MVFC Media Day Interviews

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Good morning everybody.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Let's welcome south to from State Stan Jackson and Covien
clay Band and coach.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
If you just started something opening statement and getting ready for.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Full practice here in about a week or so, and
talk about your prospects for the season, then a little
bit up these questions in the audience and answer the
more questions as well.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
Perfect No, appreciate you guys having us out of this
is a special events shout out to the Valley for
putting us on.

Speaker 4 (00:28):
We're excited that you said fall camp starting a week.

Speaker 5 (00:31):
It's been a heck of seven months with the transition,
but it's been a lot of fun.

Speaker 3 (00:35):
Really excited about the connection of our team, the brotherhood,
the family, how much our players care about each other,
and it's been fun to see that out of all.
Really excited about the players and the talent that we
have on our roster, but more so excited about their connection,
how they're going to play and execute this fall. So

(00:56):
really excited to get started with camp. A ton of
work to do, you know, thirty days with by a
quick but really really excited about where we're at the
football program.

Speaker 4 (01:04):
Uh, things we're gonna be able to do this fall.

Speaker 3 (01:07):
And before I get started too in questions, Uh, do
just want to acknowledge eight White and his family. We
lost a player this summer that meant a lot to us,
and uh, I think it's only fitting to be able
to take knowledge and recognize him and his family. Uh well,
I've got the opportunity to do so, so thank.

Speaker 4 (01:26):
You, Thank you, coach.

Speaker 2 (01:27):
And if we do have questions from the external audience
who we're not able to join us today, we just
need to unmute. When you're prompted, we'll start with questions
from the room. You just raise your hand you have
a question for a coach or Kobe.

Speaker 6 (01:41):
Start doing the right dam Hey, coach send heard with
Hero Sports home. Important do you think it is for
the valley to have this in person media day. It's
been to help out presume in recent years. So just
being able to get everyone here together tick off the season,
how to pump out then.

Speaker 4 (01:56):
I think it's critical. I think it's great to Jerry
your Sam.

Speaker 3 (01:58):
I think the more immedia that we have at these
things and the bigger we can make these events. I mean,
this is the best conference in FCS football and one
of the best conferences in the country. Overall, So for
us to have a first class event like this, be
able to take care of the players that put in
so much time and effort and work to honor them.
For us to be able to honor a couple of
our seniors to be able to come down here and
represent us is a really neat deal. And I think

(02:20):
from this year, even as the coaches, as I talked
to the other Valley coaches, how excited we are about
this and then really just looking forward to even find
ways to be able how we can expand it and
grow it. And for a conference it has as many
new head coaches as it does too, I believe there's
a level of significance for us to be able to
build relationships so we could take.

Speaker 4 (02:38):
The conference to the highest level it can be. I
was gonna have that as well your first year back.

Speaker 6 (02:42):
There's a lot of veteran coaches that are the longer
in that head coaching room, So what what is that
head coaching room.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
Like in that dynamic? How much has changed?

Speaker 4 (02:49):
It's honestly collaborative.

Speaker 1 (02:51):
You know.

Speaker 3 (02:51):
For me, we had some head coaches meetings when I
initially got here, and to just be able to learn
the landscape and grow and be able to garner a
little bit more experience coming back and be able to
connect with UH with the other coaches.

Speaker 4 (03:02):
You know, it's it's productive for us to find out
to even just be open.

Speaker 3 (03:06):
And discussed with how subtlement how things are going in
college football, so we can put our heads together and
and really find the best solutions for all of our universities.

Speaker 4 (03:15):
But it's an honor to be the head coach in
this conference.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
It's an honor to be, you know, a a peer
with all the other head coaches in this conference.

Speaker 4 (03:24):
Really impressive group guys.

Speaker 7 (03:29):
Question them, crush for Kobe, Alex Kinkle, Jack Grabbit illustrated.
You were one of the players that initially dipped into
the portal during the transition, and you've got a lot
of attention on G five m P.

Speaker 1 (03:42):
Four.

Speaker 8 (03:44):
What kind of shifted your decision to come back, whether
it's the man sitting next to you or other things
about the university.

Speaker 9 (03:51):
Yeah, So the reason I did get in was just
I was on the indructings for six months and I'll
be honest, I was scared.

Speaker 4 (03:57):
I didn't know what was.

Speaker 9 (03:57):
To come, But going through it, getting back from Christmas break,
I wanted to make sure I met with coach Jackson
in person, like over the phone and like you can
have conversations, but I wanted.

Speaker 4 (04:06):
To be face to face.

Speaker 9 (04:07):
And once I met him, like I knew, like I
knew I didn't want to leave Brookings, but then after
getting to talk with him, like like there's no one
better to play for, and just like this personal connection
like the first time we met, like it felt like
I knew him for how long? And so getting to
know him, him getting to know my family, like he
means so much to my family, and.

Speaker 1 (04:24):
Then just the community of Brookings, like I love living there.

Speaker 9 (04:27):
Like I probably probably would be there for a few
years after college, So I love that. Just the support
we have in the fan base, like there's no better
place to play than Dana J.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
Like the fans are amazing, how how well we travel all.

Speaker 9 (04:38):
The time, and just the support they gave me, like
in the time, like going through all that, and so
like I knew I didn't want to leave, and so
like I do regret getting in because but I just
did it because I was scared, to be honest, But
it's been the best decision coming back and being able
to play for him, there's nobody else I'd rather play for.

Speaker 4 (04:57):
No coach for us one day too, So I got
We've got some more days and be hard to turn
it down.

Speaker 9 (05:03):
That's all I got to say for any any recruits
out there.

Speaker 6 (05:06):
I colby one question for me and we trust in
the media coaches administer as we talk about how crazy
the landscape of college football is right now? As a player,
how do you feel about the landscape of college football,
all the madness out there kind of just like this
is all you know, Like it just kind of is
what it is. How players can go about this landscape.

Speaker 9 (05:25):
I think I like change, so I kind of I've
kind of like I love it just being a younger guy,
like wanting to get into football, like coach was saying,
like it's cool to see and being able to experience
it as a player because then having that experience the
player will help if I do ever go into coaching.
But I think it's cool. I think that is the
wild wild West. I do think there needs to be
some regulations and rules because what's going on out there

(05:48):
sometimes is crazy and it's out of players controls, out
of coaches controls. There's people third parties that are entering
and that causes a lot of commotion and like corruption
really and so I think there, dude, there does need
to be regulars. But overall for the players aspects, I
think it has benefited benefited us as athletes.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
Thank this of for fcstination Radio.

Speaker 10 (06:10):
You know, Dan SDCU kind of went back and forth
with new rev sharing kind of building up the craziness
of college and athletics, kind of went back and forth,
decided to opt in. It's only been a month or
two since that happened. But I guess just kind of
early on what is stsu's approached rev sharing? Any guys
go about it? I guess just kind of how do
you approach this new work of college athletics when it

(06:32):
comes to that.

Speaker 3 (06:33):
Yeah, it's started really with our leadership from President Barry
Dunn to athletic.

Speaker 1 (06:36):
Director Justin So.

Speaker 3 (06:38):
You know, we we've kind of coined phrase and when
we talk with each other is we're going to be
patiently aggressive.

Speaker 4 (06:42):
With any with anything. And I think there's a value
in being able to get all the information and I
just make quick.

Speaker 3 (06:48):
Rash decisions, but inevitably, our universe is always gonna do
what we think is best for the student athletes. You know,
we're gonna we're gonna think about their experience initially, and
then we're gonna be able to think about, you know,
putting them in pous to be the best players that
they can be and win championships. And so I think
the landscape just changed as the rules and the house
settlement ended up changing and adjusting, and the ability to

(07:08):
grandfather some players.

Speaker 4 (07:09):
In was something that was big for us.

Speaker 3 (07:11):
We weren't really willing to budge when it came to
cutting our roster down.

Speaker 1 (07:15):
You know, when you look at South Coast State, of
all the NFL guys that.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
We have in there, and a lot of our all Americans,
a lot of those guys started as walk ons.

Speaker 4 (07:22):
A lot of those guys started as small scholarship players.

Speaker 3 (07:25):
And I believe we had some of those guys on
our roster, whether you know, between the one oh five
and one twenty if you had to rank them out.
And so the ability to grandfather players in was a
game changer for us. And then I think it's a
cool opportunity for us to be able to create revenue
and generate revenue and be able to formulate a plan with.

Speaker 4 (07:43):
Some rules that we can control.

Speaker 3 (07:44):
That are things in house that our university can can
have our hands in a little bit. And there's no
two guys, you know, or three guys considering our deput
ad slaidh Large shit that I'd rather be doing that with.
And that's Kobe mentioned. It's kind of an exciting time.

Speaker 1 (07:59):
Really.

Speaker 3 (07:59):
I think this is the best time in college football
to be a first year head coach because you're gonna
it's a level playing field for everybody, and you're gonna
be able to formulate new ideas and new solutions and
be able to tackle with the positive energy, which is
really our stance on college football and the prem or
set forth by the House Settlement.

Speaker 1 (08:18):
You know, I mentioned it. There are some new head
coaches in Develo. You've got quite a few, you include.

Speaker 10 (08:24):
All of them seem to have kind of a different
set of expectations. Obviously in the CCU it seems like
it's national.

Speaker 1 (08:29):
Championship or bus.

Speaker 4 (08:30):
But just how do you go in?

Speaker 1 (08:32):
How do you.

Speaker 10 (08:32):
Approach this first season with the sky high expectations already?

Speaker 3 (08:36):
No, I mean the standard of South Fast State's always
going to be winning national championship. That's what it was
when I got there as a graduate assistant in twenty
twelve when we didn't have nice facilities and we were
clawing away, chipping away with just a bunch of gritty,
blue collar players that could see division long term and
they knew it was going to happen and we didn't
know when, but we just went to work every day.
And that's going to continue to be our approach. We're

(08:57):
gonna recrew guys that love football and are and then
the standard is the standard. I mean, we're going for
a national championship that our players would be disappointed and
think definitely if there was any other standard than that.
So it doesn't matter to your one, two, three, four, five,
whatever it may be. For me as the head coach,
that's that's going to be where we start. And then

(09:17):
from there it's about bringing it back to what does
your program stand for, and for us is family and brotherhood.
And then we get into talking about doing everything as
if it's your last a last play mindset, a one
to zero mindset, being able to win and be competitive
and everything that we do and those those things that
are embedded in our culture aren't changing.

Speaker 4 (09:35):
Is there? When those we're formulated.

Speaker 1 (09:37):
I just look to hopefully take those things to another level.

Speaker 3 (09:40):
And the fun thing about our program is, you know,
there is an end result that we want to get
to and winning a national championship. But between our coaching
staff I think is one of the best, that's not
the best in the country. And then the buy in
that we have from our players. When you win any game,
when you have any success, it's the best feeling in
the world. And if you have setback, it's gonna cut

(10:02):
deep and we'll find ways to improve. So I really
excited about this year. And we've got some changes, you know,
in terms of scheme and some different things that that
I think will honestly be a real advantage for us.

Speaker 1 (10:14):
So excited about year one. And the standard won't change.

Speaker 11 (10:19):
Coach Alex Coffee and compressive, the code you've mentioned changes
under centered lost your betting quarterback, But you have Chase
stepping in and he has that experience state he's from
South Dakota.

Speaker 12 (10:29):
Just how crucial is that to have a quarterback.

Speaker 4 (10:31):
Stepping in with real game experience. That's critical. And I
think Chase is valuable for a lot of reasons.

Speaker 1 (10:37):
And and what you see on the outside.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
Is Chase is really big and he's really fast, and
he's really athletic, and he was able to show that
skill set a year ago. I'm really excited for him
to show that he is a complete quarterback, you know,
and he is that, and I.

Speaker 4 (10:51):
Know he's looking forward to that.

Speaker 1 (10:52):
He's you know, in.

Speaker 3 (10:53):
The day and age of college football that we're in
for a guy that talented to come in and learn
and grow and and honestly sit behind a starter for
a couple of years, like those things don't happen anymore.

Speaker 4 (11:04):
Why does that happen?

Speaker 3 (11:06):
Because Chase is also mature, humble, and he understands that
he had room to grow.

Speaker 1 (11:10):
So for him to be able to come in and
take over, I think it's been really smooth for him.

Speaker 3 (11:15):
He's doing it his way, he's not trying to be
anybody other than himself, and we just I couldn't be
more excited in I mean, you want to walk into
a situation where you have one of the best athletes
in the country as your quarterback is obviously a benefit.
But I would truthfully and Chase and say this too,
is it's always going to start up front for us,
and our offensive line is as good as anybody around.

(11:37):
I'm excited to see what those guys do this year
is while protecting him and opening up creases for him
to run other people to run.

Speaker 4 (11:45):
So chase is a big piece of it, but it's
always going to start up front for us.

Speaker 1 (11:49):
Dan Jeff go Back.

Speaker 13 (11:50):
We talk about the day and age of the college football,
there's a lot of new in this league.

Speaker 4 (11:54):
Is that the day and age of college football? I
think things will stabilize a little bit.

Speaker 3 (11:57):
There's certainly a lot of new in this league right now,
and as as coaches, we've got prepared to lose a
guy here and there and be able to be nimble and.

Speaker 4 (12:06):
Have options.

Speaker 3 (12:07):
The thing that's exciting for us is, you know, in
a time where things are changing and there's new players,
there's new coaches, there's all these things for us to
be at a place where I like that change, you know,
for us to have a community and a fan base
and a support system and leadership and the success and
the culture that we've had. We've got a place that
a lot of kids don't want to leave, you know,

(12:27):
and they understand the value of it and they love
their experience. But we also have a place that a
lot of young men want to be apartment, and so
you know, if we need to bring in some.

Speaker 4 (12:36):
New faces, we'll always be open to that.

Speaker 3 (12:38):
In the unique thing and I've saw more than ever
this summer is we had to bring a significant number
of transfers this year, which won't necessarily be how we
always operate, but those guys have embraced our culture and
embraced how we do things and become part of our
family so quickly that it makes me really proud of
the guys we had there, that we're leading the way,

(13:00):
and then the new faces being able to buy in.

Speaker 1 (13:02):
They want to win and they want to be a
part of something like South Coast State.

Speaker 3 (13:05):
So we bring somebody new in, it's easy for them
to want to go all in with you because they
want to win and they want to be champions as well.
So I think there's gonna be always a little bit
of movement, but I think things will stable out here
in the next couple years.

Speaker 4 (13:19):
Kobe has been a falls new guys coming in.

Speaker 1 (13:21):
It's been awesome. Like he said, they really came in
and ran with us.

Speaker 9 (13:23):
They bought in right away, And I think that's a
good job from our coaching staff telling those guys in
the recruiting process, what is expected when you come and
play for us, that that's our standard. And like those guys,
it feels like we've known him for how long. I
feel like that's something he's instilled. Like relationships have been
so valuable and we've really embraced that because you have
to to be a great team and also we just

(13:44):
want to get to know the guys that we're spending
every day with and love on them. So those guys
have been awesome and I guess they're gonna help us
in the fall.

Speaker 4 (13:52):
So it's been great.

Speaker 8 (13:55):
A fallow up for coaching. You talked about, you know,
coming back in your travels after you've left in twenty nineteen,
is there anything you've picked up specifically from another coach
you worked under another place you're at that you thought, Hey,
when I get the opportunity to be a head coach,
I really like this. I want to implement this that
would be maybe different than traditionally what ha's happened in

(14:16):
Brookings in your time in the past there.

Speaker 1 (14:18):
I appreciate the question.

Speaker 3 (14:19):
When I left in twenty nineteen, I knew that I
wanted to be the coach of South kost State, but
I wanted to be ready for that opportunity, so Northern
Illinois from Thomas Hammock, I learned a lot, But if
I had to summit into one thing.

Speaker 4 (14:31):
It would be honest, direct everybody just wants to hear
the truth.

Speaker 3 (14:35):
And then how to build a roster coach it came
from the NFL and his mindset was on recruiting at
roster management, roster building, and so being able to work
side by side with him there was really beneficial going
to Vanderbilt.

Speaker 4 (14:48):
You know, I think I learned a lot from coach Lee.

Speaker 3 (14:50):
I mean, he's one of the smartest people I've ever
been around from a football standpoint, and how he just
attacked every day in an adverse situation and how he
showed up for our guys every day was really impressive
to me. Then then being in the SEC you kind
of learn a lot about nil and transfer portal and
where things are going, and those things were valuable to me.
And then being able to get back with Jason Eck

(15:12):
and Idaho was a blast. And Jason's creative, but how
he connects with the players and how he can hold
people accountable. That Sylvia players coach, you know, how he
managed games you know.

Speaker 1 (15:25):
All those sort of things.

Speaker 3 (15:26):
So I've picked up a lot from those guys and
really need to be able to be with them. And
it was all their first time, it was all their
first go as being a head coach, So those five
years really kind of set me up to be able
to handle this situation.

Speaker 14 (15:41):
Brendan linked to Jack Evan illustrated coach with over the
summer sounds like lot's been going on with the new
guys coming in to the team, the jail block tab,
everybody's getting along, doing really well on the field. Fall
camp coming up, when you have just made new coaches
and new players.

Speaker 1 (15:55):
Is there actually the sense.

Speaker 14 (15:56):
Of urgency going in this fall camp compared to normal
ones for everybody to gel, especially when you've got two
tough games starting off the season with SAX State of
Tampa State.

Speaker 3 (16:05):
Definitely this next five weeks for us REALI we have
this this week of training, so left is critical for us,
and we have the relationships and we have where our
guys are fit and they're in shape and they're ready
to go and they're strong, and we're as talented as
anybody out there. But now it's all about how quickly
can we get on the same page, and I saw
it from our offense in the spring. Start off struggling,

(16:27):
it's a new offense. Everybody's learning something new. By the
end of the spring, they're humming. Y'all want to pick
up right where we left off in the spring. The defense,
there are some things that are different as well, And
I thought those guys handled it well. And you know,
I think the thing that may get lost about our
teams in the past is we talk about the individual talents,
the collective reps that those groups had together, and football

(16:48):
is the ultimate team game, and when you know the
guy next year.

Speaker 4 (16:53):
Really, really well, it makes a difference.

Speaker 3 (16:54):
And so this spring, how we structure practice, how we meet,
how we walk through all every minute together this fall
is gonna be critical, so we can start fist.

Speaker 4 (17:04):
Kobe's a hard to see teammates friends leave like that.

Speaker 9 (17:07):
Oh yeah, it definitely is, just because you spend so
much time together. Those relationships are tough. And like we've
talked about, like that's the new new age of college football.
And again with like social media, it's easy to stay
in touch. But also the good thing is, like especially
at our like SDSU, is we're bringing in new guys
who you build those same relationships with that it's like
everybody on the team is one of your brothers.

Speaker 1 (17:28):
So you lose some, but you still stay in touch.

Speaker 9 (17:30):
But then it's just like another opportunity to gain guys
that you're gonna build that same relationship with. So yeah,
it's hard to see guys leave, but you also got
to respect them if if that's what they think is
what's best for them, like you got, you gotta respect
them and love love them again.

Speaker 1 (17:42):
And but again it's it is tough for sure.

Speaker 2 (17:46):
I think we start time limit for this session that
South Coast they get to the next opplication, so we'll
be available throughout the afternoon and.

