Press Conference (Quonshon Judkins)

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
What he wanted for us in thatuh in our room, and you know,
we just been updated about it andyou know we're here. I think
as a room, we all previouslygave our input or you know, what
we wanted. But so it wasgood. I'm sorry, but uh yeah,
what we all wanted as a room, so it went real. What

(00:24):
what was he? Uh the frankiswhat was he like as a coach?
And practice had the uh first day. You know, he didn't really talk
that much, but you know,he gave us some tips and certain things
to work on and as he's learningour offense as well, cause he just
got here. So I think he'she's been great so far. I don't
know how I was surprised. Wereyou? Was your reaction to you know,

(00:51):
just with the situation of college footballwhere it is today, I understood,
you know, he he coached,offered, had to do what was
best for him. But you know, I'm here at Ohio State not only
just for everything around it, butI'm just here for the university in itself.
So I think just focusing on thebigger picture and you know, the
brotherhood that's here and what's important tome. That's what I was focusing on

(01:12):
throughout everything. Pretty surprised. Ijust got here like not too often to
go. But I mean, youknow, like I said, I understood
it and you know, just camehere to continue to work. Yeah,
definitely, right right, And everyoneI'm around, I've I've picked up something

(01:32):
from and I think Coach Offerd I'velearned a lot while his time was here.
You know, you taught me alot of different things specifically about the
position and other position as well onthe field. So I have learned a
lot whise time was here, andI thank him for that. What's different
about She's like a high energy guy? How would Yeah? So with coach
Lochlan, I mean I've only beenaround him for a day, so I

(01:53):
don't really know. But as youcan see where he's coach and how he
is as a person, he's veryhigh energies, very intense, you know,
and I think he's very hands on. So I think it'd be awesome
to be working with coach Locks.What's your opinion of soft fas triokies?
Uh? Meeting with you guys annot yet? How wuch did you have

(02:15):
to use the quarters that you saidyou had him from the interactions have a
lot. So we're from the samecity. Uh, me and him are
from the same place at Florida State. You know, he worked on that
staff with coach uh Johnson and theyoffered me out of high school. So
the relationship was already there then andwe just continued to build on from then.

(02:36):
What is uh it meant a lot, you know, just the things
that we talked about since I wasyounger in high school, you know,
just didn't have that opportunity to gouh and play there. So it's awesome.
What's the rest of the screen look? Actually? You like what where
do you wanna see yourself get there? Yeah? Just to continue to improve
all around, you know, continueto learn the offense and get involved in

(02:59):
everywhere that I can on the field, and just be able to improve my
game all around. I know we'rerolling in here for for Saturday. We
haven't seen you guys practice a lot. But so you come out of the
backfield, catch you touchdown pass fromwill are you just pushing to to continue
to get better out of the backfieldAnd where do you feel like you are
as far as learning the offensive andbeing Yeah, definitely that's my goal to

(03:21):
just continue to improve everywhere but Ithink just overall is just helping the team
anyway that the team needs to behelp and just being a team player.
That's that's my deal. Just tryingto come in and you know, help
the team whatever the team needs.You guys find out. Actually I honestly
don't remember how I found out,but I just remember like the process on

(03:45):
what was where we're gonna do movingforward. Ran Day's talked a lot about
the leadership Travons brought to a runningback room this spring. What how would
you see that? Yeah, definitely, Travis, like I said, hasn't
improved. He's been a leader tothe whole room, you know, by
his actions and vocally as well,just you know, continue to improve all
around and inspire the young guys inthe room. And I think he's done

(04:09):
very good at that. But youknow, TC caf is a guy that
can contribute for you guys as well. What have you seen from him as
a walk on to be able tocontribute in your room? Yeah, definitely,
TC works very hard. He knowsthe offense. He's always in the
playbook, always in the meetings,writing things down. Very head down guy.
You know, he doesn't really talkthat much, but he's very good.
So I agree. Oh, it'slike so many questions, how was

(04:34):
how was coach day? Like hisrunning back. It's crazy you say that
because he just told us he's like, well, guys, it's great.
He's taking a great step forward them. Like I said, he's the next
guy up. Man. I meanhe's been extremely you know, important on
the growth of our secondary because nowyou know, we're working him inside,

(04:57):
so he's played outside both corner spots. You know, he got that it
factor, you know what I mean. So so we look what he brings
the energy to competitiveness. We gotto build off the last year, uh
and expand the role for him andmake sure he's uh, he's ready to
go. But he's been doing great. What is your Uh, we're just

(05:26):
authentic, really not giving a lotof recruiting talk. It is what it
is. We try to shoot straight, honest communication, honest assessment, the
character, the value, the workat it, and the main things the
competition. You gotta compete. Ifyou don't want to compete, it's not
gonna be the place for you,because that's the that's the thing that will

(05:49):
get us where we need to go, is competition in the room. And
those guys here love to compete.We sell that we're looking for guys who
embrace that, who chairs being inthose spots, and you can take time
to grow. You know, youdon't have to have the pig mentality of
problem of instant gratification. You know, you can develop and grow so and

(06:12):
sometimes you may be behind a guythat's a really good player. There is
nothing wrong with developing and growing andplaying when your time is right, and
if the time is right right nowas a freshman like well, Jermaine,
did you play early? You know, so we try to also sell that,
you know, we care about themas people and try to prepare you
for life after football. So it'sbigger than just football. We're going to
prepare you for life, whether it'sthe NFL or on with a regular career

(06:35):
in the workforce. We want youto prepare you as a young man,
and we try to sell that andpreach that to the parents with to remain
having that in fact that you mentionedrolling all these different spots, do you
anticipate you know, there wasn't alot of rotation among the cornerbacks last year
when everyone was healthy. Do youanticipate maybe rolling him through the rest guys
here with the long first season potentially. Yeah, we play it by here,

(06:58):
you know what I mean, Wesee how it goes by the time
we get in the camp. Butyou know, obviously he's earning his stripes,
so you know what I mean,when you earn your stripes, you
know, our job to create opportunitiesfor you, you know what I mean.
We have to see how it goeswith all that other stuff, you
know, once we get closer tothe season and we're getting the game plan
stuff. But he's doing a greatjob, and he's he and he's taking
a great step forward the way thatyou were, the way he kind of

(07:20):
now it seem like it's the centerpieceskind of relationships and kind of build their
pond. And I'm curious, isthat something that you came in with the
like a couple of years ago withthe intention of futan or is it something
that you're like has kind of beencool to be to go over the course
of your time's position here. No, it's been there for a while.
I've been doing that for a longtime. It's all about relationship. If
you develop real relationship and your authenticand your communication and you have honest feedback

(07:44):
and you have you know, directteaching the guys that have value and character
and they appreciate that stuff. Theyembrace that. So but they have to
know your care and you have toknow that it's real and they have to
know that you you're really concerned aboutthat where of being as a young man.
And when you get close to themand spend a lot of time with
them off the field, you cancoach them hard and you can. You
can and you can, you cansay truthful things to them and then they'll

(08:05):
embrace it and you have real conversationbecause you know the only goal is to
help them get better as a youngman. A couple years ago, the
receiver room is so far ahead ofthe more kind of skewed that evaluation SI's
doing. How's that dynamic change?In these two years, this group's gotten
older and more talent. Yeah,it's done balanceduff a little bit. Now.

(08:28):
That goes with great competition. Wehave the uh we go against the
best receivers in college football. Sothat helps escalate your growth process because if
you don't figure it out real fast, you'll get embarrassed. So that competition,
But what happened with that eye guysstart competing, eye guys start growing.
Eye guys got better, and nowis even up a little bit.
So when you get really good workat practice to day, you know what
I mean. So it's competitive,it's fun. Those guys both on both

(08:52):
sides of all care about each other, so it's great competition. And they're
all real, real close, Soyou know what I mean. It's that
stuff that gets us better. Uh, that we prepare us for a Saturday
idea said my first day of practice, Actually receivers kind of got them.
Is that any kind of a goodwake up call? Oh? No,
it's just it's it's gonna competitive.Man. They got the best group in

(09:13):
the country that you're going against everyday, so you have to bring it
every day, you know what Imean. So they we got a great
quarterback room. We've got a greatreceiver room. The running backs are really
good. So when you out theregoing against them, it's deep, so
you have to be ready for it. And obviously, man, we're seeing
a lot of good stuff with withwith Day and coach Kelly doing over there,
and so it prepares you a lotand it helps us grow that recruiting

(09:41):
or wide receiver room kind of likea part of your recree pitch like,
these are the guys you get toplay against. Yeah, all of that
because you know that's where you getbetter iron shoppings ire. So you know,
you get to see that every dayat practice. That helps you grow.
It's no better uh thing to goagainst every day than to see that
on a daily basis. Besides Storianlooking at Oh, we just moving a

(10:03):
lot of guys around. You watchthat practice. We have a lot of
guys in there right now. Youknow, we probably have three or four
different guys in there. Obviously LittleLorenzo's in there, Jermaine is in there,
k Miles we have we have aboutfour or five guys moving around right
now. We just try things outin spring ball, see where the fit,
you know, see what things worktogether. So there's probably some more
guys in there. You know.We move it around to try to just
get the right fit throughout the endand see how it goes by the time

(10:26):
we get ready to start the season. He can run an he's strong,
you know, I mean, he'sfast, Uh, very serious about his
business. Uh. He's big,it's two hundred pounds. He can run.
He's strong, he's conscientious, youknow, I mean he's starting to
grow and he's starting to get getbetter with it, you know. I
mean, so we looked for bigthings for him in the spring. What
do you want to see this spring? Keep competing, you know, I
mean now he's made the transition.Competing today, you know what I mean,

(10:50):
start going in. That transition isall just like him in Jermaine last
year. You throw them in thefire, you let him go, you
compete, you go coach make Uhit's all season. It was just focusing
on getting his shave and you giveit strong, be possible. Uh.
You know, I feel like it'sshowing them. That's when when you're going
through. I mean when everybody sayyou give in like you're gonna be a

(11:11):
one, you know you're gonna bein. No, I mean, how
is how is that? You know, been within the system where it seems
like it's been a lot of threesthat have been interchangeable, but not a
lot of ones. Yeah, Imean just just yeah, just you new
years, coming in a room thatseems to have a lot of threes.
You kind of are a different bodytype as a one. I mean,

(11:31):
how do you fit in? That'sjust in the ski But I think this
is I this pal. I mean, obviously you know there's the teams that
you guys go against are more runsdriven. I mean, just how how

(11:54):
much do we look forward to thatopportunity to get in there and be that
you know that that Bruck shop.It's a great opportunity. Put it in
the work, really the work.I feel like Saturdays, it's just like
just showing the world. But youput the world, That's what it really
counts. You feel like, That'swhy I really different how different polls appeared.

(12:20):
Just bring practice and maybe called practicelast year and it's not even like
finish year, but we talked.My players are like something, my body's
transformed black black. You know thegame was slow down. I mean,
where are you in your progression?I feel like I'm knowing the game more
transferring. I was just in highschool last year going to the fucking so

(12:41):
I had to adjust to it.But now I'm learning the game and I'm
knowing the assignments I gotta do andI'm just doing my job. That's what
Coach Johnson was really big on.What did you take out of last season?
You mentioned coming straight out of highschool, like don't play a ton
and how much how much did youtake away? What kind of things did
you like from from I said,it was tough, you know, but

(13:01):
I'm running from guys like my callTOYM Hamilton Tire League. These guys are
pro guys, so I'm gonna justtry to get I'm asking many questions I
have for them, and uh,it's literally just getting better just every day.
Fullback. I ain't scored when yougot how much petition to no petition,

(13:28):
no petition. I just wanted todo my job. I'm I'm a
team player, so whatever I gottado for my team on the ground,
for that great fund. The lastcouple of days, a couple you've been
having some people have been having passso I can use the practice obviously.
As you said, that's a surpriseyou feel like you're breaking through. No,

(13:54):
this is not surprising to me.I've been putting in the work,
couldn't work my whole life. ButI feel like coach next. I just
like this off season. Man,it's really big for me. And uh,
I locked in on it and yousee the results. Was doing what
I do, doing my job.Kid Like, Oh that's what I say.

(14:20):
I know you got stuff for anotherlarger like motivation. I want to
say it motivate me, but I'mhere for a reason. God got me
here for a reason. So whatever, uh happens, you know, it
happens. But I love it here. Uh. I just know that to
be great. That's a lot oftimes like the player of the year,

(14:43):
when that doesn't get me to dowhat he's actually imagine mber or something.
Ship on the shoulder, but he'sjust motivates. You just get better here,
and I'm sure that people here apretty yeah really yeah, I got
a big chip on my shoulder.You know. I don't take no days
for granted. I know, becauseyou got take play every play like your
last play. So that's how Ido it. I'm just with to motivated.

(15:07):
You know, it's a big seasoncoming up, seventeen games. Somebody
got to step up, and theyleading on the young guys like me and
Jason. He wrote, Tom wantto step up? Can we see the
fullback in the spring game? Canwe get a touchdown in the spring?
I don't know. We ain't reallybeen talking about it, but I think
during the season, just gotta saveit. You gotta save can't let the

(15:30):
opposing teams know when we got theplayers. How did you think that one,
sir in the cobo? Yeah,it was awesome. Man, it
just felt like high school days.You know, I'm excited, Man,
I'm blocking for guys like Qashawn TreyDallan. I mean it's I'm gonna open
it by uh because he was justtalking about it too, So clearly we

(15:56):
shore. I think we shared acouple of players. But you know,
whatever it is for our team,I'm gonna do it. You know,
is it Cayden do it or Ido it? H think he's gonna be
a good thing for us. Really, opective Lineman, when you're going to
see DL out that gives you thebest being faster and more confident. Is
that where for a center like thislast year kind of a trial by buyer

(16:19):
for him? Is it just likehow is that process? But not playing
at all his first year? Whenstarting it's you, it's for whether it's
Carson Hensman or you know, JohnnyJones, like you get thrust into real
reps and the full speed. It'sfaster than you've ever seen. And so
now he has that book of worktoo that he can look back on where
the understanding of the game, theunderstanding of the speed of the game,

(16:41):
the intensity. You know, I'vesaid a thousand times that he doesn't get
incrementally faster or stronger. The gamementally slows down for him. So he
can use his skill set that way. So what is that we're talking about.
It's his weight, that's his strength, because those numbers are going up,
so he can play with more pillarstrength, he can play more contact,
he can play more comfort sfortable.Even though his forty time didn't go

(17:03):
from a five to zero to afour eight himself, he just jumped right
in. Unbelievable job both ways ofhim just coming in with shelving the ego
that he had he really had noneand walking in saying I'm walking into a
room as we told him when werecruit him, like you're coming into a
room a bunch of good dudes,and then our good dudes are good dudes.

(17:23):
He came in and there was noit's like, you're here, here's
how we do, here's how weoperate, and let's go. And so
that learning curve for all those whetherit's a high school media guy or a
veteran media guy that transfers in,there's a learning curve there just you know,
circling back to we had natural maturationa little bit because he's been through
a little bit of spring Boy,he's been through a little bit of camps,
so you're still learning new terminology,you're learning a new skill set.

(17:45):
But he just dove right in andwanted to be a sponge and wanted to
learn it. He's doing a goodjob and he's improving every day, you
know. So that's what's making thebattle and the competition all these graded snaps
really you know, good for usis because they all have that mindset.
So from SETH awesome, the unitin the group awesome because there was no
combativeness to it. It was let'sget in, let's go, and let's

(18:07):
compete and then let the guys win. S uh. Just learning the same
deal all young guys you come in, you got to learn how to play
in friction. So having you know, three tech, having a two I,
having those guys like right in frontof it, that every time you
take one of those reps and you'reout of your base or you're in your
base, you feel the good,you feel the bad. So being more

(18:29):
consistent that way, you know,you can't make moves or shift guys if
they're not mentally there. And sofor him, he's got a pretty good
football FQ. So he's continued,he's growing every day, he's working and
he's getting beat every day too,and he's learning from those you know,
so from the springtime, you know, we have saying in our room,
we're like in the spring it's yesand it's no, and I know it's
k and ow why didn't the repwork? What happened? And how do

(18:51):
I make sure I don't repeat thesame mistake? And so whether he's coming
in and watching the tape on hisown and then come up with questions,
he's grabbing me and watching tape withme, or we're coming doing stuff as
a unit, he's learning so thatthe same deal of the game can slow
down and he gets more comfortable.They're in friction, So I mean he's
his weights up, his strengths up. He's spent an off season with Mick.
You know, there's a lot ofdevelopment that still has to be had.

(19:11):
Obviously not a finished product, butbeing able mentally for a guy to
handle that, you know, helpsa lot. Similar to Luke, a
leaner guy. Did you tell himthat he paid you to say that that

(19:34):
might be the first time he everheard that in his life. No,
uh, now you know, ILuke Carson, whoever it may be,
that that jump of eighteen to nineteenand nineteen to twenty year old kid,
that plays a lot into it too. Being in a full year with Mick.

(19:56):
I mean all those guys you comein at midyear, like your Devo
and the and Ian Moore. Rightnow you're keeping your head above water.
That's your whole first year. Nowyou can actually get and we can sit.
So when you sit and talk abouta jam combo or a lock or
whatever the call may be to Luke, he registers that and not like something
new because then there's paralysis by analysis. So I think the mental part,

(20:18):
on top of another year natural maturityof getting bigger and stronger, that's always
gonna help. You're not gonna guyshere, they're not gonna regress. It's
gonna keep adding progress. And howfast can we get that going. It's
what we're working on every day withhim. But said that he would had
been ball guard to this point,and Coach Days mentioned it several times that
like Josh could play guard too,and you guys are trying to work through
that fire. He's I mean Joshcould play all five. I mean he

(20:42):
snapped the ball in high school.You know, Josh had a great offseason.
But for you, when you're goingthrough a spring and it's fact finding
an experimentation, how much do youwant to put them in different spots or
not? Because you also have aneye on August to try and settle on
five man rotation. What's you haveto get a really good gradeable set so

(21:03):
that everybody has numbers of you know, just like we said before, how
many times have we done a runblocking or pass blocking in this situation so
that that all evens out. Sothat's it's not experimentation, it's just making
sure that you get a good bookof work to look at and grade that.
So as we you know, workguys around the platoons and go just
to making sure that everybody gets goodgradable reps. So we can sit back

(21:25):
by the end of spring and say, all right, this is you're comparing
apples and apples and oranges oranges andnot you know, apples oranges, because
it's completely different that way. Sothat's kind of the thought behind that.
As you're going through the spring,a couple of years ago. Office laughed,
you know, but then I said, you know, it's college football,

(21:47):
so who knows, right, Yeah, he just added to another piece
of just good people here. Imean, you're still you're coming to work
here with guys every day. Youknow, with the kids, we talk
about a ton. But then forus as coaches is the staff. So
adding just another good dude that's inthe room. Obviously, as he says

(22:08):
something, and you know, hemight speak in old terms or terms that
we had, you know, maybebe a little bit of a Rosetta stone,
like no, no, this isthis, he's like, yeah,
that's right, because that's that happensto all coaches. That happened to me
when we got here. At first, I was at with the coach day
sometime with Ryan's like, you know, what do we call this? Because
he was in a system like thatbefore. He said, oh, this
is this now. So I thinkjust the you know, translation of Rosettes

(22:30):
stone there help. But just overallstandpoint of adding a great guy, that's
a great coach that's been around.That's he's going to supplement the room.
And every time you add something newto the room, then that makes the
room better. It makes you individuallybetter. Oh look how he does that.
Maybe I could do that. MaybeI can bring that to my meeting
room. Maybe I can bring thatto communication to the staff or to the
kids or whatever it is. Becausehe's he's done it for a long time,

(22:53):
and he's done at a high levelfor a long time. So it's
good to add that guy to usand then continues us to rest the staff
for me and Brian and and andeverybody just learning and growing with that kind
of specifically, just I mean,does he from a talent stand for?
Does does he see things sometimes othersdon't see? I mean, does he
I mean you know, I meanwhat does he kind of brings from the

(23:15):
chalkboard aspect of things? Well,I mean what you're saying, so what
does he see? It's good tohave fresh eyes come in that. Maybe
you know you're getting a routine andyou get in a rhythm and then all
of a sudden running game football.You know, he's one of those guys
I think goes into the category it'sforgotten a lot of more football than some
people have learned in their life.But no, his he I believe he

(23:38):
coached every position on the field,both sides of Baalter's whole career. So
as he looks up and he writeswhen he's talking about, well, this
will linebacker is going to do that, then he might have coached that at
Columbia, right, or this iswhat the three text going to read on
the down block of a tackle,because he's coached the offensive line and he's
been coordinator for a long time.So just a really good vision of big
picture understanding and you know the nextstep and not just being right now.

(24:02):
Yeah, if he had a themeor whatever this spring, because obviously this
scene is kind of like a gotto make it or breaking time for him,
but time to step up this amazingopportunity. I'm glad to be here
with Marvin Harrison right next to me, so uh, peel great. I'm
really excited and I'm excited for thisjourney. See you fifteen here in town.

(24:40):
Marvin, When did you know theCardinals were going to select you?
Did you know before they called orwas there an agreement in place before?
No, I did not know untilI got that phone call from the Arizona
Cardinals. Marvin Richard signs Fox.Then welcome to the valley. I know
kind of tweeted to you, tweetedout to you once you got drafted.

(25:02):
What was it like to get amessage from the franchise quarterback and what kind
of thoughts have you had about teamingup with this guy in the near future.
Yes, sir, it's been great. You always want to support and
love from your quarterback and the causea great player. Too excited to play
with him, and it's gonna bemy job to make his job easier.
Darius Darren Urban from Azycardinals dot com. I know that a lot of players

(25:26):
these days aren't sticking in one schoolfor a long time, and you did
it for five years. I meaneven Marvin did it for three. Like
what what went behind that? Andwhy was it meaningful for you to stay
at one school? Yes, atMissouri, you know, we had some
tough seasons, but we were reallybuilt with an edge energy, details,
good in emotional consistency, and Ijust find myself just trying to grow and

(25:47):
get better each year and also asa team, you know, win more
games each year. And that wasmy that was my home, I was
my family. I was blessed toyou know, get two degrees as well
off the field, and I justlove missou two degrees. Wow, Marvin,
Bob Mcbob McMahon at Arizona Republic,congratulations, Thank you to both of

(26:07):
you. You're known as all business, and I want to know how that's
going to serve you well in thisleague from personal standpoint, your brand,
everything you do on a daily preparation, there's a lot that goes into being
all business. Tell me what thatis to you. Yeah, I mean
that's just being a pro. It'skind and raised and grew up to do

(26:29):
and keep the same mindset, sameattitude that I've had throughout my whole career.
Once I get here, continue towork hard, be consistent and discipline
you know, and all that Ido. So I'm looking forward to putting
the work. Hey, Marvin JoshWayne in ESPN, what were the best
pieces of advice your dad gave youabout being an NFL player? I mean,
yeah, it takes a lot ofwork, a lot of preparation.

(26:51):
You know, from Monday to Saturday, it's all work, and then Sunday
should be the easy part. Igo out there and have fun, ready
to put the work in. Soit starts with the work first and then
the one Sunday comes its Rieka benefits. Hey, Darius Howard, balls are
from cards wire. I can't helpbut notice that ring on your finger.
Is that a cotton bowl ring?Yes, it is the cotton bowler.

(27:15):
You showed it to Marvin very quickly. No, I I was telling Marma.
You know he was glad he didn'tplay. The whole week leading up.
You know, you see Ohio State, everybody said, okay, Marvin
Harrison, and now is he gonnaplay? To play? He didn't play,
so you know we lucked out.So hey, Marvin Paul KELBC Cardinals
Broadcasting, do you believe that receivershave to earn the trust for their quarterback?

