Press Conference (JK Dobbins)

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
I think the title on this teamis really good too, and I think
that I can come in here andmake a big difference, you know,
and we can win a lot offootball games, you know. So that
was my That was part of mydecision. Your achilles coun How sough was
that? How long did see you? We are you at now? I'm

(00:21):
one hundred percent now And it waslike a walk in the park. It's
like 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, andit was. It was pretty easy to
be But you know, I've hadthese injuries and it's been storm like the

(00:45):
past two years, you know,having haveing like good, great games.
The next thing, you know,hurt and then you know, so got
got the injury prone out there,you know. But I think the storm
is over with, you know,you know, and I think I'm I'm
gonna gonna take off now, youknow, and there will be no setbacks
and the injury prone thing will begone out of the window again. Yeah.

(01:11):
Also, it's gonna be back.I am. I am excited.
You know, he does a lotof great things, and he's a great
person, and we have a greatrelationship. It's gonna be it's gonna be
a fun year. We're gonna havea lot of fun. We're gonna do
a lot of great things. SoI can't wait. Take here waiting.
The interest you've had? Is thatjust bad luck? Is that any Is

(01:34):
there anything you've can attribute to beyondjust misfortune? Yeah, it's just unfortunate,
you know, But God has aplan always. You know, I
don't know what the plan exactly is, you know, I don't know,
but whatever plan it is, itit's for me to be here. You
know, I had a great rookieyear. Uh I didn't. I didn't

(01:56):
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, lets me show my
talent shine a little bit. Likeeven when I had the knee. So
I had the knee right, Alot of people don't know, like I
didn't get hurt again whenever I gotyou know, got cleaned up. So

(02:20):
I went down in twenty one right, had the injury, the knee injury,
and then came back later the nextyear, and I played the first
few games and it just feel therewas a lot of scars issue in there.
So I did get it cleaned up. I didn't get hurt again.
I could have played the whole year, but I got it cleaned up so
I can feel like me. Andso after I got that cleaned up,

(02:40):
the first two games back from theinjury, I had over one hundred and
twenty yards rushing right, and thenwent on had great, great ending of
the year, you know, onehundred total yards in the playoff game we
lost, which I hate the moststats. Don't marry me. I don't
want to win. But then comeback the next year hurt again, torn
achilles. So two really unfortunate injuries. But that's just God's plan, you

(03:05):
know. And I think that thestorm is now over, you know,
And I do think that I'll beable to shine my light to the whole
world. Are you concerned that youhave that label you can't stay and see?
I could care less, because Ido. I do. I know
this out there because as as itshould be. It should be. I
got hurt two major injuries back ornot back to back years. But you

(03:28):
know, so I haven't been onthe field as much as I should That's
true, that is true. Butit's not like I'm having these little little
dinky injuries and sitting out. It'ssomething I can't control, literally, So
that's why I'm not bothered by it. Like, yeah, I am injury
pollem you could say that, youknow, but I do think that the
Chargers are getting a guy that's gonnabe healthy from now on. You know,

(03:52):
God will it, and it's gonnabe great, And I do think
that it's gonna be. It's gonnabe a great. However, many years
here, when you've been on thefield that you've been highly adopted, yeah,
five years, but very average foryour career. Like knowing that when
you're out there you're very adopted,how much confidence does that give you?
That really all you needs is notwhat you need all the confidence in the

(04:14):
world. You know, the wayI work, I wouldn't say just from
the numbers, but just the wayI work my work ethic, you know,
and my relationship with Jesus is likeI have the most confidence when I
step out there, because I doknow, like, if he grants me
the health, it's over with.I don't think i'll be you know,
I think it will be a greatyear or whatever, a couple of years.

(04:38):
However, many years he grants megreat health, you know. And
I think just the work ethic,my prayer and all that stuff, that's
what helped me have that confidence withthe numbers will be there, and they
might be higher after this year,you know what I'm saying. And it's
crazy to think about because I hadsix or six yards per carry, you
know, so we'll see you're lookingforward to running behind us? Oh yeah,

(05:01):
yeah, yeah. I played withBradley. I play with him,
you know, I know the Slater, I know all the I know all
the guys, you know, andI'm I'm excited. I think it's like
I said earlier, it's a talentedgroup. You know. We just got
to put together win some games.Cause that's what I came here for.
Goss it all part of year,or uh, I wouldn't. I wouldn't
say part of the recruiting, butlike whenever I decided I was gonna sign,

(05:24):
it was great to have him inthe room. What's your relationship.
Yeah, we're great. We're wehave a great relationship. That's he's like
my brother. So here, youguys, I think accompany ch it compliment
each other very well. You know, he can do a lot of stuff
too, you know it God Likea lot of people think he's just power
power, power, but I thinkhe has some other parts of his game

(05:45):
two which it it'll be great causeI feel like I could do everything and
when one get tired, we wecan roll it in. We keep rolling
win some games. So he whenyou the two of you get going,
w well, how how do youthink that's gonna look for? What?
What would it like? What willbe that partnership kind of back there?
I know that's a hard question.How do I think it? I think

(06:06):
it'll look beautiful. You know alot of people call it a passing league,
but I think you gotta run theball to win the super Bowl.
You know, if you look atthe the the team to win the Super
Bowl, they can run the ball, they can control the clock, and
so if we're both good, it'lllook great, beautiful. How would you
describe the Gregor running offense? Uh? I would I would describe it as

(06:29):
you know a great offense. Ithink he he gives a quarter he's gonna
give the quarterback a lot of options. He's gonna give the running back a
lot of options. He's gonna givethe receiver a lot of options, you
know. And I think it'll beI think it's gonna be great. His
offense is gonna be amazing thing.When we talked to him a minute,
you know, I was like,why you being little build something good rushing
offenses throughout your career every way you'vebeen and you said that one part of

(06:54):
it is just you got a callplace, You got a call run place.
As a running back. How muchconfidence? How much does it give
you? You know, you haveto play Holler, that's gonna stick with
it and allow you. And theoffense 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

(07:15):
in the past game too, Butlike you said, he sticks with the
run, and that's that's the identity. You You want an offense that has
an identity, right, you won'tbe looking everywhere else to find your your
identity. You want to have it, and so I think his offense has
that, and the guys he buildsand puts in there, it complements that
identity. So I think it's gonnabe great, your hundred percent, so

(07:40):
you'll be full go for training him. Look, I ain't gonna answer any
of the four 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 story above my
pray. So but I don't know. Hopefully I can start. I think

(08:05):
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 wouldn't say that.
I think I've been I've been insome great organizations, and I think
this this organization is a great organization, and the training staff is great,
and so they just want what's bestfor me, you know, and they're

(08:28):
they're taking care of me, whichthat's what you want in an organization.
And so that's where that comes from, which I appreciate it, Like I
really appreciate that, you know,because I'm the type of guy like,
I work really hard, so maybesometime I'm blind to you know, the
danger of something, you know,so I appreciate it. But like I
said, if it's up to me, yeah, I'm out there. But

(08:50):
never know what an administration for youduring the heading agency, you know,
dealing with with rehab and not youknow, having on a full season at
any part of that, Ye're like, gosh, you know, hit the
open market with you know, nah, I like it. I like,

(09:11):
how would I say this? Ilike it the hard way, but not,
you know, I like it thehard way. I like it.
I like trial and true relations.So I mean the dice that I was
given the role was I was comingoff of our Achilles and that was that

(09:35):
was the Lord's plan. So itwas beauty in that, like I was
comfortable. I was caught like therewas multiple teams, you know, I
wasn't. It wasn't like I didn'thave any other teams. But I was
comfortable and sitting back and just whatthat we wouldn't have had initially at this
time of the year, you know, last year. You know, those
those tougher conversations, those ones wherewe might disagree when we do agree.

(09:58):
Where he's got his two cent,so which is you know, always the
best two cents I've heard. Butme being who I am, you know,
I'm I'm I'm gonna throw my twocents in there, you know.
So that's just uh, it's beenawesome. Man. We he's he's you
know, a resource for me,just a person that I can always bounce
my thoughts off of. And now, you know, just a year you
said, thirteen months, now Ifeel more comfortable just you know, bringing
certain things that you know, younever you never wanna come off too strong.

(10:22):
But I'm a curious guy. Igot a lot of questions. I
like, I like football a lot. I like to talk talk the games.
So you know, come to findout he's the exact same. So
we, uh, you know,we get along well, and you know
we're gonna keep keep building that relationship. Sometimes in this league, playing you
know, eighteen games, they tryingto make a twenty. You know,
it's like it sound like a littlea little fever dream to be honest,
but but uh, if we canfind a way to k you know,

(10:43):
stay up right out there, keepkeep airing on his feet. You know,
I'm I'm excited for that, anduh, everything that comes with it.
But uh but yeah, like Isaid, man, that's it's it's
harder said than uh or harder doneand said, I guess you know,
it's one of those things. It'slike that's a lot of games, you
know, all of a sudden takea lot of hits. They take a
lot of hits where they're looking,and it's just how can we keep him
healthy? Yeah? Yeah, areyou what do you think? I do

(11:03):
you ever see the room now auditionsand you guys have made one more Monty
healthy and everything like, yeah,you know, I'm excited to see it
at at full health. You know, we've I haven't got to see all
the all the guys out there atonce. And and you know, it's
one of those positions where every dayis something might happen to nick up.
You know, it's just a atough position to stay out there at all
times. But I feel like wegot a great group and and the number

(11:24):
one thing is how can we stayhealthy? How can we you know,
I'll be out on the field,and I think having depth like this and
the group we have is gonna helpus. Having guys that can do different
things, that can go catch ballover the middle, all types of things
that it's gonna take some of thestrain off off all of us. You
know. It's it's a good group. So I'm excited to, uh,
you know, get out there.I feel like we haven't had the whole

(11:46):
whole thing together. But you know, come season time, more roll and
it's gonna be exciting. What aboutthe guys in your old number? Yeah,
yeah, Malachi, Yeah, man, he's uh, it was a
brute And I think it's like youknow how I like when you use your
right hand and you know how yourhandwriting should look. But it was about
taking the reps to make sure matches, I guess, you know, so

(12:07):
just taking the reps to get backto that. I think it was all
what it is. I mean,obviously, like he's one of my biggest
supporters, you know, so obviouslyyou know he's he's he's excited about the
opportunity for me, you know,so I'm excited about it. Help you,
oh a lot. He helped mea lot. Even felt like the

(12:30):
first day just trying to help meget used to to write tackle. He
got my feet used to write tacklelike my first day practice. I like,
dude, I still feel he feela little off, I don't feel
balanced to my stands, and heshowed me the small technique thing to do
with my feet, which I stilldo even even thought left tackle just cause
it's part of my routine. Thatwas part of my process and getting to

(12:52):
my stands. So stuff like thatthat he taught me from day one and
obviously in practice was fun. Justcompete with him, you know, it's
just to meet at the back ofthe pocket and to dap each other back
to every rep like that was competing, you know what I mean. So
that's my guy. As much asyou love side, how bittersweet is it

(13:13):
in a certain matters because him,Yeah, that's the thing. That's not
how it was definitely not how Iand and that's how I thought about the
transition would go. You know,I thought it would be you know,
homesonge, timing and a cardinal hiswhole career. You know, you know,
you want to play here forever,you know what I mean. When
I was talking about his plans,so you know, you w you wish

(13:37):
transitions like one of those fairytale likeit's your time. But but again,
either way, you know, wetalked about it. You know that that's
that's the how it goes, youknow, but obviously you know he sees
he's he's been one of my biggestsupporters. Again, if fect everybody leads

(13:58):
and then own way, you know, not everybody's. The guys come around
like and that's not everybody, right, Like I feel for me, that's
me specifically on game day with theO line and after we do one on
one like that's my like, wellHump did, like that's my like big
vocal time. I feel like I'vetalked to Hump about this, you know,

(14:20):
just recently talking about how what Iwant to do for the room is
I want to bring that Hump energythat he brought right so last year.
Of course some traits been doing itfor years, but the year I spent
on him, he brought a lotof the energy and the excitement and the
happiness in the room was just hisnatural energy to where I only had to

(14:45):
focus on me, you know,I didn't have to make sure other other
guys are, you know, feelsome type of way when they came in
here because Hump brought that and notthe Hump's not here. But I saw
what he did for the room.I want to be that guy to make
sure everyone's amp to go to practice, everybody's hype. Weren't taking the field
team one period. You know it'sa low day or something. You know,

(15:07):
it's a it's a day, butlike I wanna make it feeling like,
yeah, the parents a tripper rightnow. I wanna bring that cause
that's when me and Hume did toeach other. We wannahpe each other's other
dudes like dudes about to get walked. We're lit. So I wanna do
that. I wanna bring that energy. I wanna make bring more guys.
You want to do that, youknow, Yeah, I wanted to do
that from day one. You knowI kind of I wanted to do that

(15:30):
from day one from talking to'em. And obviously it's that time. I
spend the off season before OTA startedjust being in myself, just thinking about
what the room needs, you know, because I know I knew new role
as one of the leaders, youknow on offense, is that we need

(15:52):
a guy like that that's gonna makesure the old line is picked up ready
to go. Every day it washeld account. But little things aren't happening
to practice that people aren't saying anything, and how I may lead maybe different
than somebody else may lead. Youknow, I like to a practice at
least like to leave with positivity,you know what I mean. So,
but he the energy yet went beyondjust the hype up the Dalon and stuff

(16:17):
too. So that's kind of howI wanna be, s goal mine literally
my whole life. I wanna bea NFL team captain, like specifically the
NFL. I wasn't a captain ofhigh school, wasn't a captain of college.
But I made a joke when Iwas in high school. It's like
there, I feel like I'm notgonna be a captain to I get to
the NFL. Yeah, but thatwould be awesome, you know, but

(16:41):
you know, if it happens,i'd be great. But if not,
either way, I wanna assume arole as a captain from the respect of
the guys on the team, dividualword today and to get back in that
world. Yeah, I mean,I can't say that. I mean,
I guess the biggest thing is thatI felt like it has felt like how

(17:03):
it you used to in the past. But it didn't take just the first
day OTAs. It took training leftand right once the season ended, because
I didn't know what it was gonnabe true. So it took a lot
of yeah reps just to get backto feeling like myself for day one OTAs
and then that whole first week.But now like today specifically just changing some

(17:26):
small things with my feet that Idid day talking about a line coach about
some things I can do with myfeet to get to that to sell at
that traditional angle that I love toset on. Felt even I thought I
felt, I thought I felt greatalready by my okay, I felt even
better up it. So I'm evenmore excited tomorrow. Now I'm getting my
feedback than how I liked it theright side and on the left side,

(17:48):
So I'm excited. I mean,obviously, I feel like in the league,
whether I left or right, you'restill going against premier guys. So
obviously you have high expectations for yourleft hand or right tackle. But there's
definitely uh, like the the levelof energy and like the expectations definitely take
and the human spect cause now connectedthe blindside that stuff that's de tackle roles,

(18:11):
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 it's
like, hey, like you playleft and I was like, yeah,

(18:33):
you know, yeah, I've beentraining both. I've been training both.
You know. I I aks afterthe season. They're like, honestly,
you know, we'll talk to youstill play in the season. And I
just got a 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 Iget the word, I'm going I'm standing

(18:53):
right tackle, I unders do whatI did before. I'm built on that
bus. I was like, Imight as almost trained the left tackle out
as if I'm gonna be a lefttackle, and I'd rather do that than
training on the right time and getthe ko Hey you're the left tackle.
I'm like, oh, I didn'teven switch on my feet yet, you
know what I mean. So I'mlike, let me just prepare in advance.
I say, yeah, it wasguy. You know, I think

(19:15):
occasionally on third down there would bea lot of twists. I would just
know like it's automatically coming, AndI think that was my mindset for like
the first half of the season,but like I didn't have to go into
a game and with surprise like ohmy gosh, they did that. I
kind of figured like, okay,like this is this is the type of
rush minut again, this is howthis guy usually rushes. But I get
the vibe, this is how theends like the rush you know, tackles

(19:38):
that are you know, first yearguys who got the premiere patch on.
I already knew what it was gonnabe, already knew of every stunt and
honestly just knowing that it's kind ofan advantage too, so you're not you're
not you're not old. They broughtthe twist of my side. Again.
It was never an Aaron Donald,like you know, they're coming out of
minds, like three plays in arow and two minutes. I knew that
that was gonna win and happen,you know what I mean. I'm watching

(20:02):
more than everybody else and he rarelyeven goes out there on occasional third downs
on the d M, and Iwas like, you know what's gonna be.
He's gonna pick me, you knowwhat I mean. So in fact
fact, it's kind of it's alsokind of advantage in the way, but
it's also exciting. I'm like,okay, I'm gonna get the hardest.
Look. You know, those arereal, real reps, you know,
in the bank, So really I'mnot I really didn't kind of process that.

(20:26):
I was like, hey, whenthey tell me to let me know,
but I'm just gonna train it.I was training all left to tas.
I guess if I didn't hear anythingabout T's I would have came in
like so you know what I mean, because just like I'm cool training both
continue, I would have been cooltraining both continually. But I feel like

(20:47):
anybody, any position will be like, okay, like you wanna as soon
as possible get your feet accountability atthe time, what I what did you
see? The guy counted all?Yeah, I mean he's quick. You
know, he can create a lotof space and y uh small spaces,
so uh it's quick, you know, uh savvy with his rout running,
and you know he's just he's justa hard worker. You know. You

(21:08):
know there's some plays where he knowshe's not getting the ball and he's still
still winning the route. So youknow, just to have that player,
uh a a player like that givethat much effort uh on the field every
play. It's really really good tosee. And I think it's you know,
really uh gonna rub up on theother guys too. I'm good,
I'm about to. I'm'a get youanother. What's it like working with uh
some of the tight ends that youguys happened the room there? I know,

(21:30):
are si straight just talked about howversatility that a lot of other guys
have, especially in that grip.Yeah, I mean we have a different
uh uh, a lot of youknow, different guys in the tight end
room. You know, Darnell hebrings sides to the room. Uh,
Rodney Speed, Uh, Connor hehas a great awareness in the field.
Pat of course he you know,he's a great all the round tight end.
And then uh, you know,uh Crew he's a he's a bat.

(21:53):
He's smart, he knows what he'sdoing. So, I mean,
just all the guys in the room, what's that? You know? They're
smart and attensive and they f IF I feel like they've j are justice
to lay offensive. Well. Sois it what's been like working with tom
or on? What's he can kindof working with you? Yeah? I
mean Tony's been great. Uh justhis at tis attention to detail, the

(22:15):
way he comes you know, ineach and every day. He comes in
the same guy every day and uh, to be honest, ibn'. You
know, I don't think I've hadto coach that detailed, but as Tom,
you know, he's very detailed interms of you know, practice,
refused sending us, uh the info, breaking down each and every play and
really just really just focused on thedetail, to be honest with you.

(22:37):
I think, uh, that's thething that sets him apart. And you
know he's he pushed us to behard. I mean our our indie periods
or you know, conditioning, Soof course that's good for us. But
I mean he's been great so far. So excited to uh you know,
allow that our allow our relationship togrow, and excited to work with him
the future. And it's what he'sdoing kind of compliment what you're doing individually,

(22:59):
you know, when you're away thefacility working with you know, coaches
one on one and anything like that. You said, what does what does
he do here? That kind ofcompliments what you do away from the facility
when you're troubling. I mean,I think he does different stuff. So
I think, uh, that's agood thing about it. You know,
some stuff that we do here.Oh sorry, uh, I don't you
know, usually do outside of thefacility. So it's good getting that different

(23:22):
work in, different drill work thatI can you know, implement into my
you know, off season program andstuff like that. So it's good that
I'm learned this stuff for sure.Deep all of efficiency numbersus in time that
especially the last year. What whatwhat what is this? Uh Urmi in
the offense talk about you about tryingto make make that incorporate that into to
being a big part of this office. I mean yeah, uh, I

(23:42):
think we have fast guys, guysthat can get down the field with speed.
Uh, guys like Quiz Calvin,Scottie Van, you know, me
and Rust. You know, we'vewe've had a lot of deep off success
and a lot of explosive plays inthe past. So you know that's just
uh, you know what, Iguess how our offense is built. To
be honest with you, but Imean our job is to create explosives and

(24:03):
you know, push the ball downthe field. So anytime we get those
ops, we definitely wanna capitalize onthose. Oh you're too just insting any
part of your mechanics and anybody that. I mean, yeah, uh,
I think there's always room to improve, uh, mechanic wise and stuff like
that. So I think you knowMatt Baker, uh, he's a or
a quarterback assistant. He you know, usually stays on me the most about
it. Okay, So I appreciatethe fact that he does that, and

(24:25):
I usually, you know, makesure he doesn't make sure. I just
just stay on top of it,you know as a whole, and you
know, make sure, uh,my mechanics are always clean. Could you
talk about one particularly element that they'restressing. It's it's different areas. To
be honest, I don't think it'sjust one specific area, but it's it's
different areas, justin in your opinion. Was there something that you wanted to
work on maybe get better at whenyou got here at this point of your

(24:45):
career. I mean, like likeI said, there's you know, no
matter who you are, you know, there's always stuff to get better at,
always different areas. Nobody's perfect inone area, So I think you
can continue to prove in all yourin my game, you know me personally,
So I'm just focused on getting bettereach every head. When we talked
at Russ yesterday, he said thatRus said that he personally felt kind of

(25:07):
revived you being in another staff inhis career. Is there any of that
sense of maybe rejuvenation or feeling reviveObviously you haven't been in the league for
thirteen years, but is there anew energy that you get being in a
different organization, going through mini campin a different way for the first time.
I think, so, you know, just being around a new team,
uh uh, an organization that's youknow, just just with this culture,

(25:29):
you know, me being in youknow, two different places now,
you just I realize that, youknow, you don't get this culture everywhere.
I think Chicago, I think theyare, you know, kind of
changing the narrative now. But Imean this has just been the culture here
for so many years to where Imean you can see it. It's just
the way that you know, weattack each and every day and coach Cy
you know, he he stays honestabout it. So I think just having

(25:52):
that and uh, you know,reiterating that, you know each and every
day, that keeps guys in thetoes of guys ready compete you should do.
Is it easy to step into anorganization when there already is such a
culture that's been 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 to

(26:18):
thank you for checking out this contentfrom posts at Sports. If you watch
this video on YouTube, please likethe video size least. Yeah. I
mean, I think college football isdifferent and ideologies and understandings and have changed.
And I think that, you know, the portal is a variable,
and I would say that not himin particular, but I wouldn't say everyone

(26:44):
doesn't really know how to handle itproperly. You see it currently. I
mean, it's just it's a variablethat's new and how to handle it.
There's not a transcript on how tohandle that variable. So you just guys
just trying to do what they thinkis right. That's all they're really trying
to do. And I'm not sayingthere right or wrong, but he was
trying to do the same, anduh, you know, I think at
the end of the day he realizedhe made made the wrong decision and we

(27:07):
connected on it, we talked aboutit, and uh, you know,
it was a great opportunity to toto right or wrong. And uh,
obviously we're very glad he's here.I've always believed in him. We believe
in him, and he believes inhimself and that's part of the just trying
to understand what's my path right.So uh, but yeah, it's been
great. Steps have been made.He's growing, but he's nowhere near where

(27:30):
he knows he's capable of being.He's just probly a prices in Caremiah.
I love the way he lives.I love the way he approaches things.
I love the way the questions heasks. I love the way he makes
mistakes and then correct mistakes. It'svery veteran, like, I mean,
there's so much ball he has tolearn. Like he literally does things that

(27:52):
are good. I'm like, doyou know why that worked? He goes
coach, I have no freaking idea, So like, I'm trying to teach
him all of that why it worked, so and you know, the consistency
at which it works just goes tothe roof and so uh. But I'm
very you know, excited and proudof the conversations we're currently having and I'm
exciting it for them to keep goingby what you like play power for you,

(28:12):
working with you. I love workingwith Chip Chip is. I love
the talking ball, I love theviewpoints I love I love the veteran that
he has, you know, uhand uh I love Yeah, Like I

(28:33):
love all of it. I thinkthat you know, early on the biggest
impact, you know, just youknow, feeling perspective. I think in
the run game has been awesome,you know, and then you know,
off of the run game some ofthe actions or or relief throws or all
that kind of stuff. I lovewhere it's at. I love working with
them, and I would say thatI sleep a little better all right.

(29:06):
Uh No, It's it's really agreat combo because, like you know,
we're obviously we're doing a lot asa group. It's not just Chip and
I so but you know, obviouslyChip has an image and a view on
things that I never had. Soto have that experience and to have that
viewpoint, I'm just trying to absorbas much as I can, but then

(29:27):
also highlight some things that we've reallydone 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're enhancing so wherethe things fit is perfect. You know,
I think, uh, you knowthe rest of the dynamics of search
Chip can talk about. But it'sbeen it's been awesome, So I'm excited
about it. We talked to amecca. You're just talking about moving from

(29:51):
slot to the house side. Youknow how good we've been in the slot.
Is that a difficult move for youguys as coaches to know how good
a guy is in one spot?But no, that maybe for his long
term future and the no, Iwouldn't say it's anything on his future,
because he's capable of doing whatever youwant to get done. But I'd say
that it says more about the room. I think it's it's the growth of

(30:15):
you know, Brandon and the growthgrow of Bryson. That's really you know,
allowing my mind to say, hey, Mech, be prepared. You're
gonna move around a lot. You'regonna come out of that slot, You're
gonna be outside. We're going tocreate mismatches out there. I mean,
his ability to move around is critical. But I would say between Mech and
between Carnell TAS's ability to move arounda lot, it's gonna provide a lot

(30:36):
of flexibility for our room and uhand those top you know, six seven
guys that are really doing a goodjob right now. Progress looks like this
spring for Mecca because there's no timesthink it's one of those things. I'm
true when you has balanced how muchwork does a need versus so much?
Yeah, heavy, heavy emphasis onwhat work he needs, you know,
versus anything else. Uh, Irely on him. We have great dialogue

(30:57):
back and forth. It's a twoway take. It's a two way conversation.
And frankly, there's gonna be timeswe're like, hey, mech what
do you wanna do today? Youwanna go outside? You gonna go inside?
And I don't care. So we'renot there yet. We will be
there, but it's just more about, you know, when the room is
ready to start mixing things up,I would say, there's got I mean,

(31:30):
I make sure I'm bring in guysthat are able to do all,
but I have not asked them toyet. So the only guys that in
our room currently I have asked todo that has been Mecca and Carnell.
And those are probably the two guysthat I would, you know, think
heavily on doing moving around a lot. I'm not putting that on anybody else
right now, not saying they can't, but at this point, having two

(31:51):
guys been able to swing, youprobably don't need much more than that.
I need guys being experts at whatthey're good at, so it helps the
offense. Don't be granted everything andbe an expert at something and we can
use that to our to our advantage. This year is different, like maybe
you guys who were more situations.All. Yeah, the room's always different,
frankly, I mean from twenty eighteenand then nineteen and through COVID and

(32:15):
and those guys, and and thenthe depth of those guys and then where
Mec and Marvin and those guys wereas freshmen compared to you know, It's
just it's always different. And uh, I expect this one to be different
again, I'm not sure at whatlevel yet. Last question, your relationship
between the TV room in your lastroom, especially you know, the back

(32:36):
boards. I'm curious, yea DVleague as a leader just like you,
you know, played at Ohio Sistis. I'm curious about how you've seen him
kind of build a different matter backsroom, especially on the referee. Probably
amount of successify it hasn't maybe kindof the effective your recruit and how how
that's kind of enchanced. Yeah,he would probably know more for that question,
all the way through ten years inthis league, so to see what

(33:00):
he's got. How long did youknow Sorenson when he was assistant here and
have gotten to know him a lotthat it's a relationship made 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
group. He's a good leader.He knows the scheme really well, which

(33:22):
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, obviously
Joey played for him. Don't knowtoo much about him. I've obviously heard

(33:44):
from my brother, but I don'teven think i've said high yet. I
haven't ran into him yet, butI'm sure i'll get to know him.
When you say it looks similar tothe Miko of the energy or system,
maybe a little different energy but Ithink just now the system from the front
to the back, I think heknows how it ties in, and he's

(34:06):
been around with some really good coaches, so I think it'll be pretty pretty
seamless, and I think we'll befiring on all cylinders. You're three months
removed from the Super Bowl now,so how have you? I guess digested
it, and I guess physically everythinggood to go. Yeah, I feel
really good. I think it's beenone of my better off seasons of just

(34:29):
kind of it was a long year, so I took it nice and slow
to get back into it. Notas young as I once was, so
I'm taking a little a little slower, but everything's great. I'm feeling as
good as I've felt. I'm excitedto actually get some practice in. Last
year was kind of tough, gettingthrown in Week one after I walked through,

(34:53):
so that was another reason I'm excitedto be here, is just to
get practicing a little bit in season. Practice is one thing, but actually
being able to work your stuff andnot have a game coming up is good.
With the Super Bowl unfortunately, Iknow how to bounce back from tough

(35:14):
losses, so it was rough fora little bit, but now just annoying
when people bring it up. SinceAngel last season, we've seen a Rock
on TV commercials and on the stagewith Kluke Coombs and throwing out the first
pitch of the Giants game. Buthe seems like a guy that's totally unaffected
by celebrity, which he has now. But what have you noticed in his

(35:36):
leadership style and the way he carrieshimself any difference at all. I think
he's definitely getting a little more vocalwithin the building. And uh yeah,
I mean I don't think he's evergonna change. I don't think he's somebody
that's gonna change even when he getspaid next year. So he's he's a
man of faith and he kind ofreminds me of Scottie Scheffler, but except

(36:00):
for just super humble and really goodkid. And yeah, he's definitely famous
suffer. I don't just from watchingyou saw Armstead get released obviously meant so

(36:23):
much to the defensive line into theteam. I mean, Colin John were
pretty open that they were willing totalk about trading Deebo or are you at
draft? Does that just another what'sthat feel like in the locker room when
those sort of jowls happened. Ididn't even know that happened and I wasn't

(36:43):
here, But you're talking about thisoffseason Armstead in alarm, Eric released,
so that's certainly one thing. Yeah, it's a tough business, for sure.
You have to have thick skin andI haven't gone through that, but
I think you just have to understandthat it is a business and the team's

(37:07):
going to try and get as goodas it possibly can with or without you,
and you have to look out foryourself. That's why you go through
holdouts and do certain things that seemselfish in the moment, but it is
what it is, and when everything'ssettled, we're gonna come together as a
team and try and go get oneNick. What's the overall feeling around the

(37:27):
group right now, Like, howmuch does it feel like the excitement of
the ramp up to the season,Even though it's early, it feels good.
It's been a couple of days forme, so I like all the
new guys. I'm getting to knoweverybody, but I think the past is
in the past and we're ready togo. Do you talk to you talk
to beat all about handling the businesspart of this, he's going through something

(37:49):
similar. We chat a little bit, but not too much about the details.
I just told him keep his headup and try and stay positive through
it all. First impressions when youheard what your schedule would be in that
Aaron Rodgers's first up, it'll befun. Yeah, it's gonna be gonna
be a good one. Excuse mekind of alluded to this for the fact

(38:14):
that last year you had to havethat hold out. You said that affected
you somewhat early in the season.If you hadn't had that experience, would
you be here right now? Imean, was that part of the motivation
for being here early, just tohave the opposite when last year might be
No, I don't think that's oneof the reasons. But I just talked

(38:37):
to Kyle and he kind of askedme. He kind of stated how he
felt about why it would be goodfor me to be here and asked if
I agreed, and I one didagree. So it's not like I'm missing
too much. I think I'm outhere. It's a little less workload than
I'm doing back home, so it'skind of a good active recovery thing for

(39:00):
me, and I'm getting football stufffootball working specifically, So that's good.
I'm not it's not compromising my trainingat all, and I get to meet
all the guys. It's positive yourbrother to let him down. Oh no,

(39:20):
he's he's there. He's got anew regime over there. Did you
first? I actually thought I wascoming next week until recently, so I
was gonna have one more week athome. But we're both in californiaything you
could share about reason reasons that youagreed with. It sent from the top

(39:46):
and it doesn't get mixed up asit's moving down the ladder. It's boom.
This is how we're doing things,and everybody's following that, and I
think it's impressive the details that everybodyhave been on, has has been on,
the effort and just the competitiveness thatthat's been going on over the last

(40:06):
few weeks. Yeah, it's it'sbeen great. How much do you appreciate
that the stoppers described the way jingleguys, I shouldn't eat in the messaging
doesn't eat mixed up? I doyou appreciate that very much? I mean,
it's I guess it's easy to appreciatewhen you kind of see it working

(40:29):
and you see guys improving, gettingbetter. I just think the details are
really important. You can pretend thatleaving your shoes a mess or your locker
a mess isn't a big deal,and what matters is playing football. But
I think all those tiny details andthings kind of add up and leak into

(40:50):
the important stuff, like what you'redoing on the field. So if you
can have your toe behind the line, or have your locker and order and
all these things, they kind ofstack up into forming well and and playing
well when things count. So youknow, I appreciate that. It's It
also hasn't been a fight with theguys in the locker room. They buy

(41:12):
in and you know, it's alot of young guys, and I think
they're hungry to learn, hungry tocompete and win. You know, it's
just an example, whether it's wetalked about first day, have your shoot
if you could, if you couldspend the time on these small things when
nobody's watching. I think, likeI was saying, it seems like it
might not out up too much,but I think in the long term it

(41:35):
does, and uh, it leaksinto other things, whether you're doing your
right assignment on the field, beinglate to meetings or all these things.
If you hold a standard and youyou stay to that standard, I think
it benefits you long term. It'slike Ben Herbert, who has there been
anything in his training program we're workingwith you that you've benefit Yeah, Yeah,

(42:01):
definitely, he's he's been great.He's a no nonsense 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
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.