Speaker 1 (17:52):
This morning for long.

Speaker 4 (17:53):
Once thank you guys, appreciate you go Jackson.

Speaker 15 (18:01):
All right, we've had the Youngstown State contingent Phillips DJ
Harris is representing Youngstown Safe Penguins.

Speaker 1 (18:07):
We'll take some questions.

Speaker 2 (18:09):
Last actually were making opening statements, talk about the season
getting underway and.

Speaker 1 (18:14):
Know a little bit for some questions in the room
and then that thinks turn.

Speaker 16 (18:18):
Starting year six, so you know for us and sometimes
you got to get back in the face and you know,
we're all trying to figure this out in the new world.

Speaker 1 (18:28):
We live in the portal and I l.

Speaker 16 (18:32):
Managing a roster, coaches hiring, you know, and I feel
really good where we are. We learned from a tough
season last year that was enough to expectations for Youngstown
State football, made some changes, had a great spring, you know,
learned from finey sixty minutes, you know, head leads going

(18:56):
into second half of the football games, and we're able
to finish those games. You know, in this league, you
gotta you gotta finish. It comes down to last possessions,
comes down to that pourtant quarter year before we go
to the playoffs. But if you recall that year, we
won games in the fourth last year we go for

(19:16):
an eight because we lost.

Speaker 1 (19:18):
Games in the fourth quarter.

Speaker 16 (19:19):
So for us, it was a learning experience, but we're
certainly excited.

Speaker 4 (19:23):
We got a lot of returning players.

Speaker 16 (19:25):
It's the first time in the portal era we didn't
lose the starter in the spring portal and for us,
that's a big deal.

Speaker 1 (19:33):
We have very good.

Speaker 16 (19:34):
Football players and someone would financially benefited by going into portal.
But I kind of feel, you know, a lot of
four year players have been in the program.

Speaker 1 (19:45):
It's in that class that they stuck together.

Speaker 16 (19:48):
And they want to they want to pick themselves out
and have a great year this year.

Speaker 2 (19:53):
Start first with the Youngstown State that could not make
an Again if you were joining us remotely, just don't
meet yourself to ask a question and being a dog
or a djam.

Speaker 1 (20:10):
Go back to the room. Questions from the.

Speaker 13 (20:12):
Room for Doug, Jeff Coback, Innfargo, your sex makes you
dang here one of the veteran coaches.

Speaker 1 (20:18):
Nominally I know? Is that crazy?

Speaker 5 (20:21):
You know?

Speaker 1 (20:21):
So a lot of changes, you know.

Speaker 16 (20:24):
Uh, but again, like I said, you know year six,
you know again, I have a lot of guys in
the profession, firms of others.

Speaker 1 (20:33):
They don't have the answers yet.

Speaker 16 (20:36):
But just how you The one thing I've learned is
you're going to focus on what you can control and
sometimes you know, we're developmental program. We get kids that
you know, when they come in as our high school players,
they probably weren't positively recruited. We develop them and then
year three, year four, they're very good football players and
they have opportunities to go everywhere. So for me, what

(20:58):
I've really learned is we we got to keep bringing
in freshmen. We brought twenty five freshmen in this garden class.
DJ can tell you right a different looking freshmen than
we probably ever had.

Speaker 14 (21:10):
It.

Speaker 16 (21:10):
Young sound safe because of them, because there's a lot
of kids that are not getting as recruited, so they're
sitting there for you. So you know, that's the experience
maybe two years ago when I lost a lot of guys.
Guess what I wasn't ready for and I didn't have
that foundation built and you're going against programs at consistency

(21:33):
over the last ten or fifteen years. Is incredible that
the Covids had built over consistency in the day it
used to be Young South says, and that's what we're
trying to get back to.

Speaker 13 (21:45):
DJ King described difference a couple of years ago losing
several players to now where you keeping them difference.

Speaker 17 (21:52):
Yeah, So I'm one of the newer bases of the team,
So I'll say losing a couple of players that have portals, I.

Speaker 1 (22:01):
Feel like.

Speaker 17 (22:03):
Sometimes it can be a relief and like sometimes it
can be like bad for the team, but it's always
good to keep the players that want to be with
the team.

Speaker 4 (22:10):
I want to be with the program.

Speaker 17 (22:11):
It's always going to be hard f CS competing with
FBS schools, Like when it comes up and I know
a lot of players want to transfer up for money
or it's play at a higher level. But a lot
of times you gotta be.

Speaker 4 (22:24):
Where the feed art. And we played in a good
conference and we play a good league.

Speaker 17 (22:27):
There's a lot of players that from our conference go
to the NFL and they do get that shot. So
I feel like I don't really feel the needs really
like transfer or for like some players the transfer, but
like you can get the same opportunities and same shots
where you are in the FCS.

Speaker 4 (22:47):
Coach with this new era, it's revenue sharing.

Speaker 6 (22:50):
There's not necessarily scholarship, you know caps anymore. You think
of the FCS now where it has been a been
top that because it's even.

Speaker 4 (22:59):
The playing field a little bit or potentially.

Speaker 16 (23:01):
Why in the gap before I do I think we
all going to have certain challenges. You know, I always
felt like there's a bubble over some of the states,
and it really didn't kind of training that.

Speaker 1 (23:12):
Bubble compared to what we had to face that guy.

Speaker 16 (23:16):
I mean, if you put a circle around Young side
of the state of about two hundred and fifty miles radius,
there's a lot of FBS schools.

Speaker 1 (23:24):
There's a lot of competition, you know, knocking at your door.

Speaker 16 (23:28):
So I do feel like the scales could be balanced
a little bit, you know. I'm We're fortunate because you know,
we've been knocked down. Hopefully we made the answers. Hopefully
we made the changes that we need to do to
put us in a position to be able to compete,
to be able to win a Missouri Valley Football Conference.

(23:48):
I mean, that's what we strive for every day, and
that's what we work for every day. I think there's
a player's portal, and I've had to deal with coaches
for them. Again, our coaches they're at Wisconsin, They're at Michigan,
they're at Northwestern, they're at Syracuse.

Speaker 1 (24:05):
They're at you know.

Speaker 16 (24:06):
So for me, the consistency, I probably have had fourteen
different coaches in the last five years. And so for
even me, I'm looking for guys that have relationships in
the Youngstown.

Speaker 1 (24:18):
Oh you ad a coordinator.

Speaker 16 (24:20):
He's like, I want to interview now, I'm not interviewing
why because you take a ninety percent paycott come in here,
the coach. You don't realize my wife's from young cun
hot So to find people that have that type of relationship,
we're able to bring what Shortage back. It's a big
name in young cown right at Penn State, twelve years

(24:40):
in the NFL, coach at Michigan, coach at Central Michigan,
ottle guest whatdding never sold his house in Youngstown and
to be able to get him coaching DJ and the
experiences that he can bring to our program. So not
only in recruiting players, but you also the coaching aspects
you're recruiting and what's a good fit for you knowing

(25:02):
that just like a player, when I get a young
football coach, I can't pay them, you know what the
FBS can pay them, and we lose a lot of
guys like Danny and Likely, So that's great for you know,
It's just like we're develop many developing players were developing
coaches and they move on. So again those are challenges

(25:23):
and again I wish I could say I have all
the answers, but I've found a way to navigate and
we'll see this twenty twenty five season if you know
that plan comes together.

Speaker 1 (25:34):
Doug, any advice for.

Speaker 13 (25:35):
All these SCS schools coming in these new ones yea.

Speaker 16 (25:38):
Good luck, you know, so I don't you know, everyone's
got to have their own little plan, you know, even
transfer port.

Speaker 1 (25:48):
We look at DJ.

Speaker 16 (25:50):
DJ's part of success because guess what we stick to
a plan. DJ came from Tiffan University and DJ played
Division two, started Division two.

Speaker 4 (26:01):
Guess what you're good in division two?

Speaker 16 (26:03):
You're probably gonna be good at our love And not
only that, he said, Northeast Ohio, Maslin, Ohio. He grew
up probably five minutes from the birthplace of Ohio and
can't Ohio.

Speaker 1 (26:13):
So again, that was something that works for us. We
just got to be dilgent.

Speaker 16 (26:17):
We got to stick to that plan of what who
we bring into the program, and he's one example of that.

Speaker 8 (26:24):
For one final question, remember coach Phillips, Ali Skinkle, Jack
Gravin illustrated. But if the additions you did bring in,
you know, this refreshmar You say you're able to keep
so many guys. Truthfully, one of the few guys you
did bring in here along the front seven. How much
of that is due to seeing the success of the
schools and the Dakotas and their ability to rokay defensive pieces.

Speaker 12 (26:45):
Is that something you've felt you needed to do.

Speaker 4 (26:48):
Or just your scouts route down. That's what the pieces fell.

Speaker 16 (26:51):
We knew going coming out of spring we needed to
get some size. And you know, again, we we got
a defensive pack from rand Valley, but he's from Cleveland,
been in deirteen high school. We've got a defensive tackle
Fay Bild and he's from Michigan, have Midwest ties. But
we knew we had to get big and you know,

(27:11):
so for me, we got about twenty scholarship D lineman
and guess what, We're gonna play the ball and see
which one rises to the top. You know, and we
needed a couple of three hundred pounders. We went and
got them. They're working hard. I really love how they
came together. I think DJ would agree.

Speaker 1 (27:27):
And again we got young defensive linement I feel good about.
But I'm honest with them.

Speaker 16 (27:33):
I don't know if I need to see him playing
thirty five snaps a game against South Dakota State North
Dakota State and those teams maybe ten plays a game.
And so these guys have helped us bridge that to
get our youngers because we got a couple freshmen D
linemen per there once about three thirty six four and
the other one's you.

Speaker 4 (27:54):
Know, five eleven, three hundred.

Speaker 16 (27:56):
But they're they're explosive, they're strong in the weight room,
and they'll be able to get some experience playing in
the tough hiss conference in the country.

Speaker 1 (28:04):
But it's in the.

Speaker 16 (28:05):
Trenches in this league, and if you don't have it
up brought, it's gonna be.

Speaker 18 (28:10):
A long year or long day. That Oh j thank
you very much for let's you get back down to
the moon. Thank you, thank you. You're ready for our
next session.

Speaker 2 (28:22):
North Dakota State head coach Tim Pouli Sake and Logan
Sizon and the coaches quick opening statement about can't getting
underway next week and then we'll open up some questions.

Speaker 1 (28:33):
Yeah, it's been you know, just awesome.

Speaker 19 (28:35):
Thanks to the Missouri Valley Football Conference for doing this
FLT last night was first class. That was really good
to have some cammaraderie with the rest of the coaches
in the league. We've had a really good summer. We're
super excited in a different way. We have a younger
football team coming back, but we've had an amazing winner
in spring and now summer with our strength and conditioning.

(28:57):
Most three hundred pound ventures again hang clean really high.
You know, our jumping and our running is at a
at all time high. I do want to say thank
you to our shot staff. Ryan Eppley and Jim Kramer
had the football team ready and it's been amazing watching
our guys grow and develop, you know, the sophomores. There's
some mental toughness and there's some growth that we're gonna

(29:18):
need because we have to get better every week. Today
and this weekend, we brought Logan cop on defense with us,
who exemplifies what it means to be advison and how
to play is advising. He's a great example for us,
but he's phenomenal from the standpoint he's involved with almost
every phase of our program on and off the field,
and I really appreciate that about him. You guys are

(29:38):
aware of Price Lance, you know, exploded onto the scene
last year and had an unbelievable playoff run. I think
without his big place, I don't know if we're standing
up here as to that defending national champion or whatever
it is. So those two guys have been awesome and
we're fired up to see who pushes it through in
the old line and how well our quarterback can play

(29:58):
in big moments with that wall off the questions your hands.

Speaker 13 (30:06):
Talk a little bit about Logan's contribution, and I want
to say it's under the radar, but maybe a little bit.

Speaker 4 (30:12):
He is that he's an important guy coming back.

Speaker 19 (30:14):
This Yeah, you know you can always come on him,
you know, having leadership, uh, you know, big, big body language.
We talked a lot about that in our program. But again,
I'm gonna come back to something off the field. A
week and a half ago, we had a chance to
go to the freshman ory turity that can't enjoy and
we appreciate Jeff Curtis's effort, you know, with the FCA
and all they do, and Logan's there again and he's

(30:35):
the one helping these thirty five freshmen get their cleats
on the ground and figure out, Okay, how do you
work through these problems?

Speaker 1 (30:41):
How do you do it together?

Speaker 19 (30:42):
And so outside of Logan had some of the best
hands on the team with some of his interceptions, I
think we have eight of our eleven returning interceptions coming
back on this football team. And his ability to be
multiple and to play that week side will linebacker spot
and match up with slots and match up with backside
of the fields, just it's at at first class level.
He's really been a good performer, big big play last

(31:05):
year in the South Dakota State playoff game, regular stations
with the interception there, and so I look forward to
seeing that gets voted as a captain this year as well.
I don't root for any individuals for that team selects
those things, but I think he's a.

Speaker 1 (31:21):
Guy that needs a lot of consideration for.

Speaker 6 (31:23):
That coach the Stamford with girls sports, with the new
kind of hero of college football, rep share and scholarship
not really having caps anymore, do you think that could
level the play and field a bit more in the
f CS or do you.

Speaker 4 (31:39):
Think that could maybe, you know, make the gap even wider.

Speaker 19 (31:44):
My thoughts on with the revenue share in US fundraising
or raising money for you know, some things to keep
our football team and intact. I think North Dakota State
is going to be a really good position. I'm not
really that concerned with the rest of the f f CS.
I'm not sure around that. I can't answer that for them.
I don't know if that will provide more College football

(32:05):
has been in college football for a long time, and
there's been a lot of programs that have certain things
that others don't, and those things most certainly are are
important and can provide a match. The one thing for
us that I want to stay focused on, and Matt
Larson's focused on, is that our kids experience is still
has got to be at the forefront. You know, do
we have enough in the refeeling station? Do we have
enough facility wise, do we have enough of a personnel

(32:28):
standpoint that we can support these guys in their endeavor
to be the best they can be. That's still got
to be at the forefront. And then we'll figure out,
you know, okay, which guys need a little bit of reward,
you'll retention, and we'll keep working towards it. I most
certainly don't have all the answers, but I like nbsu's chances.
When it comes to it, will our support will advise
the nation, answer the bell and keep us competitive? I

(32:50):
most certainly believed that will be the case.

Speaker 6 (32:53):
Question for logan us in the media certainly, and you know,
coaches and administrators, we share our opinion about the landscape
of college but all kind of how wild it is.
As a player, what are your thoughts on do you
pay attention to the man out there is what it is.

Speaker 1 (33:08):
I don't pay a lot attention to it.

Speaker 20 (33:10):
I rarely go on social media. I don't have any
social media on my phone for over a year now.
I think that's a big part of it is. I
don't buy into what someone buying the phone screen is
going to say about nd SU, is gonna say about
our players, is going to say about our coaches, gonna
say about the FCS, about the Missouri Valley. I'm worried

(33:32):
about the n Biden, worried about the players in the
locker room with me, Worried about the coaches that coach us,
Worried about the fans that are cheering us on. Anybody
else be trying to draw off the noise. That doesn't
affect us. What affects us is how we operate on
the field, off the field, in the weight room, at
the dining center, everything in between. We focus on ourselves.

(33:56):
We always have. Every week we say that we're playing
faceless of it. It doesn't matter if we're playing the
West Barborough Packers in.

Speaker 1 (34:03):
The Minnesota Vikings.

Speaker 20 (34:04):
We're going to operate. We're gonna prepare the same way
throughout the week. We're gonna go out and play with
the same intensity on Saturday afternoons, and the outcome is
the outcome.

Speaker 4 (34:13):
We're not worried about anything besides.

Speaker 1 (34:15):
The bout it.

Speaker 4 (34:16):
You have opportunities to go someplace.

Speaker 1 (34:18):
Up I never.

Speaker 20 (34:23):
I never explored it because I never wanted to go
anywhere else. I'm happy to be at NBSURE, really happy
to be an Nbasu And I'll leave it at that.

Speaker 13 (34:35):
Overge downstairs singmon like you came out of a class
like thirty.

Speaker 20 (34:39):
Some guys and there's ten. Yeah, I believe we. I
believe we had thirty two freshmen my freshman year and
of those guys, we've added some some transfersing guys over
the years that will graduate this year.

Speaker 1 (34:52):
But of guys that I.

Speaker 20 (34:53):
Came in with in twenty twenty one, thirty two of us.
I believe there's nine or ten of us left that
are going to graduate this year. Three of us left
on defense, one line back at one dB Wendy Linen started.
There's about twenty of us on the defense, and so
it's not easy to go through five years of this
football program. But it's Daniel Warding and every guy that

(35:15):
tells you that, or every guy that has stuck it
out will tell you that, and sadly, I think a
lot of the guys that didn't stick it out.

Speaker 21 (35:23):
As coach with players like Logan and Rice, been a
part of this partner for a while.

Speaker 13 (35:29):
I'm partner by for these younger guys to be able
to learn from and continue this tradition with the.

Speaker 4 (35:34):
DS human.

Speaker 19 (35:36):
Much more important than myself. We've been a player that program.
It's that I think that's a really good question that
Mike just asked. It's interesting being up and Velbow. I
was talking with Clint Jostin. You know, they came in
with like forty one and left them with twelve, you know,
so not being able to push it through it really
physical competitive programs has always been part of the deal.
This ain't new because of the portal. You know, guys

(35:58):
have been quitting for a long time. But to have
examples of what it means to have bison pride, to
have multiple examples of what it means to touch the
line and not be short and to finish a drill
is paramount for us to be able to coach these
guys and to train them for the first two or
three years in their career and then get to enjoy

(36:19):
them for the fourth and fifth years. I've always talked
about coaching in that regard. I like our leadership don't
have the big group of seniors that we had last year,
and I hope people write about that because we'll have
whatever this team is about week five or six, we're
going to know. And one thing we do have is
leadership within all levels of offense, defense and special teams.

(36:41):
And then we do have leadership in every unit, and
so we'll be able to lean on that. And I'm
excited to work with the leadership council to put together
the best schedules possible to meet some of their needs,
to share my vision and then work at it together.

Speaker 4 (36:55):
How difference for you, Logan?

Speaker 13 (36:57):
You mentioned that this is much smaller group of seniors
this year, different status player that you don't have a
bunch of six a bunch of six years with Cam
and others.

Speaker 1 (37:07):
How's that different?

Speaker 20 (37:08):
Yeah, it's it's really important for us as seniors. I
think our senior class is probably be about half of
what it was last year, and that just raises the bar,
that raises the expectation, that raises.

Speaker 1 (37:19):
The standard for each of us individually, of.

Speaker 20 (37:22):
Seniors there's many position groups that only have one senior,
linebackers being one, I'm the only senior left in the
linebacker room. The rest of the guys in the room
don't have a lot of experience playing real staffs on
the football field, and so there's a really really high
expectation for me as the seniors. Is a really really
high expectation for Coach Olsen and all of our coaches

(37:44):
to put our younger players in the right position to
be able to be successful on Saturdays.

Speaker 1 (37:50):
But we wouldn't want another way.