(27:41):
And if so, what does thatusually require? Absolutely, you got
to earn the trust of the quarterback. And I think it starts, you
know, every day in practice andbeing consistent, really and you can't just
do it one day. Can't youdo it for one week? It has
to be, you know, doneover and over and over again. I
think that's how trust has earned.So no matter where you get picked when
you first see round seven, doesn'treally matter. To coat and trusted a

(28:03):
quarterback, your coaches, your teammates. So it also in practice, what's
going on guys. Good to seeagain, Tyler Drake, there's no sports
systems for Darius. What's the feelingof just being able to represent your school
as that first round pick and whatkind of impact can that have for those
guys following in your footsteps. Yeah, it's awesome. I feel like I'm
setting the standard going forward. Bestthe name was Zoo is known as Delon

(28:25):
Zoo, so I'm just added tothe family. But now I feel like
I'm setting the standard for my youngerteammates that this is attainable if you work
really hard, be consistent, andreally gets your strength coach. I feel
like every program is built off thestremp coach and that develops all the habits
on and off the field. Dariuszach ERSHMANEZI Cardinals dot Com. Right over
here, JJ mentioned that he lovesthe violence that you play with. You

(28:48):
mentioned the different tendencies that you pickedup. The emotional consistency is the great.
How do you balance that the violencewith discipline on the field. Honestly,
just through preparation and practice. I'ma big guy. I'm a big
believer in inside hands, so that'swhy I'm always working my hand placement and
then I lift weight, so youknow that's all connected. So I'm just
trying to be focused on my techniqueas much as possible. Hey, Marvin

(29:14):
over here, David Brown with theAssociated Press. You know, a lot
of rookies come into the league andthey get a little bit of leeway.
It's like, oh, he's young, he needs to grow and stuff like
that. But obviously you're gonna beexpected to be the guy here really quickly.
How do you deal with that pressure? How do you go about just
so much being expected of you soquickly? I mean, yeah, I
have high standards for myself, butI'm just gonna go in there and try

(29:37):
to work, you know, thebest I can. I just want to
help the team win really so withoutthat role I play, you know,
come September, let me do mybest. No do that role. This
one's for both of you guys.The fans want to know who you guys
are on the inside. I don'tknow how much you're willing to reveal to
us today. A lot would benice. Could you tell us what you

(29:59):
like to do away from football,what pisses you off about things, and
you know, what what makes youroll. I'm pretty simple, like you
know, be in my apartment,watch some movies. If I go out
and I go to a restaurant,get some food. But other than that,
they do too much. And thenI'm pretty easy going guys, so
I try not to nothing bother metoo much. Yeah, I said the

(30:22):
same thing, A real chill guy, just really obsessed with football. But
outside of football, like I said, I got my two degrees. I
got my undergrad hospitality management and theminor and business. I got my masters
and Positive Culture with ms FLA leadership. So just thinking about being well rounded.
And then I do philanthropy work.I started my own nonprofit foundation,

(30:42):
Darius Robinson Helping Hands Foundation. Butreally just football and then everything else.
Honestly, congratulations, guys, Welcometo the Valley. I'm Robbie Baker with
Fox ten. Darius. This isfor you. After the draft last night,
you had a great response about howyour process and prepare for a game.
Just kind of wondering where your lovefor kind of the grind comes from

(31:03):
and your love for that process comesfrom. I would say my junior year
because I played litteral league ball offand on. But I got my junior
year and I was playing high schooland my whole goal is just to earn
a scholarship. But during that process, I really fell in love with the
game, fell in love with workingout relationships with teammates, and now it's
kind of like my vice and Ican't let it go and just kind of

(31:23):
finding ways to always get better,you know. Luke litting here with twelve
sports, congrats to both of youwalking into the valley. This one's for
you, Marvin. I'm curious yourthoughts or what was that conversation like with
your dad after your name was calledand you were able to be drafted by
this organization And how surreal is itfor you to be following your own father's
footsteps but in your own way.Yeah, I mean it was very brief

(31:45):
actually, just in a second graduation. He's like my best friend. But
on the other hand, I getto see him, you know, continue
to take steps in his career.He's still very young, so he has
a lot of good football ahead ofhim. And this whole season's just beginning,
literally mm hmm. Be different forthe offense. And yeah, yeah,

(32:07):
we haven't honestly even started an installyet, so I haven't even got
a lay of the land quite yet. I'll probably take a look at just
got our I pass within the lastfew days, so I'll try to take
a sneak peek at what we havelooking for. But you know, I
know with him talking to zach Ertz, he does a great job of trying
to get his playmakers involved, whichI think we have a really good group

(32:27):
of guys from the running backs toreceivers and some solid tight ends as well.
So I'm just looking forward to seewhere I fit into that. And
you know, I think with him, his biggest things is making sure the
playmakers are making plays and trying tofit the scheme around that, which is
always good to hear, good tosee to this offense, Yeah, yeah,

(32:57):
it's definitely you know, an adjustobviously when you're learning a new offense,
and it's kind of the same mentalityI take into last year in years
past, where you kind of justwant to take a day one approach,
kind of erase what you've learned inthe past. But at the end of
the day, I think, youknow, schemes in the NFL are relatively
similar. Is just the names andthe formations that may be a little different.

(33:20):
So just getting used to the terminologyand Cliff's offense is just going to
be something that's an adjustment for allof us. But the good thing about
it is I got some good timeon my hands to really put some work
in studying when I leave this place, so I could come in here when
we have walkthroughs and when we startto put our helmets on, we can
really hit the ground running. Soso far it's we haven't learned anything yet,

(33:42):
but my approach is the same.Try to take good notes in there,
ask good questions, and then studyon my own at night. I
know you like to go to theseason. 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

(34:07):
speed cuts, dig routes, outroutes, and just being cleaner with my
footwork at the top 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 the guy's kind of sittingat my depth, whether it's a fifteen

(34:29):
yard comeback or a twelve yard curlroute, 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

(34:50):
is something that I think I canimprove on. Good to see you too.
You know you're team captain and withso many new players locker room,
what is the challenge you're going tohave and in that locker room, Yeah,
because there's so many different personalities.Yeah, I think I think that's

(35:14):
really started with coach Quinn in theway he's really integrated everybody over the first
two days. I think we haven'teven gotten into x's and oo's quite yet.
We've just really begin to know oneanother. Getting out there with Chad
and the strength coaches and getting somegood workouts in just kind of creating a
foster in an environment where everybody's thesame and continuing to have a competitive environment.

(35:36):
I think that brings out the bestin one another. And obviously,
you know, you have guys likeZach 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 gotsome guys who have been brought in here
who know what it's supposed to looklike at this level. And for myself,
I just want to continue to adduh my value and be even more
vocal this year than I have inthe past, especially with possibly a new

(35:58):
quarterback coming in. I think thatcan really help our offense. Have you
know, some more unity with theguys who know what it looks like,
helping bringing those guys, the youngerguys along. I don't know, if
you had a chance to watch openingsconference, he didn't want to use the
word rebuild. Yeah, changes goingon with this franchise, all the new

(36:21):
changes and new coaching staff, allthe new players. Is there a certain
word you use or how do youview everything? Honestly, I just think
of it as a as a newyear. Just talking to Sam Cosmy,
uh, we've been here for afew years, So it's a lot of
new faces. I think, youknow, this is probably the most I
would say turnover we've had in thelast few years. So there's guys coming

(36:43):
from all different areas, walks oflife, and but I think the one
thing is the same. They're allcoming in looking for an opportunity to compete,
take another step in their careers,and 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 ourcells. Whether you're a ten year vet
or a second year player. Youknow, this is a clean slate for

(37:06):
everybody. So I think it's justabout getting on the same page, enjoying
coming in here and working together andalso just pushing each other in these workouts,
and then when we start getting onthe field, uh, really get
that competition going. Try to simulateas we go along in this off season
process of how the games are goingto be. Hey, how are you

(37:30):
doing? Good to see you too, and look yeah. I think coach
Quinn has really assemble assembled a veryunique group of coaches. There's multiple head

(37:51):
coaches, there's multiple quarter uh coordinators, have come from different places, and
so you have guys who have alot of football experience, some have played,
some have coached in big games,and then you bring in, you
know, the talent that we havedefensively and offensively. And I just think
you can feel the unity and thesameness in the message that he's trying to

(38:13):
preach to our team, and it'swe're gonna be tough and we're going to
be competitive, but we're also goingto have fun. And he like I
think he said in Your Guys' Interview, he said he likes to do you
know, hardship with good people.So I think that's fun. You know,
a guy like me likes to putmy nose down and grind and work.
So I know him and I aregoing to continue to hit it off,

(38:34):
and you know it's just my jobto help bring other guys along with
me. Thank you more your nextstep as a vocal leader? Yeah,
what does that mean to you?I think for me, I've I've grown
a lot in my vocal leadership.I think I try to always find the

(38:57):
balance of when to say something,when not to say something thing. I
think I never want I've always wantedto be a person when I say something
that means something like you don't wantto be You're giving all the motivational speeches,
but you're not backing up with yourplay, or you're you're talking so
much you kind of your message isdrowned out. And so it's kind of
continue to find that balance of whento say things and when to kind of
just take a step back. ButI think I've gotten a really good feel

(39:21):
of how to do that. Ithink obviously with a new coaching staff,
you just try to understand what theyhow they want things done, and you
try to, you know, bringwhat you do well into that, and
you also try to encourage the guyswho haven't taken those steps in their career
to do that as well. SoI think for me it's just really starting
in my position group. I thinkwe have still a very young group,

(39:44):
kind of inexperience for the most part, but I think we have a lot
of talent in there, and it'sjust my job, in Bobby's job,
and to continue to bring that groupalong as we go throughout this season.
Good what is I guess this andyou're planning for a milestone personally, Yeah,

(40:06):
you're approached, Yeah, I hitit really hard this off season,
so I actual toude just in casesomething does happening to like you know what
I mean, like Colhen or youknow Pete of course. But I'm always
gonna be ready for life no matterwhat. How quickly have you felt like
you picked up this new system thatyou're working in after it was we actually

(40:28):
pretty up picked up pretty well becauseit's the same system that I'm used to
back in the hot state, becausewe're more like spread back at how I
say, so you know it's prettygood. It's one of these like the
draft process off season as a lotof people outside the building chambers get the
right tack. Yeah, a lotof people right, A lot of people
in the building were like, wehave the right time at the people get

(40:49):
motivated by that. You follow itlike if you had to do it,
though I don't I read into ita little bit. But also the same
time, like they not here ofcourse, but I don't really care what
they say. I know what Ican do and the team know I what
I can do, so the interestedme right now and I'm not gonna live
in write down. How hard orhow easy is that to compartmentalize that and
use that as fuels going forward ratherthan to kind of merity. Uh I

(41:13):
j I just keep the seats.Everybody knows that one person I don't really
care for him at Also that's allgood though, but it's all love.
I love uh outside of this,but keep doing me, keep it better,
keep on these nuts. See whatI can do there. You've been
a outspoken about your supporter of Zamir, and obviously it's just his chance now
to be the dog. Wait,what is it about him that you bought

(41:35):
in so early? The reason whyI bought it so early cause uh is
I was at a house they theyalways taught us at you act, go
getting, and ever since I gothere, i'm'a always wanna go get and
I gotta pick weight, and Ialways wanna prove people wrong. You know,
I think prove people wrong all mylife. I don't wanna keep doing
it. That's all I do,which I guess more just like get all

(41:58):
of it in, like the setand you feel like community. The year
nine day difference, nine day differencefrom my first year in my second year.
So now like now my guy,I know I can play. I
know I can go aheadst going thebest, specially with Max anybody else that
we won't play this year, andI know why I can do. So
all I got to do now isthat should meet my potential and should do
it and help everybody else out onthe team as well. You've practiced a

(42:22):
lot against Malcolm and he's really comeinto his own. What is it about
Malcolm that's helped him make that nextstep? There? Man, Malcolm,
he's quiet, he doesn't really saytoo much. He comes to the work
every day, do what he does, and he works hard. He doesn't
flit twice at anything. Yeah,he'll get mad over a cover respose.
At the same time that like hehas a mentality of adult like he's he

(42:42):
don't really care what y'all think oranybody else thinks for real. So it's
just like all right, just keepgoing. That's how everybody is on the
team about ty raising. He doesn'tthe Achilles was I would say, it's
easy, you know, just becausethat's just my mentality, and it was
it was pretty easy to me.But you know, I've had these injuries
and it's been stormed like the pasttwo years. You know, having have

(43:07):
like good, great games, thenext thing you know, hurt and then
you know, so got got theinjury 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 and theinjury prone thing will be gone out of
the window again. Yep, I'msorry, You're gonna be back. I

(43:34):
am. I am excited. Youknow. He does a lot of great
things, and he's a great person, and we have a great relationship.
It's gonna be it's gonna be afun year. We're gonna have a lot
of fun. We're gonna do alot of great things. So I can't
wait. Taken waiting. The injuriesyou've had, Is that just bad luck?
Is every Is there anything you've canattribute to beyond just misfortunately? Yeah,

(43:57):
it's just unfortunate, you know.But God has a plan all you
know. I don't know what theplan exactly is, you know, I
don't know, but whatever plan itis, it's for me to be here.
You know, I had a greatrookie year. I didn't I didn't
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.

(44:22):
I think it was like nine touchdownsten including the playoffs, and so there's
always been like, all right,guy, let me show my talent shine
a little bit. Like even whenI had the knee. So I had
the knee, right, A lotof people don't know like I didn't get
hurt again whenever I got you know, got cleaned up. So I went
down in twenty one, right,had the injury, the knee injury,

(44:43):
and then came back later the nextyear and I played the first few games
and it just fel there was alot of scars issue in there. So
I had to 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. And soafter I got I cleaned up. The
first two games back from the injury, I had over one hundred and twenty

(45:04):
yards rushing right, and then wenton had great, great ending of the
year, you know, one hundredtotal yards in the playoff game we lost,
which I hate the most. Stays, don't marry me. I want
to win. But then come backthe next year hurt again like torn achilles.
So two really unfortunate injuries. Butthat's just God's plan, you know.

(45:24):
And I think that the storm isnow over, you know, and
I do think that I'll be ableto shine my light to the whole world.
Are you concerned that you have thatlabel your games stand and fee?
I could care less because I do. I do. I know this out
there because as it should be,it should be. I got hurt two

(45:44):
major injuries back, not back toback years, but you know, so
I haven't been on the field asmuch as I should. That's true,
that is true, But it's notlike I'm having these little little dinky injuries
and sitting out. It's something Ican't contry literally, So that's why I'm
not bothered by it. Like,yeah, I am injury polle, you
could say that, you know,But I do think that the Chargers are

(46:07):
getting a guy that's gonna be healthyfrom now on, you know, God
will it, and it's gonna begreat. And I do think that it's
gonna be It's gonna be a great. However, many years here when you've
been don't feel he's been highly adopted. Five pointy years for very average for
your career, Like knowing that whenyou're out there, you're very adopted.

(46:28):
How much confidence does that give you? That really all you need is is
noted all the confidence in the world. You know, the way I work.
I wouldn't say just from the numbers, but just the way I work,
my work ethic, you know,and my relationship with Jesus is like
I have the most confidence when Istep out there because I do know,
like if he grants me the health, it's over with. I don't think

(46:52):
I would be you know, Ithink it will be a great year or
whatever a couple of years. However, many years he grants me great health,
and I think just the work ethic, my prayer and all that stuff,
that's what helped me have that confidencewith the 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 Ihad six or six yards per carry,

(47:15):
you know. So we'll see you'reliving forward to the running behind this line
that they put together. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I played with
Brandley. I played with him,you know, I know the Slater,
I know all the I know allthe guys, you know, and I'm
excited. I think it's like Isaid, earlier. It's a talented group.
You know, we just got toput it together win some games,
because that's what I came here for. Or I wouldn't I wouldn't say part

(47:40):
of the recruitment. But like wheneverI decided I was gonna sign, it
was great to have him in theroom. Yeah, we're great. We're
we have a great relationship. That'she's like my brother, So I think
compliment each other very well. Youknow, he can do a lot of
stuff too. A lot of peoplethink he's just power, power, power,

(48:01):
but I think he has some otherparts of his game two which it'll
be great because I feel like Icould do everything and when one get tired,
we can roll it in. Wekeep rolling win some games. So
when you the two of you getgoing, well, how do you think
that's gonna look for? What?Like, what will be that partnership kind

(48:21):
of back there? I know that'sa hard question. How do I think
I think it'll look beautiful? Youknow a lot of people call this a
passing league, but I think yougot to run the ball to win the
super Bowl. You know, ifyou look at the teams who win the
super Bowl, they can run theball. They can control the clock,
and so if we're both good,it'll look great, beautiful. How would

(48:44):
you describe the record running the offense? I would I would describe it as,
you know, a great offense.I think he gives a quarter he's
going to give the quarterback a lotof options. He's going to give the
running back a lot of options.He's gonna give the receiver a lot of
options, you know. And Ithink it'll be I think it's gonna be
great. His offense is going tobe amazing. When we talked to him,

(49:06):
you know, I was like,why are you any will build something
give rushing offenses throughout your career everywhereyou've been, and you said that one
part of it is just you gottacall place. You got to call run
place. As a running back.You know, how much confidence, how
much insite does it give you?You know you have to play caller that's
gonna stick with it and allow youand the offensive line to give you a
resident gives me a lot of excitement. You know, it's gonna be Like

(49:30):
I said, it's fun to playat his offense, you know. And
I think he does have some goodthings in the past game too, But
like you said, he sticks withthe run, and that's that's the identity.
You You want an offense that hasan identity, right, you won't
be looking everywhere else to find youryour identity you want, you want to
have it. And so I thinkhis offense has that and the guys he

(49:51):
builds and puts in there, itcomplements that identity. So I think it's
gonna be great. You mentioned you'rea hundred percent now, so full go
for Look, I ain't gonna answerany of the four if it's up to
me. Yes, look, becauseI had this problem like three two years
three years ago. I'm thinking I'mfull go. I think I'm ready to

(50:13):
go, and the next thing,you know, I'm on pup like,
hey look some stuffy above my preypay grade. So but I don't know
hopefully I can start. I thinkI'm ready to start, you know,
at the beginning training camp. Butthat's not up to me. As I've
learned, you know what I mean. So that's my guy. As much
as you love the website, howbittersweet, is it a certain matter because

(50:37):
of what happened to him? Yeah, that's the thing. That's not how
It's definitely how I and how Ithought about a transition will go. You
know, I thought it would bein homes timing a cardinal his whole career.
You know, you know you wantto play here forever, you know
what I mean. While I wastalking about his plans, so you know,

(51:00):
you you wish transitions like one ofthose fairy tale like it's your time
now. But but again, eitherway, you know, we talked about
it. You know, that's that'sthe how goes, you know, but
obviously you know he sees he's he'sbeen one of my biggest supporters. Again,
I affect everybody leads in their ownway, you know, not everybody's

(51:24):
the guys coming around like, that'snot everybody, right, Like I felt
for me, that's me specifically ongame day with the O line after we
do one on one like that's mylike, well, Hump did, like
that's my like big vocal time.I feel like I've talked to hum about
this, you know, just recentlytalking about how what I want to do

(51:47):
for the room is I want tobring that hump energy that he brought right
so last year, of course sometraits been doing it for years, but
the year when I spent with him, he brought a lot of the energy
and the excitement and the happiness inthe room was just his natural energy to
where I only had to focus onme. You know, I didn't have

(52:09):
to make sure other other guys are, you know, feel some type of
way when they came in here becauseHump brought that. But other Hunk's not
here. But I saw what hedid for the room. I want to
be that guy to make sure everyone'samped to go to practice, everybody's hype.
Were taking and field team on period. You know, it's a low

(52:30):
day or something. You know,it's a it's a but like I want
to make you feel like prepar's atripper right now. I want to bring
that cause that's what we and Humpdid with each other. We will hpe
each other up, dudes like dudeswere about to be walked through. We're
lit. So I want to dothat. I want to bring that energy.
I want to make bring more guys, you know, to do that.
You know, I wanted to dothat from day one, you know,

(52:51):
I kind of I wanted to dothat from day one, from just
talking to him, and obviously it'sthat time I spent in the off season
before OTA started just being in myself, just thinking about what the room needs,
you know, because I know Iknew a new role as one of
the leaders, you know, onmy offense is that we need a guy

(53:15):
like that that's gonna make sure theold line is picked up ready to go.
Every day I was held accountable.Little things are happened to practice.
People aren't saying anything. And howI may lead maybe different than somebody else
may lead. You know. Ilike to a practice at least like to
leave with positivity, you know whatI mean. So, but he the

(53:36):
energy yet went beyond just the hypeup the deal line and started too.
So that's kind of how I wannabe. Some goal of mine, literally
my whole life. I want tobe a NFL team captain, like specifically
the NFL. I wasn't a captainof high school, wasn't a captain of
college. But I made a jokewhen I was in high school. It's
like that I feel like I'm notgonna be a captain to like get to

(53:58):
the NFL. You know, butthat would be awesome, you know,
but you know, if it happens, i'd be great, But not either
way, I wanna assume a roleas a captain from the respect of the
guys on the team. They dida word to me and to get back
to that word, yeah, Imean, I can't say that. I

(54:20):
mean, I guess the biggest thingis that I felt like it has felt
like how it you used to inthe past. But it didn't take just
the first day OTAs. It tooktraining left and right once the season ended,
cause I didn't know what it wasgonna be sure, so it took
a lot of yeah reps just toget back to feeling like myself for day

(54:44):
one OTAs and then that whole firstweek. But now like today, specifically
just changing some small things with myfeet. By this day talking about oh
one coach about some things I cando with my feet to get to that
to sell at that traditional angle thatI love to set on. Felt even
I thought I felt. I thoughtI felt great already, but mother Kat,
I felt even better of it.So I'm even more excited tomorrow.

(55:06):
Now I'm getting my feedback than howI liked it the right side and on
the left side, So I'm excited. I mean, obviously, I feel
like in the league, whether Ileft or right, you're still going against
premier guys. So obviously you havehigh expectations for your left hand and right
tackle, but there's definitely, uh, like the the level of energy and

(55:27):
like the expectations definitely taking a humanstart, cause now conne of the blank
side that stuff, that's the tacklerole, you know. So so yeah,
I would say in terms of communicationas far as just even outside of
facilities and stuff like that, likereally creating that but tackle quarterback bond even
more off the field, I thinkhas been something that's even been cool years.

(55:51):
I got a text one day it'slike, hey, like you play
left, and I was like,yeah, you know, yeah, I've
been training both. I've been trainingboth. You know. I I asks
after the season, they're like,honestly, you know, we'll talk to
you some play in the season andI just gotta tax him like kind of
what happens. But the free agencythen so I was like, you know

(56:12):
what, how a whole season righttackle? So if I get the word,
I'm going, I'm standing right tacklingdetail. The way he comes you
know in each and every day,comes in as the same guy every day,
and uh, to be honest,ibn' you know, I don't think
I've had to coach that detailed asTom. You know, he's very detailed
in terms of you know, practice, refuse sending us, uh the info,

(56:34):
breaking down each and every play andreally just really just focused on the
details. To be honest with you, I think, uh, that's the
thing that sets him apart. Andyou know he's he pushed us to be
hard. I mean our our indieperiods 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 our allow our relationship

(56:55):
to grow, and excited to workwith him. Is what he's doing kind
of comprom and what you're doing individually, you know, when you're away from
the facility working with you know,coaches, one on one anything like that.
You said, what is 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

(57:15):
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. So it's good getting thatdifferent work in different drill work that I
can you know, implement into myyou know, off season program and stuff
like that. So it's good thatI'm learned and stuff for sure. Deep
all of efficiency that the last yearwhat what what what is h our smith

(57:37):
in the offense talk about you oftrying to make make that incorporate that into
doing a big part of this office. I mean yeah, uh, I
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

(58:00):
uh, you know what, Yeah, I guess how our offense is built.
To be honest with you, butI mean, our job is to
create explosives and you know, pushthe ball down the field. So anytime
we get those ops, we definitelywanna capitalize on those. Are your coach
just interressing any part of your mechanicsand anybody that I mean, yeah,
uh, I think there's always roomto improve, uh, mechanic wise and
stuff like that. So I thinkyou know Matt Baker, uh, he's

(58:22):
a quarterback assistance. He you know, usually stays on me the most about
it. Okay, So I appreciatethe fact that he does that, and
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. Can
you talk about one particular element thatthey're stressing. It's it's different areas.
To be honest, I don't thinkit's just one specific area, but it's

(58:43):
it's different areas, justin in youropinion. Was there something that you wanted
to work on, maybe get betterat when you got here at this point
of your career. I mean,like, like I 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 in one area. So
I think you can continue improving allyour game of me personally, So I'm
just focused on getting better. Whenwere we talking about Russ yesterday? He

(59:07):
said that rusted that he personally feltkind of revived another stop in his career.
Is there any of that sense ofmaybe rejuvenation or feeling reviv cause of
cookies out like it's funny right behindhim, Tony Urban buck Huddle how have
you going about the assessment of thetalent in the room, uh in over
the past week or two. Howmuch is that on field off field?