(42:24):
He's he stresses it all the timethat he's a tool for us,
and you know, he's been he'sbeen great. The guys love him.
The energy brings is awesome, andI think the stuff that we're doing in
the weight room is great, agreat addition to stuff that I may may
do on the side or whatever thatis. Yeah, I think we I

(42:46):
mean, we had a presentation todaywith all the certain measurables that are changing,
and if you guys are in themeeting, you definitely see how beneficial
he's been to the team so far. So obviously staying healthy is is a
huge factor to anybody's success. I'dsay it's plagued us a little bit for
a while. So yeah, Ithink he's he's definitely incredibly beneficial. When

(43:10):
were you like fully covered, Iknow at the end of last season you
might have been able to play.Yeah, No, I was not ready
to go last year. No,tried practicing, tried coming back, and
uh it was it was not good. But yeah, it was Unfortunately the

(43:31):
year wasn't going great and it justwas unnecessary risk for I mean, my
foot could have had some real,real issues if I came back too early.
So yeah, it's been. It'sbeen. It's been a great off
season. My foot's feeling great,toes good, hamstrings good. I mean,
there was a list of things lastyear, my hand, so all

(43:52):
those things are good. Finger goutsurgery on my finger, So that's feeling
good. Yeah, it's it's niceto be feeling better going into year nine
than you have since maybe five sixyears ago, which I've said, I've
said I've been feeling great the lastcouple of years. I'm telling you,
it's a real deal this time,but obviously anything can happen. But I

(44:14):
just feel it's fun feeling really confidentin your body and being able to perform.
So I could just go out duringpractice and you know, go balls
to the wall and do everything thatI feel like I need to to be
able to prepare. It's fun.My brother and whoever I trained with my

(44:34):
trainer Todd back home, I thinkthey'd be really proud of how I've been
working this offseason and it's just exciting. The pointing was the injuries on the
Green Bay game. You kind ofyeah, it was a bit of a
build up, a little bit ofan overreaction, but you know, it's
just tough. It comes sometimes likethat, and I just felt felt really

(45:00):
uh defeated coming back. Had abroken hand, I'm like, oh,
yeah, I get to play Boomfirst Series foot pops. Thought I'd have
to get surgery, and all thesethoughts flooded through my head. Broke down
a bit, and yeah, itjust hurts. You know, you're losing,
you're getting injured, You've felt likeyou prepared really well in the offseason,

(45:20):
and then the year before you hadgrowing surgery, so you know a
lot of things build up. Yeah, you don't get a break if you're
injured. Everybody wants to go on. Fans are very nice, but no,
I just I'm grateful that I feelthis way. I'm still still nicey

(45:40):
Ripe twenty eight, so not tooold yet. But yeah, I'm just
excited. I can't remember what theoriginal question was at this point. Get
something about my Bobby. How closeyou and Gift were, How how frustrating

(46:01):
was it that you couldn't you knowfor one of those last three games.
It was frustrating, but I meanGif was had my back the whole way,
I think for Gift, for anybut for for the whole team,
just to show what it means tome. It would have been important for
me to be out there, butI literally couldn't. I tried to practice,

(46:22):
injured my foot worse the very firstplay I was and in practice,
So no chance that was happening unlessI wanted to throw my next season away
as well. But no, I'mjust I'm proud of him for what he
did with the team, how hehandled it, and I need to call
him back. Actually sorry, Gif, Yeah, I'm happy he gets to

(46:45):
stay close by with the with theRams and just proud of all we accomplished
here together over the years, andand we'll be close for the rest of
our lives. It was the footagewas a foot sprang. Yeah, I
sprained one area of my foot.Then when I tried to return and I
sprained another area. Was able toavoid getting surgery, which is kind of

(47:07):
the main goal, But yeah,it was. It was tough when it
comes to the addition of but Dupreewhen he felt like he's kind of brought
to the to the room and couldbring on the field. Yeah, when
I heard we got my brother someI don't know, maybe my brother told
me. I'm like, really,we just got Bud Like, that's no,

(47:29):
that's no small pickup. He's aseriously elite pass rusher has had some
trouble with injuries as well, soI understand how that is, but not
only him as a player, butas 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 another vetis always a great addition. But I'm

(47:52):
just excited to have him into Leeand to be able to rotate like that
and not drop off at all whenwe come off the field is huge and
MAP two he's going into a secondyear. Just what do you what are
you kind of What are some ofthe maturity maturity areas you see from him?
You know, I'm gonna say notmuch, And that's a compliment because
he was already mature in those areas. I mean, he's on it everything

(48:16):
playbook wise, always doing his job, working hard, just refining his technique
and pass rush. I mean,we don't have the pads on right now,
so the real work will will begin, you know, in six weeks
now. So but yeah, Ilove Julie. I've loved him since the
first days he's walked into the facility, and I know he's just gonna continue

(48:39):
to get better. What you thinkof the addition of Joe Alt, Yeah,
yeah, I'm gonna need to beathim up a little bit in camp.
So he's so he's ready, Butno, I think anything to protect
our number ten is a good,good investment. So he seems like a
real solid dude. Haven't talked tohim too much. Great build, seems

(49:02):
like he has good hands, goodfeet, strong. We'll see. We'll
see in a few weeks when Ilay a helmet in his chin how he
holds up, but it'll I'll takeit easy on him. No, Rashon's
a beast. Did you know coachHarbond before he came here? And if
he did, just what were thosefirst couple of conversations like that? Yeah,

(49:27):
probably have crossed paths with him.Maybe maybe not. Actually I think
what was it his first year whenI was a junior? So he kicked
his ass as usual at Ohio State. No, no, they just want
a championships. I'd say they probablyhave the bragging rights right now. I'm
like the guy talking about his oldhigh school. I remember we used to

(49:52):
kicks. No, but no,yeah, no, the rivalry is dead.
I was just saying that learning youknow, nine years and kind of
forget about that. I'm not agreat alumni. Sorry, sorry coach,
But no, it's great. That'swhat's great about the NFL is you just
have guys from all backgrounds. Youcould hate their guts one one year,

(50:14):
and then you come on the sameteam and your brothers and you're all working
towards one goal together. So ourfirst talk together was great. I just
sat down with them, went upinto his office and chopped it up about
life, mainly and his opportunity hereand how much it means to him.
And uh, yeah, I thinkhe's a special guy. I think he's

(50:36):
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
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?

(50:57):
Yeah, I mean he was ahe was a great player himself, and
I think he's always been, youknow, built like that lack of a
better term, but yeah, he'suh, he's part of the guys.
You know, he's not this guyoutside looking in. He he really,
I mean he voiced that to me, is that his favorite part of all
of it is being with the guysand and the connections he makes. So

(51:20):
Yeah, to to see a guylike that come in and embrace it all
and kind of be part of ithimself is important. Your initial impressions of
Coachman during the defensive Yeah, it'sfunny to go from old gift, old
gift to this little young guy who'smy age. I wouldn't want to get
thrown into a room with me andKhalilos his age. But he's been great.

(51:46):
I love messing with him a littlebit. We little sarcasm back and
forth. But no, he's great. He's uh, he's very talks very
fast, and I don't as youknow, sometime times I gotta be like,
slow down, coach, come on. But no, he's great.
I'm excited, you know, toget closer as the years, as the

(52:08):
year goes on, and I thinkhe has he has a lot of passion
for the position, and all hewants to do is learn and and help
us to improve. So I'm excitedabout him, And I mean I do
miss s Giff. Obviously it wasa long time with him, but I
am excited to have a new faceand kind of have that challenge for me.

(52:30):
You worked much with with Jesse's dad, since I know he coached linebackers
in Michigan. Wait, did youask about Jesse? Did you ask about
doing? Okay, you asked aboutJesse. Oh my god, I was
talking about freaking doing the whole time. You guys are so confused. No,
sorry, I thought we were.I thought I was I thought you

(52:50):
mentioned coach Ronie. No, No, coach Mentor has been great as well.
Yeah, they've both been great.Sorry, run that back. No,
he's been good. Uh yeah,very knowledgeable guy. Same thing.
I'm excited to get to know himmore as the year goes on. Have
you worked if you worked much duringthe off season, Rickman Jesse, Yeah,

(53:15):
uh no, I have not.I don't know if I've said one
word to him, but more wordsto come down the road, Like you
said, you've been in years intwenty sixteen. Just what are some of
this stuff? You just ramble aboutthe wrong guy for fifteen minutes walking what

(53:42):
Yeah? What the hecks? Actuallythat's literally not the person. Yeah,
yeah, I figured out. What'ssomething that you you worked undering the off
season? Something to improve your gameor is or something that you can you're
Usually my answer is pretty consistent thatI just continue to try to prepare myself

(54:06):
physically, whether that's my sprint workor agility work and my lifting, but
yeah, just to get everything feelinggreat. I dealt with those injuries,
so I had to kind of rampit up with my finger and foot and
all those things. But now I'mI'm full, full speed out there,
and I'm just going to continue todo what I know will prepare me for

(54:30):
the season. And I know I'mgoing to get plenty of technique work and
position work when i'm out here.So for now, I'm going to spend
these five weeks really getting preparing mybody's workouts. Competitive again, another year
of competitive and all that stuff.Yeah. Yeah, it's usually too hot

(54:52):
out there for much competition. We'rejust trying to survive. So but yeah,
it's always it's a it's a silentcompetition between between each other, be
like peeking is like what was histime? Was his 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

(55:14):
robot every day out there, sothere's there's no off days. Have you
you and haven't talked at all andout I mean any of this when you
were having a contract game, doyou a guys have to talk about anybody?
Yeah, I mean it's it's aconversation, not a not really a
serious conversation, but something that's comeup before. But yeah, I mean

(55:38):
it would be cool, it wouldbe cool at some point I I always
thought of myself being somebody that willplay here and retire here, which I
think not many people do on oneteam, and I think would be a
cool thing to accomplish. But younever know, I'm gonna worry about this.

(55:58):
Yere first's kind of we're going afood story. But so you guys
have like the lowest or second lowestfood Cfceria in the nflpas or really last
year and let it moved to thenew facility. Like have you talked a
lot about food and how you didsome time? Is it fine because you
have to have you looking forward tothe food upgrades at all? Have you
thought about it at all? Yeah? No, it's Wolfgang Puck or whatever

(56:21):
is the is the word? Yeah, that's great. I've been working with
my chef for seven years now,so she's been great, so I've never
really had to worry about that toomuch. But yeah, my weight's good.
I've been eating a lot this offseason, so that's good. But
yeah, I'm excited to maybe beable to Sorry Christina, but maybe i

(56:44):
won't need a chef next year.I'll have my I'll have my going on
see hot to sound the best fit? Are we go? Yeah, Drea,
welcome to Seattle. Were you lookingfor in free agency? I felt

(57:06):
that's a loaded question for real,for real, uh, you know,
in terms of you know, paysystem, teammates, environment, city,
all those kind of just like playinto it. Besides just the money thing.
I know, financials always play abig role, and I kind of
steer you into the direction you wantto go, but everything kind of plays
into it. And how much didyou reach out to Shelby Drew, knowing

(57:29):
some of the guys you knew thatplayed here last year to get a sense
for what what Seattle might offer you? I mean, not much right now.
I'll talk to I'll talk to Shelbya little bit about it. Mainly
no one, Drew, U justcongratulate me, Bob. Did you come
together pretty quickly? I know youkind of came to your agreement on that

(57:52):
first Monday, and everything with Seattlethat of come together really faster. Now,
it was a long day. Seattlecame in almost out of nowhere.
We had like a good set ofteams that we were talking to just trying
to finalize what was going on,what was the term is going to be,
you know, and Seattle came inhot they showed a lot of interest
and uh, they kind of justmotivating me to come here more and more.

(58:14):
And how similar will your role be, you know in terms of playing
what you did in Denver. Idon't know that yet. I kind of
just mentioned previously, I don't knowmy role. I don't know the ins
and out yet. Once we'll getyou know, through the protocols and nfl
PA, we'll we'll talk about knowthe schemes and everything. Right. Uh,

(58:35):
so welcome. When you were inDenver in the three four, where
did you find yourself most comfortable?And I played a lot of different positions
in Denver. I mean earlier inmy year, I played zero, I
played three two one. I mean, I'm definitely more comfortable in a shaded
position, mainly being a three techniqueand five technique. That's why I found
myself to be more comfortable whether I'mstanding up or I'm not, whether it's

(58:58):
runner or pass, those seem tobe my best my best fits. And
what is your impression of Pete Carroll'sdefense and whole environment. Uh? From
Afar, it seems like he heholds in on defense a lot. Uh.
I can't really say too much aboutthat. Yeah, I don't.
I know Pete Carroll very little,so uh, I'm just trying to figure
out more and I'll give you abetter answer later. What's the reputation around

(59:22):
the league out of the Seahawks?Uh, you know hard nos Hard had
type of team definitely on a littlemore lack side as opposed to being stuck
up or military style, and whichis definitely good because then they this program
is won a lot of football gameshave been super successful for many years,
as long as I've been alive andas long as I've been watching football,

(59:42):
and definitely this has been a goodprogram. And Pete Carroll has been a
hell of a coach for as longas I remember, even back in his
college days. So I'm looking forwardto experiencing that. John Boyle, Yeah,
I know you said you don't knowyet. You know what your role
is to be, but is whatwhat kind of player? You who haven't
watched it time to denver what kindof player? This? Definitely a high

(01:00:05):
motor, definitely not a one trickpony type of player. Uh. I
like to attack, you know,whether it's a first or first through fourth
down, I like to attack.I'm always trying to apply pressure I'm definitely
just a high mortar guy in myopinion. Brady, are there, Brady
Henderson for nice to meet you.Yeah, this is not a team that

(01:00:29):
really makes big splash signings in freeagency. Did you think going into it
that Seattle would be in Uh No, not at all. You just it's
kind of like being a cure atthe candy store. You know, I've
got a whole bunch of different optionscoming at you, uh, hearing,
a whole bunch of different crazy things, and uh, you know, you
only get to choose one. Andthis is the place that that we both
chose each other. And I mean, I'm loving Seattle so far, you

(01:00:51):
know, I like these colors.Real What what have you got to do
with Seattle or see? Since you'vebeen not much? Uh, just kind
of just drive around the city,exploring, getting down to the market a
little bit. I want to geton the Ferris will do some more like
touristy type of things. You know, I'm new to the city and I
got a lot to learn about thecity. All right. Yeah, there's

(01:01:13):
been a lot of comparisons with youto Michael Bennett. I was wondering if
you know Michael Bennett at all,and you think those are accurate. I
know Michael Berrt then like nothing.I know nothing about it but besides his
style of play, but I'm honoredto be considered in the same conversation as
him and style of play. Youknow, He's a Hall of Fame type
of deep lineman that I've known aboutsince I was a kid. I mean,
last time he played here, Iwas in high school, So you

(01:01:35):
know, it's cool to it kindof came full circle a little bit watching
him on TV and now I'm beingkind of compared to him in the way,
you know. I mean, I'mnot touching the surface of Michael Bennett.
You know, he's a Hall ofFamer and I'm not there yet.
So you know, I just gotto keep doing my due diligence to be
a better player. Hey, Dreamont, welcome to Seattle. And then you

(01:01:57):
get to play several seasons for bigfans and three four style defense and Seattle's
playing a similar system now dating backto last year. As a defensive lineman,
what do you think is most importantto be successful in that system?
Maybe fundamentals or just playing style tobe successful From what I learned, being
gap sound and being patient has alwaysbeen the biggest thing, and that's how

(01:02:20):
we've been successful. When I wasin Denver, just kind of like relying
on each other. I know thatsounds kind of cliche, but like there's
kind of like the the realm ofbeing in the three four defense. You
got to really really rely on theguys behind you and the guys on the
side of you to really make theirto do their job to make your job
easier. Bob. Yeah, well, uh, your your state. Myoffs

(01:02:45):
that you didn't start playing football tillyou were junior in high school and largely
played basketball till then. That's whatmaybe I guess decided to go to go
play football then? Was that artaway from basketball? No, No,
I've always loved football first. Uh, it was just kind of just playing
it out. You know, I'lla little hoop, but you know,
football was definitely about calling. GivenI was a two hundred and sixty five
pound power forward and I was likesixty threes and changed, so you know,

(01:03:08):
I kind of chose the route thatGod gave me. No, I'm
not six eight. Yeah, wellcomes to Seattle and you quoted looking at
a couple of order things that playerand can you just talk a little bit
about that that that we decided thealways kind of counted out that you came

(01:03:31):
through. Can you elaborate more thanthat? 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,I feel like I do a lot more
than what can be seen by theeyes of the inexperienced. You know,
Scout and I do a lot ofdifferent dynamic things that help make plays for

(01:03:52):
others. You know, I'm definitelyan active player. I'm always doing something,
whether in the running pass game,so you know, I think that
goes on another sometime and I'm lookingforward to putting people on notice. Thanks
Brady. What uh what do youlike to do outside of footballies? Uh?
Big gamer, I'm definitely I've beengetting to a lot of chests lately,

(01:04:15):
so just to expand my brain.Uh. I try to get into
reading, but if it's not sportsrelated, I'm really not interested in reading
that book. Who do you thinksome of that will be able to bring
out out of your games? Youkeep trying to, you know, just
being more explosive, probably more yardsfor catch with the space that he's putting
us into the more yards, moreyards, have to catch, more explosive

(01:04:38):
pick more exposed to play for fornot just only me, but she and
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 your eye in the last coupleof years. 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

(01:05:00):
us to success. They said,the language is a little a little shorters
it. Have you found that thelanguage that you guys use. Is it
about the same or is it atit's kind of the same. Really,
it's a long long plays, butit's more understanding for sure. I feel
like you can get to that moreunderstanding plays and uh, I feel like
that's that's the difference. Hater wassaying the other day, just kind of

(01:05:21):
like coming into this offense after liketwenty years of breeze and just kind of
how it was just kind of builton top of each other, on top
of each other. It's like kindof a lot to kind of take in.
Do you do you find that theykind of turn it down to something
new, starting to like zero witheverybody. It's just a little bit easier
to kind of get everybody on thesame. Yeah, I feel like it's
way easier. Like you said,it was kind of more of a Drew

(01:05:41):
Brees style the last playbook, Soall credit to them, though they built
that around him, around his players. But like I said, it's more,
Uh, this playbook is more foruh matchups, and I feel like
it's gonna be better for us.How do you think it's gonna really take
advantage of just skill sets? Uh? Just building around the strengths that I

(01:06:01):
have. You know what I'm saying, things that I can do and things
that she can do, uh,things that our players can do. Is
kind of focus on what we cando and building on that. Uh.
I feel like it's playing to theplayer strengths. So I feel like it's
gonna help us a lot has beenaround the way this offense will have a
lot more speed. And how hasthat transition event so far? I mean,

(01:06:23):
like I said, it's building aroundthe players strengths. So of course
we got speed uh with me orshe and ati receiver, So just building
around that, like I said,playing to our strengths and be able to
capitalize off that. Feel like it'sgonna help us a lot most of like
the up tempo astract and getting alot of plays in the less time.
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,that's definitely gonna play a big difference.
Like I said, coming from theWest Coast, Uh, they bringing that

(01:06:45):
stand for an offense here, SoI'm excited to be able to be a
part of that. Do you personally, what's what's the next novel look like
for you? What do you whereare you trying to accountli this year?
Uh? Just staying consistent, man, a couple of upside downs last year.
Just building off that. It's alwaysalways gonna work on the physical part,
but being able to bounce back aftera bad game the mental mental aspect.

(01:07:08):
Uh, just learning learning that lastyear and be able to build on
that this year is a huge part. You know with Mike Gon, do
you take it upon yourself to kindof be that voice in the room or
to take a step forward even furtheras Uh, I mean it's not really.
I mean everybody kind of grown inthe NFL, so it's just on

(01:07:29):
you to be able to have thatstandard. Like I said, I just
try to do that, lead byexample. I'm not really outspoken, but
just lead by example, working hard, trying to dominate every rep and hopefully
they follow after that. Yards afterthe catch? Is that you feel like
that's the strength of yours that maybewasn't utilize. I don't know if utilizes
the right word, but you couldshow more. Yeah, it's offense that

(01:07:55):
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
and separation for 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?Oh yeah, I mean of course.

(01:08:15):
I mean you don't want to gettackled by the first person. And my
mindset is trying to take every takeeverything to the house, you know,
every touch. So uh, Idefinitely got to do that more and definitely
try to work on that and practice. Great dude, man, Uh,
some some that I definitely needed.Some that he relates to me. Uh,

(01:08:38):
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 for him to push me iseverything that I need. So you're talking
about like mentally bouncing back, youknow, from tough performances or whatever,
Like, did you like try tofund your resources going to help you figure
out how to do that? Oh? Yeah, I mean it's older guys

(01:09:00):
tell me that's natural. Just havebad games. But just having a standard
that I have for myself and theexpectations I have for myself gets hard sometimes.
So just be able to be hardon yourself, but at the same
time just let it go and justbounce back for the next game is something
that I learned last year. Youone of those guys that feels like you

(01:09:21):
should always have a certain level ofproduction. Are you okay with those certain
games where the defense is so focusedon you that other guys have big games
and we're just running good bouts?And yeah, I'd definitely be one dimensional.
In football, you need to beable to throw the ball as much
as run the ball. You know. It's funny. Some people think I'm
an area guy, some people thinkI'm a wing tea guy. Some people

(01:09:43):
think I want to run the ball. Every down. You know, we're
gonna We're gonna do what's best fora house state, and that's that's kind
of what our game plan is rightnow. Austin wore a podcast. When
you think about your first evaluations ofthe quarterbacks and going through these fifteen practices,
how do you want to structure that? I know that you and Ryan
have probably talked about that a goodamount, Like what's the right way to
set up a spring position battle?How many reps does everybody need? What's

(01:10:08):
sort of your plan? Just froma general perspective, I guess yeah,
you know, we're really detailed inwhat practice looks like and how that's going
to operate. But I also thinkyou need to let the players go,
you know, so I don't thinkyou need to put shackles on them,
so to speak, and just keepthem constrained. I think you got to
let them go and you got tolet them operate. And we were rotating
I think everybody on every two snapstoday just and that was just what we're

(01:10:30):
going to do on day one.You know, we'll reassess it after we
got through it. Get a chanceto count up all the reps of how
many plays, how many plays eachguy got and did they get more in
seven on than they did in elevenon? You know, And we'll go
through that whole thing and that'll bea constant flow in terms of how we're
doing it. But I think thebest way people learn is they learn by
doing, you know. So they'vebeen great in the meeting rooms. They're
sharp when you get them on theboard, they're really good when they're watching

(01:10:53):
film. But you got to goout and you got to play the game.
And so the more that we canput them in those situations to play
the game, the better we'll havean opportunity to evaluate them. Tony German,
Uh, ship thinking all of thesethings, Uh go back so forward
with Ryan Day. You mentioned sinceyou've done him since he was a kid,

(01:11:13):
what were your first impressions back then? And then she could come full
circle to now, like how doyou how do you feel about that?
It's still the same way he youknow, even since he was playing little
league. He was the ultimate competitor, you know, and he was always
trying to find a way to win. He was great 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 outof high school. We all, and

(01:11:36):
we grew up really close to eachother, so the same elementary school,
same high school, same junior high, same college, you know. So
I've known him since for for areally long time. But that competitive fire
burns deep with him, and that'sthe one thing that I've always admired with
him. And he's got an amazingathletic brain in terms of how to process
things and how to how to putpeople in position to make place. He's

(01:11:56):
always been that prototypical coach on thefield, no matter what sport he was
playing. So I knew he wasdestined to be a coach, you know.
And I was fortunate in my careeras a head coach to have him
on my staff in a couple ofplaces, so I got a chance to
see him work firsthand, you know. I got to see him work firsthand
as a player and then as acoach. So the success he had is
not is not surprising to me.Is there where you seeing Ryan the successes

(01:12:19):
had? Yeah? I think weall do that. I think we come
from a unique place and in areally small hometown in New Hampshire where we
all take a lot of pride towhere we're from and and when anybody's successful
coming out of there, then youkind of take a little pride that that's
it's the upbringing that we all had, you know, in the UTH sports
program that we grew up in inin every aspect, whether it was football,
baseball, basketball, those coaches werehad an amazing impact on us and

(01:12:43):
that's why we are where we areright now. Ryan said, he doesn't
think of it as you working underhim, that's working with him. The
fact is he is the head coach. He makes me call him sir though
he just said can you do that? Day one? And I was like,
all right, right now. ButI mean he ultimately is the decision

(01:13:08):
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
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 alhag like I'm not.I'm not in charge here. Yeah.

(01:13:28):
Some people get that reference, otherpeople don't get that reference. But I'd
certainly understand that, and I actuallykind of relish it because I really love
the scheming part. I love theindividual part. I love being in the
meeting room of the quarterbacks and tryingto game plan. But everything we do
here is collaborative. You know.The one thing that really struck me when
I walked in this place is there'san amazing coaching staff here. You know,

(01:13:49):
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's it's a very collaborative effort. I
think everybody's 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

(01:14:09):
the twelve opponents that we're gonna playduring the regular season and then beyond.
So it's it's really collaborative. Andthat's the 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 makeeach other better and we're all trying to
develop this team. Touched on thiswhen you said, you know, you'd
like to do what you want todo and not My sense is you,

(01:14:30):
in your perfect world, you'd liketo scribble plays on a napkin and not
deal with boosters, do deal withall the stuff that coaches head coaches have
to deal with. Now, howmuch of a factor was that in this
decision? You can just do football? No, that'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

(01:14:51):
there's people that from my time atNew Hampshire or my time at Oregon.
I was just with Phil Night twoweeks ago, you know, I got
an opportunity to spend some time withhim and his wife, Penny, who
are dear friends of mine that havebeen great mentors to me in my career.
And there's a bunch of people thatUCLA, Terry Donahue and Andrea Donna
who were awesome to me. AngelaMazzoni is a great friend, Casey Wassman,
Troy Aikman. There was a bunchof people at UCLA that I really

(01:15:13):
enjoyed, you know, being aroundand talking with so I think sometimes everybody
wants to make a narrative of it'seither this or that. It's never that.
It's never just all ball, it'snever just all recruiting, it's never
just all boosters. It's a mixtureof everything. But I think the one
thing that as this position as ahead coach kept moving on is that if
you look at a lot of them, they all become more CEOs. You

(01:15:34):
know, I can't tell you howmany coaches that have called me since I
made this decision that said I'm twoyears behind you, brother, you know
that are thinking the same exact way. And I think it's all part of
what we have to do. Ithink we all need to protect this game
and promote this game, and Ithink there are some rules that we need
to get straightened out so that peopleunderstand what it's about. Because the game
is still about the players, andI hope that never gets discounted. You

(01:15:57):
know, It's always been about theplayers, and I think if we can
keep that at the forefront the peoplethat are making decisions on this, and
I think Jean Smith is one ofthe best influences in in the NCAAA,
is to make sure we keep thatthe main thing. The main thing needs
to be the student athletes Cleveland dotCom. You know, you're coming in
at a time where you've been throughsome places where the expectations are high.

(01:16:19):
I understand it's also coming into ajuncture where, you know, the three
losses to Michigan, the not makingthe playoff last year, the urgency is
pretty high here. I guess justsort of what the perspective do you have
on kind of the stakes that thereare for Ryan this year and the decision
that then he makes to bring youin to kind of help solve that.

(01:16:41):
Yeah, I think the expectations canbe no higher than they are in your
own brain, you know. AndI think if you try to worry about
what other people are thinking in theirbrains, you're going to get screwed up
a little bit. So, youknow, I talked earlier the one thing
about Ryan that I know about himand has always been he's the ultimate competitor.
So he's got There's nowhere that hashigher expectations of Ohio State than Ryan
does, or the rest of usthat joined him in are a part of

(01:17:01):
this and that are working with him. So you know, I don't think
I think sometimes you can spend toomuch time thinking about those things. You
know, what you really have todo is just as there's a big sign
as you walk into this place,it says when the moment you know.
I think that's a real thing thatwe have to do as coaches, is
to make sure that our players aren'tworried about what's going on in the future,
or or aren't worried about what's goingon in the past, or worry
about can they get a little bitbetter today, you know, and can

(01:17:23):
we make improvement? And I thinkthe one thing that I've seen here and
I've only been here for three weeks, but there's a consistency to the players
approach when they walk in this buildingevery day, which is it's unique.
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's impressive the culture
of the players that are in thisprogram right now. But I think it
speaks a lot to the leadership.There's a lot of older players on this

(01:17:45):
team, and they've set the tonefor the younger players, and I think
the younger players have done a greatjob of followship and getting right in line
with that. It's never ended overplay calling to someone before. What does
it mean to you? I guesshe technically did it to Bill when he
was here for a time, Butwhat does that mean to you to kind
of be getting that responsibility from himand he's calling essentially the offense that you

(01:18:06):
gave it? I guess in someway. Yeah, I still think the
play calling part will be a collaborativeeffort. And by that I mean that
if it's a good play, Icalled it, and if it's a bad
play, he called it. Becausethe great part is an assistant coach,
you can just hen point the fingera little bit and just say, hey,
you know, I wanted to dothis, but he trumped me.
So we haven't actually discussed game dayyet. You know, we'll see how

(01:18:28):
that operates. But everywhere I've beenit's been a collaborative effort. And all
of a sudden, someone that's callingthe plays isn't isn't like pulls one out
of left field that you hadn't practicedand hadn't been part of your offense and
said, hey, let's do this. You know, we're not running the
annexation of Puerto Rico. You know, we're not coming up with something special,
you know, in the middle ofthe fourth quarter that we haven't done.