Speaker 20 (37:51):
We're super excited about the guys and the coaches that
we have in the locker room. We have high expectations,
whether you're a true freshian, whether you're a sixth year seen.
The standard at NBC remains the same. The expectation on
Saturdays remains the same, and so we don't worry about
if you're eighteen years older, if you're twenty three.

Speaker 1 (38:10):
We're gonna go out.

Speaker 20 (38:11):
We're gonna play vising football to the standard that has
always been set. And as seniors, it's our job to
pour into these younger guys to show them how to
be successful in this football program. And I'm honored to
be a senior to lead these younger guys, and I
know the rest of the seniors are in the same
boat as well, excited for the opportunity to get to

(38:31):
lead a younger schweb like this.

Speaker 21 (38:34):
Reflecting on the fact that you've been a part of
this program, what is being able to play college football
and playing for India as.

Speaker 1 (38:41):
You'm to you, it goes a lot further than what's
up the football field.

Speaker 20 (38:54):
Getting married in two months and my wedding party is
still with teammates, and I'm pretty sure every every guys
came through this football program and it's in the same
way for them. There's about three other teammates are getting
married within the next year. The wedding parties filled football teammates,
and that just speaks to the relationships, the friendships, the
brotherhood that's built in the locker room. So my greatest

(39:17):
memories aren't even gonna be on the field. It's gonna
be the playing rights, It's gonna be the meals before games.
It's gonna be going to coach Pet's house and seeing
how good of a grill or he is. It's provided
relationships for me that will go far beyond four and
a half years of football. It's provided connections in memories

(39:41):
and the brotherhood that.

Speaker 4 (39:43):
Won't be broken.

Speaker 20 (39:45):
And I think it's something that doesn't sadly doesn't happen
that a lot of college football programs, especially in recent years.

Speaker 1 (39:54):
But we've had such a tight knit group since today.

Speaker 20 (39:57):
I got on campus, and as Gonna Sureley, I'm happy
at NDSU and I don't think there's any other program
that I could be on that would have gave me
a better experience for four and a half years.

Speaker 4 (40:09):
And it means the will to be to be a
part of it. So by a week wady.

Speaker 20 (40:15):
Tradition, it's been a NBCU line backer tradition to get
married on the valley, cud apologize to coach recruiting Coach
Olsen will be busy.

Speaker 4 (40:27):
You're allowed to go recruited.

Speaker 1 (40:28):
Look is he any good?

Speaker 4 (40:30):
Is it brought's on the grill?

Speaker 1 (40:31):
Or what's is he?

Speaker 4 (40:33):
Wings?

Speaker 20 (40:34):
Smoked wings, ribs, steaks. I don't know what's your specialty.

Speaker 1 (40:39):
The wings are up there right now in Risky. He's good.

Speaker 11 (40:48):
Coach Alex Coffee and ind just a lot of changes
in the coaching carousel in the valley.

Speaker 4 (40:53):
Does that any challenges in terms of preparation.

Speaker 19 (40:57):
If it was in the first two or three weeks,
and that's it's a good question. I'm going to go
a different direction. It's like somebody asked me how the
Citadel look. I'm so much more concerned with how we
perform and execute, you know, our concepts and principles than
I am their personnel. This day and age, when people
are turning over sometimes twenty or forty guys, it's just

(41:18):
hard to know what the coordinators are going to deploy.
I think in today's game, it's not as simple as
saying about Tim Polisek is a run the ball, first
play ash and you know, you got to really adjust
to what you got on the football team and be
really smart with that. So it takes a few weeks
to get some tape. Thankfully. I think we play South
Dakota after our bye week, so we'll have some knowledge

(41:40):
on you know, their coaching staff, the nuance there, and
then prior to that, I think it's all about us.

Speaker 1 (41:47):
You know.

Speaker 19 (41:47):
My approach was the same for Colorado last year. We
didn't know a whole lot about the coordinators or their personnel.
So I studied Shadora and we did the best we
could do, and I thought our kids performed well, and
that's just that's gonna be our philosophy moving forward. But
I think the nuance and the change and the coaching
staff like great guys, good football coaches, and they understand
the Missouri Valley and the physical toughness of it.

Speaker 1 (42:08):
I think they're recruiting.

Speaker 19 (42:10):
There's several schools that are recruiting at a much higher
rate and making it a challenge.

Speaker 14 (42:17):
For one final question, bred a lid to Jack, I've
illustrated piggyback a little bit off that with all the
change going on in all these different coaches, which is it,
would you rather face them later in the season when
they could be clicking a little better and jel better,
or when it's early in the season it's hard to
know what they're going to run because you haven't seen.

Speaker 1 (42:36):
These These guys are eagerly wait for my answer. They're all,
I'm pretty upron and honest, the truth is you want
them earlier. I believe in our staff.

Speaker 19 (42:44):
I believe in you know, our systems at North Dakota
State have been in place for over twenty years now.
I mean, the baseline verbage, the core values of our
operating in our systems, you know, formation things have to change,
and so to get that stuff up and running and
to bring change somewhere, you know, I went through that
when I was at Wyoming as a coordinator is very difficult.
And so if you're really asking me, like to play

(43:06):
them early and trust and believe in what we're doing
in house, I agree with everything Logan said. We are
so focused right now on believing that. You know, we
do have a good enough team to reach all of
our goals. But it's all about how we perform and
execute to our own individual standards as individuals units and
then play complimentary.

Speaker 1 (43:24):
Football as a team. So that's a good question.

Speaker 19 (43:27):
Though, I'll be curious to see, you know, Dan our
new offensive corner just as Nuance, you know, what does
it look like in structures of game plans because it
won't deviate too much, but it'll be different than Jake
Landry's viewpoint or my viewpoint.

Speaker 1 (43:41):
That's all exciting.

Speaker 19 (43:42):
I think some of this change in the conference is
really exciting that you know, there's been coach Newson's phenomenal.

Speaker 1 (43:49):
You know, Coach Frehley was a tough out.

Speaker 19 (43:52):
Farley was a tough out for a lot of years
and now they've got different coaches, and I don't suspect
anything will change in South Dakota or or Northern Iowa.

Speaker 1 (44:00):
Think it will be the same kind of physical football
that's always.

Speaker 18 (44:02):
Beena Logan, Thank you very much.

Speaker 1 (44:10):
The next section session features of Southern Suluki's coaching to
kill DJ Williams, quarter back and coach. Just a quick
opening statement about it can't getting ready to start.

Speaker 2 (44:20):
Next week and your prospects on the season, all the
questions in here and questions on gotcha.

Speaker 1 (44:27):
Yeah, no, I appreciate that. You know, all you guys
being here.

Speaker 15 (44:32):
Excited to be here, excited to have the two guys
that that are are with us, DJ and Colin.

Speaker 1 (44:39):
I think it's cool. We brought this up in our
coaches meeting. That haven't an in.

Speaker 15 (44:43):
Person media day. Really, the experience for these guys is
something I always remember going when coach killed to these things.

Speaker 1 (44:50):
But yeah, the seasons here.

Speaker 15 (44:52):
We start camp a week from tomorrow, report to camp,
and so excited about the year. Everybody you watch them.
I tell our guys this team meeting, I think it
was last week.

Speaker 1 (45:02):
It's media days. Everybody feels good.

Speaker 15 (45:04):
You know, everybody's had a good summer, everybody's had a
good off season. Everybody's excited and we are as well,
but we understand the work that it's going to take
to go through the twelve game season like that that
we have.

Speaker 1 (45:19):
So I think our focus right now is finishing up
this summer.

Speaker 15 (45:23):
There's the last couple of workouts we have and then
have the best training camp that we possibly can have
the right amount of reps, the competition to build this
team you probably more than in past.

Speaker 1 (45:35):
You know, we've got a lot of guys that we've
never coached in Pats before. You know, we have got
a lot of them for spring ball, but an opportunity.

Speaker 15 (45:44):
I think these twenty five practices in August you really
find out what the kind of team you have.

Speaker 1 (45:48):
And so I'm excited to get to the ball all
day every day and get the training camp.

Speaker 15 (45:54):
And there's just something about this time of year that
you just kind of feel inside of it.

Speaker 1 (45:59):
If you're a football guy and the time is now,
start the first question, Craig Craig Hale.

Speaker 2 (46:05):
If you meet yourself and ask your questions, the technology
we'll we'll be able to hear you.

Speaker 22 (46:09):
Yes, Thanks Mike, Coach Haill appreciate your time. Given all
your success as a program against FBS programs, can you
kind of reflect on that, the importance of the wins,
What kind of similar steps you've taken from year to
year in that approach, and maybe looking ahead, will the
house settlement have any kind of impact on FCS versus

(46:30):
FBS games.

Speaker 15 (46:33):
Yeah, I appreciate the question, Craig, appreciate all you do
for FCS football. Yeah.

Speaker 1 (46:41):
I mean we've had I think.

Speaker 15 (46:42):
Three wins against FBS schools, and I don't know if
it'll change. I would say in those years that was
one of the best teams that we laid. I think
they came from our conference. I think our team would
tell you that obviously they were. They were big football
teams and big wins for us. But I think we
have respect for this conference to know that that probably

(47:03):
isn't going to be your.

Speaker 1 (47:04):
Toughest game going to Purdue this year, you know, this
year being the first real.

Speaker 15 (47:10):
Year there's been nil and but the rep share obviously
you're going we're playing a Big ten school from everybody.

Speaker 1 (47:18):
Theres is making more money and.

Speaker 15 (47:21):
They have their hand pick at a players that we
wouldn't be able to go and get and I'm excited to.

Speaker 1 (47:26):
Go go play play that game. I know he will.

Speaker 15 (47:30):
I would say he's going to be one of the
most talented players on the field that day, and.

Speaker 1 (47:35):
So we're excited to go go play.

Speaker 15 (47:37):
I can't tell you at pen point one thing other
than just the mindset has been there that.

Speaker 1 (47:43):
We're going to go and try to win the game.
It's not that we're going to go and play everybody.
I even hear that from some of our administration, like
let's not get every anybody heard, Let's get onto the
next next game.

Speaker 15 (47:53):
I remember Tim R. A. D Was like that at
Northwestern and then we won the game. You know, so
I think the mindset locker room as we're going up
there to compete play the best game that we can.

Speaker 4 (48:04):
Thank you questions from the coach.

Speaker 8 (48:07):
Chill, I'll actually kind of digg you back off that
a little bit here. Certainly free away as well. Last
year your season kind of really got the real by injuries,
and we've got sick to say. I don't know if
you are not, but that's what it seemed like from
the outside. Sorry, Alex Illustraight, yeah, don't induce myself for not.

Speaker 1 (48:28):
You know, some of that.

Speaker 8 (48:29):
Certainly, football, most things happen, they're out of your control.
Is there anything extra precautionise you're taking either trading room, training,
cable stretching, things like that to maybe keep everyone up.

Speaker 4 (48:41):
Right this year?

Speaker 1 (48:42):
I think we've uh, you know, our strength coach Meet
Smith does a great job with these guys. He's been
here and there.

Speaker 15 (48:49):
The entire time that I have been and so yeah.

Speaker 1 (48:53):
Football is a is a physical game, and you're gonna
have injuries. We'll have injuries on our team this year.

Speaker 15 (48:58):
I think when you look back and I kids play us,
probably the most one of just a routine free deal put.

Speaker 1 (49:04):
His hand out.

Speaker 4 (49:05):
Don't know who's injured.

Speaker 1 (49:07):
It wasn't a big hit. There wasn't anything that you
can stretch out or do anything for a broken hand.
And so those things are gonna happen, and they'll probably
happen on our team everybody else's team here this year.
You got to build a.

Speaker 15 (49:19):
Team that can withstand those, you know when they come
in waves in certain areas.

Speaker 1 (49:26):
And you know, probably both of.

Speaker 15 (49:27):
These guys would have been here in media days last
year if we had them. They play one Missouri Isley
game for US last year and We've had multiple guys
like that Schwindaman.

Speaker 1 (49:38):
Our tight end who I think will be really good
same day.

Speaker 15 (49:40):
No Missouri Valley games last year, so we have a
crew of guys that were here on our team that
that didn't play, and so that was an excuse. I
still feel like you you've got to learn. I think,
reflecting back since two thousand took over twenty sixteen, this
will be year ten. Since twenty eighteen, in our first
three years we had losing seasons, and in twenty nineteen,

(50:04):
you know, won five games in a row in the
Missouri Valley and kind of we've been to the playoffs
several times, but we haven't had back to back losing
seasons since twenty eighteen. And I think, so you got
to really dive deep and look in the mirror and
what we have to do to make sure that that
doesn't happen again. And I think up to this point

(50:25):
we've done that with this group. But Tom Hotel.

Speaker 6 (50:30):
Coach Sam Grader with here of Sports, the Valley of
team have been the top the FCS. And with this
new kind of era of college football that's upon us,
what does the conference and these members.

Speaker 4 (50:41):
Need to do to just keep on pushing the envelope
to make sure you're staying at the.

Speaker 1 (50:45):
Top of Yeah, I think that's a question for the administrators.

Speaker 15 (50:48):
You know, we would all probably you know, last night,
it was nice to go to dinner with all the
coaches and just hang out all the good guys.

Speaker 1 (50:57):
A lot of respect for everybody.

Speaker 15 (50:59):
In the league, and it's it's cool to be able
to just always talking about their season. We're just talking
about life and family and everybody. And so I think
we would probably have a different mindset if we could
choose we Also, I also understand too, there's a there's
a responsibility for your school. So if you're a chancellor
or if you're an athletic director, it's a tough time

(51:20):
so right now to figure all this out, you know,
and there's not a lot of revenue at mid.

Speaker 1 (51:24):
Major sports to go around.

Speaker 15 (51:25):
You're not in you know, a big surplus, So how
much do you want to go in debt and all
of those things. And so I've always been like that,
I'm not going to complain about any of that. We've
always had lower budgets and things like that about where
we're at. So we're just going to put our head
down and what we have, We're going to go to
work and we're going to try to create a place

(51:45):
that that guys in that year can become the best
player that they can. And so but yeah, I think
that schools individually have to kind of look at how
are we gonna keep up.

Speaker 1 (51:58):
I think there's always all.

Speaker 15 (52:00):
These things changing pretty quick, and so you have to
be proactive. You have to be thinking in the future
two three years from now, so you don't get weft behind,
left behind per se. But yeah, I think that that
the administrators have more of a say.

Speaker 1 (52:15):
Than we do as as coaches.

Speaker 13 (52:18):
Yeah, you've been our on FCS little while, and the
advice for all these new schools coming in the FCS.

Speaker 15 (52:23):
Well, it's a I think it's it's such a great
level of football, you know. I think that it's it's
still pretty pure football the guys that we get to coach,
the talent level is there, like I said, And then
for our league, I think just I think our league

(52:44):
gets a lot of respect.

Speaker 1 (52:45):
But if you like I said, I mean playing FBS schools.

Speaker 15 (52:49):
Or you know, there's three or four games on your
schedule that are probably going to be tougher than that,
just a great coaching that that is in this league.
The discipline is that just you know, watching it on tape,
and then the players, you know, the talent level is
pretty extraordinary. So you know, to be able to make

(53:10):
a run in the playoffs, you're gonna have to have a.

Speaker 4 (53:11):
Really really good football team.

Speaker 1 (53:13):
You're gonna have to develop that way.

Speaker 15 (53:15):
And I think people find that out at seventy three
out of the four teams we're in the final four.

Speaker 1 (53:20):
From our league last year.

Speaker 15 (53:21):
Just to sustain that and do that, and I feel
like we're still chasing that some you know, not put
together two three really good games, but to be able
to sustain and for fourteen to fifteen games, it takes
a special team front of the j With.

Speaker 21 (53:38):
Your injury last year obviously disappointing, you're going through the rehab.

Speaker 4 (53:42):
Process not being able to be on the field.

Speaker 21 (53:44):
Is there what you do in your first year in
the league to try to understand what this league is
about without being on the field, to better prepare yourself
to the season.

Speaker 23 (53:53):
So my actual first year was that Murray in the league,
So I played a full season, but the league's tough,
like coach Hill said at day in and day out, weekend,
a week out, you got a chance to getting beat.

Speaker 4 (54:04):
Regardless you don't come to play, you got a chance
to get being beat.

Speaker 1 (54:07):
And that was a big thing.

Speaker 23 (54:08):
We will not hit the transferred portal and come to
I didn't have any big offers, but Coach Hill gave
me a great opportunity and took me out of a
tough situation I was in and gave me new life
and to playing the best conference in the SCS. This
showed that you're the best player in the country. It
is pretty much what he did. And I can't think
that enough. You going in it's like playing in the
SEC and UH college football playoffs and stuff like that.

(54:32):
You got a chance to go out there and improved
if you the breath and be the best at them.

Speaker 3 (54:36):
DJ Luke Randol from KVVS going off that you know
at Murray State you had a season enning injury as well,
but it was very different.

Speaker 4 (54:42):
Talk about you know, your recovery, your fitness going into
this here. I felt great, probably the best I've ever felt.

Speaker 23 (54:50):
Everybody gonna tell you that, every person, every player is
gonna tell you they feel great going into the season.
But honestly, I feel great. Andrey at Barry was. I
couldn't walked for three months with his hand. I was
back throwing by the time the end of the season
came around. And once the off season game, it wasn't
no restrictions, so I get got back straight to work.

(55:11):
To Coach Hill, I was going back home and the
first thing I did when I got home was want
to go throw.

Speaker 4 (55:16):
And that's pretty much how I'm wired to just go
put in the work.

Speaker 23 (55:21):
So feeling great about the season, feeling great about what's
coming up.

Speaker 10 (55:24):
Next, DJ kind of piggybacking off the injury, such a
good start last year abruptly and it's just like that,
how much extra motivation is there for you to hit
the brown running early this year and really have a
full season.

Speaker 1 (55:38):
Show what you can do.

Speaker 23 (55:39):
It's always there, Honestly, me and coach he will talk
about it a lot.

Speaker 4 (55:44):
After the season.

Speaker 23 (55:44):
He sent me down and told me his expectators for me,
and it was great for him, not the same expectators
I had, And I was to be the best player
in the country. And I feel like you guys saw
it last year. The first couple of games b Yu
didn't play my best ball, and people said I played
pretty good. And then Austin p definitely didn't play my
best ball said, I played pretty good.

Speaker 4 (56:04):
You I w I was moving towards the right right direction.

Speaker 23 (56:07):
Uh, got settled into the offense, got settled in with
coach Hill with the play calling and stuff like that.

Speaker 4 (56:13):
So I mean, it's just time to go show it now. Honestly,
I'm really motivated.

Speaker 23 (56:18):
I see all the list coming out, uh, and that's
like just more few to the fire.

Speaker 1 (56:21):
Honestly.

Speaker 23 (56:22):
Uh, I love it, love of preseason and stuff that everybody,
but everybody gotta go prove it now. You got to
go show me better than me. As for a second, See.

Speaker 2 (56:30):
There's any question external audience for those joining us externally,
if you have a question, just on your.

Speaker 24 (56:36):
Way, Hi, coach I DJ, This is Barry from pre
State Pigskin dot com a coach. I wanted to ask
you you taking on the OC role this year and
how has that impacted your day and your your schedule?
And for DJ, how has coach taking over that role
impacted your relationship and also your ability to kind of
grow in this offense?

Speaker 17 (56:58):
Yeah?