(59:28):
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 broke thosekids down cause I recruited him out of
high school. You know, Qis 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 handsand trey. I recruited him out of

(59:52):
Virginia exceptional short air, your burstingquickness and things that i'm'a help him get
better on. And then I recruitedJane People's out of t out of San
Antonio, Texas. I knew whathe was gonna what he was gonna be.
TC and Sam, those two kidsI'm getting to know and I'm gonna
help them improve that game. Butwe got different runners in there. I

(01:00:14):
like to call myself, I'm inlove with this position, so I get
to break down runners and help theirgame. So talented, talented room,
very talented. Uh far back.Uh. Jeremy Birmingham podcast. How do
you swear that that the soft pastcookies are actually the best cookies the Philip
Burton makes those are way better thanthe county chips and white thing with Terman,

(01:00:36):
I mean, do you do youhave to first find a balance there
or somewhere. Well, for me, I'm actually not eating any cookies now,
I'm just saying I'm not eating anycookies this year. I gave it
up for a fast or no sweetsfor me for the whole year. That
something I gave up. So theythe term the soft beast cookie term.
Look, guys, I actually tookthat from I represent the school coaches of

(01:01:00):
myth Tillancy. I actually took thatfor a guide named coach Slocum. He
used to always say that soft bestcook I actually stole that from him.
I give him credit for it,and I tell him all the time he
said, you I should have brandedthat, cause you done took it and
ran away with it. But that'sjust where that comes from. So that
that now was standing. As youget to Ohio Stadium, start to look

(01:01:21):
around the country. Every Oregon's abig place. That's a that's a major
job. How how do you thinkthat ary your opposite of logo under ja
run the blocko. When you getout out of living free and trail,
how does that change the way thatyou feel you're either received or or does
it add a different level to itto just feeling like I can go anywhere

(01:01:42):
and get anybody in the Corey Andthat's the sangest thing for me. This
is a great place. Oregon isa great place too. But guess what,
whatever I put on, I knowwhat I'm going to represent for me.
I n I N I know whowho put me here. I know
I represented something higher, you know. Like I told you, I know
what my purpose is. My purposeis to porting the people. So whatever

(01:02:06):
logo I have on, I'm stillgonna be doing the same thing. So
this is a great logo, greatlogo, But I wear another logo every
day. It's across I see aroundmy neck. I know what I represent.
So that's the greatest logo I couldever wear. So it don't matter
what other logo I have on.I got that one on. I'm going
to any house and be a recruit. Uh uh deep righte Camera tiqu Robinson

(01:02:29):
and the Athletic from which you youmentioned the time at Memphis and themis four
NFL running backsh you mentioned there whoyou learned from that time that we that
you take over to managing to growup and kid? What did I learned
from them? I just building ajust teaching the kids. We live in
such a selfish world now, andI can tell the kids all the times,

(01:02:50):
it's gotta be much more to football. The ball gonna go flat one
day. As I always say,what being in that room there at Memphis
is, it wasn't four five teachingthem how to be ab bout being one.
I tell you the man all time, it doesn't cost you anything to
celebrate another man's success. So teachingthem how to be one. And then
once they learned to be one,they function and they feed off one another.

(01:03:13):
So that's what I learned from beingthere at Memphis and bam let him
in road cross hearted. Your careerin law enforcement kind of influence you as
a coach and kind of shaping whereyou are. Oh well, I just
got through talking to somebody about thattoday. When I first got in this
profession and I got my own roomin Western Tech, I was aksed.

(01:03:35):
No, how was I was gonnabe able to handle'em? M my
room I said, Man, Ihad a part with fifty one inmates.
You talking about me having got sixor seven guys? Are you kidding me?
I'm talking about me having to dotraffic stop. So going on domestic
you know violeence calls, it's simpleeasy. No people donna know what you
care. Also know you gotta havea certain demeaning about you. So when

(01:04:00):
I walk into the room, it'sthe reason why I go train every morning.
This is when it's the same thingwhen I was a police officer.
You look a certain way kind ofdeter people from doing certain things. So
it's reason why I go train everymorning. I'm gonna look just as good
as my boys look. So ithelped out a lot. In other words,
uh from Earl right austin Ward thepodcast Carls, Welcome to Columbus.

(01:04:23):
What would it mean to I don'tknow, revolutionize the way running backs are
coach? What does that take?I ain't even I'm not gonna say Revolutioniz
said some good it's some good runningback coaches out here. Everybody's different.
It's some great coaches out here.I just want to head guys who say
that on these jobs to not justhire guys just know all coaches on your

(01:04:45):
staff should be great recruiters, notjust a running back coach. We coach
a position, We developed players aswell. I just want the coaches to
realize, Hey, you know what, let me look and be thorough about
this guy that I'm hiring for thisjob. Is he teaching the position?
Is he development the position? Becauseyou're not gonna hire anybody just coach quarterbacks,
are you. Well? Shouldn't belike that for the running back position

(01:05:05):
either. And I'm only passionate aboutit because I played it. I love
it, so it's the only positionI want to coach. Could I coach
other positions? Yeah? I playeddB in college too, but I love
the running back position so and Ijust wanted to see it coach well.
Ten May podcasts. Yeah, amillion questions. I'll ask a couple of
Number one, when you when youwhen your wife whatever? You got the

(01:05:27):
message stuff? Are we moving again? What was What was her reaction?
Nah, she's just new guy hadgive us, gave us a new assignment.
It was never like we're moving again. Let me tell you guys something
I grew up. My mom wasin the military, so I lived everywhere
I lived in Panama, South America. I'm used to picking up and moving.
I lived in Fort Riley, Kansas, Montgomery's home Meph's my second home,

(01:05:47):
so I'm I'm used to moving now. My wife was different for her,
but she just knew guy that gaveus a new assignments approaches things.
I love the way the questions heasked. 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

(01:06:08):
are good. I'm like, doyou know what 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 then you know the consistency at which
it works just goes to the roofand so but I'm very you know,
excited and proud of the conversations we'recurrently having and I'm exciting it for them
to keep going. Bryan, whatlike so powerful you working with I love

(01:06:30):
working with Chip chip Is. Ilove talking Ball. I love the viewpoints
I love I love the veteran thathe has, you know, and I
love Yeah, like I love allof it. I think that you know

(01:06:50):
early on the biggest impact, youknow, just you know, feeling perspective.
I think in the run game hasbeen awesome, you know, and
then you know, off of therun game, some of the actions or
or relief throws or all that kindof stuff. I love where it's at.
I love working with them, andI would say that I sleep a

(01:07:19):
little better, all right. UhNo, it's it's really a great combo
because, like you know, we'reobviously we're doing a lot as a group.
It's not just Chip and I sobut you know, obviously Chip has
an image and a view on thingsthat I never had. So to have
that experience and have that viewpoint,I'm just trying to absorb as much as

(01:07:43):
i can, but then also highlightsome things that we've really done a good
job of and make sure those youknow, UTII really changing. We're just
trying to enhance. We're not changing, We're enhancing. So where the things
fit is perfect, you know,I think, uh, you know,
the rest of the dynamics Chip cantalk about. But it's been it's been
awesome, so I'm excited about it. You talked to a Mecca and you're

(01:08:05):
just talking about moving from slot toan outside. You know how good we've
been in the shots? Is thata difficult move for you guys just coaches
to know how good a guy isin at one spot, but know that
maybe for his long term future andthe the No, I wouldn't say it's
anything on his future, because he'scapable of doing whatever you want to get

(01:08:25):
done. But I'd say that itsays more about the room. I think
it's it's the growth of you know, Brandon and the growth grow of Bryson.
That's really you know, allowing mymind to say, hey, Mech,
be prepared. You're gonna move arounda lot. You're gonna come out
of that slot, You're gonna beoutside. We're going to create mismatches out
there. I mean, his abilityto move around is critical, But that
I would say, between Mech andbetween Carnell TAS's ability to move around a

(01:08:48):
lot, it's going to provide alot of flexibility for our room. And
uh and those top you know,six seven guys that are really doing a
good job right now. Progress looklike this spring for a mecca. And
yeah, there's one of those things. I'm sure when balanced, how much
work does a mean versus too much? Yeah, heavy, heavy emphasis on
what work he needs, you know, versus anything else. Uh. I

(01:09:12):
rely on him. We have greatdialogue back and forth. It's a two
way to it's a two way conversationand frankly, there's gonna be times we're
like, hey, Max, whatdo you wanna do today? You wanna
go outside and go inside? AndI don't care. So we're not there
yet. We will be there,but it's just more about you know,
when the I feel like you asa d lineman, you can keep improving
all the way through ten years inthis league. So I'm excited to see

(01:09:34):
what he's got. How long didyou know Sores? And when he was
assistant here and had gotten to knowhim a lot better, Win's a relationship
maybe right now? I know himpretty well. He was always just a
good dude around the facility. Hedid our ball meetings, so he's good
in front of a group. He'sa good leader. He knows his scheme

(01:09:57):
really well, which is good.I was happy to see him promoted.
He called me in the off season, we talked. I just congratulated him,
and I think he's gonna bring somethingsimilar to what we had with the
Miko. It'll be good. Doyou know Brandon Stanley well at all?
I mean, obviously Joey played forhim. I don't know too much about
him. I've obviously heard from mybrother, but I don't even think i've

(01:10:21):
said high yet. I haven't raninto him yet, but I'm sure i'll
get to know him. When yousay it looks similar to Miko the energy
or system, maybe a little differentenergy, but I think just knowing the
system from the front to the back, I think he knows how it ties
in, and he's been around withsome really good coaches, so I think

(01:10:45):
it'll be pretty pretty seamless, andI think we'll be firing on all cylinders.
You're three months removed from the SuperBowl now, so just how have
you? I guess digested it,and I guess physically everything good to go.
Yeah, I feel really good.I think it's been one of my
better off seasons of just kind ofIt was a long year, so I

(01:11:05):
took it nice and slow to getback into it. Not as young as
I once was, so I'm takinga little, uh, a little slower,
but everything's great. I'm feeling asgood as I felt. I'm excited
to actually get some practice in lastyear was kind of tough, getting thrown

(01:11:25):
in week one after I walked through, So that was another reason I'm excited
to be here is just to getpracticing a little bit in season. Practice
is one thing, but actually beingable to work your stuff and not have
a game coming up is good.With the Super Bowl unfortunately, I know

(01:11:46):
how to bounce back from tough losses, so it was rough for a little
bit, but now it's just annoyingwhen people bring it up. Since the
last season, we've seen a Rockon TV commercials and on the stage with
Kluke Coombs and throwing out the firstpitch in the Giants game. But he
seems like a guy that's totally unaffectedby celebrity, which he has now.

(01:12:09):
But what have you noticed in hisleadership style and the way he carries himself
any difference at all. I thinkhe's definitely getting a little more vocal within
the building, and uh yeah,I mean, I don't think he's ever
going to change. I don't thinkhe's somebody that's going to change even when
he gets paid next year. Sohe's he's a man of faith and he

(01:12:31):
kind of reminds me of Scotti Scheffler, But except for just super humble and
really good kid, and yeah,he's definitely famous. I don't just from

(01:12:54):
watching Armstead get released obviously meant somuch to lined into the team. I
mean, Colin John were pretty openthat they were willing to talk about trading
Deebo or are you as youll?Does that? Just another what's that feel
like in the locker room when thosesort of joels happened. I didn't even

(01:13:15):
know that happened and I wasn't here, but you're talking about this offseason arms
in alarm Er released, so that'scertainly one thing. Yeah, it's a
tough business, for sure. Youhave to have thick skin and I haven't
gone through that, but I thinkyou just have to understand that it is

(01:13:40):
a business and the team's going totry and get as good as it possibly
can with or without you, andyou have to look out for yourself.
That's why you go through holdouts anddo certain things that seem selfish in the
moment, but it is what itis, and when everything's settled, we're
gonna come together as a team andtry and go get one Nick. What's

(01:14:00):
the overall feeling around the group rightnow, Like, how much does it
feel like the excitement of the rampup to the season. Even though it's
early, it feels good. It'sbeen a couple of days for me,
so I like all the new guys. I'm getting to know everybody. But
I think the past is in thepast and we're ready to go. Do
you talk to me? You talkedto be at all about handling the business

(01:14:21):
part of this. He's going throughsomething similar. We chat a little bit,
but not too much about the details. I just told him keep his
head up and try and stay positivethrough it all. Over your first impressions
when you heard what your schedule wouldbe in that Aaron Rodgers' first up,
it'll be fun. Yeah, it'sgonna be gonna be a good one.

(01:14:45):
Excuse me kind of alluded to this, but the fact that last year you
have had down the ladder, it'sboom. This is how we're doing things

(01:15:10):
and everybody's following that, and Ithink 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 on over the lastfew weeks. Yeah, it's it's it's
been great. How much do youappreciate that to stop and just described with

(01:15:31):
the way Jim, yes, Ishouldn't eat in the messaging doesn't eat mixed
up. Why do you appreciate thatso much? I mean it's I guess
it's easy to appreciate when you kindof see it working and you see guys
improving, getting better. I justthink the details are really important. You

(01:15:55):
can pretend that leaving your shoes amess or your locker a mess isn't a
big deal, and what matters isplaying football. But I think all those
tiny details and things kind of addup and leak into the important stuff,
like what you're doing on the field. So if you can have your toe
behind the line, or have yourlocker and order and all these things,

(01:16:15):
they kind of stack up into performingwell and and playing well when things count.
So you know, I appreciate that. It's it also hasn't been a
fight with the guys in the lockerroom. They buy in, and you
know, it's a lot of youngguys, and I think they're hungry to
learn, hungry to compete and win. You know, it's just an example,

(01:16:41):
whether it's we talked about first day, you 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
add up too much, but Ithink in the long term it does,
and it leaks into other things,whether you're doing your right assign on the
field, being late to meetings orall these things. If you hold a

(01:17:05):
standard and you stay to that standard, I think it benefits you long term.
It's it been like wor Ben Herbert. Has there been any anything in
his training program we're working with youthat you feel will benefit you later.
Yeah, yeah, definitely. He'she's been great. He's a no nonsense
kind of guy, but he's notan old school in the sense that he's

(01:17:28):
bringing his way of doing things andthat's the only way to do things.
He understands that guys have been inthe in the business for a long time,
Khalil me and we have a wayof doing things, and all he
wants to do is add to thatand help you get better and perform the
best he can. He's he stressesit all the time that he's a tool
for us, and you know,he's been he's been great. The guys

(01:17:51):
love him. The energy brings isawesome, and I think the stuff that
we're doing in the weight room isgreat, a great addition to stuff that
I may may do on the sideor whatever that is. Yeah, I
think we I mean, we hada presentation today with all the certain measurables
that are changing, and if youguys are in the meeting, you definitely

(01:18:12):
see how beneficial he's been to theteam so far. So obviously staying healthy
is is a huge factor to anybody'ssuccess. I'd say it's plagued us a
little bit for a while. Soyeah, I think he's he's definitely incredibly
beneficial. What were you, like, fully, I know at the end
of last season you might have beenable to play. Yeah, No,

(01:18:36):
I was not ready to go lastyear. No, tried practicing, tried
coming back, and uh it wasit was not good, but yeah it
was Unfortunately the year wasn't going greatand it just was unnecessary risk for I
mean, my foot could have hadsome real real issues if I came back

(01:18:58):
too early. So yeah, it'sbeen. It's been. It's been a
great off season. My foot's feelinggreat, toes good, hamstrings good.
I mean, there was a listof things last year in my hand,
so all those things are good.Finger gout surgery on my finger, so
that's feeling good. Yeah, it'sit's nice to be feeling better going into
year nine than you have since maybefive six years ago, which I've said,

(01:19:24):
I've said I've been feeling great lastcouple of years. I'm telling you
it's a real deal this time.But obviously anything can happen. But I
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

(01:19:45):
able to prepare. It's fun.My brother and whoever I trained with my
trainer Todd back home, I thinkthey'd be really proud of how I've been
working this offseason, and it's justexciting. The pointing was the injuries.
I remember that the Great Big Game. You've kind of yeah, it was

(01:20:09):
a bit of a build up,a little bit of an overreaction, but
you know, it's just tough.It comes sometimes like that, and I
just felt felt really uh defeated comingback, had a broken hand. I'm
like, oh, yeah, Iget to play Boom first series foot pops.
Thought I'd have to get surgery,and all these thoughts flooded through my
head broke down a bit, andyeah, it just hurts. You know,

(01:20:32):
you're losing, you're getting injured.You've felt like you prepared really well
in the offseason, and then theyear before you had growing surgery, so
you know, a lot of thingsbuild up. Yeah, you don't get
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.

(01:20:57):
I'm still still nicey Ripe twenty eight, so not too old yet, but
yeah, I'm just excited. Ican't remember what the original question was at
this point, by how close youand Gift were. How frustrating was it

(01:21:20):
that you couldn't you know soon forone of those last three games. It
was frustrating, but I mean Giftwas had my back the whole way,
I think for Gift, for anybut for the whole team, just to
show what it means to me.It would have been important for me to
be out there, but I literallycouldn't. I tried to practice, injured

(01:21:42):
my footworse the very first play Iwas and in practice, so no chance
that was happening unless I wanted tothrow my next season away as well.
But no, I'm just I'm proudof him for what he did with the
team, how he handled it,and I need to call him back.
Actually sorry, I GIF. Yeah, I'm happy he gets to stay close

(01:22:05):
by with the with the Rams anduh, I'm just proud of all we
accomplished here together over the years andand we'll be close for the rest of
our lives. Was the foot injury? Was the guys foot sprang? Yeah,
I sprained one area of my foot. Then when I tried to return
and I sprained another area. Wasable to avoid getting surgery, which is

(01:22:26):
kind of the main goal, Butyeah, it was. It was tough
when it comes to the addition ofbut Dupree, when he felt like he's
kind of brought to the to theroom and could bring on the field.
Yeah, it's when I heard wegot my brother something. I don't know,
maybe my brother told me. I'mlike, really, we just got
Bud Like, that's no, that'sno small pickup. He's a seriously elite

(01:22:51):
pass rusher has had some trouble withinjuries as well, so I understand how
that is. But now not onlyhim as a player, but as a
personality. I heard Khalil just sayinghe's he's a fun guy. He's a
funny guy, and to have thatin the room another vet is always a
great addition. But I'm just excitedto have him and Tuley and to be

(01:23:13):
able to rotate like that and notdrop off at all when we come off
the field is huge. And mawTuley's going into a second year. Just
what do you what are you kindof What are some of the maturity maturity
areas you see from him? Youknow, I'm gonna say not much,
And that's a compliment because he wasalready mature in those areas. I mean,

(01:23:33):
he's on it everything 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, sothe real work will will begin, you
know, in six weeks now.So but yeah, I love Tuli.
I've loved him since the first dayhe's he's walked into the facility and I

(01:23:57):
know he's just gonna continue to getbetter. Think of the addition of Joe
Old Yeah, yeah, I'm gonnaneed to beat him up a little bit
in camp. So he's so he'sready, But no, I think anything
to protect our number ten is agood, good investment. So he seems
like a real solid dude. Haven'ttalked to him too much. Great build,

(01:24:20):
seems like he has good hands,good feet, strong. We'll see.
We'll see in a few weeks whenI lay a helmet in his chin,
how he holds up. But it'llI'll take it easy on him.
No, Rashon's a beast. Didyou know Coach Harbond before he came here?

(01:24:41):
And if he did, just whatwere those first couple of conversations like
that? Yeah, probably have crossedpaths with him. Maybe maybe not?
Actually I think what was it hisfirst year when I was a junior?
So he kicked his ass as usualat Ohio State. No, No,
they just want a championship, soI'd say they probably have the bragging rights

(01:25:05):
right now. I'm like the guytalking about his old high school. Oh
I remember, Yeah, we usedto kicks. No but no, yeah,
no, the rivalry is dead.I was just saying this morning,
you know, nine years and kindof forget about that. I'm not a
great alumni. Sorry, sorry coach, But no, that's great. That's

(01:25:27):
what's great about the NFL is youjust have guys from all backgrounds. You
could hate their guts one one year, and then you come on the same
team and your brothers and you're allworking towards one goal together. So our
first talk together was great. Ijust sat down with them, went up
into his office and chopped it upabout life mainly and his opportunity here and
how much it means to him,and uh, yeah, I think he's

(01:25:51):
a special guy. I think he'suh, the way he conducts himself.
He's an interesting cat for sure,and I'm still still feeling them out.
But one thing you can't denies thathe loves football and his main goal is
to win football games. And that'swhat we need. When you see him
working out with you guys and andpushing slaves and doing all this stuff,

(01:26:11):
just how interesting is that to see? Yeah, I mean he was a
he was a great player himself,and I think he's always been, you
know, built like that lack ofa better term. But yeah, he's
uh, he's part of the guys. You know, he's not this guy
outside looking in. He he reallyI mean he voiced that to me,

(01:26:32):
is that his favorite part of allof it is being with the guys and
and the connections he makes. SoYeah, to to see a guy like
that come in and embrace it alland kind of be part of it himself
is important. Your initial impressions ofCoachman during the defensive gaming. Yeah,
it's funny to go from old gift, old gift to this little young guy

(01:26:55):
who's my age. I wouldn't wantto get thrown into a room with me
and Khalilophos his age. But no, he's been great. I love messing
with him a little bit. Wea little sarcasm back and forth, but
no, he's great. He's uh, very talks very fast, and I
don't as you know, so sometimesI got to be like slow down,

(01:27:19):
coach, come on. But no, he's great. I'm excited, you
know, to get closer as theyears. As the year goes on,
and I think he has he hasa lot of passion for the position and
all he wants to do is learnand and help us to improve. So
I'm excited about him, And Imean I do miss Giff. Obviously it

(01:27:42):
was a long time with him,but I am excited to have a new
face and kind of have that challengefor me. You worked much with with
Jesse's dad, since I know hecoached line divers in Michigan. Wait,
did you ask about Jesse? Doesyou ask about doing? Okay, you
asked about Jesse. Oh my god, I was talking about freaking Dylan the
whole time. You guys are soconfused. No, sorry, I thought

(01:28:06):
we I thought I was. Ithought you mentioned coach Rony. No,
no, coach Mentor has been greatas well. Yeah, they've both been
great. Sorry, run that back. No, he's been good. Uh
yeah, very knowledgeable guy. Samething. I'm excited to get to know

(01:28:26):
him more as the year goes on. Have you worked Have you worked much?
Yeah? 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 year sincetwenty sixteen. Just what are some of
this stuff? You just went ona ramble about the wrong guy for fifteen

(01:28:56):
minutes walking what Yeah? What thehecks? Actually that's literally not the person.
Yeah, I figured out. What'ssomething that you you worked undering the
off season? Something to improve yourgame or is there something that you can

(01:29:17):
Usually my answer is pretty consistent thatI just continue to try to prepare myself
physically, whether that's my sprint workor agility work and my lifting, but
yeah, just to get everything feelinggreat. I had dealt with those injuries,
so I had to kind of rampit up with my finger and foot

(01:29:40):
and all those things. But nowI'm I'm full full speed out there,
and I'm just going to continue todo what I know will prepare me for
the season. And uh, Iknow I'm gonna get plenty of technique work
and position work when I'm out here. So for now, I'm going to
spend the five weeks really getting uh, preparing my body. There's workouts competitive

(01:30:04):
again, another gear of competitive withyou and all that stuff. Yeah.
Yeah, it's usually too hot outthere for much competition. We're just trying
to survive. So but yeah,it's always it's a it's a silent competition
between between each other, be likePeeking's like what was his time? Was
his time? But no, yeah, it's always. You can never have

(01:30:27):
an off day when when you're outthere and he's he's warming up like a
beat, like a freaking robot everyday out there, so there's there's no
off days. Have you got youand him talked at all about I mean,
I mean just when you were havinga contract, dame. You a
guy get to talk about one anybody. Yeah, I mean it's it's a
conversation, not a not really aserious conversation, but something that's come up

(01:30:54):
before. But yeah, I meanit would be cool. It would be
cool at some point, I uhgonna be more and more And how similar
will your role be, you know, in terms of playing what you did
in Denver. I don't know thatyet. I got of just mentioned previously.
I don't know my role. Idon't know the ins and out yet.
Once we'll get NO through the protocolsand nfl PA, we'll we'll talk

(01:31:16):
about no, the schemes and everything. Right. Uh so welcome. When
you were in Denver in the threefour, where did you find yourself most
comfortable and most effective? And Iplayed a lot of different positions in Denver.
I mean earlier in my year,I played zero, I played three,
two one. I mean I aredefinitely more comfortable in a shaded position,

(01:31:41):
mainly being a three technique and fivetechnique. That's why I found myself
to be more comfortable whether I'm standingup or I'm not, whether it's runner
or pass. Uh. Those seemto be my best my best fits.
And what is your impression of PeteCarroll's defense and whole environment? And from
far it seems like he he holdsin on the defense a lot. Uh.

