhere.
I think Chicago, I think theyare you know, kind of changing the
narrative now, but I mean thishas just been the culture here for so
many years to where I mean youcan see it. It's just the way
that you know, we attack eachhe every day and coach to you know,
he stays honest about it. SoI think just having that and uh,

(47:49):
you know, reiterating that you knoweach and every day, that keeps
guys in the toes and guys areready to compete each and every day.
Is it easy to step into anorganization when there already is such a culture
that's been as established for a longterm to kind of know where you fit
and know what's expected. Most definitely, I think, you know, especially
as a leader as a player onthe team, you just don't have Thank

(48:14):
you for checking out this content fromposts at Sports. If you watch this
po on YouTube, please like thevideo size least. Yeah. I mean,
I think college football is different andideologies and understandings and have changed.
And I think that, you know, the portal is a variable. And
I would say that not him inparticular, but I wouldn't say everyone doesn't

(48:38):
really know how to handle it properly. You see it currently. I mean,
it's just it's a variable that's newand how to handle it. There's
not a transcript on how to handlethat variable. So you just guys just
trying to do what they think isright. That's all they're really trying to
do. And I'm not saying thereright or wrong, but he was trying
to do the same. And youknow, I think at the end of

(48:58):
the day he realized he made madethe wrong decision and we connected on it,
we talked about it, and youknow, it was a great opportunity
to to right or wrong. Andobviously we're very glad he's here. I've
always believed in him. We believein him, and he believes in himself
and that's part of the just tryingto understand what's my path, right.
So uh but yeah, it's beengreat steps have been made. He's growing,

(49:22):
but he's nowhere near where he knowshe's capable of being. He's just
probably a priceless Caeremiah. I lovethe way he lives. I love the
way he approaches things. I lovethe way the questions he asks. I
love the way he makes mistakes andthen correct mistakes. It's very veteran like.

(49:43):
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,
the consistency at which it works justgoes through the roof. And so
but I'm very you know, excitedand proud of the conversations we're currently having,
and I'm excited it for them tokeep going. By what power for

(50:07):
you? Working with? You tell? I love working with Chip Chip Is.
I love talking ball, I lovethe viewpoints, I love I love
the veteran that he has, youknow, uh and uh, I love

(50:27):
Yeah, I like, I loveall of it. I think that you
know, early on the biggest impact, you know, just you know,
feeling perspective. I think in therun game has been awesome, you know,
and then you know, off ofthe run game some of the actions
or or relief throws or all thatkind of stuff. I love where it's
at. I love working with them, and I would say that I sleep

(50:59):
a little bit, all right.Uh No, It's it's really a great
combo because like you know, we'reobviously we're we're doing a lot as a
group. It's not just Chip andI so but you know, obviously Chip
has an image and a view onthings that I never had. So to
have that experience and have that viewpoint, I'm just trying to absorb as much

(51:22):
as i can, but then alsohighlight some things that we've really done a
good job of and make sure thoseyou know, nothing's really changing, We're
just trying to enhance. We're notchanging, We're enhancing. So where the
things fit is perfect, you know, I think, uh, you know,
the rest of the dynamics of searchChip can talk about. But it's
been it's been awesome, so I'mexcited about it. We talked to a

(51:45):
mecha who's talking about moving from slotto the house side. You know how
good we've been in the slot.Is that a difficult move for you guys
just coaches to know how good aguy is in one spot, but know
that maybe for his long term futureand the no. I wouldn't say it's
anything on his future, because he'scapable of doing whatever you want to get
done. But I'd say that itsays more about the room. I think

(52:07):
it's it's the growth of you know, Brandon and the growth grow of Bryson.
That's really you know, allowing mymind to say, hey, Mech,
be prepared. You're gonna move arounda lot. You're gonna come out
of that slot. You're gonna beoutside. We're gonna create mismatches out there.
I mean, his ability to movearound is critical. But I would
say between Mech and between Carnell Takes'sability to move around a lot, it's

(52:29):
gonna provide a lot of flexibility forour room. And uh and those top
you know, six seven guys thatare really doing a good job right now.
Progress this spring for like a becauseone of those things are true when
you has balanced how much the workdoes a need versus yeah, heavy heavy
emphasis on what work he needs,you know, versus anything else. Uh,

(52:51):
I rely on him. We havegreat dialogue back and forth. It's
a two way to it's a twoway conversation. And uh, frankly,
there's gonna be times where like,hey, Mech, what do you wanna
do today? You wanna go outsideand go inside? And I don't care.
So we're not there yet. Wewill be there, but it's just
more about, you know, whenthe room is ready to start mixing things
up. I would say there's gotI mean, I make sure I'm bringing

(53:27):
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. I'm not saying they can't,
but at this point, having twoguys be able to swing, you
probably don't need much more than that. I need guys being experts at what

(53:51):
they're good at, so it helpsthe offense. Don't be great at everything
and be an expert at something andwe can use that to our advantage.
Years different, like maybe you guyswho were more situational, little bit.
Yeah, the room's always different,frankly, I mean from twenty eighteen and
then nineteen and through COVID and andthose guys, and and then the depth

(54:13):
of those guys and then where Mecand Marvin and those guys were as freshmen
compared to you know, It's justit's always different, and uh, I
expect this one to be different againI'm not sure at what level yet.
Last question in your relationship between theTV room and your westers, especially you
know the back and forwards. I'mcurious, Yeah, Dbag as a leader
just like you, you know,played at Ohio Sais of Intel screens.

(54:36):
I'm curious about how you've seen Timkind of build a different matter backs room,
especially on the recruite, probably aman of successful guys and maybe kind
of the effective your recruits. Howhow that's kind of enhanced. Yeah,
he would probably know more for thatquestion. All the way through ten years
in this league, so said,see what he's got. How old did
you know sorts? And when hewas assistant here? And I've gotten to

(54:59):
know a lot better. What's therelationship made you right now? I know
him pretty well. He was alwaysjust 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.
I was happy to see him promoted. He called me in the off

(55:22):
season, we talked. I justcongratulated him, and I think he's gonna
bring something similar to what we hadwith the Miko good do you know Brandon
Stanley well at all. I meanthat was a joey play for him.
I don't know too much about him. I've obviously heard from my brother,
but I don't even think i've saidhigh yet. I haven't ran into him

(55:43):
yet, but I'm sure i'll getto know him. When you say it
looks similar to the Miko of theenergy or the system, maybe a little
different energy, but I think justknowing the system from the front to the
back, I think he knows howit ties in, and he's been around
with some really good coaches, soI think it'll be pretty pretty seamless,

(56:07):
and I think we'll be firing onall cylinders. You're three months removed from
the Super Bowl now, so justhow have you? I guess digested it,
and I guess physically everything good togo. Yeah, I feel really
good. I think it's been oneof my better off seasons of just kind
of It was a long year,so I took it nice and slow to

(56:28):
get back into it. Not asyoung as I once was, so I'm
taking a little a little slower,but everything's great. I'm feeling as good
as I felt. I'm excited toactually get some practice in last year was
kind of tough getting thrown in weekone after I walked through, So that

(56:51):
was another reason I'm excited to behere is just to get practicing a little
bit in season. Practice is onething, but actually being able to work
your stuff and not have a gamecoming up is good. With the super
Bowl unfortunately, I know how tobounce back from tough losses, so it
was rough for a little bit,but no, just annoying when people bring

(57:13):
it up. Since the last season, we've seen a Rock on TV commercials
and on the stage with Kluke Coombsand throwing out the first pitch in the
Giants game. But he seems likea guy that's totally unaffected by celebrity,
which he has now. But whathave you noticed in his leadership style and
the way he carries himself any differenceat all. I think he's definitely getting

(57:36):
a little more vocal within the building, and uh yeah, I mean I
don't think he's ever gonna change.I don't think he's somebody that's gonna change
even when he gets paid next year. So he's he's a man of faith
and he kind of reminds me ofScotti Scheffler, but except for just super

(58:00):
humble and really good kid, andyeah, he's definitely famous suffer. I
don't just from watching Armstead get releasedobviously meant so much to the defensive line

(58:20):
into the team. I mean,Colin John were pretty open that they were
willing to talk about trading Deebo orare you at you? Does that just
another what's that feel like in thelocker room when those sort of joels happened.
I didn't even know that happened andI wasn't here, but you're talking
about this offseason Armstead in alarm Ericreleased, So that's certainly one thing.

(58:45):
Yeah, it's a tough business,for sure. You have to have thick
skin and I haven't gone through that, but I think you just have to
understand that it is a business andthe team's going to try and get as
good as it possibly can with orwithout you, and you have to look

(59:06):
out for yourself. That's why yougo through holdouts and do certain things that
seem selfish in the moment, butit is what it is, and when
everything's settled, we're gonna come togetheras a team and try and go get
one Nick. What's the overall feelingaround the group right now, Like,
how much. Does it feel likethe excitement of the ramp up to the
season, even though it's early,it feels good. It's been a couple

(59:29):
of days for me, so Ilike all the new guys. I'm getting
to know everybody, but I thinkthe passes in the past and we're ready
to go. Do you talk tome? You talked to beat all about
handling the business part of this.He's going through something similar. We chat
a little bit, but not toomuch about the details. I just told

(59:49):
him to keep his head up andtry and stay positive through it. All
were first impressions when you heard whatyour schedule would be in that Aaron Rodgers'
first time it'll be fun. Yeah, it's gonna be gonna be a good
one. Excuse me kind of alludedto this for the fact that last year
you had to have that holdout.You said that affected you somewhat early in

(01:00:14):
the season. If you hadn't hadthat experience, would you be here right
now? I mean, was thatpart of the motivation for being here early?
Just to have the opposite might be? No, I don't think that's
one of the reasons. But Ijust talked to Kyle and he kind of
asked me. He kind of statedhow he felt about why it would be

(01:00:37):
good for me to be here andasked if I agreed, and I did
agree. So it's not like I'mmissing too much. I think I'm out
here. It's a little less workloadthan I'm doing back home, so it's
kind of a good active recovery thingfor me. And I'm getting football stuff,

(01:00:57):
football working specifically, so that's good. I'm not it's not compromising my
training at all, and I getto meet all the guys. It's it's
positives. Let down. Oh no, he's he's there. He's got a
new regime over there. Did youfirst? I actually thought I was coming

(01:01:22):
next week until recently, so Iwas going to have one more week at
home, but we're both in California. Anything you could share about reasons that
you agreed with it sent from thetop and it doesn't get mixed up as

(01:01:43):
it's moving down the ladder. It'sboom. This is how we're doing things,
and everybody's following that, and Ithink it's impressive the details that everybody
have been on, has has beenon, the effort and just the competitiveness
that that's been going on over thelast few weeks. Yeah, it's it's

(01:02:04):
been great. How much do youappreciate that the stopping is described with the
way jingles we shouldn't eat in themessaging? Do they eat mixed up?
Why you appreciate that much? Imean, it's I guess it's easy to
appreciate when you kind of see itworking and you see guys improving, getting

(01:02:25):
better. I just think the detailsare really important. You can pretend that
leaving your shoes a mess or yourlocker a mess isn't a big deal,
and what matters is playing football.But I think all those tiny details and
things kind of add up and leakinto the important stuff, like what you're

(01:02:46):
doing on the field. So ifyou can have your toe behind the line,
or have your locker and order andall these things, they kind of
stack up into performing well and playingwell when things count. So you know,
I appreciate that. It's it alsohasn't been a fight with the guys
in the locker room. They buyin, and you know, it's a

(01:03:07):
lot of young guys, and Ithink they're hungry to learn, hungry to
compete and wins. You know,it's just an example. Whether it's we
talked about first day, have yourshoot if you could, if you could
spend the time on these small thingswhen nobody's watching. I think, like
I was saying, it seems likeit might not add up too much,

(01:03:29):
but I think in the long termit does. And uh, it leaks
into other things, whether you're doingyour right assignment on the field, being
late to meetings or all these things. If you hold a standard and you
you stay to that standard, Ithink it benefits you long term. It's
been like Ben Herbert, who hasthere been anything in his training program we're

(01:03:52):
working with you that you feel willbenefit you later. Yeah, yeah,
definitely. He's he's been great.He's a no non sense kind of guy,
but he's not an old school inthe sense that he's bringing his way
of doing things and that's the onlyway to do things. He understands that
guys have been in the in thebusiness for a long time, Khalil me

(01:04:13):
and we have a way of doingthings, and all he wants to do
is add to that and help youget better and perform the best you can.
He stresses it all the time thathe's a tool for us, and
you know, he's been he's beengreat. The guys love him. The
energy brings is awesome, and Ithink the stuff that we're doing in the
weight room is great, a greataddition to stuff that I may do on

(01:04:36):
the side or whatever that is.Yeah, I think we I mean,
we had a presentation today with allthe certain measurables that are changing, and
if you guys are in the meeting, you definitely see how beneficial he's been
to the team so far. Soobviously, staying healthy is a huge factor
to anybody's success. I'd say it'splagued us a little bit for while.

(01:05:00):
So yeah, I think he's He'sdefinitely incredibly beneficial. What are you fully
re covered? I know at theend of last season you might have been
able to Yeah, No, Iwas not ready to go last year.
No, tried practicing, tried comingback, and uh it was it was
not good, but yeah it wasUnfortunately, the year wasn't going great and

(01:05:28):
it just was unnecessary risk for Imean, my foot could have had some
real real issues if I came backtoo early. So yeah, it's been.
It's been. It's been a greatoff season. My foot's feeling great,
toes good, hamstrings good. Imean, there was a list of
things last year my hand, soall those things are good. Finger got
surgery on my finger, so that'sfeeling good. Yeah, it's it's nice

(01:05:53):
to be feeling better going into yearnine than you have since maybe five six
years ago, which I've said,I've said I've been feeling great last couple
of years. I'm telling you it'sa real deal this time. But obviously
anything can happen. But I justfeel it's fun feeling really confident in your
body and being able to perform.So I could just go out during practice

(01:06:16):
and you know, go balls tothe wall and do everything that I feel
like I need to to be ableto prepare. It's fun. My brother
and whoever I trained with my trainerTodd back home, Uh, I think
they'd be really proud of how I'vebeen working this offseason, and it's just
exciting. Winning was the injuries onthe Great Big Game? You kind of

(01:06:44):
you yeah, it was a bitof a build up, a little bit
of an overreaction, but you know, it's just tough. It comes sometimes
like that, and I just feltfelt really uh defeated coming back, had
a broken hand. I'm like,oh, yeah, I get to play
boom first series foot pops thought I'dhave to get surgery, and all these
thoughts flooded through my head. Brokedown a bit, and yeah, it

(01:07:08):
just hurts. You know, you'relosing, you're getting injured. You've felt
like you prepared really well in theoff season, and then the year before
you had growing surgery, so youknow, a lot of things build up.
Yeah, you don't get a breakif you're injured. Everybody wants to
go on. Fans are very nice, but no, I just I'm grateful

(01:07:31):
that I feel this way. I'mstill still nice. Ripe twenty eight,
so not too old yet, butyeah, I'm just excited. I can't
remember what the original question was.At this point, you get something about
my body, How close you andGift were. How frustrating was it that

(01:07:57):
you couldn't you know soon of thoselast three games. It was frustrating,
but I mean Gif was had myback the whole way, I think for
Gift, for any but for forthe whole team, just to show what
it means to me. It wouldhave been important for me to be out
there, but I literally could andI tried to practice. Injured my foot

(01:08:17):
worse the very first play I wasand in practice, so no chance that
was happening, unless I wanted tothrow my next season away as well.
But no, I'm just I'm proudof him for what he did with the
team, how he handled it,and I need to call him back.
Actually sorry, GIF. Yeah,I'm happy he gets to stay close by

(01:08:42):
with the with the Rams and justproud of all we accomplished here together over
the years, and and we'll beclose for the rest of our lives.
It was the foot injury this guyfot sprang. Yeah, I sprained one
area of my foot. Then whenI tried to return, I sprained another.
Was able to avoid getting surgery,which is kind of the main goal,

(01:09:04):
but yeah, it was. Itwas tough. So when it comes
to the addition of but Dupree,what you felt like he's kind of brought
to the to the room and couldbring on the field. Yeah, it's
when I heard we got my brothersome I don't know, maybe my brother
told me. I'm like, really, we just got budd Like, that's
no, that's no small pickup.He's a seriously elite pass rusher has had

(01:09:30):
some trouble with injuries as well,so I understand how that 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 funny guy, and and
to have that in the room anothervet is always a great addition. But
I'm just excited to have him intoLee and to be able to rotate like
that and not drop off at allwhen we come off the field is huge.

(01:09:54):
And now too, he's going intoa second year. Just what do
you what do you kind of whatare some of the maturity maturity area as
you said from him, You know, I'm gonna say not much, and
that's a compliment because he was alreadymature in those areas. I mean,
he's on it everything playbook wise,always doing his job, working hard,

(01:10:16):
just refining his technique and pass rush. I mean, we don't have the
pads on right now, so thereal work will will begin, you know,
in six weeks now. So butyeah, I love Tulie. I've
loved him since the first day he'swalked into the facility, and I know
he's just gonna continue to get better. Do you think of the addition of

(01:10:36):
Joe Old, Yeah, yeah,I'm gonna need to beat him up a
little bit in camp. So he'sready. But no, I think anything
to protect our number ten is agood, good investment. So he seems
like a real solid dude. Haven'ttalked to him too much. Great build,

(01:10:57):
seems like he has good hands,good feet. Wrong, we'll see.
We'll see in a few weeks whenI lay a helmet in his chin,
how he holds up. But it'llI'll take it easy on him.
No, Rashaun's a beast. Didyou know Coach Harbond before he came here?
And if you did, just whatwere those first couple of conversations like

(01:11:20):
that? Yeah, probably have crossedpaths with him. Maybe maybe not?
Actually I think what was it hisfirst year when I was a junior?
So he kicked his ass as usualat Ohio State. No, No,
they just want a championships. I'dsay they probably have the bragging rights right

(01:11:42):
now. I'm like the guy talkingabout his old high school. Oh I
remember we used to kicks. No, but no, yeah, no,
the rivalry is dead. I wasjust saying this morning, you know,
nine years and kind of forget aboutthat. I'm not a great alumni.
Sorry, sorry, coach, butno, it's great. That's what's great

(01:12:03):
about the NFL is you just haveguys from all backgrounds. You could hate
their guts one one year, andthen you come on the same team and
your brothers and you're all working towardsone goal together. So our first talk
together was great. I just satdown with him, went up into his
office and chopped it up about lifemainly and his opportunity here and how much

(01:12:25):
it means to him. And uh, yeah, I think he's a special
guy. I think he's the wayhe conducts himself. He's an interesting cat
for sure, and I'm still stillfeeling them out. But one thing you
can't denies that he loves football andhis main goal is to win football games.
So and that's what we need.When you see him working out with
you guys and pushing slves and doingall this stuff, just how interesting is

(01:12:48):
that to see interactive? Yeah,I mean he was a he was a
great player himself, and I thinkhe's always been, you know, built
like that lack of a better term. But yeah, he's uh, he's
part of the guys. You know, he's not this guy outside looking in.
He really, I mean he voicedthat to me, is that his

(01:13:10):
favorite part of all of it isbeing with the guys. And and the
connections he makes. So Yeah,to to see a guy like that come
in and embrace it all and kindof be part of it himself is important.
Your initial impression is a quahman duringthe defensive games. Yeah, it's
funny to go from old gift,old gift to this little young guy who's

(01:13:31):
my age. I wouldn't want toget thrown into a room with me and
Khalil I was his age. Butno, he's been great. I love
messing with him a little bit.We little sarcasm back and forth, but
no, he's great. He's uh, he's very talks very fast, and
I don't as you know, sosometimes I gotta be like, slow down,

(01:13:56):
coach, come on. But no, he's right. I'm excited,
you know, to get closer asthe years. As the year goes on,
and I think he has he hasa lot of passion for the position
and all he wants to do islearn and and help us to improve.
So I'm excited about him and meand I do miss Giff. Obviously,

(01:14:17):
it was a long time with him, but I am excited to have a
new face and kind of have thatchallenge for me. Worked much with with
Jesse's dad, since I know hecoached Linebergers in Michigan. Did you ask
about Jesse? Did you ask aboutdoing? Okay, you asked about Jesse.
Oh my god, I was talkingabout freaking doing the whole time.

(01:14:39):
You guys are so confused. No, sorry, I thought I thought I
was. I thought you mentioned coachRonie. No, No, coach Mentor
has been great as well. Yeah, they've both been great. So run
that back. No, he's beengood. Uh yeah, very knowledgeable guy.

(01:15:00):
Same thing. I'm excited to getto know him more as the year
goes on. Have you worked,if you worked much during the off season
Jesse st Yeah, No I havenot. I don't know if I've said
one word to him, but morewords to come down the road. Like
you said, you've been in yearsin twenty sixteen. Just what are some

(01:15:23):
of this stuff? You're someone ona ramble about the wrong guy for fifteen
minutes, you walking? What?Yeah? What the heck? Actually that's
literally not the person. Yeah,yeah, I figured out. What's something

(01:15:47):
that you you worked unduring 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.

(01:16:11):
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 I know I'm gonna get plenty
of technique work and position work whenI'm out here. So for now,

(01:16:34):
I'm going to spend these five weeksreally getting prepared my body workouts, competitor
again another year competitive and all thatstuff. Yeah, yeah, it's usually
too hot out there for much competition. We're just trying to survive. So
but yeah, it's always it's ait's a silent competition between between each other,

(01:16:58):
be like peeking's like what was thistime? On time? But no,
yeah, it's always. You cannever have an off day when when
you're out there and he's he's warmingup like a beat, like a freaking
robot every day out there, sothere's no there's no off days. Have
you you and him talked at allabout I mean, I mean this also
when you were having a contract thing. Do you have, guys have to

(01:17:19):
talk about one anyway? Oh yeah, I mean it's it's a conversation,
not a not really a serious conversation, but something that's come up before.
But yeah, I mean it wouldbe cool. It would be cool at
some point. I I always thoughtof myself being somebody that will play here

(01:17:43):
and retire here, which I thinknot many people do on one team,
and I think would be a coolthing to accomplish. But you never know.
I'm gonna worry about this. Yerefirst, you guys, he's kind
of we're going a food story play. So you guys have like the lowest
or second lowest food kacheria in thenflp a Serbe last year, and you
better moved to the facility. Likehave you talked about about food and how

(01:18:05):
you did some time? Is itfine video? Have you looking forward to
the food upgrades at all? Haveyou thought about it at all? Yeah?
No, it's Wolfgang Puck or whateveris the is the word. Yeah,
that's great. I've been working withmy chef for seven years now,
so she's been great. So I'venever really had to worry about that.

(01:18:26):
Too much. But yeah, myweight's good. I've been eating a lot
this off season, so that's good. But yeah, I'm excited to maybe
be able to Sorry Christina, butmaybe i won't need a chef next year.
I'll have my I'll have my goingon. See, got to sound
the best fits Here we go.Yeah, Dria, welcome to Seattle.

(01:18:57):
Like were you looking for? Ifelt that's a loaded question for real,
for real? Uh, you know, in terms of no pay system,
teammates, environment, city, allthose kind of just like play into it.
Besides just the money thing. Iknow, financials always play a big
role, and I kind of steeryou into the direction you want to go,

(01:19:17):
but everything kind of plays into it. And how much did you reach
out to Shelby Drew, knowing someof the guys you knew that played here
last year to get a sense forwhat what Seattle might offer you? I
mean, not much. Right now, I'll talk to I'll talk to Shelby
a little bit about it, mainlyno one, Drew. Uh, just
congratulate me, Bob. Did youcome together pretty quickly? I know you

(01:19:45):
kind of came to your agreement onthat first Monday, and everything that come
together really faster. Now, itwas a long day. Seattle came in
almost out of nowhere. We hadlike a good set of teams that we
were talking to, just trying tofinalize what was going on, what was
it, the terms gonna be,you know, and Seattle came in hot.
They showed a lot of interest anduh, they kind of just motivating

(01:20:06):
me to come here more and more. And how similar will your role be,
you know, in terms of playingwhat you did Denver. I don't
know that yet. I kind ofjust mentioned previously, I don't know my
role. I don't know the insand out yet. Once we'll get you
no through the protocols and nfl PA, we'll we'll talk about know the schemes
and everything, right, so welcome. When you were in Denver in the

(01:20:30):
three four, where did you findyourself most comfortable and most effective? I
played a lot of different positions inDenver. I mean, earlier in my
year, I played zero, Iplayed three, two one. I mean,
are definitely more comfortable in a shadedposition, mainly being a three technique
and five technique. That's why Ifound myself to be more comfortable whether I'm
standing up or I'm not, whetherit's runner or pass. Uh. Those

(01:20:54):
seem to be my best my bestfits. And what is your impression of
Pete Carroll's defense and whole environment inset? Uh? From afar it seems
like he uh, he holds inon a defense a lot. Uh.
I can't really say too much aboutthat yet. I don't I know Pete
Carroll very little, so uh,I'm just trying to figure out more and
I'll give you a better answer later. What's the reputation around the league out

(01:21:16):
of the Seahawks? Uh, youknow hard nos 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 won a
lot of football games have been supersuccessful for many years, as long as
I've been alive and as long asI've been watching football, And definitely this

(01:21:38):
has been a good program. AndPete Carroll has been a hell of a
coach for as long as I remember, even back in his college of days.
So I'm looking forward to experiencing that. S 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 player are you fans who haven't
watched it? Time to Denver?What what kind of player get? Definitely

(01:21:59):
a high mode there definitely not aone tripp on any type of player.
Uh. I like to attack,you know, whether it's a first or
first through fourth down, I liketo attack. I'm always trying to apply
pressure. I'm definitely just a highmortar guy in my opinion. Brady either
Brady Henderson for ESPN, nice tomeet too, That's what. Yeah,

(01:22:23):
this is not a team that reallymakes big splash signings in free agency.
Did you think going into it thatSeattle would Uh No, not at all.
You just it's kind of like beinga cure at the county store.
You know, I've got a wholebunch of different options coming at you.
Uh hearing, a whole bunch ofdifferent crazy things, and uh, you
know, you only get to chooseone. And this is the place that
that we both chose each other.And I mean, I'm loving Seattle so

(01:22:45):
far. You know, I likethese colors for real. What what did
you got to do with Seattle orsee? Since you've been not much?
Uh just kind of just drive aroundthe city exploring, get down to the
market. A little bit. Iwant to get out of the Ferris will
do some world tourist they type ofthings. You know, I'm new to
the city and I got a lotto learn about the city, all right.

(01:23:06):
Yeah, there's been a lot ofcomparisons with you to Michael Bennett.
I was wondering if you know MichaelBennett at all and you think those are
accurate. I know Michael Berger thenlike nothing. I know nothing about it
but besides his style of play.But I'm honored to be considered in the
same conversation as him and style ofplay. You know, He's a Hall
of Fame type of deep lineman thatI've known about since I was a kid.

(01:23:27):
I mean, last time he playedhere, I was in high school.
So you know, it's cool toit kind of came full circle a
little bit watching him on TV andnow I'm being kind of compared to him
in a way, you know.I mean, I'm not touching the surface
of Michael Bennett. You know,he's a Hall of Famer and I'm not
there yet. So you know,I just gotta keep doing my due diligence
to be a better player. CarHey, Dreamont, Welcome to Seattle.