Speaker 15 (56:58):
For me, you know, like when I when I took over,
I've done that for five six years, you know. And
then coach Roland was with US for five years as
a quarterback coach, uh, and then he's got an opportunity
at Wisconsin.

Speaker 1 (57:13):
And so I just felt like for a couple of
different reasons.

Speaker 15 (57:17):
Number one, it's the I have a lot more fun
uh doing it that way. Sometimes we become the head
coach and we just start delegating everything.

Speaker 1 (57:24):
You know.

Speaker 15 (57:25):
It's like, man, I want to I want to get
back and be in the quarterback room and have my hand,
you know, on it. And so hired a young quarterback coach,
Ryan mcvictor, who's student taught for US and gay for
US and last year so this is his.

Speaker 1 (57:40):
Eighth season with US. He does an unbelievable.

Speaker 15 (57:42):
Job of keeping me organized and and things like that.
But for the opportunity, and probably a lot had to
do with it was DJ you know, like I told him,
like obviously Blake was leaving, the transfer portable was open.
You know, there could be some you know, nervousness like
who you bringing in, whose system or anything like that.

Speaker 1 (58:03):
I think he was he was the first person I
called once I got done talking to coach Rolling that
there's you know, I'm gonna be the one doing it,
you know.

Speaker 15 (58:10):
I have to worry about new coach or anything like that,
and so I think that.

Speaker 1 (58:15):
That had a big hand to play in being able
to you know, I've said this.

Speaker 15 (58:19):
You know, We've had some really good quarterbacks and obviously
Nick Baker was fun to coach and each each year
it's you know, different teams. But I want him an
opportunity to coach this guy because I think that his
skill set is uh and talent is and.

Speaker 1 (58:36):
Just the person. We have a great quarterback room. I
think that says a lot about who he is.

Speaker 15 (58:40):
And that's what's cool about bringing him up here so
people can get to know him.

Speaker 1 (58:44):
His smile, his personality. You got there.

Speaker 15 (58:46):
You got to see him at the camp that she
came to putting on a freeze camp on the South
side of Chicago. Like he just people gravitate to him,
and I'm excited to be in there with him.

Speaker 23 (58:58):
Oh for me, very thank you for all that you
do for the selling for the Illinois Sports and SES sports,
but the relationship with me and coachill I tell people
this all the time, is I love him to death,
Like not just because he's sitting right here, but I
tell people this all the time I told you this
in our interview.

Speaker 1 (59:17):
He gave me a.

Speaker 23 (59:18):
Chance to take over a team with when I'm coming
off for a too and nine seasons and started the
quarterback and not too many people would take a chance
on a kid like me. And through it all, we
played him, he beat us, and he still saw my talents.
I didn't even play my best game against them. And
as soon as I got with him, talked to him

(59:41):
coach Hell really just gave me the chance of a lifetime. Honestly,
I love him to death for that. He brung out
a tough spot. Well, I didn't have too much confidence
in myself. I wasn't the same person I was going
into my merchen sty years leaving there, I was going
through it. Honestly, it wasn't the same. He didn't have
a saying smile playing the game. Honestly, he gave that.

(01:00:04):
Gave me that joy back and still that confidence back.

Speaker 1 (01:00:07):
Amy Uh. He sent me.

Speaker 23 (01:00:08):
The first message he sent me when I thought I
committed was the Jaydon Daniels Heisman, the video him winning
the Highs and him transferring from Arizona State to LSU
and winning the heis when that was his first video
he sent me, and I mean that says a lot
about how he felt about me and a thing that
I could do there.

Speaker 4 (01:00:28):
So I just can't thank him enough.

Speaker 23 (01:00:29):
Our relationship when he gets in the room with me,
it's just even better now.

Speaker 4 (01:00:34):
I could have talked to him every day, bounce ideas
off of him, and he.

Speaker 1 (01:00:37):
Listens to me.

Speaker 4 (01:00:38):
So that's the best thing about being around him.

Speaker 1 (01:00:41):
You know, restart tiring women. Thank you very much? Did
you get next station? Appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (01:00:48):
We were joined by the Murray State Racers coach Joy
right in Worthington running back and coaches an openy stavement
about today and Paul Camp getting underway next week.

Speaker 4 (01:00:59):
You know, I'm very excited to be here today.

Speaker 25 (01:01:01):
You know, I think we've got two wonderful guys represent
Merch State here today. I would say anytime you'll be
around to be great players, this league, great coaches. It's
very humbly and very exciting. We're very excited. It's were
thirty years university in this conference, and I would say
it is as advertised. You know, last year was my
first year first State. You know, there's some league coaches,

(01:01:25):
elite players of this conference. We feel like we're making
stemps to close the gap. Really excited about the very
young men we've had that worked really hard in spring.

Speaker 1 (01:01:36):
Got fifty sixty freshmen we got here this summer, so
it'll be in this ball.

Speaker 25 (01:01:42):
We're gonna have some growing pains and a lot of
freshmen are gonna have to play, but also got some
really good young men that we brought back from last
year's team. I'm sitting here with me today July Northern
and Jim over a lot of the pieces we've had
it so excited to get season started. We're gonna start
fall camp July of thirtieth. Had a really good summer.
Like I said, Mary Selton's done a great job and

(01:02:03):
our strength program. But like a lot of positive things
are going on in Murray State athletics. You know, shout
out to our baseball team coach Skirt and the enjoying
the College World Series. A lot of exciting things going
basketball coach Miller and then recruiting, and I can't say
enough about our athletic direction and go gang Coo and
you know what he's done fundraising a lot of different stripes.

Speaker 4 (01:02:23):
Will make you.

Speaker 25 (01:02:25):
Get more competitive and do some things and go to
be president. Doctor Patterson and more trustees. It's really behind us,
so really excited for your years to come. And we'll
start off with some questions. Eric, do you have a question?
Start with questions in the room?

Speaker 8 (01:02:43):
Question Alex Kinkle, Jack Grabba illustrated you kind of touched
it in your opening statement a little bit their coach.
But last year, first time in the valley, what was
that exposure, like, what were some of the things you
really learned from week to week watching film and the
other programs, growing games experiences.

Speaker 25 (01:03:01):
So that expand on that at a lot of great question,
a lot of bruises, a lot of black and blue,
but it was you know, you had so much respect.
Even my time in the NFL, you knew a lot
of times guys that played in this conference they were
ready to play. And the toughness stands out on the field,
the size and like I said, a lot of the

(01:03:21):
league coaching credit all the coaches in this league, but
they do a great job of developing players.

Speaker 1 (01:03:27):
Execute their schemes at a high level.

Speaker 25 (01:03:29):
And you know, I felt like we were not where
we need to be from a size standpoint, especially on
a lot of scrimmage, uh physically and you know, I
think also some of the competitive toughness and football savvy
a lot of guys played this league. We felt like
we bringing all that. You know, it was definitely definitely
humbling a lot of saturdays, but you know, you've got

(01:03:52):
to learn and realize this is what we got to
compete against. So we've got to go get players that
fit this like mold and develop them. You know, we
feel like we made great strides, but you know, I
didn't feel like times we played some good football last year.
Times we played really not so good football that we've
got to learn from and improve home. And I say

(01:04:13):
all the time, you know, first off, I tell the coaches,
you know, you know.

Speaker 1 (01:04:17):
We're driving this bus and it's my job to get
the right people on the bus. And then we got
to give to the right seats.

Speaker 25 (01:04:22):
And so we felt like we've got the right people
on the bus now, and we've got to give to
the right seats, and we better have to plan to
go in the right area because there's a lot of
good buses in this league and a lot of good
coaches driving them, and a lot of good players in
those seats that have been going a lot on a
nice road to championships and success. So we're definitely we
made strides in that area.

Speaker 6 (01:04:44):
Coach Sam Herder with Hero Sports, he said, bring in
I think fifty plus freshmen this year, a lot of
transfers last year in your first year. Does that that
make it easier and kind of form the team into
into the MULDU wants beers to make it more challenging,
just with you know, people of different backgrounds on.

Speaker 4 (01:05:00):
Transfer, coming freshmen all company and kind of mull that
all together.

Speaker 25 (01:05:03):
You know, I've always i think, you know, even looking
at other teams in this conference, especially the ones winning
at a high level of a lot of skill through
high school players development, and that was.

Speaker 1 (01:05:13):
Always the goal, you know. Unfortunately, you know, being hired
late in the process, we didn't really get a high
school recruit when I first came in, so we had
spring portal was kind of all we had, and you know,
we had to, you know, have.

Speaker 25 (01:05:26):
Some tough conversations with some guys and you know, and
I think it's better probably when you bring the freshmen
from winning high school programs. You know their coaches, you
know what they're about, what's important to them. You bring
them in, then you know they're ready to go. Sometimes
a guy that's already been in a college.

Speaker 1 (01:05:42):
Program, they're they're used to this, used to that.

Speaker 25 (01:05:45):
Well we did it this way, and trying to get
them to buy in thirty or forty days and go.

Speaker 1 (01:05:48):
Play the season.

Speaker 25 (01:05:49):
You know, it's tough and challenging, and we ran in
some of those challenges last year. But I feel like,
you know, the main thing, no matter whether you're coach
from high school, junior and college transfer portal, is you
know number one or you're are you a good person?
You got winning trades and high character, and you know,
you better love football in this conferences.

Speaker 1 (01:06:06):
If you don't love football, you can get exposed pretty
quick on Saturdays and you're.

Speaker 25 (01:06:10):
Gonna have to be tough because you're gonna have to
play with some bruises and the banged up and you know,
and then.

Speaker 1 (01:06:16):
Playing some hostile environments and you know, so I feel.

Speaker 25 (01:06:20):
Like we've upgraded in those areas a lot. I probably
would rather have freshmen, you know, because I think you
can get them from they won and they go through
hard things together and they're not another college system.

Speaker 4 (01:06:32):
For a couple of years. I think that's an easier transition.

Speaker 6 (01:06:35):
Every school in this conference decided to hop into the
whole settlement. Hope, I mean, hope valuable is that just
to make sure everyone is kind of popperating under the
same set of rules, and you know it is.

Speaker 25 (01:06:46):
And I think that's been the goal from a you know,
from talking to other coaches and whether it's you know,
Power five G five FCS Division two, you know, kind
of golds and everybody, you know, before everybody knew they
had the same a number of scholarships. You know, it's
kind of been the wall on the West a little bit.
You know, I said, you know, we really have a
system that some billionaire just given kept billion dollars literally

(01:07:08):
if you wanted to play college football, and you know,
that's tough. So I think, you know, it's better and
I'm all for players getting compensated, you know, I think that.
I also think the spirit of football what's made such
a great game as guys that really value being a
good teammate and wanted to come in and do some
special things with other special young men and getting education

(01:07:28):
for what it's going to pay off down the road.
And maybe you know, I hope young men aren't making
decision and off of the school has given me a
little bit more money ten or fifteen thousand dollars for
where you know, gractually going somewhere you can see yourself
get a degree and having those great experiences, you know,
at our level and talking to some other head coaches here,
we're probably not running into that quite as much. And

(01:07:49):
I think it's still a great spirit of football and
all the good life lessons football teachers you. So you know,
it's been it's uh, you know, I think you've still
got to go out kids that you know, at the
end of the day, no matter how much in the NFL,
or if you pay somebody and they don't love to
do something the dif from the NFL, there's guys that
probably making mellians dollars don't love football, and people don't

(01:08:10):
feel like they're getting returned on the investment. So I
think it goes back just making sure you've got guys
that really love football and different things and and hopefully
everybody comes away as a better person, hopefully compensated for whatever.

Speaker 4 (01:08:24):
It will make a little bit equal and over ramble
all that.

Speaker 25 (01:08:27):
Question, but it will be kind of nice that everybody's
probably somehow kind of least in the same neighborhood, you know,
with everything juant kind of.

Speaker 1 (01:08:35):
Off of that.

Speaker 6 (01:08:36):
There so much of the off season we just have
been talking about it's kind of this wild West college
football and painting players and il trust part of one
all that. As players, you guys pay attention to all
of this stuff? Do you talk about it or is
that kind of just out say no? It's like what
was a locker like because it seems, you know, we
talk about from immediate perspectives, call everything's crazy, but who

(01:08:58):
do you guys kind of panel missiness players.

Speaker 1 (01:09:00):
Yeah, it's definitely a conversation.

Speaker 26 (01:09:02):
I feel like with us, we really don't focus on
that more because we're still trying to build a team
and if you try to build a team based off
like money and greed like that, it's not gonna be
a team. So we just try to build relationships with
each other, you know, get to know each other, learn
each other's stories and all that, instead of focusing on
the album outside of norwayst because the most important thing

(01:09:24):
isn't that, it's you know, what are we gonna do?
Because at the end of the day, Money's not gonna
go out there and play football.

Speaker 4 (01:09:31):
I mean we are we we the players are.

Speaker 1 (01:09:33):
So that's what we try to.

Speaker 26 (01:09:34):
Focus on, developing ourselves and developing you know, our relationships
with each other and in order.

Speaker 4 (01:09:39):
To be a pretty team.

Speaker 11 (01:09:42):
Coffee to Pindia, Juan Coach mentioned a lot of freshmen
coming in as a senior of the team. Where do
you see yourself as a leader, what are you expecting
yourself and these freshmen coming in.

Speaker 26 (01:09:52):
I see myself as a person who's ready to like
establish a culture er and Murray merrigeddate football. Really, you know,
we've had a breath couple of years ever since I
got there, but I really feel like this year, you know,
we really are molding together well and are trying our
best to you know, get to know each other and
you know, be ready to go to war with one another.

(01:10:14):
So I feel like it's my job as somebody is
a senior, and that's a leader, somebody, you know, the
young freshman. So at any transfers look up to in
order to like establish what's uh like, what's right.

Speaker 1 (01:10:27):
And what's wrong?

Speaker 26 (01:10:27):
You know, what's what we need to do in order
to you know, be successful you know in this conference,
even if outside this conference, in any game we play.
So I feel like that that's my job in order
to like, you know, see how.

Speaker 1 (01:10:41):
Practice is ran.

Speaker 26 (01:10:42):
You know, our workouts are, our condition is you know,
telling people, you know, like, this is how we do it,
this is how we're gonna do it.

Speaker 4 (01:10:49):
And if you're not ready to buy and then I want.

Speaker 1 (01:10:52):
To do human it's luck.

Speaker 2 (01:10:54):
In a session after questions from the external audience, just
muture line to ask.

Speaker 27 (01:11:00):
Question, Hey, coach Logan Wailey over at WPSD, A couple
of questions just talking about this season and talking about
the expectations for this year. What do you think needs
to have for Murray State to have a successful year
and how would you define a successful year?

Speaker 25 (01:11:20):
You know, I think a successful year probably be reached
our potential, getting the most out of our players and
competing at a high level every single game. You know,
I know we get judged on wins and losses, and yes,
I think the winning.

Speaker 1 (01:11:35):
Season would be a successful season.

Speaker 25 (01:11:37):
And our goals to win every football game and we're
going to prepare like that no matter who we're playing,
to go out there and trying to go one to
know every week. But I do feel like we made
a lot of strides. You know, we're getting winning people
in the program that I feel like are you know,
winning is important to them, and doing winning things are
important to them, and they're ready to put in the
work and all the challenges and and everything. I said,

(01:12:00):
you know, yes, everybody talks about you know, you have
to play in this car. I said, no, we get
playing in this conference and we get to go play
you know, some nationally ranked teams and national championship teams
and the any national championship teams. So it's a it's
a get to mindset, and uh, it's a challenge every week,
but uh, we definitely feel like we're close in the
gap and get a lot better in a lot of areas.

Speaker 4 (01:12:25):
And then default.

Speaker 27 (01:12:28):
On Just you talked about, you know, how important it
is to be a senior leader on this team, and
you know, with all the talk of the transfer portal
and uh, you know, especially just with the results on
the field, I mean, how important is it to not
only stay at Murray State, but just take that next
step as a leader and get these young guys acclimated
to the culture that that Jody is said Againt Murray.

Speaker 26 (01:12:49):
It's very important because the young freshman, you know, the
young kids that come in are.

Speaker 1 (01:12:54):
Only gonna they're gonna vibe about what they see.

Speaker 26 (01:12:58):
I mean, basically, I think outside of football, like I said,
like the little things matter the most, you know, picking
picking up the trash and the locker room, help, cleaning
up the field after practice. You know, a little things
like that really matter in order to establish a culture,
because uh seys the standard I mean we needed. I
feel like we need a standard to be set and

(01:13:20):
for these freshmen to follow. I mean they follow the
guidelines followed with you know, me and other seniors, you know,
other older guys you know, do so that they know
when it takes to be successful and that we can
be successful.

Speaker 1 (01:13:34):
That the questions in the room here.

Speaker 23 (01:13:38):
So you so you talked about like uh beg you
winning bus like that's from the Energy bus.

Speaker 28 (01:13:44):
That book?

Speaker 4 (01:13:45):
Yeah, tell me how did you like that? Up until
you tell us a little bit.

Speaker 25 (01:13:48):
About John Gordon? Uh A couple of times, great author.
I love what what he does a lot of mindset.
I think, you know, you gotta control the controls with
our team, and every day is a person as well,
and you know, and sometimes your attitude, your effort, your mindset,
all that things you can't control. Sometimes we can't control

(01:14:09):
the players, how big you are, how tall you are,
how long you are, how you know, God, somebody else
is gonna throw football the goos you do you know
how you're gonna brush the passer and cover the guy
trying to catch the ball and everything.

Speaker 1 (01:14:21):
But but you know we I think we've got a
lot of guys that are.

Speaker 25 (01:14:23):
Really thankful for the opportunity that they have at Murray
State and grateful to playing such good conference s great opponents,
and uh that's we're excited.

Speaker 1 (01:14:33):
I do wish that they had f c S a
sports football we got. We got a racer one right
around to try.

Speaker 25 (01:14:42):
You know, you got real life Bison, South Dakota State,
South Dakota, all those great environments. I mean, we've got
some great f CS environments there. So we gotta gets and.

Speaker 1 (01:14:57):
I have not.

Speaker 4 (01:15:00):
He got arrested much last year.

Speaker 25 (01:15:01):
We got, yeah, run score a touchdown, so I don't
I would get South Dakota.

Speaker 1 (01:15:06):
He got a stand up there and need a lot
of grafts.

Speaker 4 (01:15:10):
He got the fat last time.

Speaker 1 (01:15:11):
We got to running around my touchdown. So the.

Speaker 2 (01:15:17):
Tell they they ever score touchdown, they can hop on
the horse.

Speaker 1 (01:15:22):
We'll take.

Speaker 2 (01:15:25):
Any final questions. Coach thank you much, Sam, appreciate, appreciate
something out here. Ready, you have some people joining us
from only as well. But we'll go ahead and get started.
We had with us in South Dakota.

Speaker 1 (01:15:44):
Tried to stay against and head coach Charles Barret, junior
running back.

Speaker 2 (01:15:47):
And we'll start with the opening statement coach about Paul
Camping starting next week.

Speaker 1 (01:15:52):
And your thoughts in your season.