(01:32:02):
I can't really say too much aboutthat yet. I don't I know
Pete Carroll very little, so uh, I'm just trying to figure out more
and I'll give you a better answerlater. What's the reputation around the league
out of the Uh? You knowhard nos hard had type of team definitely
on a little more lack side asopposed to being stuck up or military style,

(01:32:23):
and which is definitely good because thenthey this program is won a lot
of football games have been super successfulfor many years, as long as I've
been alive and as long as I'vebeen watching football, and definitely this has
been a good program. And PeteCarroll has been a hell of a coach
for as long as I remember,even back in his college days. So
I'm looking forward to experiencing that.John Boyle, Yeah, I know you

(01:32:45):
said you don't know yet, youknow what your role be, but just
what what kind of player you whohaven't watched it time to Denver. What
kind of player. Definitely a highmotor. Definitely not a one trick on
any type of player. I liketo attack, whether it's a first or
first through through fourth down, Ilike to attack. I'm always trying to
apply pressure. I'm definitely just ahigh mortar guy in my opinion. Rady

(01:33:13):
either Brady Henderson for nice to meetyou. That's what. Yeah, this
is not a team that really makesbig splash signings in free agency. Did
you think going into it that settle? Uh No, not at all.
Uh. You you just it's kindof like being a cure at the county
store. You know, I've gota whole whole bunch of different options coming
at you. Uh here in awhole bunch of different crazy things, and
uh, you know, you onlyget to choose one. And this is

(01:33:35):
the place that that we both choseeach other. And I mean, I'm
I'm loving Seattle so far. Youknow, I like these colors for real.
Real? What what did you gotto do with Seattle or see since
you've been here? Not much?Uh just kind of just drive around the
city exploring. Uh, get downto the market a little bit. I
want to get out of the Ferriswill do some more like touristy type of

(01:33:55):
things. You know, I'm newto the city and I got a lot
to learn about the city. Yeah, there's been a lot of comparisons with
you to Michael Bennett. I waswondering if you know Michael Bennett at all
and you think those are accurate.I know Michael Berger then, like nothing.
I know nothing about it but besideshis style of play. But I'm
honored to be considered in the sameconversation as him and style of play.

(01:34:17):
You know, He's a Hall ofFame type of deep lineman that I've known
about since I was a kid.I mean, last time he played here,
I was in high school. Soyou know, it's cool to it
kind of came full circle a littlebit watching him on TV and now I'm
being kind of compared to him inthe way you know. I mean,
I'm not touching the surface of MichaelBennett. You know, he's a Hall
of Famer and I'm not there yet. So you know, I just gotta

(01:34:38):
keep doing my due diligence to bea better player. Carvin, Hey,
Dreamont, welcome to Seattle. Iknow you get to play several seasons for
VIC fango and the three four styledefense and Seattle's playing a similar system.
Now dating back to last year asa defensive lineman, what do you think
is most important to be successful inthat system? Maybe fundamentals or just playing

(01:35:01):
style to be successful. From whatI learned, being gap sound and being
patient has always been the biggest thing, and that's how we've been successful when
I was in Denver, just kindof like relying on each other. I
know that sounds kind of cliche,but like it's kind of like the the
realm of being in the three fourdefense. You gotta really really rely on
the guys behind you and the guyson the side of you to really make

(01:35:21):
their to do their job to makeyour job easier. Yeah. Uh,
your that you didn't start playing footballtill you were junior in high school and
largely played basketball, So then that'swhat made you, I guess, decided
to go play football then away frombasketball. No, No, I've always

(01:35:45):
loved football first. Uh, itwas just kind of just playing it out.
You know. I love the who, but you know, football was
definitely about calling. Given I wasa two hundred and sixty five pound power
forward and I was like sixty threesand changing, so you know, I
kind of toold use a route thatGod gave me. No, I'm not
six eight much that you guys use. Is it about the same or is

(01:36:06):
it it's kind of the same.Really, it's a long long plays,
but it's more understanding for sure.I feel like you can get to that
more understanding plays and I feel likethat's that's the difference. Hater was saying
the other day, just kind oflike coming into this offense after like twenty
years of breeze and just kind ofhow it was just kind of built on
top of each other, on topof each other. It's like kind of

(01:36:27):
a lot to kind of take in. Do you do you find that they
kind of turn it down to somethingnew, starting to like zero with everybody.
It's just a little bit easier tokind of get everybody on the same.
Yeah, I feel like it's wayeasier. Like you said, it
was kind of more of a DrewBrees style the last playbook, so all
credit to them though they built thataround him, around his players, But
like I said, it's more hThis playbook is more for matchups, and

(01:36:54):
I feel like it's gonna be betterfor us. How do you think it's
gonna really take advantage of his skillsets. Uh, just building around the
strengths that I have. You knowwhat I'm saying, things that I can
do and things that she can do, things that our players can do.
Is kind of focus on what wecan do and building on that. Uh.
I feel like it's playing to theplayer strengths. So I feel like

(01:37:15):
it's gonna help us a lot hasbeen around the way this offense will have
a lot more speed. And how'sthat transition event so far? I mean,
like I said, it's building aroundthe players strengths. So of course
we got speed, uh with meor she and ati receiver. So just
building around that, Like I said, playing to our strengths and be able
to capitalize off that. Feel likeit's gonna help us a lot most of

(01:37:35):
like the uptempo 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
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 Whatare you trying to accomplish this year?
Uh, just staying consistent, man, a couple of upside downs last year.

(01:37:59):
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.
Uh, just learning learned 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.

(01:38:24):
I mean everybody kind of grown inthe NFL, so it's just on
you to be able to have thatstandard. Like I said, I just
try to do that lead by example. I'm not really outspoken, but just
lead by example, working hard,trying to dominate every rep and hopefully they
follow after that. After the catch, is that you feel like that's the

(01:38:45):
strength of yours that maybe wasn't utilizeI don't know if utilizes the right word,
but you could show more. Yeah, it's offense that is built around
that. Uh. Just catching theball in space, catching the ball over
the middle or even on the outside. Uh. With with space and separation
feel like it's built around having yardshave to catch. So I'm definitely proud

(01:39:08):
to be in the system, likeI said, and I'm excited. But
is that is that a mindset too, like being good at yards after the
catch? Like, Oh yeah,I mean of course. I mean you
don't want to get tackled by thefirst person. And my mindset is trying
to take every take everything to thehouse, you know, every touch.
So uh, I definitely got todo that more and definitely try to work
on that and practice. Keep agreat dude man, Uh some some that

(01:39:33):
I definitely needed. Some that herelates to me. Uh, just from
backgrounds, and uh he's a greatcoach, great leader, Uh, motivational
and uh. Like I said,I'm excited to have him around and for
him to push me. It's everythingthat I need. So you're talking about
like mentally bouncing back, you know, from tough performances or whatever. Like,

(01:39:54):
did you like try to fund yourresources going to help you figure out
how to do that? Oh yeah, I mean it's older guys. H
Uh tell me that's naturals have badgames. But uh, just having a
standard that I have for myself andthe expectations I have for myself gizard sometimes
so just being able to be hardin your school, same high school,

(01:40:15):
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
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

(01:40:36):
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,
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 for youseeing Ryan the successes had? Yeah?
I think we all do that.I think we come from a unique place

(01:40:58):
in a really small hometown in Newhamph here where we all take a lot
of pride to where we're from andand when anybody's successful coming out of there,
then you kind of take a littlepride that that's it's the upbringing that
we all had, you know,in the UTH sports program that we grew
up in in in every aspect,whether it was football, baseball, basketball,
those coaches we had an amazing impacton us and that's why we are
where we are right now. Ryansaid, he doesn't think of it as

(01:41:25):
you working under him, it's workingwith him. Fact is, he is
the head coach. He makes mecall him sir though he just said can
you do that? Day one?And I was like, all right,
right now. But I mean heultimately is the is the decision maker.
You've been a head coach, Howdo you think that's going to work.
Do you think there'll be any asclose as you are, any kind of

(01:41:49):
awkward moments? The right term,But when he's the ultimate decider and you
are working for him, Yeah,I certainly understand my role. I'm not
alhag like I'm not. I'm notin charge here. Yeah, some people
get that reference. Other people don'tget that reference. But I'd certainly understand
that, and I actually kind ofrelish it because I really love the scheming

(01:42:12):
part. I love the individual part. I love being in the meeting room
of the quarterbacks and trying to gameplan. But everything we do here is
collaborative. You know. The onething that really struck me when I walked
in this place is there's an amazingcoaching staff here, you know, and
if you get a chance to talkto Larry Johnson just about football, or
Tim Walton or Jim Knowles or BrianHartline or any of these guys that are
on this staff here, it's it'sa very collaborative effort. I think everybody's

(01:42:34):
on the same page. You know, it's not our offense and their defense
and it's Ohio State, you know, it's it's Ohio State versus the twelve
opponents that we're gonna play during theregular season and then beyond. So it's
really collaborative. And that's the thingI like, just in the short time
that I've been here, is howcollaborative everybody's been. You know, we're
all trying to make each other betterand we're all trying to develop this team.

(01:42:56):
Touched on this, you said,you know, you know, you
like to do what you want todo and not My sense is you in
your perfect world you'd like to scribbleplays on a napkin and not deal with
boosters, do deal with all thestuff that coaches, head coaches have to
deal with. Now, how muchof 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 had someamazing I've had an opportunity and everywhere I've

(01:43:21):
been to meet some amazing people thatare associated with the program. And there's
people that from my time at NewHampshire or my time at Oregon. I
was just with Phil Night two weeksago, you know, I got an
opportunity to spend some time with himand his wife Penny, who are dear
friends of mine that have been greatmentors to me in my career. And
there's a bunch of people that atUCLA, Terry donnahe and Andrea Donna who

(01:43:41):
were awesome to me. Angela Mazzoniis a great friend, Casey Wasserman,
Troy Aikman. There was a bunchof people at UCLA that I really enjoyed,
you know, being around and talkingwith. So I think sometimes everybody
wants to make a narrative of it'seither this or that it's it's it's never
that. It's never just all ball, it's never just all recruiting, it's
never just all boosters. It's it'sa mixture of everything. But I think
the one thing that as this positionas a head coach kept moving on is

(01:44:05):
that if you look at a lotof them, they all become more CEOs.
You know, I can't tell youhow many coaches that have called me
since I made this decision that saidI'm two years behind you, brother,
You know that are thinking the sameexact way. And I think it's all
part of what we have to do. I think we all need to protect
this game and promote this game,and I think there are some rules that
we need to get straightened out sothat people understand where what it's about,

(01:44:26):
because the game is still about theplayers, and I hope that never gets
discounted. You know. It's it'salways been about the players, and I
think if we can keep that atthe forefront the people that are making decisions
on this, and I think JeanSmith is one of the best influences in
in the NCAAA, is to makesure we keep that the main thing.
The main thing needs to be thestudent athletes. You know, you're coming

(01:44:49):
in at a time where you've beenthrough some places where the expectations are high.
I understand it's also coming into thejuncture where you know, the three
losses to michig and not making theplayoff last year. The urgency is pretty
high here. I guess, justsort of what perspective do you have on
kind of the stakes that there arefor Ryan this year and the decision that

(01:45:12):
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,

(01:45:33):
nor the rest of us that joinedhim in are a part of this
and that are working with him.So you know, I don't think.
I think sometimes you can spend toomuch time thinking about those things. You
know, what you really have todo is just as there's a big sign
as you walk into this place,it says when the moment you know.
I think that's a real thing thatwe have to do as coaches, is
to make sure that our 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

(01:45:55):
about can they get a little bitbetter today, you know, and can
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
remarked 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

(01:46:15):
speaks a lot to the leadership.There's there's a lot of older players on
this team, and they've set thetone for the younger players, and I
think the younger players have done agreat job of followship and getting right in
line with that never hit it overa play calling to someone before. What
does it mean to you? Iguess he 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 responsibilityfrom him and he's calling essentially the offense

(01:46:40):
that you gave it? I guessin some way. Yeah, I still
think the play calling part will bea collaborative effort. And by that I
mean that if it's a good play, I called it, and if it's
a bad play, he called it. Because the great part is an assistant
coach, you can just hen pointthe finger a little bit and say,
hey, you know, I wantedto do this, but he trumped me.
So we haven't actually discussed game dayyet. You know, we'll see

(01:47:01):
how that operates. But everywhere I'vebeen it's been a collaborative effort. And
all of a sudden, someone that'scalling the plays is't isn't like pulls one
out of left field that you hadn'tpracticed and hadn't been part of your offense
and said, hey, let's dothis. You know, we're not running
the annexation of Puerto Rico. Youknow, we're not coming up with something
special, you know in the middleof the fourth quarter that we haven't done.

(01:47:23):
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 player's confidence comes from theirdemonstrated ability that they've done this so
many times in practice that when theyget out on the field that this is
like that to them, you know. And it's not that they do it
so they do it right, it'sthey practice it so much so that they

(01:47:45):
can't do it wrong. So,you know, I think it's that whole
part of it that is really thekey to being a really good game planning
team. Second right, Doug Lane, Maurice Kingdom, North Chip. When
you had that feeling when you werecoaching the quarterbacks during the Bold Operation,
did you consider at that point mayberesigning as the head coach and thinking like
this is this is not where Iam anymore. I'll leave and then I'll

(01:48:09):
look to see what else is outthere. No, I never thought about
quitting anything, So, you know, I just is there an opportunity that
I think I can that fit,you know, And I think that's the
you know, it's no different thanwhen you're talking to a recruit about them
make a decision on where they're goingto go to school. I think that
where they should go to school iswhere the best fit is for them.
So, you know, I justentertained some opportunities and I always felt I

(01:48:30):
felt like this was the best fit. But I never thought about quitting or
not coaching. I'm gonna coach.I'm gonna coach, and then I'm gonna
die. But I mean, that'show I think I think about things.
Is I can't picture that. Iknow someone I was on the Nike trip
and they are like, how muchlonger are you gonna go? When I
said I I have to go anotherfifteen twenty years. I don't think about
I don't think about retirement. Idon't think about any of those things.

(01:48:53):
That's just not kind of my mindsetthat you know. I love football and
in the as long as I canbe part of this game, then I'll
be part of this game. Justthe way things worked out with your departure
from UCLA, is there anything thatyou wish you had done differently or anything
you regret or just that the circumstancesthat presented themselves. Do you think that
you handled that departure the best thatyou could have. Yeah, I mean

(01:49:15):
I got an opportunity to tell myplayers personally. You know, I think
in this day and age of theInternet, where they read it somewhere else
and you have to text message him. You know, that was always important
to me that I wanted to makesure I talked to my players and explain
the reasons of what I was doing. I wasn't leaving to take a head
coaching job somewhere else. I wasn'tthinking that the grass is greener at another
university. Was just in my personalsituation, this is what I wanted to
do. I wanted to take anopportunity to go be a position coach and

(01:49:39):
coordinator, and that's how it fit. You know. What I was happy
is that I always thought to SeanFoster, I think the world of them
and I think he's a special youknow, and the fact that that they
were they gave him the opportunity totake over there was you know, it
worked out. I didn't have anysay in that decision, you know,
I was gone, but I alwaysthought that the show would be a great

(01:50:00):
head coach, and I'm really proudof them and happy that that he got
the opportunity to take that job rightbehind it, actually have your reputation is
innovator? Was part of the appealof this is that you get to get
in the weeds a little bit.Uh maybe not mad scientists, maybe too
too strong of a work could you'reworking within the system. But was there
an appeal of I get to getmy hands dirty here again and innovate and

(01:50:24):
get back to that side of things. It was, But it was really
more important of who I get towork with, you know, and so
knowing you know, I've got Iknow a lot of guys on the staff
besides Ryan also, so you know, when I know what their mindset is
and what their values are and howthey do things, and so I wanted
to be a part of that.But but there's a part of that.
Yeah, how much of a teacheryou get labeled in the Innovators. The

(01:50:48):
teachings are part of this. Howmuch is it is? How a teacher
are you and how patient are you? Yeah? I think we're all teachers.
I mean education is the transportation ofknowledge, you know, So it
really doesn't matter what the coach as, it matters what the players understand,
you know, So you have tobe able to make sure that while you're
implementing things is what resonates with themand how does that come back to them.

(01:51:10):
So, you know, a lotof our teaching styles that we've learned
is more of the socratic method ofthere's a lot of questions, you know,
and a lot of check for understandings, just to kind of find out
where the players are coming from,because it's what they know that that's ultimately
gonna win games, not what weknow. You know that we're not playing
the games. We're not stepping acrossthose white lines, you know. And
your job as a coach is tocreate an environment where they have an opportunity

(01:51:30):
to be successful and then get outof their way and let them go do
it. So I think the teachingaspect is huge, and we continue to
research, you know, some ofthe latest trends in teaching to make sure
that we are transporting that knowledge toour players. The second roll left Steve
Helwagen twenty four to seven Sports.Yeah, coach, just curious. You
got five scholarship quarterbacks with differing levelsof experience, age and everything. Else,

(01:51:55):
not to annoy him, but justwant to ask specifically about Will Howard
coming in after start in part oftwo years at he is a stage he
just seems to promote this idea thathe's a football player, you know,
above all else. Just how impressedare you with his makeup, his experience,
what he's bringing to the table walkingin here right now? Yeah?

(01:52:16):
Really impressed. You know, youdon't have to talk to Will for more
than five minutes to kind of knowwhere he's coming from. He's really focused.
You know, he knows he's gota short window left in his college
career and it really wants to capitalizeon what that is. There's a maturity
to Will, you know. Ireally I've had experience, My experience in
this thing since the transfer portal openedin college football is some of the best

(01:52:40):
players I've had an opportunity to coachward transfers. Sometimes when you're a true
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're a
transfer is that I've got nine months, you know, So there's a sense
of urgency. I think when you'redealing with with transfers, and I think
Will has exuded that since he's beenhere. But the other thing that I
just in the short time that Wellhas been here is how quickly he's fit

(01:53:00):
in with the entire team, youknow, and how much the the rest
of the players respect him. Youknow, he was uh one of the
Gold Award winners for his work inthe weight room in this offseason, so
that says a lot for him comingin here as a in a short time,
being able to to win a weightroom award, you know, to
start off. Do you guys hopeto have the number one internally externally at

(01:53:21):
the end of spring or I guessjust let it play out? How do
you I? I think it alwaysevery time I've been involved in these,
I think when they're organic is whenit's the best. U. 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 gonna force

(01:53:42):
the issue. A But I've alwaysseen it play itself out. So I've
been fortunate that there's always gonna besome quarterback battles at at some point in
time. At every school there's aquarterback battle, you know, and then
and really you gotta let him playit out on the field, and that's
where it has to that that's whereit has to be decided. Just a
couple Hey, welcomes here. Wewe're excited to have you here. I'm

(01:54:03):
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 bring
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 orkly?
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

(01:54:23):
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
and the one thing after day one, I can tell you that there's a
lot of skill set out there,you know. So that's that's what gets
you excited, you know, That'sthat'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

(01:54:45):
work ethic that goes along with thattalent. You know, it's not just
empty talent. It's is you gotsome kids who want to I mean all
of them since I've been here,want to work, So that that's what
gets you excited. But I thinkassessing what the skill set is you know
that we have available to us onthe offensive side of the all is vitally
important. And then our job isto put those guys in positions to make
place lots of pressure. I mean, you've experienced what it's like to coach

(01:55:10):
national championship, how over teams thisprogram right now and moving into a situation
where you got to win quick andnow. So does that feel like pressure
here for you or is it alittle bit of excitement or both? Well,
I've always subscribed to as pressure iswhat you feel when you don't know
what you're doing. So if youdon't want to feel pressure, then you
should know what you're doing, So, you know, I think it's it's
part of that, And I thinkpart of our job with our players in

(01:55:32):
terms of the education process is gettingthem to understand that too. Is that,
you know, it's it's about yourpreparation. It's about you and your
development. It's not about that.You can't be governed by what other people
say. It's it's what's my mindsetand how am I intrinsically motivated? And
then how do I really compete againstmyself on a daily basis to get a
little bit better. You know,we got a little bit better today because

(01:55:53):
we get out on the field today. I got a chance to do some
football. And then the challenge iswhen we get back on the field on
Thursday, can we be a littlebit better than we were on Tuesday.
And if we're doing that, thenwe keep stacking good days on top of
good days, and I think we'llbe in good spot. Welcome, Thank
you. I'm gonna ask about thepros and cons of coaching from the box
and coaching from the field. It'sinteresting talk to some offen some coordinators.

(01:56:14):
Tom Herman talking about he swore hewanted to coach from the box, saw
the game so much better, sterileenvironment, not all the chaos on the
field. Some coaches you talk tothe like, I want to be on
the field so I can look atmy guys in the eye, where are
you at as a as a coordinator, honestly, And I've thought of this
a lot. I thought of ita lot during COVID because we had the
empty stands, you know, soI had thought about just walking up into
the stands for a little bit becauseI had a better advantage. I've always

(01:56:36):
believed you can see the game betterfrom up above, but I believe you
can feel the game better from thefield. So if there was any way
we could get a zip wire whereyou could do both, you know,
coach calling 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 the
quarterbacks on a phone, you know, than being able to look in their
eye and kind of see where theyare with it. And part of it

(01:56:58):
is the field part of it.I remember when I coach Ryan once we
were playing Ukon 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 eyes becauseI don't think he could have thrown it,
you know, he was still tryingto get his win back. But
you wouldn't know that if you're upin the booth, you know, and
you call a pass play from upin the booth and you're like, how

(01:57:18):
come we can't complete that? Well, he just took a shot going out
of bounds. So it's that fineline that 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 in thisday a technology, they'll figure it out,
but we'll see how that that thatoperates, and whatever Ryan feels is
the best for the team is whatwe're gonna do. So your teams at

(01:57:42):
the Oregon were obviously Now we're playingat this assid pace and run a bunch
of plays for a minute, andyep, maybe not by pretty fast.
What role do you see tempo andhaving an offense and in the station in
college football? And has maybe changed? I think the game is always evolving,
you know. I think when Ileft in two thousand and twelve to
go to the National Football League,Oregon was the only team that was playing

(01:58:05):
really really fast and had shiny helmets. And when I came back in twenty
seventeen, everybody had shiny helmets andeverybody was playing fast. So I think
the game is always gonna go upand down, and there's gonna be different
cycles that it goes through. Ithink tempo is part of an offense,
but I don't think it's an offensein itself. I think it's more of
like if you go to dinner,it's a side order. You know,

(01:58:27):
it's not the main course, butit's it's always good to have it.
So I think there's times when you'lluse it, but you're you're not gonna
use it extensively the entire game,just like you're not gonna throw the ball
every single snap in the game.You're not gonna run the ball every single
say anything I can do, andI don't want that to every question.
Isaia said that it felt like sometimesyou were holed up somewhere watching film.
You texteds say hey, you missedthis, or you want to tweet that.