(01:18:48):
But I think it's the key toreally being successful on offense is is
how you game plan, how youput it all together, and then how
you practice and train for that sothat you get a chance to execute it.
Because the party's confidence comes comes comesfrom their demonstrated ability that they've done
this so many times in practice thatwhen they get out on the field,
that this is like that to them, you know, And it's not that
they do it so they do itright, it's they practice it so much

(01:19:11):
so that they can't do it wrong. So, you know, I think
it's that whole part of it thatis really the key to being a really
good game planning team, right DougLane, Marie north Chip, When you
had that feeling when you were coachingthe quarterbacks during Bowl, did you consider
at that point maybe resigning as thehead coach and thinking like this is this
is not where I am anymore.I'll leave and then I'll look to see

(01:19:34):
what else is out there. No, I never thought about quitting anything,
So, you know, I justis there an opportunity that I think I
can that fit, you know,And I think that's the you know,
it's no different than when you're talkingto a recruit about them make a decision
on where they're going to go toschool. I think that where they should
go to school is where the bestfit is for them. So, you
know, I just entertained some opportunitiesand I always felt I felt like this

(01:19:58):
was the best fit. But Inever thought about quitting or not coaching.
I'm gonna coach. I'm gonna coach, and then I'm gonna die. I
mean, that's how I think Ithink about things. Is I can't picture
that. I know someone I wason the Nike trip and they like,
how much longer are you gonna go? When I said I I to go
another fifteen twenty years. I don'tthink about I don't think about retirement.
I don't think about any of thosethings. That's just not kind of my

(01:20:19):
mindset that you know. I lovefootball and in the as long as I
can be part of this game,then I'll be part of this game.
Just the way things worked out withyour departure from UCLA, is there anything
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 that departure
the best that you could have.Yeah, I mean I got an opportunity

(01:20:42):
to tell my players personally. Youknow, I think in this day and
age of the internet, where theyread it somewhere else and you have to
text message them. You know,that was always important to me that I
wanted to make sure I talk tomy players and explain the reasons of what
I was doing. I wasn't leavingto take a head coaching job somewhere else.
I wasn't thinking that the grass isgreen or at another university. Was
just in my personal situation, thisis what I wanted to do. I
wanted to take an opportunity to gobe a position coach and coordinator, and

(01:21:05):
that's how it fit. You know. What I was happy is that I
always thought to Sean Foster, Ithink 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 take overthere was you know, it worked out.
I didn't have any say in thatdecision, you know, I was
gone, but I always thought thatthe Shawn would be a great head coach,

(01:21:26):
and I'm really proud of him andhappy that that he got the opportunity
to take that job right behind him, Actually have your reputation as innovator?
Was part of the appeal of thisis that you get to get in the
weeds a little bit. Uh maybenot mad scientists, maybe too too strong
of a word, because you're workingwithin the system. But was there an
appeal of I get to get myhands dirty here again and innovate and get

(01:21:50):
back to that side of things.It was, but it was really more
important of who I get to workwith, you know, and so knowing
you know, I know a lotof guys 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 want to be a
part of that. But there's apart of that. Yeah, how much

(01:22:12):
of a teacher you get labeled inthe innovators. The teachings are part of
this. How much of a teacheror even how patient are you? Yeah,
I think we're all teachers. Imean, education is the transportation of
knowledge, you know, So itreally doesn't matter what the coach knows,
it matters what the players understand,you know, so you have to be
able to make sure that while you'reimplementing things is what resonates with them and

(01:22:33):
how does that come back to them. So, you know, a lot
of our teaching styles that we've learnedis more 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's ultimately gonna wingames, not what we know. You
know that we're not playing the games. We're not stepping across those white lines,
you know. And your job asa coach is to create an environment

(01:22:55):
where they have an opportunity to besuccessful and then get out of their way
and let them go do it.So I think the teaching aspect is huge,
and we continue to research, youknow, some of the latest trends
in teaching to make sure that weare transporting that knowledge to our players.
The second rold left Steve Hellwaggen,twenty four seven Sports. Yeah, coach,
just curious. You got five scholarshipquarterbacks with differing levels of experience from

(01:23:18):
age and everything else. Not toannoyed him, but just want to ask
specifically about Will Howard coming in afterstarting part of two years at Kansas State.
He just seems to promote this ideathat he's a football player, you
know above all else. Just howimpressed are you with his makeup, his

(01:23:40):
experience, what he's bringing to thetable walking in here right now? Yeah?
Really impressed. You know, youdon't have to talk to Will for
more than five minutes to kind ofknow where he's coming from. He's really
focused. You know, he knowshe's got a short window left in his
college career and it really wants tocapitalize on what that is. There's a
maturity to Will, you know.I really I've had experience, My experience

(01:24:01):
in in this thing since the transferportal opened in college football is some of
the best players I've had an opportunityto coach award transfers. Sometimes when you're
a true freshman and it's five yearsout, you know, it's like,
hey, I got a ton oftime, you know. And sometimes when
you're a transfer, is that I'vegot nine months, you know, So
there's a sense of urgency I thinkwhen you're dealing with with transfers and I
think Will has exuded that since he'sbeen here. But the other thing that

(01:24:24):
I just in the short time thatWill has been here is how quickly he's
fit in with the entire team,you know, and how much the rest
of the players respect him. Youknow. He was 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 win a weight roomaward, you know, to start off,
You guys hope to have the numberone internally externally at the end of

(01:24:47):
spring or I guess just let itplay 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. I don't think youcan anoint somebody or force the issue because
the players know, the players wouldunderstand. They see it every single day,
you know, and there's a teamchemistry part of this thing too,
So we're not going to force theissue. But I've always seen it play

(01:25:10):
itself out. So I've been fortunatethat there's always gonna be some quarterback battles
that at some point in time atevery school, there's a quarterback battle,
you know, and then and reallyyou gotta let them play it out on
the field, and that's where ithas to That's that's where it has to
be decided. Just a couple Hey, welcomes than we were excited to ask
you here. I'm kind of totalk about the innovative part. Ryan said

(01:25:31):
that that's something that he's always lovedbutout working with you, and now he
wants you to bring that here andhow it would fit with Ohio State.
Do you have any idea what that'sgonna look like yet or is it just
way too up? I have noidea, you know. I I think
part of it is is you're tryingto put the players in position to make
plays. So a lot of thatcomes from getting to understand the players and
what their skill sets are and howwe feature what their skill sets are,

(01:25:56):
you know, and and the theone thing after day one, I can
tell you that there's a lot ofskill set out there, you know.
So that's that's what gets you excited, you know, That's what that's what
you jump out of bed in themorning and you're excited to go to work
because of the talent that you getto work with. But the one thing
that's the most impressive is the workethic that goes along with that talent.
You know, it's not just emptytalent, it's you got some kids who
want to I mean all of themsince I've been here, want to work,

(01:26:18):
So that that's what gets you excited. But I think assessing what the
skill set is you know that wehave available to us on the offensive side
of the ball is vitally important.And then our job is to put those
guys in positions to make place lotsof pressure. I mean, you've experienced
what it's like to coach national championship, call over teams this program right now

(01:26:40):
and moving into a situation where yougot to win quicken now. So does
that feel like pressure here for youor is it a little bit of excitement
or both? Well, I've alwayssubscribed to as pressure is what you feel
when you don't know what you're doing. So if you don't want to feel
pressure, and then you should knowwhat you're doing, So, you know,
I think it's it's part of that, And I think part of our
job with our players in terms ofthe education process is getting them to understand

(01:27:01):
that too, is that you know, it's it's about your preparation. It's
about you and your development. It'snot about that you can't be governed by
what other people say. It's it'swhat's my mindset and how am I intrinsically
motivated? And then how do Ireally compete against myself on a daily basis
to get a little bit better.You know, we got a little bit
better today because we get out onthe field today and I got a chance
to do some football. And thenthe challenges when we get back on the

(01:27:23):
field on Thursday. Can we bea little bit better than we were on
Tuesday. And if we're doing that, then we keep stacking good days on
top of good days, and Ithink we'll be in good spot and welcome,
Thank you. I'm gonna ask aboutthe pros and cons of coaching from
the box and coaching from the field. It's interesting talk to some offen some
coordinators. Tom Herman talked about heswore he wanted to coach from the box.
Saw the game so much better,sterile environment, not all the chaos

(01:27:45):
on the field. Some coaches youtalk to the like, I want to
be on the field so I canlook at my guys that in the eye
where are you at as a asa coordinator, honestly, And I've thought
of this a lot. I thoughtof it a lot during COVID because we
had the empty stands, you know, so I had thought about your walking
up into the stands for a littlebit because I had a better advantage.
I've always believed you can see thegame better from up above, but I
believe you can feel the game betterfrom the field. So if there was

(01:28:09):
any way we could get a zipwire where you could do both, you
know, coach call it from thereand then zip out of the field,
get a chance to talk to him, because it's a different deal when you're
talking to the quarterbacks on a phone, you know, than being able to
look in their eye and kind ofsee where they are with it. And
part of it is the feel partof it. I remember when I coach
Ryan once we were playing Ukon andhe got hit hard going out of bounds

(01:28:30):
and he just walked by me,and I was a play caller, and
he was like, run the nextplay, and I just kind of looked
at him. I saw the lookin his eyes because I don't think he
could have thrown it, you know, he was still trying to get his
win back. But you wouldn't knowthat if you're up in the booth,
you know, and you call apass play from up in the booth and
you're like, how come we can'tcomplete that? Well, he just took
a shot going out of bound.So it's that fine line and I don't
have an answer, you know.I think I think it's feel on the

(01:28:53):
ground and it's to see from upabove. Maybe in this day a technology
they'll figure it out. But we'llsee how that that that operates, and
whatever Ryan feels is the best forthe team is what we're gonna do.
So your teams at the Oregon wereobviously never playing at this assid pace and
running a bunch of plays per minuteand yep, maybe not act by a

(01:29:15):
passill pretty fast. What role doyou see tempo and having an offense and
in the station? Yea in collegefootball and has maybe changed. I think
the game is always evolving, youknow. I think when I left in
two thousand and twelve to go tothe National Football League, Oregon was the
only team that was playing really reallyfast and had shiny helmets. And when
I came back in twenty seventeen,everybody had shiny helmets and everybody was playing

(01:29:39):
fast. So I think the gameis always going to go up and down,
and there's gonna be different cycles thatit goes through. I think tempo
is part of an offense, butI don'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'snot the main course, but it's it's
always good to have it. SoI think there's times when you'll use it,
but you're you're not gonna use itextensively the entire game, just like

(01:30:02):
you're not going to throw the ballevery single snap in the game. You're
not going to run the ball everysingle snap 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 itas a tool in your two box,
so to speak, uh is reallyhow we would look at using it.
Here are now more familiar with itthan I think. So, you know,
I think when you first started goingtempo, there were people in the

(01:30:24):
NCAA. They want to outlawd Theywant to make an NCAA role that you
had you couldn't do it, youknow, and I'll I'll give coach Shaving
credit. I mean, I thinkobviously Nick was the first one to do
it. He wanted it outlaud andthen all of a sudden he adapted it
and said, all right, welike this, you know, so we'll
keep it in. But it's Ithink people have it doesn't matter what you
do. There's there's cycles to thisgame, and then once people catch on

(01:30:45):
to that cycle, then it moves. You know, It's no different than
for three defenses and three four defenses. You know what is the rage when
the when the Giants won the SuperBowl, they were there were three four
defense and everybody, everybody says,we have to do that. Well,
people didn't understand as they had CarlBanks and Lawrence Taylor. It didn't matter
what defense they were running. Iknow, Gym's back there and Jim played
against the you know it was theycould have been a four down defense and

(01:31:08):
those guys would have been great players. But it's not the scheme. I
think that the coaches that do itthe best way is they insert their players
and put them in the best positionto make plays. And now now will
Temple be part of it, It'llbe part of it, but it's certainly
not going to be the main course. Last question, Oh, thank you
very much, Jerry. Uh.Number one, there was a great moment

(01:31:28):
there when y'all were warming up,when you were you were talking with Tim
Walton and Caleb Downs comes up andconversing and as you're in this kind of
a two part question, but numberone, what was just your take on
the talent you saw on that fieldtoday on both sides of the ball.
Where where would you rank it?Yeah, I'll rank it. I'll be
very transparent. As I was tellingTim and Caleb what a great offensive player

(01:31:50):
I thought Caleb would be, couldbe and should be. But I'm not
the head coach, so I alwaysturned stretch as a as an offensive coordinator,
I'm always looking at the defensive playerslike I could use him. Oh
what could I do if I hadhim? What could I do if I
have him? But I don't.I don't get to choose him anymore because

(01:32:11):
I'm I'm not I don't have thepick. But I was just talking to
him about he's he's a great youngman. And if you watch, if
you want to watch a highlight typewatches, you know I understand I came
up a rough season, but Idon'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'm still you know, top five player in my position.
And you know, I played arun in the past and I bring leadership

(01:32:36):
and you know that's not anything Idiscover. Can you plan to be here
for Mini camp? Rama started duringthe camp? Yeah? How difficult has
it been the last two weeks tonot be here? I mean you said
in your podcast the first time you'venever not been at OTA. Yeah,
it was difficult, But like youknow, the thing I got very frustrated
with was just when people questioned mycommunication with the team. You know,

(01:32:59):
I uh's communicating with guys left andright, and you know, front office,
coaches, teammates, and all Icare about is how I am with
my teammates. I don't want themto 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, but besidesthat, but I'll always dedicate anything I

(01:33:20):
can to them, and I don'twant that to every question. Isaiah said
that it felt like sometimes you wereholed up somewhere watching film. You texted,
you miss this. Well, likethe first day he was batting all
up Russ's passes. So I hadto let him know. You know,
Uh, you gotta take advantage ofthat. You gotta make sure guys are
you know, uh know that youyou still care and you still want to

(01:33:43):
be a part of this. Uh. You know, just watching practice,
there's a couple of little things we'redoing different, whether I'm communicating with dumbbar
or other people. You know,so so you're that you're also talking with
him and you you've given him thepointers during the off season just to communication.
How do you see him grow asa person, you know, as
far as how he's approaching things andhow he's getting ready for this season from

(01:34:05):
his rookie year. Uh, youknow, 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's actually like he can you know,
uh catch his feet under him.You know. I always think when
you're in your rookie season, you'regoing from bowl game. I don't even
know Wisconsin played in a bowl game. Sorry, Wisconsin, I don't even

(01:34:27):
know. But you know, personally. I just think when you go from
bowl game to training for the combineto you know, rookie minicamps, OTAs,
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 can be more vocal, you know.
And I think when my absence theother guy's absence, you know,

(01:34:51):
you need guys like that to stepup and be ready for those opportunities.
What do you think you had thesame you had during the season, was
a more thorough What was just tighteneddown everything, you know on my left
side because I was overcompensating a littlebit, but you know it was there
wasn't anything that lingers. You know, I'll say this, A growing is

(01:35:13):
not like an a c L.It's not like anything's that we're gonna get
afected again. And you know,you know, I'm feeling good, able
to do everything squat and heavy withpower and speed, so you know,
it feels good to get after again. What do you think of what the
team was able to feel accomplish yoursoff usual return of bringing guys like Russian
and things. You know, Ithink they're all good acquisitions, but you

(01:35:34):
know, you never want to beknown as a paper champion, so can't
win the off season. I thinkthe work gets done out here on the
field, gets done in the classroom. Wow, it gets done training,
uh, you know, and thenyou see where you're at in training camp,
and then you're built on that.You know. I think we got
the right guys in the building.It's just about putting a complete team on

(01:35:58):
the field. Camp Hop Center callsto separate the business part of the game
in the actual football player. Uh. You know, you you always wanna
you you always have to treat itlike a business, uh, because you
know one day it's gonna end.Uh, and that's with a new job.
Uh. It's not like in collegewhere you know you got four years

(01:36:19):
guaranteed. I don't know, wellnow you you don't even know where n
I aren't all it's crap but thetransfer portal portal. But you know,
you have to I still have lovefor this game, and I still work
my tail off and I still puteverything into it and that's not gonna change.
But you have to know, uhwhat you bring to the team and

(01:36:42):
what your what your value is,kay, I mean wanted to feel to
be out there with your teammates today. Emotionally great. You know, we
got a new uh, we gota new training staff and still learning the
the warm up a little different.Uh, but uh, you know I
loved it. Uh, you know, just getting after it, learning new
guys, going through the same drillsI've been doing by myself. I actually

(01:37:03):
like having more people around, causelike kind of go stir 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 chanceto, you know, be with my
guys. Cam were you confident anddeple We'll get done with your emotion.

(01:37:23):
Oh, I'm gonna we'll try toremain pretty neutral because you know, I
don't wanna be too either way.All I know is I want to be
here, but we'll see what happens. Is my last year here, I
I I've had a great career here, but we'll look forward to play next

(01:37:44):
YEARN What that second surgery you saidit this time was on the left side.
Was the first time around on theright side, right side during the
season, left side, and thatwas just tightening down my corner. My
corma saw. It wasn't the sameas my ad doctor. You know,
you can ask doctor Bradley, Uh, doctor doctor Zuckerbron who uh did the
surgery as well. You know,I if anything's gonna help me and it'll

(01:38:10):
make me a lot stronger from hereon up. Did you say you were
training with another guy? Who haveyou kind of been? Tyson? Oh?
Uh, I've been training with himfor the last eight years. We've
always trained together. We got atrainer up north, uh Shadow Cole Haley,
who's my guy, traded trained trained, Uh, Heath Miller, Brett
Keesel. The multitude of guys thatI all respect and we've just been getting

(01:38:34):
after it. Cam. He's veryfew guys historically thirty five that get paid
big contracts. You think that's heldagainst you. I think there's not a
lot of history behind it. Butyou know, for me, I I
look at as I'm not looking tobe like anybody else. You know,
my game is different from everybody elsein this league. You know, I

(01:38:55):
like to think, you know,I can play the run in the past,
and then 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, andyou know, my game's built on power
and technique, and those guys gointo their forties and so you know,
that's what kind of research I'm doingbehind the scenes. But you know,

(01:39:18):
I I we'll see what happens.The is there's not a lot of history,
but I'm here to make history andI'm here to you know, win
another super Bowl year and you know, have a great season. Do you
have a set goal over yourself onhow many years you wanna play in the
NFL? Or did you just takethings here right here? You know it

(01:39:38):
was it was tough answering that questionright after the season. I will say
this, guys, I I can'tkeep answering that question right after the season.
That is not fair to the season. That's not fair to my family.
U you know. But in mymind, I got three years and
I wanna maximize them. I wannaplay at a high level and I wanna
go deep in the playoffs and youknow, we got a good team and

(01:40:00):
I'm gonna do my part to beready for all those situations here. If
you planned on for after soon whenyou report to the trove, or is
your crossibility that you might uh pullin and enforce negotiations. I I have
not even thought that far. I'vetaken a day by day uh you know.
Uh uh I told my agent andwe talked about it. I mean
we were cool coming out here.You know, I'll be here for many

(01:40:24):
you know, and then I'll bethere for training than you know. I
don't know what the work entails,but right when we get there, we'll
we'll cross that bache. Why isit adds for you do or remain a
stealer for those three years? Youknow, there was a conversation between me
Omar and Mike t And there's certainguys that are one helmet guys, you

(01:40:47):
know, and I wanna be oneof those one helmet guys. And you
know, there's a there's a hungerand desire there. But that doesn't mean
just hanging it up and calling acareer. To me, I think,
you know, I got more bulletsto fire, and uh, you know,
I'm excited to do that. What'sthe meaning last one? You what

(01:41:09):
did your impression of him? Whatdoes he do well that you're like,
okay, yeah, this is thisis the program. Always take closer you
born, you get those hard Yeah, you committed right after your visit.
I mean when you came down here, was there a thought process that you
could commit. Did you come downwith an open mind or did it kind
of have a feeling that this wasgonna be the weekend of NAT. I
came down with openmin I didn't knowif I was the most name around that
and then I got here, Ifelt the family out your player. What

(01:41:33):
was that moment like for you?Talking to coaches, telling the player,
telling your family? Just what wasthat like for you? But it was
great. I have my mom,my dad, or my friends in the
room area pos that reaction? Well, my everybody already really except then I
do with take time? So whatwas coach a lotter that it was time?

(01:41:54):
When you think of like just tocomment or yeah, just an ohio
straight back? You know? Wasthere physicality? Like what are the first
things that come to mind when youthink of They don't high shaate or anymow
speed of power? Yes on andtity battle? Yeah. Is that something
that I mean you feel like youhave to you know, working or is
that something that you're like, yeah, that's the kind of back I am.
I'm just gonna be next to mine. They're as I think that's how

(01:42:15):
back I am. But you alwayscool? Yeah, well, what are
kind of a few of those thingsthat you're like, Yeah, I need
to work on like over the courseof the next few months, stores do
just everything. Make sure I keepall the details low security of what a
coach I tell you that he likes. So that's your game? Is it
art between the tackles? Your speedor what is he like about? He
said you like to Morrow fucking backfield? Damn he liked that. I'm like,

(01:42:38):
what's kind of your main I mean, obviously as an in state kid
committed to this class, what's yourpitch now to other recruits and being like,
this is why you should join OhioState twenty class. It's a real
family. I'm experience right, everybodyget them on, everybody talking to everybody,
do like something, what'd you sayonce you gave to bring your Wow?

(01:43:02):
I've always looked up to bojackly watchingthis film. Do you h that's
funny? Do you think that yourpoy style kamr his from mis perspective in
just the way that he can reallyclosed all that was saying that what you
want to grow into. Yeah,I think I can. I think the
speed to power to yeah, Ithink I Who are the main guys that

(01:43:25):
you're you're talking to right now tojoin the sport? I'm really talking to
everybody, uh the listing room andthat all the commute and any guys that
you want to join the past toanybody at the top of your listen,
not the fig Im sorry if youalready asked this, but coming up here
as a as a recruit or asa commitm I'm sorry. What what did

(01:43:45):
you want to show today? Whatdid you want to get out of this
experience? It wasn't nothing to shownothing. I just wanted to get this
one work here will go up.How did you feel like that went?
Obviously he's still relatively new here,but he seems to bring it a little
bit of a different energy than thansome of these camps in the pack.
I feel like a really good year. Do you sense that energy? I
mean when you're out with him,it's I feel this intense in review.
He's different than other guys, though, right, I mean kind of how

(01:44:08):
do you would you explain his coachingthan some of the other running back coach
you've made up work with him thepath. It's just intense. It's sense
like go go go. Did didyou talk to coach lack one when you
even are to Organ? I did? Okay? So when when didn't he
didn't Organ and get him Ultimer likeRufford around like half of the season,

(01:44:29):
like not too far after? Okay, So I mean is it was?
He kind of the same guy thathe is now, so just just in
a new uniform, basic arm Thenyou guys obviously added Isaiah to the class,
and there's no secret they would liketo add another one. What are
your thoughts on being in a classwith three different running backs like that?
I have no problem to be ableto pass through. And then what do
you like about Isaiah? I don'tknow, you've never met him? Just

(01:44:54):
damn on the first okay when youcommitted? Who were some of the guys
that you statue converted from the particularlyabout after the growing up? I'm not
really a couple of linebackers take thearmists? Do you want to black Skyrocket?

(01:45:15):
I just appreciate this. I mean, obviously we got a couple of
sefore you did hear it. I'mcurious about how you pick so high and
staate like how you do it?Pretty? It's pretty he started to pretty
good. But I mean in termsof the guys, don't you want to
join? You're already armor your shirta great right, see there's lord.

(01:45:46):
What do you want out of aquarterback in your class? Like the white
specifically, like yeah, this iswhat we want to wat great? Think

(01:46:16):
what's your Rochester? A couple foldor thank you girls, visit coach day,
very kind of children, thank you, very mus thank you once again

(01:46:42):
your music hard. We're talking toMonsters and Kelly about that. You joking
like I'm I'm Ord's the first timeI met him. You know, we
just find it real well, yeah, what do you think you came?
You know, we were top ofYeah, so like you make a lot

(01:47:04):
of sails are locking in. Soit's been like when you're just moving up
to California being out of Coverdent.It's a little honestly, probably like love
helped me as Yeah, it's beenlike a different being in out of state
recruit here. There's when ye werejust a couple of Yeah, it's definitely

(01:47:26):
different. So it's flying here someyears a new generation of recruits where I
don't think anybody outside looking in order, The question is the strength of your
commitment, Like you're locked in thelast night, you send it over and
over, but you're making visits aroundthe country, You've seen other schools.
It's it's almost a totally different mindset. In nineteen that was like the first

(01:47:47):
year we were making a transition,and then you know, COVID hit and
then you know, every year itjust seems like there's something else. And
I could come to the conclusion thatevery year is going to be different and
we have to adapt. But there'scertain things that we're not going to there's
certain values we're not going to change. It just you know, you know,
principles that have you know, stoodthe test of time. And I

(01:48:09):
shared this with a group before whenI started doing some some research. As
we were doing some some of ourrecruiting you know, introductions and some of
our you know, talks about youknow, the traditions of Ohio State.
We talked about how Ohio Stadium wasbuilt, you know, and when you
when you when you do your researchon that one hundred years ago, you

(01:48:30):
know, folks had the idea ofbuilding a stadium over sixty thousand people,
and that's because of what Chick Harleywas doing. And you know, they
had a wooden bleachers over here,and all these people started coming in and
the idea of bringing in a stadiumthat of our sixty thousand people at the
time was like, this is crazy. What is college football turning into?
And they they instead of going tothe state or going to the school the
community, they went to the communityto raise the money they raised over at

(01:48:51):
the time over a million dollars.Well night, Fast forward one hundred years
and the conversation still might be likewhat is college football doing right? And
in this situation then I l wehad to turn to the community for help,
and Bucky Nation showed up again ina big way. So although the
landscape is changing, I don't know, if you know, one hundred years

(01:49:12):
later, if it's not much different. It's just in a different time,
in a different you know, setof issues that we're working through. But
I think it's exciting. I thinkthere's a lot of positives to it.
I do. I think that we'retaking the next step with the revenue sharing
to try to institutionalize some of it, which would be big for US Reds.

(01:49:34):
Yeah. Every years got question.It seems like this year's team has
fewer questions off into the line.Address that specifically, if you look ahead
to love more than a month,what are the real questions that you have
in your mind about position battles?And I would say on offense, you

(01:49:59):
know, we've to square away thequarterback as you know, I feel like,
you know, the offensive line onthe right side, we got to
solidify that. I feel like wegot to build, you know, enough
depth at receiver that we feel likewe can put in five or six in
the game and feel good about it. On defense, I think we're still

(01:50:20):
looking to figure out, you know, who are going to be the guys
inside, you know, the third, the fourth, the fifth, defensive
interier alignment that we're going to putin the game. And then same thing
just just I would say depth,a little bit of safety, just to
kind of see who those next guysare. They're going to step up.
And so we know it's going tobe a long year. We're going to

(01:50:41):
need everybody, and and so ina lot of those areas, it's depth.
Special teams wise, you know,punter is going to be you know
that that is significant. You know, we just brought in Nick and you
know, so there'll be a battlethere. So I'd say those are probably
the areas we're focused on the mostRyan just to fall on the offensive line,
there was I think a school ofclog. You guys might we looked

(01:51:03):
for a transfer in that post springwindow. Did you guys do that?
Did you guys not find the guyor were you just confident the guys you
have, just like you know inJanuary, if if if we're going to
bring somebody in, it's to filla hole. We're not just going to
bring somebody in to bring somebody in, Like at all positions, we'll always

(01:51:23):
look to see what's out there.We did evaluate some of the guys that
were out there, and you know, you know, we felt like coming
out of it as we evaluated it, you know, there was a couple
of guys that you know, wechecked on, but but ultimately like based
on where we were and some ofthe young guys that are coming up,
you know, we felt like wesaw some progress in the offensive line in
the spring. So you know,it wasn't there wasn't as many folks in

(01:51:45):
the portal, you know, inafter the spring, So we looked at
it, we identified it, wedid our due diligence, but you know,
we're going to go through what wehave now. Second Rold Bills right,
you're it was interesting that you havetwo of maybe the top five ers
of guys in sport and then abunch of guys who haven't plenty. Maybe

(01:52:05):
someone didn't know my question, butdid you consider trying to add there understanding
that probably the difficult to sell.We can have such talent, how to
bring somebody of his experiences? Likewhat were those conversations like and how did
you set along being comfortable with youknow, Trey and well, like you
said, you know, I thinkwe're we will get some experience there with
those two guys, and then youknow, we felt like coming out of

(01:52:28):
the spring that James and Sam bothdid a nice job and you know we're
gonna have to play them and they'regonna have to you know, take on
a little bit of that. Youknow, we have you know, started
having conversations with Caleb Downs. Iwas part of the recruiting process of possibly
you know, doing a little bitof running back as well. It's something
that he wanted to do. Sowe've been having him in some of the
meetings and some of the individual drillsas a possibility there if you know,

(01:52:51):
needed so down the road to continueto build depth at that position. But
you know, I think, youknow, we feel like, you know,
if you have you know, fourstrong running backs going into it,
then you know that's gonna be that'sgonna be enough to carry the season.
I do think that the quarterbacks willrun the ball more this season, so
that should take some carries away fromthem. But to your point, you

(01:53:14):
know, James and Sam are gonnahave to step up to you guys that
we can count on. Save thatfor another day. Yeah, just fall
up on it. Is he capableof stepping in and being running back?
Obviously, we'll see. We'll see. We talked about in the recruiting process,

(01:53:36):
you know, the first time aroundand more specifically the second time around,
and so he's you know, he'sbeen around a little bit just to
get a feel for it. Wedid very little in the spring. We
did I think we pitched them anoption or something like that in the spring
just to kind of get them going. But we'll see, we'll see where
that goes. We don't have aspecific plan right now, but we do

(01:53:56):
want to introduce him to that justthe same thing like Lorenzo's as it has
played your seer where he did thatNotre Dame. You know he's out there
a little bit just kind of learning. It's healthy. You know, you're
seeing it from the other side ofthe ball. This time of the year,
you can get away with that alittle bit, a little bit in
the preseason. Where it goes,we'll see, but you just never know.
And we're trying to put some contingiencyplans in place because it could be
a long season. Yeah, thisis my forty first year covering house day.