Speaker 5 (01:15:54):
Yeah, high, I think, first of all, we're we're excited
to be here on an awesome event, to be a
part of UH in person to media day. You know,
we've we've had an unbelievable spring in summer. I think,
like everybody, it's been you know, responses to the tumultuous
things that kind of go down this time of year.
But we feel incredibly blessed to be where we're at

(01:16:16):
right now. We've got a good football team. It's had
an excellent summer. Paul Camp we report twenty ninth, I
will start practice on the thirtieth and all downhill to
an opener at Iowa State on August thirtieth.

Speaker 12 (01:16:28):
So I think, all in all, we've got an excellent
group coming back.

Speaker 5 (01:16:32):
Still returners we brought Today we announce our captains last week.
That'll be on defense, Tim White and Wade Abrams, and
then on offense that's who we brought plus day Aid
Bauman and Charles Pere and most people know those two,
those two names, but ultimately ready to go and excited

(01:16:53):
about our twenty five campaign.

Speaker 29 (01:16:56):
We'll start with questions from this room, and if you
have a question, coach, what has the process has been
like for you? Obviously taken over as the head coach,
you get some new coordinators, new position coaches.

Speaker 1 (01:17:11):
What's been the process just trying.

Speaker 21 (01:17:12):
To get everybody on the same page for this thing
to be ready to go on vull camp.

Speaker 5 (01:17:16):
Yeah, I think ultimately every move we made was to
try and have continuity every step of the way. I
think it's the most important thing we're doing in college
football right now. Those who can retain and keep continuity
altogether have a chance to continue to b and build
what they built in no way of shape or form.

Speaker 1 (01:17:33):
Do we have a program that was broken.

Speaker 4 (01:17:35):
It needed me to come in and change a bunch
of things, and.

Speaker 5 (01:17:38):
Part of that process obviously for the better part of
the last six years, and really confident how we do
things and how we've done things. So each one of
our hires, whether it was taken over my vacate and
see w when coach Davis moved on and elevating people
within the program is one percent about keeping the continuity
instructure and the way we've done and keep our systems

(01:17:58):
in place. And I feel like we've done a an
excellent job of doing that. HI level confidence and all
those coaches and players to accomplish what we've done.

Speaker 13 (01:18:06):
More Jeff Copettro and the bar Minfargo. A lot of
newness in the league this year. You're not new to
the league.

Speaker 4 (01:18:14):
What's your sense of how things have changed over here
last year.

Speaker 12 (01:18:18):
I think ultimately has a lot of opportunity.

Speaker 5 (01:18:20):
You know, I think for for every program right now,
there's there's a big question mark in every program, whether
it's through graduation, through retention in the portal, addition subtractions. Coaches,
I think we all see it as a kind of
a blank slate.

Speaker 4 (01:18:36):
You know, how is this going to go?

Speaker 5 (01:18:37):
And I think the teams that could focus, stay internal
and improve throughout the season. I think we're going to
see a season that's gonna find teams that are playing
their best at the end of the year. The ones
that are are going to be in the in the
hunt for this maybe not those that are playing their
best at the beginning. So ultimately, with all the change,
I think brings a ton of opportunity and we certainly

(01:18:58):
see it that way.

Speaker 4 (01:18:59):
You describe a challenge to the offensive line in the offseason.

Speaker 5 (01:19:02):
Well, yeah, it's interesting, right, Like I think externally when
you when you look at yeah, you lose two tackles
that were probably NFL bound and really our fifth alignment
while with big holes to fill, I think we've done
an excellent job over the years of recruiting the position,
developing the position. We obviously brought in a number of

(01:19:25):
transfers mainly to compete for those jobs and depth. But
we've got guys in our roster. We feel really confident that,
you know, because they got the volume of reps in
the spring when those guys not there, continued volume in
the summer with player let practice what they'll get in
this fall camp. You know, we may not have counted
on them as second year players. If we still have

(01:19:45):
those guys but more than capable to fill those.

Speaker 1 (01:19:48):
Shoes and some.

Speaker 12 (01:19:50):
We need to get them online as fast as possible
and think.

Speaker 30 (01:19:52):
They can do that.

Speaker 11 (01:19:54):
Yeah, Charles dual more of a dual running back system
last year kind of stepping into a larger role, maybe
the bigger work cloud kind of have prepared for that.

Speaker 31 (01:20:03):
Uh, you know, we're obviously working with Travis last season,
you know it was a split carry system, but me
and a man bag, I think last year prepared me
to take on this new step.

Speaker 1 (01:20:12):
And like I said, the other run in bets in
a room. We have a lot of depth, so we
compete every single day. So it's just next man upsadly.
So that's what really compared me.

Speaker 6 (01:20:21):
For coach Sam Herder with Hero Sports with this new
kind of post house era of college football scholars, supplement's
revenue share and you think that could increase the level
of parody in the FCS or potentially could expinal the cap.

Speaker 5 (01:20:40):
I think it does level of playing field a little bit,
depending on who you are, right. I think for years
to generate revenue with in programs and maybe not affecting
us as bunch, you had to you gotta be able
to sell your stadiums, have bigger venues.

Speaker 1 (01:20:54):
You know, your brand had to push that quite a bit.

Speaker 5 (01:20:57):
You know, third party in IL wasn't going to be
a part of moving programs necessarily, But at this point,
you know, there's the way to generate revenue and come
from a lot of different ways, and I think if
you have access to people and revenue like that, it's
going to inevitably help programs if you decide to go
that route with it. So I think there's a lot

(01:21:18):
of benefits. I think a one for the student athlete
in a way that makes sense. It doesn't maybe deter
from the fabrica what we're trying to accomplish as a
as a baliant, you know, all encompassing in college football.

Speaker 1 (01:21:30):
I think we lost.

Speaker 5 (01:21:31):
That to a certain extent, but now that those rules
are kind of settling down and in place, and we
all know to be continued litigation with this thing. But
ultimately I think the spirit what we tried to accomplish
five years ago with name, image likeness is getting closer
back to that, which will benefit student athletes not only monetarily,
but give them a place where they can stay at

(01:21:52):
home for their four or five years.

Speaker 6 (01:21:54):
Charles, there, you know a lot of opinions out there
about the state of college football and how wild it is.

Speaker 4 (01:22:01):
As a player, what are your thoughts in state of
college football?

Speaker 6 (01:22:04):
Do you pay attention to all this craziness. I heard
you guys just because on your locker room and and
just play football.

Speaker 1 (01:22:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:22:10):
As a player, I'm not really too worried about it,
you know.

Speaker 31 (01:22:12):
I'm just worried about the upcoming season and what the
team is going to do, So that's doesn't really crowded
my mind as much.

Speaker 4 (01:22:18):
We just worry about when I hit down and.

Speaker 10 (01:22:19):
Worked gra But you took over a program that had
national championship expectations even before all the player departures during
the spring.

Speaker 1 (01:22:28):
I'd assume those expectations haven't changed.

Speaker 10 (01:22:30):
But do you really start to feel that pressure that
it's kind of national championship or bust the season for
US TEA.

Speaker 12 (01:22:36):
Yeah, I mean that's where we want to be.

Speaker 5 (01:22:38):
Our aspraces haven't changed, the expectations and the you know,
to be.

Speaker 12 (01:22:41):
Honest, the potential program has a change, and that's.

Speaker 1 (01:22:43):
What we're setting out to do.

Speaker 12 (01:22:45):
Yeah, nothing that happened in the offseason.

Speaker 5 (01:22:48):
Deters us or or degraded for any confidence we have internally.
I never want to be a part of anything, and
these players don't want to be a part of something
that's not chasing the very best and that's what we're doing.
And you know, we we've shown to be able to
beat every single team in this country at any point
in time. We need to do it for the entire
entirety of entire system and through the entire season and

(01:23:10):
through the playoffs. That's our challenge. It isn't the isn't
the ceiling. It's the consistency of that ceiling. And we've
got a good, mature group of leaders that that I
think I know will push us in that direction. We've
got a lot of work to do until then. But yeah,
the pressure of it, there's no pressure, you know, it's
it's really internally. We can probably put more pressure or

(01:23:31):
stuff than anybody.

Speaker 4 (01:23:32):
I have a lot of starting quarterbacks back you have.
That gives us confidence.

Speaker 5 (01:23:36):
Yeah, yeah, you know we we We won't you know,
put the crown on him in any capacity because he
won't do it for himself. But Abe Bauman is a
special player. You know, we all know him. Charles. The
leadership bar group that are on kind of a national level.
They could have gone and played in other places and
chosen those routes, and we understand what their what their

(01:23:58):
value is to the.

Speaker 4 (01:23:59):
US and their loyalty to this place.

Speaker 5 (01:24:02):
I think we all feel that, and we're chasing things
that are bigger than the dollar, and I think collectively
that's that's why this will go.

Speaker 4 (01:24:09):
People like that, And.

Speaker 5 (01:24:11):
Yeah, he's pretty darn talented, but I think more than anything,
he's selfless.

Speaker 4 (01:24:16):
He's a great leader.

Speaker 5 (01:24:17):
He believes in the collective team football that we play.

Speaker 12 (01:24:22):
And it's never about him. It never has been.

Speaker 1 (01:24:24):
So he'll be a four year starter and a two time.

Speaker 5 (01:24:26):
Captain and a multiple Americ, time All American.

Speaker 4 (01:24:29):
And yeah, that that gives.

Speaker 12 (01:24:31):
Us a little bit of confidence season to kind of
piggyback off that.

Speaker 1 (01:24:36):
So you said.

Speaker 8 (01:24:37):
At the beginning of the press year coach Star Alex
kingkle Jack Rabbit Illustrated talked about the departure of Josh
Davis and town rehiring coordinator. There is that something you've
really relied on Aiden or even Charles here to kind
of feedback up.

Speaker 4 (01:24:52):
Hey, here's some things we did last couple of years.

Speaker 1 (01:24:54):
You liked, here's some things we didn't to rebuild.

Speaker 8 (01:24:56):
That playbook, kind of get that player input or whatever.
You really relied on your new staff to do some
of that.

Speaker 5 (01:25:01):
Well, it's not a new staff, Uh, I've known Josh
Davis and I went back twenty five years, and so
when when we first hired him, his ability to go
and get the coaches that he wanted and that that
we have matoral connections with, and that staff was built
two years ago. We kept that same repeat Tim Morrison

(01:25:23):
as our offensive coordinator.

Speaker 1 (01:25:24):
Tim Morrison has been doing a long time.

Speaker 5 (01:25:26):
And what we did and how we did it over
the last couple of years with Josh and Tim really
being heavily involved in our run game, that won't change.
And so systematically, terminology wise, none of that is getting
flipped over. And so I think more than anything, we
got some coaches in place that might have been coaching
out of position.

Speaker 12 (01:25:45):
Matt Fitzham is a quarterback coach at heart.

Speaker 5 (01:25:48):
He's a co offensive coordinator, was coaching receivers while Coach
Davis with US coach fits the will slide in that
quarterback room with Ayden and it's a completely different picture
as far as your expertise playing the play in the position,
should coach in the position. Over all those years, Coach
Davis's was he was a wide receiver guy. And obviously
you guys know the background, right, He wasn't a quarterback guy,

(01:26:09):
so schematically the team there's you know, unless you played
the position, it's uh.

Speaker 12 (01:26:13):
You know, I'm not getting in the way of the quarterbacks that.

Speaker 5 (01:26:15):
Right now, evaluating them anything, you know, outside of their mentality,
how they're wired.

Speaker 1 (01:26:20):
I'm out of the way.

Speaker 25 (01:26:21):
You know.

Speaker 5 (01:26:21):
Matt Benson is an expert at that, and I think
we're seeing some things really pay off or aid in
that way.

Speaker 1 (01:26:26):
Too, you know.

Speaker 5 (01:26:27):
And the rest of our staff as guys that have
played in prominent roles, you know, spots, so a lot
of carryover and so there isn't a big deal. But
you know, our players are certainly have a level of
mastery in what we're doing. And guys like Charles and Aiden,
when they you know, they see something, it isn't for
selfish reasons.

Speaker 12 (01:26:47):
It's because they understand our stuff realistically, thank you.

Speaker 10 (01:26:51):
You know, you're gonna have a lot of pretty open
position battles, and you had Default camp especially, but some
of the additions that weren't there in the spring, I
mean want to see some of.

Speaker 1 (01:27:00):
Those younger guys or newer guys program.

Speaker 10 (01:27:03):
Handle themselves, which will be such a fierce competition for
siming position ers. What do you want to see them
do over the next five to six weeks as we
get towards the season.

Speaker 5 (01:27:12):
I think at the end of the day, they got
to execute what we're doing and they've got to be
able to you know, we look at it.

Speaker 12 (01:27:18):
You know, can you carry over a lot of guys
can do things in the weight.

Speaker 5 (01:27:23):
Room from a movement perspective, right, then can you can
you put it technically into individual work?

Speaker 4 (01:27:28):
Then can you move into the periods.

Speaker 12 (01:27:30):
Of seven on seven and inside run all.

Speaker 1 (01:27:33):
The way until you know you're at a game day?
And then what are the stakes on the game?

Speaker 32 (01:27:37):
Do you do it in the National semi finals?

Speaker 1 (01:27:38):
Can you do it in the National that game?

Speaker 33 (01:27:40):
Right?

Speaker 5 (01:27:40):
So how fast we can get them to those positions.
They're not battling each other, they're battling themselves. And we
can't create game day and we can't create games with
big stakes on the line. That's gonna happen within the season.
But we've got to put some of those young guys
in live environments. This guy probably doesn't need a bunch
of live Unfortunately for him, he won't be getting them

(01:28:03):
and p at least be buffed out about that.

Speaker 34 (01:28:05):
But yeah, the rest of those guys, we've got to
have a pretty physical, you know, competitive camp that maybe
we went to had a year ago with so many
bats so got a great game, and they have.

Speaker 5 (01:28:16):
To perform in those in those settings, trials with a
lot of the new faces.

Speaker 11 (01:28:20):
How well would you say you guys are best so
far over the summer.

Speaker 31 (01:28:23):
I think for for to be as many people as
we did bring in, I think we're very close, Like
we get closer every single year. And we just went
on a trip to Rapid City. We had no phones
for the whole weekend, so it four us we're bonding together.
But the thing about it was it didn't matter if
we had our phones and not because we won anyway.
So that trip was just a remindered how closet the
team actually was. We do a lot of team activities

(01:28:45):
outside of facilities, and I think that's what's gonna be
separate us from a lot of teams.

Speaker 1 (01:28:50):
How close we are as a team.

Speaker 10 (01:28:52):
Kind of piggybacking off of that, in this new day
and age college football, it seems kind of hard to
keep a locker room together. Was someone like you were aiding,
who are really those leaders in that locker room?

Speaker 4 (01:29:03):
How do you bring some of those.

Speaker 10 (01:29:04):
Newer guys together to really get acclimated to the program,
activating into the locker room and build that camaraderie like
you mentioned so quickly before the season comes around.

Speaker 31 (01:29:13):
I think the biggest thing is just understand that we're
all people outside of football. I think sometimes the athletes
get it all that are just football players. But we
make sure that they're like they're heard and known outside
of the walls, whether it's giving them a roads to
store or.

Speaker 4 (01:29:26):
Hanging out get something to eat.

Speaker 31 (01:29:28):
I think that's the biggest thing, is just let you
know you care about them as a person.

Speaker 1 (01:29:31):
And then once you do that hangout all the time.

Speaker 4 (01:29:33):
You just get rid of close what you do in
Rapid City, cloud about.

Speaker 31 (01:29:38):
It and we competed and we just we just had
a great time to get coach.

Speaker 6 (01:29:44):
When recruiting the transfer portal this offseason, did you notice
more talents in the portal this offseason or was it
pretty on part of previous offseasons.

Speaker 5 (01:29:53):
You know, we've been so limited to the amount right
we've done in years past. You know, I think they're
you know, I think like all there's there's a lot
of talent. It's what you have access to By the
end of the day, you know, I felt really confident
in the guys that that we're able to bring in
I have. You know, we've we've done a pretty good
job in the portal in the past, mainly finding like

(01:30:13):
minded people their situation may have not put them statistically
in a really shiny category, pulling them out and naturally
that's what's gonna happen at the FCS level. But you know,
to Charles's point, you know, part of this is making
sure you're building a team guys that can fit in
your locker room, that can appimate in your campus, that
can live Vermilion love football, and I think we've done

(01:30:37):
an excellent job with that. They've fit in tremendously, absolutely
have enhanced our locker room in a lot of ways
because of their selflessness. And I think if anything, we
saw more of an influx of that because of the
circumstances in which a lot of guys decided to make
that move and our needs, we were able to to

(01:30:58):
not take a step back. Can character one second, which
I think say one when you're trying to navigate that,
but from a talent perspective, pretty talented.

Speaker 1 (01:31:07):
Guys, I think we had access. You look at the schedule.

Speaker 4 (01:31:11):
I thing that jumps out is no open week until
they're end of the season. How do you try to
manage that in.

Speaker 29 (01:31:18):
This league and just playing you know, as physical as
what this team has last few years.

Speaker 5 (01:31:23):
Yeah, that was a shocker when I when I first
kind of started thinking about the twenty five season, I
went out, did North kot State you by.

Speaker 12 (01:31:30):
Right before us? And we've moved out of the way
so they can play.

Speaker 1 (01:31:32):
Saint Downmas the end of year.

Speaker 5 (01:31:35):
To be honest, when I was in the NAI and
we won national title in twenty thirteen, we played a
schedule straight through that by week and India or year.

Speaker 1 (01:31:43):
Really we had two buys and fourteen.

Speaker 5 (01:31:45):
Days between at the end of the season when we
played our first playoff game. So you know, I think
we've trained like that all year. We're not hiding from that.
That doesn't matter. You know, bye week is three days
off and you're back at it anyway as you're working
most of that week.

Speaker 4 (01:32:00):
You know, we'll be smart.

Speaker 5 (01:32:01):
About, you know, our ability to keep guys fresh all year.
Who would have done that anyways?

Speaker 12 (01:32:06):
So yeah, I mean it's you navigate it without a
buy and you deal with it.

Speaker 4 (01:32:09):
That's just what we're in our league is is what
it is.

Speaker 5 (01:32:12):
We're going to see them all and we're going to
play them all and nobody's gonna, you know, care what
nobody says. Hey, but they didn't have a buy that year,
you know. So we're we're mentally prepared to go handle that.
I think what we're looking forward to is if we
can position ourselves, you know, at the end of the
year in a spa wa we're lucky enough to be
in the in the playoffs or be in the scene
conversation that that you can back up whether you get

(01:32:34):
a seed and you get a bye week there, or
you get or you don't get a seat, or whether
you get a seat and you got two weeks to
get healthy and do some different things. Maybe schematically it
gives people problems, we'll take our advantage then. So we've
got a lot of work to do, but it's a challenge,
but one I think we're very much.

Speaker 2 (01:32:52):
Time for one last question before our next team. The
last question the audience here uh rind of lanky Jack.

Speaker 14 (01:33:01):
I've illustrated this could be free that one of you
guys with the top two you know, roadblocks in the conference,
so to speak, with the South Coast State, North Coast
State breaking in new quarterbacks, Auld Tumull going on at.

Speaker 4 (01:33:13):
South Coast State with coaching roster change, we guys.

Speaker 14 (01:33:15):
Have returning Charles being arguably the best running back country
plus team being the best quarterback conference. Returning just feel
like probably your best chance at nanking run at a
national title.