(01:58:50):
Well, like the first day,he was batting all of Russ's passes,
so I had to let him know, you know, you gotta take
advantage of that. You gotta makesure guys, are you know, uh
know that you you still care andyou still wanna be a part of this,
Uh, you know, just watchingpractice. There's a couple of little
things we're doing different, whether I'mcommunicating with dumbbar or other people. You

(01:59:13):
know. So yeah, for you'rethat you're also talking with him and you
you've given him a points during theoff season, just constant communication. How
do you see new Girl as aperson, you know, as far as
how he's approaching things and how he'sgetting ready for this season from his rookie
year. Uh, you know,I think the thing with Keanu is he's
more comfortable, you know, youknow it since his first time around the
track. You know, it's actuallylike he can you know, uh,

(01:59:36):
catch his feet under him. Youknow, I always think when you're in
your rookie season, you're going frombowl game. I don't even know Wisconsin
playing a bowl game. Sorry Wisconsin, I don't even know. But you
know, personally, I just thinkwhen you go from bowl game to training
for the Combine to you know,rookie minicamp to OTA's the you know mini

(01:59:58):
camp, I mean the training campthere or season, you really don't get
a time to really catch yourself.You know, he understands the playbook now,
he can be more vocal, youknow, and I think when my
absence the other guy's absence, youknow, you need guys like that to
step up and be ready for thoseopportunities. What do you think you had
the saying you had during the seasonwas a more thorough what was just tightening

(02:00:19):
down everything, you know on myleft side because I was overcompensating a little
bit, but you know it wasit wasn't anything that lingers. You know,
I'll say this, A growing isnot like an a c L.
It's not like anything's that we're goingto get afected again. And you know,
you know, I'm feeling good,able to do everything squat and heavy

(02:00:42):
with power and speed, so youknow, it feels good to get after
again. What do you think ofwhat the team was able to accomplish?
A shof usually returned to bring guyslike Russian and things. You know,
I think they're all good acquisitions.But you know, you never want to
be known as a paper champion,so you can't win the off season.
I think the work gets done outhere on the field, gets done in

(02:01:03):
the classroom. Wow, it getsdone training, uh, you know,
and then you see where you're atin training camp, and then you build
on that. You know, Ithink we got the right guys in the
building. It's just about putting acomplete team on the field. Cam how
Tenther colleges it to separate the businesspart of the game in the actual football
player. Uh. You know,you you always wanna you always have to

(02:01:28):
treat it like a business because youknow one day it's gonna end. Uh,
And that's been the job. Uh. It's not like in college where
you know you got four years guaranteed. I don't know, well now you
you don't even know whether n Ian't know. It's crap, but I
mean the transfer portal's portal. Butyou know, you have to I still

(02:01:50):
have love for this game, andI still work my tail off and I
still put everything into it, andthat's not gonna change. But you have
to know what you bring to theteam and what your what your value is.
Can we want did to feel tobe out there with your teammates today?
Emotionally great? You know, wegot a new uh, we got
a new training staff and still learningthe the warm up a little different,

(02:02:14):
but uh, you know I lovedit. Uh, you know, just
getting after it, learning new guys, Uh, going through the same drills
I've been doing by myself. Uh. I actually like having more people around
because like kind of go start crazywhen it's just you and another guy.
You're like, damn, I gottago back up for another rep already.
And so you know, it's niceto be up here and get a chance

(02:02:36):
to you know, be with myguys. Cam were you confident and deal
will get done with your emotional Oh, I'm gonna we'll try to remain pretty
neutral because you know, I don'twanna be too either way. All I
know is I want to be here, but we'll see what happens. Is

(02:02:58):
my last year here, I II I've had a great career here,
but uh we'll look forward to playnext year. Can you with that second
surgery, you said that this timewas on the left side. It was
the first time around on the rightside, right side during the season,
left side, and that was justtightening down my cornerback Cormosa. It wasn't
the same as my ad doctor.You know, you can ask doctor Bradley,

(02:03:20):
uh, doctor doctor zucker Bron whouh did the surgery as well.
You know, I if anything's gonnahelp me and it'll make me a lot
stronger for here on up and yousaid you were training with another guy.
Who have you kind of been Tyson? Oh, I've been training with him
for the last eight years. We'vealways trained together. We got a trainer

(02:03:42):
up north, uh shadowt Cole Haley. He's my guy, traded trained trained,
uh Heath Miller, Brett Keesel.The multitude of guys that all respect
and we've just been getting after Canonis very few guys historically thirty five that
you paid big con tracks and youknew that's held against you. I think

(02:04:02):
there's not a lot of history behindit. But you know, for me,
I I look at as I'm notlooking to be like anybody else.
You know, my game is differentfrom everybody else in this league. You
know, I like to think,you know, I can play the run
in the past, and then that'swhere I'm different. You know, I
remember last year Mike t just broughtto my attention. You know the thing

(02:04:24):
that's really cool is you watch powerlifters, and you know, my game's built
on powering 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,
I I we'll see what happens theit's there's not a lot of history.
But I'm here to make history,and I'm here to you know, I

(02:04:46):
win another Super Bowl year and youknow, have a great season. Do
you have a set goal over yourselfon how many years you wanna play in
the NFL? Or did you justtake things yere by the year? You
know it? It was it wastough answering that question right after the season.
I will say this, guys,I I can't keep answering that question
right after the season. That isnot fair to the season, That's not
fair to my family. Uh youknow, but in my mind, I

(02:05:11):
got three years and I wanna maximizethem. I wanna play at a high
level and I wanna go deep inthe playoffs. And you know, we
got a good team, and I'mgonna do my part to be ready for
all those situations. You plan onpractice when you report to the trove or
is your possibility that you might pullit in and enforce negotiations. I I
have not even thought that far.I'm taken a day by day. Uh

(02:05:33):
you know. Uh. I toldmy agent and we talked about it.
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 pan
throw my two cents in there,you know. So that's just a it's
been awesome, man. He's he'syou know, a resource for me,
just a person that I can alwaysbounce my thoughts off of. And now,

(02:05:56):
you know, just a year yousaid, thirteen months. Now I
feel more comfortable just you know,bringing certain things up. You know,
you never you never wanna come offtoo strong. But I'm a curious guy.
I got a lot of questions.I like, I like football a
lot. I like to talk talkthe games. So you know, come
to find out, he's the exactsame. So we uh, you know,
we get along well, and anduh we're gonna keep keep building that
relationship. Sometimes in this league,playing you know, eighteen games, they

(02:06:18):
tryna make it twenty. You know, it's like it sound like a little
a little fever dream to be honest. But but uh, if we can
find a way to k you know, stay up right out there, keep
keep Aaron on his feet. Youknow, I'm I'm excited for that and
uh everything that comes with it.But uh but yeah, like I said,
man, that's it's it's harder saidthan uh or harder done and said,
I guess you know, it's oneof those things. It's like that's

(02:06:38):
a lot of games, you know, all of a sudden take a lot
of hits. They take a lotof hits where they're not looking, and
it's just how can we keep himhealthy? Yeah? Yeah, are you
when you think? I get you'rea receiver room now positions and you guys
have made when wannay healthy and everythinglike, yeah, you know, I'm
excited to see it at at fullhealth. You know, we've I haven't
got to see all the all theguys out there at once, and and
you know, it's one of thosepositions where every day is something might happen

(02:07:00):
to nick up. You know,it's just a tough position to stay out
there at all times. But Ifeel like we got a great group and
the number one thing is how canwe stay healthy? How can we you
know, I'll be out on thefield, and I think having depth like
this and the group we have isgonna help us. Having guys that can
do different things, that can gocatch the ball over the middle, all
types of things that it's gonna takesome of the strain off off all of
us, you know, it's it'sa good group. So I'm excited to,

(02:07:24):
you know, get out there.I feel like we haven't had the
whole whole thing together. But youknow, come season time, Morol,
and it's gonna be exciting about yourold number. Yeah yeah, like yeah,
man, he's uh it was abrute. And then once he catches
that ball, I mean, he'sgot great instinct of where the defense is
going to be at how to makesomeone miss. Yeah, man, just

(02:07:45):
just like I was saying, youcan go over to the middle take hits.
I mean, I'm excited to seehim run with the ball once we
got passed on because I know Iwouldn't be trying to tackle him. And
he looks like a like a problema little bowling ball out there, you
know, So I'm excited we gotJeremiah J. J. Smith j J.
How'd you feel out there today?You gotta go. J'all heard the

(02:08:09):
team came out. Don't get threeand old pool play. When you come
to these kind of tournaments, whatkind of techniques do you like to work
on? It? See they gotyou're going deep run some short stuff from
crossing routes. What do you workon when you're out of tournament like this.
Really just getting back in the goodcrunch during the week, So really
just working on my releases. Uh, that's when your game my friends fast.

(02:08:30):
I mean, I'm gonna chuck.So just bringing get back. Now
we know you pulled the trigger onOhio State, obviously you're gonna take visits
kind of make sure that you're you'reperfect, done your decision. What was
it about Ohio State and Brian Hartlineand Ryan David It made you feel comfortable
to cold make early? Really theysent me my first visit when the first
one you can't they offered me feellike my first video. You really just

(02:09:01):
what's up? What's up? What'swhat they say? It was they they
need? They gave me? Uhreally just a kid that I'm a tough
artists. I was a tough artist. Chuck the jobs. Now I know
you got something your sfe family upthere. You got Brandon n s,
you got Cardinal Take what does itmean to potentially be able to wake up
with them in a year and beable to kind of run back what you

(02:09:24):
guys have done in South Florida Expressin Columbus, Ohio. It'd be great.
We go there to Ohio State takeover, it'd be grateful. All
great first rounds. Yeah, you'rea super humble kid. I've been really
impressed by you today. Is thereanything that you want Ohio State fans to
know about you? You know again, I know you're just your all work,
all work, all work. Butwhat are they getting when they get

(02:09:46):
a J. J. Smith tocome to Ohio saying kids coming in the
job day, Just do what Igot to do, take care of the
books, school score, They'll justcome in. That's perfect mantal God bless
ye. I appreciate you, myman also watching today, Thank you so
much. And JJ Smith. Youhave to adapt, but there's certain things

(02:10:09):
that we're not going to change.There's certain values we're not going to change.
It just you know, you know, principles that have you know,
stood the test of time. AndI shared this with a group before when
I started doing some some research.As we were doing some some of our
recruiting you know, introductions and someof our you know talks about you know,
the traditions of Ohio State. Wetalked about how Ohio Stadium was built,

(02:10:33):
you know, and when you whenyou when you do your research on
that one hundred years ago you know, folks had the idea of building a
stadium over sixty thousand people, andthat's because of what Chick Harley was doing.
And you know, they had awooden bleachers over here, and all
these people started coming in and theidea of bringing in a stadium that of
our sixty thousand people at the timewas like, this is crazy. What

(02:10:54):
is college football turning into? Andthey instead of going to the state or
going to the school, well thecommunity, they went to the community to
raise the money they raised over atthe time over a million dollars. Well
night. You fast forward one hundredyears and the conversation still might be like,
what is college football doing right?And in this situation then, I
l we had to turn to thecommunity for help, and Bucky Nation showed

(02:11:16):
up again in a big way.So although the landscape is changing, I
don't know if you know, onehundred years later, if it's that much
different. It's just in a differenttime, in a different you know,
set of issues that we're working through. But I think it's exciting. I
think there's a lot of positives toit. I do. I think that

(02:11:37):
we're taking the next step with therevenue sharing to try to institutionalize some of
it, which would be big forusis yeah, every years question, it
seems like this year's team has moneyquestions of the line as specifically, if
you look ahead to in a month, what are the real questions that you

(02:12:03):
have in your mind about position battle? I would say on offense, you
know, we got to square awaythe quarterback as you know, I feel
like, you know, the offensiveline on the right side, we got
to solidify that. I feel likewe got to build you know, enough
depth at receiver that we feel likewe can put in five or six in

(02:12:26):
the game and feel good about it. On defense, I think we're still
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

(02:12:50):
we know it's going to be along year. We're going to need everybody,
and and so in a lot ofthose areas, it's depth. Special
teams wise, you know, punteris going to be you know that that
is significant. You know, wejust brought in Nick and you know,
so there'll be a battle there.So I'd say those are probably the areas
we're focused on the most Ryan justto fall on the offensive line, there

(02:13:11):
was I think a school elogy guysmight be looked for a transfer in that
post spring window. Did you guysdo that? Did you guys not find
the guy or were you just confidentthe guys you have, just like you
know in January, if if we'regoing to bring somebody in, it is
to fill a hole. We're notjust going to bring somebody in to bring
somebody in. Like at all positions, we'll always look to see what's out

(02:13:33):
there. We did evaluate some ofthe guys that were out there, and
you know, you know, wefelt like coming out of it as we
evaluated it, you know, therewas a couple of guys that you know,
we checked on, but but ultimately, like based on where we were
and some of the young guys thatare coming up, you know, we
felt like we saw some progress inthe offensive line in the spring. So

(02:13:54):
you know, it wasn't there wasn'tas many folks in the portal, you
know, in after the spring,so we looked at it, we identified
it, We did our due diligence, but you know we're gonna go through.
We have now second round, BillAnders right, you're it was interesting
that you have two of maybe thetop five ors of guys in sport and
then a bunch of guys who haven'tplenty maybe someone that I know my question,

(02:14:18):
but did you consider trying to addtheir understanding? That probably the difficult
to sell. We have such talent, how to bring some over you have
the experiences, like what were thoseconversations like, and how did you set
along being comfortable with you know,Trey and and the guns. Well,
like you said, you know,I think we're we will get some experience
there with those two guys, andthen you know, we felt like coming
out of the Spring that James andSam both did a nice job and you

(02:14:41):
know, we're gonna have to playthem and they're gonna have to you know,
take on a little bit of that. You know, we have you
know, started having conversations with CalebDowns. I was part of the recruiting
process of possibly you know, doinga little bit of running back as well.
It's something that he wanted to do. So we've been having in some
of the meetings and some of theind visual drills as a possibility there if

(02:15:01):
you know, needed so down theroad to continue to build depth at that
position. But you know, Ithink, you know, we feel like,
you know, if you have youknow, four strong running backs going
into it, then you know that'sgonna be that's gonna be enough to carry
the season. I do think thatthe quarterbacks will run the ball more this
season, so that should take somecarries away from them. But to your

(02:15:24):
point, you know, James andSam are gonna have to step up to
the guys that we can count on. Save that for another day. Yeah,
just fall up on it. Ishe capable of stepping in and being
running back? Obviously, we'll see, we'll see. We talked about in

(02:15:46):
the recruiting process, you know,the first time around and more specifically in
the second time around, and sohe's you know, he's been around a
little bit just to get a feelfor it. We did very little in
the spring. We did I thinkwe pitched them an option or something like
that and this bring just to kindof get them going. But we'll see
where that goes. We don't havea specific plan right now, but we
do want to introduce him to thatjust the same thing, like Lorenzo Styles

(02:16:09):
has played your seer where he didthat Notre Dame. You know he's out
there a little bit, just kindof learning. It's healthy. You know,
you're seeing it from the other sideof the ball. This time of
the year, you can get awaywith that a little bit, a little
bit in the preseason. Where itgoes, we'll see, but you just
never know. We're trying to putsome contingency plans in place because it could
be a long season. Yeah,this is my forty first year covering of
house to day. I don't rememberever expectations like this In the summer,

(02:16:33):
there were some of them were almostas big. Sure do you sense that
too? And what is that pressurelike as you're working through a summer.
Yeah, people have asked me thatI go back to the expectations every year
are the same. I mean,it's just the truth. When opening press
conference, I said you got tobeat the team up north, and when
every game after that, that's justthe expectations. And when you come up
short, you know you got tofigure out a way to get those things

(02:16:54):
fixed. I think we have donethat, but the expectations are the same
every year. Pressure is the sameevery year. I just like the pressure
when you've got a really good teambehind you. So that's what we've got
right now. And you know,we know it's going to be a long
season. We know we're working towards. But I will say this about this
team, Well, we've been talented. That's there's been times in the past
we've been talented. I don't knowsince I've been here if we've been this

(02:17:16):
talented and this experience together with guysthat have played a lot of football,
fourth and fifth year guys, andthat doesn't matter. We'll go Thanks Extor
Stephen playing since you brought it up. Maybe this is just top because it's
summer Convias, so you can nowjust have conversations. Maybe that we're making
a big out of nothing long termsituation, but we've seen it around college

(02:17:37):
football in league, guys playing bothsides of the ball and doing it quite
well. Right Travis Suner is doingit out in Colorado and Kayla Jas has
been apartment turns, so we seewhat he could do with the ball.
But there's also the stamina aspect ofthat. I get into a sixteen game
season, so I'm not saying it'sany forty snaps or something like that,
but what about his athleticism what hebrings to the table and let you know
that if you wanted to explore itin a real game, he could last

(02:18:00):
and still be an effective See.Yeah, yeah, we'd have to see
all that he did it in highschool. But we got some really good
running backs in a room. Soit's not something that we're planning on doing,
but uh, we all we aregonna, you know, work on
a little bit Caleb. Caleb enjoysthat part of it. We did agree
that that was something that we weregoing to look into. Where it goes,
I don't I don't really know rightnow, but I know that he
has the capability to do it.He has the athleticism and do it,

(02:18:24):
and you know, we'll kind ofsee where it goes, see see how
he does, and you know,maybe hand the ball Tom a little bit
in the preseason, because again,it's going to be a long season.
We have to make sure we havecontinuoency plans in place. But I know
it's something that he enjoys having theball in his hand. So even during
their first time around the recruiting process, we even talked about him coming in
as a as an offensive player.Ultimately we think his ceiling is highest on

(02:18:46):
defense. But you know, butI also agree. I think that having
you know, guys going in thisside of the ball and just see it,
listen to meetings is really healthy forthe development. So we're gonna do
that regardless. Your defensive recruiting rightnow is maybe further along it's been in
the years past, and I thinkwe passed numous questions about it in the

(02:19:07):
past, But is this a productof seeing it over the last couple of
years and now it's not just tellingguys, hey, this might look like
this, they're seeing it in realtime. Yeah. You know, we
talked about it when Jim first camein, and I think Tim Walls an
unbelievable job as well in the backend, and you know, Matt stepped
right in and James and Larry,I think they're all doing a great job.
But like you said, you know, it's one thing to talk about

(02:19:30):
it. That's theory testimony is thislook at this is this is what we're
doing. And then I think you'reseeing a lot of guys just excited about
playing in this defense and they seethe capabilities and the flexibility too. You
know right now, you know theway we play, excuse me, the
way we play right now is basedon you know, we have four really
talented defensive linemen that are really good, and we got a lot of that

(02:19:50):
to those positions. But there's alsoflexibility with some of the things Gym's done
in the past that you know,we're definitely looking at and some of the
recruits that we're looking at who bringssome versatility pass usher, you know,
we have that jack position and thosetype of things. So, uh,
that's exciting as well. And Ithink you're seeing a lot of the recruits,
you know, really get fired upwhen they get here. People.

(02:20:11):
Yeah, coach, I think yourfirst years your identity was was very very
from an awful standpoint and air andout type team. But look at the
deep best talent and the playmakers 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
need to do to play in thebig games. That's never changed. And

(02:20:33):
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 gonnahave to, you know, do those
things to win close games and andplay situational football. But I think,
you know, you won't really geta feel for what the identity of the
team is until we get into probablythe beginning of October, you know,

(02:20:54):
and I think we all have ideasof what it could go. But you
know, now that we're playing ina playoff format, just like a lot
of those NFL teams sometimes, youknow, they don't really quite understand their
identity until they get about halfway throughthe season. I don't think I'll take
that long. But you know,we're able to play some games and kind
of work through some things. AndI don't think our defense is going to
change a bunch in terms of whatwe did last year. I mean,
it's a lot of the same guysback could look a little different on offense.

(02:21:16):
Have you got time for two more? Go to Doug Lyamris. Okay,
right, you lose an important recruitingstaffer to promotion at Michigan, just
the second time. So much goneto Michigan this offseason. How do you
react to something like that is somethingthat someone like that would take information that

(02:21:39):
was started here that could help Michiganor hurt Ohio stages reaction. Yeah,
all good questions, and you know, I just I want to talk about
the guys that are here, youknow, the staff members that are here,
the coaches that are here, theplayers that are here, the ones
that are Buckeyes. Joe didgon withthe schedule changed yesterday? Come together?

(02:22:03):
Didn't have anything to do with theexpanded playoff a little different. Yeah,
you know, I don't know allthat came in came with it. I
know it got presented to me awhile back, and you know I was
on board with it. So yeah, I mean I think, you know,
we do have to look a littlebit different at our scheduling as we
move forward, based on the waythe format is at the end of the

(02:22:24):
season. That's quickly about the linebackersgot in here a little bit late.
How do you feel about your linebackers? Cody seems like he always hes the
Betans, like he's lacking as astarter. CJ. When do you see
his role being Sonny? When yousee his role being gay and all this
guys? Yeah, good versatility allthose guys are Vel Reese, Like you
said, CJ. Gaye, Sonny, Cody, you know I'm missing a

(02:22:48):
couple, I'm sure, but likethat was that y R bel Yeah,
I mean these guys are very versatileguys. You can see the length on
them, and you know they doa good job in terms of like fit
in the runs. They could theyhave enough length you know, to cover
and zone, but they'll also blitzand that's something that we wanted to really
work on this offseason is getting betterat blitzing, you know, and hopefully

(02:23:11):
we can even take the next stepin the preseason. But all playmakers,
I think when you when you seeus, you know, in the length
that we have there, we looka little bit different than than in the
past, and and that's exciting.You know when you when you tie that
in with our front four in theback end, you know, it's important
to make sure that the linebackers theone they're the glue. Cody has had
an unbelievable off season. He leadsto he leads the pack with that group,

(02:23:33):
but you're seeing a lot of thoseguys come on right. You talked
about the step being similar to lastyear. You could be very good as
a base you can be more aggressive. How do you envision envision the aggressed?
And I believe in this team.Maybe it's true they finished second the
first time around. That truth okay, I think. But obviously when they

(02:24:00):
were recruited you still back a acouple of years ago. Jim Knowles was
in here, a lot of theClinton stock was be into years and maybe
it was more telling me what itcould look like. And now I guess
seeing what's looked like over the lastfew years, has that maybe matters where
they could telling you back then thelook in p Pensville, That's definitely true.
Uh, they played great defense lastyear and just seeing how watching the
film and seeing how they progress andseeing how their defense played last year,

(02:24:22):
it definitely helped me make a moresound decision and having more facts about what
I would be getting into. Andthey told you, like what's ther bot?
They just about thet Maybe see youat right now more so do the
adjuster than the bandit. But atthe end of the day, I mean,
I I just wanna play where Ican get on the field. Why
this defense looked like what they werepitching you on as a re group,

(02:24:46):
is it lived lived up to whatthey were trying to tell you. What
was what I looked like? Yeah, it definitely has Do you ever get
next to what you said? Ok? Bill? What with me around the
different can still moved to build verygenuine person. He he always keeps it
straight with you. Everything that hesays, he has come to fluition,

(02:25:07):
so I can't knock him on anything. He's uh very close to my pops
too. They grew up together.So just knowing that relationship with him and
our relationship together, is I trI trusted him up like you sort of
campaign until different place, uh nextyear? Or is that something that you
want to keep doing? What didyou like doing that an other I did
like doing that at Alabama, Butat the end of the day, that's
the coach's decision. So I can'treally uh speak on that right now.