(01:23:51):
I know, you get to playseveral seasons for vic Fango and three four
style defense and Seattle's playing a similarsystem. Now dating back to last as
a defensive lineman, what do youthink is most important to be successful in
that system? Maybe fundamentals or justplaying style to be successful. From what
I learned, being gap sound andbeing patient has always been the biggest thing,

(01:24:14):
and that's how we've been successful whenI 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 got to really reallyrely on the guys behind you and the
guys on side of you to reallymake their to do their job to make
your job easier. Bob. Yeah, Uh, your your state ploffs that

(01:24:40):
you didn't start playing football till youwere junior in high school and largely played
basketball. So then that's what madeyou, I guess, decided to go
go play football? Then? Wasthat art away from basketball? No?
No, I've always loved football first. Uh, it was just kind of
just playing it out. You know, I love a who but you know,
football was definitely about calling. GivenI was two hundred and sixty five
pound power forward and I was likesix threes and change. So you know,

(01:25:02):
I kind of chose the route thatGod gave me. No, I'm
not six eight. Yeah, Well, comes to Seattle and you get quoted
and looking at a couple of orderthings that you player, And can you
just talk a little bit about thatrole that we just said of the US,

(01:25:25):
you know, always kind of countedout, but you came through.
Can you elaborate more than that?Just from a standpoint, like I always
get like over overshadowed, overlooked,whether it's a in something, you know
what I'm saying, Like, Ifeel like I do a lot more than
what can be sitting by the eyesof the inexperienced, you know, Scout
and I do a lot of differentdynamic things that help make play for others.

(01:25:47):
You know, I'm definitely an activeplayer. I'm always doing something,
whether in the runner pass game,so you know, I think that goes
on another sometimes and I'm looking forwardto putting people on notice. Thanks.
What uh, what do you liketo do outside of football? Uh?
Big gamer, I'm definitely I've beengetting to a lot of chests lately,

(01:26:10):
so just to expand my brain.Uh. I'll try to get into reading,
but if it's not sports related,I'm really not interested in reading that.
What do you think some of thatwill be able to bring out out
of your game as you keep tryingto you know, just being more explosive,
Probably more yards for catch with thespace that he's putting us into.

(01:26:30):
The more yards, more yards haveto catch, more exposive, pick,
more exposed to play for for notjust only me, but she and uh
ak and taste them. So I'mexcited to be able to be in the
system. I assume you think youguys can be a lot more explosive than
than you in the last couple ofyears. Oh yeah, of course.
It brings a lot of different things, you know what I'm saying, the
playbook, but just accountability. Uh, I feel like that's gonna lead us

(01:26:55):
to success this The language is alittle a little shorter, has it.
Have you found that there's a anguagethat you guys use. Is it about
the same or is it it's kindof the saying 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.

(01:27:15):
Heter 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 to
like zero with everybody. It's justa little bit easier to kind of get
everybody on the same Yeah, Ifeel like it's way easier. Like you
said, it was kind of moreof a Drew Brees style the last playbook,

(01:27:38):
So all credit to them though theybuilt that around him, around his
players. But like I said,it's it's more, Uh, this playbook
is more for uh matchups, andI feel like it's gonna be better for
us. How do you think it'sgonna really take advantage of his skill sets?
Uh? Just building around the strengthsthat I have. You know what
I'm saying, things that I cando and things that she can do,

(01:28:01):
uh, things that our players cando. Is kind of focus on what
we can do and building on that. Uh. I feel like it's playing
to the player strengths, So Ifeel like it's gonna help us a lot
has been around the way this offensewill have a lot more speed. And
how has that transition being so far? I mean, like I said,
it's building around the player strengths.So of course we got speed, uh
with me or she and ati receiver. So just building around that, Like

(01:28:26):
I said, playing to our strengthsand be able to capitalize off that.
Feel like it's gonna help us alot. But most of like the up
tempo astrac you know, getting alot of plays in less time. Oh
yeah, yeah, yeah, that'sdefinitely gonna play a big difference. Like
I said, coming from the WestCoast, Uh, they bringing that stand
for an offense here. So I'mexcited to be able to be a part
of that. For you personally,what's what's the max level look like?
For you? What do you Whatare you trying to accomplish this year?

(01:28:48):
Uh? Just staying consistent, man, a couple of upside downs last year,
just building off that. Uh,it's always always gonna work on the
physical part, but being able tobounce back after a bad game the mental
aspect, Uh, just learning learnedthat last year and be able to build
on that this year is a hugepart, you know, with Mike Gon,

(01:29:10):
do you take it upon yourself tokind of be that voice in the
room or to take a step forwardeven further as I mean, it's not
really I mean, everybody's kind ofgrown in the NFL, so it's just
on you to be able to havethat standard. Like I said, I
just try to do that lead byexample. I'm not really outspoken, but

(01:29:32):
just lead by example, working hard, trying to dominate every rep and hopefully
they follow after 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 youcould show more. Yeah, it's offense
that is built around that, hjust catching the ball in space, catching

(01:29:54):
the ball over the middle or evenon the outside, uh with with space
and separation. I feel like it'sbuilt around having yards after catch. 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 everytake everything to the house, you know,

(01:30:16):
every touch. So uh, Idefinitely got to do that more and
definitely try and work on that inpractice. Great dude, man, Uh
some some that I definitely needed.Some that he relates to me. Uh
just from backgrounds and uh he's agreat coach, great leader, Uh,
motivational and uh. Like I said, I'm excited to have him around and

(01:30:41):
for him to push me is everythingthat I need. So I think you're
talking about like mentally bouncing back,you know, from tough performances or whatever.
Like, did you like try tofind your resources going to help you
figure out how to do that?Oh? Yeah, I mean it's older
guys. Uh uh tell me that'snatural. Just have bad games, but
uh, just having a standard thatI have for myself and the expectations I

(01:31:02):
have for myself. It is hardsometimes, so just be able to be
hard on yourself but at the sametime just let it go and just bounce
back for the next game is somethingthat I learned last year. You one
of those guys that feels like youshould always have a certain level production.
Are you okay with those certain gameswhere the defense is so focused on you

(01:31:23):
that other guys have big games andwhere you're just running good routes and there.
Yeah, I'd definitely be one dimensionalfootball. You need to be able
to throw the ball as much asrun the ball. You know, It's
funny. Some people think I'm anarea guy. Some people think I'm a
wing tea guy. Some people thinkI want to run the ball every down.
You know, we're gonna we're gonnado what's best for a house state,
and that's that's kind of what ourgame plan is right now, right

(01:31:45):
Austin wore a podcast. When youthink about your first evaluations of the quarterbacks
and going through these fifteen practices,how do you want to structure that?
I know that you and Ryan haveprobably talked about that a good amount,
Like what's the right way to setup a spring position battle? How many
reps does everybody need? What's sortof your plan? Just from a general
perspective, I guess yeah, youknow, we're really detailed in what practice

(01:32:08):
looks like and how that's going tooperate. But I also think you need
to let the players go, youknow, so I don't think you need
to put shackles on them. Soto speak, and just keep them constrained.
I think you got to let themgo and you got to let them
operate. And we were rotating Ithink everybody on every two snaps today just
and that was just what we're gonnado on day one. You know,
we'll reassess it after we got throughit. Get a chance to count up

(01:32:29):
all the reps of how many plays, how many plays each guy got and
did they get more in seven onthan they did in eleven on? You
know, and we'll go through thatwhole thing, and that'll be a constant
flow in terms of how we're doingit. But I think the best way
people learn is they learn by doing. You know. So they've been great
in the meeting rooms. They're sharpwhen you get them on the board,
they're really good when they're watching film. But you got to go out and
you got to play the game.And so the more we can put them

(01:32:50):
in those situations to play the game, the better we'll have an opportunity to
evaluate them. Think all of thesethings. Uh, go back so forward,
Ryan Day, you mentioned since you'vedone him since she was a kid.
Uh, what were your first impressionsback then that that she could come

(01:33:11):
full circle to now, like,how do you how do you feel about
that? It's still the same wayhe you know, even since he was
playing little league, he was theultimate competitor, you know, and he
was always trying to find a wayto win. He was great at a
lot of sports, Baseball, basketball, football, you know. I got
an opportunity to recruit him, youknow, so I coached him when I
was at New Hampshire. I recruitedhim out of high school. We all,
and we grew up really close toeach other, so the same elementary

(01:33:33):
school, same high school, samejunior high, same college. You know.
So I've known him since for fora really long time. But that
competitive fire burns deep with him,and that's the one thing that I've always
admired with him. And he's gotan amazing athletic brain in terms of how
to process things and how to howto put people in position to make place.
He's always been that prototypical coach onthe field, no matter what sport

(01:33:54):
he was playing. So I knewhe was destined to be a coach,
you know. And I was fortunatein my career as head coach to have
him on my staff in a coupleof places. So I got a chance
to see him work firsthand. Youknow, I got to see him work
firsthand as a player and then asa coach. So the success he had
is not is not surprising to me. Is there? Where do you see
Ryan, the successes had? Yeah? I think we all do that.

(01:34:16):
I think we come from a uniqueplace and in a really small hometown in
New Hampshire where we all take alot of pride to where we're from and
and when anybody's successful coming out ofthere, then you kind of take a
little pride that that's it's the upbringingthat we all had, you know,
in the U sports program that wegrew up in in in every aspect whether
it was football, baseball, basketball, those coaches we had an amazing impact

(01:34:36):
on us. And that's why weare where we are right now. Ryan
said, he doesn't think of itas you working under him, that's working
with him. Fact is he's thehead coach. He makes me call him
sir though he just said can youdo that day one? And I was
like, all right, right now, But I mean he ultimately is the

(01:35:01):
decision maker. You've been a headcoach, how do you think that's going
to work? Do you think there'llbe any as close as you are,
any kind of awkward moments the rightterm. But when he's the ultimate decider
and you are working for him,Yeah, I certainly understand my role.
I'm not Alhaic like I'm not I'mnot in charge here. Yeah, some

(01:35:23):
people get that reference. Other peopledon't get that reference. But I'd certainly
understand that, and I actually kindof relish it because I really love the
scheming part. I love the individualpart. I love being in the meeting
room of the quarterbacks and trying togame plan. But everything we do here
is collaborative. You know. Theone thing that really struck me when I
walked in this place is there's anamazing coaching staff here. You know,

(01:35:44):
and if you get a chance totalk to Larry Johnson just about football,
or Tim Walton or Jim Knowles orBrian Hartline or any of these guys that
are on the staff here, it'sit's a very collaborative effort. I think
everybody's on the same page. Youknow, it's not our offense and defense
and it's it's Ohio State. Youknow, it's it's Ohio State versus the
twelve opponents that we're gonna play duringthe regular season and then beyond. So

(01:36:08):
it's it's really collaborative. And that'sthe thing I like, just in the
short time that I've been here,is how collaborative everybody's been. You know,
we're all trying to make each otherbetter and we're all trying to develop
this team. Touched on this whenyou said, you know, you'd like
to do what you want to doand not My sense is you, in
your perfect world, you'd like toscribble plays on a napkin and not deal
with boosters, dot deal with allthe stuff that coaches head coaches have to

(01:36:31):
deal with. Now, how muchof a factor was that in this decision?
You can just do football now thatthat's not it? I mean,
I enjoy I mean, we've hadsome amazing I've had an opportunity and everywhere
I've been to meet some amazing peoplethat are associated with the program, and
there's people that from my time atNew Hampshire or my time at Oregon.
I was just with Phil Night twoweeks ago, you know, and got

(01:36:51):
an opportunity to spend some time withhim and his wife, Penny, who
are dear friends of mine that thathave been great mentors to me in my
career. And there's a bunch ofpeople that UCLA Terry Donahue, Andrea Donna
who were awesome to me, AngelaMAZONI is a great friend, Casey Wassman,
Troy Yikman. There was a bunchof people at UCLA that I really
enjoyed, you know, being aroundand talking with. So I think sometimes

(01:37:11):
everybody wants to make a narrative ofit's either this or that. It's it's
it's never that. It's never justall ball, it's never just all recruiting.
It's never just all boosters. It'sit's a mixture of everything. But
I think the one thing that asthis position as a head coach kept moving
on is that if you look ata lot of them, they all become
more CEOs. You know. Ican't tell you how many coaches that have
called me since I made this decisionthat said I'm two years behind you,

(01:37:34):
brother. You know that are thinkingthe same exact way. And I think
it's all part of what we haveto do. I think we all need
to protect this game and promote thisgame, and I think there are some
rules that we need to get straightenedout. So that people understand what it's
about, because the game is stillabout the players, and I hope that
never gets discounted. You know.It's it's always been about the players,
and I think if we can keepthat at the forefront the people that are

(01:37:57):
making decisions on this, and Ithink Geene Smith is one of the best
influences in in the NCAAA, isto make sure we keep that the main
thing. The main thing it needsto be the student athletes, right,
you know, you're coming in ata time where you've been through some places
where the expectations are high. Iunderstand it's also coming into a juncture where,

(01:38:18):
you know, the three losses toMichigan, the not making the playoff
last year, the urgency is prettyhigh here. I guess just sort of
what the perspective do you have onkind of the stakes that there are for
Ryan this year and the decision thatthen he makes to bring you in to
kind of help solve that. Yeah, I think the expectations can be no
higher than they are in your ownbrain, you know. And I think

(01:38:40):
if you try to worry about whatother people are thinking in their brains,
you're going to get screwed up.A little bit. So, you know,
I talked earlier. The one thingabout Ryan that I know about him
and has always been he's the ultimatecompetitor. So he's got There's nowhere that
has higher expectations of Ohio State thanRyan does, nor the rest of us
that joined him in our part ofthis and that are working with him.
So you know, I don't thinkI think sometimes you can spend too much

(01:39:01):
time thinking about those things. Youknow, what you really have to do
is just as there's a big signas you walk into this place, it
says when the moment, you know, I think that's a real thing that
we have to do as coaches,is to make sure that our players aren't
worried about what's going on in thefuture, or or aren't worried about what's
going on in the past, orworry about can they get a little bit
better today, you know, andcan we make improvement? And I think
the one thing that I've seen here, and I've only been here for three

(01:39:21):
weeks, but there's a consistency tothe players approach when they walk in this
building every day, which is it'sunique. It's not like that everywhere else,
and it's one of the things that. I remark to Mick when I
you know, he said, hey, what do you think, And I
was like, it's impressive. It'simpressive the culture of the players that are
in this program right now. ButI think it speaks a lot to the
leadership. There's a lot of olderplayers on this team, and they've set

(01:39:42):
the tone for the younger players,and I think the younger players have done
a great job of followship and gettingright in line with that. It's never
ended over play calling to someone before. What does it mean to you?
I guess he technically did it toBill when he was here for a couple
weeks, But what does that meanto you to kind of be getting that
responsibility from him and he's calling essentiallythe offense that you gave it? I
guess in some way. Yeah,I still think the play calling part will

(01:40:05):
be a collaborative effort, and bythat I mean that if it's a good
play, I called it, andif it's a bad play, he called
it. Because the great part isan assistant coach, you can just point
the finger a little bit and justsay, hey, you know, I
wanted to do this, but hetrumped me. So we haven't actually discussed
game day yet, you know,we'll see how that operates. But everywhere

(01:40:25):
I've been it's been a collaborative effort, and all of a sudden, someone
that's calling the plays isn't isn't likepulls one out of left field that you
hadn't practiced and hadn't been part ofyour offense and said, hey, let's
do this. You know, we'renot running the annexation of Puerto Rico.
You know, we're not coming upwith something special you know in the middle
of the fourth quarter that we haven'tdone. But I think it's the key
to really being successful on offense isis how you game plan, how you

(01:40:48):
put it all together, and thenhow you practice and train for that so
that you get a chance to executeit. Because the player's confidence comes comes
from their demonstrated ability that they've donethis so many times in practice that when
they get out on the field thatthis is like that to them, you
know. And it's not that theydo it so they do it right,
it's they practice it so much sothat they can't do it wrong. So,
you know, I think it's thatwhole part of it that is really

(01:41:09):
the key to being a really goodgame planning team, right, Doug Lane,
ma Ree Kingdom North Chip. Whenyou had that feeling when you were
coaching in quarterbacks during Bold, didyou consider at that point maybe resigning as
the head coach and thinking like thisis this is not where I am anymore.
I'll leave and then I'll look tosee what else is out there.

(01:41:30):
No. I never thought about quittinganything. So, you know, I
just is there an opportunity that Ithink I can that fit, you know,
And I think that's the you know, it's no different than when you're
talking to a recruit about them makea decision on where they're going to go
to school. I think that wherethey should go to school is where the
best fit is for them. So, you know, I just entertained some
opportunities and I always felt I feltlike this was the best fit. But

(01:41:53):
I never thought about quitting or notcoaching. I'm gonna coach. I'm gonna
coach, and then I'm gonna die. I mean that's how I think I
think about things. Is I can'tpicture that. I know someone I was
on the Nike trip and they like, how much longer are you going to
go? When I said I hadto go another fifteen twenty years. I
don't think about I don't think aboutretirement. I don't think about any of

(01:42:14):
those things. That's just not kindof my mindset that you know. I
love football and in the as longas I can be part of this game,
then I'll be part of this game. Just the way things worked out
with your departure from UCLA, isthere anything that you wish you had done
differently, or anything you regret,or just that the circumstances that presented themselves.
Do you think that you handled thatdeparture the best that you could have.

(01:42:34):
Yeah, I mean I got anopportunity to tell my players personally.
You know, I think in thisday and age of the internet, where
they read it somewhere else and youhave to text message them, you know,
that was always important to me thatI wanted to make sure I talk
to my players and explain the reasonsof what I was doing. I wasn't
leaving to take a head coaching jobsomewhere else. I wasn't thinking that the
grass is green or at another university. Was just in my personal situation,

(01:42:55):
this is what I wanted to do. I wanted to take an opportunity to
go be a position coach and coordinator, and that's how it fit. You
know. What I was happy isthat 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 that they werethey gave him the opportunity to take
over there was you know, itworked out. I didn't have any say
in that decision, you know,I was gone, But I always thought

(01:43:19):
that de Shaun would be a greathead coach and I'm really proud of him
and happy that that he got theopportunity to take that job right behind him
act you have your reputation as innovator. Was part of the appeal of this
is that you get to get inthe weeds a little bit. Uh maybe
not mad scientists, maybe too toostrong of a work because you're working within

(01:43:39):
the system. But was there anappeal of I get to get my hands
dirty here again and innovate and toget 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

(01:44:00):
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 is
how a teacher are you? Andhow patient are you? Yeah? I
think we're all teachers. I meaneducation is the transportation of knowledge, you
know, So it really doesn't matterwhat the coach knows. It matters what
the players understand, you know.So you have to be able to make

(01:44:24):
sure that while you're implementing things iswhat 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 more thesocratic method of there's a lot of questions,
you know, and a lot ofcheck for understandings, just to kind
of find out where the players arecoming from, because it's what they know
that's ultimately going to win games,not what we know. You know that

(01:44:44):
we're not playing the games, we'renot stepping across those white lines, you
know. And 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 teaching to
make sure that we are transporting thatknowledge to our players. The second rolld
left Steve Helwagan twenty four seven Sports. Yeah, coach, just curious you

(01:45:08):
got five scholarship quarterbacks with differing levelsof experience from age and everything else.
Not to annoyed him, but justwant to ask specifically about Will Howard coming
in after starting part of two yearsat kids a stage. He just seems
to promote this idea that he's afootball player, you know, above all

(01:45:30):
else. Just how impressed are youwith his makeup, his experience, what
he's bringing to the table walking inhere right now? Yeah? Really impressed.
You know that you don't have totalk to Will for more than five
minutes to kind of know where he'scoming from. He's really focused. You
know, he knows he's got ashort window left in his college career and
it really wants to capitalize on whatthat is. There's a maturity to Will,

(01:45:53):
you know, I really I've hadexperience, my experience in this thing
since the transfer portal opened in collegeball is some of the best players I've
had an opportunity to coach. Awardtransfers. Sometimes when you're a true freshman
and it's five years out, youknow, it's like, hey, I
got a ton of time, youknow. And sometimes when you're a transfer,
is that I've got nine months,you know. So there's a sense
of urgency I think when you're dealingwith with transfers, and I think Will

(01:46:15):
has exuded that since he's been here. But the other thing that I just
in the short time that Will hasbeen here is how quickly he's fit in
with the entire team, you know, and how much the the rest of
the players respect him. You know. He was uh one of the Gold
Award winners for his work in theweight room in this offseason, so that
says a lot for him coming inhere as a in a short time,
being able to to win a weightroom award, you know, to start

(01:46:38):
off, you guys hope to havethe number one internally externally at the end
of spring or I guess just letit play out. 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'tthink you can anoint somebody or force the
issue because the players know. Theplayers would understand. They see it every
single day, you know, Andthere's a team chemistry part of this thing

(01:47:00):
too, So we're not gonna forcethe issue. A but I've always seen
it play itself out. So I'vebeen fortunate that there's always gonna be some
quarterback battles at at some point intime. At every school there's a quarterback
battle, you know, and thenand really you gotta let them play it
out on the field, and that'swhere it has to That's that's where it
has to be decided. Just acouple more age, Hey, coach can

(01:47:21):
welcome, then we we're excited tohave you here. I'm kind of to
talk about the innovative part. Ryansaid that that's something that he's always loved
but working with you and now hewants you to bring that here and how
it would fit with Ohio State.Do you have any idea what that's gonna
look like yet or is it justway too early? I have no idea,
you know. I I think partof it is is you're trying to

(01:47:41):
put the players in position to makeplays. So a lot of that comes
from getting to understand the players andwhat their skill sets are and how we
feature what their skill sets are,you know, and and the the one
thing after day one, I cantell you that there there's a lot of
skill set out there, you know. So that's that's what gets you excited,
you know, that's what That's whatjump out of bed in the morning
and you're excited to go to workbecause of the talent that you get to

(01:48:02):
work with. But the one thingthat's the most impressive is the work ethic
that goes along with that talent.You know, 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 sideof the ball is vitally important. And

(01:48:24):
then our job is to put thoseguys in positions to make place of pressure.
I mean, you've experienced what it'slike 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 excitementor both. Well, I've always subscribed
to as pressure is what you feelwhen you don't know what you're doing.

(01:48:46):
So if you don't want to feelpressure, 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

(01:49:09):
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. I 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

(01:49:30):
the pros and cons of coaching fromthe box and coaching from the field.
It's interesting to talk to some offsome coordinators over Tom Herman talking about he
swore he wanted to coach from thebox, saw the game so much better,
sterile environment, not all the chaoson the field. Some coaches you
talk to the like, I wantto be on the field so I can
look at my guys in that inthe eye. Where are you at as
a as a coordinator, honestly,And I've thought of this a lot.
I thought of it a lot duringCOVID because we had the empty stands,

(01:49:53):
you know, so I had thoughtabout just walking up into the stands for
a little bit because I had abetter vantage. I've always believed you can
see the game better from up above, but I believe you can feel the
game better from the field. Soif there was any way we could get
a zip wire where you could doboth, you know, coach called from
there, then zip out of thefield, get a chance to talk to
him, because it's a different dealwhen you're talking to the quarterbacks on a

(01:50:13):
phone, you know, than beingable to look in their eye and kind
of see where they are with it, and part of it is the field
part of it. I remember whenI coached Ryan once. We were playing
Ukon and he got hit hard goingout of bounds and he just walked by
me, and I was a playcaller, and he was like, run
the next play, and I justkind of looked at him. I saw
the look in his eyes because Idon't think he could have thrown it,
you know, he was still tryingto get his win back. But you

(01:50:34):
wouldn't know that if you're up inthe booth, you know, and you
call a pass play from up inthe booth and you're like, how come
we can't complete that? Well,he just took a shot going out of
bound. So it's that fine linethat I don't have an answer, you
know. I think I think it'sfeel on the ground and it's see from
up above. Maybe in this daya technology they'll figure it out. But

(01:50:55):
we'll see how that that operates,and whatever Ryan feels is the best for
the team is what we're gonna do. So right, Joey Coffin, you
your teams at Oregon were obviously nowere playing this pass pace and running a
bunch of plays for a minute andyep, maybe not by a pass pretty
fast. Yeah, what roule doyou see tempo and having an offense and

(01:51:15):
in the stay in college football andhas maybe changed. I think the game
is always evolving, you know.I think when I left in two thousand
and twelve to go to the NationalFootball League, Oregon was the only team
that was playing really really fast andhad shiny helmets. And when I came
back in twenty seventeen, everybody hadshiny helmets and everybody was playing fast.
So I think the game is alwaysgoing to go up and down, and

(01:51:36):
there's going to be different cycles thatit goes through. I think tempo is
part of an offensive, but Idon't think it's an offense in itself.
I think it's more of like ifyou go to dinner, it's a side
order. You know, it's notthe main course, but it's it's always
good to have it. So Ithink there's times when you'll use it,
but you're you're not going to useit extensively the entire game, just like

(01:51:57):
you're not going to throw the ballevery single snap in the game. You're
not gonna run the ball every singlesnap in the game. You know,
there there's there's not a game ofabsolutes anymore. I think the ability to
be diverse and and have it asa tool in your two box, so
to speak, uh, is reallyhow we would look at using it here
there. Now we're familiar with it, then I think. So, you
know, I think when you firststarted going Temple, there were people in

(01:52:18):
the NCAA. They want to outlawthey want to make an NCAA role that
you had. You couldn't do it, you know, and I'll I'll give
coach shape and credit. I mean, I think obviously Nick was the first
one to do it. He wantedit outlawed, and then all of 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 people have it
doesn't matter what you do. There'sthere's cycles to this game, and then

(01:52:40):
once people catch on to that cycle, then it moves. You know.
It's no different than for three defensesand three four defenses. You know what
is the rage when the when theGiants won the Super Bowl, they were
there were three four defense and everybody, everybody says, we have to do
that. What people didn't understand isthey had Carl Banks and Lawrence Taylor.
It didn't matter what defense they wererunning. I know Gym's back there and
Jim played against the you know itwas. They could have been a four

(01:53:01):
down defense and those guys would havebeen great players. But it's not the
scheme. I think that the coachesthat do it the best way is they
insert their players and put them inthe best position to make plays. And
now, now will Temple be partof it. It'll be part of it,
but it's certainly not going to bethe main course. Last question,
Oh, thank you very much,Jerry. Uh remember one of there was

(01:53:21):
the great moment there when y'all werewarming up, when you were you were
talking with Tim Walton and Caleb Downscomes up and conversing and as you're in
this kind of a two part question, but number one, what was just
your take on the talent you sawon that field today on both sides of
the ball. Where where would yourank it? Yeah, I'll rank and
I'll be very transparent. As Iwas telling Tim and Caleb what a great

(01:53:44):
offensive player I thought Caleb would be, could be and should be. But
I'm not the head coach, soI always turned stretch as a as an
offensive coordinator, I'm always looking atthe defensive players, like I use him.
Oh what could I do if Ihad him? What could I do
if I have him? But Idon't. I don't get to choose him
anymore because I'm I'm not I don'thave the pick. But I was just

(01:54:09):
talking to him about he's he's agreat young man. And if you watch,
if you want to watch a highlighttype watches, you know, I
understand I came up a rough season, but I don't think it's a step
down of where I can play.You know, I think when I'm at
the top of my game, I'mstill, you know, top five player
in my position. And you know, I played a run in the past
and I bring leadership and that's notanything I discover. You plan to be

(01:54:34):
here for Mini Camp RAM the startof training camp. Yeah, how difficult
has it been the last two weeksto not be here? I mean you
said on your podcast the first timeyou've never not been in Ota. Yeah,
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 was communicating with guys left andright, and you know, front

(01:54:58):
office, coaches, teammates, andall I care about is how I am
with my teammates. I don't wantthem to ever think I don't care about
them or how I'm not in it. And you know, you can say
whatever you want about me. Butbesides that, but I always dedicate anything
I can to them, and Idon't want that to every question. Isaiya

(01:55:19):
said that it felt like sometimes youwere hold up somewhere watching film. You
text r miss this or you wantthat. Well, like the first day,
he was batting all up Russ's passes, so I had to let him
know. You know, uh,you gotta take advantage of that. You
gotta make sure guys are you know, uh know that you you still care
and you still want to be apart of this. You know, just