Speaker 4 (01:33:26):
To you, guys, or do you look at it that way?

Speaker 1 (01:33:28):
I wouldn't say that.

Speaker 5 (01:33:30):
I think those two teams are have a had tremendous
obviously history, North Coast State obviously a one in our league,
and in what the.

Speaker 1 (01:33:38):
Jacks have done as of late.

Speaker 12 (01:33:41):
Every time we've played both those teams, we've.

Speaker 5 (01:33:44):
Never felt for the last howeveral years have we've gott
beat since we since we've gotten you know, last.

Speaker 4 (01:33:50):
Year was an incredible game in Brookings.

Speaker 12 (01:33:53):
I don't think we left feeling like we didn't have
a chance.

Speaker 1 (01:33:55):
To win that game.

Speaker 5 (01:33:56):
I certainly felt like we might have left one on
the table even acted that nineteen day and twenty one days.
I mean, it's always a game that we know we
can win. Nor Dakota State we've been to the last
three times we played them. We need to do it
when the when the time calls for us to do it.
We belong in that conversation. I think we put ourselves
in that conversation.

Speaker 4 (01:34:17):
But certainly those are the cream of the crop and
who we wanted to beat against, right, I think that's
the main deal.

Speaker 12 (01:34:23):
We want to be peers to the very top of
the country.

Speaker 5 (01:34:28):
But as far as everything going on in their programs,
we got our own stuff to worry about.

Speaker 4 (01:34:32):
Frankly, who we do.

Speaker 5 (01:34:34):
They've got good players, good corbet always reload. But we
got a high level confidence and Aiden and Charles to
lead us.

Speaker 1 (01:34:43):
Towards that regardless.

Speaker 2 (01:34:46):
Charles, thank you very much. Thanks you appreciate. We're joined
by Indian State head coach Kurt Mallory and Dallas Walk
linebacker the Sycamores. Kurt, if you just make an opening statement,
talk about the prospects for the season. Camp starting a
week and then we'll get the questions in the streams.

Speaker 1 (01:35:08):
Yeah.

Speaker 14 (01:35:09):
I'm really excited, excited about this year's football team. I've
had a great summer. We start on Sunday, that'd be
a reporting day. Anxious to get around the team and
get started.

Speaker 1 (01:35:20):
Thank you, coach.

Speaker 2 (01:35:21):
We'll take some questions from this room and then for
those that are joining remotely, when I prompt you just
one your stuff to ask a question questions first Jeff
got Backfardo Sunday.

Speaker 12 (01:35:32):
Alrighty, yeah, earlier and earlier, isn't it?

Speaker 14 (01:35:34):
Well, we played on a Thursday this year, so you
go backwards from when when you open up, and so
we're able to report on Sunday and get going.

Speaker 6 (01:35:44):
Sam Verder with dual sports, it sounds like the FCS
is started even earlier. Next year week Zerio is gonna
be the new one?

Speaker 25 (01:35:50):
Yeah?

Speaker 35 (01:35:51):
One?

Speaker 6 (01:35:51):
So are you in favor of that kind of starting
even earlier then your fall camp, summer camp.

Speaker 14 (01:35:56):
Kind of discussions with our athletic director and just kind of,
you know, see where it takes us right now. Uh,
we've had a few opportunities that we're gonna explore, but
certainly looking at it and seeing what gives us the
best option.

Speaker 6 (01:36:10):
When it comes to the house settlements, every team for
every school in this conference has aside to opt in.
What important you think that is just having each team
kind of under the same rules and guidelines.

Speaker 14 (01:36:21):
Well, I think it's consistency. You know, we're all on
the same page. We can you know, that makes us
day this weekend so special because you get around the
other coaches, you talk, you know, you talk what you're
going through in the summertime, how you am and something.
Because there's there's really no playbook to what we're all
going through and we're all going through the first time,
so we're all friends at the end of the day

(01:36:42):
and we can all, you know, talk about what we're
all going through.

Speaker 1 (01:36:46):
Many changes.

Speaker 4 (01:36:47):
Way been trying to build your program since you've been there, Well, yeah, no,
we've stayed pretty true to where we're at.

Speaker 14 (01:36:56):
We're always gonna start recruiting in the state of Indiana,
and then we're gonna, you know, recruit the surrounding states.
We're going to ISLEWA, we'll go into Wisconsin, but those
are where we go. And then as far as you know,
the transfer portal, then we're gonna go you know, where
the players are, just like most people. But try to
stay close to home and build it from there.

Speaker 2 (01:37:18):
Let's go next to questions from people joining remotely and
if you have a questions for either Kurt or Dallas
or something yourself asked a question.

Speaker 36 (01:37:28):
Hey, coach Brian Jennings in the ESTA radio, how you
hope you're doing well, h Brian coach. You know, new
faces this year, coaching staff, roster turnover. Just talk about
the chemistry and how important the summer's been.

Speaker 14 (01:37:42):
It's been very important, you know, starting in the spring.
Thought we had a really good spring. A lot of
the coaches that we brought in or coaches that have
had a history with guys that maybe I've worked with before.
Our offensive coordinator John Behar and I worked together about
fifteen years ago and followed his career. It's a tremendous
job running offense. And really glad to reunite with him.

(01:38:05):
And then our offensive line coach, who's Awsome, our assistant
head coach, Darryl Funk. Him and I have worked together.
This will be our third time together. We were together
at the University of Michigan. He was the old line coach,
I was a secondary coach, and then he was one
of my first tires when I first became the head
coach here at Indiana State and he's now back with us.
So really excited to have those guys back at A

(01:38:27):
good young group of coaches that have come with too
as well. And then we have a defensive coordinator David
Elson David and I kind of grew up together. We're
both from Indiana, played high school football together. You know,
we've got a lot of same mutual friends. Never worked together.
This will be our first time, but it almost seems
like we have because we've been such close friends.

Speaker 37 (01:38:50):
Thanks coach, Yep, coach.

Speaker 38 (01:38:53):
We've talked a lot about the all the FBS guys
you brought in, but Dallas here, She didn't Seedna get
talked about a time.

Speaker 37 (01:39:00):
What are you looking to see from Dallas this season?

Speaker 4 (01:39:04):
I'm sorry, Derek, did you ask about Dallas?

Speaker 1 (01:39:06):
Yeah?

Speaker 37 (01:39:06):
What are you looking to see from Dallas this season?

Speaker 14 (01:39:09):
Well, your defense is only strong as what you are
in the middle, and when we've been really good in
the middle of our defense, whether it's our interior guys,
our middle linebacker, inside backers, and our safeties, we've been
really good and I feel that it'll be the same
case this year with Dallas in the middle and what
we have interior wise, I think we're strong up front.
I really like our safeties this year, and then you

(01:39:30):
build it from inside out.

Speaker 38 (01:39:33):
Dallas, what are what should fans know about maybe your
style of play, especially on the defensive side, as you
look to tighten down some of these teams next season.

Speaker 39 (01:39:41):
Yeah, I think me and the defense as a whole
kind of have the same mindset as we're we're gonna
do our job at the best of our ability. We're
not gonna try and do too much. We're gonna play
for the guy next to us, and we're just gonna
we're gonna be as disciplined as we can and just
play hard.

Speaker 1 (01:39:55):
Dallas.

Speaker 36 (01:39:56):
From a perspective for yourself, you know you've been around.
Some face are gone from last year. You know you
look Garretts no longer.

Speaker 5 (01:40:02):
They're just no longer.

Speaker 4 (01:40:03):
They're obviously Maddox has moved on.

Speaker 36 (01:40:05):
Just talk about from your perspective not having those guys
around you and how that's sort of added more of.

Speaker 37 (01:40:11):
A leadership role to your game.

Speaker 4 (01:40:13):
Yeah, one hundred. Obviously like it. Now it's my time
to step up.

Speaker 39 (01:40:18):
But I think, you know, watching those guys the past
three years has been very It's been very beneficial for
me and seeing how guys who have had a lot
of success see how they do it, and then you
kind of do the same thing and then bring other
guys along with as well.

Speaker 37 (01:40:35):
Thank you, coach. I entered a lot of doubters out
there this next season.

Speaker 38 (01:40:43):
I'm sure you're seeing the rankings, but obviously I traveled
with the team quite a bitless last season. There were
matchups such as the Eastern Illinois last year and and
a youngst and young young Sound State. Those two really
stood out to me games a team that they really
could have won.

Speaker 37 (01:40:58):
How are you looking to maybe change out this season?

Speaker 1 (01:41:01):
I mean, you know, Dallas hit it.

Speaker 14 (01:41:03):
You know, we've got a lot of young men in
this program that have been working while they've been waiting,
you know, and their opportunities come and you know, these
guys have played, they may not have started. Their time
is now and they're hungry, and you see that in
a way they work in the spring. You've seeing it
throughout the summer, and I know everyone's really excited to
get started here on Sunday and show. You know, I

(01:41:24):
think that's the biggest saying. You know, I don't really
get caught up and where you start. We want to
see where we end up.

Speaker 33 (01:41:30):
Coach.

Speaker 36 (01:41:31):
Obviously, Elijah is a threat with the balls in his
hands and in the open field everywhere else do you
try to are you looking for him to scale back
his ability to keep it himself and try to stretch
the field more, use the tight end more, get Rashot
involved at times or what's things going to look like
this year offensively with the new with the new system, I.

Speaker 14 (01:41:49):
Think our stat has done a great job of recruiting
some skill. Uh, you know, we've got good skill coming
back that have played shot is who you mentioned. Uh,
but we've got a really good receiving corps. I think
we've done a great job and the transfer portal, uh,
you know, and getting better skill out there. And but
I think you're going to see the offense spread some
things out, get the ball out of space, and I

(01:42:12):
know we're anxious to showcase at and obviously when you
get Elijah with the ball in the SAMs, you can
do some really great things.

Speaker 6 (01:42:22):
Yeahs coach talk about all lot of you guys. You
have that patience, you know, kind of five millard time
before hitting the field. How important is that to you know,
have that patience developed in one program instead of you know,
some guys that don't play in two years and kind
of get happy even go into the transfer port How
important is it to stay in that system and continue
to develop.

Speaker 4 (01:42:42):
Yeah, I think it's very important.

Speaker 39 (01:42:43):
I think to build the culture, obviously, you've got to
have some guys that have been there the whole time.
And I think the way I approached it was obviously
I sat behind garitl and like it was a great player,
and I just did every every day I came in
hoping to learn something from him. And I think just
having that approach learned a lot about how you up
looked at the game, how I can look at the

(01:43:03):
game differently, and just learned a lot from them.

Speaker 4 (01:43:05):
So I think that's important coach early by week this
year for you guys.

Speaker 11 (01:43:11):
Then you guys have the four Dakotas Wolfs back back
to back beat, do you guys kind of stay healthy?

Speaker 1 (01:43:16):
Yeah, kind of grueling season like that?

Speaker 14 (01:43:18):
Well, I think, you know, I like the way that
you know, our buy comes right after pre here, right
after the non conference schedule.

Speaker 4 (01:43:26):
Because as you said, you know, everyone's really really good
in our conference.

Speaker 14 (01:43:30):
You know, I know that Dakota has had a most
respect for but there's never a down week in the
Missouri Valley and we've got a great challenge non conference.
We opened up McKendree. We played a great rivalry in
Eastern Illinois, which is great for both schools. We're located
about thirty miles apart, and then we'll get into have
an opponent to playing Indiana University and of course coming

(01:43:52):
out to playing Montana.

Speaker 4 (01:43:54):
But it's a great challenge. I know our players are
excited for that.

Speaker 37 (01:43:59):
Coach talked about the go ahead. Derek, Oh, sorry, going
off that a little bit. I want to get in there.
You mentioned playing in Montana, and then I I you,
how do those two schools help you going into those
back to back to back with like South Dakota.

Speaker 14 (01:44:13):
And then well, I think you you know you, you know,
both teams are going to be ranked in top Indiana
probably be in the top fifteen, top ten, who knows,
but they're awfully good. But it's a great challenge. You're
playing one of the top FBS programs in the country.
The location, we have a lot of guys from the

(01:44:36):
state of Indiana, so it's great for our program.

Speaker 1 (01:44:39):
We played.

Speaker 4 (01:44:39):
We're fortunate to play Indiana and Purdue every year. Just rotates,
and we.

Speaker 14 (01:44:43):
Have an opportunity to go out and play Montana and
I got the most post respect in the program we
played them a few years back. The outcome wasn't what
we wanted, but I got a tremendous amount of respect
and what they do out at Montana.

Speaker 37 (01:44:59):
Coach about the offensive line.

Speaker 36 (01:45:01):
Obviously, in order to be successful in the valley, you
got to be able to run the ball or at
any level. Really just talk about their maturation process over
the course of the summer.

Speaker 14 (01:45:08):
Well, I think it's built on guys that we recruited
at a high school. We've we've been We've brought in
a great class. Now it's their time. You know, I
mentioned before. You know, they've been working while they've waited.
You know, they're going into their third year and they're
ready to look ready to go. And the majority of
them guys been in the program since day one. And
then you know, you do have you know, as you're

(01:45:29):
talking about, Brian, you know you do lose guys throughout
the transfer port when we replaced them with some really
good players as well.

Speaker 2 (01:45:36):
Thanks time for probably one more question or in this runt.

Speaker 40 (01:45:46):
That's it.

Speaker 4 (01:45:47):
Thank you, Okay, thank you guys, guys appreciate it.

Speaker 37 (01:45:50):
Thanks coaching.

Speaker 4 (01:45:51):
Yeah, we'll see you, Brian, see Derek, thank you. I'm great.
Day fellas, try to keep on schedule.

Speaker 2 (01:46:02):
To start off with ALECD McNeil and take some questions
from the room for him, and then coach will.

Speaker 1 (01:46:08):
Come back and make a semi opening statement that's not
an opening statement. Put he'll make a statement questions for
the catch, questions from the room for you know that
kind of.

Speaker 4 (01:46:19):
Jeff Copa, how's a transition?

Speaker 1 (01:46:21):
God, in the offseason, it's gone great.

Speaker 41 (01:46:23):
It's gone better than anybody could have imagined, you know,
with all the uncertainty with just getting the new staff
and new coach, and you know, for me, it was
my last year, so just kind of looking at it
like I only got one more shot at this thing,
So how do I want to do it? And you know,
when Coachman got the job, I texted him it was like,
you know, congratulations, I'm excited to try.

Speaker 4 (01:46:42):
To get to work with you, Like you know what
I'm saying.

Speaker 41 (01:46:44):
He called me right away and he was like, I'm
excited to get to be able to pour into you
and be able to develop you and be able to
make you a better football player. And I just knew,
by you know, everything he said and how true he
was to his word day it would be great, and
that the transition would go good. And you know, everybody's
kind of body, and then the people who didn't really
think that it was for them have separated and went

(01:47:04):
their own way. And so Pachment's done a great job
with being able to get everybody on the same page
and everybody working towards won't come and goal.

Speaker 4 (01:47:12):
It's defensive guy.

Speaker 1 (01:47:12):
Got like that? Yeah, I love it. I love it.
I was used to playing for a defensive guy in
high school.

Speaker 28 (01:47:16):
So just getting back to our old coach was Coach
Bubble was the defensive guy too, but Coach Schmitt is
really on top of our defensive He's actually our coordinator,
so he's really hands on involved in everything.

Speaker 41 (01:47:28):
On the right here we were talking defense coming up,
So just having that resources amazing for me, especially as
a linebacker, someone who has to be able to call
the whole defense.

Speaker 1 (01:47:35):
So just being able to go to the head man
and be able to that the same thing I need
is pretty.

Speaker 6 (01:47:39):
Huge separator with Hero Sports. What have you noticed just
the day to day differences that I've.

Speaker 4 (01:47:46):
Changed this year with Coachman. I think everything is different
from the morning schedule.

Speaker 41 (01:47:52):
You know, we would have workouts before probably the same
time six or six thirty, but you're getting there about
thirty minutes before, you know, just kind of getting there
early enough, but not how we are now right now,
they make you thirty minutes is like the bare minimum
time you can get there, else you're late.

Speaker 1 (01:48:07):
And so you got to get in.

Speaker 41 (01:48:08):
There's a room, you got to roll out, eat breakfast,
which they provide all of that stuff, you know, so
that's pretty huge because not everywhere can do that, and
so they provide you with the breakfast, You got to
roll out, you got to go talk to the trainers, you.

Speaker 1 (01:48:21):
Gotta do all of that stuff. That's before the workout
even starts.

Speaker 41 (01:48:24):
So now you go through the workout, and you go
through the workout, and after that you're now you're in
the training room again because they're marking down names of
who didn't didn't go.

Speaker 1 (01:48:33):
So it's just kind of a standard of extra is
the standard.

Speaker 41 (01:48:37):
So this digit training room, the recovery, the vitamins and supplements,
all that stuff is the standard.

Speaker 1 (01:48:43):
And so just doing stuff like.

Speaker 41 (01:48:44):
That, I think is huge. And you know, we're running
it like week three, week four in the season right now.
We have the player run practices, we have meetings where
we're in there just how we would need five of
the seasons so I think just getting to getting all
those repetition, all those reps at our stuff is huge,
And so just doing all that stuff on a day

(01:49:04):
to day basis, you can really see the transition.

Speaker 1 (01:49:06):
And how how much people are getting better.

Speaker 4 (01:49:11):
Malc I out people Jack Rabbit illustrated. You know, last
year it felt like the wheels it kind of fell
off for you guys a little bit. You know, top
fifteen at one point, you go one and five dead
the season. Yes, Cirtain, what what's something that maybe you
thought was pause behind that?

Speaker 8 (01:49:29):
Have you as a senior member of the team kind
of taking in upon yourself to prevent some of those things?

Speaker 41 (01:49:35):
You know, if I'm being completely honest with you, that
was probably one of the lowest moments, like of my
football career is starting off that high. We were number
seven at one point and just kind of falling off,
Like you said, they kind of went down there after
Youngstown and losing that any games in a row wasn't
a real good fielding, especially for me having two seniors
at the time his roommates. Just having to look in

(01:49:55):
the face after every week of losing and not had
going to the playoffs and being able to extend it season.

Speaker 1 (01:50:00):
That was really tough for me.

Speaker 41 (01:50:01):
But as a leader right now going into my last year,
I'm I'm focused on changing that and doing everything.

Speaker 1 (01:50:06):
In my power to not have that better taste in
my mouth, and so just focusing on how do I
get better?

Speaker 41 (01:50:12):
And I think Coachman has been a great addition to
getting me better in developing and telling me honest truth
about myself to kind of give myself better. And I'm
just ready to go rack out and finished this last
years young and coach Jeff Copacfardo.

Speaker 4 (01:50:27):
League changed since the last time you've part.

Speaker 1 (01:50:28):
Of this those things.

Speaker 40 (01:50:30):
It's a really good league, you know what I mean.
It's you know, I think South Dakota has really improved
of that.

Speaker 16 (01:50:35):
I think, uh, you know, I don't know.

Speaker 40 (01:50:36):
The state is still but they've always been so just
that Southern's always you.

Speaker 4 (01:50:42):
Know somebody that that you know has a lot of
talent on their roster too as well. Youngstown State has
a lot of tradition too as well.