(01:54:18):
I don't remember ever expectations like thisIn the summer. There were some
of them were almost a big sureyou sense that too, And what is
that pressure like as you're working througha summer. Yeah, and people have
asked me that I go back tothe expectations every year are the same.
I mean, it's just the truth. When opening press conference I said you
got to beat the team up north, and when every game after that,

(01:54:40):
that's just the expectations. And whenyou come up short, you know,
you got to figure out a wayto get those things fixed. I think
we have done that. But theexpectations are the same every year. Pressure
is the same every year. Ijust like the pressure when you've got a
really good team behind you. Sothat's what we've got right now. And
you know, we know it's goingto be a long season. We know
what we're working towards. But Iwill say this about this team, Well,

(01:55:00):
we've been talented. That's there's beentimes in the past we've been talented.
I don't know since I've been hereif we've been this talented and this
experience together with guys that have playeda lot of football, fourth and fifth
year guys, and that doesn't matter. We'll go extor Stephen playing since you
brought it up, maybe this ishis top because it's summer conmaus so you
can have just have conversations. Maybewe're making a big out of nothing long

(01:55:25):
term situation, but we've seen itaround college football in league guys playing both
sides of the ball and doing itquite well. Right Travis Suner is doing
it out in Colorado and kaylyn Jashas been apartment turns, so we see
what he could do with the ball. But there's also the stamina aspect of
that was getting into a sixteen gameseason. So I'm not saying it's any
forty snaps or something like that.But what about his athleticism what he brings
to the table, and let youknow that if you wanted to explore it

(01:55:47):
in a real game, he couldlast and still be an effective seek.
Yeah, you know, we'd haveto see all that he did it in
high school. But we got somereally good running backs in a room.
So it's not something that we're planningon doing. But uh, we all
we are gonna, you know,work on a little bit Caleb. Caleb
enjoys that part of it. Wedid agree that that was something that we
were gonna look into. Where itgoes, I don't I don't really know

(01:56:10):
right now, but I know thathe has the capability to do it.
He has the athleticism and do it, and you know, we'll kind of
see where it goes, see seehow he does, and you know,
maybe hand the ball Tom a littlebit in the preseason, because again it's
going to be a long season.We have to make sure we have continuoency
plans in place. But I knowit's something that he enjoys having the ball
in his hand. So even duringtheir first time around the recruiting process,

(01:56:30):
we even talked about him coming inas a as an offensive player. Ultimately,
we think his ceiling is highest ondefense. But you know, but
I also agree. I think thathaving you know, guys go on this
side of the ball and just seeit, listen to the meetings is really
healthy for the development. So we'regoing to do that regardless. Your defensive

(01:56:51):
recruiting right now is maybe further along, and it's been in the years past,
and I think West numous questions aboutin the past, but is this
of seeing it over the last coupleof years and now it's not just telling
guys, hey, this might looklike this, they're seeing it in real
time. Yeah. You know,we talked about it when Jim first came
in, and I think Tim Wallonsis an unbelievable job as well in the

(01:57:12):
back end, and you know,Matt stepped right in and James and Larry.
I think they're all doing a greatjob. But like you said,
you know, it's one thing totalk about it. That's theory testimony is
just look at this is this iswhat we're doing. And then I think
you're seeing a lot of guys justexcited about playing in this defense and they
see the capabilities and the flexibility too. You know, right now. The
way we play, excuse me,the way we play right now is based

(01:57:34):
on you know, we have fourreally talented defensive linemen that are really good,
and we got a lot of thatto those positions. But there's also
flexibility with some of the things Jim'sdone in the past that you know,
we're definitely looking at and some ofthe recruits that we're looking at who brings
some versatility, pass rusher, youknow, we have that jack position and
those type of things. So that'sexciting as well. And I think you're

(01:57:55):
seeing a lot of the recruits,you know, really get fired up when
they get here. Yeah, firstyears, your identity was was very very
from an awful standpoint and air itout type team. Look at the keep
best talent and the play makers youhave there. Has your identity changed?
I guess what do you think theidentity is of this twenty point four Well,
we'll see as we go, butyou know, we know what we

(01:58:18):
need to do to play in thebig games. That's never changed. And
we have to be able to stopthe run, run the football, take
care of the ball, and there'llbe opportunities to throw the ball that'll that'll
happen but you know we're gonna haveto, you know, do those things
to win close games and play situationalfootball. But I think, you know,
you won't really get a feel forwhat the identity of the team is

(01:58:40):
until we get into probably the beginningof October, you know, and I
think we all have ideas of whatit could go. But you know now
that we're playing in a playoff format, just like a lot of those NFL
teams sometimes, you know, theydon't really quite understand their identity until they
get about halfway through the season.I don't think it'll take that long.
But you know, we're able toplay some games and kind of work through
some things. And I don't thinkour defense is going to change a bunch

(01:59:01):
in terms of what we did lastyear. I mean, it's a lot
of the same guys back could looka little different on offense. Have we
got time for two more? Goto Doug limras Hey, Ry you lose
an important recruiting staffer to promotion atMichigan. Just it's the second time soone's
gone to Michigan this offseason. Howdo you react to something like that?

(01:59:24):
Is something that someone like that wouldtake information that was learned here that could
help the Michigan or hurt Ohio stages. Which the reaction to that, Yeah,
all good questions, and you know, I just I want to talk
about the guys that are here,you know, the staff members that are
here, the coaches that are here, the players that are here, the

(01:59:45):
ones that are Buckeyes. Joe didgenwith the scheduling change that was announced yesterday?
How why did they come together?Didn't have anything to do with the
expanded playoff Maybe thinking beginning of theseason a little different. Yeah, you
know, I don't know all thatcame in came with it. I know
it got presented to me a whileback, and you know I was on
board with it. So yeah,I mean I think, you know,

(02:00:09):
we do have to look a littlebit different at our scheduling as we move
forward, based on the way theformat is at the end of the season.
That's quickly about the linebackers got inhere a little bit late. How
do you feel about your linebackers?Cody seems like he alwayseas the Betrims is
like he's lucky as a starter,CJ when you see his role being Sonny,
when you see his role being gayand all this guys. Yeah,
good versatility. All those guys areVel Reese, Like you said, CJ

(02:00:32):
gay Sonny Cody. You know,I'm missing a couple, I'm sure,
but like that was that yeah,Rvel Yeah, I mean these guys are
very versatile guys. You can seethe length on them, and you know
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.

(02:00:55):
And I gotta spend time making surethose other guys get ready and get
caught up to speed in a timelyfashion. It's great. Uh, he's
taking a great step forward. LikeI said, he he's the next guy
up man. I mean he's beenextremely you know, important on the growth
of our secondary because now you knowwe're working him inside some Uh he's played

(02:01:17):
outside at both corner spots. Youknow, he got that it factor,
you know what I mean. Soso we look what he brings the energy
to competitiveness. We got to buildoff the last year uh and expand the
role for him and make sure he'suh, he's ready to go. But
he's been doing great. Uh.We're just authentic really not giving a lot

(02:01:45):
of recruiting talk. It is whatit is. We try to shoot straight,
honest communication, honest assessment, thecharacter, the value, the work
at it. And the main thingis the competition. You got to compete.
If you don't want to compete,it's not gonna be the place for
you, because that's the That's thething that will get us where we need

(02:02:10):
to go is competition in the room. And those guys here love to compete.
We sell that were looking for guyswho embrace that, who chairs being
in those spots and you can taketime to grow. You know, you
don't have to have the the pigmentality of problem of instant gratification. You
know, you can develop and growso and sometimes you may be behind a

(02:02:33):
guy that's a really good player.There is nothing wrong with developing and growing
and playing when your time is right. And if the time is right right
now as a freshman like well,Jermaine, did you play early? You
know, so we try to alsosell that, you know, we care
about them as people and try toprepare you for life after football. So
it's bigger than just football. We'regoing to prepare you for life, whether
it's the NFL or on with aregular career in the workforce. We want

(02:02:57):
you to prepare you as a youngman, and we try to sell that
and preached that, uh to theparents with Toremain and having that impact that
you mentioned, rolling all these differentspots, do you anticipate you know,
there wasn't a lot of rotation amongthe cornerbacks last year when everyone was healthy,
And do you anticipate maybe rolling himthrough the rest guys here with the
longerst season potentially? Yeah, weplay it by here, you know what
I mean, We see how itgoes by the time we get into the

(02:03:18):
camp. But you know, obviouslyhe he's earning the stripes, so you
know what I mean, when youearn the stripes, you know, the
odd job to create opportunities for you, you know what I mean. We
have to see how it goes withall that other stuff, you know,
once we get closer to the seasonand we'll get into game plan stuff.
But he's doing a great job,and he's a he and he's taking a
great step forward the way that youcan build or the way he kind of

(02:03:39):
established sure him. Now he seemslike it's been like the centerpieces kind of
relationships and kind of killing mind.And I'm curious Is that something that you
came in here with the like acouple of years ago, with the intention
of doing or is it something thatyou're like, it's kind of been cool
to be to go over the courseof your time's position here. No.
No, it's been there for awhile. I've been doing that for a
long time. It's all about relationship. If you develop real relationship and your

(02:04:00):
authentic and your communication and you havehonest feedback and you have you know,
direct teaching. The guys that havevaluating character and they appreciate that stuff,
they embrace that. So but theyhave to know your care and you have
to know that it's real, andthey have to know that you you're really
concerned about their well of being asa young man. And when you get
close to them and spend a lotof time with them off the field,
you can coach them hard and youcan you can and you can you can

(02:04:24):
say truthful things to them and thenthey'll embrace it and you have real conversation
because you know the only goal isto help them get better as a young
man. Years ago, the receiverroom is so far ahead and be more
to really get kind of skew thatevaluation sometimes do. And how's that dynamic
change in these two yearssess group's gottenolder and you can be more talent.

(02:04:45):
Yeah, it's done balanced uff littlebit. Now that goes with great competition.
We have the uh we go thebest receivers in college football, so
that helps escalate your growth process becauseif you don't figure it out real fast,
you'll get embarrassed. So that competition. But what happened with that,
I guys start competing, eye guysstart growing, eye guys got better and
now is even up a little bit, so where you get really good work
at practice to day, you knowwhat I mean. So it's competitive,

(02:05:09):
it's fun. Those guys both onboth sides of ball care about each other.
So it's great competition. And they'reall real, real close, so
you know what I mean. It'sthat stuff that gets us better. Uh
that were 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's gonna

(02:05:30):
competitive, man. They got thebest group in the country that you're going
against every day, so you haveto bring it every day, you know
what I mean. So they wegot a great quarterback room. We've got
a great receiver room. The runningbacks are really good, so when you
out there going against them, it'sdeep, so you have to be ready
for it. And obviously, man, we're seeing a lot of good stuff
with with with Day and coach Kellydoing over there, and so it prepares

(02:05:53):
you a lot and it helps usgrows wide receiver room kind of in it
like a part of your regres likethese are the guys you get to play,
Yeah, all of that because youknow that's where you get better iron
shoppings, iron So you know,you get to see that every day at
practice. That helps you grow.It's no better, uh thing to go

(02:06:15):
against every day than to see thaton a daily basis. Besides story looking
at oh, we just moving alot of guys around. We watch that
practice. We have a lot ofguys in there right now. You know,
we probably have three or four differentguys in there. Obviously Little Lorenzo's
in there, Jermaine is in there, k Miles, we have we have
about four or five guys moving aroundright now. We just try things out

(02:06:35):
in spring ball, see where thefit, you know, see what things
work together. So there's probably somemore guys in there. You know,
we move it around to try tojust get the right fit throughout the end
and see how it goes by thetime we get ready to start the season.
He can run an he's strong,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.

(02:06:58):
You know. I mean, he'sstarting to grow and he's starting to get
better with it, you know,I mean, so we looked for big
things for him the spring. Whatdo you want to see from this spring?
Keep competing, you know what Imean. Now he's made the transition.
Competing today, you know what Imean, Start going in that transition
is all just like having Jermaine lastyear. You throw them in the fire,
you let them go, you compete, you go. By the time
we get out of the end oftraining camp, ye'll be do them figured

(02:07:19):
it out. You have all that, but now you just throw it all
at them. Compete, continue togrow, continue to learn. He has
the skill set, he has thelength. Now you just got to put
it all together. And it takestime to do that, and hopefully you
see that by the time we getin the training camp seems like midway through
spring and kind of clicked for Jermainelast year and he started to see him.

(02:07:39):
It could not be more hacker tobe here, super happy be here
at Trot too as well or rightto work. Hello everybody, Dari's Robinson
University of Missouri. I just wantto thank mister Bill will Mont to your
coach Gannon for this amazing opportunity.I'm glad to be here with Marvin Harrison
right next to me, so Hfeel great. I'm really excited and I'm

(02:08:01):
excited for this journey quest see fifteenhere in town. Marvin, when did

(02:08:22):
you know the Cardinals were going toselect you? Did you know before they
called or was there an agreement inplace before? No, I did not
know until I got the phone callfrom the Arizona Cardinals. Marvin Richard signs
Fox then welcome to the valley.I know kind of tweeted to you,
tweeted out to you once you gotdrafted. What was it like to get

(02:08:45):
a message from the franchise quarterback andwhat kind of thoughts have you had about
teaming up with this guy in thenear future. Yah, yes, sir,
it's been great. You always wantto support and love from your quarterback
and the cause a great player,so excited to play with him, and
it's gonna be my job to makehis job easier. Darius Darren Urban from
Azycardinals dot Com. I know thata lot of players these days aren't sticking

(02:09:07):
in one school, uh for along time, And you did it for
five years. I mean even Marvindid it for three, Like what what
went behind that? And why wasit meaningful for you to stay at one
school? Yes, at Missouri,you know, we had some tough seasons,
but we were really built with anedge, energy, details, good
in emotional consistency, and I justfind myself just trying to grow and get

(02:09:28):
better each year and also as ateam, you know, win more games
each year. And that was mythat was my home, I was my
family. I was blessed to youknow, get two degrees as well off
the field, and I just loveMissou two degrees. Wow. Marvin Mcbob
McMahon and Arizona Republic, congratulations,Thank you to both of you. You're

(02:09:50):
known as all business and I wantto know how that's going to serve you
well in this league from personal standpoint, your brand, everything you do a
daily preparation. There's a lot thatgoes into being all business. Tell me
what that is to you. Yeah, I mean it's just being a pro.
It's kind of raised and grew upto do and keep the same mindset,

(02:10:11):
same attitude that I've had throughout mywhole career. Once I get here,
continue to work hard, be consistentand discipline, you know, and
all that I do. So I'mlooking forward to put in the work.
Hey Marvin, Josh Wayne ESPN.What were the best pieces of advice your
dad gave you about being an NFLplayer? I mean, yeah, it
takes a lot of work, alot of preparation. You know, from

(02:10:33):
Monday to Saturday, it's all workand then Sunday should be the easy part.
I go out there and have fun, ready to put the work in.
So I'm gonna starts with the workfirst and then when Sunday comes,
is Rieka benefits. Hey Darius Howard, balls are from cards wire. I
can't help but notice that ring onyour finger. Is that a cotton bowl
ring? Yes, it is thecotton bower. You showed it tomorrow.

(02:10:58):
Evan very quickly, No that Iwas telling Marvin, you know, he
was glad he did play the wholeweek. Weing know, you know,
you see Ohio State. Everybody said, okay Marvin Harrison, and now he's
is it going to play? Togo play? He didn't play, so
you know we lucked out. Sohey, Marvin Paul KELBC Cardinals Broadcasting,

(02:11:18):
do you believe that receivers have toearn the trust of their quarterback? And
it's so what does that usually require? Absolutely, you got to earn the
trust of the quarterback. And Ithink it starts, you know, every
day in practice and being consistent reallyand you can't just do it one day.
Can't you just do it for oneweek. Has to be you know,
done over and over and over again. I think that's how trust has
earned. So no matter where youget picked, when you're first receiver,

(02:11:41):
it's it's round seven, doesn't reallymatter. Have to go and earn trust
at the quarterback, your coaches,your teammates. So it all starts in
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 able
to represent your school as that firstround pick and what kind of impact can
that have for those guys following inyour footsteps. Yeah, it's awesome.

(02:12:01):
I feel like I'm setting the standardgoing forward. But thats the name was
Zoo is known as Delon Zoo,So I'm just added to the family.
But now I feel like I'm settingthe standard for my younger teammates that this
is attainable if you work really hard, be consistent and really gets your strength
coach. I feel like every programis built out the stremp coach and that
develops all the habits on and offthe field. Darius ZACHERSHMANEZI Cardinals dot Com

(02:12:26):
right over here, JJ mentioned thathe loves the violence that you play with.
You mentioned the different tendencies that youpicked up. The emotional consistency is
the great. How do you balancethat the violence with discipline on the field.
Honestly, just through preparation and practice. I'm a big guy. I'm
a big believer in inside hands,so that's why I'm always working my hand
placement and then I lift weight,so you know that's all connected. So

(02:12:48):
I'm just trying to be focused onmy technique as much as possible. Hey,
Marvin over here, David Brown withthe Associated Press. You know a
lot of rookies coming to the league, and they get a little bit of
leeway. It's like, oh,he's young, he needs to grow and
stuff like that. But obviously you'regonna be expected to be the guy here
really quickly. How do you dealwith that pressure? How do you go

(02:13:11):
about just so much being expected ofyou so quickly? I mean, yeah,
I have high standards for myself,but I'm just gonna go in there
and try to work, you know, the best I can. I just
want to help the team win really, so without that role I play,
you know, come September, letme do my best, you know,
do that role. This one's forboth of you, guys. The fans
want to know who you guys areon the inside. I don't know how

(02:13:33):
much you're willing to reveal to ustoday. A lot would be nice.
Could you tell us what you liketo do away from football, What what
pisses you off about things, andyou know, what what makes you roll.
I'm pretty simple. I like toyou know, be in my apartment,
watch the movie. If I goout and I go to a restaurant,

(02:13:54):
get some food. But other thanthat, I may do too much.
And then I'm pretty easy going.Guys, try nothing bother me too
much. Yeah, I say thesame thing. A real chill guy,
just really obsessed with football. Butoutside of football, like I said,
I got my two degrees. Igot my undergrad hospitality management and the minor
and business I got my masters andPositive Culture with ms FLA leadership. So

(02:14:18):
just thinking about being well rounded.And then I do philanthropy work. I
started my own nonprofit foundation, DariusRobinson Helping Hands Foundation. But really just
football and then everything else. Honestly, congratulations, guys, welcome to the
valley. I'm Robbie Baker with Foxten. Darius, this is for you.
After the draft last night, youhad a great response about how your

(02:14:39):
process and preparing for a game.Just kind of wondering where your love for
kind of the grind comes from andyour love for that process comes from.
I would say my junior year becauseI played litle league ball off and on.
But I got my junior year andI was playing high school and my
whole goal is just to earn ascholarship. But during that process, I
really fell in love with the game, fell in love with working out.

(02:15:00):
It is just with teammates, andnow it's kind of like my advice and
I can't let it go and justkind of finding ways to always get better,
you know. Luke Linting here withtwelve Sports, congrats both of you
walking to the valley. This one'sfor you. Marvin. I'm curious your
thoughts or what was that conversation likewith your dad after your name was called
and you were able to be draftedby this organization, and how surreal is

(02:15:20):
it for you to be following yourown father's footsteps but in your own way.
Yeah, I mean it was verybrief actually, just in the second
graduations, I walk up to thestage and then I had to do a
bunch of interviews afterwards. So Idon't think it's hit both of us yet.
I don't know what's happened. Ithink, you know, one of
Michaels always to make him proud,So I hope I did that, Marvin,

(02:15:41):
Bobrock, pH and X Sports.When do you anticipate catching your first
passes from Kyler Murty? I don'tknow. I don't know. I guess
we'll see, hopefully as soon aspossible. Darius, you mentioned philanthropy,
and I know there's been it's beentalked about how you took some of the
NI nil money to do it getback to school for the kids in Colombia.

(02:16:03):
Where did that belief in doing thosethings come from? I said,
my family, My brother and mymom really instilled that into me and to
me at a young age, justgive back your blessings to others. In
my fifth year at Missou is thebest year of my life, so why
would I not share my blessings withothers. So that's what really motivated me
to do that. And now beingin NFL, you know, my goals
to do three events each year andjust give back because you know, it's

(02:16:26):
life outside of football and bigger blessingsout there. Marvin, you obviously played
with a number of highly drafted receiversat Ohio State. What sort of feedback
have you gotten about the NFL fromthem? An you know, about making
the transition in the league itself.Yeah, it's a long season. I
think going from in a twelve gamerecord season you have in college to was
it seventeen games now and you gotthree preseason I feel like just the biggest

(02:16:50):
challenge the game stages thing. Obviouslynever were 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
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 gonna
sign the NFLPA licensing agreement? Icontinue to talking my team. We do

(02:17:15):
what's best for me. I'm movingforward. We just take it one day
at a time. I just gotdrafted, so I'm trying to enjoy the
moment and be happy while I canat the moment. Hey, Marvin,
we'll say Romaro, Arizona Republic,Welcome. Then can you just kind of
share a little bit about you touchedon it briefly here, but just a
little bit more about growing up withyour dad and you know, the experiences
you had in Indianapolis and games andso on and so forth. Yeah,

(02:17:37):
I mean, there's no better rolemodel, coach, mentor that you can
have. Sup. All the waythrough our college we were captains together Ohio
State, so we shared a lotof we shared a lot of time there
together. And then before Pro dayhe came up and we threw that night
before Pro Day, and we've imean, we've payed in touch. I
feel like pretty well he's just anawesome human and even better teammates. If

(02:18:01):
I could ask you quickly, whatdid you make of what 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
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

(02:18:22):
and when he got the chance,got with the right people and the right
coaching staff. The dudes unbelievable.Brian Bearfield, Hey, kay, welcome
to Houston. Brian Bearfield, bigsarch media for everybody just called me serage
as you could tell by the hats. So kay, I don't want to

(02:18:43):
take you back down memory lane forjust one second. I just looked up
some of your stats. So youwere in high school. You were running
back one thousand and four into seventyseven yards. Your senior year, seventeen
touchdowns, linebacker, one hundred andsixty three tackles, four intercessions. You
broke your high school scoring record inbasketball overall athlete. Even when you got

(02:19:03):
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
percent. Yeah, that's one hundredpercent, dred percent correct, no doubt

(02:19:24):
about it. I'll do whatever wegot to do here to win ball games.
And I mean they got awesome players, awesome coaching staff, so just
super super blessed here. How muchdid that how much does that background help
you or help you to get throughyou know, college and now'll get you
to where you are today? Ithink every day I've been thrown in a
million different directions, pool in amillion different directions, and to be honest

(02:19:46):
with you, I mean, nothing'sever gone like how it's supposed to on
pen and paper in my life andmy coaching career, so I mean my
playing career, excuse me. Andit's just I think I'm just I feel
like I'm battle tested and i feellike I'm ready to go thank you.
Yeah cool, cool, You're unmuteany better? Katie got me? Yeah,

(02:20:16):
I got you now. Cole ThompsonUSA Today Texans Wire, Congratulations are
getting drafted. I just heard youkind of mentioned a little bit about coaching.
You're talking about your coaching career,not your playing career. Do you
want to get into coaching afterwards whenyou're done playing football? No? No,
no, it's a lot of emotionsgoing through my body right now.

(02:20:39):
So regardless, No, I'm notplaying on getting coaching. I'm playing on
just playing as long as I can. Just a quick follow up, and
you look at a guy like DamikoRyans, who is a former player that
is very close to the league,only has been out for about seven years.
What does it mean to be playingfor somebody who's translated over to this
new side of things but also understandswhat a player goes on the daily basis.

(02:21:01):
I think that makes the biggest differencein the world. And I think
you can tell by the way theplayers respect him and just how and the
job he's done in the short timehe's been there. I mean, the
dude's unbelievable. He seems like anunbelievable person. I'm just really really excited
to be able to planner Nathan Cody. You. Hey, k Cody Davis
from Sports Illustrated. You and Imet at the NFL COMBA. By the

(02:21:24):
way, Yeah, I would liketo know, man, what are what
type of tid end are the HoustonTexans getting? Man, I'll tell you
what they're getting. Just a completeutility player. Basically, I'm gonna do
whatever you asked me to do atone hundred percent h one hundred everything I
got every single time, and justI'm gonna be the exact gluve in the

(02:21:46):
locker room. I'm gonna be adude people can come to when things go
wrong, and I'm so excited tohelp his team anyway I can. Kim.
Hey, Kate, it's Kim Daviswith Chalk Talk. Congratulations on getting
drafted by the Texans. Kind offollowing up on what Cody, just to
ask you from your constation with CJ. I know he's spoken how you have

(02:22:09):
the staff, but what do youknow about this just from what you've seen
this offense? And although you're utilityplayer, what excites you most about it
other than obviously playing with CJ.Now, I just think one I think
Dalton Schultz is a great player.I've watched a lot of his film growing
up and just even the last coupleof years study a lot of what he
does, especially was on the Cowboysand now just to be able to learn

(02:22:31):
from a guy like that and takenotes and tips how he handles his life
and everything, it's gonna be awesomefor right now, in long term down
the road. And one quick followup, what do you know about the
city of Houston? Have you spendingtime here? No? No, I
trained in Briscoe, Dallas for alittle bit for a couple of months,
and then that was really about it. Other than that, I've never really

(02:22:52):
been to Houston, but I mean, I'm really excited to come. All
right, thank you. Look forthe media. You two A hey,
Kate U. When it comes toblocking, some tight ends embrace it.
Some do it because it's part ofthe job. What's your mentality toward blocking?

(02:23:13):
And I have a follow up?Man, I love blocking? Uh
I do. I'm gonna throw myface in the fire chance I can get.
I might always be pretty, butI promise you're gonna get every ounce
of power I got. And thedraft process as a proven guy did you
go on a lot of visits.Did you work out privately we are someones

(02:23:35):
that you remember, and what kindof level of activity did you have with
Texan's combine meetings, et cetera.Ye, thank yeah, we had.
We had a formal at the combine. Uh. And I've always, like
I said, always talked to CJclosely. H So just having that and
then just throughout the prox we hada couple of zoom calls here and there,
and other than that, I mean, I trained the host state coach

(02:23:56):
Mick and coach A T. TheFrain coaches up there with train, a
group of me, Tommy Iickenberg andStill Chambers, my roommates that we lived
with in the afternoon, and thatwas 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 visit to the Bengals.
That was it. We have timefor a couple more. Go ahead,

(02:24:18):
sarge. Oh, Kate, Iknow that you know we've asked you
a lot of questions about playing withCJ. But you've been scouted as a
tight end but can also be mixedout to the wide receiver position. Being
at Ohio State for as long asyou were, what did you pick up
from a lot of those great OhioState wide receivers that came through the time

(02:24:39):
you were there. You just watched. I mean, you watch those guys
go about how they handled releases,how they handled their feet atoping their routes
and everything like I mean, forme, I've never played it in my
life. So starting you literally startedfrom square one, absolute square one.
So learning slowly with them, andthen I mean, this is a business,
and yes, what's best for hiscareer and his future as well.

(02:25:01):
So you know, obviously has familiaritywith Joe Brady and had one of his
best seasons with them, So youknow, I think he's gonna be a
big part of their offense and continueto grow as a receiver. You know,
it's a lost for our room becausehe's a dynamic playmaker. He can
play inside and out and just hisenergy. Man, I think he really
became one of the favorite teammates onthe team because he kept things light,

(02:25:22):
but he also was a really hardworker and and uh made plays when we
need him to. So on apersonal standpoint, I'm definitely gonna you know,
miss him having him in the building, and he's kind of like the
guy you I get to talk toand he's like my best friend. But
on the other hand, I getto see him, you know, continue
take steps in his career. Uh, he's still very young, so he

(02:25:43):
has a lot of good football aheadof him literally offense and how be different
for the offense. Yeah, yeah, we haven't honestly even started install yet,
so I haven't even got a layof the land quite yet. I'll
probably take a look at just gotour I pass within the last few days,

(02:26:03):
so I'll try to take 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 toget his playmakers involved, which I think
we have a really good group ofguys from the running backs to receivers and
some solid tight ends as well.So I'm just looking forward to see where
I fit into that. And youknow, I think with him, his

(02:26:24):
biggest things is making sure the playmakersare making plays and trying to fit the
scheme around that, which is alwaysgood to hear, good to see too.
This is what your offense, Yeah, yeah, it's definitely. You

(02:26:46):
know, an adjustment obviously when you'relearning a new offense, and it's kind
of the same mentality I take intolast year in years past, where you
kind of just want to take aday one approach, kind of erase what
you've learned in the past. Butat the end of the day, I
think you know, schemes in theNFL are relatively similar. Is just the
names and the formations that may bea little different. So just getting used

(02:27:09):
to the terminology and Cliff's offense isjust going to be something that's an adjustment
for all of us. But thegood thing about it is I got some
good time on my hands to reallyput some work in studying when I leave
this place, so I could comein here when we have walkthroughs and when
we start to put our helmets on, we can really hit the ground running.
So so far it's we haven't learnedanything yet. But my approach is

(02:27:31):
the same, try to take goodnotes in there, ask good questions,
and then study on my own atnight. Yeah, yeah, I think
I got some really good work downin Florida. Is just working on my
footwork, just being better at thetop of my routes, sharper on my

(02:27:54):
speed cuts, dig routes, outroutes, and just being cleaner with my
footwork at the time of the routes. I think, you know, with
a little bit of zone covers thatwe've seen in the past with some teams
kind of running more too hot show, you're gonna get a little bit more
of catch technique where guys are kindof sitting at the top of your route.
So I want to be better atbeing efficient to getting out of those
routes when a guy's kind of sittingat my depth, whether it's a fifteen

(02:28:16):
yard comeback or a twelve yard crowlroute, you know, being able to
get out efficiently so I can keepcreating keep the separation within my route.
So obviously I'm always still working onmy ball skills and making sure I'm just
catching a lot of footballs in theoff season, but just really being better
at the top of the routes andyou know, sharper out of my cuts

(02:28:39):
is something that I think I canimprove on. Good to see you too.
You know, you're obviously one ofthe leaders of this team and team
captain, and with so many newfaces, new players locker room, what
is the challenge you're going to haveand the other leaders in that locker room
blend everything together because there's so manynew and different person Yeah, I think

(02:29:01):
I think that's really started with coachQuinn in the way he's really integrated everybody
over the first two days. Ithink we haven't even got into x's and
those quite yet. We've just reallybegin to know one another. Getting out
there with Chad and the strength coachesand getting some good workouts in just kind
of creating a foster in an environmentwhere everybody's the same and continuing to have

(02:29:22):
a competitive environment. I think thatbrings out the best in one another.
And obviously, you know, youhave guys like Zach Ertz who's played a
lot of football and won a championship, Marcus Marriota obviously, Bobby Wagner,
who's a future Hall of Famer.So you got some guys who have been
brought in here who know what it'ssupposed to look like at this level.
And for myself, I just wantto continue to add my value and be
even more vocal this year than Ihave in the past, especially with possibly

(02:29:46):
a new quarterback coming in. Ithink that can really help our offense have
you know, some more unity withthe guys who know what it looks like,
helping bringing those guys, the youngerguys along. I don'd a chance
to watch opening. We didn't wantto use the word rebuild. Yeah,
goingranchise. All the new changes,new coaching staff, all the new players.