(01:55:40):
watching practice, there's a couple ofthings we're doing different, whether I'm communicating
with dumbbar or other people. Youknow, so you're that you're also talking
with him and you you've given himpointers during the off season, just constant
communication. How do you see himgrow as a person, you know,
as far as how he's approaching things, How you be ready for this season?
From his rookie year. Uh.You know, I think the thing

(01:56:02):
with Keanu is he's more comfortable,you know, you know it since his
first time around the track. Youknow, it's actually like he can you
know, uh catch his feet underhim. You know. I always think
when you're in your rookie season,you're going from bowl game. I don't
even know Wisconsin playing a bowl game. Sorry, Wisconsin, I don't even
know. But you know, personally, I just think when you go from

(01:56:26):
bowl game to training for the combineto you know, rookie minniicamp, OTA's
the you know mini camp, Imean the training camp the regular season,
you really don't get a time toreally catch yourself. You know, he
understands the playbook now, he canbe more vocal, you know. And
I think when my absence the otherguy's absence, you know, you need
guys like that to step up andbe ready for those opportunities. But server

(01:56:49):
you had the same during the seasonwas a more thorough What was just tightened
down everything, you know on myleft side cause I was overcompetating a little
bit, but you know it wasit wasn't anything that lingers. You know,
I'll say this, A growing isnot like an a cl It's not

(01:57:09):
like anything's that we're going to getaffected again. And you know, you
know, I'm feeling good, ableto do everything squat and heavy with power
and speed, so you know,it feels good to get after again.
What do you think of what theteam was able to accomplish? Your shot
usually termed to bring guys like Russianand things. You know, I think
they're all good acquisitions. But youknow, you never want to be known

(01:57:30):
as a paper champion, so can'twin the off season. I think the
work gets done out here on thefield, gets done in the classroom.
Wow, it gets done training,uh, you know, and then you
see where you're at in training camp, and then you build on that.
You know, I think we gotthe right guys in the building. It's
just about putting a complete team onthe field camp. How temper coup is

(01:57:55):
it to separate the business part ofthe game in the actual football player?
You know, you always wanna youalways have to treat it like a business
because you know one day it's gonnaend. Uh, And that's any job.
Uh, It's not like in collegewhere you know you got four years
guaranteed. I don't know, well, now you don't know what nil and

(01:58:18):
know it's crap and the transfer portalportal, but you know you have to
I still have love for this game, and I still work my tail off
and I still put everything into it, and that's not gonna change. But
you have to know what you bringto the team and what your what your

(01:58:38):
value is. You everyone did afeel to be out there with your teammates
today. Emotionally great. You know, we got a new uh, we
got a new training staff and stilllearning the the warm up a little different,
but uh, you know I lovedit. Uh, you know,
just getting after it, learning newguys, Uh, going through the same
drills I've been doing by myself.Uh. I actually like having more people

(01:59:00):
around, cause like kind of gostir crazy 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
get a chance to, you know, be with my guys. Cam.
Are you confident and be able toget done with your emotion? Oh,
I'm gonna we'll try to remain prettyneutral because you know, I don't wanna

(01:59:26):
be too either way. All Iknow is I want to be here,
but we'll see what happens. Wasmy last year here, I I I
I've had a great career here,but uh, I'll look forward to play
next year. Can you with thatsecond surgery you said it this time was
on the left side. It wasthe first time around on the right side,
right side during the season, leftside, and that was just tightening

(01:59:48):
down my cornerback. Corma saw itwasn't the same as my ad doctor.
You know, you can ask doctorBradley, uh, doctor doctor zucker Bron
who h through the surgery as well. You know, I if anything's gonna
help me and you'll make me alot stronger for hearing up. Can you
say you were training with another guy? Who have you have kind of been

(02:00:09):
Tyson? Oh, I've been trainingwith him for the last eight years.
We've always trained together. We gota trainer up north, uh shadowt Cole
Haley who's my guy, traded trainedtrained, uh, Heath Miller, Brett
Keesel. The multitude of guys thatI all respect and we've just been getting

(02:00:30):
after it can be very few guyshistorically thirty five that you paid big contractors.
You think that's held against you.I think there's not a lot of
history behind it. But you know, for me, I I look as
I'm not looking to be like anybodyelse. You know, my game is
different from everybody else in this league. You know, I like to think,
you know, I can play therun in the past, and then

(02:00:51):
that's where I'm different. You know. I remember last year Mike t just
brought to 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 guys go into their forties andso you know, that's what kind of
research I'm doing behind the scenes.But you know, I I we'll see

(02:01:15):
what happens the it's there's not alot of history, but I'm here to
make history and I'm here to youknow, and win another Super Bowl year
and you know, have a greatseason. Do you have a set goal
over yourself on how many years youwanna play in the NFL? Or do
you just take things year by theyear? You know it? It was
it was tough answering that question rightafter the season. I will say this,

(02:01:36):
guys, I I can't keep answeringthat question right after the season.
That is not fair to the season. That's not fair to my family.
Uh you know, but in mymind, I got three years and I
wanna maximize'em. I wanna playat a high level and I wanna go
deep in the playoffs. And youknow, we got a good team,
and I'm gonna do my part tobe ready for all those situations you play

(02:01:59):
all for after seeing when you reportto latrob or is your possibility that you
might uh fuld in and enforce siations. I I have not even thought that
far. I've 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. You know,I'll be here for many you know,
and then I'll be there for trainingfan. You know, I don't know

(02:02:23):
what the work entails, but rightwhen we get there, we'll we'll cross
that bridge. Why is it adog for you or remain as steal over
those three years? You know,there was a conversation between me Omar and
Mike t And there's certain guys thatare one helmet guys, you know,

(02:02:43):
and I wanna be one of thoseone helmet guys. And you know,
there's a there's a hunger and desirethere, But that doesn't mean just hanging
it up and calling it a career. To me, I think, you
know, I got more bullets tofire and uh, you know I'm excited
to do that. What's the meaninglast one? And what did your impression

(02:03:03):
of him? What does he dowell that you're like, okay, yeah,
this is this is the our ownpaper and he closes you born you
keep photoric? Yeah, you becommitted right after the visit. I mean
when you came down here, wasthere a thought process that you could commit.
Did you come down with an openmind or did you kind of have
a feeling that this was gonna bethe weekend of NAGE. I came down
with open mone. I didn't knowif I am really, but then I

(02:03:24):
got here, I felt family havingher player. What was that moment like
for you? Talking to coaches tellingme there, telling new family? Just
what was that like for you?But it was great? Uh, I
have a mom, my dad,or my brother's been in the room every
other What was that reaction? Well, my everybody already know except for don't

(02:03:44):
pay. So what was coach Losterthat it was? When you think of
like just a comment or yeah,just an Ohio State back. You know,
whether it's physicality, like, whatare the first things that come to
mind when you think of they don'thigh or any now, speed of powers
on and tiny battle? Yeah,is that something that I mean you feel
like you have to you know we'regoing. Is that something that you're like,

(02:04:06):
Yeah, that's the kind of backI am. I'm just gonna be
next to mine in all I thinkthat's the cop of back I am.
But you've always prove Yeah, well, what are kind of a few of
those things that you're like, Yeah, I need to work on like go
over the course of the next fewmonths, swords of just everything. Make
sure I keep all the details,will superio? What a coach I tell
you that he likes about your game? Is it part of betwe the tackles

(02:04:27):
you speak? Well? What ishe like? Right? He said you
like morow fucking backfield game and heliked that. I'm not gonna tack what
kind of your main I mean obviouslyas an in state kid committed to this
class, what's your pitch now toother recruits and being like this is why
you should join Ohio State Shorty's mainback class. It's a real family I'm
experience. Yeah, everybody gets themon. Everybody talking to everybody know each
other. What would you say?What you get any teaching you like?

(02:04:57):
Please bring it well. I've alwayslooked up to bo back watching this film.
Do you uh that's funny? Doyou think that your boy style Kamar
Hiss perspective in just the way thathe can really totally spa a little bit
of wall and that thing that you'regoing to grow into. I mean I
think I can. I think bethe power. Yeah, I think if
the league. Remember who are themain guys that you're you're talking to right

(02:05:20):
now to join this I'm really talkingto everybody to the listening room, and
that auto commits you and any guysthat you want to join the class.
Anybody at the top of your list. Not I I'm sorry if you've already
asked this, but coming up hereas a as a recruit or as a
commitment s here? What what didyou want to show today? What did

(02:05:41):
you want to get out of thisexperience? It wasn't nothing to show,
nothing to prove. I just wantedthis one working love. How did you
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 good, you sense that energy.
I mean when you're out with him, it's yeah, I feel an intense
anything. He's different than other guysthough, right, I mean kind of

(02:06:02):
How do you would you explain hiscoaching than some of the other running back
coach you may have worked with inthe past. It's just intense. It
tense, like go go go yedid you talk to coach talk one when
neither ever organ? I hear?Okay? So when when didn't he didn't
work and get him marked in Europelike Rufford around like after the season like

(02:06:23):
not too flactic? Okay? Isit? I mean? Is it was?
He kind of the same guy thathe is now, so just just
in a new uniform basically. Yeah. And you guys obviously added Isaiah to
the class, and there's no secretthey would like to add another one.
What are your thoughts on being ina class with three different running backs like
that? I have no problem beinga class the another What do you like

(02:06:44):
about Isaiah? I don't denize it, you've never met him, but even
just damn on the first when youcommitted. There were some of the guys
that we should have to hear frommable in, particularly about him after they
play up. Not really paw beggarstake the Aubreys. You want to black

(02:07:06):
that sky school appreciate. I mean, obviously we got a couple of sitfore
you did hear it. I'm curiousabout how you get so higher and straight
like you. I mean it's apretty he started pretty good. But I
mean in terms of the guys,don't you want to join You're busy darts

(02:07:35):
hit your pim shirt? Great?A great, right? Because what do
you want me out of a quarterback? Here? Like what I want specifically?
Like, yeah, this is whatwe wanted. You're expect art.

(02:08:11):
What's your first ho pressure? Iwas a couple of by or word,
thank you brother, visiting coats thevery versch very person did thank you once

(02:08:37):
again yours. We talked to massand uh Kelly about that. What don
me like that? I it's thefirst time I met him. You know,
we just find it really uh yeah, what do you think you do
to you? Yeah? Like theluck, the locking as what's been like

(02:09:03):
for you just moving out to California, being out of count of day that's
a little honestly like t day,help me adjestimate its Yeah, genes like
different being in what a state recruithere in versus when you were just about
it's definitely differently. So it's flyinghere. It's year a new generation of

(02:09:28):
recruits where I don't think anybody outsidelooking you over the question is the strength
of your commitment, Like you're lockedin the last thing, you send it
over and over, but you're makingvisits around the country, You've seen other
schools. It's it's almost a totallydifferent mindset. In nineteen that was like
the first year we were making atransition, and then you know, COVID
hit and then you know, everyyear it just seems like there's something else.

(02:09:48):
And I could come to the conclusionthat every year is going to be
different and we have to adapt.But there's certain things that we're not going
to change. There's certain values we'renot going to change. It's just you
know, you know prince bulls thathave you know, stood the test of
time. And I shared this witha group before when I started doing some
research as we were doing some someof our recruiting you know, introductions and

(02:10:11):
some of our you know talks about, you know, the traditions of Ohio
State. We talked about how OhioStadium was built, you know, and
when you when you when you doyour research on that one hundred years ago,
you know, folks had the ideaof building a stadium over sixty thousand
people, and that's because of whatChick Harley was doing. And you know,

(02:10:31):
they had a wooden bleachers over hereand all these people started coming in
and the idea of bringing in astadium that of our sixty thousand people at
the time was like, this iscrazy. What is college football turning into?
And they instead of going to thestate or going to the school the
community, they went to the communityto raise the money they raised over at
the time over a million dollars.Well, I fast forward one hundred years
and the conversation still might be likewhat is college football doing right? And

(02:10:54):
in this situation, then I lwe had to turn to the community for
help, and Buckyeation showed up againin a big way. So although the
landscape is changing, I don't knowif you know, one hundred years later,
if it's that much different, it'sjust in a different time, in
a different you know, set ofissues that we're working through. But I

(02:11:16):
think it's exciting. I think there'sa lot of positives to it. I
do. I think that we're takingthe next step with the revenue sharing to
try to institutionalize some of it,which would be big for us some real
bills. Yeah, every year's gotquestion. It seems like this year's team
has fewer questions off the line addressspecifically, if you look ahead to reveal

(02:11:43):
in a month, what are thereal questions that you have in your mind
about position battles And I would sayon offense, you know, we've got
to square away the quarterback as youknow, I feel like, you know,
the offensive line on the right side, we got to solidify that.

(02:12:05):
I feel like we got to build, you know, enough depth at receiver
that we feel like we can putin five or six in the game and
feel good about it. On defense, I think we're still looking to figure
out, you know, who aregoing to be the guys inside, you
know, the third, the fourth, the fifth defensive interier linement that we're
going to put in the game.And then same thing just just I would

(02:12:28):
say depth, a little bit ofsafety just to kind of see who those
next guys are. They're going tostep up, and so we know it's
going to be a long year.We're going to need everybody, and and
so in a lot of those areas, it's depth special teams wise. You
know, Punter is going to beyou know that that is significant. You
know, we just brought in Nickand you know, so there'll be a

(02:12:48):
battle there. So I'd say thoseare probably the areas we're focused on the
most. Right just to fall fromthe offensive line, there was I think
a school aplogy you guys might belooked for a trance in that post spring
window. Did you guys do that? Did you guys not find the guy
or were you just confident the guysyou have, Just like you know in

(02:13:09):
January, if if we're going tobring somebody in is to fill a hole,
We're not just gonna bring somebody into bring somebody in. Like at
all positions, we'll always look tosee what's out there. We did evaluate
some of the guys that were outthere, and you know, you know,
we felt like coming out of itas we evaluated it, you know,
there was a couple of guys thatyou know, we checked on,
but but ultimately, like based onwhere we were and some of the young

(02:13:31):
guys that are coming up. Youknow, we felt like we saw some
progress in the offensive line in thespring, so you know, it wasn't
there wasn't as many folks in theportal, you know, in after the
spring, So we looked at it, we identified it, We did our
due diligence, but you know we'regonna go with through. We have now
second round bills, right, you'reit was interesting that you have two of

(02:13:54):
maybe the top five ors of guysin sport and then guys who haven't plenty
uh, maybe someone that I don'twant question, but did you consider trying
to add there understanding that probably thetyfficult to sell we can have such talent
on top of the brink somebody ofhis experiences, like what were those conversations
like and how did you settle onbeing comfortable with you know, Trey and

(02:14:16):
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
and you know we're gonna have toplay them and they're gonna have to you
know, take on a little bitof that. You know, we have
you know, started having conversations withCaleb Downs. I was part of the
recruiting process of possibly you know,doing a little bit of running back as

(02:14:39):
well. It's something that he wantedto do. So we've been having him
in some of the meetings and someof the individual drills as a possibility there
if you know, needed so downthe road to continue to build depth at
that position. But you know,I think, you know, we feel
like, you know, if youhave you know, four strong running backs
going into it, then you knowthat it's gonna be that's gonna be enough

(02:15:01):
to carry the season. I dothink that the quarterbacks will run the ball
more this season, so that shouldtake some carries away from them. But
to your point, you know,James and Sam are gonna have to step
up to the guys that we cancount on. Save that for another day,
Yeah, just fall up on that. Is he capable of stepping in

(02:15:22):
and being running back obviously? Yeah, we'll see, we'll see. We
talked about in the recruiting process,you know, the first time around and
more specifically in the second time around, and so he's you know, he's
been around a little bit just toget a feel for it. We did
very little in the spring. Wedid I think we pitched them an option

(02:15:43):
or something like that in the springjust to kind of get them going.
But yeah, we'll see. We'llsee where that goes. We don't have
a specific plan right now, butwe do want to introduce him to that
just the same thing like Lorenzo Styleshas played Recier where he did that Notre
Dame. You know, he's outthere a little bit, just kind of
learning. It's healthy. You know, you're seeing it from the other side
of the ball. This time ofyear, you can get away with that
a little bit, a little bitin the preseason. Where it goes,

(02:16:05):
we'll see, but you just neverknow. And we're trying to put some
contigency plans in place because it couldbe a long season. Yeah, this
is my forty fourth year cover ofHouse Day. I don't remember ever expectations
like this in the summer. Therewere some of them were almost as big.
Sure do you sense that too,And what's that pressure like as you're
working through a summer? Yeah,people have asked me that I go back

(02:16:26):
to the expectations every year are thesame. I mean, it's just the
truth. When opening press conference,I said, you got to beat the
team up north, and when everygame after that, that's just the expectations.
And when you come up short,you know you got to figure out
a way to get those things fixed. I think we have done that.
But the expectations are the same everyyear. Pressure is the same every year.
I just like the pressure when you'vegot a really good team behind you.

(02:16:46):
So that's what we got right now. And you know, we know
it's going to be a long season. We know what we're working towards.
But I will say this about thisteam, Well, we've been talented.
That's there's been times in the pastwe've been talented. I don't know,
so I've been here. If we'vebeen this talented and this experience together with
guys that have played a lot offootball, fourth and fifth year guys,

(02:17:07):
and that doesn't matter. We'll goThanks on x door, Stephen, since
you brought it up. Maybe thisis just talks because it's summertime so you
can now just have a conversations.Maybe we're making a big lot of nothing
long term situations, but we've seenit around college football league, guys playing
both sides of the ball and doingit quite well, right Travis Huner is
doing it in Colorado, and CalebDallas has been apartment turns, so we

(02:17:28):
see what he could do with theball. But there's also the stamina aspect
of that. I just get intoa sixteen game season, so I'm not
saying it's twenty forty snaps or somethinglike that. But what about his athleticism
what he brings to the table andlet you know that if you wanted to
explore it in a real game,he could last and still be an effective
safety. Yeah. Yeah, we'dhave to see all that. He did

(02:17:48):
it in high school. But wegot some really good running backs in a
room. So it's not something thatwe're planning on doing. But uh,
well, we are gonna, youknow, work on a little bit Caleb.
Caleb enjoys that part of it.We did agreed that that was something
that we were going to look into. Where it goes, I don't I
don't really know right now, butI know that he has the capability to
do it. He has the athleticismand do it, and you know,

(02:18:09):
we'll kind of see where it goes, see see how he does, and
you know, maybe hand the ballTom a little bit of the preseason because
again, it's going to be along season. We have to make sure
we have continuency plans in place.But I know it's something that he enjoys
having the ball in his hand.So even during their first time around the
recruiting process, we've been talked abouthim coming in as a as an offensive
player. Ultimately we think his ceilingis highest on defense. But you know,

(02:18:35):
but I also agree. I thinkthat having you know, guys go
on this side of the ball andjust see it, listen to meetings is
really healthy for the development. Sowe're going to do that regardless. Your
defensive recruiting right now is maybe furtheralong and it's been in the years past,
and I think we ass much questionsabout it in the pastway, is
this a product of seeing it overthe last couple of years and now it's

(02:18:56):
not just telling you guys, hey, this might look like they're seeing it
in real time. Yeah, youknow, we talked about it when Jim
first came in, and I thinkTim walls an unbelievable job as well in
the back end, and you know, Matt stepped right in and James and
Larry, I think they're all doinga great job. But like you said,
you know, it's one thing totalk about it. That's theory.
Testimony is is look at this isthis is what we're doing. And then

(02:19:18):
I think you're seeing a lot ofguys just excited about playing in this defense
and they see the capabilities and theflexibility too. You know right now,
you know the way we play excuseme, the way we play right now
is based on you know, wehave four really talented defensive linemen that are
really good and we got a lotof that to those positions. But there's
also flexibility with some of the thingsGym's done in the past that you know,

(02:19:39):
we're definitely looking at and some ofthe recruits that we're looking at who
brings some versatility, pass rusher,you know, we have that jack position
and those type of things. Sothat's exciting as well. And I think
you're seeing a lot of the recruits, you know, really get fired up
when they get here. People.Yeah, coach years, your identity was
very bigger, uh from an awfulstandpoint and air it out team, look

(02:20:03):
at the key best talent and theplaymakers you have to because your identity change.
I guess what do you think theidentity is of this point point for
well, we'll see as we go, but you know, we know what
we need to do to play inthe big games. That's never changed.
And we have to be able tostop the run, run the football,
take care of the ball, andthere'll be opportunities to throw the ball.
That'll happen, but you know we'regonna have to, you know, do

(02:20:26):
those things to win close games andplay situational football. But I think,
you know, you won't really geta feel for what the identity of the
team is until we get into probablythe beginning of October, you know,
and I think we all have ideasof what it could go. But you
know now that we're playing in aplayoff format, just like a lot of
those NFL teams sometimes, you know, they don't really quite understand their identity

(02:20:48):
until they get about halfway through theseason. I don't think it'll take that
long. But you know, we'reable to play some games and kind of
work through some things. And Idon't think our defense is going to change
a bunch in terms of what wedid last year. I mean, it's
a lot of the same guys backcould look a little different on offense,
have you got time for two more? Go to Doug limras Hey, Ryan,
you lose an important recruiting staffer topromotion at Michigan just the second time.

(02:21:13):
So much gone to Michigan this offseason. How do you react something like
that is something that someone like thatwould take information that was learned here that
could help the Michigan or Bert Ohiostages. Which a reaction to that?
Yeah, all good questions, Andyou know, I just I want to
talk about the guys that are here, you know, the staff members that

(02:21:35):
are here, the coaches that arehere, the players that are here,
the ones that are Buckeyes. JoeDugen. With the scheduling change that was
announced yesterday, how why did theycome together? Didn't have anything to do
with the expanded the playoff. Maybeyou think the beginning of the season a
little different. Yeah, you know, I don't know all that came in

(02:21:56):
came with that. 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 moveforward, based on the way the format
is at the end of the season. That's quickly about the linebackers, got
in here a little bit late.How do you feel about your linebackers?
Cody seems like he always he's thebest friends, Like he's walking as a

(02:22:18):
starter, CJ. When do yousee his role being Sonny? When you
see his role being gay and allthis guys? Yeah, good versatility all
those guys, Rvel Reese, Likeyou said, CJ, Gabe, Sonny,
Cody. You know I'm missing acouple, I'm sure, but like
that was that? Yeah, Rvel? Yeah, I mean these guys are
really versatile guys. You can seethe length on them, and you know

(02:22:41):
they do a good job in termsof like fitting the runs. They can
know how to ship runs right now, so they know how things should operate.
And I gotta spend time making surethose other guys get ready and get
caught up to speed in a timelyfashion. It's great. He's taking a
great step for uh. Like Isaid, he he's the next guy up.
Man. I mean he's been extremelyyou know, important on the growth

(02:23:07):
of our secondary because now you knowwe working him inside some Uh he's played
outside at both corner spots. Youknow, he got that it factor.
You know what I mean so,so we look what he brings, the
energy to competitiveness. We got tobuild off the last year uh and expand
the role for him and make surehe's uh, he's ready to go.

(02:23:28):
But he's been doing great us.What is your uh, we're just authentic,
really not giving a lot of recruitingtalk. It is what it is.
We try to shoot straight, honestcommunication, honest assessment, the character,

(02:23:52):
the value, the work at it, and the main things the competition.
You gotta compete. If you don'twant to compete, it's not gonna
be the place for you, becausethat's the that's the thing that will get
us where we need to go iscompetition in the room. And those guys
here love to compete. We sellthat. We're looking for guys who embrace
that, who chairs being in thosespots. And you can take time to

(02:24:16):
grow. You know, you don'thave to have the the pig mentality of
problem of instant gratification. You knowyou can develop and grow so and sometimes
you may be behind a guy that'sa really good player. Is nothing wrong
with developing and growing and playing whenyour time is right, and if the
time is right right now as afreshman like what was Jermaine did you play

(02:24:37):
early? You know, so wetry to also sell that, you know,
we care about them as people andtry to prepare you for life after
football. So it's bigger than justfootball. We're going to prepare you for
life, whether it's the NFL oron with a regular career in the workforce.
We want you to prepare you asa young man, and we try
to sell that and preach that tothe parents to remain having that in fact

(02:24:58):
that you mentioned going on all thesedifferent spots, do you anticipate you know,
there wasn't a lot of rotation amongthe cornerbacks last year when everyone was
healthy, And do you anticipate mayberolling him through the rest guys here with
the longerst season potentially, Yeah,we play it by here, you know
what I mean. We see howit goes by the time we get in
the camp. But you know,obviously he he's earning the stripes, so
you know what I mean, whenyou earn your stripes, you know,

(02:25:18):
our job to create opportunities for you, you know what I mean. We
have to see how it goes withall the other stuff. You know,
once we get closer to the seasonand we'll get into the game plan stuff.
But he's doing a great job andhe's he and he's taking a great
step forward the way that you canbuild or the way he kind of establish.
Sure, right now, it seemslike it's been the center pieces kind
of relationships and kind of building mind. And I'm curious, is that something

(02:25:41):
that you came in here with thelike a couple of years ago with the
intention of hing or is it somethingthat you're like has kind of been cool
to be to go over the courseof your time as a position goes here.
No, No, it's been therefor a while. I've been doing
that for a long time. It'sall about relationship. If you develop real
relationship and you're authentic and your communicationand you have honest feedback and you have
you know, direct teaching. Theguys that have value and character and they

(02:26:03):
appreciate that stuff, they'll embrace that. So, but they have to know
your care and you have to knowthat it's real, and they have to
know that you you're really concerned abouttheir well being as a young man.
And when you get close to themand spend a lot of time with them
off the field, you can coachthem hard and you can. You can
and you can. You can saytruthful things to them and then they'll embrace
it and you have real conversation becauseyou know the only goal is to help

(02:26:24):
them get better as a young manyears ago. The receiver room is so
far ahead of more get kind ofskew that evaluation side is doing. How
is that dynamic change in these twoArsis groups gotten older and more talent?
Yeah, it's done balanced uff alittle bit. Now. That goes with
great competition. We have to,uh, we go against the best receivers

(02:26:45):
in college football. So that helpsescalate your growth process because if you don't
figure it out real fast, you'llget embarrassed. So that competition. But
what happened with that, eye guysstart competing, Eye guys start growing.
Eye guys got better, and nowis even up a little bit, so
where you get really good work atpractice to day, you know what I
mean. So it's competitive, it'sfun. Those guys both on both sides
of the ball care about each other, so it's great competition. And they're

(02:27:09):
all real real close, so youknow what I mean. It's that stuff
that gets us better, Uh,that will prepare us for Saturday. I
said my first day of practice.Actually, receivers kind of got them.
Oh no, it's just it's it'sgonna competitive. Man. They got the
best group in the country that you'regoing against every day, so you have

(02:27:30):
to bring it every day, youknow what I mean. So they we
got a great quarterback room. We'vegot a great receiver room. The running
backs are really good. So whenyou out there going against them, it's
deep, so you have to beready for it. And obviously, man,
we're seeing a lot of good stuffwith with with Day and coach Kelly
doing over there, and so itprepares you a lot and it helps us
grow that recruit a wide receiver roomkind of like a part of your regreeas

(02:27:58):
like these are the gay Yeah,always, because you know that's where you
get better iron shoppings iron So youknow, you get to see that every
day at practice. That helps yougrow. It's no better, uh thing
to go against every day than tosee that on a daily basis. A
look, oh, we just movinga lot of guys around. You watch
that practice. We have a lotof guys in there right now. You

(02:28:20):
know, we probably have three orfour different guys in there. Obviously,
Lorenzo's in there, Jermaine's in there. K Mouse. We we have we
have about four or five guys movingaround right now. We just try things
out in spring ball, see wherethe fit, you know, see what
things work together. So there's probablysome more guys in there, you know.
We move it around to try tojust get the right fit throughout the
end and see how it goes bythe time we get ready to start the

(02:28:41):
season. He can run and he'sstrong, you know I mean, he's
fast, Uh, very serious abouthis business. Uh, he's big,
it's two hundred pounds. He canrun, he's strong, he's conscientious,
you know what I mean. He'sstarting to grow and he's starting to get
get better with it, you knowwhat I mean. So we looked at
big things for him in the spring. What do you want to see this
spring? Keep competing, you knowwhat I mean. Now he's made the

(02:29:01):
transition. Competing today, you knowwhat I mean? You start going in
that transition is all just like I'min Jermaine last year. You throw them
in the fire, you let himgo, you compete, you go.
By the time we get out ofthe end of training camp, ye'll be
them figured it out. You haveall that, but now you just throw
it all at him. Compete,continue to grow, continue to learn.
He has the skill set, hehas the length. Now you just got

(02:29:22):
to put it all together. Andit takes time to do that, and
hopefully you see that by the timewe get in the training camp. Seems
like midway through springing kind of clippedfor Jermaine last year and he started to
see him. You know, itcould not be more hacker to be here,
super happy be here at Trot twoas well or right to work.
Hello everybody, Daris Robinson, Universityof Missouri. I just want to thank

(02:29:45):
mister Bill Willmant to your coach Gannonfor this amazing opportunity. I'm glad to
be here with Marvin Harrison right nextto me, so I feel great.
I'm really excited and I'm excited forthis journey. See you fifteen here in

(02:30:15):
town. Marvin, When did youknow the Cardinals were gonna select you?
Did you know before they called orwas there an agreement in place before?
No, I did not know untilI got that phone call from the Arizona
Cardinals. Marvin Richard signs Fox ten. Welcome to the valley. I know
kind of tweeted to you, tweetedout to you once you got drafted.