Speaker 1 (01:50:49):
I think Mergen State is.

Speaker 40 (01:50:50):
Still building, you know what I mean yet off of it,
but I was in North Coasta State and uh and
then you know, get back to to where.

Speaker 1 (01:50:56):
They were so I think the top of the league
is really good.

Speaker 40 (01:51:00):
I think, you know, just as you go through it,
just the depth of the league is probably even better
maybe than it was in twenty nineteen when I left.

Speaker 4 (01:51:10):
You have some big shoes to fill with Bubba's departure.

Speaker 10 (01:51:13):
Just kind of briefly touch on what he meant for
you in the coaching development and how you envision.

Speaker 1 (01:51:18):
Him building a program with you at the Helm. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:51:21):
No, I think, uh, you know, Bubba's we we've worked
a lot together.

Speaker 40 (01:51:25):
We've been in those rooms, you know, for a long time,
you know, in our careers, and and I've been fortunate
enough to be able to work with you know, great
great peers and colleagues, but even better men. And I
think he's one of those guys for sure. You know,
he's he's one of probably one of the top three
or four mentors in my life. And and just to
have him around the building in a different role, but

(01:51:47):
to be able to you know, just bounce ideas and
just to get to know if some of the lay
of the land stuff I think is important. And you know,
I think anybody who takes a job obviously it's special
for me.

Speaker 4 (01:51:56):
I've played there. You know, so how many how.

Speaker 40 (01:51:59):
Many people get in out opportunity to be able to
go back and coach at a place where they played,
you know, so and then all the special people that
you know that have been to be able, that have
been been a part of my life. I think is
is really cool. You know, on the day I had
my press conference, it was you know, some of the
best friends that that I met, you know, as teammates
in that brotherhood. It's people that were in your wedding

(01:52:20):
and that you talked to here consistently since you got
done playing. So you know, I'm mumbled by it, you
know obviously, you know, it's a place that that there's
you know, the machinery is in place with some of
the things we've been able to know facility wise, Like,
I really feel like there's some serious momentum that we've
been able to gain since we got there. You know,
you look at it through our player development and what
these guys have been able to do, and then you

(01:52:41):
know in recruiting to as well. So that's something that
we need to continue to sustain now throughout the fall,
and you do that by winning football games.

Speaker 6 (01:52:48):
Melkai, there is I mean, just with three alignment to
transfer portal, and I all revenue sharing.

Speaker 4 (01:52:54):
So much stuff going on and off the field, and
us in the media, we share our hands fall the
city college football, you know, coaches do as well as
a player. What are your thoughts just on the landscape
of college.

Speaker 41 (01:53:06):
I think as far as the landscape of college football
in the transferring thing and all that, I don't really
I'm not a particularly big fan of it, but I
would probably say as far as anil, I think it's
a great thing, you know, to get athletes kind of
a piece of the pie and kind of get something
to help compensate them. And I think that that's great, bore.
But at the same time, I think that you're going

(01:53:26):
to get everything that you deserve. So I think that
it's been a great tool to help build athletes and
help get athletes and be able to help sustain their
lives on the day to day without having to worry
about anything other than football.

Speaker 4 (01:53:39):
But at the same time, I think some people kind
of cludent their justment with it. Don't you anything on
your quarterback situation where you should right now?

Speaker 1 (01:53:51):
Yeah, you know, it's still a battle, yet it's still
a competition.

Speaker 40 (01:53:55):
I do think that you know, at some point there's
not a timetable, but we're it's like, hey, we need
to decide by this day, you know, so to speak
off it, it's whenever one of those guys are, you know,
at the end of the day. I think the good
part about you know, some of the guys have game reps.
They got Simon, he's got a ton of game reps.
Javans has game reps off at started games you know
against cal and things like that.

Speaker 1 (01:54:16):
And then you know, Jerry's been in the system, you know,
for two years now.

Speaker 40 (01:54:20):
And it's kind of got to that point in his
career now where at your third year, it's kind of
a lot of times like, hey, that's the point now
where you like to feel like guys have been able
to develop and then have enough time to be able
to show like, hey, they're true you know talents on
the field. And then Jack's kind of the guy and
the you know that that's come along. Here's the youngest
guy you know in the room and and he's really
shown a lot of improvement.

Speaker 4 (01:54:38):
So I do think when you go through that that
type of.

Speaker 40 (01:54:41):
Scrutiny, that type of competition day in and day out,
you know, with the eyeballs amnia that even if you
don't have as much game experience that that competition now
really you know, replicates a game every single day. Not
that we're gonna coach him any different or that we
we don't great them, you know what I mean, the same,
but but definitely I think helps you know, in in
their development. And I just think you know, it's for

(01:55:02):
any position, but especially you know, the quarterback position. I
think everybody on the team wants to be able to
see somebody go out.

Speaker 4 (01:55:07):
There and earn that job.

Speaker 40 (01:55:08):
So once we feel like somebody has been able to
do that, then we're gonna you know, I mean, we'll
sit down and let the rest of the guys know.
And and there's no timetable on it's just whenever we
feel like, hey, someone separated themselves from everybody else.

Speaker 2 (01:55:23):
And when I stayed head coach rocks back and Jake
Anderson and a little buffers and coach just an opening
statement about is camp getting started next week and your
prospects on the season, and we'll being up some questions.

Speaker 1 (01:55:35):
Well, we're very excited and started the very progress.

Speaker 35 (01:55:41):
You know, we got back in the playoffs a year ago,
a one ten games, and it's got a majority of
our team back and they've been working further hard. Really
you know doesn't but yes, it's been very efficient and
got good leadership up.

Speaker 32 (01:55:56):
And down the roster, and it's been really summer.

Speaker 35 (01:56:02):
So really curious to see where we're at and put
it all together here, start next, nice bat and off
we go.

Speaker 32 (01:56:11):
I've been very very pleased.

Speaker 2 (01:56:12):
Let's start with questions in the room, and for those
that are joining remotely, when when it's time to be
prompted just to I'll mute yourself to ask a question,
questions from their own person.

Speaker 6 (01:56:21):
Oh, Sam hearder with your sports What are your thoughts
on having this in person in the media DAYA get
never one here together to.

Speaker 1 (01:56:27):
Kick up the season. It's interesting that you bring that
up because you're the older guy.

Speaker 32 (01:56:32):
We we went to Zoom.

Speaker 35 (01:56:33):
I thought that was kind of cool, but I you know,
I had reservations, and but I've been very impressed.

Speaker 1 (01:56:40):
You know, Jeff and staff has done a great job
of Mike and everybody.

Speaker 42 (01:56:44):
I just think it's been very well run and really
enjoyable and enjoyed seeing the players interact with each other.

Speaker 35 (01:56:52):
And then all the head coaches have been you know,
they're all good guys, and he had a great.

Speaker 32 (01:56:57):
Dinner last night, and I had had fun.

Speaker 42 (01:56:59):
So it's kind of nice to their hair bag or
pull their hair back and get and relax in front
of them because our games are so competitive.

Speaker 1 (01:57:10):
But it's been been nice.

Speaker 6 (01:57:12):
New age of college athletics getting ushered in with revenue sharing,
not necessarily any more scholars supplements. Do you think that
could increase the parody in the fco s nationwide or
could it eventually?

Speaker 1 (01:57:23):
That's a good questions, and I'm not you know, I
like to whish I had for some ball, But as
I know, once you were.

Speaker 42 (01:57:31):
Just talking about this, once you open Pandora's box, start
playing players.

Speaker 5 (01:57:34):
You're not changing that.

Speaker 35 (01:57:35):
Going back on, you know, we all have to get
you have to get with the program or get out rushing.

Speaker 1 (01:57:41):
But I think it's you know, if we can.

Speaker 35 (01:57:45):
Get some parameters around it a little bit, you know,
if they find out I won't say rules, but just
some guardrails would be helpful.

Speaker 4 (01:57:54):
I think we're a little better towards that now than
we were a year ago.

Speaker 42 (01:57:58):
But the hard part for us is as pryers and coaches,
is when the rules change so much, and particularly we
have roster invitations now, and I think the way they
set it up, I think that the Designated Student Athletic
BSAS made it a pretty wise decision.

Speaker 32 (01:58:16):
And made it easier for us to move into the
next phase.

Speaker 35 (01:58:19):
Of one hundred and five. But I guess we'll see,
you know, I think you know, resources are are you know,
are tough out there right now, but.

Speaker 1 (01:58:34):
It's it's if you're going to be a really good
football program, you got to have resources.

Speaker 35 (01:58:39):
And so I think that's I don't care about that
will always be the case and it's never never.

Speaker 1 (01:58:46):
Not going to be the case.

Speaker 4 (01:58:47):
See from a player's point of view. What are your
thoughts on changing landscape?

Speaker 14 (01:58:52):
You know, Penical coach back said, it's hard to keep
track of all bit but they do a pretty good
job bolthing me and stuff to make sure you know,
you know everything that's going on as much as we can.

Speaker 4 (01:59:02):
Until we changed in theself.

Speaker 13 (01:59:03):
So Jeff Coback Fargo a lot of new in the league,
new quarterback, new coaches and commissioner.

Speaker 4 (01:59:11):
What do you make of that? Me?

Speaker 43 (01:59:14):
Yeah, it makes you feel really ill u that because
I I think I just came in the league, but
I'm the oldest guy. It's it's it's gonna be interesting.

Speaker 1 (01:59:26):
I think I think that you know, uh, with change
the personally makes it makes things maybe uh makes it
makes a little more interesting, I think.

Speaker 4 (01:59:36):
But I know, I know where we're at.

Speaker 32 (01:59:39):
I'm unhappy where we're at.

Speaker 35 (01:59:41):
See what happens with well, the new coaches and they
all seem to be really good people and good coaches.

Speaker 32 (01:59:47):
And we know the league.

Speaker 1 (01:59:49):
You know, the.

Speaker 42 (01:59:51):
Talent level the league is is very very good. So
we know we're as you know, older players in our program.
You know what they're gonna see every Saturday. It's gonna
be tough, and uh, you make a very best every Saturday.
I don't think that's gonna change.

Speaker 13 (02:00:08):
Do you think these new FCS schools coming in, well,
they know what they're gonna see every Saturday. Now, I mean,
would be your thoughts or advice for them coming in
the new all the new f cs like Mercy Durst and.

Speaker 4 (02:00:21):
Real Brand and all these schools.

Speaker 30 (02:00:23):
Yeah New Haven, Yeah, my son, Uh, I would say that, Yeah,
it'll be the puplic growing.

Speaker 1 (02:00:35):
To be some growing pains.

Speaker 35 (02:00:37):
Because because just levels really no joke I spent you know, Jordan,
my career in the big time, came here and this
league is doesn't take a back seat to anybody. It's
really good from top to bottom physicality of the.

Speaker 44 (02:00:51):
League and the people, what they have, commitment level for
all all the programs in the league, directors from you know,
from the presidents to the head football coaches.

Speaker 35 (02:01:05):
Players, it's it's it's very good. I don't know, it's
a better lead in the country. I just you got
to come up by every center.

Speaker 4 (02:01:16):
You guys done where you're build an indoor right yet investment.

Speaker 1 (02:01:23):
Yeah, we've done.

Speaker 35 (02:01:24):
We've done a lot and that's a pretty good green class.
In the last couple of years. I remember of coach DIGL.
Mayer told me, I said, a man, you've done a
great job.

Speaker 1 (02:01:33):
Here, and he goes, it's kind of changes when you
got this behind you and that behind.

Speaker 35 (02:01:37):
You, you know, and he's right this and you have
a commitment from your administration, from you, from the donor base.
It's makes it makes it easier because get as good
as coaches that are out there, great coaches had really good,
great great resources.

Speaker 1 (02:01:52):
Behind somebody new head coaches. You know, you mentioned you're
the longest tenured guy.

Speaker 4 (02:01:58):
Now, I guess if you've had one piece.

Speaker 1 (02:02:00):
Of advice to those new head coaches.

Speaker 4 (02:02:02):
What would you tell them as they embark on their
own in their own programs.

Speaker 45 (02:02:05):
Well, I give you last night, and I think the
most common one, Uh, I would just uh stay true
to who you are and believe in what your philosophies
are and.

Speaker 32 (02:02:21):
Is important.

Speaker 35 (02:02:23):
You know, make sure you don't people don't take you
away and talk you out of what when you think when.

Speaker 1 (02:02:29):
It's games, and that's hard to do. Sometimes keep people happy, it's.

Speaker 35 (02:02:34):
Hard to do, which I said, I thought that's one
of the entire can't make every happy, so don't try. Yeah,
make sure you keep gem happy, your football players and
h program happy.

Speaker 1 (02:02:46):
So I think you have to just just understand that,
you know, you can't be ever hang to everybody. It's
got to stay true to yourself and what you believe
in and sits here.

Speaker 32 (02:03:00):
If your philosophy's just.

Speaker 45 (02:03:03):
Who you are.

Speaker 2 (02:03:07):
See any questions from the external audience. If you have
a question, just un meet yourself to ask a question.

Speaker 4 (02:03:12):
To be the rocker Jane the Dan Verdon from Priest Pigskin.

Speaker 1 (02:03:16):
How you doing coach? How are you doing well?

Speaker 46 (02:03:20):
This is for both you and Jake you know, you
got many recognizable, improven guys on offense, names that people know,
but you got, you know, other than than Jake and
Tynee Camp, there's a lot of unknown on the defensive
side of the ball. What gives you confidence in this
season going into it with the defensive personnel you.

Speaker 1 (02:03:39):
Have, you start with it.

Speaker 14 (02:03:42):
For me personally, I mean, this is the best group
of pass rushers played with with since since I got here.
You know, we're probably three deep at any spot on
our pass rushers, so feel pretty good about that.

Speaker 42 (02:03:56):
Yeah, I think Jay's common he said, yeah, yeah, he
said the same thing on the stage earlier, Dan and
he he was very accurate, really smart.

Speaker 1 (02:04:05):
Guy, but he you hit that Neil on the head.
We had very, I think much better depth in our
front seven.

Speaker 44 (02:04:15):
So and you know in our system, we activate different
guys to rush the passer, so we do have the
multiple guys.

Speaker 1 (02:04:21):
That think can get to the quarterback. We we like
our I like our D linement, I really do.

Speaker 35 (02:04:28):
I think we're three deep, but all three down and
four down, I think we're two and a half deep
there made the three D.

Speaker 1 (02:04:37):
So I I really like our depth up in the front.
And as you know, in this league, but particularly our
league front players that really went important. So we like
our defensive line.

Speaker 35 (02:04:49):
And then you're gonna see some guys come out of
come out of our off our team that you're gonna say,
was that guy? That guy? Yeah, pretty good young freshman
defensive end last year that did some damage and.

Speaker 1 (02:05:05):
We're able to played four games and had to play
in the playoffs.

Speaker 46 (02:05:12):
As a follow up to that, I think this is
the eighth year you've had travisnee Camp as your defensive coordinator.
That has to instill a lot of confidence and Jake
for you. You know, so many of the other players
across the nation have had changes year after year. You
haven't experienced that. So what's it been like to have
coache Camp as your coordinator?

Speaker 4 (02:05:33):
Really nice?

Speaker 14 (02:05:34):
Having that stability. You know, my very first year here,
my defensive line coach changed. But Coach Blatt, he's the
defensive line coach now, has just been fantastic. I mean
I credit a lot of what I could do now
to him. I was some skinny outside linebacker when he
got here for me.

Speaker 4 (02:05:51):
So being able to have both of.

Speaker 14 (02:05:53):
Them as like mentors and their mentors in the film room,
their mentors on the field and just like being a
and too.

Speaker 1 (02:06:00):
You know, I've heard of them a lot.

Speaker 35 (02:06:04):
Yeah, anytime you can keep your staff together, it's it's
a real plus. A lot of these guys are own
my state of Lums and a lot of us have
been together for a while now. So our Tony Peterson
and I were competitors. You know, Tony was a coordinator
offensive coordinator for the Minnesota for eight to ten years

(02:06:27):
I think, and during my twelve years, so we know
each other very well. He's stuck around and so the
consistency with the system is on both sides of the football,
and our special team has been the same.

Speaker 42 (02:06:41):
So it's been it's been really good. You can see
the consistency coming through now, really really like that. And
you mentioned Travis. You know, I think Travis is a
tremendous company. Young, but he's experienced.

Speaker 35 (02:06:56):
Coach that does a lot of the things Heightness society
and I guess anybody's mean, I think it's gone, but
he's he's a very experienced guy AND's got a really.

Speaker 1 (02:07:05):
Good job at our place.

Speaker 35 (02:07:06):
And you know, for me to not have the daily uh,
I know that hands in it every day on defense
has been kind of nice as a head coach because
I can.

Speaker 32 (02:07:18):
I can do other things and do what I have
to do from administrations for the same thing. We're jams
now and especially that's just.

Speaker 1 (02:07:26):
Gams.

Speaker 4 (02:07:27):
It hasn't really changed. You feel more jams now, So.

Speaker 35 (02:07:31):
So every all day I couldn't you know, at to
call place for a while and uh cavol and gave
it up after that.

Speaker 1 (02:07:41):
But I think I know some people still do.

Speaker 35 (02:07:44):
But too much, too much going on, and I say,
on top of all the stuffs, a serious trouble.

Speaker 1 (02:07:53):
So yeah, I take the GAM title.

Speaker 35 (02:07:56):
Sure, sure, a roster and it's right the personal sm.

Speaker 4 (02:08:02):
Parents, what's that the GM title. Yeah, they don't give that,
that's that's okay.

Speaker 1 (02:08:12):
I'm happy with what I'm compensated with. But it's it's
just part of the deal. I enjoy that part of it.
Enjoy it. That's the one thing about being a head
cut enjoy is a roster team. And that's startled.

Speaker 2 (02:08:29):
A couple of minutes left in the session and any
other questions from the external audience or from this room.

Speaker 11 (02:08:35):
Coffee in the press of the code and templancy, like
you mentioned last year, start this year with ocall but
just kind of how you guys build on last year performers.

Speaker 1 (02:08:45):
Win more than ten and that's as in our league,
that's really difficult. I think, you know, I think we're.

Speaker 35 (02:08:54):
Better than we were a year ago, and what you know,
we'll see, but I feel like we're much better team
than we were a year ago because we have particularly
our front seven defensively, you know, our skill guys offensively,
skill players offensive we get we got some pieces to
the puzzle that are there. I think we built on

(02:09:15):
around that too, and we built up those areas. We
have more depth and we had a year ago. I
think that already before. But so I think that's where
we're going to make our strides. You know, is is
our depth. And I was I'm hoping we don't have
to challenge our death like you gotta challenge last year early.

Speaker 32 (02:09:38):
But in the long run it.

Speaker 35 (02:09:39):
Made us a better team and we won seven on
the road in the row and and we we needed
to do.

Speaker 1 (02:09:47):
We needed to be that kind of team to finish out.

Speaker 32 (02:09:50):
And a Be asked the.

Speaker 35 (02:09:52):
Question on stage, and it would what does it take
to be a playoff team? We got one rogue and
a great team. The CHAMPIONIP team is winn Road just
the way it is, and that's difficult and so and
you just keep billing on what was filled last year
without death, but I think you feel pretty good about it.