(02:30:13):
Is there a certain word everything?Honestly, I just think of it
as a as a new year.Just talking to Sam Cosmy, Uh,
we've been here for a few years, so it's a lot of new faces.
I think, you know, thisis probably the most I would say
turnover we've had in the last fewyears. So there's guys coming from all
different areas, walks of life,and but I think the one thing is

(02:30:35):
the same. They're all coming inlooking for an opportunity to compete, take
another step in their careers, anduh, prove that they're one of the
best players at the position. AndI think coach Quinn has emphasized that we're
gonna have the opportunity to prove ourselves. Whether you're a ten year VET or
a second year player. You know, this is a clean slate for everybody.
So I think it's just about gettingon the same page, enjoying coming

(02:30:58):
in here and working together and alsojust pushing each other in these workouts,
and then when we start getting onthe field, uh, really get that
competition going. Try to simulate aswe go along in this off season process
of how the games are going tobe. Hey, how are you doing?

(02:31:20):
Good to see too, Yeah,I think Coach Quinn has really assemble
assembled a very unique group of coaches. There's multiple head coaches, there's multiple
quarter UH coordinators that have come fromdifferent places, and so you have guys

(02:31:46):
who have a lot of football experience, some have played, some have coached
in big games, and then youbring in, you know, the the
talent that we have defensively and offensively. And I just think you can feel
the unity and the sameness in themessage that he's trying to preach to our
team, and it's we're gonna betough and we're gonna be competitive, but
we're also going to have fun.And he, like I think he said

(02:32:07):
in Your Guys' interview, he saidhe likes to do you know, hardship
with good people. So I thinkthat's fun. You know, a guy
like me likes to put my nosedown and grind and work. So I
know him and I are going tocontinue to hit it off, and you
know, it's just my job tohelp bring other guys along with me.
Thank you more. What does itlook like to your next step as a

(02:32:33):
vocal leader? Yeah, what doesthat mean to you? I think for
me, I I've grown a lotin my vocal leadership. I think I
try to always find the balance ofwhen to say something when not to say
something. I think I never wantI've always wanted to be a person when
I say something that means something likeyou don't want to be You're giving all

(02:32:54):
the motivational speeches, but you're notbacking up with your play, or you're
you're talking so much you kind ofyour message is drowned out. And so
it's kind of continued to find thatbalance of when to say things and when
to kind of just take a stepback. But I think I've I've gotten
a really good feel of how todo that. I think obviously with a
new coaching staff, you just tryto understand what they how they want things

(02:33:16):
done, and you try to,you know, bring what you do well
into that, and you also tryto encourage the guys who haven't taken those
steps in their career to do thatas well. So I think for me,
it's just really starting in my positiongroup. I think we have,
uh still a very young group,kind of inexperience for the most part,
but I think we have a lotof talent in there, and it's just

(02:33:37):
my job, in Bobby's job,and to continue to bring that group along
as we go throughout this season.What is I guess, Yeah, approach.

(02:33:58):
Yeah yeah. I hit it reallyhard this offseason, so I kind
of started training a little bit afterthe Super Bowl, so I got a
good six to eight weeks into whereI feel football ready right now, which
is great for me because you know, obviously we're probably having a mini camp
at the end of this month,so that'll be I'm already in football shape,
So that's that's exciting to know thatI'm ready to be able to run

(02:34:20):
routes and get going with our quarterbacksand get going with our system. So
you know, as this off seasongoes on, I just trust the plan
that Chad and the guys have here. I want to be here for all
the workouts and things like that andbe a part of the team building and
just continue to learn the playbook aswe start to install things and be at
a point where I could go outthere and be confident in my game,
what I've worked on this offseason andput that into how that fits into this

(02:34:45):
offense. So I always try topride myself on knowing multiple positions, just
to be flexible for the team andbe flexible for myself, so I'll be
ready for whatever they wherever they putme. Based on your career, you're
not surprised you're going to have anew quarterback this year. Yeah, yeah,

(02:35:07):
you never well I don't say never, but it's it's always tough seeing
like someone you build a really goodrelationship with go on and move on in
their career, and especially your quarterback, because as a receiver, you want
to continue to try to build thatchemistry, you know what I mean.
That was only our first year playingwith one another, and I feel like
him and I had our uh wemade some great plays and we had some

(02:35:30):
you know, room for growth,and I think that comes with any new
quarterback receiver relationship and so but tosee him go in a situation where we
have a chance to compete and playunder a really good quarterback in Geno,
you know, I think he'll he'llreally like playing with receivers like uh,
well, throwing the receivers like Locketand and Jason Smith and jig but in

(02:35:50):
d K, you know what Imean. So I think he's going in
a situation where it's more mentally theany thing though, like less, I
was always my best side back incall, but since I got to IF,
I've always been playing right. Butyou know, it's a it's a
good challenge for me and I canshow people I can actually play right hand
left, So it's a versatility thing. So I'm happy about it. There.

(02:36:11):
You moved around a lot throughout yourcareer that there's jumbo side you'll tackle,
I guess in the sentence and cleaningbook and left on the right side.
Do you think you kind of benefitfrom focusing a little bit more on
the right side. Uh, alittle bit, But you know, there's
a new system that we have,Like il Pliny, my mindset most on
the right, but also have mymind'st on and left too, just in
case something does happening to like youknow, I mean like Colten or you

(02:36:33):
know, Pete, of course,but I'm always gonna be ready for left
no matter what. How quickly haveyou feel like you picked up this new
system that you're working in. Now, you know it's a we actually pretty
up picked up pretty well cause it'sthe same system that I'm used to back
in the hot saxe, cause we'remore like spread back at how I say,
So, you know it's pretty good. It's one of these like the

(02:36:54):
draft process off seasons. A lotof people outside of the building chain range
just getting the right tack. Yeah, a lot of yeah, alright now.
A lot of people in the buildingwere like, we have a right
time do you die? Yeah?You motivated bout that you follow it like
a you nigga do it? ThoughI don't. I read into it a
little bit. But also the sametime, like they not here of course,
but I don't really care what theysay. I know what I can

(02:37:16):
do, and the team know Iwhat I can do, so they trusted
me right now and I'm not gonnalive right now. How hard or how
easy is that to compartmentalize that ifyou use that as fuels going forward rather
than the kind of maritated it,uh I j I just keep receipts.
Everybody knows that one person I don'treally care for him. And also that's
all good, but it's all loveout love, uh outside of this,

(02:37:37):
but you keep it on me,keep it better, keep on these nights.
See what I can do there.You've been a outspoken about your supporter
of Zamir, and obviously it's justa chance now to be the dog.
Wait, what is it about himthat you bought in so early? The
reason why I bought it so earliestcause us I was at a house they
they always taught us sanctually. Idon't giving and ext since I got here.

(02:38:00):
I'm'a always wanna gouth get and Igotta picked late, and I always
wanna prove people wrong. You know, I think prove people wrong all my
life. I don't want to keepdoing that, which I guess more just
like i'll predicting like the set youfeel like a community year. You know,
a nine D eight difference, nineday difference from my first year in
my second year. So now likenow, my guy, I know I

(02:38:22):
can play. I know I cango against one of the best special plants,
anybody else that we want to playthis year, and I know what
I can do. So all Ido now is ast meet my potential and
should do it and help everybody elseout the team as well, you've practiced
a lot against Malcolm and he's reallycome into his own. What is it
about Malcolm that's helped him make thatnext step? There? Man, Malcolm,

(02:38:43):
he's quiet, he doesn't really saytoo much. He comes in to
work every day, do what hedoes, and he works hard. He
doesn't plait twice at anything. Yeah, he'll get mad over a co rest.
We's at the same time that likehe has a mentality of adult like
he's he don't really care what y'allthink, alright, anybody else thinks for
real, So it's just like,alright, just keep going. That's how
everybody is on the team about Tyraistoo. You got that same mindset.

(02:39:07):
He does have the same mindset.Put up a little nervous, but uh
nah, he nah. He hasdefinitely grow up a lot from his like
first year here to now, likehe has. But he's he's growing up
a lot mentally too. I'll tellyou, guys are reimagining the offensive line
a little bit with you out thereon the west side, yuh uh farm

(02:39:30):
there next to you on the onthe on the west side too, and
then drafting the guys on the linehere. How long exciting is that to
be part of something that's that's kindof being you know, having that trust
but also being reinvented a little bit. That's great, you know. But
me and Daling knows like they gonnakeep replacing us, of course, but
all the same time, we gottakeep going. You know, we can't
swil and think about what they did. All we gotta do is saying about
what what came to do with youbetter? In fourteenth a twelve? Sorry,

(02:39:54):
they don't put a lot on thewef side right a little bit more?
How how long are you guys workingtogether? So working pretty well?
You know, you guess, saythe rest we have like a a little
rookie moment a little bit, butyou know, yeah, you know those
those tougher conversations, those ones wherewe might disagree when we do agree,
where where he's got his two centson it, which is, you know,

(02:40:15):
always the best two cents I've heard. But me being who I am,
you know, I'm I'm I'm gonnathrow my two cents in there,
you know. So that's just uh, it's been awesome, man. We
he's he's you know, a resourcefor me, just a person that I
can always bounce my thoughts off ofand now, you know, just a
year you said, thirteen months.Now I feel more comfortable just you know,
bringing certain things up. You know, you never you never wanna come

(02:40:35):
off too Stan, But I'm acurious guy. I got a lot of
questions. I like, I likefootball a lot. I like to talk
talk the games. So you know, come to find out he's the exact
same. So we uh, youknow, we get along well, and
and uh, we're gonna keep keepbuilding that relationship. Sometimes in this league
playing you know, eighteen games,they trying to make a twenty. You
know, it's like it sound likea little a little fever dream to be
honest, but but uh, ifwe can find a way to k you

(02:40:58):
know, stay up right out there, keep keeping on his feet. You
know, I'm I'm excited for thatand uh everything that comes with it.
But uh but yeah, like Isaid, man, that's it's it's harder
said than uh or harder done.And said, I guess you know,
it's one of those things. It'slike that's a lot of games, you
know, all of a sudden takea lot of hits. They take a
lot of hits where they're not lookingand it's just how can we keep him
healthy? Yeah? Yeah, areyou when do you think? I do

(02:41:18):
you ever see the room now positionsyou guys have made when more money,
healthy and everything like, Yeah,you know, I'm excited to see it
at at full health. You know, we've I haven't got to see all
the all the guys out there atonce, and and you know, it's
one of those positions where every dayis something might happen to Nick up.
You know, it's just a atough position to stay out there at all
times. But I feel like wegot a great group and and the number

(02:41:39):
one thing is how can we stayhealthy? How can we you know,
I'll be out on the field,and I think having depth like this and
the group we have is gonna helpus. Having guys that can do different
things, that can go catch ballover the middle, all types of things
that it's gonna take some of thestrain off off all of us. You
know, it's it's a good group. So I'm excited to, uh,
you know, get out there.I feel like we haven't had the whole

(02:42:00):
whole thing together. But you know, come season time, Marol, and
it's gonna be exciting. What aboutthe gods your old number. Yeah,
yeah, yeah, man, he'suh, it was a brute and then
once he catches up ball, Imean, he's got great instinct of where
the defense is. I think thetaalle on this team is really good too,
and I think that I can comein here and make a big difference,

(02:42:20):
you know, and we can wina lot of football games. You
know. So that was my Thatwas part of my decision. Your achilles
how sough was that I'm one hundredpercent now and it was like a walk
in the park. It's like asprained ankle. You know. It was

(02:42:43):
very easy, you know, becauseI had the knee. The knee was
pretty hard, you know, andthe Achilles was I would say it's easy,
you know, just because that's justmy mentality, and it was.
It was pretty easy to me.But you know, I've had these injuries
and it's been storm like the pasttwo years, you know, having haveing

(02:43:03):
like good, great games. Thenext thing, you know, hurt and
then you know, so got gotthe injury prone out there, you know.
But I think the storm is overwith, you know, you know,
and I think I'm I'm gonna gonnatake off now, you know,
and there will be no setbacks andthe injury prone thing will be gone out
of the window again. Yep,I'm sorry, You're gonna be back.

(02:43:30):
I am. I am excited.You know. He does a lot of
great things, and he's a greatperson, and we have a great relationship.
It's gonna be it's gonna be afun year. We're gonna have a
lot of fun. We're gonna doa lot of great things. So I
can't wait, chick here waiting.The injuries you've had, is that just
bad luck? Is every Is thereanything you've been attribute to beyond just misfortunate?

(02:43:52):
Yeah, it's just unfortunate, youknow, But God has a plan
always, you know. I don'tknow what the plan exactly is, you
know, I don't know, butwhatever plan it is, it's for me
to be here. You know,I had a great rookie year. I
didn't really have the volume as otherpeople my rookie year, but I still

(02:44:13):
had a great rookie year. Sixyards of carry, you know, things
like that. I think it waslike nine touchdowns ten including the playoffs.
And so there's always been like,all right, guy, let me show
my talent shine a little bit.Like even when I had the knee.
So I had the knee right.A lot of people don't know, like
I didn't get hurt again. WheneverI got you know, got cleaned up.

(02:44:33):
So I went down in twenty oneright, had the injury, the
knee injury, and then came backlater the next year, and I played
the first few games and it justthere 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

(02:44:54):
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, you know, one hundred total yards in the playoff
game we lost, which I hatethe most. Stays, don't marry me.
I want to win. But thencome back the next year hurt again
like torn achilles. So two reallyunfortunate injuries. But that's just God's plan,

(02:45:20):
you know. And I think thatthe storm is now over, you
know, And I do think thatI'll be able to shine my light to
the whole world. Are you concerned? That you have that label you can't
stand. I could care less becauseI do. I do. I know
this out there because as it shouldbe, it should be. I got
hurt two major injuries back or notback to back years. But you know,

(02:45:43):
so I haven't been on the fieldas much as I should. That's
true, that is true. Butit's not like I'm having these little little
dinky injuries and sitting out. It'ssomething 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 I do think that
the Chargers are getting a guy that'sgoing to be healthy from now on,

(02:46:05):
you know, God willing, andit's gonna be great. And I do
think that it's gonna be It's gonnabe a great However, many years here,
when you've been on the field,you've been highly adopted. Yeah,
five pointy years was very average foryour career. Like knowing that when you're
out there you're very adopted, howmuch confidence does that give you that really
all you need is is not whatyou need? All the confidence in the

(02:46:28):
world, you know, the wayI work, I wouldn't say just from
the numbers, but just the wayI work, my work ethic, you
know, and my relationship with Jesusis like I have the most confidence when
I step out there because I doknow, like if he grants me the
health, it's overwight, is it. I don't think I would be,

(02:46:48):
you know. I think it willbe a great year or whatever, a
couple of years. However, manyyears he grants me great health, you
know. And I think just thework ethic, my prayer and all that
stuff, that's what helped me havethat confidence with the numbers will be there,
and they might be higher after thisyear, you know what I'm saying.
And it's crazy to think about becauseI had six or six yards per

(02:47:09):
carry, you know. So we'llsee you're living forward to the running behind
this line they put together. Ohyeah, yeah, yeah. I played
with Bradley. I played with him, you know, I know the Slater,
I know all the I know allthe guys, you know, and
I'm excited. I think it's likeI said earlier, it's a talented group.
You know. We just got toput it together win some games,
because that's what I came here fora year. Or I wouldn't I wouldn't

(02:47:35):
say part of the recruitment. Butlike whenever I decided I was gonna sign,
it was great to have him inthe room. Yeah, we're great.
We're we have a great relationship.That's he's like my brother. So
I think compliment each other very well. You know, he can do a
lot of stuff too, you know, God Like, a lot of people

(02:47:56):
think he's just power, power,power, but I think he has some
other parts. Game two, whichit'll be great because I feel like I
could do everything, and when oneget tired, we can roll it in.
We keep rolling win some games.So when you the two of you
get going, well, how doyou think that's gonna look for? What?
Like, what will be that partnershipkind of back there? I know

(02:48:18):
that's a hard question. How doI think I think it'll look beautiful?
You know a lot of people callthis a passing league, but I think
you got to run the ball towin the super Bowl. You know,
if you look at the teams whowin the Super Bowl, they can run
the ball, they can control theclock, and so if we're both good,
it'll look great, beautiful. Howwould you describe the record running the

(02:48:39):
offense? I would I would describeit 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
gonna give the receiver a lot ofoptions, you know. And I think
it'll be I think it's gonna begreat. His offense is going to be
amazing. When we talked to him, you know, I was like,

(02:49:01):
why are you going will to buildsomething good rushing offenses throughout your career everywhere
you've been, And you said thatone part of it is just you gotta
call place. You got a callrun of place as a running back.
You know, how much confidence,how much second does it give you when
you know you have a play callerthat's gonna stick with it and allow you
and the offense line to get intoa resident gives me a lot of excitement.

(02:49:24):
You know. It's gonna be LikeI said, it's fun to play
at his offense, you know.And I think he does have some good
things in the past game too,But like you said, he sticks with
the run, and that's that's theidentity. You You want an offense that
has an identity, right, youwon't be looking everywhere else to find your
your identity. You want to haveit, and so I think his offense

(02:49:45):
has that, and the guys hebuilds and puts in there, it complements
that identity. So I think it'sgonna be great. You mentioned your one
hundred percent now, so you'll befull go for training him. That's Look,
I ain't gonna answer any of thefour if it's up to me.
Yes, Look, because I hadthis problem like three two years three years

(02:50:05):
ago, I'm thinking I'm full go. I think I'm ready to go,
and the next thing, you know, I'm on pup, like, hey,
look some stuff above my prey paygrade. So but I don't know.
Hopefully I can start. I thinkI'm ready to start, you know,
at the beginning of training camp.But that's not up to me.
As I've learned, I tell youhow you're feeling, I wouldn't say that.

(02:50:31):
I think I've been I've been insome great organizations, and I think
this this organization is a great organization, and the training staff is great,
and so they just want what's bestfor me, you know, and they're
they're taking care of me, whichthat's what you want in an organization.
And so that's where that comes from, which I appreciate it, Like I
really appreciate that, you know,because I'm the type of guy, like

(02:50:52):
I work really hard, so maybesometime I'm blind to you know, the
danger of something, you know,So I appreciate it. But like I
said, if it's up to me, yeah, I'm out there. But
you never know, with any frustrationfor you during the heading into free agency,
you know, dealing with with rehaband not you know, having on
a full season tape or production togo out, there was there any part

(02:51:15):
of that where you were like,gosh, you know, had hit the
open market with a different situation.You know. Nah, I like it.
I like, how would I saythis? I like it the hard
way? But not, you know, I like it the hard way.
I like it. I like trialand tribulations. So I mean the dice

(02:51:43):
that I was given the role wasI was coming off of Achilles, and
that was that was the lowest plan. So it was beauty in that,
Like I was comfortable. I wascaught like there was multiple teams, you
know, I wasn't. It wasn'tlike I didn't have any other team.
But I was comfortable and sitting backand just enjoying the process letting myself get

(02:52:07):
fully healed. So whenever that team, whoever I would sign with, who
now is the Chargers, is gonnaget 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 riskfor low rice because you it's a business,
right. So I got hurt lastyear, so not as much money

(02:52:28):
needs to be throwing there. ButI 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 lot ofteams was like, all right, here,
you can, we give you this, but we want you to be
healthy. So when I'm healthy,it's gonna be great. This is the
chance that I've been giving here.I'm so grateful and I know that's gonna

(02:52:50):
be. They won't be they won'tregret it. Are you the type of
person that likes the opportunity for me? You know, so excited about it?
Where else did he help you?Left everything? Oh a lot.
He helped me a lot, evenI felt like the first day just trying
to help me get used to towrite tackle. He got my feet used

(02:53:11):
to write tackle like my first daypractice, I'm like, dude, I
still feel you feel a little off. I don't feel as balanced to my
stands. And he showed me thesmall technique thing to do with my feet,
which I still do even even thoughI left tackle just caupu part of
my routine. That was part ofmy process and getting to my stands.
So stuff like that that he taughtme from day one and obviously in practice

(02:53:33):
was fun. Just compete with him, you know, it's just to meet
at the back of the pocket andto dap each other back to every rep
like that was compete, you knowwhat I mean. So that's my guy.
As much as you love him onyour the west side, how bittersweet
is it as a certain matters becauseit would happened to him. Yeah,
that's the thing. That's not howit was definitely not how I n in

(02:53:54):
And that's how I thought about thetransition would go. You know, I
thought it would be you know,some timing and the cardinal his whole career.
You know, you know you wantto play or forever, you know
what I mean when I was talkingabout his plans, so you know,
you you wish transitions like one ofthose fairy tale like it's your time now.

(02:54:20):
But but again either way, youknow, we talked about it.
You know, that's that's the howit goes, you know. But obviously
you know he sees he's he's beenone of my biggest supporters. Again,
I affect everybody leads in their ownway, you know, not everybody's the
guys coming around like, that's noteverybody, right, Like I feel for

(02:54:41):
me, that's me specifically on gameday with the O line after we do
one on one like that's my likeb Hump did, like that's my like
big vocal time. But I feellike I've talked to Hump about this,
you know, just recently talk abouthow what I want to do for the
room is I want to bring thatHump energy that he brought right so last

(02:55:07):
year. Of course, some traitsbeen doing it for years, but the
year when I spent with him,he brought a lot of the energy and
excitement and the happiness in the roomwas just his natural energy to where I
only had to focus on me,you know, I didn't have to make
sure other other guys are you know, feel some type of way when they

(02:55:28):
came in here because Hump brought that, but other Hump's not here, but
I saw what he did for theroom. I want to be that guy
to make sure everyone's ampt to goto practice, everybody's hype. Weren't taking
the field team one period. Youknow it's a low day or something.
You know, it's it's a day. But like, I want to make
you feel like the parents is atripper right now. I want to bring

(02:55:50):
that because that's what we and Humpdid each other. We will hpe each
other other dudes like dudes about tobe walked through and we're lit. So
I want to do that. Iwant to bring that energy. I want
to make bring more guys, youknow, to do that. You know,
yeah, I wanted to do thatfrom day one, you know,
I kind of I wanted to dothat from day one, from just talking
to him, and obviously it's thattime. I spend the off season before

(02:56:13):
OTA started just being in myself,just thinking about what the room needs,
you know, because I know Ire new role as one of the leaders,
you know on the offense, isthat we need a guy like that
that's gonna make sure the old lineis picked up ready to go. Every
day I was held accountable. Littlethings aren't happening to practice and people aren't

(02:56:37):
saying anything, And how I maylead maybe different than somebody else may lead.
You know. I like to apractice at least like the legal positivity,
you know what I mean. So, but he the energy yet went
beyond just the old hype up thedeal line and start too. So that's
kind of how I wanna be,s goal mine literally my whole life.

(02:56:58):
I wanna be a NFL team captain, like specifically the NFL. I wasn't
a captain of high school, wasn'ta captain of college. But I made
a joke when I was in highschool. It's like, did I feel
like I'm not gonna be a captainto like get to the NFL. Yeah,
but that would be awesome, youknow, but you know, if
it happens, i'd be great.But not either way, I wanna assume

(02:57:22):
a role as a captain from therespect of the guys on the team they
dividual word to me, and toget back to that world. Yeah,
I mean, I can't say that. I mean, I guess the biggest
thing is that I felt like ithas felt like how it you used to
in the past. But it didn'ttake just the first day OTA's. It

(02:57:43):
took training left and right once theseason ended, cause I didn't know what
it was gonna be true, Soit took a lot of yeah reps just
to get back to feeling like myselffor day one OTAs and then that whole
first week. But now like today, specifically just changing some small things with

(02:58:03):
my feet that I did say talkingabout a line coach about some things I
can do with my feet to getto that to sell at the traditional angle
that I love to set on.Felt even I thought I felt, I
thought I felt great already, butI'm okay, I felt even better of
it. So I'm even more excitedtomorrow. Now I'm getting my feedback than
how I liked it the right sideand on the left side, so I'm

(02:58:24):
excited. I mean, obviously,I feel like in the league, whether
I left or right, you're stillgoing against premier guys, So obviously you
have high expectations for your left handor right tackle. But there's definitely uh
like the the level of energy andlike the expectations. Definitely taking the human
effect cause now connected the blindside,that's the that's the tackle role. You

(02:58:48):
know, so so yeah, Iwould say in terms of communication as far
as just even outside of facility andjust stuff like that, like really creating
that the tackle quarterback bond even offthe field, I think has been something
that's even been cool. I gota text one day and I said,
Hey, like you play left andI was like, yeah, you know,

(02:59:11):
yeah, I've been training both.I've been training both. You know.
I asked after the season. They'relike, honestly, you know,
we'll talk to you some play inthe season and I just gotta text me,
like depending what happens with with thefree agency then. So I was
like, you know what, Ihad a whole season right tackle. So
if I get the word, I'mgoing I'm standing right tackle. I don't

(02:59:31):
just to do what I did before. I'm failed on that bus. I
was like, I might as welltrained the left tackle now as if I'm
gonna be left tackle. And I'drather do that than training on the right
time and get the ko Hey you'rethe left tackle. I'm like, oh,
I didn't even switch on my feetyet, you know what I mean.
So I'm like, let me justprepare in advance. I was like,
yeah, let's god, you know, I think occasionally on third down

(02:59:52):
there would be a lot of twists. I would just know like it's automatically
coming. And I think that wasmy mindset for like the first half of
the season. But like I didn'thave to go into a game and with
surprise like oh my gosh, theydid that. I kind of figured like,
Okay, like this is this isthe type of rushman again, this
is how this guy usually rushes.But I get the vibe, this is
how the end's like the rush youknow, tackles that are you know,

(03:00:15):
first year guys who got the premierepatch on. I already knew what it
was gonna be already know of everystunt and honestly just knowing that it's kind
of an advantage too, So you'renot you're not you're not old. They
brought the twisted my side again.So it was never an Aaron Donald about
coming out of mines like three playsin a row two minutes. I knew
that it was the one that happened, you know what I mean, I'm

(03:00:37):
watching more than everybody else and herarely England goes out there on occasional third
downs on the d N. Iwas like, already know what it's gonna
be. He's gonna pick me,you know what I mean. So fact
fact it's kind of it's also kindof an advantage in a way, but
it's also exciting, like, Okay, it was the two guys, this
talent, this, this background atthe top of that through how much of
your discussions with Bryan you I guessthe interview process were about how you might

(03:01:00):
approach this and and what do youthink it's mean the key element You're getting
the most out of those because yougot two guys. This ain't my first
rodeo, no. I know alot of people look at say, well,
this guy only been on the fieldfor three years Westernton, Tucky and
Oregon. Just because I didn't havethe title of a running back coach where

(03:01:22):
I was at the Memphis, Inever carried myself that way. I was
carried myself as a running back coach. I approached every day that way.
So at Memphis we had Darren Henderson, Patrick Taylor, Tony Poller, Kenny
Gangwell Tonyo Gibson. I've seen talkingthe backs and I've seen them be able
to function with one another. SoI hear that all the time about well,

(03:01:43):
I This ain't my first rodeo.Same thing out there at Oregon.
We buck irivin Norwich and George James. You go look at their numbers.
They all functioned well together. Welearned how to p play as one.
So this ain't my first rodeo.So and plus I know those two kids
cause I recruited them when they wasin high school. So I'm up for
the challenge and the responsibility of itall. Right behind the damn Hopele Carlos,

(03:02:05):
Just what is your kind of coachingphilosophy? How do you get the
best out of your running backs?I get the best out because I love
the young men. My main focusis to change the hearts and minds of
them and they'll play for me.I had just got through reading Coach Trestle's
Winners Manual, and it's something thatI took from that book. You have
your purpose and you have your goals, all right. My purpose is to

(03:02:28):
serve and pour into the young men. Now my goals is a football coach.
All of them are take care ofthemselves. So that's one of the
ways. I'm just real relationship baseand I'm 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
coaches position and recruiters. CARLS Lockeris not a recruiter. I'm an elite

(03:02:50):
relationship builder, but I coach thisposition. I'm a ball coach, so
that's who I am. So i'mapouring to these kids. I think they
kind of seeing it now. AndI jumped in day one ready to coach.
And the phrase, you know,soft batched cookies. Where did that
phrase come from? Kind of whatwas playing? Boy? Let me tell
you about that boy. I've beencalled everything but the name the child of

(03:03:11):
God by the people at the otherplaces I left, so that I been
getting pills Pillsbury need to give mea deal cause I've been getting I been
getting some DM and texts. I'msomething. Some of them have been so
funny. The saftbatched cookie thing camefrom just having a frame of mind,
a mental toughness. It had nothingto do with guys getting in the portal

(03:03:33):
and anything. Now most people sayI'm a saftbatched cookie for leaving there,
but actually I'm not because it takesgreat strength to make a decision to leave
a place. No, a weakminded person wouldn't be able to make the
decision that I made, So ittook great strength to do that. So
I'm telling you, if I literallyin my DMS, it's some it's some
great comedians out here that have beensending me like tons of cookies, and

(03:03:54):
I'm like, it's funny. Rightbehind him to huddle. How are you
going about the assessment of the talentin the room? Uh? Hope it
was the past week or two.How much is that on field off field?
Like, what's the process of gettingto know who you have as players?
Well? I broke down well mebeing a guy that loves the running

(03:04:15):
back position, and I already brokethose kids down because I recruit him out
of high school. You know,Q is from where I'm from in Montgomery.
I was one of the first guysto offer him just watching him,
great contact, balance, creative runner, great hands and trey. I recruited
him out of Virginia exceptional short air, your bursting quickness and things that I'm

(03:04:37):
gonna help him get better on.And then I recruited James Peeples out of
t out of San Antonio, Texas. I knew what he was gonna what
he was gonna be. TC andSam, those two kids I'm getting to
know and I'm gonna help them improvethe game. But we got different runners
in there. I like to callmyself, I'm in love with this position,
so I get to break down runnersand help their game. So talented,

(03:05:00):
talented, room, very talented.Uh far back uh Jeremy Birmingham Podcast,
how do you swear that that thesoftbast cookies are actually the best cookies?
The Philip brittin nigs Boring those areway better than the country chips and
white things of Terman? I mean, do you do? You got to
the first find a balance there orsomeone? Well, for me, I'm
actually not eating any cookies. Nah, I'm just saying I'm not eating any

(03:05:24):
cookies this year. I gave itup for a fast or no sweets for
me for the whole year. That'ssomething I gave up. So they the
term the South Bast cookie term.Look, guys, I actually took that
from I represent the high school coachesof Meths, Tennessee. I actually took
that from a guy named coach Slocum. He used to always say that South

(03:05:46):
bast cookie actually stole that from him. I give him credit for it,
and I tell him all the timehe said, you I should have branded
that, cause you done took itand ran away with it. But that's
just where that comes from. Sothat that now was standing as you get
to Ohio standing start to look aroundthe country. Every organ's a big place,
that's a that's a major job withHow how do you think that where
you have to say a logo arethe jet ring the blocko? When you

(03:06:09):
get out out of the living freeand trail, how does that change the
way that you feel you're either receivedor or does it add a different level
to to just feeling like I cango anywhere and get anybody in the company.
And that's the sangest thing for me. This is a great place.
Organ is a great place too.But guess what, whatever I put on,

(03:06:31):
I know what I'm going to representfor me. I n I N
I know who who put me here. I know I represented something higher,
you know, Like I told you, I know what my purpose is.
My purpose is to pouring to people. So whatever logo I have on,
I'm still gonna be doing the samething. So this is a great logo.
Great logo by well another logo.Every day it's across I see around

(03:06:54):
my neck. I know what Irepresent. So that's the greatest logo I
could ever wear. So it doesn'tmatter what other go have home. I
got that one on. I'm begoing to any house and be a recruit.
Uh uh deep right, camera TiqueRobinson the athletic from which you you
mentioned the time at Memphis and themit's four NFL running backs you mentioned there

(03:07:15):
who you learned from that time thatwe that you to take over to managing
your growl and kids. What didI learn from them? I just building
a just teaching the kids. Welive in such a selfish world though,
and I can tell the kids allthe times it's gotta be much more the
football. The ball gonna go flatone day. As I always say,
what being in that room there atMemphis is it wasn't four five teaching them

(03:07:41):
how to be a b BOYT beingone? I tell you them in all
time, it doesn't cost you anythingto celebrate another man's success. So teaching
them how to be one, andthen once they learned to be one,
they function and they feed off oneanother. So that's what I learned from
being there at Memphis, right infront of Andy Bach, from let'em
in the road cross out of yourcareer in law enforcement kind of influence you
as a coach and kind of shapewhere you are. Oh well, I

(03:08:03):
just got through talking to somebody aboutthat today. When I first got in
this profession and I got my ownroom at Western Tech, I was aksed.
No, how was I was gonnabe able to handle'em m 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

(03:08:24):
me? I'm talking about me havingto do traffic stops or going on domestic
you know, virus calls. It'sd simple easy. No, people donna
know what you care. Also knowyou gotta have a certain demeaning about yourself.
So when I walk into a room, it's the reason why I go
train every morning. This is whenit's same thing when I was a police

(03:08:45):
officer. You look a certain waykind of deter people from doing certain things.
So the reason why I go trainevery morning, i'm'a look just as
good as my boys look. Souh it helped out a lot. In
other words, Uh, from roadright Austin word. Uh the policy,
Uh, Carls, welcome to Columbus. Uh what would it mean to I
don't know, revolutionize the way runningbacks are coach? What what does that

(03:09:07):
take? I ain't even I'm notgonna say revolutioniz. It's just some good
It's some good running back coaches outhere. Everybody's different. It's some great
coaches out here. I just wantthe head guys who say that on these
jobs to not just hire guys.As you know, all coaches on your
staff should be great recruiters, notjust a running back coach. We coach

(03:09:28):
a position. We developed players aswell. I just want the coaches to
realize, Hey, you know what, let me look and be thorough about
this guy that I'm hiring for thisjob. Is he teaching the position?
Is he development the position? Becauseyou're not gonna hire anybody just coach quarterbacks,
are you. Well, it shouldn'tbe like that for the running back
position either. And I'm only passionateabout it cause I played it. I
love it, so it's the onlyposition I want to coach, cause I

(03:09:50):
coach the other positions. Yeah,I play dB in college too, but
I love the running back position.So and I just wanna see it coach
Well to me podcast. Yeah,a million questions. All that's a couple
of number one, when you,when you, when your wife whatever?
You got the message stuff, Arewe moving again? What was What was
her reaction? Nah, she justknew guy had give us, gave us

(03:10:13):
a new assignment. She it wasnever like we're moving again. Let me
tell you guys something I grew up. My mom was in the military,
so I lived everywhere. I livedin Panama of South America. I'm used
to picking up and moving. Ilived in Fort Rodley, Kansas, Montgomery's
home if it was my second home. So I'm I'm used to moving now.
My wife it was different for her. But she just knew guy that
gave us a new assignment. Soit's time to go. What did uh?