(02:30:37):
What was it like to get amessage from the franchise quarterback and what kind
of thoughts have you had about teamingup with this guy in the near future.
Ye, yes, sirs and great. You always wants to support and
love from your quarterback and to causea great player. I s excited to
play with him, and it's gonnabe my job to make his job easier.
Darius Darren Urban from Azycardinals dot com. I know that a lot of

(02:31:01):
players these days aren't sticking in oneschool, uh for a long time,
and you did it for five years. I mean even Marvin did it for
three Like what what went behind that? And why was it meaningful for you
to stay at one school? Yes? At Missouri, you know, we
had some tough seasons, but wewere really built with an edge energy,
details good in emotional consistency, andI just found myself just trying to grow

(02:31:22):
and get better each year and alsoas a team, you know, win
more games each year. And thatwas my that was my home, I
was my family. I was blessedto you know, get two degrees as
well off the field, and Ijust Love Missouri. Two degrees. Wow,
Marvin, Bob Mcbob McMahon at ArizonaRepublic, Congratulations, Thank you to

(02:31:43):
both of you. You're known asall business, and I want to know
how that's going to serve you wellin this league. From personal standpoint,
your brand, everything you do,or daily preparation. There's a lot that
goes into being all business. Tellme what that is to you. Yeah,
I mean that's just being a pro. It's called and raised and grew

(02:32:03):
up to do and keep the samemindset, same attitude that I've had throughout
my whole career. Once I gethere, continue to work hard, be
consistent and discipline you know, andall that I do. So I'm looking
forward to putting the work. HeyMarvin, Josh Wayne ESPN, what were
the best pieces of advice your dadgave you about being an NFL player?

(02:32:24):
I mean, yeah, it takesa lot of work, a lot of
preparation. You know, from Mondayto Saturday, it's all work and then
Sunday should be the easy part.I go out there and have fun,
ready to put the work in.Son starts with the work first and then
the when Sunday comes, it isRieka benefits. Hey, Darius Howard,
balls are from cards wire. Ican't help but notice that ring on your

(02:32:45):
finger. Is that a cotton bowlring? Yes, it is the cotton
bowler. You showed it Tomorrowvin veryquickly, No, I'll tell the marma.
You know, he was glad toplay the whole weekly know you know
you see Ohio State. Everybody said, okay, Marvin Harrison, and now
is it gonna players to go play? He didn't play, so you know
we left out. So hey,Marvin Paul KELBC Cardinals Broadcasting, do you

(02:33:13):
believe that receivers have to earn thetrust for their quarterback? And if so,
what does that usually require? Absolutely, you got to earn the trust
of the quarterback. And I thinkit starts, you know, every day
in practice and being consistent. Reallyand you can't just do it one day,
can't you do it for one week? Has to be done over and
over and over again. I thinkthat's how trust has earned. So no

(02:33:33):
matter where you get picked, you'refirst receiver, it's round seven, doesn't
really matter, have to go andearn trust to the quarterback, your coaches,
your teammates. So it all startsin practice. What's going on guys.
Good to see again, Tyler Drake, there's no sports systems for Darius.
What's the feeling of just being ableto represent your school as that first
round pick and what kind of impactcan that have for those guys fallowing in

(02:33:54):
your footsteps. Yeah, that's awesome. I feel like I'm setting the standard
going forward. But that's the zoois known as Delon Zoo, so I'm
just added to the family. Butnow I feel like I'm setting the standard
for my younger teammates that this isattainable if you work really hard, be
consistent, and really get just yourstrength. Coach. I feel like every
program has built off the stremp coachand that develops all the habits on and

(02:34:16):
off the field. Darius zach ERSHMANEZICardinals dot Com. Right over here,
JJ mentioned that he loves the violencethat you play with. You mentioned the
different tendencies that you picked up.The emotional consistency is the great. How
do you balance that the violence withdiscipline on the field. Honestly, just
through preparation and practice. I'm abig guy. I'm a big believer in

(02:34:37):
inside hands, so that's why I'malways working my hand placement and then I
lift weight, so you know that'sall connected. So I'm just trying to
be focused on my technique as muchas possible. Hey, Marvin over here,
David Brown with the Associated Press.You know a lot of rookies coming
to the league and they get alittle bit of leeway. It's like,
oh, he's young, he needsto grow and stuff like that. But

(02:34:58):
obviously you're gonna be expected to bethe guy here really quickly. How do
you deal with that pressure? Howdo you go about just so much being
expected of you so quickly? Imean, yeah, I have high standards
for myself, but I'm just gonnago in there and try to work,
you know, the best I can. I just want to help the team
win really, so without that roleI play, you know, come September,

(02:35:20):
let me just do my best,you know, do that role.
This one's for both of you,guys. The fans want to know who
you guys are on the inside.I don't know how much you're willing to
reveal to us today. A lotwould be nice. Could you tell us
what you like to do away fromfootball? What what pisses you off about
things? And you know, whatwhat makes you roll? I'm pretty simple.

(02:35:45):
I like, you know, bein my apartment, watch some movies.
If I go out and I goto a restaurant, get some food.
But other than that, I maydo too much. And then I'm
pretty easy going, guys, Sotry not to nothing bother me too much.
Yeah, I said, Samething areal too guy. Just really obsessed
with football. But outside of football, like I said, I got my
two degrees. I got my undergradhospitality management and the minor and business.

(02:36:07):
I got my master and Positive Culturewith m since FLA leadership. So just
thinking about being well rounded. Andthen I do philanthropy work. I started
my own nonprofit foundation, Darius RobinsonHelping Hands Foundation. But really just football
and then everything else. Honestly,congratulations, guys, Welcome to the Valley.

(02:36:28):
I'm Robbie Baker with Fox ten.Darius. This is for you.
After the draft last night, youhad a great response about how your process
and preparing for a game. Justkind of wondering where your love for kind
of the grind comes from, andthen your love for that process comes from.
I would say my junior year becauseI played little league ball off and
on. But I got my junioryear and I was playing high school and
my whole goal is just to earna scholarship. But during that process,

(02:36:50):
I really fell in love with thegame, fell in love with working out
relationships with teammates, and now it'skind of like my vice and I can't
let it go and just kind offinding ways always get better, you know.
Luke Linton here with twelve Sports.Congrats to both of you walking into
the valley. This one's for you. Marvin. I'm curious your thoughts or
what was that conversation like with yourdad after your name was called and you

(02:37:11):
were able to be drafted by thisorganization, and how surreal is it for
you to be following on your ownfather's footsteps but in your own way.
Yeah, I mean it was verybrief, actually just in the second graduation
as I walk up to the stageand then I had to do a bunch
of interviews after words. So Idon't think it has hit both of us
yet. I don't know what's happened. I think, you know, one

(02:37:31):
of Michaels always make him proud,so I hope I did that, Marvin,
Bobrock pH and X Sports. Whendo you anticipate catching your first passes
from Kyler Murray. I don't know. I don't know. I guess we'll
see and hopefully as soon as possible. Darius, you mentioned philanthropy, and
I know there's been it's been talkedabout how you took some of the NI

(02:37:52):
nil money to do get back toschool for the kids in Colombia. Where
where did that in doing those thingscome from? I say my family,
my brother and my mom really instilledthat in me and to me at a
young age, just give back yourblessings to others. In my fifth year
at Missou is the best year inmy life, So why would I not
share my blessings with others. Sothat's what really motivated me to do that.

(02:38:16):
And now being in NFL, youknow my goals to do three events
each year. I just give backbecause you know, it's life outside of
football and bigger blessings out there.Marvin, you obviously played with a number
of highly drafted receivers at Ohio State. What sort of feedback have you gotten
about the NFL from them? Anyou know, a boy making the transition
in the league itself. Yeah,it's a long season, I think going

(02:38:37):
from in a twelve game record seasonyou have in college to was it seventeen
games now and you got three preseason. I feel like just the biggest challenge
the game stations thing. Obviously neverwere all skilled and very talented athletes,
so the mental part is probably thebiggest thing and the biggest change from the
college to pros. Marvin, what'syour timeline for hiring an agent? Right

(02:38:58):
over here on the way part right, you haven't hired an agent? Why
is that? Is there a timelineto hiring one? And are you going
to slag the NFLPA licensing agreement?I continue talking to my team. We
do what's best for me. I'mmoving forward. We just take it one
day at a time. I justgot drafted, so I'm trying to enjoy
the moment and be happy while Ican at the moment. Hey, Marvin,
we'll say Romaro, Arizona Republic,Welcome. Man. Can you just

(02:39:22):
kind of share a little bit aboutyou touched on it briefly here, but
just a little bit more about growingup with your dad and you know,
the experiences you had in Indianapolis andgames and so on and so forth.
Yeah, I mean, there's nobetter role model, coach mentor that you
can have ship all the way throughour college. We were captains together Ohio
State, so we shared a lotof we shared a lot of time there

(02:39:46):
together. And then before pro dayhe came up and we threw that night
before Pro Day, and we've Imean we've played in touch. I feel
like pretty well, he's just someawesome human and even a better teammates.
If I could ask you quickly,what did you make of he was able
to do after you saw him andyou played with him the year before and
he came on and did what hedid his rookie year? What did you

(02:40:07):
make of what he was able todo in his rookie season? Man,
I just to be honest with you, it was no surprise to me or
anybody in that Ohio State facility.Just we knew how to do a special
and when he got the chance,got over with the right people and the
right coaching staff. The dudes unbelievable. Brian Bearfield, Hey, Kay,

(02:40:31):
welcome to Houston. Brian Bearfield,Big sarch media for everybody just called me
serage as you could tell by thehats. So, Kate, don't want
to take you back down memory lanefor just one second. I just looked
up some of your stats. Soyou were in high school, you were
running back one thousand and four intoseventy seven yards your senior year, seventeen
touchdowns, linebacker, one hundred andsixty three tackles, four intercessions. You

(02:40:52):
broke your high school scoring record inbasketball overall athlete. Even when you got
to Ohio State, you didn't reallyyou were like a hybrid. They didn't
really know where to put you untilyou ended up at tight end. So
I say all that to ask youwhat the Houston Texans are getting an athlete
who's willing to play anywhere and everywherethey need them. Correct? One hundred

(02:41:16):
percent. Yeah, that's one hundredpercent ndred percent correct, no doubt about
it. I'll do whatever we gotto do here to win ball games.
And I mean they got awesome players, awesome coaching staff, so just super
super blessed here. How much didthat how much does that background help you
or help you to get through youknow, college and now get you to
where you are today? Uh?I think every day I've been thrown in

(02:41:37):
a million different directions, pooling ina million different directions, and to be
honest with you, I mean nothing'sever gone like how it's supposed to unpin
the paper in my life and mycoaching career, so I mean my playing
career, excuse me, And it'sjust I think I'm just I feel like
I'm battle tested and i feel likeI'm ready to go. Thank you.
Yeah, Caul, Well you're unmute any better? Katie got me?

(02:42:11):
Yeah, I got you now.Cole Thompson the USA Today Texans Wire,
Congratulations are getting drafted. I justheard you kind of mentioned a little bit
about coaching. You're talking about yourcoaching career, not your playing career.
Do you want to get into coachingafterwards when you're done playing football? No?
No, no, it's a lotof emotions going through my body right

(02:42:33):
now. So regardless, No,I'm not playing on getting coaching. I'm
playing on just playing as long asI can. Just a quick follow up,
and you look at a guy likeTamiko Ryans, who is a former
player that is very close to theleague, only has been out for about
seven years. What does it meanto be playing for somebody who's translated over
to this new side of things butalso understands what a player goes through on

(02:42:54):
the daily basis. I think thatmakes the biggest difference on the world.
And I think you can tell bythe way the players respect him and just
how and the job he's done inthe short time he's been there. I
Mean, the dude's unbelievable. Heseems like an unbelievable person. I'm just
really really excited to be able toplan Underneathan Cody. You Hey, k

(02:43:15):
Cody Davis from Sports Illustrated. Youand I met at the NFL COMBA.
By the way, Yeah, Iwould like to know, man, what
are what type of tight end arethe Houston Texans getting. Man, I'll
tell you what they're getting. Justa complete utility player. Basically, I'm
gonna do whatever you asked me todo at one hundred percent, uh one

(02:43:37):
hundred everything I got every single time, and just I'm going to be the
exact glue in the locker room.I'm going to be a dude people can
come to when things go wrong,and I'm so excited to help his team
anyway I can. Kim, Hey, Kate, it's Kim Davis with Chalk
Talk. Congratulations on getting drafted bythe Texans. Think of following up on

(02:43:58):
what Cody, just to ask youfrom your COMPA with CJ. I know
he's spoken of high you have hisstaff, But what do you know about
this just from what you've seen thisoffense? And although you're utility player,
what excites you most about it otherthan obvisly playing with CJN. I just
think one. I think Dalton Schutzis a great player. I've watched a
lot of his film growing up andjust even the last couple of years,

(02:44:22):
study a lot of what he does, especially he was on the Cowboys and
now. Just to be able tolearn from a guy like that and take
notes and tips how he handles hislife and everything, it's gonna be awesome
for right now, in long termdown the road. And one put follow
up, what do you know aboutthe city of Houston? Have you spending
time here? No? No,I trained in Brisco, Dallas for a
little bit for a couple of months, and then that was really about it.

(02:44:46):
Other than that, I've never reallybeen to Houston, But I mean,
I'm really excited to come. Allright, Thank you? Looking for
the media, you too, Aaron. Hey, Kate. When it comes
to blocking, some tight ends embraceit, some do it because it's part
of the job. What's your mentalityto for blocking, and I have a

(02:45:07):
follow up. Man, I loveblocking, Uh I do. I'm gonna
throw my face in the fire chanceI can get. I might not always
be pretty, but I promise you'regonna get every ounce of the power I
got. And the draft process asa proven guy, did you go on
a lot of visits? Did youwork out privately? We're someones that you

(02:45:30):
remember, and what kind of levelof activity did you have with Texan's combine
meetings, et cetera. Yeah,thank you, Yeah, we had.
We had a formal at the combine. Uh And I've always, like I
said, always talked to CJ closely. Uh So, just having that and
then just throughout the PROTX we hada couple zoom calls here and there.
And other than that, I mean, I trained a hostate coach Mick and

(02:45:52):
coach at the trained coach is upthere with train a group of me,
Tommy Iickenberg and Steel Chambers, myroommates that we live with, and after
noon and that was really about it. We just train and play ball at
that point and the other teams,did you go on trips and things like
that? We took one local visitto the Bengals. That was it.
We have time for a couple more. Go ahead, sarge, Oh Kate,

(02:46:16):
I know that. You know,we've asked you a lot of questions
about playing with CJ. But you'vebeen scouted as a tight end but can
also be flanked out to the widereceiver position. Being at Ohio State for
as long as you were, whatdid you pick up from a lot of
those great Ohio State wide receivers thatcame through the time you were there.
You just watched. I mean,you watch those guys go about how they

(02:46:37):
handle releases, how they handle theirfeet atop and the routes and everything like
I mean, for me, I'venever played it in my life. So
starting you were literally started from squareone, absolute square one. So learning
slowly with them, and then Imean, this is a business and you
have to do what's best for hiscareer and his future as well. So

(02:46:58):
you know, obviously has familiarity withJoe Brady had one of his best seasons
with them, So you know,I think he's gonna be a big part
of their offense and continue to growas a receiver. You know, it's
a lost for room because he's adynamic playmaker. He can play inside and
out and just his energy. Man, I think he really became one of
the favorite teammates on the team becausehe kept things light. But he also
was a really hard worker and anduh made plays when we need him to.

(02:47:22):
So on a personal standpoint, I'mdefinitely gonna you know, miss him
having him in the building, andhe's kind of like the guy you I
get to talk to and he's likemy best friend. But on the other
hand, I get to see him, you know, continue to take steps
in his career. Uh, he'sstill very young, so he has a
lot of good football ahead of himliterally offense and how be different for the

(02:47:48):
offense And yeah, yeah, wehaven't honestly even started an install yet,
so I haven't even got a layof the land quite yet. I'll probably
take a look at just got ourI pass within the last few days,
so I'll try to make a sneakpeek at what we have looking for.
But you know, I know withhim talking to zach Ertz, he does
a great job of trying to gethis playmakers involved, which I think we

(02:48:09):
have a really good group of guysfrom the running backs to receivers and some
solid tight ends as well. SoI'm just looking forward to see where I
fit into that, and you know, I think with him, his biggest
things is making sure the playmakers aremaking plays and trying to fit the scheme
around that, which is always goodto hear, good to see too.

(02:48:31):
This is what your offense? Yeah, yeah, it's definitely, you know,
an adjustment obviously when you're learning anew offense. And it's kind of
the same mentality I take into lastyear in years past, where you kind
of just want to take a dayone approach, kind of erase what you've

(02:48:52):
learned in the past. But atthe end of the day, I think,
uh, you know, schemes inthe NFL are relatively similar. Is
just the names and the formations thatmay be a little different. So just
getting used to the terminology and Cliff'soffense is just going to be something that's
an adjustment for all of us.But the good thing about it is I
got some good time on my handsto really put some work in studying when

(02:49:15):
I leave this place, so Icould come in here when we have walkthroughs
and when we start to put ourhelmets on, we can really hit the
ground running. So so far,it's we haven't learned anything yet. But
my approach is the saying, tryto take good notes in there, ask
good questions, and then study onmy own at night. I know you
like to go to the Yeah,yeah, I think I got some really

(02:49:41):
good work down in Florida. Isjust working on my footwork, just betting
better at the top of my routes, sharper on my speed cuts, dig
routes, out routes, and justbeing cleaner with my footwork at the top
of the routes. I think,you know, with a little bit of
zone covers that we've seen in thepast, with some teams kind of running
more too hot show, you're gonnaget a little bit more of catch technique

(02:50:03):
where guys are kind of sitting atthe top of your route. So I
want to be better at being efficientto get out of those routes when the
guy's kind of sitting at my depth, whether it's a fifteen yard comeback or
a twelve yard curl route, youknow, being able to get out efficiently
so I can keep create and keepthe separation within my route. So obviously

(02:50:24):
I'm always still working on my ballskills and making sure I'm just catching a
lot of footballs in the off season, but just really being better at the
top of the routes and you know, sharper out of my cuts is something
that I think I can improve on. Good to see you too. You
know, you're obviously one of theleaders of this team and team captain,
and with so many new faces,new players locker room, what is the

(02:50:46):
challenge you're going to have and theother leaders in that locker room blend everything
together because there's so many new anddifferent personalities. Now, yeah, I
think I think that's really started withcoach Quinn in the way he's really integrated
every buy over the first two days. I think we haven't even got into
x's and oo's quite yet. We'vejust really begin to know one another.
Getting out there with Chad and thestrength coaches and getting some good workouts in

(02:51:09):
just kind of creating a foster inan environment where everybody's the same and continuing
to have a competitive environment. Ithink that brings out the best in one
another. And obviously, you know, you have guys like Zach Ertz who's
played a lot of football and wona championship, Marcus Mariota obviously, Bobby
Wagner who's a future Hall of Famer, so you got some guys who have

(02:51:31):
been brought in here who know whatit's supposed to look like at this level.
And for myself, I just wantto continue to add my value and
be even more vocal this year thanI have in the past, especially with
possibly a new quarterback coming in,and I think that can really help our
offense. Have you know, somemore unity with the guys who know what
it looks like, helping bringing thoseguys, the younger guys along. I

(02:51:52):
don't know if you had a chanceto watch, he didn't want to use
the word. Yeah, all thechanges coaching staff, all the new players
is they Honestly, I just thinkof it as a as a new year.

(02:52:15):
Just talking to Sam Cosmy, Uh, we've been here for a few
years, so it's a lot ofnew faces. I think, you know,
this is probably the most I wouldsay turnover we've had in the last
few years. So there's guys comingfrom all different areas, walks of life,
and but I think the one thingis the same. They're all coming
in looking for an opportunity to compete, take another step in their careers and

(02:52:35):
uh prove that they're one of thebest players at the position and I think
Coach Quinn has emphasized that we're gonnahave the opportunity to prove ourselves. Whether
you're a ten year vet or asecond year player, you know, this
is a clean slate for everybody.So I think it's just about getting on
the same page, enjoying coming inhere and working together, and also just

(02:52:56):
pushing each other in these workouts,and then when we start getting on the
field, uh, really get thatcompetition going. Try to simulate as we
go along in this off season processof how the games are going to be.
Hey, how are you doing?Good to see too and look,

(02:53:26):
yeah, I think Coach Quinn hasreally assemble assembled a very unique group of
coaches. There's multiple head coaches,there's multiple quarter UH coordinators have come from
different places, and so you haveguys who have a lot of football experience,
some have played, some have coachedin big games. And then you
bring in, you know, thethe talent that we have defensively and offensively,

(02:53:50):
and I just think you can feelthe unity and the sameness in in
the message that he's trying to preachto our team, and it's we're gonna
be tough and we're going to becompetitive. But we're also going to have
fun. And he like I thinkhe said in Your Guys' interview, he
said he likes to do you know, hardship with good people. So I
think that's fun. You know,a guy like me likes to put my

(02:54:13):
nose down and grind and work.So I know him and I are going
to continue to hit it off.And you know it's just my job to
help bring other guys along with me. Thank you more to your next step
as a vocal leader. Yeah,you're thinking, what does that mean to
you? I think for me,I've grown a lot in my vocal leadership.

(02:54:37):
I think I try to always findthe balance of when to say something,
when not to say something. Ithink I never want I've always wanted
to be a person when I saysomething that means something like you don't want
to be You're giving all the motivationalspeeches, but you're not backing up with
your play, or you're you're talkingso much you kind of your message is
drowned out. And so it's kindof continued to find that balance of when

(02:54:58):
to say things and when to kindof just take a step back. But
I think I've I've gotten a reallygood feel of how to do that.
I think obviously with a new coachingstaff, you just try to understand what
they how they want things done,and you try to, you know,
bring what you do well into that, and you also try to encourage the
guys who haven't taken those steps intheir career to do that as well.
So I think for me, it'sjust really starting in my position group.

(02:55:22):
I think we have, uh stilla very young group, kind of inexperience
for the most part, but Ithink we have a lot of talent in
there, and it's just my job, in Bobby's job, and to continue
to bring that group along as wego throughout this season. What is I

(02:55:45):
guess? Yeah, Yeah, Ihit it really hard this offseason, so
I kind of started training a littlebit after the Super Bowl, so I
got a good six to eight weeksinto where I feel football ready right now,
which is great for me because youknow, obviously we're probably having a

(02:56:07):
mini camp at the end of thismonth, so that'll be I'm already in
football shape. So that's that's excitingto know that I'm ready to be able
to run routes and get going withour quarterbacks and get going with our system.
So you know, as this offseason goes on, I just trust
the plan that Chad and the guyshave here. I want to be here
for all the workouts and things likethat and be a part of the team
building and just continue to learn theplaybook as we start to install things and

(02:56:31):
be at a point where I couldgo out there and be confident in my
game what I've worked on this offseasonand and put that into how that fits
into this offense. So I alwaystry to pride myself on knowing multiple positions,
just to have be flexible for theteam and be flexible for myself,
so I'll be ready for whatever theywherever they put me. Surprised you're going

(02:56:56):
to have a new quarterback this year? Yeah, yeah, you never.
Well, I'm gonna say never,but it's it's always tough seeing like someone
you build a really good relationship withgo on and move on in their career,
and especially your quarterback, because asa receiver, you want to continue
to try to build that chemistry,you know what I mean. That was

(02:57:18):
only our first year playing with oneanother, and I feel like him and
I had our uh we made somegreat plays and we had some you know,
room for growth, and I thinkthat comes with any new quarterback receiver
relationship and so, but to seehim go in a situation where we have
a chance to compete and play undera really good quarterback in Geno, you
know, I think he'll he'll reallylike playing with receivers like uh, well

(02:57:41):
throwing the receivers like Locket and andJas and Smith and Jig, but in
DK, you know what I mean. So I think he's going in a
situation where it's more mentally than anything. Though, like less, I
was always my best side back incollege, but it's just I got to
always been playing right. But youknow, it's a it's a good challenge
for me and I can show peopleI can actually play right hand left,

(02:58:03):
So it's a versatility thing. SoI'm happy about it. There. You
moved around a lot throughout your careerthat there's Jumbo's side, you know,
tackle, I guess sizens and playingbook the left. On the right side,
you think you kind of benefit fromfocusing a little bit more on the
right center, Uh a little bit, but you know, there's a new
system that we have, Like I'vebeen playing my mindset most on the right,
but also have my mind sell andleft too, just in case something

(02:58:24):
does happening to like you know whatI mean, like Colten or you know
Pete, of course, but I'malways gonna be ready for the left no
matter what. How quickly have youfelt like you picked up this new system
that you're working in now? Ohit's a we actually picked up picked up
pretty well cause it's the same systemthat I'm used to back in the hot
see cause we're more like spread backat how I seen, So you know,

(02:58:46):
it's pretty good. One of thoselike the draft process off seasons.
A lot of people outside the buildingsand rangers get the right tack. Yeah,
a lot of yeah really alright now, a lot of people in the
building were like we have the righttime. We people get little bit about
that. You follow it like ifyou pen make you do it, though
I don't, I read into ita little bit. But also the same
time, like they not here ofcourse, but I don't really care what

(02:59:09):
they say. I know what Ican do, and the team know I
what I can do, so they'retrusting me right now and I'm not gonna
live in right now. How hardor how easy is that to compartmentalize that
and use that as fuel going forwardrather than to kind of maritate. Uh
I j I just keep receives.Everybody knows that one person I don't really
care for him at Also, it'sall Google, but it's all love.

(02:59:31):
I love uh outside of this,but keep doing me, keep it better,
keep on these nights. See whatI can do there. You've been
a outspoken about your support of Zamir, and obviously it's just his chance now
to beat the dog. Wait,what is it about him that you bought
in so early? The reason whyI bought some earliest cause us I was
at a house they they always taughtus actually act go giving, And ever

(02:59:54):
since I got here, i'm'a alwayswanna go get it and I gotta picked
late, and I always wanna he'llpeople wrong. You know, I think
people are wrong all my life.I don't want to keep doing it.
What's wrong with which I guess orit's like you all put it in like
the set you feel like a communitynine eight difference nine they difference from my
first year in my second year.So now like now I'm like, alright,

(03:00:16):
I know I can play. Iknow I can go against one of
the best, especially with Lance.Anybody else that we want to play this
year and I know why I cannew So all gotta do now is that
SHU meet my potential and should doit and help everybody else out on the
team as well. You've practiced alot against Malcolm and he's really come into
his own. What is it aboutMalcolm that's helped him make that next step?