(02:25:31):
What are your trying to back?A great guy, very int uh intelligent,
A lot to learn from him,he knows this defense very well.
Just being able to learn from himand see how he sees the game,
will I think that'll very progress myuh my development felt jaducks know this stuff

(02:25:52):
in the matter. But if you'rethose last places where I always had he
started with hide from that you movesa lot about you you Maybe maybe it's
something that's best totally, maybe somethingdo you walk us? You that got
todayth you black? When you getbrought in? And how would you really
get guy? If you see?Hey? How you doing? Though?
Uh good, I've been good?It was. There was definitely some back

(02:26:16):
and forth. There was a lotto think about, a lot to process
between me and my family, soit wasn't really much to say to the
media or anything. But at theend of the day, I made the
decision and I'm here, so I'mglad to be here yet N help N
how'd you puss? How did youlike? I? Have you w had

(02:26:39):
already characters play that. I thinkthe development from when I was a kid.
I've been training with my dad andmy brother since I was four or
five years old, So I don'twanna say I was built for this,
but I mean, at the endof the day, I've been doing this
since I was a kid, sothere's barely been no change. What did
you get to this up right nowas you look back on it about mixed

(02:27:01):
safety? What? What what madehim special? Very disciplined person, He
was committed every single day to beinghis best self, and not many people
can actually say that and be truthfulwith that. He was the same person
every single day, and he taughtme a lot about commitment, about being
disciplined, consistency, everything that goeswith that and being great. I feel

(02:27:24):
like that's what he embodies with withthat in mind. What what is it
about safety defense that excites you?What? You know what I mean?
Everybody makes a a a pig,it's somewhere in their lives. You way,
offense, your big fasts. Whatwhat is it about playing kings bets
that excites you? I feel likeit's being a part of a a bunch

(02:27:48):
of moving parts that have to worktogether. The offense has to do their
own thing, but the defense,everybody has their own responsibility. And when
everybody can do their own responsibility,everybody's gonna make plays and everybody's gonna be
able to succeed. So I justfeel like being a part of that and
trying to help myself and help myteam be better in terms of that,
that's ah, that's a big thingfor me. We're dead in what what

(02:28:09):
did you get a good sacred aboutthat? Ass many? Obviously it's not
to keep this real as a teamswhat what do your party? You know?
You would in terms of that capdolge a lot about how to see
the game pre snap and during theplay, a lot about going into the
game in terms of how you watchfilm, how you study, what things
to see from the other team,everything like that. That's that's what he

(02:28:33):
teaches that what's out? Does itknow him right now? I mean he
used to come off with us asa fairly intelligent guy. I think,
what what's the imperson who's played onyou? Uh? Very intelligent for sure.
He sees a lot and he hasan answer for everything in terms of
what teams can bring him. SoI just feel like him the different ways

(02:28:54):
that he plays defenses that will allowme to develop in different ways. You
know, Pacho, how would youyou were very instinctual player, very athletic,
being able to make plays all overthe field, being able to see
plays before they happen. Do youthof you were happy us that to suppose

(02:29:16):
that what you did you know,just played down to the little boy.
How much year is it for Meason? Understand a lot of Leason? You
you page into a game or doyou play that stay like the last time
some people that you had, Ithink I understand it more. I mean,
I definitely can't understand it from auh Ohio state perspective cause I haven't
played and then I haven't been throughthat, so I can't really speak on

(02:29:39):
how they feel. But I'm definitelyhungry to being myself. Do you feel
you said, ay Belisan or anythat teach what is it about you?
I mean, when you played forthe mix ay with the Greatest Book you
argue with you about that much?Or any type of teams have them put
that says to you, what iswhat is about when you'd like to play?
When you thought that the first timein them the second time game,

(02:30:01):
did they come back at? Howmuch for me today? And what was
the project? Elect He was thesame person. He was, uh,
very genuine when I was getting recruitedin high school, and he was very
genuine when I talked to him twoweeks ago. So just being able to
understand that he's about the people thathe works with, and he's very he

(02:30:24):
believes in the people that he's around, and he believes in the people that
he believes in. So just knowingthat and knowing what he stands for that
means a lot, he said,you said there was a lot of back
rood. Oh I know everything.You still in the bastions or were going
how what was that like the agentabout like mine? What time it was

(02:30:45):
recruiting on steroids, I'd say Igot like a hundred and two calls in
one day, so just uh,well not in one day, probably seven
or eight hours, but just beingable to minimize what my mind was going
through. That was a that wasa big thing for me. And being
able to make a sound decision offof what I knew as capital was such

(02:31:11):
that none brand awd you want assabout what it comes out about physic what
I want to make me sound prettymuch. You have to go silent.
You have to be able to controlyour circle in terms of getting your opinions
from people that you trust in,people that you know you can count on.

(02:31:33):
So that was the biggest thing forme, just being able to understand
what the people around me were thinkingand how I wanted to go about it.
All right, call and cabot.At the end of the day,

(02:31:54):
I love playing football and that's whatI'm here to do. I'm not here
to make money or do anything likethat. I know there's a lot of
opportunities here in terms of the cityof Columbus, But at the end of
the day, I'm here to helpthis team with football games, and I'm
here to do my best and tryto develop for the You will though must

(02:32:16):
cool, uh. I I playedin cold throughout my life, so it's
not I mean, Georgia is different, but I mean I have had some
cold experiences, so that's not areally a big thing for me. I'm
praying for how much did you talkto the Georgia's a wire state? For
he put with what your rules?Get to let you talk about public school
COMPLI cause I discussed, Okay,I wanna get publics. It was discussed,

(02:32:41):
but it wasn't. It's not somethingthat was a deal worker or anything
for me. So I wasn't.That wasn't the biggest the biggest yes or
no for me? And what doyou expectations for the Wires state? The
same expectations that I've had my wholelife, the same expectations that we had
at Bama to win games and dominateevery game and go win a championship.

(02:33:05):
You know you were a few rememberI hear a lot of guns stop on
saw the culture. They ever sawthe operads or do you think you're for
a couple of each if there's similaritiesin aproach to how they go about and
try the way a maps did yougive about this program? Just in a
couple of teachers think we were justgoing about there. They're trying to get
you a cup leadership. It's allabout the work, It's all about the

(02:33:26):
process. It's all about doing everythingdaily to push yourself to be where we
need to be at the end ofthe at the end of the ride.
I'm how you do that? Uh, I would say the day of or
day like before the decision, itwas m pretty much just sitting on FaceTime

(02:33:48):
with him and my uncle, uh, just talking about what was gonna go
into the decision and seeing their inputon what they had to say about things
you never called I'm a I wouldsay, I'm a pretty respectful person and
I respect the people that reached outto me, even if I really wasn't

(02:34:09):
trying to look at their school.So I'd probably say, like eighty of
'em, you have to tell togo up for sport of the pot to
get what you wife and the girlthrough just cause of at having the pother
to do that. How coming outwith sor, I feel like you have
to have some sort of idea.But people have an idea where they're gonna
go during recruitment too, So Iwouldn't say it's that big of a difference,

(02:34:30):
but you definitely have to have amore of a singular mindset on a
few places like what U wait foryou to life and very calm, very
I like to chill out. Notnot a lot to do, just uh,

(02:34:52):
hang out with my people and hangout with my friends, hang out
with my family, just be aroundpeople. Got to make funny people make
funs. What you do about us? It was uh, it was a
highlight for me for sure, justbeing uh being named that and going in
a relationship with Shaun Alexander He's agreat person, and learning about him.

(02:35:18):
It was it was definitely an honorfor me. You are that, I
feel like more than just late thanthe Sunday. You can compliment each other.
A lot of people in the secondarycan work together to be cohesive and
be uh a brotherhood. So butla Than and Sunny they've welcomed me and
I appreciate them for that. SoI think us working together we can we

(02:35:43):
can do some real damage. Ifthere's a game, there's a game where
if you have them go to that, He's who. As a poetic Cabay
national, which game did you playsto you and see what you got to
take? I would say, asa collective, the whole season. You
can see the growth. You cansee the to grow from the beginning season
to the end. But I wouldsay, okay, Mississippi State or Texas

(02:36:09):
A and M would probably be thebest too. Okay, what are you
theford the post to this best?Popularly? Oh, I can't say that
that's that's for God to decide.I can't really say that is it better?
Is it? No? Thunder recruitedas a high school or referred all
the people definitely as a high school, not as rushed. I would say

(02:36:33):
tad like the Hi, how youDomini? Being places, tepastuff like that?
The next a last pefore probably aboutI would say I'm elite at that.
Being able to watch film and determinewhat are the keys to look at
each pay play, Being able todetermine which guys I need to change up

(02:36:58):
my techniques for uh, being ableto determine what I'm looking at in terms
of before the play and what myteammates need to look at before the play.
I would say, I'm I'm eliteat that and being able to make
those differences each week are a bigthing for me. The movie Some Strength

(02:37:20):
and Conditions n here any speak itsprogram here? Uh, there's a lot
of similarities. Uh. Coach Blueruns a great program and I love everything
that he did for me there.And those guys uh that worked there,
like coach you g you J.So I'm appreciative of how they worked and

(02:37:41):
they did great things there. CoachMick does a great job here. So
I can't really say one's better thanthe other. But Coach MC he's He's
a very intense person. What doyou have, wampas Amart? You know?
What do you? What do youhave? Wumpas important? Oh?
I love the city. I lovebeing around here. I love the feel
of the town. So just beinga part of it is it's a great

(02:38:03):
thing for me a lot. Iexpect us to be one of the best.
I expect us to excel and bebetter than they were last year.
I expect us to be elite.How much do you pick your pass word?

(02:38:28):
Excuse me? Thought is what willthat kids. I mean, I
saw it, but honestly, itwas about me making my own decision.
Uh, me making the decision thatwas best for myself. So I mean,
like, if you're going against TILeague, you're going against high,

(02:38:48):
You're going against you know, theHero and k Mack and these guys.
Now we're getting really good gradable reps. That ways. Off season, he
had a great He had a greatoff season. Uh just all started in
a weight room with Mick. Imean, his his weights up, He's
thick. He's always been an explosiveguy, but playing with a little bit
of power, you know, behindthat, he's learning to do that,

(02:39:11):
you know, in the natural maturation. I mean for all those guys you
talk for him, you talk Imean just his class alone. I mean
you're talking him, you're talking George, you're talking Tiger. Like those guys
are going into year three, that'swhen you really start to figure it out
your body, the speed of thegame, the technique, the fundamentals.
And he's done a good job ofadapting and really growing himself on the pace

(02:39:33):
that you need to for a youngguy. That's you know, coming out
of the fire a little bit.Last year, he talked about like being
at a better weight. Now it'sa better weight, it's real weight close
to three hundred and talks about beingfaster and more confident. Is that where
for a center like was last yearkind of trial by fire for him?
Is it just like how is thatprocess? But not playing at all his
first year starting mitche It's for whetherit's Carson Hensman or you know Johnny Jones,

(02:39:56):
like you get thrust into real repsand the full speed, it's faster
than you've ever seen. And sonow he has that book of work too
that he can look back on,where the understanding of the game, the
understanding of the speed of the game, the intensity. You know, I've
said it a thousand times that hedoesn't get incrementally faster or stronger. The
game mentally slows down for him.So he can use his skill set that

(02:40:18):
way. So what is that we'retalking about. That's his weight, that's
his strength because those numbers are goingup, so he can play with more
pillar strength, he can play morecontact, he can play more comfortable.
Even though his forty time didn't gofrom a five to zero to a four
to eight himself, he just jumpedright in unbelievable job both ways of him

(02:40:41):
just coming in with shelving the egothat he had he really had none and
walking in saying, I'm walking intoa room, as we told him when
we recruit him, like you're cominginto a room a bunch of good dudes,
and then our good dudes are gooddudes. He came in and there
was no it's like, you're here, here's how we do, here's how
we operate, and let's go.And so that learning curve for all those
whether it's a high school media guyor a veteran media guy that transfers in,

(02:41:03):
there's a learning curve there, justyou know, circling back to what
we had natural maturation a little bit, because he's been through a little bit
of spring ball, he's been througha little bit of camps, so you're
still learning new terminology, you're learninga new skill set. But he just
dove right in and wanted to bea sponge and wanted to learn it.
He's doing a good job and he'simproving every day. You know. So
that's what's making the battle and thecompetition all these graded snaps really you know

(02:41:24):
good for us is because they allhave that mindset. So from SETH awesome,
the unit and the group awesome becausethere was no combativeness to it.
It was let's get in, let'sgo, and let's compete and then let
the guys win. Set uh,just learning the same to you all young

(02:41:45):
guys you come in, you gotto learn how to play in friction.
So having you know, three tech, having a two I, having those
guys like right in front of itthat every time you take one of those
reps and you're out of your baseor you're in your base, you feel
the good, you feel the bad. So being more consistent that way,
you know, you can't make movesor shift guys if they're not mentally there.
And so for him, he's gota pretty good football FQ. So

(02:42:05):
he's continued, he's growing every day, he's working and he's getting beat every
day too. And he's learning fromthose you know, so from the springtime,
you know, we have saying inour room where like in the spring
it's yes and it's no, andI know it's K and o W why
didn't the rep work? What happened? And how do I make sure I
don't repeat the same mistake? Andso whether he's coming in and watching the
tape on his own and then comeup with questions he's grabbing me and watching

(02:42:26):
tape with me, or we're comingdoing stuff as a unit. He's learning
so that the same deal of thegame can slow down and he gets more
comfortable there in friction. So Imean he's his weights up, his strengths
up. He's spending off season withMick. You know, there's a lot
of development that still has to behad. Obviously not a finished product,
but being able mentally for a guyto handle that, you know, helps
a lot concern. Similar to Lukea leaner guy. Did you tell him

(02:43:00):
that he paid you to say that? That might be the first time you
ever heard that in his life.No, Now, you know, like
Luke Carson whoever it may be thatthat jump of eighteen to nineteen or nineteen
to twenty year old kid, thatplays a lot into it too. Being

(02:43:22):
in a full year with Mick,I mean all those guys you come in
at midyear, like your Devo andDion and Ian Moore. Right now you're
keeping your head above water. That'syour whole first year. Now you can
actually get and we can sit sowhen you sit and talk about a jam
combo or a lock or whatever thecall may be. To Luke, he
registers that and not like something newbecause then there paralysis by analysis. So

(02:43:45):
I think the mental part, ontop of another year natural maturity of getting
bigger and stronger, that's always gonnahelp. You're not gonna guys here,
They're not gonna regress. It's gonnakeep adding progress. And how fast can
we get that going is what we'reworking on every day with him said that
he had been a guard to thispoint, and Coach Days mentioned it several
times that like, Josh could playguard too, and you guys are trying
to work through that fire he's Imean Josh could play all five. I

(02:44:09):
mean he snapped the ball in highschool. You know, Josh had a
great offseason. But for you,when you're going through a spring and it's
fact finding an experimentation, how muchdo you want to put them in different
spots or not? Because you alsohave an eye on August to try and
settle on a five man rotation.What's the balance that you have to get
a really good gradable set so thateverybody has numbers of you know, just

(02:44:33):
like we said before, how manytimes have we done a run blocking or
pass blocking in this situation, sothat that all evens out. So that's
it's not experimentation. It's just makingsure that you get a good book of
work to look at and grade that. So as we you know, work
guys around the platoons and go justto make sure that everybody gets good gradable
reps. So we can sit backby the end of spring and say,

(02:44:54):
all right, this is you're comparingapples and apples and oranges oranges and not
you know, apples oranges, becausecompletely different that way. So that's kind
of the thought behind that. Asyou're going through the spring. A couple
of years ago, I would yoube here? Office laughed, you know,
but then I said, you know, it's college football, so who

(02:45:15):
knows, right, what's like,I'm you're enjoy Yeah, I mean he
just added to another piece of justgood people here. I mean, you're
still you're coming to work here withguys every day, you know, with
the kids, we talk about aton, but then for us as coaches
and the staff. So adding justanother good dude that's in the room.
Obviously as he says something and youknow he might speak in old terms or

(02:45:39):
terms that we had, you know, maybe be a little bit of a
Rosetta stone, like no, no, this is this. He's like,
yeah, that's right, because that'sthat happens all coaches. That happened to
me when we got here. Atfirst, I was at with the coach
day sometime with Ryan's like, youknow, what do we call this because
he was in a system like thatbefore, and he said, oh,
this is this now. So Ithink just the you know, uh translation
of the Rosettes stone there helped.But just over all standpoint of adding a

(02:46:01):
great guy, that's a great coachthat's been around. That's he's going to
supplement the room. And every timeyou add something new to the room,
then that makes the room better,it makes you individually better. Oh look
how he does that. Maybe Icould do that. Maybe I can bring
that to my meeting room. MaybeI can bring that to communication to the
staff or to the kids or whateverit is. Because he's he's done it
for a long time, and he'sdone at a high level for a long

(02:46:22):
time. So it's good to addthat guy to us and then continues us
the rest of the staff for meand Brian and Key and and and everybody
just learning and growing with that specifically, just I mean does he from a
talent standpoint, does he things sometimesothers don't see? I mean, does
he I mean you know, Imean what does he kind from the chalkboard

(02:46:43):
aspect of things? Well, Imean what you're saying, so what does
he see? It's good to havefresh eyes come in that. Maybe you
know you're getting a routine and youget in a rhythm and then all of
a sudden, game football. Youknow, he's one of those guys is
I think goes into the category it'sforgotten a lot of more football than some
people have learned in their life.But no, his he I believe he

(02:47:07):
coached every position on the field,both sides of Balter's whole career. So
as he looks up and he writeswhen he's talking about, well this will
linebacker is going to do that,then he might have coached that at Columbia,
right, or this is what thethree text going to read on the
down block of a tackle because he'scoached the offensive line and he's been the
coordinator for a long time. Sojust a really good vision of big picture
understanding and you know the next stepand not just being right now, yeah,

(02:47:33):
if he had a theme or whateverthis spring, because obviously this seems
kind of like a how to makeit or breaking time for him, but
the time to step up and stepin. His point was nobody cares.
Nobody cares what you know, whatstruggles do you have or whatever. You
got to go to a field toget the job done. I mean,
it's if you don't anything differently aboutTiger, do you get what do you
see about? Yeah, he's competinghis butt off. I mean, he's

(02:47:54):
kind of living that way. Youknow. That's why we have that the
red line over there when you crossthe line of coach. They talks about
that here like that. It's it'sthe game doesn't care you're off the field.
You got to come out and stepout and do your job. It
doesn't care about anything off the field. Right. That can sound really negative
and harsh, but then it alsoif you just spin your tone like,

(02:48:16):
isn't it beautiful that the game doesn'tcare. It doesn't care that your skin
color, your socioeconomic background, whereyou've come from. If you just want
to do it the right way inthe fifty three and a third, the
game will love you back, youknow. And so I think it's the
approach mentally that guys take that way. So yeah, for Tegra, he's
he's taking that approach like he wantsto come in and be a guy.
So he's fighting and cawing and scratchingevery day. So when he makes a

(02:48:39):
mistake, he's trying to correct it. When he does it, well,
he's trying to enhance it. Andthat's what competitive people do and that's what
he showed up to do. SoI know that's that's good that he said
that the field been like as acenter and it's that difficult when you're coming
in to a new offensive line tohave that or is there something made about
the center position if you've been experiencedit he has where you kind of have

(02:49:01):
that I guess command on the fieldover with any office one, Sorry to
say it over and start over again. You're saying the comfort of center with
who now sat? Okay? Yeah, I'm saying, like, how has
his Higgs command of the field beenand hasn't been difficult? I guess to
adjust for him if he's to havea certain level of on field command,
you know at that center. Yeah, I mean it's on command. It's

(02:49:22):
just great communication getting everybody on thesame page. Yes, having a bunch
of banked reps helps, But thenwhen you do come into a new offense.
Uh, just like we talked,you know with Chip a little bit
earlier. You know, he mighthave called it yellow and we call it
green or something. But when itcame to how to stay is that you
know, the expectation is, yeah, I'm gonna have a report on leads

(02:49:45):
when I think that's just gotten betternow going into the three where you can
really look at it and say,we have veteran players who understand the defensive
understandable position plus feel great after Whatdo you like about Sunny anactor? You
know, it's a it's a changefor Sonny because he's playing in the box,

(02:50:07):
you know, from a low positioninstead of dropping in, so things
happen a lot faster. But youknow, he he's reacted superbly. I
mean he's uh, he's a guywho's got football intelligence. He understands the
scheme. Played a lot of physicians. I think he's gonna be great because
one of the biggest uh parts ofbeing a linebacker is you have to know

(02:50:31):
every all the pieces around you.Say, you can play fast and uh,
Sonny's showing a lot of that inthe first two days. The spots
where you stay Yeah, I feelit's it's permanent. But you know,
in terms of face and and nickelpackaging, you know it's permanent. But

(02:50:56):
there may be other things where he'llstill have multiplicity. You know, there's
gonna be packaging. Who gives aneed to climb back at this level?
Is that what we do? Youknow, just just for me into a
listen to the pretty five pounds nowor give him to be ponies as time's
your home how Steve Imans, Yeah, a little bit of both. I
mean, anytime you make a move, you wanted to be right for the

(02:51:18):
player and for the you know,the defense and the team. And I
think that fit up naturally. Youknow, Sonny. Sonny had to uh
fight to stay lean as a DVand now he now you know, he
gets to eat you know, andand and uh and but I think it
worked out for both of us.I say, line kind of just kind

(02:51:39):
of stop. Well, you knowwhen you when you when I first met
him, or when I first gothere. You know, I think that
everybody talks about you know, he'sgonna be a linebacker he's gonna be a
linebacker, but I really wanted tosee him at safety first. That's what
he wanted to do, That's whatI wanted to see. You know.

(02:52:01):
I felt long term in my visionfor him that playing safety early in his
career was going to give him abetter perspective of the defense. You know,
had Malcolm Rodriguez who was with theLions at Oklahoma State. Now he's
about half a sunny size, buthe started as a safety and when he

(02:52:22):
became a linebacker, he understood thingsa lot better. So my vision for
Sonny was to, you know,start him out of safety and then eventually
move him down. How was CJHicks doing? And CJ and and Sonny
competing for the same spot and generallyspeaking, yeah, I mean, you
know, part of the time theyare you know, part of the time

(02:52:45):
we'll have all three of them onthe field with coach, so there's balance
there and that they're competing, andthey also could be in the same package.
But CJ's got a great attitude.You know, I've always felt that
CJ has a lot of pressure onhim, you know, being from Ohio,
but he's coachable and he understands growthand our plans for hit him,

(02:53:07):
and he's got a great attitude andgay powers. Where's he at his third
year probably And I think you didn'tsee it because he didn't play a lot
in the games, but in ouropinion game, you know, the second
half of the season, what wesee in practices, it's probably one of
the most complete guys he really was. So he made a huge jump second

(02:53:31):
half of the season in terms ofwhat he was doing in practice and when
he got into the game, ahuge jump, you know. So I
feel like he is a guy thatis going to compete. He's a guy
that's gonna be ready. You know. I feel like he's made tremendous improvements
and we can start to count onhim. Are you looking at just to
Will right now? Or is hea guy that's moving around to the Taj's

(02:53:54):
moving around too, you know.So, know, you get into a
three linebacker package, you know,Sonny and Cody and c J. You're
you're pretty good right but now,but you can't just have one guy.
So you know, the Sonny's notthere at the sam, then CJ's got
to know how to play it too, you know, so that you can

(02:54:18):
play gave in and Mike and Codycan play well, you know, and
you still have a great line up, so you always have to plan for
you know, Okay, we'll startout this way, but who's who's in
next? So CJ has to knowboth positions too. Yeah, are y'all
still a four two five defense?How would you? I mean? Yeah,
we're still fortune five? Yeah,no, absolutely absolutely, we're still

(02:54:41):
for two five, but multiple multipledeployments at times, you know, we
can be four three. But yeah, you still got Sonny, right,
so now you got Yeah, yougot Sonny at a sam backer who's who's
has experienced playing safe, you knowwhat I mean. So that that that

(02:55:01):
really creates more multiplicity. How doesit help you do your job now that
you have a full time linebacker's coachand take one of Yeah, it's uh,
you know, just having James initiallylast year was a big bonus because
of his experience and and the wayhe works with the players. He's a
lot nicer to them than I am. You know, the last year it

(02:55:24):
was good cop, bad cop.You know, now the bad cops left
the room. So I'm sure theplayers love it, you know, Sea,
I think the defense when you lookat the defensive line and feel settled?
What in the secondary good feel settled? I think outside looking at this
spot, what what's their what?You know? The make you a question
on home mark? You that havethe right guys to make that week started

(02:55:50):
in the millions. Yeah, reallycompliment. I think adding sunning it into
that makes a guy who's got alot of experience, a lot of playing
time, you know, that reallybolsters that position in that room. So
I'm confident in what we have there. Cody Simon, you know, is
a guy who we think is goingto be great and he's bearing a leader

(02:56:11):
of the defense, so I thinkit'll be a strength. You know.
Yeah. R Vel. You know, we kind of experimented with r Vel
at the the end last year alittle bit, and uh, you know,
I keep getting asked, you know, can he be a linebacker?