(03:10:35):
What did coach they tell you whenyou heard you that he wants out
of you. That may be different. It's not slamming somebody else. But
what did he say he wanted youto bring to the running back room.
I think he did his research onme. He said he wanted the guy
to to develop the position. Andthat's not taking a shot at the coach
that was here. Who I'm friendswith. He said they want some by

(03:11:00):
the two. Really, I likeour edge guys that we picked up,
and I'm excited to work with them. You know much about how we played
against him Leonard Boyd, and what'sbeen kind of your earlier read on him.
I think he's super skilled, Russiaa 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 the bestis brought out of him. So I'm

(03:11:24):
excited to see what potential he has. He's year nine, so I 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
have you gotten to know him alot better? What's the relationship made right
now? I know him pretty well. He was always just a good dude

(03:11:48):
around the facility. He did ourball meetings, so he's good in front
of a group. He's a goodleader. He knows the scheme really well,
which is good. I was happyto see him promoted. He called
me in the off season. Wetalked I just congratulated him, and I
think he's gonna bring something similar towhat we had with the Miko. It'll

(03:12:13):
be good. Do you know BrandonStanley well at all? And I mean
it's a joey platform. I don'tknow too much about him. I've obviously
heard from my brother, but Idon't even think i've said high yet.
I haven't ran into him yet,but I'm sure i'll get to know him.
When you say it looks similar toto Miko, the energy or the
system maybe a little different energy,but I think just knowing the system from

(03:12:39):
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

(03:13:03):
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 alittle slower, but everything's great. I'm
feeling as good as I felt.I'm excited to actually get some practice in

(03:13:26):
Last year was kind of tough gettingthrown in Week one after I walked through,
so that was another reason I'm excitedto be here is just to get
practicing a little bit in season.Practice is one thing, but actually being
able to work your stuff and nothave a game coming up is good.
With the super Bowl unfortunately, Iknow how to bounce back from tough losses,

(03:13:52):
so it was rough for a littlebit, but now it's just annoying
when people bring it up. Sincethe last season, we've seen a Rock
on TV commercials and on the stagewith Luke Coombs and throwing out the first
pitch in the Giants game. Buthe seems like a guy that's totally unaffected
by celebrity, which he has now. But what have you noticed in his

(03:14:13):
leadership style and the way he carrieshimself any difference at all. I think
he's definitely getting a little more vocalwithin the building, and uh yeah,
I mean I don't think he's evergoing to change. I don't think he's
somebody that's going to change, evenwhen he gets paid next year, so
he's he's a man of faith andhe kind of reminds me of Scotti Scheffler,

(03:14:37):
but except for just super humble andreally good kid. And yeah,
he's definitely famous. I don't justfrom watching to get released obviously meant so

(03:15:01):
much to the defensive line into theteam. I mean, Colin John were
pretty open that they were willing totalk about trading Deebo or are you as
you well? Does that just anotherwhat's that feel like in the locker room
when those sort of joels happened.I didn't even know that happened and I
wasn't here, but you're talking aboutthis offseason Alarm still in alarmed er be

(03:15:26):
released, So that's certainly one thing. Yeah, it's a tough business,
for sure. You have to havethick skin, and I haven't gone through
that, but I think you justhave to understand that it is a business
and the team's going to try andget as good as it possibly can with
or without you, and you haveto look out for yourself. That's why

(03:15:50):
you go through holdouts and do certainthings that seem selfish in the moment,
but it is what it is,and when everything's settled, we're gonna come
together as a team and try andgo get one Nick. What's the overall
feeling around the group right now,Like, how much does it feel like
the excitement of the ramp up tothe season, Even though it's early,

(03:16:11):
it feels good. It's been acouple of days for me, so I
like all the new guys. I'mgetting to know everybody. But I think
the past is in the past andwe're ready to go. You talk to
me. You talked to beat allabout handling the business part of this.
He's going through something similar. Wechat a little bit, but not too
much about the details. I justtold him to keep his head up and

(03:16:35):
try and stay positive through it all. First impressions when you heard what your
schedule would be in that Aaron Rodgers'first up, it'll be fun. Yeah,
it's gonna be gonna be a goodone. Use me kind of alluded
to this. But the fact thatlast year you had had that hold out
that affected you somewhat early in theseason. If you hadn't had that experience,

(03:17:01):
would you be here right now?I mean, was that part of
the motivation for being here early?Just to have the opposite No, I
don't think that's one of the reasons. But I just talked to Kyle and
he kind of asked me, uh, he kind of stated how he felt
about why it would be good forme to be here and asked if I

(03:17:22):
agreed. And I agree. Soit's not like I'm missing too much.
I think I'm out here. It'sa little less workload than I'm doing back
home, so it's kind of agood active recovery thing for me. And
I'm getting football stuff, football workingspecifically, so that's good. I'm not

(03:17:43):
it's not compromising my training at all, and I get to meet all the
guys. It's it's positive news.Your brother did you have to like let
him down? And oh no,he's he's there. He's gonna new regime
over there. I actually thought Iwas coming next week until recently, so

(03:18:07):
I was gonna have one more weekat home, but we're both in California.
I've come in and thought we weregoing to lose or have a bad
year. I felt like every yearwhen I tell you things are feeling good
and I feel optimistic, it wasn'ta lie. But yeah, I think
things are are definitely, like Isaid, trending in the right direction.

(03:18:28):
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
of being back in college, youknow, with with coach ierber Meyer,
and you know, the message issent from the top and it doesn't get

(03:18:52):
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 on,has has been on the effort and just
the competitiveness that that's been going onover the last few weeks. Yeah,

(03:19:13):
it's it's it's been great. Howmuch do you appreciate that? To stop
and just described the way Jim,I shouldn't eat in the messaging? Do
they mix stuff? Why do youappreciate that so much? I mean it's
I guess it's easy to appreciate whenyou kind of see it working and you

(03:19:35):
see guys improving, getting better.I just think the details are really important.
You can pretend that leaving your shoesa mess or your locker mess isn't
a big deal, and what mattersis playing football. But I think all
those tiny details and things kind ofadd up and leak into the important stuff,

(03:19:56):
like what you're doing on the field. So if you can have your
toe behind the line, or haveyour locker and order and all these things,
they kind of stack up into performingwell and and playing well when things
count. So you know, Iappreciate that it's It also hasn't been a
fight with the guys in the lockerroom. They buy in, and you

(03:20:18):
know, it's a lot of youngguys, and I think they're hungry to
learn, hungry to compete, andwhen you know, it's just an example,
whether it's we talked about first dayyou have your shoot, if you
could, if you could spend thetime on these small things when nobody's watching,
I think, like I was saying, it seems like it might not

(03:20:39):
out up too much, but Ithink in the long term it does,
and it leaks into other things,whether you're doing your right assignment on the
field, being late to meetings orall these things. If you hold a
standard and you you stay to thatstandard, I think it benefits you long
term. Has there been anything inhis training program we're working with you that

(03:21:05):
you feel will benefit your way.Yeah, Yeah, definitely, he's he's
been great. He's a no nonsensekind of guy. But he's not an
old school in the sense that he'sbringing his way of doing things and that's
the only way to do things.He understands that guys have been in the
in the business for a long time, Khalil me and we have a way
of doing things, and all hewants to do is add to that and

(03:21:28):
help you get better and perform thebest you can. He's he stresses it
all the time that he's a toolfor us, and you know, he's
been He's been great. The guyslove him. The energy brings is awesome,
and I think the stuff that we'redoing in the weight room is great,
great addition to stuff that I maymay do on the side or whatever

(03:21:48):
that is. Yeah, I thinkwe I mean, we had a presentation
today with all the certain measurables thatare changing, and if you guys are
in the meeting, you definitely seehow beneficial he's been to the team so
far. So obviously, staying healthyis is a huge factor to anybody's success.
I'd say it's plagued us a littlebit for a while. So yeah,

(03:22:11):
I think he's he's definitely incredibly beneficial. When were you fully, I
know, at the end of lastseason you might have been able to play.
Yeah, No, I was notready to go last year. No,
tried practicing, tried coming back,and uh it was it was not
good. But yeah, it wasUnfortunately the year wasn't going great and it

(03:22:39):
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, hamstrings good. Imean, there was a list of things
last year, my hand, soall those things are good. Thing gutsert

(03:23:00):
on my finger, so that's feelinggood. Yeah, it's it's nice to
be feeling better going into your ninethan you have since maybe five six years
ago, which I've said, I'vesaid I've been feeling great the 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

(03:23:22):
body and being able to perform.So I could just go out during practice
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

(03:23:43):
they'd be really proud of how I'vebeen working this offseason and it's just exciting.
The pointing was the injuries on therethey game you kind of yeah,
that was a bit of a buildup, a little bit of an overreaction,
but you know, it's just tough. It comes sometimes like that,

(03:24:03):
and I just felt felt really defeatedcoming back. Had a broken hand.
I'm like, oh, yeah,I get to play boom for a serious
foot pops thought I'd have to getsurgery, and all these thoughts flooded through
my head. Broke down a bit, and yeah, it just hurts.
You know, you're losing, you'regetting injured. You've felt like you prepared

(03:24:24):
really well in the offseason, andthen the year before you had growing surgery,
so you know, a lot ofthings build up. Yeah, you
don't get a break if you're injured. Everybody wants to go on. Fans
are very nice, but no,I just I'm grateful that I feel this
way. I'm still still nicey Ripetwenty eight, so not too old you

(03:24:50):
had, But yeah, I'm justexcited. I can't remember what the original
question was at this point, getsomething about my audi, how close you
and Gift were, how d howfrustrating was it that he couldn't you know
soon for one of those last threegames. It was frustrating, But I

(03:25:13):
mean, Gif was had my backthe whole way, I think for Gift,
for any but for for the wholeteam, just to show what it
means to me. It would havebeen important for me to be out there,
but I I literally could and Itried to practice. Injured my footworse
the very first play I was andin practice, So no chance that was

(03:25:33):
happening unless I wanted to throw mynext season away as well. But no,
I'm just I'm proud of him forwhat he did with the team,
how he handled it, and Ineed to call him back. Actually sorry,
Gif. Yeah, I'm I'm happyhe gets to stay close by with
the with the Rams, and uh, just proud of all we accomplished here

(03:25:56):
together over the years and and we'llbe close for the rest of our lives.
Was the foot injury? It wasthis guy blest A foot sprain.
Yeah, I sprained one area ofmy foot. Then when I tried to
return, I sprained another area.Was able to avoid getting surgery, which
is kind of the main goal,but yeah, it was it was tough

(03:26:18):
when it comes to the addition ofbut Dupre, who he felt like he's
kind of brought to the to theroom and could bring on the field.
Yeah, when I heard we gotmy brother some I don't know, maybe
my brother told me. I'm like, really, we just got Bud Like
that's no, that's no small pickup. He's a seriously elite pass rusher.

(03:26:41):
Has had some trouble with injuries aswell, 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 afun guy. He's a funny guy and
and to have that in the roomanother vet is always a great addition.
But I'm just excited to have himinto and to be able to rotate like
that and not drop off at allwhen we come off the field is huge.

(03:27:05):
And now Tuly's going into a secondyear. Just what do you what
are you kind of what are someof the maturity maturity areas you see from
him. You know, I'm gonnasay not much, and that's a compliment
because he was already mature in thoseareas. I mean, he's on it
everything, playbook wise, always doinghis job, working hard, just refining

(03:27:28):
his technique and pass rush. Imean, we don't have the pads on
right now, so the real workwill will begin, you know, in
six weeks now. So, butyeah, I love Tulie. I've loved
him since the first days he's walkedinto the facility, and I know he's
just gonna continue to get better.What do you think of the addition of

(03:27:48):
Joe Old? Yeah, yeah,I'm gonna need to beat him up a
little bit in camp. So he'sso he's ready. But no, I
think anything to protect our number tenis a good, good investment. So
he seems like a real solid dude. Haven't talked to him too much,
great build, seems like he hasgood hands, good feet, strong,

(03:28:11):
We'll see. We'll see in afew weeks when I lay a helmet in
his chin how he holds up.But it'll I'll take it easy on him.
No, Rashon's a beast. Didyou know coach Harbond before he came
here, and if he did,just what were those first couple of conversations

(03:28:31):
like that? Yeah, probably havecrossed paths with him. Maybe maybe not.
Actually I think what was it hisfirst year when I was a junior,
So he kicked his ass as usualMitt Ohio State. No, No,
they just want a championship, soI'd say they probably have the bragging

(03:28:52):
rights right now. I'm like theguy talking about his old high school.
I remember we used to kick No. Yeah, no, the rivalry is
dead. I was just saying thismorning, you know, nine years in
kind of forget about that. I'mnot a great alumni. Sorry, sorry,
coach, But no, it's great. That's what's great about the NFL

(03:29:16):
is you just have guys from allbackgrounds. You could hate their guts on
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.
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

(03:29:41):
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
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 slaves
and doing all this stuff, justhow interesting. Yeah, Yeah, I

(03:30:03):
mean he was a he was agreat player himself, and I think he's
always been, you know, builtlike that, lack of a better term,
but yeah, he's uh, he'spart of the guys. You know,
he's not this guy outside looking in. He he really, I mean
he voiced that to me, isthat his favorite part of all of it
is being with the guys and andthe connections he makes. So Yeah,

(03:30:26):
to to see a guy like thatcome in and embrace it all and kind
of be part of it himself isimportant. Your initial impressions of Coachman during
the defensive Yeah, it's funny togo from old gift, old gift to
this little young guy who's my age. I wouldn't want to get thrown into

(03:30:46):
a room with me and khalils hisage, But no, he's been great.
I love messing with him a littlebit. We a little sarcasm back
and forth. But no, he'sgreat. He's uh, very talks very
fast, and I don't as youknow, so sometimes I gotta be like,

(03:31:07):
slow down, coach, come on. But no, he's great.
I'm excited, you know, toget closer as the years, as the
year goes on, and I thinkhe has he has a lot of passion
for the position, and all hewants to do is learn and and help
us to improve. So I'm excitedabout him, And I mean I do

(03:31:28):
miss Giff obviously, it was along time with him, but I am
excited to have a new face andkind of have that challenge for me.
You worked much with with Jesse's dad, since I know he coached linebackers in
Michigan. Did you ask about Jesse? Did you ask about doing? Okay,
you asked about Jesse. Oh mygod, I was talking about freaking

(03:31:48):
doing the whole time. You guysare so confused. No, sorry,
I thought were I thought I was. I thought you mentioned coach Ronie.
No, No, coachman here hasbeen great as well. Yeah, they've
both been great. Sorry, runthat back. No, he's been good.
Uh yeah, very knowledgeable guy.Same thing. I'm excited to get

(03:32:13):
to know him more as the yeargoes on. Have you worked, if
you worked much during the season,Yeah, no, I have not.
I don't know if I've said oneword to him, but more words to
come down the road. Like yousaid, you've been here since twenty sixteen.
Just what are some of this stuff? You just went a ramble about

(03:32:41):
the wrong guy for fifteen minutes walkingwhat Yeah? What the hecks? Actually
that's literally not the person. Yeah, yeah, I figured out something that
you you worked undering the off season, something to improve your game or is

(03:33:03):
there something that you can Usually myanswer 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. I
had dealt with those injuries, soI had to kind of ramp it up

(03:33:24):
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,

(03:33:46):
I'm going to spend these five weeksreally getting prepared my body there, workouts
competitive again, another year of competitivewith all that stuff. Yeah. Yeah,
it's usually too hot out there formuch competent and we're just trying to
survive. So but yeah, it'salways it's a it's a silent competition between
between each other, be like peekings, like what was his time? Was

(03:34:11):
his time? But U No,Yeah, it's always. You can never
have an off day when when you'reout there and he's he's warming up like
a beat, like a freaking robotevery day out there, so there's there's
no off days. Have you youand him talked at all and out I
mean any just when you were havinga contract day, do you have guys

(03:34:31):
get to talk about on anybody?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 alwaysthought of myself being somebody that will play

(03:34:52):
here and retire here, which Ithink not many people do on one team,
and I think would be a coolthing to accomplish. But you never
know. I'm gonna worry about thisyear first, sorry, it's kind of
we're doing a food story. Butso you guys have like the lowest or
second lowest food cafeceria in the NFLPAserve last year and let it moved to

(03:35:13):
the facility like you to talk alot about food and how decent time?
Is it fine? Because you haveyou looking 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,

(03:35:35):
so I've never really had to worryabout that too much. But yeah,
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.

(03:35:58):
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. Were do notneed a lot of the facility. Just
a chef was doing it all.We all eat here sometimes you know,
it's may not be the best setup, but they'll prepare your food. That's

(03:36:20):
that's plenty good. I'm a manairic character shout out. No, they
work harder than literally anybody in theentire facility. So they may not have
the best means back there, butthey've they freaking worked their butts off and
to this offense after like twenty yearsof Breeze and just kind of it was
just kind of built on top ofeach other, on top of each other.

(03:36:41):
It's like kind of a lot tokind of take in. Do you
do you find that they kind ofturn it down to something new. We're
starting to 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 Breese style the
last playbook, So all credit tohim though he built that around him,
around his players. But uh,like I said, it's is more.

(03:37:03):
Uh, this playbook is more uhfor uh matchups, and uh, I
feel like it's gonna be better forus. How do you think it's gonna
really take advantage of your skill sets? Uh? Just building around the strengths
that I have. You know whatI'm saying, things that I can do
and things that she can do,uh, things that our players can do.
Is kind of focused on what wecan do and and building on that.

(03:37:26):
Uh. I feel like it's playingto the player strengths. So I
feel like it's gonna help us alot around the way this offense will have
a lot more speed. And howhas that transition event so far? I
mean, like I said, it'sbuilding around the players strengths. So of
course we got speed uh uh withme or uh she and ati receiver,
so uh, just building around that. Uh. Like I said, playing
to our strengths and be able tocapitalize off that. Feel like it's gonna

(03:37:50):
help us a lot, well mostof like uh the up tempo astract and
you know, getting a lot ofplays in the less time. Oh yeah
yeah, yeah, yeah, that'sthat's definitely gonna play a big difference.
Like I said, coming from theWest coast, Uh, they bringing us
in for an offense here, SoI'm excited to be able to be a
part of that. For you personally, what what's the next level look like?
For you? What do you whatare you trying to accomplish this year.
Just staying consistent. Man, acouple of upside downs last year.

(03:38:13):
Just building off that. Uh,it's always always gonna work on the physical
part. But being able to bounceback after a bad game the mental 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,
do you take it upon yourself tokind of be that voice in the room
or to take a step forward evenfurther as Uh? I mean it's not

(03:38:39):
really. I mean everybody 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. Leadby example. I'm not really outspoken,
but just lead by example, workinghard, trying to dominate every rep and
hopefully they follow after that. Thatyards after the touch, is that you

(03:39:00):
feel like that's the strength of yoursthat maybe wasn't utilized. I don't know
if utilizes the right word, butyou could chow more. Yeah, it's
an offense that uh is built aroundthat. Uh. Just catching the ball
in space, catching the ball overthe middle or even on the outside.
UH. With with space and separationfeel like it's built around having yards have

(03:39:20):
to catch. So I'm definitely proudto be in the system, like I
said, and I'm excited. Butis that is that a mindset too,
like being good at yards after thecatch? Like Oh yeah, I mean
of course. I mean you don'twant to get tackled by the first person.
And my mindset is trying to takeevery take everything to the house,
you know, every touch. Souh, I definitely got to do that
more and definitely try to work onthat and practice. Great dude man,

(03:39:46):
Uh some some that I definitely needed. Some that he relates to me.
Uh, just from backgrounds, anduh he's a great coach, great leader,
Uh, motivational and uh like Isaid, I'm excited to have them
around and for him to push meis everything that I need. So you're
talking about like mentally bouncing back,you know, from tough performances or whatever,

(03:40:07):
Like, did you like try tofind your resources gonna help you figure
out how to do that? Ohyeah, I mean it's older guys.
Uh tell me that's natural. Justhave bad games, but uh, just
having the standard that I have formyself and the expectations I have for myself
gets hard sometimes, so just beable to be hard on yourself, but

(03:40:28):
at the same time just let itgo and just bounce back for the next
game is something that I learned lastyear. You one of those guys that
feels like you should always have acertain level of production. Are you okay
with those certain games where the defenseis so focused on you that other guys
have big games and you were justrunning good routes and the Uh, yeah,

(03:40:48):
I definitely was. It was likethat early in my career, especially
in college. But I found outit's just about winning really. You know,
I understand I came off a roughseason, but I don't think it's
a step down of where I canplay. You know, I think when
I'm at the top of my game, I'm still, you know, top
five player in my position. Andyou know, I played a run in

(03:41:09):
the past and I bring leadership andthat's not anything I discover. Can you
do you plan to be here formany camp? Ram a stortage for any
camp? Yeah, how difficult hasit been the last two weeks to not
be here? I mean you saidin your podcast the first time you've never
not been in Yeah, it wit was difficult, But like you know,

(03:41:30):
the thing I got very frustrated withwas just some people questioned my communication
with the team. You know,I uh was communicating with guys left and
right, and you know, frontoffice, coaches, teammates, and all
I care about is how I amwith my teammates. I don't want them
to ever think I don't care aboutthem or how I'm not in it.

(03:41:52):
And you know, you can saywhatever you want about me. But besides
that, but I'll always dedicate anythingI can't do, and I don't want
that to every question. Isaiya saidthat it felt like sometimes you were hold
up somewhere watching film. You textus missed this, or you want to
be that. Well, like thefirst day, he was batting all up
Russ's passes, so I had tolet him know. You know, uh,

(03:42:13):
you gotta take advantage of that.You gotta make sure guys are you
know, uh know that you youstill care and you still wanna be a
part of this. You know,just watching practice, there's a couple of
things we're doing different, whether I'mcommunicating with Dunbar or other people. You
know. So yeah, so you'rethat you're also talking with him, and
you you've given him pointers during theoff season, just constant communication. How

(03:42:37):
do you see him, girl asa person, you know, as far
as how he's approaching things, howhe's getting ready for this season, promise
his rookie year. Uh. Youknow, I think the thing with Keanu
is he's more comfortable, you know. You know it sid his first time
around the track. You know,it's actually like he can you know,
uh, catch his feet under him. You know. I always think when
you're in your rookie season, you'regoing from bowl game. I don't even

(03:43:01):
know Wisconsin played in a bowl game. Sorry Wisconsin, I don't even know.
But you know, personally, Ijust think when you go from bowl
game to training for the combine toyou know, rookie mining camps, OTAs,
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, hecan be more vocal, you know.

(03:43:24):
And I think when my absence theother guy's absence, you know, you
need guys like that to step upand be ready for those opportunities. But
server you had saying you have duringthe season was a more thorough What was
just tightened down everything, you know, on my left side because I was
overcompetating a little bit. But youknow it was it wasn't anything that lingers.

(03:43:48):
You know, I'll say this,A growing is not like an a
cl It's not like anythings that we'regonnaet affected again. And you know,
you know, I'm feeling good,able to 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? You
off easily return to bring guys likeRussian and things. You know, I

(03:44:09):
think they're all good acquisitions. Butyou know, you never want to be
known as a paper champion, socan'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
you see where you're at in trainingcamp, and then you build on that.

(03:44:30):
You know, I think we gotthe right guys in the building.
It's just about putting a complete nameon the field. Can how temper colleges
to separate the business part of thegame in the actual football player, Uh,
you know, you always wanna youalways have to treat it like a
business because you know one day it'sgonna end, and that's been the job.

(03:44:52):
Uh. It's not like in collegewhere you know you got four years
guaranteed, I don't know what,you don't know what nil and know it's
crap and the transfer portal portal,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 andthat's not gonna change. But you have

(03:45:16):
to know what you bring to theteam and what your what your value is.
I wanted to feel to be outthere with your teammates today emotionally great.
You know, we got a newuh, we got a new training
staff and still learning the the warmup a little different, but uh,
you know I loved it. Uh, you know, just getting after it,
learning new guys, going through thesame drills I've been doing by myself.

(03:45:39):
I actually like having more people around, cause like kind of go start
crazy when it's just you and anotherguy. You're like, damn, I
gotta go back up for another repalready. And so you know it's nice
to be up here and get achance to you know, be with my
guys. Cam. Are you confidentand dole will get done with your emotion.

(03:46:00):
Oh, I'm gonna I'm we'll tryto remain pretty neutral cause you know,
I don't wanna, you know,be too either way. All I
know is I wanna be here,but we'll see what happens. Is my
last year here, I I II've had a great career here, but
uh, I'll look forward to playnext year. Can you hear what that

(03:46:22):
second surgery you said? It thistime was on the left side. It
was the first time around on theright side, right side during the season,
left side, and that was justtightening down my corner. My corma
saw. It wasn't the same asmy ad doctor. You know, you
can ask doctor Bradley, Uh,doctor doctor zucker Bron who uh did the
surgery as well. You know,I if anything's gonna help me and it'll

(03:46:46):
make me a lot stronger for hearingup. Can you said you were training
with another guy? Who have youkind of been Tyson? Oh, I'll
I've been training with him for thelast eight years. We've always trained together.
We got a trainer up north,uh shadow Cole Haley. He's my
guy, traded trained trained uh HeathMiller, Brett Keesel the multitude of guys

(03:47:09):
that I all respect and we've justbeen getting after. Can the very few
guys historically thirty five that you paidbig contractors. You think that's held against
you. I think there's not alot of history behind it. But you
know, for me, I Ilook at as I'm not looking to be
like anybody else. You know,my game is different from everybody else in

(03:47:30):
this league. You know, Ilike to think, you know, I
can play the run in the past, and then that's where I'm different.
You know, I remember last yearMike t just brought to my attention.
You know the thing that's really coolis you watch powerlisters, and you know,
my game's built on powering technique andthose guys going to their forties and

(03:47:50):
so you know, that's what kindof research I'm doing behind the scenes.
But you know, I I We'llsee what happens. The is there's not
a lot of history, but I'mhere to make history and I'm here to
you know, I win another SuperBowl year and you know, have a
great season. Do you have aset goal over yourself on how many years
you want to play in the NFL? Or do you just take things here

(03:48:11):
by the year. You know,it was it was tough answering that question
right after the season. I willsay this, guys, I I can't
keep answering that question right after theseason. That is not fair to the
season, That's not fair to myfamily, you know. But in my
mind, I got three years andI wanna maximize them. I wanna play

(03:48:31):
at a high level, and Iwanna go deep in the playoffs. And
you know, we got a goodteam, and I'm gonna do my part
to be ready for all those situationshere. If you plan on practicing when
you report to latrob or it isyour possibility that you might fuld in and
enforceations. I I have not eventhought that far. I've taken a day
by day h you know. Itold my agent and we talked about it.