(03:00:37):
There? Man, Malcolm, he'squiet, He doesn't really say too
much. He can come to thework every day, do what he does,
and he works hard. He doesn'tblit twice at anything. Yeah,
he'll get mad over a co restwells. At the same time that like
he has a mentality of adult likehe's he don't really care what y'all think
or anybody else, thanks for real. So it's just like alright, just
keep going. That's how everybody ison the team about tyrais too, you

(03:01:01):
guys, that same mindset. Hedoes have the same mindset. Put a
little bit a little nervous, butuh nah, he nah. He has
definitely grown up a lot from thislike first year here to now, like
he has lead, but he's he'sgrowing up a lot mentally too. We'll
tell you guys are reimagining the offensiveline a little bit with you out there

(03:01:22):
right side, yeah uh farm therenext to you on the west side too,
and then drafting the guys on theline here. 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 great, you know.
But me and doing those like theygonna keep placing us, of course,
but all the same time, wegotta keep going, you know, be

(03:01:43):
Kames really and think about what theydid. All we gotta do is saying
about what what came to do withbeep better in flortteen as well? Sorry,
they don't put a lot on theoutside the right a little bit more.
How how long are you gotta workingevery together? We working pretty well,
you know, you say, forus, we had like a a
little rooking moment a little bit,you know, yeah, you know,

(03:02:03):
those those tougher conversations, those oneswhere we might disagree when we do agree,
where where he's got his two centson it, which is, you
know, always the best two centsI've heard. But me being who I
am, you know, I'm I'mI'm gonna throw my two cents in there.
You know, so that's just uh, it's been awesome. Man.
We he's he's you know, aresource for me, just a person that
I can always bounce my thoughts offof. And now, you know,

(03:02:24):
just a year, you said,thirteen months, now I feel more comfortable
just you know, bringing certain thingsup. You know, you never you
never wanna come off too strong.But I'm a curious guy. I got
a lot of questions. I like, I like football a lot. I
like to talk talk the games.So you know, come to find out,
he's the exact same. So weuh, you know, we get
along well. And you know we'regonna keep keep building that relationship. Sometimes
in this league playing you know,eighteen games, they trying to make a

(03:02:46):
twenty. You know, that's likeit sound like a little a little fever
dream to be honest, but butuh, if we can find a way
to k you know, stay upright out there, keep keep airing on
his feet. You know, I'mI'm excited for that and uh everything that
comes with it. But uh butyeah, like I said, and it's
it's it's harder said than uh orharder done and said, I guess you
know, it's one of those things. It's like that's a lot of games,
you know, all of a suddentake a lot of hits. They

(03:03:07):
take a lot of hits where they'renot looking, and it's just how can
we keep him healthy? Yeah?Yeah, are you when do you think?
I do? You're ever see aroom now? Positions and you guys
have made when on wantay healthy andget everything like yeah, you know,
I'm excited to see it at atfull health. You know, we've i
haven't got to see all the allthe guys out there at once, and
and you know, it's one ofthose positions where every day is something might

(03:03:28):
happen to nick up. You know, it's just a a tough position to
stay out there at all times.But I feel like we got a great
group and and the number one thingis how can we stay healthy? How
can we you know, I'll beout on the field, and I think
having depth like this and the groupwe have is gonna help us. Having
guys that can do different things,that can go catch ball over in the
middle, all types of things thatit's gonna take some of the strain off
off all of us. You know, it's it's a good group. So

(03:03:50):
I'm excited to uh, you know, get out there. I feel like
we haven't had the whole whole thingtogether. But you know, come season
time, Mo roll and it's gonnabe exciting about the god that's in your
old number. Yeah yeah, yeah, man, he's uh it was a
brute and then once he catches theball, I mean he's got great instinctive
where the defense is. I thinkthe talle on this team is really good

(03:04:11):
too, and I think that Ican come in here and make a big
difference, you know, and wecan win a lot of football games.
You know. So that was myThat was part of my decision. Your
achilles how sough? Was that youI'm one hundred percent now and it was

(03:04:33):
like a walk in the park.It's like a sprained ankle. You know.
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 prett easy tobe. But you know, I've had
these injuries and it's been stormed likethe past two years. You know,

(03:04:56):
having have like good, great games, the next thing, you know,
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

(03:05:16):
gone out of the window again.Yep. Also, you're gonna be back.
I am. I am excited.You know. He does a lot
of great things, and he's agreat person, and we have a great
relationship. It's gonna be it's gonnabe a fun year. We're gonna have
a lot of fun. We're gonnado a lot of great things. So
I can't wait here waiting. Theinjuries you've had, Is that just bad

(03:05:41):
luck? Is every Is there anythingyou've can attribute to beyond just misfortunate?
Yeah, it's just unfortunate, youknow. But God has a plan always,
you know. I don't know whatthe plan exactly is, you know,
I don't know, But whatever planeit is, it's for me to
be here. You know. Ihad a great rookie year. I didn't

(03:06:05):
really have the volume as other peoplemy rookie year, but I still had
a great rookie year. Six yardsof carry, you know, things like
that. I think it was likenine touchdowns ten including the playoffs, and
so there's always been like, allright, guy, let me show my
talent shine a little bit. Likeeven 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 Igot you know, got cleaned up.

(03:06:28):
So I went down in twenty one, right, had the injury, the
knee injury, and then came backlater the next year and I played the
first few games and it just feelthere was a lot of scars issue in
there. So I had to getit cleaned up. I didn't get hurt
again. I could have played thewhole year, but I got it cleaned
up so I can feel like me. And so after I got that cleaned

(03:06:50):
up, the first two games backfrom the injury, I had over one
hundred and twenty yards rushing right,and then went on had great, great
ending of the year, one hundredtotal yards in the playoff game we lost,
which I hate the most. Stays, don't marry me. I want
to win. But then come backthe next year hurt again like torn achilles.
So two really unfortunate injuries, butthat's just God's plan. You know,

(03:07:15):
And I think that the storm isnow over, you know, and
I do think that I'll be ableto shine my light to the whole world.
Are you concerned that you have thatlabel you can't stay three? I
could care less because I do.I do. I know this out there
because as as it should be,it should be. I got hurt two
major injuries back or not back toback years. But you know, so

(03:07:37):
I haven't been on the field asmuch as I should. That's true,
that is true. But it's notlike I'm having these little little dinky injuries
and sitting out. It's something Ican't control, literally, So that's why
I'm not bothered by Like, yeah, I am injury prone, you can
say that, you know, ButI do think that the Chargers are getting

(03:07:58):
a guy that's gonna be healthy fromnow on, you know, God willing,
and it's gonna be great. AndI do think that it's gonna be
It's gonna be a great. However, many years here, when you've been
out on the field that you've beenhighly adopted, yeah, five point years
for very average for your career.Like knowing that when you're out there you're
very adopted, how much confidence doesthat give you that really all you need

(03:08:20):
is is not what you need.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 Ihave the most confidence when I step out
there because I do know, likeif he grants me the health, it's
over with is I don't think Iwill be you know, I think it

(03:08:43):
will be a great year or whatever, a couple of years. However,
many years he grants me great health, you know. And I think just
the work ethic, my prayer andall that stuff, that's what helped me
have that confidence with the numbers willbe there, and they might be higher
after this year, you know whatI'm saying. And it's crazy to think
about because I had six or sixyards per carry, you know. So

(03:09:05):
we'll see. You're looking forward tothe running behind this line that they put
together. Oh yeah, yeah,yeah. I played with Brandley. I
played with him, you know,I know the Slater, I know all
the I know all the guys youknow, and I'm excited. I think
it's like I said earlier, it'sa talented group. You know, we
just got to put together win somegames, cause that's what I came here
for. That's all part of orI wouldn't I wouldn't say part of the

(03:09:31):
recruitment. But like whenever I decidedI was gonna sign, it was great
to have him in the room.What's your relationship, Yeah, we're great.
We're we have a great relationship.That's he's like my brother. So
I think it compliment each other verywell. You know, he can do
a lot of stuff too. Youknow, we got a lot of people
think he's just power, power,power, but I think he has some

(03:09:54):
other parts of his game two whichit It'll be great because I feel like
I could do everything and when oneget tired, we can roll it in,
keep rolling win some games. Sowhen you the two of you get
going, well, how do youthink that's gonna look for? What would
like? What will be that partnershipkind of back there? I know that's
a hard question. How do Ithink I think it'll look beautiful. You

(03:10:18):
know a lot of people call ita passing league, but I think you
gotta run the ball to win theSuper Bowl. You know, if you
look at the team to win theSuper bowl. They can run the ball,
they can control the clock, andso if we're both good, it'll
look great, beautiful. How wouldyou describe the Gregor running offense? I
would I would describe it as,you know, a great offense. I

(03:10:41):
think he gives a quarter he's gonnagive the quarterback a lot of options.
He's gonna give the running back alot of options. He's gonna give the
receiver a lot of options, youknow. And I think it'll be I
think it's gonna be great. Hisoffense is gonna be amazing thing. When
we talked to him, you know, I was like, why are you
any will built something give rushing offensesthroughout your career everything you've been and you

(03:11:03):
said that one part of it isjust you gotta call place. You got
a call run place as a runningback. You know, how much confidence,
how much exciting does it give you? You know, you have a
play caller that's gonna stick with itand allow you and the offensive line to
get your resident. Gives me alot of excitement. You know. It's
gonna be Like I said, it'sfun to play in his offense, you
know. And I think he doeshave some good things in the past game

(03:11:26):
too, But like you said,he sticks with the run, and that's
that's the identity. You You wantan offense that has an identity, right,
you won't be looking everywhere else tofind your your identity. You want
to have it. And so Ithink his offense has that and the guys
he builds and puts in there,it complements that identity. So I think

(03:11:46):
it's gonna be great. You mentionedyour a hundred percent now, so you'll
be full go for training him.That's Look, I ain't gonna answer any
of the fool if it's up tome. Yes, Look, because I
had this problem like three two yearsthree years ago, I'm thinking I'm full
go. I think I'm ready togo, and the next thing, you
know, I'm on pup like,hey, look some stuff above my prey

(03:12:09):
pay grade. So but I don'tknow 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'll tell you how
I wouldn't say that. I thinkI've been I've been in some great organizations,
and I think this this organization isa great organization. And the training

(03:12:31):
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
of guy, like I work reallyhard, so maybe sometime I'm blind to

(03:12:52):
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,with any frustration for you during the heading
into free agency, you know,dealing with with rehab and not you know,
having won a full season tape orproduction out there, was there any
part of that where you're like,goshh you know, had hit the open

(03:13:13):
market with a different situation, youknow. Nah, I like it.
I like, how would I saythis? I like it the hard way,
but not, you know, Ilike it the hard way. I
like it. I like trial andtribulations. So I mean the dice that

(03:13:37):
I was given the role was Iwas coming off of Achilles and that was
that was the lowest plan. Soit was beauty in that, like I
was comfortable. I was caught likethere was multiple teams, you know,
I wasn't. It wasn't like Ididn't have any other team. But I
was comfortable and sitting back and justenjoying the process, letting myself get fully

(03:14:01):
healed. So whenever that team,whoever I would sign with, who now
is the Chargers, is going toget the best me, you know,
And I think people all around theleague know that, like, Okay,
this guy, Okay, it's ahigh risk, high reward type thing,
right, not even a high risk, hilar Rice, because you it's a
business, right, So I gother last year, so not as much

(03:14:24):
money needs to be throwing there.But I think everyone around the league knows
that whenever I am on the field, the numbers don't lie, and so
they know that, And a lotof teams were like, all right,
here, you can. We giveyou 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

(03:14:45):
gonna be. They won't be Theywon't regret it. Are you the type
of person that likes the opportunity forme? You know? So I'm excited
about it. He helped me alot, even felt like the first day,
just trying to help me get usedto to write tackle. He got
my feet used to write tackle.Like my first day of practicing, I'm

(03:15:09):
like, dude, I still feelfeel a little off. I don't feel
as balanced in my stands. Andhe showed me the small technique and to
do with my feet, which Istill do even even though I left tackle
just cap part of my routine.That was part of my process of getting
in my stands. So stuff likethat that he taught me from day one
and obviously in practice was fun.Just compete with him, you know,

(03:15:31):
it's just to me at the backof the pocket and to dap each other
back to every rep like that wascompeting, you know what I mean.
So that's my guy, as muchas you love him on sure the West
Side, how bittersweet is as acertain matters because it would happen to him.
Yeah, that's the thing. That'snot how it was definitely how I
n in and that's how I thoughtabout a transition would go. You know,

(03:15:52):
I thought it would be you know, home, someone timing at a
cardinal his whole career. You know, you know, you want to play
or forever, you know what Imean. We're always talking about his plans,
so you know, you us transitionslike one of those fairy tale like
to your time now. But butagain either way, you know, we

(03:16:16):
talked about it. You know,that's that's the how it goes, you
know. But obviously you know hesees he's he's been one of my biggest
supporters. Again, I affect everybodyleads in their own way, you know,
not everybody's the guys coming around andthat's not everybody, right, Like
I feel for me, that's mespecifically on game day with the O line

(03:16:41):
after we do one on one likethat's my Like, well, Hump did
like like that's my like big vocaltime. I feel like I've talked to
Hump about this, you know,just recently talking about how what I want
to do for the room is Iwant to bring that Hump energy that he
brought right so last year. Ofcourse some traits have been doing it for

(03:17:03):
years, but the year while Ispent with him, he brought a lot
of the energy and excitement and thehappiness in the room was just his natural
energy to where I only had tofocus on me, you know, I
didn't have to make sure other otherguys are, you know, feel some
type of way when they came inhere because Hump brought that, but other

(03:17:24):
Hump's not here, but I sawwhat he did for the room. I
want to be that guy to makesure everyone's amp to go to practice,
everybody's hype weren't taken and field teamon period. You know, it's a
low day or something. You know, it's a it's a day, but
like, I wanna make it feellike prepar's the tripper right now. I
want to bring that cause that's whatme and Hump did with each other.

(03:17:46):
We will hpe each other up,dudes like dudes were about to get walked
through. We're lit. So Iwant to do that. I want to
bring that energy. I want tomake bring more guys, you know,
to do that. You know,I wanted to do that from day one,
you know, I kind of Iwant I wanted to do that from
day one, from just talking tohim, and obviously it's that time.

(03:18:07):
I spend the off season before OTAstarted just being in myself, just thinking
about what the room needs, youknow, because I know I knew new
role as one of the leaders,you know, on my offense is that
we need a guy like that that'sgonna make sure the old line is picked
up ready to go. Every day. I was held accountable little things.

(03:18:31):
I'm happening to practice, people aren'tsaying 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 withpositivity, you know what I mean.
So, but he the energy yetwent beyond just the hyped up the deal
line and start too. So that'skind of how I wanna be s goal
mine literally my whole life. Iwant to be NFL team captain, like

(03:18:56):
specifically the NFL. I wasn't acaptain of high school. I was a
captain of college. But I madea joke when I was in high school.
So I did I feel like I'mnot gonna be a captain to like
get to the NFL. Yeah,but that would be awesome, you know,
but you know, if it happens, I'd be great. But not
either way, I wanna assume arole as a captain from the respect of

(03:19:20):
the guys on the team, vidualaward to me and to get back to
that point, yeah, I meanI can't say that. I mean I
guess the biggest thing is that Ifelt like it has felt like how it
you used to in the past.But it didn't take just the first day
OTAs. It took training left andright once the season ended, because I

(03:19:41):
didn't know what it was gonna besure, So it took a lot of
yeh reps just to get back tofeeling like myself for day one OTAs and
then that whole first week. Butnow like today, specifically just changing some
small things with my feet that Idid today, talking about, oh,
coach, about some things I cando with my fee to get to that

(03:20:03):
to selling it the traditional angle thatI love to set on. Felt even
I thought I felt. I thoughtI felt great already, but my okay,
I felt even back of it.So I'm even more excited tomorrow.
Now I'm getting my feedback to howI liked it the right side, and
I'm on the left side, soI'm excited. I mean, obviously,
I feel like in the league,whether I left or right, you're still

(03:20:24):
going against premier guys, so obviouslyyou have high expectations for your left hand
or right tackle. But there's definitelyuh, like the the level of energy
and like the expectations definitely taking thehuman start, cause now Connee the black
side, that's the that's the tacklerole, you know. So so yeah,

(03:20:45):
I would say in terms of communicationas far as just even outside of
facility and just stuff like that,like really creating that tackle quarterback bond even
more off the field, I thinkhas been something that's even been cool as
I gotta tech. One day,I said, Hey, like you play
left and I was like, yeah, you know, yeah, I've been
training both. I've been training both. You know. I asked after the

(03:21:09):
season. They're like, honestly,you know, we'll talk to you STI
play in the season and I justgotta 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,
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 almost trained the left tackle nowas if I'm going to be a left

(03:21:31):
tackle, and I'd rather do thatthan training on the right tackle with the
KO Hey you're the left tackle.I'm like, Oh, I didn't switch
on my feet yet. You knowwhat I mean, So I'm like,
let me just prepare in advance.I was like, yeah, let's god.
You know, I think occasionally onthird down there would be a lot
of twists. I would just knowlike it's I'm automatically coming. And I
think that was my mindset for likethe first half of the season, like

(03:21:54):
I didn't have to go into agame and with surprise like oh my gosh,
they did that. I kind offigured like, okay, like this
is this is the type of rushminute, this is how this guy usually
rushes. I get the vibe,this is how the ends like the rush
you know, tackles that are youknow, first year guys who got the
premiere patch on. I already knewwhat it was gonna be, already know

(03:22:15):
every stunt and honestly just knowing thatit's kind of an advantage too. So
you're not you're not you're not old. They brought the twist of my side
again, so it was never anAaron Donald like they're coming out with my
like three plays in a row intwo minutes. I knew that that was
the way it happened, you knowwhat I mean, I'm watching more than
everybody else and he rarely England goesout there on occasional third downs on the

(03:22:35):
d M, and I was alreadyknow it's gonna be He's gonna pick me,
you know what I mean? Sofact fact it's kind of a it's
also kind of an advantage in theway, but it's also exciting, like,
Okay, here with the two guys, this talent and this this background
at the top of that group.How much of your discussions with Brian I
guess the interview process were about howyou might approach this and and and what

(03:22:56):
do you think it is? Maybe the key element you're getting about instead
because you got two guys. Thisain't my first rodeo, No. I
know a lot of people look atsay, well, this guy only been
on the field for three years Westerton, Tucky and Oregon. Just because I
didn't have the title of a runningback coach where I was at the Memphis

(03:23:18):
I never carried myself that way.I was carried myself as a running back
coach. I approach every day thatway. So at Memphis we had Darren
Henderson, Patrick Taylor, Tony Poller, Kenny game Well, Tonyo Gibson.
I've seen talented backs and I've seenthem be able to function with one another.
So I hear that all the timeabout Well, I this ain't my

(03:23:39):
first rodeo. Same thing out thereat Oregon wet Buckerivern Norwich and George James.
You go look at their numbers.They all functioned well together. We
learned how to play as one.So this ain't my first rodeo. So
and Plus I know those two kidscause I recruited them when they was in
high school. So I'm up forthe challenge and the responsibility of it.
Got right behind him Dan Hope elevenWarriors. Carlos, just what is your

(03:24:00):
kind of coaching philosophy? How doyou get the best out of your running
backs? I get the best out'emcause I love the young man. My
main focus is to change the hthe hearts and minds of'em, and
they'll play for me. I hadjust got through we reading Coach Trestle's Winners
Manual, and it's something that Itook from that book. You have your
purpose and you have your goals,alright, My purpose is to serve and

(03:24:22):
pour into the young men. Now, my goals is a football coach.
All of them are take care ofthemselves. So m that's one of the
ways. I'm just real relationship basedand I'm very detailed at this position.
I I know y'all heard me sayit before, and i'm'a keep saying this
is the worst coach position in football. It's terrible. Guys hire anybody to
coaches position and recruiters. CARLS Lockeris not a recruiter. I'm an elite

(03:24:45):
relationship builder. But I coached thisposition. I'm a ball coach, so
that's who I am. So allm'apouring to these kids. I think they
kind of seeing it now, andI I jumped in day one. I'm
ready to coach. And then ifyou used the phrase, you know,
soft thatch cookies, where did thatphrase co I'm from kind of always pass
boy. Let me tell you aboutthat boy. I've been called everything but
the name the child of God bythe people at the other places I left.

(03:25:09):
So that I've been getting pills Pillsburyneed to give me a deal,
cause I've been getting I've been gettingsome DM and texts. I'm some of
it. Some of them have beenso funny. The saftbat's cookie th thing
came from just having a frame ofmind, a mental toughness. It had
nothing to do with guys getting inthe portal and anything. Now, most
people say I'm a saltbat's cookie forleaving there, but actuality, I'm not

(03:25:33):
because it takes great strength to makea decision to leave a place. No,
a weak minded person wouldn't be ableto make the decision I made,
So it took great strength to dothat. So I'm telling you, if
I literally in my DMS, it'ssome it's some great comedians out here that
have been sending me like tons ofcookies, and I'm like, it's funny
right behind him. How have yougot about the assessment of the challenge in

(03:25:56):
the room? I hope it wasthe high week at you how much as
that on 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 running backposition, and I already broke those kids
down cause I recruited him out ofhigh school. You know, ce is
from where I'm from in Montgomery.I was one of the first guys to

(03:26:18):
offer him just watching him great contact, balance, creative runner, great hands
and trey I recruited him out ofVirginia exceptional short air, your bursting quickness
and things that I'm gonna help himget better on. And then I recruited
James Peeples out of t out ofSan Antonio, Texas. I knew what
he was gonna what he was gonnabe. TC and Sam, those two

(03:26:41):
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, talented, room, very talented. Uh far
back? Uh, Jerremy Berkingham pocatcouch. How do you swear that that

(03:27:03):
the soft past trookies are actually thebest cookies the philipprit makes. Those are
way better than the country chips andwhite things as a terrible I mean,
do you do? You have tofirst find a balance there or somewhere.
Well, for me, I'm actuallynot eating any cookies. Uh nah,
I'm just saying I'm not eating anycookies this year. I gave it up
for a fast or no sweets forme for the whole year. That's something

(03:27:26):
I gave up. So they theterm the South bast cookie term. Look,
guys, I actually took that fromI represent the high school coaches of
Myths Tennessee. I actually took thatfrom a guy named Coach Slocum. He
used to always say that soft bastcookie. I actually stole that from him.
I give him credit for it,and I tell him all the time
he said, you, I shouldhave branded that, cause you done took

(03:27:46):
it and ran away with it.But that's just where that comes from.
So that that I was standing asyou get to Ohio, standing and start
to look around the country. Amean, Oregon's a big place. That's
a that's a major job. Really, how would you think that very your
opposite of logo or the jack runthe blocko? When you get out out
of Little Free and Trail, Howdoes that change the way that you feel

(03:28:07):
you're either receive or or does itadd a different level to to just feeling
like I can go anywhere and getanybody in the country. And that's the
changest thing for me. This isa great place. Oregon is a great
place too. But guess what,whatever I put on, I know what
I'm going to represent for me.I N I N I know who who

(03:28:31):
put me here. Uh, Iknow I represented something higher, you know,
Like I told you, I knowwhat my purpose is. My purpose
is to poorting to people. Sowhatever logo I have on, I'm still
gonna be doing the same thing.So this is a great logo. Great
logo by well another logo. Everyday it's across I see around my neck.
I know what I represent. Sothat's the greatest logo I could ever

(03:28:52):
wear. So it don't matter whatother logo I have on. I got
that one on. I'm going toany house and being recruit uh uh deep
rite camera, tiqu Robinson and theathletic So which you you mentioned the time
at the Memphis and themnis four NFLrun backs you mentioned there? Who you
learned from that time that you thatyou take over to managing your girl and

(03:29:15):
kids? What did I learn fromthem? I just building a just teaching
the kids. We live in sucha selfish world now, and I can
tell the kids all the times it'sgotta be much more the football. The
ball gonna go flat one day.As I always say, what being in
that room there at Memphis is itwasn't four five teaching them how to be
ab bout being one. I tellyou them in all time, it doesn't

(03:29:39):
cost you anything to celebrate another man'ssuccess. So teaching'em how to be
one, and then once they learnedto be one, they function and they
feed off one another. So that'swhat I learned from being there in Memphis.
Uh right in front of Andy Bachfrom let'em in road Cross heard
of your career in the law enforceI can kind of influence you as a
coach and kind of ship where youare. Uh well, I just got

(03:30:00):
talking to somebody about that today.When I first got in this profession and
I got my own room at WesternTech, I was asked, No,
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

(03:30:20):
me having to do traffic stops,So going on domestic no virus calls,
it's simple, easy. No,people don't know what you care. Also
know, you gotta have a certaindemeaning about yourself. So when I walk
into a room, it's the reasonwhy I go train every morning. This
is when it's the same thing whenI was a police officer. You look
a certain way kind of deter peoplefrom doing certain things. So it's reason

(03:30:43):
why I go train every morning.I'm gonna look just as good as my
boys look, so U it helpedout a lot. In other words,
from Right Austin Word the podcast Carls, Welcome to Columbus. What would it
mean to I don't know, revolutionshould as the way running backs or coach?
What does that take? I ain'teven I'm not gonna say Revolutionariz.