(02:56:31):
Can he be a linebacker? AndI think he's gonna be a great linebacker.
You know, he just needs growthand learning. So I would like
to just continue to grow off rVel mentally in football intelligence, you know,
at the linebacker position. So willthere be a role for him this

(02:56:52):
year? I don't know, becausehe is so athletic, you know,
he's a guy you kind of lookat and say, I can do different
things with you know when we getto the season. You know, that's
a guy you can always create somethingfor that doesn't involve as much thinking,
you know, so he can justgo. But out here, I want
to keep growing him as a linebackerbecause his time will come. As far

(02:57:15):
as the jacket, yeah, Imean it's it's it's always there, you
know. I'd like to get itin this spring. You know, we
didn't used it, dabbled in atyear one, didn't use it last year.
It's always in our package, youknow, so at some point we'd
like to get to it just tokind of keep it fresh. Jamie look

(02:57:37):
like Regis Charles, what do youlike to dover there? Size sport.
Yeah, he's got great speed,you know, it's good size. It's
just that he looks like a nickel. You know, his skills are his
skills are like a nickel. Soyou know he's still learning. But you

(02:57:58):
saw Jordan make just cement tremendous progresswith that last year. So we gotta
we gotta bring Lorenzo on that teamthis year. So you kind of came
up there with Mike, don't.Yeah, Hero really flashed last year at

(02:58:20):
times when you go back and watchthe film. So, uh, the
fact that we play a lot ofrushman, I mean, that's a that's
a guy who's who used to havea good thing for us because he's gonna
be uh, he's gonna be nextman there, you know. And you
know with a guy like Hero,if he starts to really come along,

(02:58:41):
you know, you start to lookat some you know, double egle type
of packaging. You know. Mythoughts are you know, with the with
Jack and j T. You knowthat at some point I want to train
them as outside linebackers. You know, so if you got Hero, Thie

(02:59:01):
League and Tie and you get toyou can get to more of you know,
uh, you know, five fiveguys, five d linemen in the
game, you know, with trainingguys like Jack and and j T and
Kiyata, you know, you know, it's just kind of in my thoughts
like if we're strong inside those thoseguys can become more multiple, you know,

(02:59:26):
and I think it's techniques and thingsthat they can use when they get
to the next level. So that'skind of been my thoughts too. Expound
on that a little bit. You'resaying Jack and JT. Possibly with that
outside linebacker concept. What exactly wouldwell, you know, you're always looking
to get the best eleven on thefields, right, So when when you
look at a twelve personnel set,you say, okay, I got you

(02:59:52):
know, Sonny, Cody and cJ with with before down you know,
you know, could we have anothercomponent with you know, Jack and j
T and and three tackles and Codyand Sonny or Cody and c J.
You know, I think you knowwho's gonna be Who's gonna be the best
eleven you know against bigger sets?Could it possibly be hero, you know,

(03:00:18):
versus having a third linebacker? Couldit be three tackles? You know,
that's in my thoughts. We haven'tinstalled that yet, but but I
I'd like to get to that justto see. And like I said,
I feel like with those guys,uh, the more they know of how
to really be an outside linebacker better, it's gonna help them when they get

(03:00:43):
to the next the next level.So it's something I'd like to do for
them to Yeah, I expect.I mean Lathan was Nathan very good progress,
you know, always loved the wayhe played, his attitude of physicality.

(03:01:07):
First year, you know he hadsome eye violations. You know he
was he was improving on that untilhe got hurt, so you know,
he goes down. I'd say theresponsibility is, you know, first and
foremost to lead by example. Ican sit there and I can say all
the things that I want to say. I talk up a storm. At

(03:01:31):
the end of the day, yougotta just you gotta work the work you
got to do, puture supposed todo. And I think that's gonna ultimately
lead guys in the right direction.So that's just the thing that I can
kind of take it on the mostis just lead by example. Yeah,
okay, Well the quick I'm aflying standpoint and me like, we had
a good year last year. Imean here, I mean if we if

(03:01:52):
you look back on the opposition,how far have you come in that realm?
Yeah, I've came along live.It's it's a very it's I'd argue
to say tight end is probably themost developmental position on the field. It
takes a long time to get aroundto. It takes a lot of work.
Yeah, I think it's a fullprocess. It's not something that it's
a winner turnaround or a six monthturnaround. You come in here trying to

(03:02:13):
catch it on the fly and somethingthat takes a lot of time and attention.
I'm just thankful for, you know, my great, great coaching staff
and the great unit around me.Guys you back then starting off with you
know roup those guys to kid,I think there's been a great example for
the way they're supposed to attack,blocking and being a tight end here out
of Ohio State. And I've beenjust you know, thankful to be able
to have that example. He fellaway. What are you wait now?

(03:02:35):
Forty where? What's for? What'sit been like when you have one?
Yeah, what's been great? He'sbeen good. Is somebody that's came in
humble and is ready to work.That's that's been like the only words that
I have from not not a minuteof just like many words, but he's
here to get up here to workand he's done just that. And I'm
just we're glad to have you learneda lot at stuck walking or just kind

(03:02:58):
of going like I know you guyswere sorry Bill you missed more guy anything,
but also that's what you know,you guys learn a little bit,
you guys mark a little bit walking. Yeah, I think essentially that's the
that's the culture of our room iswhen we come offtball violent, we're just
looking as swing as hard as wecan. We'll clean up your details out
and so that's kind of our mindsetgoing into it. And uh, yeah,

(03:03:20):
you pretty you're from blocking? Howlord do you people like to know
that you still be a receiver?So you're in reality, like you know
you're block? What're you going todo it? Like? How hard is
it to kind of change the moreaction what you want? I know you
guys don't pay attest to like outsidenoise, but also block. People say
you Scott like text but really prettygood from walking too. Yeah, I'd

(03:03:43):
say it starts off with like you'vekind of got to It starts off with
tuning out with the outside noise andwhat and what other people have to say
about it, And it's really grewup the mindset. I kind of look
at it as it's like a dropin the bucket. You know, if
I got a big bucket, there'sno one thing I'm gonna do to to
make this bucket full. It's it'sa daily thing where I put one dropoder
today and you look back over ayear, two years, three years,

(03:04:03):
you look back and be like,man, I've gotten a lot better.
And so, like I said,I'm just very thankful for the unit,
the guys that I had around.You pushed me very hard, but I'm
just thankful you mentioned that with thatpars harder today. What was the best
challenging part of you to me?Fello thing is to the what it were
said, Yeah, I'd say definitelythe size component. You know, you
can't you got to be someone that'syou know one, you got to be

(03:04:26):
big, you gotta be strong,you got to be fast. There's a
lot of jobs that I'll do.It's a very asking job. You need
to bought the big some of thebiggest guys in the field, but also
run routes off some of the smallestguys in the field. And so I
think it just thankful just to beout here and do exactly that. What
was it like to get that shotthe other day front of the pro scouts,
you know, just run routes kitsballs, Oh yeah, show off.

(03:04:48):
Yeah. No, it was agood opportunity. I think some of
the big you know, reasoning behindit was just kind of giving those guys
out there that we're at Podavia Limitednumbers, So just get out there and
give those guys a breather. Butneed the opportunity to get to go out
there in front of scouts. Ithink that's a it's a pretty good deal.
And your take on the quarterbacks tothis point, the quarterback battle is
going on. What what? What'sspending Your take on Will for example,
we'll get to know him. Yeah, and then of course David, I

(03:05:11):
think the mindset that we embody aroundhere is ironing shoppering iron, and so
that's kind of like it's not justyou know, one room, it's from
top to bottom throughout this whole team. No matter what position you are,
we're here to work and I thinkwe're all here to make each other better.
Whether it's in a cornerback room andtighten room, we' running back room
offense for his defense, coach forhis coach, doesn't matter. We're all
just you know, iron and shoppingiron. Especially this time of year in
spring ball, we're not doing toomuch game planning for next week, which

(03:05:35):
we're really just spending this time toget better and hil just build a good
foundation for ourselves. It's something towork on moving forward. If you've seen
Will, Will Howard fitting in moreand more is the practices have gone on,
you know, getting the note ofthe body and all that kind I
mean, I always been beenner fora while. Yeah, No, I
think I think that time. Ithink as times goes, no matter where
you are, you start to adaptand you start to get used to the

(03:05:56):
what we got going on here.And so it's good to have him.
Thanks. Yeah, when you camein, what's it been like? Yeah?
And puts Yeah, I'd say whenit comes to that, I think

(03:06:18):
it's all the glory to the Lord. And I decided to give my life
completely to the Lord a little overa year ago, and that kind of
really changed my outlook on the waythat I approach in football. It's no
longer something that I idolize. It'sjust something that I do. And I
think from the time of my lifewhere I stopped, you know, compartmentalizing
who God was in my life.God wasn't just something that I do on
Sundays or something that I do ina Bible study. It was something.

(03:06:39):
It went from what I do towho I am. And so now I
embody that is who I am,and so some of the fruits of the
spirit is peace, patience, andkindness. And so those are kind of
the things that I've started to doembody on this on this journey. I
think it's easy to kind of compartmentalizefootball away from faith, but ultimately it's
all one. It's all one.So it's given me a spirit of patience,

(03:07:00):
peace and enjoy with the guys aroundme. And so I'm just I'm
thankful. I'm thankful to be here. But just being quite honest, I
just I know for a fact,I wouldn't be where I'm at right now.
And I know an outside looking inyou know, asked like, you
know, where are you right now? But I wouldn't be where I'm at,
you know, right now if itwasn't for my you know, relationship
with the Lord untually came into mylife and you know he changed around for

(03:07:22):
the body. Gee, what didyou see from Bennett Christian last year?
How did you know that suspension andhow did you work through about who we
are? Yeah? I think hedid a great job. A lot of
perseverance. I think that's no matterwho you are, you kind of hear
news like that that are gonna beout for a year. That's hard no
matter where you are one thing.I'm really proud of him because he you
know, he came up and hecame to show up every single day,

(03:07:43):
and he got better. He gotbetter. The easy thing to do in
that kind of situation is to throwin the towel and be like, man,
you know, you know, forgetthis, or you know, I'll
get better next year. But Isaw the drive at him, one thing
I seen out of him. Everyday he showed up, he got better,
and I'm proud of Bennett. I'mproud of this unit. Last question
is like you said, you knowwork, I mean, yeah, I

(03:08:11):
don't know. I don't really knowhow to answer that question, because if
you go from one unit to anotherunit, the moment you trade units,
you're no longer in the unit youwere initially in. So you're you're now
a tight end. And so Imean to answer that question, I think
the time that I went from inthe receiver that approaches things. I love
the way the questions he asks.I love the way he makes mistakes and

(03:08:31):
then correct mistakes. Uh, it'svery veteran, like I mean, there's
so much ball he has to learn, Like he literally does things that are
good. I'm like, do youknow what 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 then you know, the consistency at
which it works just goes to theroof. And so but I'm very you

(03:08:52):
know, excited and proud of theconversations we're currently having, and I'm exciting
for them to keep going, likea part for you working with I love
working with Chip Chip is. Ilove the talking ball, I love the
viewpoints, I love I love theveteran that he has, you know.

(03:09:18):
Uh and uh, I love nowlike I love all of it. I
think that you know, early onthe biggest impact, you know, just
you know, feeling perspective. Ithink in the run game has been awesome,
you know, and then you know, off of the run game some
of the actions or or relief throwsor all that kind of stuff. I
love where it's at. I loveworking with them, and I would say

(03:09:48):
that I settle better all right.Uh No, It's it's really a great
combo because like you know, we'reobviously we're in a lot as a group.
It's not just Chip and I.So but you know, obviously Chip
has an image and a view onthings that I never had. So to

(03:10:09):
have that experience and to have thatviewpoint, I'm just trying to absorb as
much as i can, but thenalso highlight some things that we've really done
a good job of and make surethose you know, nothing's really changing.
We're just trying to enhance. We'renot changing, We're enhancing. So where
the things fit is perfect. Youknow, I think, uh, you
know, the rest of the dynamicsand search chip can talk about. But

(03:10:31):
it's been it's been awesome, SoI'm excited about it. You talked to
him, that guy you just talkingabout moving from slot to the outside.
You know how good he's been inthe shot. Is that a difficult move
for you guys just coaches to knowhow good a guy is in on one
spot, but know that maybe forhis long term future and the the No.

(03:10:52):
I wouldn't say it's anything on hisfuture, because he's capable of doing
whatever you want to get done.But I'd say that it says more about
the room. I think it's it'sthe growth of you know, Brandon and
the growth grow of Bryson that's reallyyou know, allowing my mind to say,
hey, Mech, be prepared.You're gonna move around a lot.
You're gonna come out of that slot. You're gonna be outside. We're gonna

(03:11:13):
create mismatches out there. I mean, his ability to move around is critical.
But I would say between Mech andbetween Carnell Takes's ability to move around
a lot, it's gonna provide alot of flexibility for our room and uh
and those top you know, sixseven guys that are really doing a good
job right now. Progress this springfor like a because yeah, there's no
time to think. It's one ofthose things. I'm sure when U has
balanced how much the work does aneed versus too much? Yeah, heavy,

(03:11:37):
heavy emphasis on what work he needs, you know, versus anything else.
Uh. I rely on him.We have great dialogue back and forth.
It's a two way to it's atwo way conversation. And uh,
frankly, there's gonna be times we'relike, hey, Mech, what do
you wanna do today? You wannago outside and you'n go inside 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

(03:11:58):
ready to start mixing things up.I would say there's got I mean,

(03:12:18):
I make sure I bring in guysthat are able to do all, but
I have not asked them to yet. So the only guys that in our
room currently I've asked to do thathas been Mecca and Carnell, and those
are probably the two guys that Iwould, you know, think heavily on
doing moving around a lot. I'mnot putting that on anybody else right now,
not saying they can't, but atthis point, having two guys be

(03:12:39):
able to swing, you probably don'tneed much more than that. I need
guys being experts at what they're goodat, so it it helps the offense.
Don't be great at everything and bean expert at something and we can
use that to our to our advantage, may have more situational The room's always
different, frankly, I mean fromtwenty eighteen and then nineteen and through COVID

(03:13:03):
and and those guys, and andthen the depth of those guys and then
where Mec and Marvin and those guyswere as freshmen compared to you know,
It's just it's always different, anduh, I expect this one to be
different again, I'm not sure atwhat level yet. Last question, your
relationship between the TV room and yourrest, especially you know bad. I'm
curious, yeah, Debt as aleader just like you, you know,

(03:13:26):
played at Ohio Intel Experience, andI'm curious about how you've seen Tim kind
of build different mart backs and especiallyon the recree tell the amount of successful
you guys and maybe kind of theeffective you're recruit How that's kind of been
answer He would probably know more forthat question than I would, but I
would say that, yeah, weobviously feel work. Hello everybody, Darius

(03:13:48):
Robinson, University of Missouri. Ijust want to thank mister Bill will Mont
to coach Gannon for this amazing opportunity. I'm glad to be here with Marvin
Harrison right next to me, soI peel great. I'm really excited and
I'm excited for this journey. Seefifteen here in town. Marvin, when

(03:14:22):
did you know the Cardinals were goingto select you? Did you know before
they called or was there an agreementin place before? No, I did
not know until I got that phonecall from 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

(03:14:46):
get a message from the franchise quarterbackand what kind of thoughts have you had
about teaming up with this guy inthe near future. Yeah, yes,
sirs, be great. You alwayswant to support and love from your quarterback
and to cause a great player soexcited to play with him, and it's
gonna be my to make his jobeasier. Darius Darren Urban from Ezycardinals dot
com. I know that a lotof players these days aren't sticking in one

(03:15:09):
school, uh for a long time, And you did it for five years.
I mean even Marvin did it forthree Like what what went behind that?
And why was it meaningful for youto stay at one school? Yes,
at Missouri, you know, wehad some tough seasons, but we
were really built with an edge energy, details good in emotional consistency, and
I just found myself just trying togrow and get better each year and also

(03:15:31):
as a team, you know,win more games each year. And that
was my that was my home,I was my family. I was blessed
to you know, get two degreesas well off the field, and I
just love missou two degrees. Wow, Marvin, Bob Mcbob McMahon and Arizona
Republic. Congratulations. Thank you toboth of you. You're known as all

(03:15:52):
business, and I want to knowhow that's going to serve you well in
this league. From personal standpoint,your brand, everything you do on a
daily preparation, there's a lot thatgoes into being all business. Tell me
what that is to you. Yeah, I mean that's just being a pro.
It's called and raised and grew upto do and keep the same mindset,

(03:16:13):
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'm lookingforward to putting the work. Hey Marvin
Josh Wayne for ESPN, what werethe best pieces of advice your dad gave
you about being an NFL player?I mean, yeah, it takes a
lot of work, a lot ofpreparation. You know, from Monday to

(03:16:35):
Saturday, it's all work, andthen 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, as
Rieka benefits. Hey, Darius Howard, Ballzer from cards wire. I can't
help but notice that ring on yourfinger. Is that a cotton bowl ring?
Yes, it is the cotton youshowed it tomorrow, Ben very quick,

(03:17:00):
No, I just I was tellingMarma. You know he was glad
he didn't play. The whole weekleading up. You know, you see
Ohio State. Everybody said, okayMarvin Harrison and now he's going players to
go play. He didn't play,so you know we lucked out. So
hey, Marvin Paul KELBC Cardinals Broadcasting, do you believe that receivers have to

(03:17:20):
earn the trust for their quarterback?And if so, what does that usually
require? Absolutely, you got toearn the trust of the quarterback. And
think it starts, you know,every day in practice and being consistent.
Really and you can't just do itone day, can't you do it for
one week? Has to be youknow, done over and over and over
again. I think that's how trusthas earned. So no matter where you
get picked, when you're first receiverit's round seven, doesn't really matter,

(03:17:43):
have to go and earn trust forthe quarterback, your coaches, your teammates.
So it all starts in practice.What's going on, guys, Good
to see again Tyler Drake, there'sno sports systems for Darius. What's the
feeling of just being able to representyour school as that first round pick and
what the impact can that have forthose guys following in your footsteps. Yeah,
it's awesome. I feel like I'msetting the standard going forward. But

(03:18:05):
that's the name of Zoo is knownas Delon Zoo, so I'm just added
to the family. But now Ifeel like I'm setting the standard for my
younger teammates that this is attainable ifyou work really hard, be consistent,
and really gets your strength coach.I feel like every program is built off
the stremp coach and that develops allthe habits on and off the field.
Darius zach ERSHMANEZI Cardinals dot Com.Right over here, JG mentioned that he

(03:18:28):
loves the violence that you play with. You mentioned the different tendencies that you
picked up. The emotional consistency isthe great. How do you balance that
the violence with discipline on the field. Honestly, just through preparation and practice.
I'm a big guy. I'm abig believer in inside hands, so
that's why I'm always working my handplacement and then I lift weight, so

(03:18:48):
you know that's all connected. SoI'm just trying to be focused on my
technique as much as possible. Hey, Marvin over here, David Brown or
the Associated Press. You know,a lot of rookies come into the league
and they get a little bit ofleeway. It's like, oh, he's
young, he needs to grow andstuff like that. But obviously you're gonna
be expected to be the guy herereally quickly. How do you deal with

(03:19:11):
that pressure? How do you goabout just so much being expected of you
so quickly? I mean, yeah, I have high standards for myself,
but I'm just gonna go in thereand try to work, you know,
the best I can. I justwant to help the team win really so
without that role I play, youknow, come September, let me just
do my best do that role.This one's for both of you guys.

(03:19:31):
The fans want to know who youguys are on the inside. I don't
know how much you're willing to revealto us today. A lot would be
nice. Could you tell us whatyou like to do away from football,
what pisses you off about things,and you know, what what makes you
roll. I'm pretty simple, likeyou know, be in my apartment,

(03:19:54):
watch the movie. If I goout and I go to a restaurant,
get some food, but other thanthat, I may do too much.
And then I'm pretty easy going guys, so try to nothing bother me too
much. Yeah, i'd 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 masterand Positive Culture with mcs FLA leadership.

(03:20:18):
So just thinking about being well rounded. And then I do philanthropy work.
I started my own nonprofit foundation,Darius Robinson Helping Hands Foundation. But really
just football and then everything else.Honestly, congratulations, guys, Welcome to
the Valley. I'm Robbie Baker withFox ten. Darius. This is for
you. After the draft last night, you had a great response about how

(03:20:41):
your process and preparing for a game. Just kind of wondering where your love
for kind of the grind comes from, and then your love for that process
comes from. I would say myjunior year because I played Little league ball
off and on. But I gotmy junior year and I was playing high
school and my whole goal is justto earn a scholarship. But during that
process, I really fell in lovewith the game, fell in love with
working out relationships with teammates, andnow it's kind of like my advice and

(03:21:03):
I can't let it go and justkind of finding ways to always get better,
you know. Luke g Linting herewith twelve Sports, Congrats both of
you walking into the valley. Thisone's for you, Marvin. I'm curious
your thoughts or what was that conversationlike with your dad after your name was
called and you were able to bedrafted by this organization and how surreal is
it for you to be followed onyour own father's footsteps but in your own

(03:21:24):
way. Yeah, I mean itwas very brief. Actually, just in
the second graduations, I walked upto the stage and then I had to
do a bunch of interviews after words. So I don't think it's hit both
of us yet. I don't knowwhat's happened. I think, you know,
one of Michaels always make him proud, so I hope I did that.
Marvin bo Brock, pH and XSports. When do you anticipate catching

(03:21:46):
your first passes from Kyler? Murray, I don't know. I don't know.
I guess we'll see and hopefully assoon as possible. Darius, you
mentioned philanthropy, and I know there'sbeen it's been talked about how you took
some of the NIL money to doget back to school for the kids in
Colombia. Where where did that beliefin doing those things come from? I

(03:22:07):
say my family, my brother andmy mom really instilled that into me and
to me at a young age.Just give back your blessings to others.
In my fifth year at Missou isthe best year of my life, So
why would I not share my blessingswith others. So that's what really motivated
me to do that. And nowbeing in the NFL, you know my
goals to do three events each year. I just give back because you know,

(03:22:28):
it's life outside of football and biggerblessings out there. Marvin, you
obviously played with a number of highlydrafted receivers at Ohio State. What sort
of feedback if you've gotten about theNFL from them and you know, a
boy making the transition in the leagueitself. Yeah, it's a long season,
I think, going from in atwelve game record season, you have
in college to was it seventeen gamesnow and you got three preseason? I

(03:22:50):
feel just the biggest challenge the gamestags of thing obviously never all skilled and
very talented athletes, So the mentalpart is probably the biggest thing and the
biggest change from the college to prosMarvin, what's your timeline for hiring an
agent? Right over here on theway far right, you haven't hired an
agent? Why is that? Isthere a timeline to hiring one? And

(03:23:11):
are you gonna sign the NFLPA licensing? I think the taddle on this team
is really good too, and Ithink that I can come in here and
make a big difference, you know, and we can win a lot of
football games, you know. Sothat was my That was part of my
decision. Your achilles could How toughwas that? How long did it take?

(03:23:33):
Are you at now? I'm onehundred percent now And it was like
a walk in the park. It'slike a sprained ankle, you know.
It was very easy, you know, because I had the knee. The
knee was pretty hard, you know, and the achilles was I would say
it's easy, you know, justbecause that's just my mentality, and it
was it was prett easy to me. But you know, I've had these

(03:23:56):
injuries and it's been storm like thepast. That's two years, you know,
having having like good, great games. The next thing, you know,
I heard and then you know,so got got the injury prone out
there, you know. But Ithink the storm is over with, you
know, you know, and Ithink I'm I'm gonna gonna take off now,
you know, and there will beno setbacks and the injury prone thing

(03:24:20):
will be gone out of the windowagain. Yep, Oh, say you're
gonna be back. I am.I am excited. You know. He
does a lot of great things,and he's a great person, and we
have a great relationship. It's gonnabe it's gonna be a fun year.
We're gonna have a lot of fun. We're gonna do a lot of great
things. So I can't wait herewaiting. The injuries you've had? Does

(03:24:45):
that just bad luck? Is everyIs there anything you've been attributed to behind
just misfortune? Yeah? It's justunfortunate, you know. But God has
a plan always, you know,I don't know what the plan exactly is,
you know, I don't know,but whatever plan it is, it's
for me to be here. Youknow, I had a great rookie year.