(03:48:54):
I mean, we were cool comingout here. You know. I'll
be here for many you know,and then I'll be there for training pand
you know, I don't know whatthe work entails, but OK, when
we get there, we'll we'll crossthat bench. Why is it a dodge
for you or remain as stealer forthose three years? You know, there

(03:49:16):
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.
But that doesn't mean just hanging itup and calling a career to me,

(03:49:37):
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 Wilson are gonna beout there with Walter Man. Uh
what WALTI Payton Man of the Yearpat though I saw Russ's on social media.
Uh, but I haven't had achance to see it. Uh.
I let that surprise happens when ithappens. But uh, you know,

(03:49:58):
it's it's it's cool to have anotherWalter Payton Man the Year winner. You
know. I think it's an honorto be there. And I'll say one
thing, I won't be here.I'm just telling you guys, So it's
not a big deal. I won'tbe here because I have to do a
Walter Payton manly Your thing on Thursday. So it's not like I'm skipping,

(03:50:20):
all right, But you know,it's an honor to be with Russ and
you know, you know, it'sin honor of doing things in the community
and doing great work. And youknow, the cool thing is, as
much as we get quarterbacks and goingthrough these fifteen practices, how do you
want to structure that? I knowthat you and Ryan have probably talked about
that a good amount, Like what'sthe right way to set up a spring

(03:50:43):
position battle? How many reps doeseverybody need? What's sort of your plan?
Just from a general perspective, Iguess yeah, you know, we're
really detailed in what practice looks likeand how that's going to operate. But
I also think you need to letthe players go, you know, so
I don't think you need to putshackles on them, so to speak,
and just keep them constrained. Ithink you got to let them go and

(03:51:03):
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 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.
But I think the best way peoplelearn is they learn by doing, you

(03:51:26):
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. Thinking all of these things go back
so forward, Ryan Day, youmentioned since you've noticed since she was a

(03:51:48):
kid, what were your first impressionsback then? And then you come full
circle to now, like how doyou how do you feel about that?
It's still the same way, youknow, even since he was playing little
league, he was the ultimate competitor, you know, and he was always
trying to find a way to win. He was great at a lot of
sports, baseball, basketball, football. You know, I got an opportunity

(03:52:11):
to recruit him, you know,so I coached him when I was at
New Hampshire. I recruited him outof high school. We all and we
grew up really close to each other, so the same elementary school, the
same high school, same junior high, same college, you know. So
I've known him since for for areally long time. But that competitive fire
burns deep with him, and that'sthe one thing that I've always admired with
him. And he's got an amazingathletic brain in terms of how to process

(03:52:31):
things and how to how to putpeople in position to make place. He's
always been that prototypical coach on thefield, no matter what sport he was
playing. So I knew he wasdestined to be a coach, you know.
And I was fortunate in my careeras a head coach to have him
on my staff in a couple ofplaces, so I got a chance to
see him work firsthand, you know. I got to see him work firsthand
as a player and then as acoach. So the success he had is

(03:52:52):
not is not surprising to me thatthere is there for you seeing Wheyan the
successes had. Yeah, I thinkwe all do that. I think we
come from a unique place in areally small hometown in New Hampshire where we
all take a lot of pride towhere we're from and and when anybody's successful
coming out of there, then youkind of take a little pride that that's
it's the upbringing that we all had, you know, in the U sports

(03:53:13):
program that we grew up in inin every aspect, whether it was football,
baseball, basketball, those coaches wehad an amazing impact on us.
And that's why we are where weare right now. Ryan said, he
doesn't think of it as you workingunder him, it's working with him.
Fact is he's the head coach.He makes me call him sir though he

(03:53:37):
just said can you do that?Day one? And I was like,
all right, right now. ButI mean he ultimately is a is the
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? Theright term, But when he's the ultimate
decider and you are working for him, Yeah, I certainly understand my role.

(03:54:01):
I'm not al haag like I'm notin charge here. Yeah, some
people get that reference. Other peopledon't get that reference. But I'd certainly
understand that, and and I actuallykind of relish it because I really love
the scheming part. I love theindividual part. I love being in the
meeting room with the quarterbacks and tryingto game plan. But everything we do

(03:54:22):
here is collaborative. You know.The one thing that really struck me when
I walked in this place is there'san amazing coaching staff here, you know,
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's it's a very collaborative effort. I
think everybody's on the same page.You know, it's not our offense and

(03:54:43):
their defense and it's Ohio State,you know, it's it's Ohio State versus
the twelve opponents that we're going toplay during the regular season and then beyond.
So it's it's really collaborative. Andthat's the thing I like, just
in the short time that I've beenhere, is how collaborative everybody's been.
You know, we're all trying tomake each other better and we're all try
to develop this team. Touched onthis when you said, you know,

(03:55:03):
you'd like to do what you wantto do and 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
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

(03:55:26):
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, I got
an opportunity to spend some time withhim and his wife Penny, who are
dear friends of mine that that havebeen great mentors to me in my career.
And there's a bunch of people thatat UCLA, Terry Donna, Whoe
and Andrea Donna who were awesome tome. Angela Mazzoni is a great friend,

(03:55:48):
Casey Wasserman, Troy Aikman. Therewas a bunch of people at UCLA
that I really enjoyed, you know, being around and talking with. So
I think sometimes everybody wants to makea narrative of it's either this or that
it's it's it's never that. It'snever just all ball, it's never just
all recruiting, it's never just allboosters. It's it's a mixture of everything.
But I think the one thing thatas this position as a head coach

(03:56:09):
kept moving on is that if youlook at a lot of them, they
all become more CEOs. You know, I can't tell you how many coaches
that have called me since I madethis decision that said I'm two years behind
you, brother, you know thatare thinking the same exact way. And
I think it's all part of whatwe have to do. I think we
all need to protect this game andpromote this game, and I think there
are some rules that we need toget straightened out so that people understand where

(03:56:30):
what it's about, because the gameis still about the players, and I
hope that never gets discounted. Youknow. It's it's always been about the
players, and I think if wecan keep that at the forefront the people
that are making decisions on this,and I think Jean Smith is one of
the best influences in in the NCAAA, is to make sure we keep that
the main thing. The main thingneeds to be the student athletes. You're

(03:56:54):
coming in at a time where you'vebeen through some places where the expectations are
high stand which also coming into ajuncture where you know, the three losses
to Michigan, the not making theplayoff last year, the urgency is pretty
high here. I guess just sortof what the perspective do you have on
kind of the stakes that there arefor Ryan this year and the decision that

(03:57:16):
then he makes to bring you into kind of help solve that. Yeah,
I think the expectations can be nohigher than they are in your own
brain, you know. And Ithink if you try to worry about what
other people are thinking in their brains, you're going to get screwed up a
little bit. So, you know, I talked earlier the one thing about
Ryan that I know about him andhas always been he's the ultimate competitor.
So he's got There's nowhere that hashigher expectations of Ohio State than Ryan does,

(03:57:39):
nor the rest of us that joinedhim in our part of this and
that are working with him. Soyou know, I don't think. I
think sometimes you can spend too muchtime thinking about those things. You know,
what you really have to do isjust as there's a big sign as
you walk into this place it sayswhen the moment, you know. I
think that's a real thing that wehave to do as coaches, is to
make sure that our players aren't worriedabout what's going on in the future,
or or aren't worried about what's goingon in the past, or worry about

(03:58:00):
can they get a little bit bettertoday, you know, and can we
make improvement? And I think theone thing that I've seen here and I've
only been here for three weeks,but there's a consistency to the players approach
when they walk in this building everyday, which is it's unique. It's
not like that everywhere else. Andit'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's impressive the culture of
the players that are in this programright now. But I think it speaks

(03:58:20):
a lot to the leadership. There'sthere's a lot of older players on this
team and they've set the tone forthe younger players, and I think the
younger players have done a great jobof followship and getting right in line with
that. It's never ended over aplay calling to someone before. What does
it mean to you? I guesshe technically did it to Bill when he
was here for a couple weeks.But what does that mean to you to
kind of be getting that responsibility fromhim and he's calling essentially the offense that

(03:58:45):
you gave it? I guess insome way. Yeah, I still think
the play calling part will be acollaborative 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 can just any point the fingera little and just say, hey,
you know, I wanted to dothis, but he trumped me.
So we haven't actually discussed game dayyet. You know, we'll see how

(03:59:07):
that operates. But everywhere I've beenit's been a collaborative effort. And all
of a sudden, someone that's callingthe plays isn't isn't like pulls one out
of left field that you hadn't practicedand hadn't been part of your offense and
said, hey, let's do this. You know 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

(03:59:28):
I think it's the key to reallybeing successful on offense is is how you
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 confidences become 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. Andit's not that they do it so they
do it right, it's they practiceit so much so that they can't do

(03:59:50):
it wrong. So, you know, I think it's that whole part of
it that is really the key tobeing a really good game planning team.
Second right, dud Lane, maRee Kingdom North Chip. When you had
that feeling when you were coaching inquarterbacks during Bold Operation, did you consider
at that point maybe resigning as thehead coach and thinking like this is this

(04:00:11):
is not where I am anymore.I'll leave and then I'll look to see
what else is out there. No, I never thought about quitting anything,
So you know, I just isthere an opportunity that I think I can
that fit you know, and Ithink that's the you know, it's no
different than when you're talking to arecruit about them make a decision on where
they're going to go to school.I think that where they should go to
school is where the best fit isfor them. So, you know,

(04:00:31):
I just entertained some opportunities and Ialways felt I felt like this was the
best fit. But I never thoughtabout quitting or not coaching. I'm gonna
coach. I'm gonna coach, andthen I'm gonna die. But I mean,
that's how I think I think aboutthings. Is I can't picture that.
I know someone I was on theNike trip and they like, how
much longer are you gonna go?When I said I have to go another

(04:00:52):
fifteen twenty years. I don't thinkabout I don't think about retirement. I
don't think about any of those things. That's just not kind of my mindset
that you know. I love footballand in the as long as I can
be part of this game, thenI'll be part of this game. Just
the way things worked out with yourdeparture from UCLA, is there anything that
you wish you had done differently,or anything you regret or just that the

(04:01:13):
circumstances that presented themselves. Do youthink that you handled that departure the best
that you could have. 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 somewhereelse and you have to text message him.
You know, that was always importantto me that I wanted to make
sure I talk to my players andexplain the reasons of what I was doing.
I wasn't leaving to take a headcoaching job somewhere else. I wasn't

(04:01:33):
thinking that the grass is greener atanother university. Was just in my personal
situation, this is what I wantedto do. I wanted to take an
opportunity to go be a position coachand coordinator, and that's how it fit.
You know. What I was happyis that I always thought to Sean
Foster, I think the world ofthem and I think he's a special you
know, and the fact that thatthey were they gave him the opportunity to

(04:01:56):
take over there was you know,it worked out. I didn't have any
say in that decision, you know, I was gone, but I always
thought that the Shawn would be agreat head coach, and I'm really proud
of him and happy that that hegot the opportunity to take that job.
Right behind your reputation is innovator.Was part of the appeal of this is
that you get to get in theweeds a little bit. Uh maybe not

(04:02:20):
mad scientists, maybe too too strongof a word, because you're working within
the system. But was there anappeal of I get to get my hands
dirty here again and innovate and getback to that side of things. It
was, but it was really moreimportant of who I get to work with,
you know, and so knowing youknow, I've got I know a
lot of guys on the staff besidesRyan also, so you know, when

(04:02:41):
I know what their mindset is andwhat their values are and how they do
things, and so I wanted tobe a part of that. But but
there's a part of that. Yeah, how much of a teacher you get
labeled an innovator? The teaching isa part of this. How much is
it is? How a teacher areyou and how patient are you? Yeah?
I think we're all teachers. Imean education is the transportation of knowledge,

(04:03:03):
you know, So it really doesn'tmatter what the coach knows. It
matters what the players understand, youknow, so you have to be able
to make sure that while you're implementingthings is what resonates with them and how
does that come back to them.So, you know, a lot of
our teaching styles that we've learned ismore the socratic method of there's a lot
of questions, you know, anda lot of check for understandings, just
to kind of find out where theplayers are coming from, because it's what

(04:03:24):
they know that that's ultimately going towin games, not what we know.
You know that we're not playing thegames. We're not stepping across those white
lines, you know, and yourjob as a coach is to create an
environment where they have an opportunity tobe successful and then get out of their
way and let them go do it. So I think the teaching aspect is
huge, and we continue to research, you know, some of the latest
trends in teaching to make sure thatwe are transporting that knowledge to our players.

(04:03:48):
The second roll left Steve Helwagan twentyfour seven Sports. Yeah, coach,
just treus, you got five scholarshipquarterbacks with differing levels of experience,
age and everything else. Not toannoyed him, but just want to ask
specifically about Will Howard coming in afterstarting part of two years at Kansas State.
He just seems to promote this ideathat he's a football player, you

(04:04:13):
know above all else. Just howimpressed are you with his makeup, his
experience, what he's bringing to thetable walking in here right now? Yeah?
Really impressed. You know, youdon't have to talk to Will for
more than five minutes to kind ofknow where he's coming from. He's really
focused. You know, he knowshe's got a short window left in his
college career and it really wants tocapitalize on what that is. There's a

(04:04:35):
maturity to Will, you know.I really I've had experience, My experience
in this thing since the transfer portalopened in college football is some of the
best players I've had an opportunity tocoach. Ard transfers. Sometimes when you're
a true freshman and it's five yearsout, you know, it's like,
hey, I got a ton oftime, you know. And sometimes when
you're a transfer, is that I'vegot nine months, you know. So

(04:04:56):
there's a sense of urgency I thinkwhen you're dealing with with transfers, and
I think think Will has exuded thatsince he's been here. But the other
thing that I just in the shorttime that Will has been here is how
quickly he's fit in with the entireteam, you know, and how much
the the rest of the players respecthim. You know. He was uh
one of the Gold Award winners forhis work in the weight room in this
offseason, so that says a lotfor him coming in here as a in

(04:05:18):
a short time, being able toto win a weight room award, you
know, to start off, youguys hope to have the number one internally
externally into spring or I guess justI think it always every time I've been
involved in these, I think whenthey're organic is when it's the best.
I don't think you can anoint somebodyor force the issue because the players know,

(04:05:39):
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. Abut I'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 everyschool, there's a quarterback battle, you
know, And then and really Ifeel like in the league, I left

(04:06:00):
or right, You're still going againstpremier guys, so obviously you have high
expectations for your left and right tackle, but there's definitely uh, like the
the level of energy and like theexpectations definitely take and the human spect cause
now connared the blindside that stuff that'sde tackle role, you know. So

(04:06:22):
so yeah, I would say interms of communication as far as just even
outside the facility and just stuff likethat, like really creating that that tackle
quarterback bond even more off the field, I think has been something that's even
been cool. I got a textone day it's like, hey, like
you play left, and I waslike, yeah, you know, yeah,
I've been training both. I've beentraining both. You know. I

(04:06:45):
I aks after the season. They'relike, honestly, you know, we'll
talk to you still play in theseason. And I just got a text
and like, depending what happens withwith 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 need to do what I didbefore. I'm built on that bus.

(04:07:05):
I was like, I might asalmost trained the left tackle now as if
I'm gonna be left tackle, andI'd rather do that than training on the
right time and get the CAO.Hey you're the left tackle. I'm like,
oh, I didn't switch on myfeet yet, you know what I
mean. So I'm like, letme just prepare in the advance. I
was like, yeah, let's god. You know. I think occasionally on
third down there would be a lotof twists. I would just know like

(04:07:26):
it's I'm gontamatically coming. And Ithink that was my mindset for like the
first half of the season, LikeI didn't have to go to a gaming
with surprise like oh my gosh,they did that. I kind of figured
like, okay, like this isthis is the type of rush meant to
get. This is how this guyusually rushes. But I get the vibe,
this is how the ends like therush. You know, tackles that

(04:07:46):
are you know, first year guyswho got the premier patch on. I
already knew what it was gonna be, already knew of every stunt and honestly
just knowing that it's kind of anadvantage too, So you're not you're not
you're not old. They broughably twistedmy side. Again, it was never
an Aaron Donald like, you know, to coming up the mind, Like
three plays in a row in twominutes, I knew that it was gonna
win. It happened, So youknow what I mean, I'm watching more

(04:08:09):
than everybody else, and he rarelyeven goes out there on occasional third down.
Was on the d M. Isaid, you know it's gonna be,
He's gonna pick me, you knowwhat I mean? So fact fact,
it's kind of a it's also kindof advantage in the way, but
it's also exciting, like, Okay, I'm gonna get the hardest look.
You know those are real, realreps, you know, the bank.
So really, I I don't know. I really didn't kind of process that.

(04:08:33):
I was like, hey, whenthey tell me to let me know
about I'm just gonna train it.I was training all left to Ta's.
I guess if I didn't hear anythingabout Ta's, I would have came in
like, so you know what Imean, Cause just like I'm cool training
both continue, I would have beencool trading both continually. But I still

(04:08:54):
not, Like what's it been likefor you? Of seeing is the early
stages of how he challenges people andhow they responded. I mean, yeah,
I mean at the end of theday, I think we're all grow
men in here, so you know, you should automatically, you know,
take accountability for you know, everythingyou do on the field, whether it's
something good, whether it's something bad. And I think everybody's responded well to
that. So you know, Ithink that does nothing, but you know

(04:09:16):
makes everybody better allowed to your teammates, to you know, put more trust
in to whoever it is that's takingaccountability at the time. What I uh,
what do you seem to guy accountable? Sea? Yeah, I mean
he's quick, you know, hecan create a lot of space and uh
small spaces, so uh it's quick, you know, uh savvy with it's
rout running, and you know he'sjust he's just a hard worker. You

(04:09:37):
know. You know there's some playswhere he knows he's not getting the ball
and he's still still winning the orrooute. So you know, just to
have that player, uh A aplayer like that give that much effort uh
on the field every play, it'sreally really good to see. And I
think it's you know, really uhgonna rub up on the other guys too.
I'm good I'm about to i'm'a getanother. What's it like working with
uh? Some of the tight downsthat you guys have there? I know

(04:10:00):
after Smithya straight just talked about howversatility that a lot of other guys have,
especially in that grip. Yeah,I mean we have a different uh
uh a lot of you know,different guys in the tight end room.
You know, Darnell he brings sidesto the room. Uh, Rodney Speed,
Uh, Connor he has a greatawareness in the field. Pat of
course he you know, he's agreat all around tight end. And then
Uh, you know, uh Crew, he's a he's a bat. He's

(04:10:24):
smart, he knows what he's doing. So, I mean just all the
guys in the room, you know, they're smart and intensive and they've i
f I feel like they've j ajustice to the offense. Will. So's
it. What's been like working withTom or from what's he been like?
Kind of working with you want specious? Yeah, I mean Tol's been great.
Uh just his at t He's attentionto detail, the way he comes

(04:10:46):
you know, in each and everyday. He comes in the same guy
every day and uh to be onside, and you know, I don't
think I've had to coach that detailedas Tom. You know, he's very
detailed in terms of you know,crackings, refuse sending us, uh the
info, breaking down each and everyplay and really just really just focused on
the details. To be honest withyou, I think, uh, that's

(04:11:07):
the thing that sets him apart.And you know he's he pushed us to
be hard, I mean our ourindie periods or you know conditioning, So
of course that's good for us.But I mean he's been great so far.
So excited to uh, you know, allow that allow our relationship to
grow, and excited to work forhim. And is what he's doing kind
of compliment what you're doing individually,you know, when you're away from the

(04:11:28):
facility, working with you know,coaches, one on one anything like that.
He said, what does he whatdoes he do here? That kind
of compliments what you do away fromthe facility when you're troubling. 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 the facility.

(04:11:50):
So it's good getting that different workin different drill work that I can
you know, implement into my youknow, off season program and stuff like
that. So it's good that I'mlearned hi stuff for sure, you know,
versus any times that was the lastyear? What what what? What
is this? Uh our smith inthe offense talk about you of trying to
make make that incorporate that into beinga big part of this offense. I
mean yeah, Uh, I thinkwe have fast guys, guys that can

(04:12:13):
get down the field with speed.Uh, guys like Quez, Calvin,
Scottie Van, you know, meand Rust. You know, we've we've
had a lot of deep ball successand a lot of explosive plays in the
past. So you know, that'sjust uh, you know what, I
guess how our offense is built.To be honest with you, but I
mean, our job is to createexplosives and you know, push the ball

(04:12:33):
down the field. So anytime weget those ops, we definitely wanna capitalize
on. Those are costing any partof your mechanics and anybody that I mean
yeah, uh, I think there'salways room to improve, uh mechanic wise
and stuff like that. So Ithink you know, Matt Baker, uh,
he's a poor quarterback assistant. Heyou know, usually stays on me
the most about it, so Iappreciate the fact that he does that,

(04:12:54):
and I usually, you know,make sure he doesn't make sure. I
just just stay on top of it, you know, as a whole,
and you know, make sure mymechanics are always clean. Can you talk
about one particularly, am Stress.It's it's different areas, to be honest,
I don't think it's just one specificarea, but it's it's different areas,
justin in your opinion. Was theresomething that you wanted to work on,
maybe get better at when you gothere at this point of your career.

(04:13:16):
I mean, like, like Isaid, there's you know, no
matter who you are, you know, there's always stuff to get better at,
always different areas. Nobody's perfect inone area, so I think you
can continue to prove in all airsin my game, you know me personally,
so I'm just focused on getting better. Ever, when we talked to
Russ yesterday, he said that Rustsaid that he personally felt kind of revived

(04:13:37):
you being in another staff in hiscareer. Is there any of that sense
of maybe rejuvenation or feeling Obviously youhaven't been in the league for thirteen years,
but is there a new energy thatyou get being in a different organization,
going through mini camp in a differentway for the first time, I
think, so, you know,just being around a new team an organization
as players. But to stay onday one that I think our scheme is

(04:14:00):
going to be this, this orthis, it's you know, that's going
to be a work in progress aswe start to get familiar with what the
player's skill sets are and then whatwe can do. And it's always a
combination of what you have upfront andthen what you have out back. And
I know we've got a couple ofreally talented running backs behind them, so
you know, it's something that we'regoing to look at. But I also
know you can't be one dimensional infootball. You need to be able to
throw the ball as much as runthe ball. You know, It's funny,
some people think I'm an area guy, some people think I'm a wing

(04:14:22):
tea guy. Some people think Iwant 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 our gameplan is right now. Right Austin wore
a podcast. When you think aboutyour first evaluations of the quarterbacks and going
through these fifteen practices at how doyou want to structure that? I know
that you and Ryan have probably talkedabout that a good amount, Like what's

(04:14:43):
the right way to set up aspring position battle? How many reps does
everybody need? What's sort of yourplan? Just from a general perspective,
I guess yeah, you know,we're really detailed in what practice looks like
and how that's going to operate.But I also think you need to let
the players go, you know,So I don't think you need to put
shackles on them, so to speak, and just keep them constrained. I

(04:15:05):
think you got to let them goand you got to let them operate.
And we were rotating I think everybodyon every two snaps today just and that
was just what we're going to doon day one. You know, we'll
reassess it after we got through it, get a chance to count up 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 doing it. But I think the best way people

(04:15:26):
learn is they learn by doing,you know. So they've been great in
the meeting rooms. They're sharp whenyou 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. Andso the more we can put them in
those situations to play the game,the better we'll have an opportunity to evaluate
them. Ships thinking all of thesethings go back. So forwar with Brian's

(04:15:48):
day, you mentioned since you've doneit since she was a kid, what
were your first impressions back then thatyou could come full certainle to now,
like, how do you but doyou feel about that? It's still the
same way he you know, evensince he was playing the little league,
he was the ultimate competitor, youknow, and he was always trying to
find a way to win. Hewas great at a lot of sports,

(04:16:10):
baseball, basketball, football. Youknow. I got an opportunity to recruit
him, you know, so Icoached him when I was at New Hampshire.
I recruited him out of high schooland we all and we grew up
really close to each other. Sosame elementary school, same high school,
same junior high, same college.You know, so I've known him since
for for a really long time,but that competitive fire burns deep with him,
and that's the one thing that I'vealways admired with him. And he's

(04:16:30):
got an amazing athletic brain in termsof how to process things and how to
how to put people in position tomake place. He's always been that prototypical
coach on the field, no matterwhat sport he was playing. So I
knew he was destined to be acoach, you know. And I was
fortunate in my career as a headcoach to have him on my staff in
a couple of places, so Igot a chance to see him work firsthand,

(04:16:51):
you know. I got to seehim work firsthand as a player and
then as a coach. So thesuccess he had is not is not surprising
to me. Is there? Wheredo you see where the success is at
it? Yeah? I think weall do that. I think we come
from a unique place in a reallysmall hometown in New Hampshire where we all
take a lot of pride of wherewe're from and and when anybody's successful coming
out of there, then you kindof take a little pride that that's it's

(04:17:15):
the upbringing that we all had,you know, in the UTH sports program
that we grew up in in inevery aspect, whether it was football,
baseball, basketball, those coaches hadan amazing impact on us. And that's
why we are where we are rightnow. Uh for girl Bill Rabinwick Columbus
dispatched. Ryan said, he doesn'tthink of it as you working under him,
that's working with him. Fact ishe is the head coach. Wait

(04:17:36):
off, he makes me call himsir that he just said can you do
that? Day one? And Iwas like, alright, right now?
But I mean he ultimately is theis the decision maker. You've been a
head coach. How do you thinkthat's going to work? Do you think
there'll be any as close as youare, any kind of awkward moments?

(04:17:59):
The right term. But he's theultimate decider and you are working for him.
Yeah, I certainly understand my role. I'm not al haag 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

(04:18:19):
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

(04:18:40):
it's a very collaborative effort. Ithink everybody's on the same page. You
know, it's not our offense andtheir defense and it's Ohio State, you
know, it's it's Ohio State versusthe twelve opponents that we're going to play
during the regular season and then beyond. So it's it's really collaborative. And
that's the thing I like, justin the short time that I've been here,
is how collaborative every but he's been. You know, we're all trying
to make each other better and we'reall trying to develop this team. Touched

(04:19:03):
on this, uh you said,you know, you like to do what
you want to do and not Mysense is you, in your perfect world,
you'd like to scribble plays on anaat can and not deal with boosters
dot deal with all the stuff thatcoaches head coaches have to deal with now,
And how much of a factor wasthat in this decision you can just
do football now that that's not it. I mean, I enjoy I mean,

(04:19:26):
we've had some amazing I've had anopportunity and everywhere I've been to meet
some amazing people that are associated withthe program. And there's people that from
my time at New Hampshire or mytime at Oregon. I was just with
Phil Night two weeks ago, youknow, and got an opportunity to spend
some time with him and his wifePenny, who are dear friends of mine
that have been great mentors to mein my career. And there's a bunch
of people that and UCLA, TerryDonahue, Andrea Donna who were awesome to

(04:19:48):
me. Angela Mazzoni is a greatfriend, Casey Wassman, Troy Aikman.
There was a bunch of people atUCLA that I really enjoyed, you know,
being around and talking with. SoI think sometimes everybody wants to make
a narrative if it's either this orthat. It's it's it's never that,
it's never just all ball. It'snever just all recruiting. It's never just
all boosters. It's it's a mixtureof everything. But I think the one
thing that as this position as ahead coach kept moving on is that if

(04:20:14):
you look at a lot of them, they all become more CEOs. You
know. I can't tell you howmany coaches that have called me since I
made this decision that said I'm twoyears behind you, brother, you know
that are thinking the same exact way. And I think it's all part of
what we have to do. Ithink we all need to protect this game
and promote this game, and Ithink there are some rules that we need
to get straightened out so that peopleunderstand what it's about, because the game

(04:20:34):
is still about the players, andI hope that never gets discounted. You
know. It's it's always been aboutthe players, and I think if we
can keep that at the forefront thepeople that are making decisions on this,
and I think Jean Smith is oneof the best influences in the NCAAA,
is to make sure we keep thatthe main thing. The main thing needs
to be the student athletes. You'recoming in at a time where you've been

(04:21:00):
through some places where the expectations arehigh, I understand, which also coming
into a juncture where you know,the three losses to Michigan not making the
playoff last year, the urgency ispretty high here. I guess, just
sort of what the perspective do youhave on kind of the stakes that there
are for Ryan this year and thedecision that then he makes to bring you

(04:21:21):
in to kind of help solve that. Yeah, I think the expectations can
be no higher than they are inyour own brain, you know. And
I think if you try to worryabout what other people are thinking in their
brains, you're going to get screwedup a little bit. So, you
know, I talked earlier the onething about 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

(04:21:42):
that joined him in our part ofthis and that are working with him.
So you know, I don't think. I think sometimes you can spend too
much time thinking about those things.You know, what you really have to
do is just as there's a bigsign as you walk into this place that
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 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

(04:22:03):
better today, you know, andcan we make improvement? And I think
the one thing that I've seen hereand I've only been here for three weeks,
but there's a consistency to the playersapproach when they walk in this building
every day, which is it's unique. It's not like that everywhere else.
And it's one of the things thatI remarked to Mick when I you know,
he said, Hey, what doyou think? And I was like,
it's impressive. It's impressive the cultureof the players that are in this
program right now. But I thinkit speaks a lot to the leadership.

(04:22:25):
There's there's a lot of older playerson this team, and they've set the
tone for the younger players, andI think the younger players have done a
great job of followship and getting rightin line with that. He's never handed
over a 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

(04:22:48):
guess in some way. Yeah,I still think the play calling part will
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 isit is assistant coaches you can just a
point the finger a little bit andjust say, hey, you know,
I wanted to do this, buthe trumped me. So we haven't actually
discussed game day yet. You know, we'll see how that operates. But

(04:23:11):
everywhere I've been it's been a collaborativeeffort. And all of a sudden,
someone that's calling the plays isn't isn'tlike pulls one out of left field that
you hadn't practiced and hadn't been partof your offense and said, hey,
let's do this. You know,we're not running the annexation of Puerto Rico.
You know, we're not coming upwith something special. You know,
in the middle of the fourth quarterthat we haven't done. But I think
it's the key to really being successfulon offense is is how you game plan,

(04:23:34):
how you put it all together,and then how you practice and train
for that so that you get achance to execute it. Because the player's
confidence comes comes from their demonstrated abilitythat they've done this so many times in
practice that when they get out onthe field that this is like that to
them. You know, it's notthat they do it so they do it
right, it's they practice it somuch so that they can't do it wrong.
So, you know, I thinkit's that whole part of it that

(04:23:56):
is really the key to being areally good game planning team, right Doug
Lane ma Reef Kings of North Ship. When you had that feeling when you
were coaching the quarterbacks during bold thatpreparation, did you consider at that point
maybe resigning as the head coach andthinking like this is this is not where
I am anymore. I'll leave andthen I'll look to see what else is

(04:24:17):
out there. No, I neverthought 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
gonna go to school. I 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.