(03:31:07):
It's just some good It's some goodrunning back coaches out here. Everybody's different.
It's some great coaches out here.I just want the head guys who
say that on these jobs to notjust hire guys. Just know, all
coaches on your staff should be greatrecruiters, not just some running back coach.
We coach a position. We developedplayers as well. I just want
the coaches to realize, hey,you know what, let me look and

(03:31:30):
be thorough about this guy that I'mhiring for the job. Is he teaching
the position? Is he development theposition? Because you're not gonna hire anybody
just coach quarterbacks, are you,well, it shouldn't be like that for
the running back position either, AndI'm only passionate about it because I played
it. I love it, soit's the only position I want to coach.
Could I coach other positions? Yeah? I play dB in college too,
but I love the running back position, so I just want to see

(03:31:52):
it coach well. Too many podcasts, Yeah, a million questions all ask
Cappul Number one, when you whenyou, when you're life? Whatever?
You got the message stuff, arewe moving again? What was? What
was her reaction? Nah? Sheshe's just new guy had given us,
gave us a new assignment. Shew It was never like we're moving again.
Let me tell you, guys.Something I grew up. My mom

(03:32:13):
was in the military, so Ilived everywhere. I lived in Panama,
South America. I'm used to pickingup and moving. I lived in Fort
Rodley, Kansas. Montgomery's home.Meph's my 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.
What did uh? What did coach? They tell you when you heard
you that he wants out of you. That may be different. It's not

(03:32:35):
slamming somebody else, But what didhe say he wanted you to bring to
the running back room. I thinkhe did his research on me. He
said he wanted the guy to todevelop the position. And that's not taking
a shot at the coach that washere who I'm friends with. He said
they didn't want somebody to really getwork. You know much about how you

(03:33:01):
playing against him Leonard Floyd, andwhat's been kind of your earlier read on
him. I think he's super skilled, Russia well, good length, and
he's more athletic than I even realized. And I think guys like him when
they come to our scheme are thebest is brought out of him. So
I'm excited to see what potential hehas. He's year nine, so I

(03:33:24):
feel like you as a d lineman, you can keep improving all the way
through ten years in this league.So I'm excited to see what he's got.
How old did you know Sores andwhen he was assistant here, and
I'd gotten to know him a lotthat it's the relationship. Maybe right now
I know him pretty well. Hewas always just a good dude around the
facility. He did our ball meetings, so he's good in front of a

(03:33:50):
group. He's a good leader.He knows the scheme really well, which
is good. I was happy tosee him promoted. He called me in
the off season, we talked.I just congratulated him, and I think
he's gonna bring something similar to whatwe had with the Miko. It'll be
good. Do you know Brandon Stanleywell at all? I mean obvious a

(03:34:11):
joey platform. I don't know toomuch about him. I've obviously heard from
my brother, but I don't eventhink i've said high yet. I haven't
ran into him yet, but I'msure i'll get to know him. When
you say, it looks similar tothe Miko of the energy or the system,
maybe a little different energy, butI think just knowing the system from

(03:34:33):
the front to the back, Ithink he knows how it ties in.
And he's been around with some reallygood coaches, so I think it'll be
pretty pretty seamless, and I thinkwe'll be firing on all cylinders. You're
three months removed from the super Bowlnow, So how have you? I
guess digested it and I guess physicallyeverything good to go. Yeah, I

(03:34:58):
feel really good. I think it'sbeen one of my better off seasons of
just kind of it was a longyear, so I took it nice and
slow to get back into it.Not as young as I once was,
so 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

(03:35:20):
practice in. Last year was kindof tough, getting thrown in week one
after I walked through, so thatwas another reason I'm excited to be here
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

(03:35:45):
back from tough losses, so itwas rough for a little bit, but
no, just annoying when people bringit up. Since the last season,
we've seen a Rock on TV commercialsand on the stage with Kluke Coombs and
throwing out the first pitch in theGiants game. But he seems like a
guy that's totally unaffected by celebrity,which he has now. But what have

(03:36:07):
you noticed in his leadership style andthe way he carries himself any difference at
all. I think he's definitely gettinga little more vocal within the building,
and uh yeah, I mean,I don't think he's ever going to change.
I don't think he's somebody that's goingto change even when he gets paid
next year. So he's he's aman of faith and he kind of reminds

(03:36:30):
me of Scotti Scheffler, but exceptfor just super humble and really good kid.
And yeah, he's definitely famous.I don't just from watching Armstead get

(03:36:54):
released obviously meant so much to thedefensive line into the team. I mean,
Colin John, we're pretty open thatthey were willing to talk about trading
deebo or are you as you?Does that just another what's that feel like
in the locker room when those sortof jowls happened. I didn't even know
that happened and I wasn't here,but you're talking about this offseason alarms in

(03:37:20):
alarm Er released, So that's certainlyone thing. Yeah, it's a tough
business, for sure. You haveto have thick skin, and I haven't
gone through that, but I thinkyou just have to understand that it is
a business and the team's going totry and get as good as it possibly

(03:37:41):
can with or without you, andyou have to look out for yourself.
That's why you go through holdouts anddo certain things that seem selfish in the
moment, but it is what itis, and when everything's settled, we're
gonna come together as a team andtry and go get one And what's the
overall only around the group right now? Like, how much does it feel

(03:38:01):
like the excitement of the ramp upto the season, even though it's early,
it feels good. It's been acouple of days for me, so
I like all the new guys.I'm getting to know everybody, But I
think the past is in the pastand we're ready to go. Do you
talk to me? You talked tobeat all about handling the business part of
this. He's going through something similar. We chat a little bit, but

(03:38:24):
not too much about the details.I just told him to keep his head
up and try and stay positive throughit all. First impressions when you heard
what your schedule would be in thatAaron Rodgers' first up, it'll be fun.
Yeah, it's gonna be gonna begood on Nick excuse me, kind

(03:38:45):
of alluded to this. But thefact that last year you had to have
that hold out for said that affectedyou somewhat early in the season. If
you hadn't had that experience, wouldyou be here right now? I mean,
was that part of the motivation foryour early just to have the opposite.

(03:39:05):
No, I don't think that's oneof the reasons. But I just
talked to Kyle and he kind ofasked me, Uh, he kind of
stated how he felt about why itwould be good for me to be here
and asked if I agreed. AndI agree. So it's not like I'm
missing too much. I think I'mout here. It's a little less workload

(03:39:28):
than I'm doing back home, soit's kind of a good active recovery thing
for me. And I'm getting footballstuff, football working specifically, so that's
good. I'm not it's not compromisingmy training at all, and I get
to meet all the guys. It'sit's positive. Let him down. Oh

(03:39:52):
no, he's he's there. He'sgot a new regime over there. First,
I actually thought I was coming nextweek until recently, so I was
going to have one more week athome. But we're both in California.
As I've come in and thought wewere going to lose or have a bad
year, I felt like every yearwhen I tell you things are feeling good

(03:40:15):
and I feel optimistic, it wasn'ta lie. But yeah, I think
things are are definitely, like Isaid, trending in the right direction.
Everybody's on the details. I'm sureit's a word that you've heard a million
times. So yeah, I thinkit just feels like it feels like coach
is leading the team the way itshould be led. It has a feel

(03:40:39):
of being back in college, youknow, with with coach erber Meyer,
and you know, the message issent from the top and it doesn't get
mixed up as it's moving down theladder. It's boom, this is how
we're doing things, and everybody's followingthat. And I think it's impressive the
details that everybody have been has beenon the effort and just the competitiveness that

(03:41:05):
that's been going on over the lastfew weeks. Yeah, it's it's been
great. How much do you appreciatethat the stoppings described the way jingles we
shouldn't eat in, the messaging doesn'teat mixed up? Why do you appreciate
that? I mean, it's Iguess it's easy to appreciate when you kind

(03:41:28):
of see it working and you seeguys improving, getting better. I just
think the details are really important.You can pretend that leaving your shoes a
mess or your locker mess isn't abig deal, and what matters is playing
football. But I think all thosetiny details and things kind of add up
and leak into the important stuff,like what you're doing on the field.

(03:41:54):
So if you can have your toebehind the line, or have your locker
and order and all these things,they kind 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

(03:42:15):
I think they're hungry to learn,hungry to compete and win. You know,
it's just an example, whether it'swe 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. Ithink, like I was saying, it
seems like it might not add uptoo much, but I think in the

(03:42:35):
long term it does, and uh, it leaks into other things, whether
you're doing your right assignment on thefield, being late to meetings or all
these things. If you hold astandard and you you stay to that standard.
I think it benefits you long term. It's been like Ben Herbert,
who has there been anything in histraining program we're working with you that you

(03:43:00):
feel benefit you. Yeah, Yeah, definitely, he's he's been great.
He's a no nonsense kind of guy, but he's not an old school in
the sense that he's bringing his wayof doing things and that's the only way
to do things. He understands thatguys have been in the in the business
for a long time, Khalil meand we have a way of doing things,

(03:43:20):
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,and you know, he's been he's been
great. The guys love him.The energy brings is awesome, and I
think the stuff that we're doing inthe weight room is great, a great
addition to stuff that I may maydo on the side or whatever that is.

(03:43:46):
Yeah, I think we I mean, we had a presentation today with
all the certain measurables that are changing, and if you guys are in the
meeting, you definitely see how beneficialhe's been to the team. So far.
So obviously staying healthy the is isa huge factor to anybody's success.
I'd say it's plagued us a littlebit for a while. So yeah,

(03:44:07):
I think he's he's definitely incredibly beneficial. What are you fully re covered?
I know at the end of thelast season you might have been able to
Yeah, no, I was notready to go last year. No,
tried practicing, tried coming back,and uh it was it was not good,

(03:44:28):
but yeah, it was. Unfortunatelythe year wasn't going great and it
just was unnecessary risk for I mean, my foot could have had some real
real issues if I came back tooearly. So yeah, it's been.
It's been. It's been a greatoff season. My foot's feeling great,
toes, good, hamstring shod.I mean, there was a list of

(03:44:48):
things last year, my hand,so all those things are good. Finger
got surgery on my finger, sothat's feeling good. Yeah, it's it's
nice to be feeling better going intoyour nine than you have since maybe five
six years ago, which I've said, I've said I've been feeling great the
last couple of years. I'm tellingyou it's a real deal this time.

(03:45:11):
But obviously, anything can happen,But I just feel it's fun feeling really
confident in your body and being ableto perform. So I could just go
out during practice and you know,go balls to the wall and do everything
that I feel like I need toto be able to prepare. It's fun.

(03:45:31):
My brother and whoever I trained withmy trainer Todd back home, I
think they'd be really proud of howI've been working this offseason, and it's
just exciting. The winning was theinjuries. I'member, the Great Big Game.
You kind of yeah, it wasa bit of a build up,

(03:45:52):
a little bit of an overreaction,but you know, it's just tough.
It comes sometimes like that, andI just felt felt really defeated coming back.
Had a broken hand. I'm like, oh, yeah, I get
to play Boom first series foot Pops. Thought I'd have to get surgery,
and all these thoughts flooded through myhead. Broke down a bit, and

(03:46:13):
yeah, it just hurts. Youknow, you're losing, you're getting injured.
You've felt like you prepared really wellin the off season, and then
the year before you had growing surgery, so you know a lot of things
build up. Yeah, you don'tget a break if you're injured, everybody
wants to go on. Fans arevery nice, but no, I just

(03:46:37):
I'm grateful that I feel this way. I'm still still nicey Ripe twenty eight,
so not too old yet. Butyeah, I'm just excited. I
can't remember what the original question wasat this point, you get something about
my body close you and Geil forhow how frustrating was it that he couldn't

(03:47:05):
for one of those last three games. It was frustrating, but I mean,
GIF was had my back the wholeway, I think for gift for
any but for for the whole team, just to show what it means to
me. It would have been importantfor me to be out there, but
I literally could and I tried topractice. Injured my foot worse the very
first play I was and in practice, so no chance that was happening unless

(03:47:30):
I wanted to throw my next seasonaway as well. But no, I'm
just I'm proud of him for whathe did with the team, how he
handled it, and I need tocall him back. Actually sorry, Gif,
Yeah, I'm happy he gets tostay close by with the with the
Rams, and uh, just proudof all we accomplished here together over the

(03:47:52):
years and and we'll be close forthe rest of our lives. It was
the footage this guy blest a footsprang. Yeah, I sprained one area
of my foot. Then when Itried to return, I sprained another area.
Was able to avoid getting surgery,which is kind of the main goal,
But yeah, it was It wastough when it comes to the addition

(03:48:15):
of but Dupree when he felt likehe's kind of brought to the to the
room and could bring on the field. Yeah, when I heard we got
my brother, I don't know,maybe my brother told me. I'm like,
really, we just got budd Like, that's no, that's no small
pickup. He's a seriously elite passrusher. Has had some trouble with injuries

(03:48:37):
as well, so I understand 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 greataddition. But I'm just excited to have
him into Lee and to be ableto rotate like that and not drop off
at all when we come off thefield is huge. And now too,

(03:49:01):
he's going into a second year.Just what do you what have you kind
of What are some of the maturitymaturity areas you see from him? You
know, I'm gonna say not much, and that's a compliment because he was
already mature in those areas. Imean, he's on it everything, playbook
wise, always doing his job,working hard, just refining his technique and

(03:49:24):
pass rush. I mean, wedon'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 Tully. I've loved him since the first
day. He's he's balked into thefacility and I know he's just gonna continue
to get better. What do youthink of the addition of Joe Alt.
Yeah, yeah, I'm gonna needto beat him up a little bit in

(03:49:46):
camp. So he's 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 talkedto him too much, great build,
seems like he has good hands,good feet, strong, We'll see.

(03:50:07):
We'll see in a few weeks whenI lay a helmet in his chin,
how he holds up. But it'llI'll take it easy on him. No,
Rashon's a beast. Did you knowcoach Harbond before he came here?
And if you did, just whatwere those first couple of conversations like that?
Yeah, probably have crossed passed withhim. Maybe maybe not. Actually

(03:50:33):
I think what was it his firstyear when I was a junior? So
he kicked his ass as usual atOhio State. No, no, they
just want a championships. I'd saythey probably have the bragging rights right now.
I'm like the guy talking about hisold high school. Oh I remember
we used to kick No, butno, yeah, no, the rivalry

(03:50:58):
is dead. I was just sayingthis morning, you know, nine years
and kind of forget about that.I'm not a great alumni. Sorry,
sorry coach, But no, it'sgreat. That's what's great about the NFL
is you just have guys from allbackgrounds. You could hate their guts one
one year, and then you comeon the same team and your brothers and
you're all working towards one goal together. So our first talk together was great.

(03:51:22):
I just sat down with them,went up into his office and chopped
it up about life mainly and hisopportunity here and how much it means to
him. And yeah, I thinkhe's a special guy. I think he's
the way he conducts himself. He'san interesting cat for sure, and I'm
still still feeling them out. Butone thing you can't denies that he loves

(03:51:43):
football and his main goal is towin football games. So and that's what
we need. When you see himworking out with you guys and pushing his
lives and doing all this stuff,just how interesting is that to see you
interactive? Yeah, I mean hewas. He was a great player himself,
and I think he's always been,you know, built like that lack

(03:52:05):
of a better term. But yeah, he's, uh, he's part of
the guys. You know, he'snot this guy outside looking in. He
he really, I mean he voicedthat to me, is that his favorite
part of all of it is beingwith the guys and and the connections he
makes. So Yeah, to tosee a guy like that come in and
embrace it all and kind of bepart of it himself is important. Your

(03:52:28):
initial impressions of Quichman during the defensiveYeah, it's funny you go from old
gift, old gift to this littleyoung guy who's my age. I wouldn't
want to get thrown into a roomwith me and Khalil. I was his
age. But no, he's beengreat. I love messing with him a

(03:52:48):
little bit. We little sarcasm backand forth. But no, he's great.
He's uh, he's very talks veryfast, and I don't as you
know, sometimes I gotta be like, slow down, coach, come on.
But no, he's great. I'mexcited, you know, to get
closer as the years or as theyear goes on. And I think he

(03:53:11):
has he has a lot of passionfor the position and all he wants to
do is learn and and help usto improve. So I'm excited about him
and me and I do miss Giff. Obviously it was a long time with
him, but I am excited tohave a new face and kind of have
that challenge for me. You workedmuch with with Jesse's dad, since I

(03:53:33):
know he coached line divers in Michigan. Wait, did you ask about Jesse?
Did you ask about doing? Okay, you asked about Jesse. Oh
my god, I was talking aboutfreaking doing the whole time. You guys
are so confused. No, sorry, I thought we were. I thought
I was. I thought you mentionedcoach Ronie. No, no. Coach

(03:53:54):
mentor has been great as well.Yeah, they've both been great, sir,
run that back. No, he'sbeen good. Uh yeah, very
knowledgeable guy. Same thing. I'mexcited to get to know him more as
the year goes on. Have youworked Have you worked much during the season,
Rick jesse St, Yeah, uhno, I have not. I

(03:54:18):
don't know if I've said one wordto him, but more words to come
down the road. Like you said, you've been in year since twenty sixteen.
Just what are some of this stuff? You just one ramble about the
wrong guy for fifteen minutes walking whatYeah? What the hecks? Actually that's

(03:54:45):
literally not the person. Yeah,yeah, I figured out. What's something
that you you worked unduring 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

(03:55:11):
work and my lifting, but yeah, just to get everything feeling great.
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'm justgoing to continue to do what I know
will prepare me for the season.And I know I'm gonna get plenty of

(03:55:37):
technique work and position work when I'mout here. So for now, I'm
going to spend these five weeks reallygetting preparing my body workouts competitive again,
another year of competitive and all thatstuff. Yeah. Yeah, it's usually
too hot out there for much competition. We're just trying to survive. So
but yeah, it's always it's ait's a silent kind petition between between each

(03:56:01):
other, be like Peeking's like whatwas his time? Was his time?
But no, Yeah, it's always. You 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 there's no off days.
And you you and him talked atall about I mean, i mean just

(03:56:22):
when you were having a contract day. Do you have guys ever talked about
on anybody? Yeah, I meanit's it's a conversation, not a not
really a serious conversation, but somethingthat's come up before. But yeah,
I mean it would be cool,it would be cool at some point.
I I always thought of myself beingsomebody that will play here and retire here,

(03:56:50):
which I think not many people doon one team, and I think
would be a cool thing to accomplish. But you never know. I'm gonna
worry about this yere first. Sorry, it's kind of we're going a food
story. But so you guys havelike the lowest or second lowest food cceria
in the NFLPA survey last year,and let it moved to the facility,
Like, have you talked a lotabout food and how he did some time?

(03:57:13):
Is it fine video? Have youlooking forward to the food upgrades at
all? Have you thought about itat all? Yeah? No, it's
Wolfgang Puck or whatever is the isthe word? Yeah, that's great.
I've been working with my chef forseven years now, so she's been great,
so I've never really had to worryabout that too much. But yeah,

(03:57:33):
my weight's good. I've been eatinga lot this off season, so
that's good. But yeah, I'mexcited to maybe be able to Sorry Christina,
but maybe i won't need a chefnext year. I'll have my I'll
have my U, I'll have myWolfgang Puck food and that'll be good.

(03:57:54):
So yeah, I'm excited about themove. Found a new spot. Excited
to kind of learn the area andall that, even though I won't ever
leave my house, do not doa lot of the facility. Just just
a chef was good at all.You all eat here sometimes, you know,
it's may not be the best setup, but they'll prepare your food.

(03:58:15):
That's that's plenty good, my man, Eric Hearecter shout out. No,
they work harder than literally anybody inthe entire facility. So they may not
have the best means back there,but they've they freaking worked their butts off,
and to this offense after like twentyyears of breeze and just kind of
it was just kind of built ontop of each other, on top of

(03:58:35):
each other, is like kind ofa lot to kind of take in.
Do you do you find that theykind of turn it down to something new
starting at like zero with everybody.It's just a little bit easier to kind
of get everybody on the same Yeah, I feel like it's way easier.
Like you said, it was kindof more of a Drew Brees style.
The last playbook so all credited him, though he built that around him,
around his players. But like Isaid, is more the playbook is more,

(03:59:00):
Uh, for uh matchups and Uh, I feel like it's gonna be
better for us. How do youthink it's gonna really take advantage of just
skill sets? Uh? Just buildingaround the strengths that I have. You
know what I'm saying, things thatI can do and things that she can
do, Uh, things that ourplayers can do. Is kind of focus
on what we can do and andbuilding on that. Uh. I feel

(03:59:22):
like it's playing to the player strengths. So I feel like it's gonna help
us a lot has been around theway this offense will have a lot more
speed, and how has that transitionbeen so far? I mean, like
I said, it's building around theplayers strengths. So of course we got
speed uh uh with me or uhshe and ati receiver, so uh,
just building around that. Uh.Like I said, playing to our strengths
and be able to capitalize off that. Feel like it's gonna help us a

(03:59:45):
lot. But most of like theup tempo astrict and you know, getting
a lot of plays in less time. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
Yeah, that's that's definitely gonna playa big difference. Like I said,
coming from the West coast, Uh, they bringing that stand for an offense
here so I'm excited to be beable to be a part of that for
you personally. But what's what's thenext level look like for you? What
do you what are you trying toaccomplish this year? Just staying consistent,

(04:00:05):
man, a couple of upside downslast year. Just building off that.
Uh, it's always always gonna workon the physical part, but being able
to bounce back after a bad game, the mental mental aspect, Uh,
just learning learned that last year andbe able to build on that this year.
It is a huge part. Youknow with Mike Gon, do you
take it upon yourself to kind ofbe that voice in the room or to

(04:00:28):
take a step forward even further asUh, I mean it's not really.
I mean everybody kind of grown inthe NFL, So it's just on you
to be able to have that standard. Like I said, I just try
to do that lead by example.I'm not really outspoken, but just lead
by example, working hard, tryingto dominate every rep and hopefully they follow

(04:00:50):
out of that yards after. Thecatch is that you feel like that's the
strength of yours that maybe wasn't utilizeI don't know if utilizes the right word,
but you could chow more. Yeah, it's it's an offense that uh
is built around that. Uh,just catching the ball in space, catching
the ball over the middle or evenon the outside, uh with with space

(04:01:11):
and separation. Feel like it's builtaround having yards have to catch. 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 ohyeah, I mean of course. I
mean you don't want to get tackledby the first person. And my mindset
is trying to take every take everythingto the house, you know, every

(04:01:31):
touch. So uh, I definitelygot to do that more and definitely try
to work on that in practice.Keeps a great dude man, Uh some
some that I definitely needed, somethat he relates to me, uh just
from backgrounds and uh he's a greatcoach, great leader, Uh, motivational

(04:01:52):
and uh. Like I said,I'm excited to have him around and for
him to push me is everything thatI need. So something you're talking about
like mentally bouncing back, you knowfrom tough performances or whatever, like,
did you try to fund your resourcesgoing to help you figure out how to
do that. Oh yeah, Imean it's older guys. Uh tell me
that's natural, just have bad games. But uh, just having the standard

(04:02:15):
that I have for myself and theexpectations I have for myself gets hard sometimes.
So just being able to be hardon yourself but at the same time
just let it go and just bounceback for the next game is something that
I learned last year. You're oneof those guys that feels like you should
always have a certain level production.Are you okay with those certain games where
the defense is so focused on youthe other guys have big games and where

(04:02:39):
you're just running good routs and theball there. H yeah, I definitely
was. It was like that earlyin my career, especially in college,
but I found out it's just aboutwinning really. You know, I understand
I came up a rough season,but I don't think it's a step down
of where I can play. Youknow, I think when I was at
the top of my game, I'mstill, you know, top five player

(04:03:01):
in my position, and you know, I played a run in the past
and I bring leadership and that's notanything I discome. Can you you plan
to be here for many camp rama storage for any camp. Yeah,
how difficult has it been the lasttwo weeks to not be here? And
you said in your bodcast the firsttime you've never not been at OTAs.

(04:03:22):
Yeah, it w it was difficult, But like you know, the thing
I got very frustrated with was justwhen people questioned my communication with the team.
You know, I uh was communicatingwith guys left and right, and
you know, front office, coaches, teammates, and all I care about
is how I am with my teammates. I don't want them to ever think

(04:03:43):
I don't care about them or howI'm not in it. And you know,
you can say whatever you want aboutme. But besides that, but
I'll always dedicate anything I can't andI don't want that to every question.
And Theaya said that it felt likesometimes you were hold up somewhere watching so
you texted. Well, like thefirst day he was batting all up Russ's

(04:04:05):
passes, so I had to lethim know, you know, I,
uh, you gotta take advantage ofthat. You gotta make sure guys are
you know, uh know that youyou still care and you still wanna be
a part of this, uh,you know, just watching practice. There's
a couple of things we're doing differentwhether I'm communicating with dumbbar or other people,
you know Soviet Ye, so you'rethat you're also talking with him and

(04:04:28):
you you've given him the pointyers duringthe off season, just a constant communication.
How do you see him girl asa person, you know, as
far as how he's approaching things andhow he's getting ready for this season,
promos his rookiee uh. You know, I think the thing with Keanu is
he's more comfortable, you know.You know it's not his first time around
the track. You know, it'sactually like he can you know, uh,

(04:04:48):
catch his feet under him. Youknow. I always think when you're
in your rookie season, you're goingfrom bowl game. I don't even know
Wisconsin playing in a bowl game.Sorry, Wisconsin, I don't even know.
But I you know, personally,I just think when you go from
bowl game to training for the Combineto you know, rookie mining camps,
OTAs, the you know mini camp, I mean the training camp the regular

(04:05:11):
season, you really don't get atime to really catch yourself. You know,
he understands the playbook. Now youcan be more vocal, you know,
And I think when my absence theother guy's absence. You know,
you need guys like that to stepup and be ready for those opportunities.
You had the same you have duringthe season was a more thorough What was
just tightened down everything, you knowon my left side because I was overcompensating

(04:05:35):
a little bit, but you knowit was there wasn't anything that lingers.
You know, I'll say this,A growing is not like an a c
L. It's not like anything's evergonna ge affected again. And you know,
you know, I'm feeling good,able to do everything squat and heavy
with power and speed, so youknow, it feels good to get after

(04:05:58):
again. What do you think theteam was able to accomplish your off easily?
Return to bringing guys like Russian andthings. You know, I think
they're all good acquisitions, but youknow, you never want to be known
as a paper champion, so youcan't win the off season. I think
the work gets done out here onthe field, gets done in the classroom,
wow, it gets done training,uh, you know, and then

(04:06:20):
you see where you're at in trainingcamp, and then you build on that.
You know, I think we gotthe right guys in the building.
It's just about putting a complete teamon the field camp. How temper colleges
it to separate from business part ofthe game from the actual football player.
Uh. You know you always wannayou always have to treat it like a

(04:06:41):
business because you know one day it'sgonna end. Uh. And that's any
job. Uh. It's not likein college where you know you got four
years guaranteed. I don't know,well now you don't even know where nil
and all. It's crap, butthe transfer portal portal. But you know
you have to you know, Istill have love for this game, and

(04:07:03):
I still work my tail off,and I still put everything into it,
and that's not gonna change. Butyou have to know, uh what you
bring to the team and and whatyour what your value is. Yay me
all. Did it feel to beout there with your teammates today? Emotionally
great? You know, we gota new uh, we got a new
training staff and still learning the thewarm up a little different. Uh,

(04:07:26):
but uh, you know I lovedit. Uh, you know, just
getting after it, learning new guys. Uh, going through the same drills
I've been doing by myself. Uh. I actually like having more people around,
cause like kind of go stir crazy, cra crazy when it's just you
and another guy, You're like,damn, I gotta go back up for
another rep already. And so youknow it's nice to be up here and

(04:07:48):
get a chance to you know,be with my guys. Cam. Were
you confident and deal? We'll getdone with your emotions. Oh, I'm
gonna I'm we'll try to remain prettyneutral cause uh, you know, I
don't wanna, you know, betoo either way. All I know is
I wanna be there. But we'llsee what happens. This was my last

(04:08:09):
year here. I've I've had agreat career here, but uh we'll look
forward to play next year. Canyou with that second surgery you said I
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

(04:08:30):
as my ad doctor. You know, you can ask doctor Bradley, uh,
doctor doctor Zuckerbron who uh did thesurgery as well. You know,
I if anything's gonna help me andit'll make me a lot stronger from here
on up. And you say youwere training with another guy, who have
you kind of been Tyson. Oh. I've been training with him for the
last eight years. We've always trainedtogether. We got a trainer up north,

(04:08:54):
uh Shadow Cole Haley, who's myguy, traded trained trained, uh
Heath Miller, Brett Keesel. Themultitude of guys that I all respect and
we've just been getting after Cam.Is a very few guys historically thirty five
that you paid big contract that youthink that's held against you. I think

(04:09:15):
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
know, I like to think,you know, I can play the run
in the past and then that's whereI'm different. You know, I remember
last year Mike t just brought tomy attention. You know the thing that's

(04:09:37):
really cool is you watch power lesters, 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,
I I We'll see what happens.The It's there's not a lot of
history, but I'm here to makehistory and I'm here to you know,

(04:10:00):
and win another Super Bowl year andyou know, 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 year by the year?
You know it? It was itwas tough answering that question right after the
season. I will say this,guys, I I can't keep answering that
question right after the season. Thatis not fair to the season, That's
not fair to my family. Uh. You know. But in my mind,

(04:10:22):
I got three years and I wannamaximize them. I wanna play at
a high level, and I wannago deep in the playoffs. And you
know, we got a good team, and I'm gonna do my part to
be ready for all those situations.You plan on practicing when you report to
the trob or it is your possibilitythat you might pull in and enforce negotiations.

(04:10:43):
I I have not even thought thatfar. I've taken a day by
day. Uh you know. Uh. I told my agent and we talked
about it. I mean, wewere cool coming out here. You know.
I'll be here for many you know, and then I'll be there for
training pad you know, I don'tknow what the work entails, but when

(04:11:03):
we get there, we'll we'll crossthat bache. Why is it in dogs
free or remain a stealer? Forthose three years? You know, there
was a conversation between me Omar andMike t And there's certain guys that are
one helmet guys, you know,and I wanna be one of those one
helmet guys. And you know there'sa there's a hunger and desire there.