(03:25:09):
I didn't really have the volume asother people my rookie year, but
I still had a great rookie year. Six yards of carry, you know
things like that. I think itwas like nine touchdowns, ten including the
playoffs. And so there's always beenlike, all right, guy, let
me show my talent shine a littlebit. Like even when I had the
knee. So I had the knee, right, A lot of people don't

(03:25:30):
know, like I didn't get hurtagain whenever I got you know, got
cleaned up. So I went downin twenty one, right, had the
injury, the knee injury, andthen came back later the next year,
and I played the first few gamesand it just feel there was a lot
of scars issue in there. SoI had to get it cleaned up.
I didn't get hurt again. Icould have played the whole year, but

(03:25:50):
I got it cleaned up so Ican feel like me. And so after
I got that cleaned up, thefirst two games back from the injury,
I had over one hundred and twentyyards rushing right, and then went on
had great, great ending of theyear, you know, one hundred total
yards in the playoff game we lost, which I hate the most. Stays,
don't marry me. I don't wantto win. But then come back

(03:26:11):
the next year hurt again like tornachilles. So two really unfortunate injuries.
But that's just God's plan, youknow. And I think that the storm
is now over, you know.And I do think that I'll be able
to shine my light to the wholeworld. Are you concerned that you have
that label you can't stand the three? I could care less because I do.

(03:26:33):
I do. I know this outthere because as it should be,
it should be. I got hurttwo major injuries back or not back to
back years. But you know,so I haven't been on the field as
much as I should. That's true, that is true. But it's not
like I'm having these little little dinkyinjuries and sitting out. It's something I

(03:26:54):
can't control, literally, So that'swhy I'm not bothered by like, yeah,
I am injury polling. You couldsay that, you know, But
I do think that the Chargers aregetting a guy that's going to be healthy
from now on, you know,God willing, and it's gonna be great.
And I do think that it's gonnabe It's gonna be a great However,
many years here when you've been onthe field, you've been highly an

(03:27:16):
adopted. Yeah, five pointy yearsfor very average for your career. Like
knowing that when you're out there you'revery adopted, how much confidence does that
give you? That really all youneed is the opportunity all the confidence in
the world. You know, theway I work. I wouldn't say just
from the numbers, but just theway I work, my work ethic,
you know, and my relationship withJesus is like I have the most confidence

(03:27:39):
when I step out there because Ido know, like if he grants me
the health, it's overwight, isit. I don't think I will be
you know, I think it willbe a great year or whatever a couple
of years. However, many yearshe grants me great health, you know.
And I think just the work ethic, my prayer and all that stuff,

(03:28:00):
that's what helped me have that confidence. With the numbers will be there,
and they they might be higher afterthis year, you know what I'm
saying. And it's crazy to thinkabout because I had six or six yards
per carry, you know. Sowe'll see. You're looking forward to the
running behind this line they put together. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
I played with Bradley, I playedwith him. You know, I know

(03:28:20):
the Slater, I know all theI know all the guys you know,
and I'm excited. I think it'slike I said earlier, it's a talented
group. You know, we justgot to put together win some games.
Cause that's what I came here fora part of year. Or I wouldn't.
I wouldn't say part of the recruitment. But like whenever I decided I
was gonna sign, it was greatto have him in the room. What's
your relationship, Yeah, we're great. We're we have a great relationship.

(03:28:45):
That's he's like my brother. SoI think a compliment each other very well.
You know, he can do alot of stuff too. You know,
we got a lot of people thinkhe's just power power, power,
But I think he has some otherpart of his game too, which it'll
be great because I feel like Icould do everything and when one get tired,

(03:29:05):
we can roll it in. Wekeep rolling win some games. So
when you the two of you getgoing, well, how do you think
that's gonna look for? What wouldlike? What will be that partnership?
Kind of back there, I know, that's a hard question. How do
I think I think it'll look beautiful. You know a lot of people call
it a passing league, but Ithink you gotta run the ball to win

(03:29:28):
the super Bowl. You know,if you look at the team to win
the Super Bowl, they can runthe ball, they can control the clock,
and so if we're both good,it'll look great, beautiful. How
would you describe the Gregor running theoffense? I would I would describe it
as, you know, a greatoffense. I think he gives a quarter

(03:29:48):
he's gonna give the quarterback a lotof options. He's gonna give the running
back a lot of options. He'sgonna give the receiver a lot of options,
you know, and I think it'llbe I think it's gonna be great.
His offense is going to be amazing. When we talked to him,
and you know, I was like, why you man will build something give
rushing offenses throughout your career, youknow every where you've been and you said
that one part of it is justyou gotta call place. You got a

(03:30:11):
call run place. As a runningback, you know, how much confidence,
how much excitement does it give youwhen you know you have a play
caller that's gonna stick with it andallow you and the offensive lineman to get
into resident. Gives me a lotof excitement. You know, it's gonna
be Like I said, it's funto play at his offense, you know,
and I think he does have somegood things in the past game too,

(03:30:31):
But like you said, he stickswith the run, and that's that's
the identity you You want an offensethat has an identity, right, you
won't be looking everywhere else to findyour your identity. You want to have
it. And so I think hisoffense has that, and the guys he
builds and puts in there, itcomplements that identity. So I think it's
gonna be great. You mentioned yourone hundred percent now, so you'll be

(03:30:54):
full go for portraying him. That'specsation. 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 stuff above my prey
pay grade. So but I don'tknow. Hopefully I can start. I

(03:31:18):
think I'm ready to start, youknow, 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'vebeen in some great organizations, and I
think this this organization is a greatorganization, and the training staff is great,
and so they just want what's bestfor me, you know, and

(03:31:43):
they're they're taking care of me,which that'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, somaybe sometime I'm blind to you know,
the danger of something, you know, So I appreciate it. But like
I said, if it's up tomediyah, I'm out there. But never

(03:32:05):
know, with any frustration for youduring the heading into free agency, you
know, dealing with with rehab andnot you know, having won a full
season tape or production out there,was there any part of that where you're
like, God, wish you know, had hit the open market with a
different situation. You know. Nah, I like it. I like,
how would I say this? Ilike it the hard way, but not

(03:32:33):
you know, I like it thehard way. I like it. I
like trial and tribulations. So Imean the dice that I was given the
role was I was coming off ofour Achilles and that was that was the
lowest plan. So it was beautyin that, Like I was comfortable.

(03:32:54):
I was caught like there was multipleteams, you know, I wasn't.
It wasn't like I didn't have anyother team. But I was comfortable in
sitting back and just I think it'slike you know how to write, like
when you use your right hand andyou know how your handwriting should look.
But it's about taking the reps tomake sure matches, I guess, you
know, so just taking the repsto get back to that. I think

(03:33:18):
it's all what it is. Imean, obviously, like he's one of
my biggest supporters, you know,so obviously you know he's he's he's excited
about the opportunity for me, youknow, so I'm excited about it.
Oh a lot. He helped mea lot, even from like the first
day, just trying to help meget used to to write tackle. He

(03:33:41):
got my feet used to write tackle, like my first day practice. I'm
like, dude, I still feelhe feel a little off, I don't
feels balanced to my stands, andhe showed me the small technique and to
do with my feet, which Istill do even even thot left tackle just
canus part of my routine. Thatwas part of my process and getting in
my stands. So stuff like thatthat he taught me from day one and

(03:34:05):
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 him on the West side,
how bittersweet is it in a certainmatters because what happened to him, Yeah,
that's the thing. That's not how. It's definitely how I And that's

(03:34:26):
how I thought about the transition willgo. You know, I thought it
would be you know, Homeson timingat a cardinal his whole career. You
know, you know you want toplay here forever, you know what I
mean. When I was talking abouthis plans, so you know, you
you wish transitions like one of thosefairy tale like to your time. But

(03:34:52):
but again, either way, youknow, we talked about it. You
know that that's that's the how goes, you know, but obviously you know
he's he's been one of my biggestsupporters. Again, I affect that everybody
leads in their own way, youknow, not everybody's. The guys come
around scuse like that's not everybody,right, Like I felt for me,

(03:35:13):
that's me specifically on game day withthe O line and after we do one
on one like that's my like,well Hump did like that's my like big
vocal time. I feel like I'vetalked to Hump about this, you know,
just recently talking about how what Iwant to do for the room is

(03:35:33):
I want to bring that Hump energythat he brought right so last year.
Of course some traits have been doingit for years, but the year when
I spent on, he brought alot of the energy and excitement and the
happiness in the room was just hisnatural energy to where I only had to
focus on me, you know,I didn't have to make sure other other

(03:35:58):
guys are, you know, feelsome type of way when they came in
here because Hump brought that. Butout of Hump's not here, but I
saw what he did for the room. I want to be that guy to
make sure everyone's amped to go topractice. Everybody's hype. Weren't taking the
field team one period. You knowit's a low day or something. You
know, it's a it's a day, But like, I want to make

(03:36:18):
you feel like parents a tripper rightnow. I want to bring that because
that's what we and Hump did toeach other. People hype each other up,
dudes like dudes about to be walkedthrough. We're lit. So I
want to do that. I wantto bring that energy. I want to
make bring more guys, you know, to do that. You know,
I wanted to do that from dayone, you know, I kind of
I wanted to do that from dayone from just talking to him, and

(03:36:43):
obviously it's that time. I spendthe off season before OTA started just being
in myselfish thinking about what the roomneeds, you know, because I know
I knew a new role as oneof the leaders, you know on the
offense, is that we need aguy like that that's gonna make sure the
old line is picked up, readyto go every day and it was held

(03:37:07):
accountable. Little things don't happened topractice, people aren't saying anything, and
how I may lead maybe different thansomebody else may lead. You know,
I like to a practice at leastlike the legal positivity, you know what
I mean. So, but hethe energy yet went beyond just the old
hype up the dal line and starttoo. So that's kind of how I
wanna be, s goal mine literallymy whole life. I wanna be a

(03:37:31):
NFL team captain, like specifically NFL. I wasn't a captain of high school,
wasn't a captain of college. ButI made a joke when I was
in high school. It's like there, I feel like I'm not gonna be
a captain to like get to theNFL. Yeah, but that would be
awesome, you know, but youknow, if it happens, i'd be
great. But if not, eitherway, I wanna assume a role as

(03:37:54):
a captain from the respect of theguys on the team, visual word to
me and to get back to thatpoint. Yeah, I mean, I
can't say that. I mean,I guess the biggest thing is that I
felt like it has felt like howit you used to in the past.
But it didn't take just the firstday OTAs. It took training left and

(03:38:16):
right once the season ended, causeI didn't know what it was gonna be
sure. So it took a lotof yeah reps just to give back to
feeling like myself for day one OTAsand then that whole first week. But
now like today specifically just changing somesmall things with my feet that I did
day talking about a line coach aboutsome things I can do with my feet

(03:38:39):
to get to the to sell atthe traditional angle that I love to set
on. Felt even I thought Ifelt, I thought I felt great already
by mokat, I felt even backup it. So I'm even more excited
tomorrow. Now I'm getting my feedbackto how I liked it the right side
and on the left side, soI'm excited to teach. I mean,
obviously, I feel like in thewhether I left or right, you're still

(03:39:01):
going against premier guys, So obviouslyyou have high expectations for your left and
your right tackle. But there's definitelyuh like the the level of energy and
like the expectations definitely taking a humanstart, cause now conneted the blind side
that stuff that's de tackle roles,you know. So so yeah, I

(03:39:22):
would say in terms of communication asfar as just even outside the facility and
just stuff like that, like reallycreating that the tackle quarterback bond even more
off the field, I think hasbeen something that's even been cool. I
got a text one day It's like, hey, like you play left,
and I was like, yeah,you know, yeah, I've been training

(03:39:43):
both. I've been training both.You know. I I aksed after the
season. They're like, honestly,you know, we'll talk to you still
play in the season. Then Ijust got a text me like, depending
on what happens with the free agencythen. So I was like, you
know what, I had a wholeseason right tackle, So if I get
the word, I'm going I'm standingright tackle. I don't used to do

(03:40:03):
what I did before. I'm builton that bus. I was like,
I might as well just trained theleft tackle now, as if I'm gonna
be a left tackle, and I'drather do that than training on the right
time and get the CAO. Heyyou're the left tackle. I'm like,
oh, I didn't even switch onmy feet yet, you know what I
mean. So I'm like, letme just prepare in advance. I was
like, yeah, let's guy.You know, I think occasionally i'm third

(03:40:24):
down, there would be a lotof twists. I would just know,
like it's a automatically coming and Ithink that was my mindset for like the
first half of the season. Butlike I didn't have to go into a
game and with surprise like oh mygosh, they did that. I kind
of figured like, okay, likethis is this is the type of rushman
to get, like this is howthis guy usually rushes. But I get
the vibe, this is how theends like the rush you know, tackles

(03:40:46):
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 on my side. Again,
it was never an aeron Donald likeyou know, they're coming out of minds
like three plays in the world andtwo minutes I knew that that was when
it happened. You know what Imean, I'm watching more than everybody else

(03:41:09):
and he rarely goes out there onoccasional third down was on the d MD.
I was like, you know whatit's gonna be. He's gonna pick
me, you know what, Imean so fact fact, it's kind of
it's also kind of an advantage ina way, but it's also exciting,
like, Okay, I'm gonna getthe hardest look. You know, those
are real, real reps, youknow, the bank. So really,

(03:41:31):
I don't know, I really didn'tkind of process that. I was like,
hey, when they tell me tolet me know, but I'm just
gonna train it. I was trainingall left to Ta's. I guess if
I didn't hear anything about Ta's,I would have came in like so you
know what I mean, because justlike I'm cool training both continuing, I
would have been cool training both continually. But I feel like anybody, any

(03:41:54):
position will be like, okay,like you want to as soon as possible
get your's accountability at the time.What if, uh, what'd you seem
the guy with accounted law sea?Yeah, I mean he's quick. You
know, he can create a lotof space and uh small spaces, so
uh he's quick, you know,uh savvy with his route running, and
you know he's just he's just ahard worker. You know. You know

(03:42:16):
there's some plays where he knows he'snot getting the ball and he's still still
winning the route so you know,just to have that player, uh A
a player like that give that mucheffort uh on the field every play,
it's really really good to see.And I think it's you know, really
uh gonna rub up on the otherguys too. I'm good, I'm about
to i'm'a get another. What's itlike working with uh some of the tight
ends that you guys happened to himthere, I know ch' smith street just

(03:42:39):
talking about the persatility that a lotof other guys have, especially in that
grip. Yeah, I mean wehave a different uh uh a lot of
you know, different guys in thetight end room. You know, Darnell
he brings sides to the room,Uh, Rodney Speed Connor, he has
a great awareness in the field.Pat of course he's you know, he's
a great all round tight end.And then uh, you know, uh

(03:43:00):
prove he's a he's a bad he'ssmart, he knows what he's doing.
So, I mean, just allthe guys in the room, you know,
they're smart and intensive and they fI F I feel like they've j
are justice to the offense. Well, so's it. What's been like working
with Tom or from what's he beenkind of work on what he wants.
Yeah, I mean Tala's been great. Uh just his at tis attention to

(03:43:22):
detail, the way he comes youknow, in each and every day.
He comes in as the same guyevery day. And Uh, to be
honest, I haven't you know,I don't think I've had to coach that
detailed as Tom. You know,he's very detailed into terms of you know,
practice review sending us, uh theinfo, breaking down each and every
play and really just really just focusedon the detail. To be honest with

(03:43:43):
you, I think, uh that'sthe thing that sets him apart. And
you know he's he pushed us tobe hard. I mean, our our
indie periods are you know, conditioning, So of course that's good for us.
But I mean he's been great sofar. So excited to uh you
know allow that are a allow ourrelationship to grow, and excited to work
for and is what he's doing kindof compliment what you're doing individually, you

(03:44:05):
know, when you're away from thefacility working with you know, coaches,
one on one anything like that.You said, what is he what does
he do here? That kind ofcompliments what you do away from the facility
when you're troubling I mean, Ithink he does different stuff, so I
think that's a good thing about it. You know, some stuff that we
do here, Oh sorry, Idon't you know, usually do outside of

(03:44:26):
the facility. So it's good gettingthat different work in different drill work that
I can you know, implement intomy off season program and stuff like that.
So it's good that I'm learned newstuff for sure, deep all efficiency,
especially the last year. What whatwhat is our smith in the offense
talk about you of trying to makethe incorporate that into us being a big
part of this office. I mean, yeah, uh, I think we

(03:44:50):
have fast guys, guys that canget down the field with speed, Guys
like Quiz Calvin, Scottie Van,you know, me and Rust you know,
we we we've had a lot ofdeep all success and there a lot
of explosive plays in the past.So you know that's just uh, you
know what, I guess how ouroffense is built. To be honest with
you, but I mean, ourjob is to create explosives and you know,

(03:45:11):
push the ball down the field.So anytime we get those ops,
we definitely wanna capitalize on those.Are you to just insting any part of
your mechanics in any way that Imean, yeah, uh, I think
there's always room to improve, uh, mechanic wise and stuff like that.
So I think you know, MattBaker, uh, he's a four quarterback
consistem he you know, usually stayson me the most about it. Okay,
So I appreciate the fact that hedoes that, and I usually,

(03:45:33):
you know, make sure he doesn'tmake sure I just just stay on top
of it, you know as awhole, and you know, make sure
my mechanics are always clean. Canyou talk about one particular element that they're
stressing. It's it's different areas.To be honest, I don't think it's
just one specific area, but it'sit's different areas justin in your opinion.
Was there something that you wanted towork on maybe get better at it when
you got here at this point ofyour career. I mean, like like

(03:45:54):
I said, there's you know,no matter who you are, you know
there's always stuff to get better,always different areas. Nobody's perfect in one
area, So I think you cancontinue to prove in all areas in my
game, you know me personally,So I'm just focused on getting better EASi
over here when we talked at Russyesterday. He said that Rusted that he
personally felt kind of revived, youknow, being in another staff in his

(03:46:16):
career. Is there any of thatsense of maybe rejuvenation or feeling with I've
obviously you haven't been in the leaguefor thirteen years, but is there a
new energy that you get being ina different organization, going through mini camp
in a different way for the firsttime. I think so, you know,
just being around a new team,uh uh, an organization that's you
know, just just with this culture. You know, me being in two

(03:46:37):
different places now, you just Irealize that, you know, you don't
get this culture everywhere. I thinkChicago, I think they are, you
know, kind of changing the narrativenow, But I mean this has just
been the culture here for so manyyears to where I mean you can see
it. It's just the way thatyou know, we attack eachan every day
and coach t you know, hestays honest about it. So I think

(03:47:00):
having that and uh, you know, reiterating that, you know each and
every day, that keeps guys inthe toposing guys are ready to compete each
and every day. Is it easyto step into an organization when there already
is such a culture that's been establishedfor a long term 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 on the team, you

(03:47:20):
just don't have Thank you for checkingout this content from posts at Sports.
If you watch this p on YouTube, please like the video least. Yeah.
I mean, I think college footballis different, and uh, ideologies
and understandings and have changed. AndI think that you know, the portal

(03:47:45):
is a variable, and I wouldsay that, not him in particular,
but I wouldn't say everyone doesn't reallyknow how to handle it properly. You
see it currently. I mean,it's just it's a variable that's new and
how to handle it. There's nota transcript on how to handle that variable.
So you just guys just trying todo what they think is right.
That's all they're really trying to do. And I'm not saying there right or

(03:48:07):
wrong, but he was trying todo the same, and you know,
I think at the end of theday he realized he made made the wrong
decision and we connected on it,we talked about it, and you know,
it was a great opportunity to toto write or wrong. And obviously
we're very glad he's here. I'vealways believed in him. We believe in
him, and he believes in himself. And that's part of the just trying

(03:48:28):
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
he knows he's capable of being.He's just probably a priceless Caremiah. I
love the way he lives. Ilove the way he approaches things. I
love the way the questions he asks. I love the way he makes mistakes

(03:48:52):
and then correct mistakes. It's veryveteran, like, I mean, there's
so much ball he has to learn. Like he literally does things that are
good. I'm like, do youknow what that worked? He goes coach,
I have no freaking idea, Solike, I'm trying to teach him
all of that why it worked,so then you know the consistency at which
it works just goes through the roof. And so but I'm very you know,

(03:49:13):
excited and proud of the conversations we'recurrently having, and I'm excited it
for them to keep going, Likepower for you, working with you.
I love working with Chip Chip is. I love talking ball, I love
the viewpoints. I love I lovethe veteran that he has, you know,

(03:49:37):
uh and uh I love Yeah,Like I love all of it.
I think that you know, earlyon the biggest impact, you know,
just you know, feeling perspective.I think in the run game has been
awesome, you know, and thenyou know, off of the run game
some of the actions or or reliefthrows or all that kind of stuff.

(03:49:58):
I love where it's at. Ilove working with the and I would say
that I sleep a little better,all right. Uh No, it's it's
really a great combo because like youknow, we're obviously we're we're doing a

(03:50:20):
lot as a group. It's notjust Chip and I so but you know,
obviously Chip has an image and aview on things that I never had.
So to have that experience and havethat viewpoint, I'm just trying to
absorb as much as I can,but then also highlight some things that we've
really done a good job of andmake sure those you know, nothing's really
changing. We're just trying to enhance. We're not changing. We're enhancing.

(03:50:43):
So where the things fit is perfect, you know, I think, uh,
you know, the rest of thedynamics and search chip can talk about.
But it's been it's been awesome,so I'm excited about it. We
talked to a mecha. You're talkingabout moving from slot town side. You
know how good you've been in thisspot. Is that a difficult move for
you guys as coaches to know howgood a guy is in one spot,

(03:51:07):
but know that maybe for his longterm future and the no. I wouldn't
say it's anything on his future,because he's capable of doing whatever you want
to get done. But I'd saythat it says more about the room.
I think it's it's the growth ofyou know, Brandon and the growth grow
of Bryson. That's really you know, allowing my mind to say, hey,

(03:51:28):
Mech, be prepared. You're gonnamove around a lot. You're gonna
come out of that slot, You'regonna be outside. We're going to create
mismatches out there. I mean,his ability to move around is critical.
But I would say between Mech andbetween Carnell Takes's ability to move around a
lot, it's going to provide alot of flexibility for our room. And
uh and those top you know,six seven guys that are really doing a

(03:51:48):
good job right now. Progress looklike this spring for Lecca and because yeah,
there's no time to think. It'sone of those things I'm sure when
you has balanced how much the workis a need versus how much does yeah,
heavy heavy emphasis on what work heneeds, you know, versus anything
else. I rely on him.We have great dialogue back and forth.
It's a two way. It's atwo way conversation. And frankly, there's

(03:52:09):
gonna be times we're like, hey, Meg, what do you wanna do
today? You wanna go outside?You gon go inside? And I don't
care. So 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
things up, I would say,there's God. I mean, I make

(03:52:39):
sure I bring in guys that areable to do all, but I have
not asked them to yet. Sothe only guys that in our room currently
I have asked to do that hasbeen Mecca and Carnell, And those are
probably the two guys that I would, you know, think heavily on doing
moving around a lot. I'm notputting that on anybody else right now,
not saying they can't, but atthis point having two guys been able to
swing. You probably don't need muchmore than that. I need guys being

(03:53:03):
experts at what they're good at,so it it helps the offense. Don't
be grant at everything and be anexpert at something and we can use that
to our to our advantage. Thisyear is different, like maybe you guys
who were more situational a bit.Yeah, the room's always different, frankly,
I mean from twenty eighteen and thennineteen and through COVID and and those

(03:53:24):
guys, and and then the depthof those guys and then where Mec and
Marvin and those guys were as freshmencompared to you know, It's just it's
always different. And uh, Iexpect this one to be different again,
I'm not sure at what level yet. Last question, right, your relationship
between the TV room and your d'sroom, especially on you know, the
back of the forwards. I'm curiousand seeing TV as a leader just like

(03:53:46):
you, you know, played atOhio skins of Intel screen. I'm curious
about how you've seen Tim kind ofbuild a different matter backs room, especially
on the recruits. All the amountof successful you guys and maybe kind of
the effective you're recruiting, how that'skind of enhanced. He would probably know
more of that