(04:24:40):
But I never thought about quitting ornot coaching. I'm gonna coach.
I'm gonna coach, and then I'mgonna die. But I mean, that's
how I think. I think aboutthings as I can't picture that. I
know someone I was on the Niketrip and they like, how much longer
are you gonna go? When Isaid I have to go another fifteen twenty
years. I don't think about Idon't think about retirement, not think about

(04:25:00):
any of those things. That's justnot kind of my mindset that you know,
I love football and in the aslong as I can be part of
this game, then I'll be partof this game. And you just the
way things worked out with your departurefrom UCLA. Is there anything that you
wish you had done differently, oranything you regret, or just that the
circumstances that presented themselves. Do youthink that you handled that departure the best

(04:25:21):
that you could have. 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 itsomewhere else and you have to text message
him. You know, that wasalways important to me that I wanted to
make sure I talk to my playersand explain the reasons of what I was
doing. I wasn't leaving to takea head coaching job somewhere else. I
wasn't thinking that the grass is greenerat another university. Was just in my
personal situation, this is what Iwanted to do. I wanted to take

(04:25:44):
an opportunity to go be a positioncoach and coordinator, and that's how it
fit. You know. What Iwas happy is that I always thought to
Sean Foster, I think the worldof them, and I think he's a
special you know, and the factthat that they were they gave him the
opportunity to take over there was youknow, it worked out. I didn't
have any say in that decision,you know, I was gone, but

(04:26:06):
I always thought that Deshaun would bea great head coach and I'm really proud
of them and happy that that hegot the opportunity to take that job right
behind him, you have your reputationis innovator. Was part of the appeal
of this is that you get toget in the weeds a little bit.
Uh maybe not mad sciences, maybetoo too strong of a word, because
you're working within the system. Butwas there an appeal of I get to

(04:26:29):
get my hands dirty here again andinnovate and to get back to that side
of things. That 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
of that. But but there's apart of that. Yeah. Yeah,

(04:26:52):
how much of a teacher you getlabeled an innovator? The teaching is a
part of this. How much isit is how the teacher are even how
patient are Yeah? I think we'reall teachers. I mean, education is
the transportation of knowledge, you know, So it really doesn't matter what the
coach knows. It matters what theplayers understand, you know. So you
have to be able to make surethat while you're implementing things is what resonates

(04:27:15):
with them and how does that comeback to them. So, you know,
a lot of our teaching styles thatwe've learned is more of the socratic
method of there's a lot of questions, you know, and a lot of
check for understandings, just to kindof find out where the players are coming
from, because it's what they knowthat that's ultimately going to 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 environment wherethey have an opportunity to be successful and

(04:27:38):
then get out of their way andlet them go do it. So I
think the teaching aspect is huge,and we continue to research, you know,
some of the latest trends in teachingto make sure that we are transporting
that knowledge to our players. Coachjust curious, you've got five scholarship quarterbacks
with differing levels of age and everythingelse. Not to annoyed him, but

(04:28:03):
just want to ask specifically about willHoward coming in after starting part of two
years. He needs a stage.He just seems to promote this idea that
he's a football player, you knowabove all else. Just how impressed are
you with his makeup, his experience, what he's bringing to the table walking
in here right now? Yeah?Really impressed. You know that you don't

(04:28:26):
have to talk to Will for morethan 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 left in his collegecareer, and it really wants to capitalize
on what that is. There's amaturity to Will, you know. I
really I've had experience. My experiencein this thing since the transfer portal opened
in college football is some of thebest payers I've had an opportunity to coach

(04:28:48):
word transfers. Sometimes when you're atrue freshman and it's five years out,
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'sfit in with the entire team, you

(04:29:11):
know, and how much the restof the players respect him. You know,
he was one of the Gold Awardwinners for his work in the weight
room in this offseason, so thatsays a lot for him coming in here
as a in a short time,being able to win a weight room award,
you know, to start off,to have the number one internally externally
into spring or I guess I thinkit always every time I've been involved in

(04:29:34):
these, I think when they're organicis when it's the best. I don't
think you can anoint somebody or forcethe issue because the players know, the
players would understand. They see itevery single day, you know, and
there's a team chemistry part of thisthing too, So we're not going to
force the issue. But I've alwaysseen it play itself out. So I've
been fortunate that there's always going tobe some quarterback battles that at some point

(04:29:56):
in time at every school there's aquarterback battle, you know, and then
in really you got to let themplay it out on the field, and
that's where it has to that's whereit has to be decided. Hey,
welcome to you. We're excited tohave you here, Thank you. I'm
kind of to talk about the innovativepart. Ryan said that that's something that
he's always loved about working with you, and now he wants you to break

(04:30:18):
that here and how it would fitwith Ohio State. Do you have any
idea what that's going to look likeyet or is it just way too early?
I have no idea, you know. I think part of it is
is you're trying to put the playersin position to make plays. So a
lot of that comes from getting tounderstand the players and what their skill sets
are and how we feature what theirskill sets are, you know. And
the one thing after day one,I can tell you that there's a lot

(04:30:41):
of skill set out there, youknow. So that's that's what gets you
excited, you know, That's whatThat's what you jump out of bed in
the morning and you're excited to goto work because of the talent that you
get to work with. But theone thing that's the most impressive is the
work ethic that goes along with thattalent. You know, it's not just
empty talent. It's you got somekids who want to I mean all of
them since I've been here, wantto work so that that's what gets you

(04:31:02):
excited. But I think assessing whatthe skill set is you know that we
have available to us on the offensiveside of the ball is vitally important,
and then our job is to putthose guys in positions to make place lots
of pressure. I mean, you'veexperienced what it's like to coach national championship,
call over teams this program right nowand moving into a situation where you

(04:31:23):
got to win Quicken now. Sodoes that feel like pressure here for you
or is it a little bit ofexcitement or both? Well, I've always
subscribed to as pressure is what youfeel when you don't know what you're doing.
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 understandthat too, is that you know,

(04:31:45):
it's it's about your preparation, it'sabout you and your development. It's not
about that you can't be governed bywhat other people say. It's it's what's
my mindset and how am I intrinsicallymotivated? And then how do I really
compete against myself on a daily basisto get a little bit better. You
know, we got a looktle bitbetter today because we get out on the
field today and got a chance todo some football. And then the challenges
when we get back on the fieldon Thursday. Can we be a little

(04:32:07):
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. Chip andwelcome, Thank you. I'm gonna ask
about the pros and cons of coachingfrom the box and coaching from the field.
It's interesting to talk to some offen, some coordinators. Tom Herman talking
about it, he swore he wantedto coach from the box. Saw the
game so much better, sterile environment, not all the chaos on the field.

(04:32:27):
Some coaches you talk to the like, I want to be on the
field so I can look at myguys in the in the eye. Where
are you at as a as acoordinator? Honestly, And I've thought of
this a lot. I thought ofit a lot during COVID because we had
the empty stands, you know,so I had thought about just walking up
into the stands for a little bitbecause I had a better advantage. I've
always believed you can see the gamebetter from up above, but I believe

(04:32:47):
you can feel the game better fromthe field. So if there was any
way we could get a zip wirewhere you could do both, you know,
coach called from there and then zipdown of the field get a chance
to talk to him, because it'sa different deal when you're talking to thequarterbacks
on a phone, you know,then being able to look in their eye
and kind of see where they arewith it, and part of it is
the feel part of it. Iremember when I coached Ryan once. We

(04:33:08):
were playing Yukon and he got hithard going out of bounce and he just
walked by me, and I wasa play caller, and he was like,
run the next play, and Ijust kind of looked at him.
I saw the look in his eyesbecause I don't think he could have thrown
it. You know, he wasstill trying to get his win back.
But you wouldn't know that if you'reup in the booth, you know,
and you call a pass play fromup in the booth and you're like,
how come we can't complete that?Well, he just took a shot going

(04:33:29):
out of bounds. So it's thatfine line and I don't have an answer,
you know. I think I thinkit's feel on the ground and it's
see from up above. Maybe inthis day a technology, they'll figure it
out. But we'll see how thatthat that operates, and whatever Ryan feels
is the best for the team iswhat we're gonna do. So your teams
at the organ were obviously know we'replaying at this ass pace and run a

(04:33:53):
bunch of plays for a minute andyep, maybe not by a past pretty
fast. What rule do you seetempo and having an offense in the state,
Yeah, in college football and hasmaybe changed. I think the game
is always evolving, you know.I think when I left in two thousand
twelve to go to the National FootballLeague, Oregon was the only team that
was playing really really fast and hadshiny helmets. And when I came back

(04:34:17):
in two thousand seventeen, everybody hadshiny helmets and everybody was playing fast.
So I think the game is alwaysgonna go up and down, and there's
gonna be different cycles that it goesthrough. I I think tempo is part
of when those two kids cause Irecruited and when they was in high school,
so I'm most of the challenge andthe responsibility of it. Got right
behind h Dan Hope eleven Carlos,Just what is your kind of coaching philosophy?

(04:34:40):
How do you get the best outof your running backs? I get
the best out them cause I lovethe mayor. My main focus is it
changed the hearts and minds of them, and they had played for me.
I had just got through reading CoachTreelsa's Winds Manual, and it's someday that
I took from that book. Youhave your purpose and you have your goals,
alright. My purpose is to serveand pour into the I man now

(04:35:02):
my goals is a football coach.All of them are take care of themselves.
So that's one of the ways.I'm just real relationship base and I'm
very detailed at this position. Iknow y'all heard me say before, and
I'm gonna keep saying. This isthe worst coach position in football. It's
terrible. Guys hire anybody to coachhis position and recruiters. Carls Locker is
not a recruiter. I'm an eliterelationship builder, but I coached this position.

(04:35:25):
I'm a ball coach, so that'swho I am. So I'm gonna
pouring to these kids. I thinkthey kind of seeing it now. And
I jumped in day one. I'mready to coach prase. You know,
soft fat cookies. Where did thatphrase come from? Kind of always this
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.

(04:35:47):
So that I been getting. Pillsburyneeds to give me a deal because
I've been getting I been getting someDM the texts, some of them have
been so funny. The saltbatch couldget thing came from just having a frame
of mind, a mental toughness.It had nothing to do with guys getting
in the portal and anything. Nowmost people say I'm a salt beats cooking

(04:36:07):
for leaving there, but actually I'mnot because it takes great strength to make
a decision to leave a place.No, a weak minded person wouldn't be
able to make the decisions I make, So it took great strength to do
that. So I'm telling you,if I literally in my DMS, it's
some it's some great comedians out herethat have been sending me like tons of
cookies and out like Hey, it'sfunny right behind him, Tony Urban,

(04:36:32):
how have you got about being assessmentof the talent in the room? Uh
in over the past week or two? How much as that unfield off field?
Like, what's the process of gettingto know who you have as players?
Well? I broke down well mebeing a guy that loves the running
back position. And I already brokethose kids down cause I recruit them out
of high school. You know,Cue is from where I'm from in Montgomery.

(04:36:56):
I was one of the first guysto offer him just watching him great
contact, balance, creative runner,great hands and trey. I recruited him
out of Virginia exceptional short air,your bursting quickness and things that I'm gonna
help him get better on. Andthen I recruited James Peeples out of t
out of San Antonio, Texas.I knew what he was gonna what he
was gonna be TC and Sam.Those two kids I'm getting to know and

(04:37:21):
I'm gonna help them improve that game. But we got different runners in there.
I like to call myself, hI'm in love with this position.
So I get to break down runnersand help their game. So talented,
talented room, very talented. Uhfar back uh jerremy Birmingham podcast couch.
How do you swear that that sawpast cookies are actually the best cookies to

(04:37:42):
philip Burg mix or those are waybetter than the county chips? Are white
things? Go terman? I mean, do you do you have to first
find a balance there or somewhere.Well, for me, I'm actually not
eating any cookies. Nah, I'mjust saying I'm not eating any cookies this
year. I gave it up forfast or no sweets for me for the
whole year. That something I gaveup. So they the term the south

(04:38:06):
bast cookie term. Look, guys, I actually took that from I represent
the high school coaches of Myth,Tennessee. I actually took that from a
guy named coach Slocum. He usedto 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 hesaid, you I should have branded that,
cause you done took it and ranaway with it. But that's just
where that comes from. So thatthat now was stating as you get to

(04:38:30):
Ohio stand and you start to lookaround the country at me, Oregon's a
big place that's a a major jobwith How how do you think that where
your opposite logo are the Jeff Brandblocko, When you get out out of
the little feed and trail, howdoes that change the way that you feel
you're either received or or does itat a different level to to just feeling

(04:38:52):
like I could go anywhere and getanybody in the company. And that's the
changest thing for me. This isa great place. Oregon was 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
put me here? Uh? Iknow I represented something higher, you know,

(04:39:14):
Like I told you, I knowwhat my purpose is. My purpose
is to pouring the people. Sowhatever 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 logoevery day. It's across I see around
my neck. I know what Irepresent. So that's the greatest logo I
could ever wear. So it don'tmatter what other logo I have on.
I got that one on. I'mgoing to any house and be a recruit.

(04:39:37):
Uh uh deep right to camera,Tick Robinson, the athlatic so which
you you mentioned the time in Memphisand Memphis for NFL or Backs. You
mentioned there who you learned from thattime that you that you can take over
to manage you to grow up andkeep. What did I learn from now?
I just building a just teaching thekids. We live in such a

(04:39:57):
selfish world now and I can tellkids all the times it's gotta be much
more to football. The ball gonnago flat one day. As I always
say, what being in that roomthere at Memphis is, it wasn't four
five? Teaching them how to beabou about being one? I tell you
them in all time, it doesn'tcost you anything to celebrate another man's success.

(04:40:19):
So teaching them how to be one, and then once they learned to
be one, they functioned in Theyfeed off one another. So that's what
I learned from being there at Memphisand let him in road cross thard of
your career in the law enforce Ikind of influenced you as a coach and
kind of shap where you are.Ah well, I just got through talking
to somebody about that today. WhenI first got in this profession and I

(04:40:42):
got my own room at Western Tech, I was aksed, No, how
was I was gonna be able tohandle m my room? I said,
Man, I had a part withfifty one inmates. You talking about me
having got six or seven guys likeyou kidding me? I'm talking about me
having a do traffic stops. Sogoing on domestic no virus calls, it's

(04:41:03):
simple, easy. No, peopledon't know what you care. Also know,
you gotta have a certain demeaning aboutyourself. So when I walk into
a room. It's the reason whyI go train every morning. This is
one of It's the same thing whenI was a police officer. You look
a certain way kind of deter peoplefrom doing certain things. So the reason
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,

(04:41:30):
uh from Rol Right Austin more thepodcast Carls Welcome to Columbus. What would
it mean to I don't know,revolutionize the way running backs are coach?
What does that take? I ain'teven I'm not gonna say revolutionized is some
good. It's some good running backcoaches out here. Everybody's different. It's
some great coaches out here. Ijust want to head guys who say that

(04:41:52):
on these jobs to not just hireguys. Just know, all coaches on
your steps should be great recruiters.Just a running back coach. We coach
a position. We developed players aswell. I just wanted the coaches to
realize, Hey, you know what, let me look and be thorough about
this guy that I'm hiring for thejob. Is he teaching the position?
Is he developing the position? Becauseyou're not gonna hire anybody just coach quarterbacks,

(04:42:15):
are you. Well, it shouldn'tbe like that for the running back
position either. And I'm only passionateabout it cause I played it. I
love it, so it's the onlyposition I want to coach. Could I
coach the other positions? Yeah?I played dB in college too, But
I love the running back position soand I just wanted to see it coach
well May podcasts. Yeah, amillion questions. Oh that's a couple.
Number one, when you when youwhen your wife whatever? You got the

(04:42:38):
message stuff? Or are we movingagain? What was? What was her
reaction? Nah? She she justknew God that give us, gave us
a new assignment. She w itwas never like we're moving again. Let
me tell you, guys, somethingI grew up. My mom was in
the military, so I lived everywhere. I lived in Panama of South America.
I'm used to picking up and moving. I lived in Fort Rodley,
Kansas. Montgomery's home ifs my secondhome, so I'm I'm used to moving

(04:43:02):
now. My wife it was differentfor her, but she just knew guy
that gave us a new assignment.So it's time to go. What did
what did coach they tell you whenhe heard you that he wants out of
you. That may be different.It's not slamming somebody else, But what
did he say he wanted you tobring to the running back room. I
think he did his research on me. He said he wanted the guy to

(04:43:23):
develop the position. It's not takinga shot at the coach that was here
who I'm friends with. He said, they want somebody to really get the
guys going. I can only beme, and I told him that Couse,
I'm gonna be me every day nowbecause see my mindset, this is
when I step in this building,I got one mindset that's to do my

(04:43:47):
job so well that the living deador unborn can do it any better.
So when I leave it, that'swhat my mindset is hopefully I'm here for
a long time, but only Godknows that. So, but that's my
mindset every day that step into theward hate soenter, that's my mindset.
I'm gonna do my job so welland living. Everyone doesn't really know how
to handle it properly you see itcurrently. I mean, it's just it's

(04:44:07):
a variable that's new and how tohandle it. There's not a transcript on
on how to handle that variable.So you just guys just trying to do
what they think is right. That'sall they're really trying to do. And
I'm not saying that the right orwrong, but he was trying to do
the same. And you know,I think at the end of the day
he realized man made the wrong decisionand we connected on it. We talked
about it, and you know,it was a great opportunity to to to

(04:44:30):
write or wrong. And uh,obviously 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, but he's nowhere near wherehe knows he's capable of being, and
he's just probably a priceless cremiah.I love the way he lives. I

(04:44:56):
love the way he approaches things.I love the way the questions he asks.
I love the way he makes mistakesand then correct mistakes. Uh,
it's very veteran, Like I mean, there's so much ball he has to
learn. Like he literally does thingsthat are good. I'm like, do
you know what that worked? Hegoes coach, I have no freaking idea,
So like I'm trying to teach himall of that why it works,

(04:45:18):
so then you know the consistency atwhich it works just goes to the roof.
And so but I'm very you know, excited and proud of the conversations
we're currently having. And I'm excitedit for them to keep going by what
you work And I love working withChip chip Is. I love talking Ball,
I love the viewpoints I love Ilove the veteran that he has,

(04:45:48):
you know, and uh, Ilove now like I love all of it.
I think that you know, earlyon the biggest impact, you know,
just you know, feeling person affective. I think in the run game
has been awesome you know, andthen you know, off of the run
game some of the actions or orrelief throws or all that kind of stuff.
I love where it's at. Ilove working with them, and I

(04:46:18):
would say that I sleep a littlebetter, all right. Uh No,
it's it's really a great combo because, like you know, we're obviously we're
doing a lot as a group.It's not just Chip and I so but
you know, obviously Chip has animage and a view on things that I

(04:46:40):
never had. So to have thatexperience and to have that viewpoint, I'm
just trying to absorb as much asI can, but then also highlight some
things that we've really done a goodjob of and make sure those you know,
nothing's really changing. We're just tryingto enhance. We're not changing,
we're enhancing. So where the thingsfit is perfect, you know, I
think, uh, you know,the rest of the dynamics and search Chip

(04:47:03):
can talk about. But it's beenit's been awesome, So I'm excited about
it. You talked to a mecha'just talking about moving from slot to the
house side. You know how goodhe's been in the slot. Is that
a difficult move for you guys ascoaches? To know how good a guy
is on one spot, but knowthat maybe for his long term future and
the no. I wouldn't say it'sanything on his future, because he's capable

(04:47:26):
of doing whatever you want to getdone. But I'd say that it says
more about the room. I thinkit's it's the growth of you know,
Brandon and the growth grow of Bryson. That's really you know, allowing my
mind to say, hey, Mech, be prepared. You're gonna move around
a lot. You're gonna come outof that slot, You're gonna be outside.
We're gonna create mismatches out there.I mean, his ability to move

(04:47:47):
around is critical. But I wouldsay between Mech and between Carnell Takes's ability
to move around a lot, it'sgonna provide a lot of flexibility for our
room. And uh and those topyou know, six seven guys that are
really doing a good job right now. Progress look like this spring for like
a because there's no time to think. It's one of those things. I'm
true when you has balanced how muchwork does a need versus yeah, heavy

(04:48:10):
heavy emphasis on what work he needs, you know versus anything else. Uh,
I rely on him. We havegreat dialogue back and forth. It's
a two way to It's a twoway conversation and frankly, there's gonna be
times we're like, hey, Meg, what do you wanna do today?
You wanna go outside and youn goinside? And I don't care. So,
uh, we're not there yet.We will be there, but it's
just more about, you know,when the room is ready to start mixing

(04:48:30):
things up, I would say,there's God. I mean, I make
sure I'm bring in guys that areable to do all, but I have

(04:48:52):
not asked them to yet. Sothe only guys that in our room currently
I've asked to do that has beenMecca and Carnell, and those are probably
the two guys that would, youknow, think heavily on doing moving around
a lot. I'm not putting thaton anybody else right now, not saying
they can't, but at this point, having two guys being able to swing,
you probably don't need much more thanthat. I need guys being experts

(04:49:14):
at what they're good at, soit it helps the offense. Don't be
great at everything and be an expertat something and we can use that to
our to our advantage. This yearis different, Like maybe you guys who
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

(04:49:37):
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 cometo our scheme are the best is brought
out of them. So I'm excitedto see what potential he has. He's

(04:49:59):
year nine, so I feel likeyou, as a d lineman, you
can keep improving all the way throughten years in this league. So I'm
excited to see what he's got.How old did you know sore and so
when he was assistant here and Ihad gotten to know him a lot better,
wits a relationship, Madi. Rightnow, I know him pretty well.
He was always just a good dudearound the facility. He did our

(04:50:21):
ball meetings, so he's good infront of a group. He's a good
leader. He knows the scheme reallywell, which is good. I was
happy to see him promoted. Hecalled me in the off season, we
talked. I just congratulated him,and I think he's gonna bring something similar
to what we had with the Miko'sbe good. Do you know Brandon Staley

(04:50:47):
well at all? I mean,obviously Joey played for him. I don't
know too much about him. I'veobviously heard from my brother, but I
don't even think i've said high yet. I haven't ran into him yet,
but I'm sure i'll get to knowhim. When you say it looks similar
to Miko, the energy or systemmaybe a little different energy, but I

(04:51:07):
think just knowing the system from thefront to the back, I think he
knows how it ties in, andhe's been around with some really good coaches,
so I think it'll be pretty prettyseamless, and I think we'll be
firing on all cylinders. You're threemonths removed from the super Bowl now,
so how have you? I guessdigested it, and I guess physically everything

(04:51:32):
good to go. Yeah, Ifeel really good. I think it's been
one of my better off seasons ofjust kind of It was a long year,
so I took it nice and slowto get back into it. Not
as young as I once was,so I'm taking a little a little slower,
but everything's great. I'm feeling asgood as I felt. I'm excited

(04:51:55):
to actually get some practice in.Last year was kind of tough getting thrown
in uh week one after a walkthrough, so that was another reason I'm
excited to be here is just toget practicing a little bit in season.
Practice is one thing, but actuallybeing able to work your stuff and not
have a game coming up is good. With the super Bowl unfortunately, I

(04:52:19):
know how to bounce back from toughlosses, so it was rough for a
little bit, but no, justannoying when people bring it up. Since
Angel last season, we've seen aRock on TV commercials and on the stage
with Kluke Coombs and throwing out thefirst pitch of the Giants game. But
he seems like a guy that's totallyunaffected by celebrity, which he has now.

(04:52:41):
But what have you noticed in hisleadership style and the way he carries
himself any difference at all. Ithink he's definitely getting a little more vocal
within the building, and uh yeah, I mean I don't think he's ever
gonna change. I don't think he'ssomebody that's gonna change even and it gets
paid next year. So he's he'sa man of faith and he kind of

(04:53:06):
reminds me of Scotti Scheffler, butexcept for just super humble and really good
kid. And yeah, he's definitelyfamous. I don't just from watching Armstead

(04:53:30):
get released obviously meant so much tothe defensive line into the team. I
mean, Colin John were pretty openthat they were willing to talk about trading
Deebo or are you at draft?Does that just another what's that feel like
in the locker room when those sortof joels happened. I didn't even know
that happened and I wasn't here,but you're talking about this Armstead will in

(04:53:55):
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 think youjust have to understand that it is a
business and the team's going to tryand get as good as it possibly can

(04:54:17):
with or without you, and youhave to look out for yourself. That's
why you go through holdouts and docertain things that seem selfish in the moment,
but it is what it is,and when everything's settled, we're gonna
come together as a team and tryand go get one. What's the overall
feeling around the group right now,Like, how much does it feel like
the excitement of the ramp up tothe season, even though it's early,

(04:54:41):
it feels good. It's been acouple of days for me, so I
like all the new guys. I'mgetting to know everybody, but I think
the passes in the past and we'reready to go. Do you talk to
you talk to be all about handlingthe business part of this. He's going
through something similar. We chat alittle bit, but not too much about

(04:55:02):
the details. I just told himkeep his head up and try and stay
positive through it all over your firstimpressions when you heard what your schedule would
be in that Aaron Rodgers's first time, it'll be fun. Yeah, it's
gonna be from your perspective, howmuch did that factor just knowing what he
was doing and kind of maybe,yeah, you know, it did factor

(04:55:26):
in a little bit, But itis it's a personal decision and it was
a quick process. Honestly, itwas. It was a week week,
two weeks. Uh figured it outand moved on and it's something I really
haven't thought of at all over thelast few months. I've just been trying
to prepare and I'm feeling really good, really good. Things are going really

(04:55:49):
great back home training. So youknow, got that under got it behind
me and moved on. Does itsince you've been here, does it feel
differ? Yeah, you know,it's not like these last eight years have
come in and thought we were goingto lose or have a bad year.
I felt like every year when Itell you things are feeling good and I

(04:56:12):
feel optimistic, it wasn't a lie. But yeah, I think things are
are definitely, like I said,trending in the right direction. Everybody's on
the details. I'm sure it's aword that you've heard a million times.
So yeah, I think it justfeels like it feels like coach is leading

(04:56:33):
the team the way it should beled. It has a feel of being
back in college, you know,with with coach ierban Meyer, and you
know, the message is sent fromthe top and it doesn't get mixed up
as it's moving down the ladder.It's boom. This is how we're doing
things, and everybody's following that.And I think it's impressive the details that

(04:56:55):
everybody has been on, has hasbeen on the effort and just the competitiveness
that that's been going on over thelast few weeks. Yeah, it's it's
it's been great. How much doyou appreciate that the stop and just described
the way Jim lead I shouldn't eatin the messaging does the eat mixed up?
I appreciate that same much. Imean, it's I guess it's easy

(04:57:22):
to appreciate when you kind of seeit working and you see guys improving,
getting better. I just think thedetails are really important. You can pretend
that leaving your shoes a mess oryour locker a mess isn't a big deal,
and what matters is playing football.But I think all those tiny details

(04:57:44):
and things kind of add up andleak into the important stuff, like what
you're doing on the field. Soif you can have your toe behind the
line, or have your locker andorder and all these things, they kind
of stack up into performing well andand playing well when things count. So
you know, I appreciate that.It's it also hasn't been a fight with

(04:58:07):
the guys in the locker room.They buy in and you know, it's
a lot of young guys, andI think they're hungry to learn, hungry
to compete and win. You know, it's just an example, whether it's
we talked about first day, heavyshoot, if you could, if you
could spend the time on these smallthings when nobody's watching. I think,

(04:58:29):
like I was saying, it seemslike it might not add up too much,
but I think in the long termit does. And uh, it
leaks into other things, whether you'redoing your right assignment on the field,
being late to meetings or all thesethings. If you hold a standard and
you you stay to that standard,I think it benefits you long term.
It's it been like Ben Harbart,Has there been anything in his training program

(04:58:56):
or working with you that you feelwill benefit your later Yeah, yeah,
definitely. He's He's been great.He's a no nonsense 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 only wayto do things. He understands that guys
have been in the in the businessfor a long time, Khalil me and

(04:59:17):
we have a way of doing things, and all he wants to do is
add to that and help you getbetter and perform the best you can.
He's He stresses it all the timethat he's a tool for us, and
you know, he's been. He'sbeen great. The guys love him.
The energy brings is awesome, andI think the stuff that we're doing in
the weight room is great, agreat addition to stuff that I may may

(04:59:40):
do on the side or whatever thatis. Yeah, I think we I
mean, we had a presentation todaywith all the certain measurables that are changing,
and if you guys are in themeeting, you definitely see how beneficial
he's been to the team so far. So obviously, staying healthy is a
huge factor to any buddy's success.I'd say it's plagued us a little bit

(05:00:03):
for a while. So yeah,I think he's he's definitely incredibly beneficial.
When were you fully, I know, at the end of last season,
you might have been able to Yeah, No, I was not ready to
go last year. No, triedpracticing, tried coming back, and uh
it was it was not good,but yeah, it was. Unfortunately the

(05:00:30):
year wasn't going great and it justwas unnecessary risk for I mean, my
foot could have had some real realissues if I came back too early.
So yeah, it's been it's beenit's been a great off season. My
foot's feeling great, toes good,hamstrings good. I mean, there was
a list of things last year,my hand, so all those things are

(05:00:51):
good. Finger gout surgery on myfinger, so that's feeling good. Yeah,
it's it's nice to be feeling bettergoing into your nine than you have
since me be uh five, sixyears ago, which I've said, I've
said I've been feeling great the lastcouple of years. I'm telling you it's
a real deal this time. Butobviously anything can happen. But I just
feel it's fun feeling really confident inyour body and being able to perform.

(05:01:18):
So I could just go out duringpractice and you know, go balls to
the wall and do everything that Ifeel like I need to to be able
to prepare. It's fun. Mybrother and whoever I trained with my trainer
Todd back home, uh, Ithink they'd be really proud of how I've
been working this offseason, and it'sjust exciting. The pointing was the injuries

(05:01:44):
on the Great Big Game. Youkind of yeah, it was a bit
of a build up, a littlebit of an overreaction, but you know,
it's just tough. It comes sometimeslike that, and I just felt
felt really uh defeated, come back, had a broken hand. I'm like,
oh, yeah, I get toplay Boom first series foot Pops.

(05:02:04):
Thought I'd have to get surgery,and all these thoughts flooded through my head.
Broke down a bit, and yeah, it just hurts. You know,
you're losing, you're getting injured.You've felt like you prepared really well
in the off season, and thenthe year before you had growing surgery,
so you know a lot of thingsbuild up. Yeah, you don't get

(05:02:25):
a break if you're injured. Everybodywants to go on. Fans are very
nice, but no, I justI'm grateful that I feel this way.
I'm still still nice. Ripe twentyeight, so not too old yet,
but yeah, I'm just excited.I can't remember what the original question was.

(05:02:47):
At this point, you get somethingabout my body, how close you
and Gift were. How frustrating wasit that he couldn't you know for one
of those last three games. Itwas frustrating, But I mean Gif was
had my back the whole way.I think for Gift, for any but

(05:03:11):
for for the whole team, justto show what it means to me,
it would have been important for meto be out there, but I literally
could and I tried to practice,injured my foot worse the very first play
I was and in practice, Sono chance that was happening unless I wanted
to throw my next season away aswell. But no, I'm just I'm

(05:03:33):
proud of him for what he didwith the team, how he handled it,
and I need to call him back. Actually sorry, gif. Yeah,
I'm happy he gets to stay closeby with the with the Rams,
and just proud of all we accomplishedhere together over the years and and we'll
be close for the rest of ourlives. It was the footage foot sprang.

(05:03:57):
Yeah, I sprained one area ofmy foot than when I tried to
return and I sprained another area.Was able to avoid getting surgery, which
is kind of the main goal,but yeah, it was. It was
tough. So when it comes tothe addition of but Dupree, where he
felt like he's kind of brought tothe to the room and could bring on

(05:04:18):
the field. Yeah, it's whenI heard we got my brother something.
I don't know, maybe my brothertold me. I'm like, really,
we just got Bud, Like that'sno, that's no small pickup. He's
a seriously elite pass rusher has