(04:11:26):
But that doesn't mean just hanging itup and calling a career. To me,
I think, you know, Igot more bullets to fire and uh,
you know, I'm excited to dothat. What's the meaning? Last
one? You and Russell Willison aregonna be out there with Walter Man.
Uh what WALTI Payton Man of theYear pat though I saw Russ's on social
media. Uh, but I haven'thad a chance to see it. Uh.

(04:11:50):
I let that surprise happens when ithappens. But uh, you know,
it's it's cool to have another WalterPayton Man the Year winner, you
know, I think, Uh,it's an honor to be there. And
I'll say one thing, I won'tbe here. I'm just telling you guys.
So it's not a big deal.I won't be here because I have
to do a Walter Payton man yourthing on Thursday. So it's not like

(04:12:13):
I'm skipping, all right. Butyou know, it's an honor to be
with Russ and you know, youknow, it's in honor of doing things
in the community and doing great work. And you know, the cool thing
is as much as we get quarterbacksand going through these fifteen practices at how
do you want to structure that?I know that you and Ryan have probably

(04:12:33):
talked about that at good amount,Like what's the right way to set up
a spring position battle? How manyreps does everybody need? What's sort of
your plan? Just from a generalperspective, I guess yeah, you know,
we're really detailed in what practice lookslike and how that's going to operate.
But I also think you need tolet the players go, you know,
So I don't think you need toput shackles on them so to speak,

(04:12:56):
and just keep them constrained. Ithink you got to let them go
and you got to let them operate. And we were rotating I think everybody
on every two snaps today just andthat was just what we're gonna do on
day one. You know, we'llreassess it after we got through it.
Get a chance to count up allthe reps of how many plays, how
many plays each guy got, anddid they get more in seven on than
they did in eleven on? Youknow, and we'll go through that whole
thing and that'll be a constant flowin terms of how we're doing it.

(04:13:16):
But I think the best way peoplelearn is they learn by doing, you
know. So they've been great inthe meeting rooms, they're sharp when you
get them on the board, they'rereally good when they're watching film. But
you gotta go out and you gotto play the game. And so the
more we can put them in thosesituations to play the game, the better
we'll have an opportunity to evaluate them. Ship thinking all of these things go

(04:13:39):
back so far with Ryan Day.You mentioned since you've done him since she
was a kid, What were yourfirst impressions back then that she could come
full circle to now? Like,how do you how do you feel about
that? It's still the same way, you know, even since he was
playing Little League, he was theultimate competitor, you know, and he
was always trying to find a wayto win. He was great at a

(04:14:01):
lot of sports, Baseball, basketball, football, you know, I got
an opportunity to recruit him, youknow, so I coached him when I
was at New Hampshire. I recruithim out of high school. We all,
and we grew up really close toeach other, so same elementary school,
same high school, same junior high, same college. You know.
So I've known him since for fora really long time. But that competitive
fire burns deep with him, andthat's the one thing that I've always admired

(04:14:22):
with him. And he's got anamazing athletic brain in terms of how to
process things and how to how toput people in position to make place.
He's always been that prototypical coach onthe field, no matter what sport he
was playing. So I knew hewas destined to be a coach, you
know. And I was fortunate inmy career as a head coach to have
him on my staff at a coupleof places, so I got a chance
to see him work firsthand. Youknow, I got to see him work

(04:14:43):
firsthand as a player and then asa coach. So the success he had
is not is not surprising to me, is there? For you see why
the success he's had. Yeah,I think we all do that. I
think we come from a unique placein a really small hometown in New Hampshire
where we all take a lot ofpride to where we're from and and when
anybody's successful coming out of there,then you kind of take a little pride

(04:15:05):
that that's it's the upbringing that weall had, you know, in the
UTH sports program that we grew upin in in every aspect, whether it
was football, baseball, basketball,those coaches we had an amazing impact on
us and that's why we are wherewe are right now. Ryan said,
he doesn't think of it as youworking under him, that's working with him.

(04:15:26):
Fact is he is the head coach. He makes me call him sir
though he just said can you dothat day one and I was like all
right, right now. But Imean he ultimately is it is the decision
maker. You've been a head coach. How do you think that's going to
work. Do you think there'll beany as close as you are, any

(04:15:48):
kind of awkward moments the right term, But when he's the ultimate decider and
you are working for him, Yeah, I certainly understand my role. I'm
not Alhaic like, I'm not I'mlot charge here. Yeah, some people
get that reference. Other people don'tget that reference. But I'd certainly understand
that, and I actually kind ofrelish it because I really love the scheming

(04:16:11):
part. I love the individual part. I love being in the meeting room
of the quarterbacks and trying to gameplan. But everything we do here is
collaborative. You know. The onething that really struck me when I walked
in this place is there's an amazingcoaching staff here, you know, and
if you get a chance to talkto Larry Johnson just about football, or
Tim Walton or Jim Knowles or BrianHartline or any of these guys that are
on the staff here, it's it'sa very collaborative effort. I think everybody's

(04:16:34):
on the same page. You know. It's not our offense and their defense
and it's Ohio State, you know, it's it's Ohio State versus the twelve
opponents that we're gonna play during theregular season and then beyond. So it's
it's really collaborative. And that's thething I like, just in the short
time that I've been here, ishow collaborative everybody's been. You know,
we're all trying to make each otherbetter, and we're all trying to develop

(04:16:55):
this team. Touched on this,you said, you know, you like
to do what you wanna do andnot. My sense is you, in
your perfect world, you'd like toscribble plays on a napkin and not deal
with boosters, do deal with allthe stuff that coaches head coaches have to
deal with. Now, how muchof a factor was that in this decision?
You can just do football now thatthat's not it? I mean,

(04:17:17):
I I enjoy I mean, we'vehad some amazing I've had an opportunity and
everywhere I've been to meet some amazingpeople that are associated with the program.
And and there's people that from mytime at New Hampshire or my time at
Oregon. I was just with PhilNight two weeks ago, you know,
and got an opportunity to spend sometime with him and his wife Penny,
who are dear friends of mine thatthat have been great mentors to me in
my career. And there's a bunchof people that at uh UCLA, Terry

(04:17:38):
Donnahue Andrea Donna who were awesome tome. Angela Mazzoni is a great friend.
Casey Wassman, Troy Ayikman. Therewas a bunch of people at UCLA
that I I really enjoyed, youknow, being around and talking with.
So I think sometimes everybody wants tomake a narrative of it's either this or
that. It's it's it's never that. It's never just all ball, it's
never just all recruiting, it's neverjust all boosters. It's it's a mixture

(04:17:59):
of everything. But I think theone thing that as this position as a
head coach kept moving on is thatif you look at a lot of them,
they all become more CEOs. Youknow. I can't tell you how
many coaches that have called me sinceI made this decision that said I'm two
years behind you, brother, youknow that are thinking the same exact way.
And I think it's all part ofwhat we have to do. I
think we all need to protect thisgame and promote this game, and I

(04:18:19):
think there are some rules that weneed to get straightened out so that people
understand where what it's about, becausethe game is still about the players,
and I hope that never gets discounted. You know. It's it's always been
about the players. And I thinkif we can keep that at the forefront
the people that are making decisions onthis, and I think Geene Smith is
one of the best influences in inthe NCAAA, is to make sure we

(04:18:41):
keep that the main thing, themain thing it needs to be the student
athletes. You know, you're comingin at a time where you've been through
some places where the expectations are high, I understand, which also coming into
a juncture where you know, thethree losses to Michigan not making the playoff
last year, the urgency is prettyhigh here. I guess just sort of

(04:19:03):
what perspective do you have on kindof the stakes that there are for Ryan
this year and the decision that thenhe makes to bring you in to kind
of help solve that. Yeah,I think the expectations can be no higher
than they are in your own brain, you know. And I think if
you try to worry about what otherpeople are thinking in their brains, you're
gonna get screwed up a little bit. So, you know, I talked

(04:19:25):
earlier the one thing about Ryan thatI know about him and has always been
he's the ultimate competitor. So he'sgot there's nowhere that has higher expectations of
Ohio state than Ryan does, northe rest of us that joined him in
our part of this and that areworking with him. So you know,
I don't think I think sometimes youcan spend too much time thinking about those
things. You know. What youreally have to do is just as there's
a big sign as you walk intothis place, it says when the moment,

(04:19:47):
you know, I think that's areal thing that we have to do
as coaches, is to make surethat our players aren't worried about what's going
on in the future, or oraren't worried about what's going on in the
past, or worry about can theyget a little bit better today, you
know, and can we make improvement? And I think the one thing that
I've seen, and I've only beenthere for three weeks, but there's a
consistency to the players approach when theywalk in this building every day, which
is it's unique. It's not likethat everywhere else. And it's one of

(04:20:07):
the things that I remarked to Mickwhen I you know, he said,
Hey, what do you think,And I was like, it's impressive.
It's impressive the culture of the playersthat are in this program right now.
But I think it speaks a lotto the leadership. There's there's a lot
of older players on this team,and they've set the tone for the younger
players, and I think the youngerplayers have done a great job of followship
and getting right in line with thatnever hit it over play calling to someone

(04:20:27):
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,

(04:20:48):
and if it's a bad play,he called it. Because the great
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 just gus game day yet.
You know, we'll see how thatoperates. But everywhere I've been it's been
a collaborative effort, and all ofa sudden, someone that's calling the plays
isn't isn't like pulls one out ofleft field that you hadn't practiced and hadn't

(04:21:12):
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 confidence comes become comes from their demonstrated

(04:21:34):
ability that they've done this so manytimes in practice that when they get out
on the field that this is likethat to them, you know. And
it's not that they do it sothey do it right, it's they practice
it so much so that they can'tdo it wrong. So, you know,
I think it's that whole part ofit that is really the key to
being a really good game planning team. Second right, Doug Lane ree Kingdom
North Chip. When you had thatfeeling when you were coaching the quarterbacks during

(04:21:57):
Bold Operation, did you consider atthat point maybe resigning as the head coach
and thinking like this is this isnot where I am anymore. I'll leave
and then I'll look to see whatelse is out there. No, I
never thought about quitting anything. Soyou know, I just is there an
opportunity that I think I can thatfit, you know, And I think

(04:22:18):
that's the you know, it's nodifferent than when you're talking to a recruit
about them make a decision on wherethey're gonna go to school, think that
where they should go to school iswhere the best fit is for them.
So you know, I just entertainedsome opportunities and I always felt I felt
like this was the best fit.But I never thought about quitting or not
coaching. I'm gonna coach. I'mgonna coach, and then I'm gonna die.
But I mean that's how I thinkI think about things. Is I

(04:22:41):
can't picture that. I know someoneI was on the Nike trip and they
are like, how much longer areyou gonna go? When I said I
to go another fifteen twenty years.I don't think about I don't think about
retirement. I don't think about anyof those things. That's just not kind
of my mindset that you know.I love football and in the as long
as I can be part of thisgame, then I'll be part of the
game. Just the way things workedout with your departure from UCLA, is

(04:23:03):
there anything that you wish you haddone differently, or anything you regret,
or just that the circumstances that presentedthemselves. Do you think that you handled
that departure the best that you couldhave? Yeah? I mean I got
an opportunity to tell my players personally. You know, I think in this
day and age of the internet,where they read it somewhere else and you
have to text message him. Youknow, that was always important to me
that I wanted to make sure Italked to my players and explain the reasons

(04:23:26):
of what I was doing. Iwasn't leaving to take a head coaching job
somewhere else. I wasn't thinking thatthe grass is greener at another university.
Was just in my personal situation,this is what I wanted to do.
I wanted to take an opportunity togo be a position coach and coordinator,
and that's how it fit. Youknow. What I was happy is 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 that they were

(04:23:49):
they gave him the opportunity to takeover. There was you know, it
worked out. I didn't have anysay in that decision, you know,
I was gone, But I alwaysthought that de Shaun would be a great
head coach, and I'm really proudof them and happy that that he got
the opportunity to take that job rightbehind Ittu. You have your reputation as
innovator. Was part of the appealof this is that you get to get

(04:24:11):
in the weeds a little bit,uh maybe not mad sciences, maybe too
too strong of a word, becauseyou're working within the system. But was
there an appeal of I get toget my hands dirty here again and innovate
and get back to that side ofthings. It was, But it was
really more important of who I getto work with, you know, and
so knowing you know, I've gotI know a lot of guys on the

(04:24:33):
staff besides Ryan also, so youknow, when I know what their mindset
is and what their values are andhow they do things, and so I
want to be a part of that. But but there's a part of that,
Yeah, how much of a teacheryou get labeled with an innovator.
The teaching is a part of this. How much is it is How a
teacher are you and how patient areyou? Yeah, I think we're all

(04:24:55):
teachers. I mean, education isthe transportation of knowledge, you know,
So it really doesn't matter what thecoach knows what the players understand, you
know, So you have to beable to make sure that while you're implementing
things is what resonates with them andhow does that come back to them.
So, you know a lot ofour teaching styles that we've learned is more
the socratic method of there's a lotof questions, you know, and a

(04:25:15):
lot of check for understandings, justto kind of find out where the players
are coming from, because it's whatthey know that that's ultimately gonna win games,
not what we know. You knowthat we're not playing the games.
We're not stepping across those white lines, you know. And your job as
a coach is to create an environmentwhere they have an opportunity to be successful
and then get out of their wayand let them go do it. So
I think the teaching aspect is huge, and we continue to research, you

(04:25:37):
know, some of the latest trendsin teaching to make sure that we are
transporting that knowledge to our players secondor left Steve Helwagen twenty four seven Sports.
Yeah, coach, just curious,you got five scholarship quarterbacks with differing
levels of experience, age and everythingelse. Not to annoy him, but
just want to ask specifically about WillHoward coming in after starting party two years

(04:26:00):
at He has a stage. Hejust seems to promote this idea that he's
a football player, you know aboveall else. Just how impressed are you
with his makeup, his experience,what he's bringing to the table walking in
here right now? Yeah, reallyimpressed. You know, you don't have
to talk to Will for more thanfive minutes to kind of know where he's

(04:26:21):
coming from. He's really focused.You know, he knows he's got a
short window left in his college career, and it really wants to capitalize on
what that is. There's a maturityto Will, you know, I really
I've had experience. My experience inthis thing since the transfer portal opened in
college football is some of the bestplayers I've had an opportunity to coach.
Ward transfers. Sometimes when you're atrue freshman and it's five years out,

(04:26:45):
you know, it's like, hey, I got a ton of time,
you know, and sometimes when you'rea transfer is that I've got nine months,
you know, So there's a senseof urgency I think when you're dealing
with with transfers, and I thinkWill has exuded that since he's been here.
But the other thing that I justin the short time that Will has
been here is how quickly he's fitin with the entire team, you know,
and how much the the rest ofthe players respect him. You know.
He was uh one of the GoldAward winners for his work in the

(04:27:08):
weight room in this offseason, sothat says a lot for him coming in
here as a in a short time, being able to to win a weight
room award, you know, tostart off. You guys hope to have
the number one internally externally at theend of spring or I guess just let
it play out. How do Ithink it? Always every time I've been
involved in these, I think whenthey're organic is when it's the best that

(04:27:29):
I don't think you can anoint somebodyor force the issue because the players know,
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
going to force the issue a butI've always seen it play itself out.
So I've been fortunate that there's alwaysgonna be some quarterback battles at at some
point in time. At every schoolthere's a quarterback battle, you know.

(04:27:51):
And then and really I feel likein the league, whether I left or
right or still going against premier guys. So obviously you have high expectations for
your left and the right tackle,but there's definitely uh, like the the
level of energy and like the expectationsdefinitely taking the human spect cause now connet
the blindside that stuff, that's thetackle role, you know. So so

(04:28:17):
yeah, I would say in termsof communication as far as just even outside
the facility and just stuff like that, like really creating that the tackle quarterback
bond even more off the field,I think has been something that's even been
cool. I got a text oneday it's like, hey, like you
play left, and I was like, yeah, you know, yeah,

(04:28:37):
I've been training both. I've beentraining both, you know. I I
asks after the season, they're like, honestly, you know, we'll talk
to you, so play in theseason. And I just got a text
and like, depending on what happenswith 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,I'm going I'm standing right tackle.
I don't do what I did before. I'm built on that. I was

(04:29:00):
like, I might as alost trainedthe left tackle now as if I'm gonna
be a left tackle, And I'drather do that than training on the right
time and get the call hey you'rethe left tackle. I'm like, oh,
I didn't even switch my feet 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 on third down there
would be a lot of twists.I would just know like it's I'm automatically

(04:29:22):
coming. And I think that wasmy mindset for like the first half of
the season, Like I didn't haveto go into a game and was surprise
like, oh my gosh, theydid that. I kind of figured like,
okay, like this is this isthe type of rushman again, like
this is how this guy usually rushes. But I get the vibe this is
how the ends like the rush.You know, tackles that are you know,
first year guys who got the premierepatch on. I already knew what

(04:29:45):
it was gonna be, already knewover every stunt and honestly just knowing that
it's kind of an advantage too.So you're not you're not you're not old.
They brought the twist to my sideagain. It was never an Aaron
Donald, like, you know,they're coming out with minds like three plays
in a row and two minutes.I knew that was winning, you know
what I mean. I'm watching morethan everybody else, and he rarely Eland
goes out there on occasional third downwas on the d M. I was

(04:30:07):
like, A, you know whatit'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 the way,but it's also exciting, like, Okay,
I'm gonna get the hardest look.You know, those are real,
real reps, you know the bank. So really, I don't know.
I really didn't kind of process that. I was like, hey, when

(04:30:30):
they tell me to let me know, but I'm just gonna train it.
I was training all left to Ta's. I guess if I didn't hear anything
about Ta's, I would have camein like so you know what I mean,
because just like I'm cool training bothcontinue, I would have been cool
training both continually, but I'm stillnot. Like, what's it been like
for you just seeing is the earlystages of how he challenges people and how

(04:30:52):
they responded. I mean, yeah, I mean at the end of the
day, I think we're all grownin in here, so you know you
should automatically, you know, takeaccountability for you know, everything you do
in the field, whether it's somethinggood, whether it's something bad. And
I think everybody's responded well to that. So you know, I think that
does nothing, but you know itmakes everybody better allowed to your teammates,

(04:31:12):
to you know, put more trustin to whoever it is has taken accountability
at the time. What I uh, what'd you seen the guy accounted?
See? Yeah, I mean he'squick. You know, he can create
a lot of space and uh smallspaces, so uh it's quick, you
know, uh savvy with his routerunning, and you know he's just he's
just a hard worker. You know. You know there's some plays where he

(04:31:33):
knows he's not getting the ball andhe's still still winning ro oute. So
you know, just to have thatplayer, uh A a player like that
give that much effort uh on thefield every play. It's really really good
to see. And I think it'syou know, really uh gonna rub up
on the other guys too. I'mgood. I'm about them get the other
what's it like working with uh someof the tight ends that you guys happened

(04:31:53):
to him there, I know afterSmith straight just talking about the versatility that
a lot of the guys have,especially in that grip. Yeah, I
mean we've a different uh uh,A lot of you know, different guys
in the tight end room. Youknow, Darnell he brings sides to the
room, Uh, Rodney Speed,Uh, Connor he has a great awareness
in the field. Pat of coursehe you know, he's a great all
a round tight end. And thenuh you know, uh Crew he's a

(04:32:17):
he's a back, he's smart,he knows what he's doing. So,
I mean just all the guys inthe room, you know, they're smart
and intensive and they've i f Ifeel like they've j a justice to the
offense. Well, so's it.What's been like working with tom or on?
What's he can kind of working whatyou want to? Yeah, I
mean Talma's been great. Uh justhis a tis attention to detail, the

(04:32:40):
way he comes you know, ineach and every day. He comes in
the same guy every day and uhto be on side. And you know,
I don't think of how to coachthat detailed or as Tom. You
know, he's very detailed in termsof you know, practice review sending us,
uh the info, breaking down eachand every play and really just really
just focused on the details. Tobe honest with you, I think,

(04:33:02):
uh, that's the thing that setshim apart. And you know he's he
pushed us to be hard, Imean our our indie periods or you know,
conditioning, So of course that's goodfor us. But I mean he's
been great so far. So excitedto uh you know, allow that allow
our relationship to grow, and excitedto work for and is what he's doing
kind of compliment what you're doing individually, you know, when you're away from

(04:33:23):
the facility working with you know,coaches one on one or anything like that.
He said, what does he whatdoes he do here that kind of
compliments what you do away from thefacility when you're troubling. I mean,
I think he does different stuff.So I think, uh, that's a
good thing about it. You knowsome stuff that we do here. Oh
sorry, uh, I don't youknow, usually do outside of the facility.

(04:33:44):
So it's good getting that different workin, different drill work that I
can you know, implement into myyou know, off season program and stuff
like that. So it's good thatI'm learned new stuff for sure. You're
deep all efficiency? What what?What? What is uh the office talk
about you what trying to make makethat incorporate that into to being a big
part of this all. I meanyeah, uh, I think we have

(04:34:07):
fast guys, guys that can getdown the field with speed, Uh,
guys like Quez, Calvin, Scottie, Van, you know me and rest.
You know, we've we've had alot of deep ball success and a
lot of explosive plays in the past. So you know that's just uh,
you know what, I guess howour offense is built to be honest with
you, but I mean, ourjob is to create explosives and you know,

(04:34:27):
push the ball down the field.So anytime we get those ops,
we definitely wanna capitalize on those.Are your coach just arresting any part of
your mechanics and anyway, plum thatI mean, yeah, Uh, I
think there's always room to improve,uh, mechanic wise and stuff like that.
So I think you know, MattBaker, Uh, he's a court
quarterback consistant. He you know,usually stays on me the most about it.
Okay, So I appreciate the factthat he does that, and uh

(04:34:49):
usually you know, make sure hedoesn't make sure I just just stay on
top of it, you know asa whole, and you know, make
sure my mechanics are always clean.Can you talk about one particular element the
first It's it's different areas. Tobe honest, I don't think it's just
one specific area, but it's it'sdifferent areas justin in your opinion, was
there something that you wanted to workon maybe get better at when you got
you at this point in your career. I mean, like, like I

(04:35:11):
said, there's you know, nomatter who you are, you know there's
always stuff to get better at,always different areas. Nobody's perfect in one
area. So I think you cancontinue to prove in all aired in my
game of me personally, So I'mjust focused on getting better as you ever
did. When we talked tout Russyesterday, he said that rusted that he
personally felt kind of revived you beingat another step in his career. Is

(04:35:33):
there any of that sense of mayberejuvenation or feeling revived. Obviously you haven't
been in the league for thirteen years, but is there a new energy that
you get being in a different organization, going through mini camp in a different
way for the first time. Ithink so, you know, just being
around a new team an organization asplayers, But to stay on day one
that I think that our scheme isgoing to be this, this or this,

(04:35:56):
it's you know, that's going tobe a work in progress as we
start to get familiar with what theplay skill sets are and then what we
can do. And it's always acombination of what you have upfront and then
what you have out back. AndI know we've got a couple of really
talented running backs behind them, soyou know, it's something that we're going
to look at. But I alsoknow you can't be one dimensional in football.
You need to be able to throwthe ball as much as run the
ball. You know, It's funny. Some people think I'm an area guy,

(04:36:17):
some people think I'm a wing teaguy. Some people think I want
to run the ball every down.You know, we're gonna we're gonna do
what's best for a house state,and that's that's kind of what our game
plan is right now, right Austinwere a podcast. When you think about
your first evaluations of the quarterbacks andgoing through these fifteen practices at how do
you want to structure that? Iknow that you and Ryan have probably talked

(04:36:37):
about that a good amount, Likewhat's the right way to set up a
spring position battle? How many repsdoes everybody need? What's sort of your
plan? Just from a general perspective, I guess yeah, you know,
we're really detailed in what practice lookslike and how that's going to operate.
But I also think you need tolet the players go, you know,
so I don't think you need toput shackles on them, so to speak,

(04:36:57):
and just keep them. I thinkyou got to let them go,
and you got to let him operate. And we were rotating I think everybody
on every two snaps today just andthat was just what we're going to do
on day one. You know,we'll reassess it after we got through it.
Get a chance to count up allthe reps of how many plays,
how many plays each guy got anddid they get more in seven on than
they did in eleven on? Youknow, And we'll go through that whole
thing and that'll be a constant flowin terms of how we're doing it.

(04:37:19):
But I think the best way peoplelearn is they learn by doing, you
know. So they've been great inthe meeting rooms. They're sharp when you
get them on the board. They'rereally good when they're watching film. But
you got to go out and yougot to play the game. And so
the more we can put them inthose situations to play the game, the
better we'll have an opportunity to evaluatethem. Ships thinking all of these things

(04:37:42):
go back. So for with Ryan'sday, you mentioned since you've done him
since she was a kid, whatwere your first impressions back then? And
then she come full circle to now, like how do you how do you
feel about that? It's still thesame way. You know, even since
he was playing little league, hewas the ultimate competitor, you know,
and he was always trying to finda way to win. He was great

(04:38:03):
at a lot of sports, baseball, basketball, football. You know,
I got an opportunity to recruit him, you know, so I coached him
when I was at New Hampshire.I recruited him out of high school and
we all and we grew up reallyclose to each other, so same elementary
school, same high school, samejunior high, same college, you know.
So I've known him since for fora really long time. But that
competitive fire burns deep with him,and that's the one thing that I've always

(04:38:25):
admired with him. And he's gotan amazing athletic brain in terms of how
to process things and how to howto put people in position to make place.
He's always been that prototypical coach onthe field, no matter what sport
he was playing. So I knewhe was destined to be a coach,
you know. And I was fortunatein my career as a head coach to
have him on my staff in acouple of places, so I got a
chance to see him work firsthand,you know. I got to see him

(04:38:47):
work firsthand as a player and thenas a coach. So the success he
had is not is not surprising tome. Is there for you seeing Wheyan
the successes had. Yeah, Ithink we all do that. I think
we come from a unique place ina really small hometown in New Hampshire where
we all take a lot of prideto where we're from, and when anybody's
successful coming out of there, thenyou kind of take a little pride.

(04:39:07):
That's it's the upbringing that we allhad, you know, in the UTH
sports program that we grew up inin in every aspect, whether it was
football, baseball, basketball, thosecoaches had an amazing impact on us and
that's why we are where we areright now. For Bill Rabinwick Columbus Dispatch,
Ryan said, he doesn't think ofit as you working under him,
it's working with him. Fact ishe is the head coach off the quarter.