Speaker 14 (02:10:12):
One final question over here, readily to jack up and
illustrated to kind of piggyback off of big difficult went
off the rote. You guys have a big situation with
the playoffs passing. You have the first round games have to.

Speaker 1 (02:10:25):
Be on the PROA, which I know.

Speaker 14 (02:10:27):
Is doing excellent because I know you said that that
is great for you guys and everything else.

Speaker 1 (02:10:33):
Does it add a little bit of extra pressure to
try to get a seed so that way you have
that whole game and don't have to play first.

Speaker 35 (02:10:41):
First of all, you want we get right and the question,
but you off sorry as fast I forget answer the question.

Speaker 1 (02:10:50):
But your point is well taken.

Speaker 35 (02:10:53):
The first of all you got about getting in the playoffs,
and the second law is just getting Yeah, but you know,
we were stoke spoiled because my first couple of years
in the playoffs here we got to buy you know,
I hadn't they and then we're din last two times
we had to play in and play Thanksgiving weekend, which is.

Speaker 30 (02:11:15):
When negotiatings in our state is when I grew up
in the States a long time.

Speaker 32 (02:11:23):
We'll me to normal, normal alumois as.

Speaker 35 (02:11:25):
We want to end up on Thanksgiving the weekend because
that's where the state championship. And when I came back,
I signed my contract and I looked over the ad
the desk, I said, the state championshipn't here anymore, and
then produced for so long and no.

Speaker 1 (02:11:41):
That's equal.

Speaker 42 (02:11:43):
It's taken fourteen years of politicking and getting things lined
up and you know, contracts to.

Speaker 1 (02:11:48):
Run out and getting the bids in and all that.

Speaker 35 (02:11:52):
Everybody in state who was football related, particularly head coaches
and nadies for that matter.

Speaker 42 (02:11:57):
One of the playoffs at our place because we're essential
to updated. We haven't run a very stadium. Now it's
really nice.

Speaker 1 (02:12:05):
Place to play outdoors and choice in this and thanks you.

Speaker 32 (02:12:11):
And only one.

Speaker 47 (02:12:11):
This is where you want to be. So I mean
got a cat well behind it. And they've asked me
five times. I think at least five times. Coach you
said no right before they're going to sign that. If
you you have a first rown tournament game, you go.

Speaker 32 (02:12:31):
On a road.

Speaker 1 (02:12:32):
Absolutely, I think it's that important and really be honest
with you.

Speaker 48 (02:12:37):
Obviously love that home game, but it's fun to play
road in the playoffs. It's fun to see Mike on
the road to usually with us we've been on the
last two times down in Southeast Missouri. We've got a
good time after the game. It's fundable road and it's
one time now turning for everybody.

Speaker 1 (02:12:53):
Not sure I value we're trying to. Hey, it's what
we do.

Speaker 42 (02:12:57):
But it's fun to win, so we just turn that around.
You're right now at our places. Said you wanna you
wanna play back? Goodbye, you know, and you won't have
a problem play we don't.

Speaker 1 (02:13:13):
You like it?

Speaker 4 (02:13:16):
That's your question. That's it, Thank you very much.

Speaker 2 (02:13:20):
We have the Northern Iowa Panthers with US head coach
Todd Stepsis type with Aberg joining us from Northern Iowa coach.
Just an opening statement about camp starting next week officially
in your prospects on the season, and then we open.

Speaker 16 (02:13:32):
Up some questions.

Speaker 49 (02:13:34):
Well, you know, right from day one, I think it
misam Tucker to talk about it in one of the
other interviews.

Speaker 4 (02:13:41):
How can we be the best part of our player today?

Speaker 1 (02:13:43):
You know.

Speaker 4 (02:13:43):
So you know we've gone to summer where we haven't
seen him a ton.

Speaker 49 (02:13:46):
So now you know, we get a chance to do
training camp, got thirty one days together where it's just
football and and we call it football Christmas, uh in
my family where and there's no classes to worry about.

Speaker 1 (02:13:59):
There's uh, you know, really nothing but just a team.

Speaker 49 (02:14:02):
And and I would say, if you were to ask me,
what's what's the what's been the best part of the
last seven months, It's been our players.

Speaker 1 (02:14:10):
You know. I think sometimes it's it's tough to have
the attitude.

Speaker 49 (02:14:14):
That you want to have coming off of a tough
year or or coaching change to you know, maybe you
had a position coach that you really liked and that
guy's not here anymore. So you know, sometimes it's easy
to to have, you know, an attitude of pessimist. But
you know, our players, you know, right from day one.
I mean when I say, day one, Tuesday night in

(02:14:35):
the team meeting room, and I met a whole lot
of the first time you know that that season wasn't
going to define who way that they were and and
and they were really ready to take a step forward
to to leave their mark, you know. So you know,
obviously having a great season, but then you know, what
can they do for our program that's going to continue
to last over time.

Speaker 1 (02:14:56):
And it's not tougher hysteric pie. You can't see the
name jag.

Speaker 33 (02:15:01):
We can't.

Speaker 1 (02:15:03):
Let's take some questions from the room here.

Speaker 2 (02:15:05):
First, and then you can turn the name down so
people promotely know what they're asking questions.

Speaker 1 (02:15:12):
Questions from the room, noe go remote.

Speaker 8 (02:15:16):
Coach steps this Oulex Skinkle Jack Gravin illustrated a little
bit different situation.

Speaker 4 (02:15:20):
You're coming from from a non scholarship school of.

Speaker 12 (02:15:22):
Great What are the pros and cons of getting into
a you know, school.

Speaker 8 (02:15:28):
Like brln Igh Whary maybe have more resources, but you're
also having to compete at higher level.

Speaker 1 (02:15:33):
Yeah, I mean, I don't know if there's any cons.
I think there's challenges.

Speaker 49 (02:15:38):
I think anytime you're jumping into a conference like ours
with the caliber of play, I mean, yeah, you're gonna
have to bring your a game. You're gonna have to
find ways to do things better than you've done before,
you know, But I think those are all positives, you know,
I mean, we all strive to be the best that
we can be, and so you know, anytime you're around

(02:15:58):
with greatness to be great, and they're saying, you know,
medio people don't like high A tievers, and high tievers
don't like mediocre people. So when you're in a conference
like ours, when you're at a program like ours that
has such a great tradition, uh, you know, it forces
you to look in the mirror and be the best.

Speaker 4 (02:16:14):
You you could be. And so you know that I
think all of it's a pro. All of it's pro.

Speaker 49 (02:16:21):
I said, challenges are negatives in my opinion, and opportunities
and you know, now it's up to us to okay,
you know, these are some of the things that worked
at Drake, and how can we take some of those
concepts and those philosophies of climb here and see what
they got?

Speaker 6 (02:16:35):
Sam Burger, with Hero Sports, you faced off against a
good handful of valley teams in the past.

Speaker 1 (02:16:41):
Well, it's just sort of.

Speaker 4 (02:16:41):
Outside perspective of this conference when when facing the teams.

Speaker 1 (02:16:45):
Yeah, I mean, this is this is what Division one
looks like, you know.

Speaker 49 (02:16:48):
And and so being a football family, I've watched a
lot of football, and uh, you know, when you watch
teams in our league and then you watch a power
forward team on TV, they're in a big difference, you know,
the size, physicality, the speed, the coaching, the semaddicts, Uh,
how hard these guys play, and.

Speaker 1 (02:17:07):
That they're playing for the right reasons.

Speaker 49 (02:17:09):
I think, especially nowadays, everything is starting to become a
little more transactional.

Speaker 4 (02:17:13):
Where he was like, our league is still pure.

Speaker 49 (02:17:15):
You know, it's still a bunch of guys that are
grateful for the opportunity to play the division with football.
You understand that being a part of the programs, are
we going to lead them to having a great life?
And so again, you know, the pinnacle of our league,
you know, and being in our league you just you know,
see it from afar and then you know, now we
get to see it up close to top to bottom,
one to ten.

Speaker 1 (02:17:36):
Everybody's doing it right away.

Speaker 6 (02:17:38):
Northern Iowa has great history of success of the FCS
Division one double a level of some down heres recently.
When it comes to community engagements, on's have been like
interacting with the fans.

Speaker 4 (02:17:47):
I imagine their expectations are still very high.

Speaker 1 (02:17:49):
For this program. Oh yeah.

Speaker 49 (02:17:53):
A lot of people ask me like, what was what
was the most attractive part about being the head coach
at R and I when being of the program, and uh,
you know, while the history and the tradition.

Speaker 4 (02:18:05):
Right there, you know, the unidome Like how cool is
that plays?

Speaker 1 (02:18:08):
Right?

Speaker 49 (02:18:08):
So there's there's so much going for it. But you
hit on as far as community engagement. The community needs us,
you know, they they love their panthers. You see the
purple goal everywhere that you go. And to be a
part of a team that can make an impact and
make a difference. To have a platform to do that

(02:18:31):
is I mean, how could you not want to want
to be a part of it. So, you know, we
have a tremendous obligation and opportunity, you know, to to
bring our community together to help out, to make a
difference and to make it better.

Speaker 10 (02:18:46):
Left legacy to be hard for any coach to match
stepping into that role trying to build the shoes. Does
there come a certain amount of pressure with that? I
mean there's always pressure to to do what's never been
done before.

Speaker 49 (02:19:01):
But you know, I see it more of a of
a positive Again again, I'm an optimist, so you know,
I think we got to acknowledge.

Speaker 1 (02:19:09):
It and embrace it.

Speaker 49 (02:19:10):
So like, look at how great it's been, you know,
look at the legacy that our past coaches have left.
So whether it's Coach Farlier, Coach Sheriff, for everybody be clean,
Coach Allan.

Speaker 1 (02:19:20):
There's just a.

Speaker 50 (02:19:21):
Bunch of just incredible football coaches, but even better humans.
And so how can we embrace that, you know, not
not feel the weight and the pressure of trying to
replicate it or emulate it.

Speaker 4 (02:19:33):
But then how do we create a new legacy? And
how can we take the knowledge.

Speaker 47 (02:19:36):
That they have?

Speaker 4 (02:19:37):
How can we embrace the past and have an even
writer future.

Speaker 2 (02:19:44):
Let's take some questions from the remote audience, and again,
if you have a question for either the two panelists,
just umute yourself and find our way.

Speaker 1 (02:19:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 51 (02:19:53):
Hey, coach, this is Todd Kim with Radio Iowa. I'm
sure given the strength of the league and last year's results,
you're not surprised where you we're in the preseason poll.
What gives you hope that your team can overachieve this season?

Speaker 4 (02:20:06):
Well, I think we talk a lot about controlling the controllables.

Speaker 1 (02:20:11):
And I'm not a big outcome guy.

Speaker 49 (02:20:14):
You know, you very rarely hear me talk about wins
and championships and rings and trophies and all that stuff.

Speaker 4 (02:20:20):
I do know that it's important to accomplish all those things.

Speaker 49 (02:20:24):
But you know, I go back to a story of
the first day of spring practice and I shared this
in one.

Speaker 4 (02:20:31):
Of the other other interviews that we did.

Speaker 49 (02:20:34):
You know, having the unidome is nice because when the
weather gets a little bit dicey, you can go in
there and have a great practice. Well this spring with
the renovations that we're under right now, and the dome
is gonna look fantastic. You know, we had to be
outside practice one to practice fifteen, and you know in
north of rob twenty there, you know, weather gets a

(02:20:56):
little bit dicey even into the month of May, and
so practice one we're walking from the dome out to
the field. I think Tucker was the one that said, uh,
He's like, yeah, that the rain kind of hurt because
it was part rain and part ice and then and
then there was like but yeah, we were having so
much fun out there, and so I knew that we

(02:21:17):
were on the right track where I.

Speaker 4 (02:21:19):
Didn't hear a lot of complaining. We know we're usually inside,
Oh it's cold, or you know, this isn't gonna be.

Speaker 1 (02:21:25):
A great practice.

Speaker 49 (02:21:25):
No, I mean, you know, we have a bunch of
guys that have embraced the get to versus half two mentality.
You know, they they understand that they're they've been given
a gift, the gift to be able to play Division
one college football, and they're not gonna take it for granted.
And they've been given a gift to get a great
education University of Northern Ioland, and they're not gonna take
that for granted.

Speaker 1 (02:21:45):
They're not gonna do that alf speed.

Speaker 49 (02:21:47):
You know, they're gonna be all in for all all
that they're doing. And and I've seen it day in
and day out. So whether it was a morning in
January push the sleds, or whether it was it a
Chris spring practice or it's freezing rain or early in
the morning and summer.

Speaker 4 (02:22:01):
I mean, these guys have brought it every single day.
And you know, win, los and draw.

Speaker 49 (02:22:05):
I'm proud of how they they've done their business and
how they've become closer as a team.

Speaker 51 (02:22:12):
And just one for Derek if I could, Derek, you know,
in this day and age of the transfer portal, with
a coaching change, it could have been easy to move
on and find somewhere else to play. Why did you
feel it was important and you wanted to be part
of this rebuild?

Speaker 52 (02:22:27):
Yeah, I think, uh, you know, there's a lot of
opportunities to do those kinds of things, but there's also
a definite way to look at it. And you know,
a new staff comes in, you have an opportunity to
be a part of the restart of the new culture.
You know, it's something that you don't get a chance
to do often in college football, to be the old
guy in the room when the new coach shows up
and you get to decide kind of what things look like.
You know, it was the staff that on day one
Coach Deff showed up and he's like, hey, you know what,

(02:22:49):
we're the the kind of staff that.

Speaker 1 (02:22:51):
We're gonna show right right away in the morning.

Speaker 52 (02:22:52):
We're gonna have a morning coffee already ready to go,
and you know we're gonna be ready to tear it up.

Speaker 4 (02:22:56):
And that was something I was excited to be a
part of. And just the senior class all together, we.

Speaker 52 (02:23:00):
Just said, hey, you know what, rather than going shopping
around looking these other places, let's just buy in together
and be a part of what you.

Speaker 1 (02:23:06):
Know, changes the future for you and I. So Coach
steps is, can you hear me?

Speaker 4 (02:23:13):
Sure?

Speaker 32 (02:23:13):
Can?

Speaker 33 (02:23:14):
This is Colbert with sixteen to fifty the fan you
called it football Christmas.

Speaker 4 (02:23:19):
What are I mean?

Speaker 33 (02:23:20):
Would you point out a couple of three things that
are most important to get done during fall camp?

Speaker 1 (02:23:27):
Oh?

Speaker 49 (02:23:27):
Yeah, Well, you know, the one thing that you have
to be careful with you whether spring football or fall camp,
you've got to definitely have a pulse on how your
team is feeling and doing.

Speaker 1 (02:23:38):
I mean, thirty one days to your first competition.

Speaker 49 (02:23:41):
You want to try to feel as good as you can,
you know, leading into that first game. Now, part of
that is programming in the structure of our days, but
part of it's on on these guys to be able
to be prepared to when we show up here in
a week that you know their buys are going to
be able to a stand and a ruling. Training camp,

(02:24:01):
but you know, I do think training camp just as
important of you know, tightening the screws a little bit
and dot in the eyes and cross the t's, like, like,
how can we become closer as a team?

Speaker 1 (02:24:12):
You know? So you know, obviously, you know.

Speaker 49 (02:24:14):
We spent a lot of time with our players up
to this point, but man, it's really the first time
where we're gonna have our whole roster together.

Speaker 1 (02:24:23):
Now we've had a lot of them, almost all of
them for the summer.

Speaker 49 (02:24:26):
But you know, we've got a couple of guys that
played Iowa high school baseball and and you know, we've
had some some guys that, uh and we wanted to
allow to do that. So, you know, first time that
the team is together, how can we continue to grow tighter?
And so you know, we've got things programmed throughout the
day and in the evenings to to try to do that.

(02:24:47):
So whether that's you know, position dinners at coaches houses
or a fun day in the in the w r C,
a full party or whatever. Uh, you know, just you know,
a way to take a step back from the game
of foot all and and focus on us and and
those are the best teams that you'll ever come across.
And then that's why I thought it was really neat

(02:25:07):
that that we did a community service activity this morning.
You know, it's not about us, it's about the person
to the right and the left. It's about us collectively
as a team. And you know that that's that's what
training camp is all about. How can we take our
talent to the next level, How can we become talent plus.

Speaker 33 (02:25:24):
People one more coach. I don't think anybody had asked yet.
So where do things stand with the quarterback position and
what will be if you'd be willing to point out
maybe just one or two separators for the guys that
are competing, right.

Speaker 1 (02:25:40):
Yeah, that's the million dollar question.

Speaker 49 (02:25:41):
And it's I feel like a little bit of a
liar because I think the very first press conference I
had leading into springball, I was like, Oh, I'm gonna
know by the middle of springball who's going to be
the guy? And you know, fortunately, I think, you know,
I had three guys really stand up and and do
some some amazing things those of team practices. And you

(02:26:02):
know what's making that decision difficult for us is that
each guy kind of has a superpower that the other one,
you know, maybe doesn't have to the same capacity. So,
you know, we've got Matthew Sheckelman who's got a lightning
bolt hanging out the side of his body.

Speaker 4 (02:26:17):
I mean, you know, he can throw the ball.

Speaker 49 (02:26:19):
It feels like a country midle, just like a Napoleon dynamite,
you know, over the mountains.

Speaker 52 (02:26:23):
Man.

Speaker 4 (02:26:23):
He can throw it forever, and.

Speaker 49 (02:26:25):
Uh, you know, so he's got all the tools that
you would Uh, you know you would expect to see
in the VISIONE quarterback. And then he've got Aid Dunn,
who's got a ton of experience, but as a super
smart football player. I mean, you know we're watching tape
and you ask him about a decision, and then he'll
give you a dissertation on why he made the decision.
What if speed were like the ball placement, you know,
why he didn't go to another spot. So you know,

(02:26:46):
his his football iq is is really high. And then
you know, Jackson Daly is a third one that a
lot of people probably haven't heard of outside of the
Des Moines area. He was a state champion down there
from Southeast Folk. But you know he's got that rally
the troops, uh intangible to him.

Speaker 35 (02:27:02):
You know where if you.

Speaker 49 (02:27:04):
Want a guy on the field that's gonna signal first
down every time, or or throw his hands up in
the air, or or give chess bumps, or sprint down
to the end zone to to to give some congratulatory
message to whoever scored at your guy, He's a lot
of fun to watch out there. So all three of
them have these unique characteristics. So to me, it's, you know,
how can one of them close the gap, you know,

(02:27:26):
and in those areas that maybe they're not as good.
And and then I think to us as coaches, I mean,
and we've got three really good players, you know, and
we've always had the philosophy players, formations, plays, and if
there's some of our best players, like, how can we
feature them? So, whether it's packages, whether it's having a
couple of them on the field at the same time,
you know, we need to be creative as an offensive staff.
You know, we've had some success in the past of

(02:27:49):
using a couple of guys in that position, which historically,
you know, usually your starter is your only guy where
I mean, we'll have a starter that's gonna take the
majority of the snaps. But then I think all three
not only have great qualities and characteristics as humans, but
also incredible, uh, you know, physical talents that are maybe
a little bit different than the other.

Speaker 1 (02:28:11):
Just a couple of minutes left in the session, an
additional questions from the room. Derek John, I thank you
very much, appreciate your time. Thank you.

Speaker 42 (02:28:23):
H

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