(04:39:32):
He makes me call him sir thathe just said can you do that?
Day one? And I was like, all right, right now?
But I mean he ultimately it isthe decision maker. You've been a head
coach. How do you think that'sgoing to work. Do you think there'll
be any as close as you are, any kind of awkward moments the right

(04:39:53):
term, But when he's the ultimatedecider and you are working for him,
Yeah, I certainly underst and myrole. I'm not al Haague like I'm
not in charge here. Yeah.Some people get that reference, other people
don't get that reverence. But I'dcertainly understand that, and I actually kind
of relish it because I really lovethe scheming part. I love the individual

(04:40:15):
part. I love being in themeeting room of the quarterbacks and trying to
game plan. But everything we dohere is collaborative. You know. The
one thing that really struck me whenI walked in this place is there's an
amazing coaching staff here. You know, and if you get a chance to
talk to Larry Johnson just about football, or Tim Walton or Jim Knowles or
Brian Hartline or any of these guysthat are on the staff here, it's
it's a very collaborative effort. Ithink everybody's on the same page. You

(04:40:38):
know, it's not our offense andtheir defense and others. It's Ohio State,
you know, it's it's Ohio Stateversus the twelve opponents that we're going
to play during the regular season andthen beyond. So it's it's really collaborative.
And that's the thing I like,just in the short time that I've
been here, is how collaborative everybody'sbeen. You know, we're all trying
to make each other better and we'reall trying to develop this team. Touched

(04:40:59):
on this, you said, youknow, you'd like to do what you
want to do and not My senseis you, in your perfect world,
you'd like to scribble plays on anapkin and not deal with boosters, do
deal with all the stuff that coacheshead coaches have to deal with now And
how much of a factor was thatin this decision you can just do football
now that that's not it. Imean, I enjoy I mean, we've

(04:41:21):
had some amazing I've had an opportunityand everywhere I've been to meet some amazing
people that are associated with the program. And there's people that from my time
at New Hampshire or my time atOregon. I was just with Phil Night
two weeks ago. You know,I've got an opportunity to spend some time
with him and his wife Penny,who are dear friends of mine that have
been great mentors to me in mycareer. And there's a bunch of people
that and UCLA, Terry Donnahue AndreaDonna who were awesome to me. Angela

(04:41:45):
Mazzoni is a great friend, CaseyWassman, Troy Aikman. There was a
bunch of people at UCLA that Ireally enjoyed, you know, being around
and talking with so I think sometimeseverybody wants to make a narrative of it's
either this or that. It's it'sit's never that. It's never just all
ball, it's never just all recruiting, it's ever just all boosters. It's
it's a mixture of everything. ButI think the one thing that as this

(04:42:06):
position as a head coach kept movingon is that if you look at a
lot of them, they all becomemore CEOs. You know, I can't
tell you how many coaches that havecalled me since I made this decision that
said I'm two years behind you,brother, You know that are thinking the
same exact way. And I thinkit's all part of what we have to
do. I think we all needto protect this game and promote this game,
and I think there are some rulesthat we need to get straightened out
so that people understand where what it'sabout, because the game is still about

(04:42:30):
the players, and I hope thatnever gets discounted. You know, It's
it's always been about the players,and I think if we can keep that
at the forefront the people that aremaking decisions on this And I think Jean
Smith is one of the best influencesin the NCAAA is to make sure we
keep that the main thing. Themain thing needs to be the student athletes.

(04:42:51):
You're coming in at a time whereyou've been through some places where the
expectations are high. I understand you'realso coming into the I'm sure where you
know, the three losses to Michigan, the not making the playoff last year.
The urgency is pretty high here.I guess just sort of what perspective
do you have on kind of thestakes that there are for Ryan this year
and the decision that then he makesto bring you in to kind of help

(04:43:15):
solve that. Yeah, I thinkthe expectations can be no higher than they
are in your own brain, youknow. And I think if you try
to worry about what other people arethinking 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 Iknow about him and has always been he's
the ultimate competitor. So he's gotThere's nowhere that has higher expectations of Ohio
State than Ryan does, nor therest of us that joined him and are

(04:43:37):
a part of this and that areworking with him. So you know,
I don't think I think sometimes youcan spend too much time thinking about those
things. You know, what youreally have to do is just as there's
a big sign as you walk intothis place that says when the moment you
know, I think that's a realthing that we 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 worriedabout what's going on in the past,
or worry about can they get alittle bit better today, you know,

(04:44:00):
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 in thisbuilding every day, which is it's unique.
It's not like that everywhere else.And it's one of the things that
I remarked to Mick when I youknow, 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
it speaks a lot to the leadership. There's there's a lot of older players

(04:44:21):
on this team, and they've setthe tone 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 handedover a 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
the offense that you gave him.I guess itself. Yeah, I still

(04:44:45):
think the play calling part will bea collaborative effort. And by that I
mean that if it's a good play, I called it, and if it's
a bad play, he called it. Because the great part is an assistant
coach, you just point the fingera little bit and just say, hey,
you know, I wanted to dothis, but he tromp. So
we haven't actually discussed game day yet. You know, we'll see how that
operates. But everywhere I've been it'sbeen a collaborative effort. And all of

(04:45:08):
a sudden, someone that's calling theplays isn't isn't like pulls one out of
left field that you hadn't practiced andhadn't been part of your offense and said,
hey, let's do this. Youknow, we're not running the annexation
of Puerto Rico. You know,we're not coming up with something special,
you know in the middle of thefourth quarter that we haven't done. But
I think it's the key to reallybeing successful on offense is is how you

(04:45:30):
game plan, how you put itall together, and then how you practice
and train for that so that youget a chance to execute it. Because
the player's confidence comes from their demonstratedability that they've done this so many times
in practice that when they get outon the field that this is like that
to them. You know, it'snot that they do it so they do
it right, it's they practice itso much so that they can't do it
wrong. So, you know,I think it's that whole part of it

(04:45:51):
that is really the key to beinga really good game planning team. Second
right, Doug Lane ree Kingdom NorthChip. When you had that feeling when
you were coaching the quarterbacks during boldthat preparation, did you consider at that
point maybe resigning as the head coachand thinking like this is this is not
where I am anymore. I'll leaveand then I'll look to see what else

(04:46:11):
is out there. No, Inever thought about quitting anything. So you
know, I just is there anopportunity that I think I can that fit,
you know, And I think that'sthe you know, it's no different
than when you're talking to a recruitabout them make a decision on where they're
going to go to school, thinkthat where they should go to school is
where the best fit is for them. So, you know, I just
entertained some opportunities and I always feltI felt like this was the best fit.

(04:46:34):
But I never thought about quitting ornot coaching. I'm going to coach.
I'm gonna coach, and then I'mgonna 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 have to go another
fifteen twenty years, And 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

(04:46:56):
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.
You have just the way things workedout with your departure from UCLA. Is
there anything that you wish you haddone differently, or anything you regret,
or just that the circumstances that presentedthemselves. Do you think that you handled
that departure the best that you couldhave. Yeah, I mean I got

(04:47:18):
an opportunity to tell my players personally. You know, I think in this
day and age of the internet,where they read it somewhere else and you
have to text message him. Youknow, that was always important to me
that I wanted to make sure Italk to my players and explain the reasons
of what I was doing. Iwasn't leaving to take a head coaching job
somewhere else. I wasn't thinking thatthe grass is greener at another university.
Was just in my personal situation,this is what I wanted to do.
I wanted to take an opportunity togo be a position coach and coordinator,

(04:47:41):
and that's how it fit. Youknow. What I was happy is 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 that they were
they gave him the opportunity to takeover there was you know, it worked
out. I didn't have any sayin that decision, you know, I
was gone. But I always thoughtthat Deshaun would be a great head coach,

(04:48:03):
and I'm really proud of them andhappy that that he got the opportunity
to take that job. Right behindyour reputation is innovator? Was part of
the appeal of this is that youget to get in the weeds a little
bit. Uh maybe not mad Sciences, maybe too too strong of a work
because you're working within the system.But was there an appeal of I get

(04:48:23):
to get my hands dirty here againand innovate and to get back to that
side of things. It was,but it was really more important of who
I get to work with, youknow, and so knowing you know,
I've got I know a lot ofguys on the staff besides Ryan also,
so you know, when I knowwhat their mindset is and what their values
are and how they do things,and so I wanted to be a part

(04:48:45):
of that. But but there's apart of that. Yeah, how much
of a teacher you get labeled aninnovator? The teachings are part of this.
How much is it is of ateacher or even how patient? Yeah,
I think we're all teachers. Imean education is the transportation of knowledge,
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

(04:49:11):
does that come back to them.So, you know, a lot of
our teaching styles that we've learned ismore of the Socratic method of there's a
lot of questions, you know,and a lot of check for understandings,
just to kind of find out wherethe players are coming from, because it's
what they know that that's ultimately goingto win games, not what we know.
You know that we're not playing thegames. We're not stepping across those
white lines, you know. Andyour job as a coach is to create
an environment where they have an opportunityto be successful and then get out of

(04:49:33):
their way and let them go doit. So I think the teaching aspect
is huge, and we continue toresearch, you know, some of the
latest trends in teaching to make surethat we are transporting that knowledge to our
players. Yeah, coach, justcurious. You've got five scholarship quarterbacks with
differing levels of experience, age andeverything else, not to annoy you,

(04:49:57):
but just want to ask specifically outWill Howard coming in after starting part of
two years, that he is astate He just seems to promote this idea
that he's a football player, youknow, above all else. Just how
impressed are you with his makeup,by his experience, what he's bringing to

(04:50:17):
the table walking in here right now? Yeah, really impressed. You know,
you don't have to talk to Willfor more than five minutes to kind
of know where he's coming from.He's really focused. You know, he
knows he's got a short window leftin his college career and it really wants
to capitalize on what that is.There's a maturity to Will, you know.
I really I've had experience, Myexperience in this thing since the transfer

(04:50:40):
portal opened in college football is someof the best players I've had an opportunity
to coach. Ward transfers. Sometimeswhen you're a true freshman and it's five
years out, you know, it'slike, hey, I got a ton
of time, you know. Andsometimes when you're a transfer, is that
I've got nine months, you know, So there's a sense of urgency.
I think when you're dealing with withtransfers, and I think Will has exuded
that since he's been here. Butthe other thing that I just in the

(04:51:00):
short time that Will has been hereis how quickly he's fit in with the
entire team, you know, andhow much the the rest of the players
respect him. You know. Hewas UH one of the Gold Award winners
for his work in the weight roomin this offseason, so that says a
lot for him coming in here asa in a short time, being able
to to win a weight room award, you know, to start off,
to have the number one internally externallyinto spring, or I guess just let

(04:51:26):
it play out. I think italways every time I've been involved in these,
I think when they're organic is whenit's the best. I don't think
you can anoint somebody or force theissue because the players know, the players
would understand. They see it everysingle day, you know, and there's
a team chemistry part of this thingtoo, So we're not going to force
the issue. A But I've alwaysseen it play itself out. So I've

(04:51:47):
been fortunate that there's always going tobe some quarterback battles that at some point
in time at every school, there'sa quarterback battle, you know, and
then and really you got to lethim play it out on the field,
and that's where it has to That'sthat's where it has to be decided.
Hey, welcome, and we wereexcited to have you here. I'm kind
of to talk about the innovative part. Ryan said that that's something that he's

(04:52:10):
always loved about working with you,and now he wants you to bring that
here and how it fit with OhioState. Do you any idea what that's
going to look like yet or isit just way too early? I have
no idea, you know. Ithink part of it is is you're trying
to put the players in position tomake plays. So a lot of that
comes from getting to understand the playersand what their skill sets are and how

(04:52:30):
we feature what their skill sets are, you know. And the one thing
after day one, I can tellyou that there's a lot of skill set
out there, you know. Sothat's what gets you excited, you know,
That's that's what you jump out ofbed in the morning and you're excited
to go to work because of thetalent that you get to work with.
But the one thing that's the mostimpressive is the work ethic that goes along
with that talent. You know,it's not just empty talents. Is you

(04:52:52):
got some kids who want to Imean all of them since I've been here
want to work. So that's whatgets you excited. But I think assessing
what the skill set is you knowthat we have available to us on the
offensive side of the ball is vitallyimportant, and then our job is to
put those guys in positions to makeplace. You made lots of pressure.
I mean, you've experienced what it'slike to coach National championship CAW over teams

(04:53:15):
this program right now and moving intoa situation where you got to win quick
and now. So does that feellike pressure here for you or is it
a little bit of excitement or both? Well, I've always subscribed to as
pressure is what you feel when youdon't know what you're doing. So if
you don't want to feel pressure,and then you should know what you're doing.
So, you know, I thinkit's it's part of that, and
I think part of our job withour players in terms of the education process

(04:53:37):
is getting them to understand that too. Is that you know, it's it's
about your preparation, it's about youand your development. It's not about that.
You can't be governed by what otherpeople say. It's it's what's my
mindset and how am I intrinsically motivated? And then how do I really compete
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

(04:53:59):
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 from thebox and coaching from the field. It's
interesting talk to some offen some coordinators. Tom Herman talking about he swore he
wanted to coach from the box,saw the game so much better, sterile

(04:54:21):
environment, not all the chaos onthe field. Some coaches you talk to
the like, I want to beon the field so I can look at
my guys in there in the eye. Where are you at as a as
a coordinator? Honestly and I've thoughtof this a lot. I thought of
it a lot during COVID because wehad the empty stands, you know,
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, but Ibelieve you can feel the game better from

(04:54:42):
the field. So if there wasany way we could get a zip wire
where you could do both, youknow, coach calling from there and then
zip down of the field get achance to talk to him, because it's
a different deal when you're talking tothe quarterbacks on a phone, you know,
than being able to look in theireye and kind of see where they
are with it. Part of itis the field part of it. I
remember when I coached Ryan once.We were playing Yukon and he got hit

(04:55:06):
hard going out of bounce and hejust walked by me. And I was
a play caller, and he waslike, run the next play, and
I just kind of looked at him. I saw the look in his eyes
because I don't think he could havethrown it, you know, he was
still trying to get his win back. But you wouldn't know that if you're
up in the booth, you know, and you call a pass play from
up in the booth and you're like, how come we can't complete that?
Well, he just took a shotgoing out of bound. So it's that
fine line that I don't have ananswer, you know. I think I

(04:55:27):
think it's feel on the ground andit's see from up above. Maybe in
this day a technology, they'll figureit out. But we'll see how that
that that operates, and whatever Ryanfeels is the best for the team is
what we're gonna do. So yourteams at the Oregon were obviously no,
we're playing at this ass pace andrunning a bunch of plays for a minute,

(04:55:49):
and yep, maybe not by pastpretty fast? What rule do you
see? Tempo and having an offense? And in the States in college football
and has maybe change. I thinkthe game is always evolving, you know.
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

(04:56:14):
had shiny helmets and everybody was playingfast. So I think the game is
always gonna go up and down,and there's gonna be different cycles that it
goes through. I think tempo ispart of when those two kids, cause
I recruited on when they was inhigh school. So I'm up for the
challenge and the responsibility of it.Got right behind it. Dann Hope Eleven
Carlos, just what is your kindof coaching philosophy? How do you get
the best out of your running backs? I get the best out them cause

(04:56:37):
I love the young mayor. Mymain focus is it changed the hearts and
minds of them and they'll played forme. I had just got through reading
Coach Treelsa's Windness Manual, and it'ssomeday that I took from that book.
You have your purpose and you haveyour goals, alright. My purpose is
to serve and pour into the youngman. Now, my goals is a
football coach. I all thembit takecare of. So that's one of the

(04:57:02):
ways I'm just real relationship based ina very detailed at this position. I
know y'all heard me say before,and I'm gonna keep saying. This is
the worst coach position in football.It's terrible, guys hire anybody to coach
his position. And recruiters. CARLSLocker is not a recruiter. I'm an
elite relationship builder. But I coachedthis position. I'm a ball coach,
so that's who I am. SoI'm gonna pouring to these kids. I

(04:57:22):
think they kind of seeing it now. And I jumped in day one,
I'm ready to coach. And thephrase soft thatch cookies. Where did that
phrase come from? Kind of whatwas places? Boy? Let me tell
you about that. Boy. I'vebeen called everything but the name for child
of God by the people at theother places I left. So that I've
been getting. Pillsbury needs to giveme a deal, because I've been getting

(04:57:45):
I've been getting some DM the textsdown some of it. Some of them
have been so funny. The saftbatchcould get. The thing came from just
having a frame of mind, amental toughness. It had nothing to do
with guys getting in the poor andanything. Now, most people say I'm
a salt beats cookie for leaving there, but actually I'm not. Because it

(04:58:07):
takes great strength to make a decisionto leave a place. No, a
weak minded person wouldn't be able tomake the decisions that I make, So
it took great strength to do that. So I'm telling you, if I
literally in my DMS, it's someit's some great comedians out here that have
been sending me like tons of cookies, and I'm like, it's funny,
great behind him, Tony Urban,how have you going about the assessment of

(04:58:29):
the talent in the room? Uhover the past week or two? How
much is that on field? Offfield? Like, what's the process of
getting to know who you have asplayers? Well? I broke down well
me being a guy that loves therunning back position, and I already broke
those kids down cause I recruit themout of high school. You know,
Cue is from where I'm from.And Montgomery I was one of the first

(04:58:51):
guys to offer him just watching himgreat contact 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 Peoples out of tout of San Antonio, Texas. I
knew what he was gonna what hewas gonna be TC and Sam. Those

(04:59:14):
two kids I'm getting to know andI'm gonna help them improve the 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, talentedroom, very talented. Uh far back
uh Jeremy Birmingham podcast Couch. Howdo you swear that that saw fast trookies

(04:59:36):
are actually the best cookies? Tophiliprit mix and going. Those are way
better than the County chips and whitethrough Gecial Chermany. I mean, do
you do you have to the firstfind a balance there or somewhere. Well,
for me, I'm actually not eatingany cookies now, I'm just saying
I'm not eating any cookies this year. I gave it up for a fast
or no sweets for me for thewhole year. That's something I gave up.

(04:59:59):
So so they the term the southbast cookie term. Look, guys,
I actually took that from I representthe high school coaches of Myth,
Tennessee. I actually took that froma guy named coach Slocum. He used
to always say that south Bast cookie. I actually stole that from him.
I give him credit for it,and I tell him all the time he
said, you I should have brandedthat cause you done took it and ran
away with it. But that's justwhere that comes from. So that that

(05:00:23):
now was standing as you get toOhio, standing and start to look around
the country, heal Oregon's a bigplace. That's a that's a major job.
Really, How how do you thinkthat wearing your opposite golos over a
JA ring the blocko when you getout out of living free and trail,
how does that change the way thatyou feel you're either received or or does

(05:00:44):
it add a different level to itto just feeling like I can go anywhere
and get anybody in there. Andthat's the sagest thing for me. This
is a great place. Oregon isa great place too. But guess what,
whatever I put on, I knowwhat I'm going to represent for me.
I n I N I know whowho put me here? Uh,

(05:01:06):
I know I represented something higher,you know. Like I told you,
I know what my purpose is.My purpose is to porting the people.
So whatever logo I have on,I'm still gonna be doing the same thing.
So this is a great logo,great logo, but I wear another
logo every day. It's across Isee around my neck. I know what
I represent. So that's the greatestlogo I could ever wear. So it
don't matter what other logo I haveon. I got that one on.

(05:01:27):
I'm going to any house and bea recruit. Uh uh deep rite camera,
tiqu Robinson and the athletic So whichyou you mentioned the time at Memphis
and themis for NFL running backs youmentioned there who you learned from that time
that we that need to take overto manage your world? And kid,

(05:01:48):
what did I learned from them?I just building a just teaching the kids.
We live in such a selfish worldnow, and I can tell kids
all the times it's gotta be muchmore the football. The ball gonna go
flat one day. As I alwayssay, what being in that room there
at Memphis is it wasn't four five? Teaching them how to be about being

(05:02:08):
one. I tell you the manall time. It doesn't cost you anything
to celebrate another man's success. Soteaching them 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 learnedfrom being there in Memphis and let them
in road. Cross heard of yourcareer in the law enforcement kind of influence
you as a coach and kind ofshape where you are. Oh well,

(05:02:30):
I just got through talking to somebodyabout that today. When I first got
in this profession and I got myown room in Western Tech, I was
asked, No, how was Iwas gonna be able to handle them my
room? I said, Man,I had a part with fifty one inmates.
You talking about me having got sixor seven guys? Are you kidding

(05:02:52):
me? I'm talking about me havingto do traffic stops. So going on
domestic you know, violeence, causeit's simple easy, No, people won't
know what you care. Also know, you gotta have a certain demeaning about
yourself. So when I walk intoa room, it's the reason why I
go train every morning. This iswhen it's same thing when I was a
police officer. You look a certainway kind of deter people from doing certain

(05:03:15):
things. So it's reason why Igo train every morning. I'm gonna look
just as good as my boys look. So U it helped out a lot.
In other words, Uh from Earlright Austin word the podcast Carls Welcome
to Columbus. What would it meanto I don't know, revolutionize the way
running backs are? Coach? Whatdoes that take. I ain't you know,

(05:03:38):
I'm not gonna say Revolutioniz said somegood. It's some good running back
coaches out here. Everybody's different.It's some great coaches out here. I
just want to head guys who saythat on these jobs to not just hire
guys. Just know all coaches onyour staff should be great recruiters, not
just some running back coach. Wecoach a position. We developed players as
well. I just want the coachesrealized, Hey, you know what,

(05:04:00):
let me look and be thorough aboutthis guy that I'm hiring for this job.
Is he teaching the position? Ishe developing the position? Because you're
not gonna hire anybody just coach quarterbacks, are you. Well, shouldn't be
like that for the running back positioneither. And I'm only passionate about it
cause I played it. I loveit, So it's the only position I
want to coach. Could I coachthe other positions? Yeah? I played
dB in college too, but Ilove the running back position so and I

(05:04:23):
just wanted to see it coach wellMay ten May podcasts. Yeah, a
million questions. All that's a couple. Number one, when you when you
when your wife whatever, you gotthe message stuff or are we moving again?
What was What was her reaction?Nah, she she's just now.
Guy that give us gave us anew assignment. Sh w. It was
never like we're moving again. Letme tell you, guys something I grew

(05:04:45):
up. My mom was in themilitary, so I lived everywhere. I
lived in Panama of South America.I'm used to picking up and moving.
I lived in Fort Riley, Kansas. Montgomery's home, Memphs my second home,
so I'm i'm' used to moving now. My wife it was different for
her, but she just knew Igave us a new assignment, so it's
time to go. What did whatdid coach they tell you when he heard
you that he wants out of you. That may be different. It's not

(05:05:08):
slamming somebody else, But what didhe say he wanted you to bring to
the running back room? I thinkhe did his research on me. He
said he wanted the guy to developthe position. That's not taking a shot
at the coach that was here whoI'm friends with. He said, they
didn't want somebody to really get theguys going. I can only be me

(05:05:33):
and I told him that Coase,I'm gonna be me every day now because
see my mindset. This is whenI step in this building, I got
one mindset. That's to do myjob so 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'mhere for a long time, but only
God knows that. So but that'smy mindset every day that step into the
wards hate. So that's my mindset. I'm gonna do my job so well

(05:05:56):
that living Everyone doesn't really know howto handle it properly, you see it
currently. I mean, it's justit's a variable that's new and how to
handle it. There's not a transcripton how to handle that variable. So
you just guys just try to dowhat they think is right. That's all
they're really trying to do. AndI'm not saying that right or wrong,
but he was trying to do thesame, and you know, I think
at the end of the day herealizes he man made the wrong decision and

(05:06:19):
we connected on it. We talkedabout it, and you know, it
was a great opportunity to to writeor wrong, And obviously we're very glad
he's here. I've always believed inhim. We believe in him and he
believes in himself, and that's partof the just trying to understand what's my
path right. So, uh butyeah, it's been great. Steps have
been made. He's growing, buthe's nowhere near where he knows he's capable

(05:06:44):
of being. He's just really apriceless Caeremiah. I love the way he
lives. I love the way heapproaches things. I love the way the
questions he asks. I love theway he makes mistakes and then correct mistakes.
Uh, it's very veteran, like, I mean, there's so much
ball he has to learn. Likehe literally does things that are good.

(05:07:06):
I'm like, do you know whatthat worked? He goes coach, I
have no freaking idea, So likeI'm trying to teach him all of that
why it worked, so then youknow the consistency at which it works just
goes to the roof. And sobut I'm very you know, excited and
proud of the conversations we're currently havingand I'm exciting it for them to keep
going by what power for you working? I love working with Chip chip Is.

(05:07:30):
I love talking Ball, I lovethe viewpoints I love I love the
the veteran that he has. Youknow, and uh I love, Yeah,
like I love all of it.I think that, you know,
early on the biggest impact, youknow, just you know, feeling perspective.

(05:07:55):
I think in the run game hasbeen awesome, you know, and
then you know, off of therun game some of the actions or or
relief throws or all that kind ofstuff. I love where it's at.
I love working with them, andI would say that I sleep a little

(05:08:18):
better all right. Uh No,it's it's really a great combo because like
you know, we're obviously we're doinga lot as a group. It's not
just Chip and I so but youknow, obviously Chip has an image and
a view on things that I neverhad. So to have that experience and
to have that viewpoint, I'm justtrying to absorb as much as i can,

(05:08:41):
but then also highlight some things thatwe've really done a good job of
and make sure those you know,nothing's really changing. We're just trying to
enhance. We're not changing, We'reenhancing. So where the things fit is
perfect, you know, I think, uh, you know, the rest
of the dynamics of search Chip cantalk about. But it's been it's been
awesome, So I'm excited about it. We talked to a Mecca who's just

(05:09:03):
talking about moving from slot to theoutside. You know how good he's been
in the slot. Is that adifficult move for you guys just coaches to
know how good a guy is inone spot, but know that maybe for
his long term future and the no. I wouldn't say it's anything on his
future, because he's capable of doingwhatever you want to get done. But
I'd say that it says more aboutthe room. I think it's it's the

(05:09:26):
growth of you know, Brandon andthe growth grow of Bryson. That's really
you know, allowing my mind tosay, 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 movearound a lot, it's going to provide

(05:09:48):
a lot of flexibility for our roomand uh and those top you know,
six seven guys that are really doinga good job right now. Progress look
like this spring for a Mecca becausethere's no times for some of those things
when U has balanced how much worsedoes a need versus yeah, heavy heavy
emphasis on what work he needs,you know, versus anything else. Uh,

(05:10:10):
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?
You wanna go outside? You andgo inside? And I don't care.
So we're not there yet. Wewill be there, but it's just
more about, you know, whenthe room is ready to start mixing things
up, I would say, there'sGod. I mean, I make sure

(05:10:45):
I bring in guys that are ableto do all, but I have not
asked them to yet. So theonly guys that in our room currently I
have asked to do that has beenMecca and Carnell, And those are probably
the two guys that I would,you know, think heavily on doing moving
around a lot. I'm not puttingthat on anybody else right now, not
saying they can't, but at thispoint, having two guys being able to
swing, you probably don't need muchmore than that. I need guys being

(05:11:07):
experts at what they're good at.So it it helps the offense. Don't
be great at everything and be anexpert at something and we can use that
to our to our advantage. Thisyear is different, like maybe you guys
were more situational. The room's alwaysdifferent, frankly, I mean from twenty
eighteen and then nineteen and through COVIDand and those guys, and and then

(05:11:30):
the depth of those guys and thenwhere Mech and Marvin and those guys were
as freshmen compared to you know,It's just it's always different. And uh,
I expect this one to be differentagain. Athletic and I think guys
like him when they come to ourscheme are the best is brought out of
them. So I'm excited to seewhat potential he has. He's year nine,

(05:11:53):
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 Sores? And when he
was assistant here and I had gottento know him a lot by what's a
relationship medi right now? I knowhim pretty well. He was always just

(05:12:14):
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 is good. I was happy to see him promoted.
He called me in the offseason,we talked. I just congratulated him,
and I think he's gonna bring somethingsimilar to what we had with the

(05:12:37):
Miko. It'll be good. Doyou know Brandon Stanley well at all?
I mean obvious a joey play forhim. I don't know too much about
him. I've obviously heard from mybrother, but I don't even think i've
said high yet. I haven't raninto him yet, but I'm sure i'll
get to know him. When yousay it looks similar to Miko of the
energy or system be a little differentenergy, But I think just knowing the

(05:13:03):
system from the front to the back, I think he knows how it ties
in. And he's been around withsome really good coaches, so I think
it'll be pretty pretty seamless, andI think we'll be firing on all cylinders.
You're three months removed from the superBowl now, so how have you?
I guess digested it and I guessphysically everything good to go. Yeah,

(05:13:27):
I feel really good. I thinkit's been one of my better off
seasons of just kind of it wasa long year, so I took it
nice and slow to get back intoit. Not as young as I once
was, so I'm taking a littlea little slower, but everything's great.
I'm feeling as good as i've felt. I'm excited to actually get some practice

(05:13:51):
in. Last year was kind oftough, getting thrown in Week one after
I walked through, so that wasanother reason, and I'm excited to be
here is just to get practicing alittle bit in season. Practice is one
thing, but actually being able towork your stuff and not have a game
coming up is good. With theSuper Bowl, unfortunately, I know how

(05:14:15):
to bounce back from tough losses,so it was rough for a little bit.
But now it's just annoying when peoplebring it up.