Press Conferences (BP Miller) Elite Edition September 2

0:00I was like eight years old so being in uniform, I didn't really thought like I was always cheering for a team but I never really positioned myself that could be placed and now that I am it's like a dream come true. What are the things you just gonna have to do? I'm just like using my life and using my big body, I have a big frame and sometimes I can just use my body to create separation and just playing big. Obviously you're learning a new position but in what ways do you think that experience playing quarterback helps you now that you're playing receiver? Yes, I was definitely helping the players and I just as a quarterback I count for everybody on like I just got to the routes, the count and the all-west all-life doing and I think it's made it easier for me since I only learned like the receiver and I think I think I've been playing with a lot better.

1:04I know Brandon was a quarterback in high school too, have you been able to talk to him about that at all learn from him at all? He's definitely learned, that for the upperclass I've done a great job of helping me especially carnalty and they really just give me like little pointers and stuff like that. So I can have elevated my game learning. Coach Hartline mentioned yesterday that carnal is really stepped up as a leader. How have you seen that so far to spring? Yeah, I just like during like whenever I need like having trouble remembering something I just go up to him and he knows like every little detail he just can help with that and if I need help like with four words I think it will come out help me and just like whatever I need is there. When you are making that transition to a new position do you have to kind of be patient and realize it's going to be a process that takes time? Oh yeah definitely Coach Hart told me that at the beginning like he played a quarterback in high school too and he had a major transition to receiver here at Austin and this he's helped me it's going to be rough at first but he has to push me to get me to

2:06what I need to be. When you think back and just like you're upbringing you know coming from you know Africa being over here just what you how did all you feel call of that kind of helped mold you interview are now? Yeah, definitely maybe like tough and like not afraid of like new change and it's like willing to just adapt to my environment. What was it like for you coming in here as a freshman and getting to see if it's team go win an national championship those first few weeks here? Definitely was a high motivated you know being a freshman it wasn't really my team though so like I didn't really get it so that makes like push me like that once when it's my turn I got put in the word I want to be the same position but with a ring on my finger. What did you learn from those guys just about what you need to do to have a chance to go accomplish what they did? So you just got to don't let the past like affect you like and just you have a relentless you have a relentless you have to put in the word it's not easy at all by any means and it's got to be hard but you have to do everything it's you. What do you view as like the best attributes of your game that you're going to bring to this team?

3:09I would just say my size my speed I can take the top off the defense and I can play tough and physical. It's about that. When it's the last year then like when you think back to the whole record last year I was able to do it all basically. What has the last kind of year been like for you as you've gone from the player that was kind of calling you a process to any of the clients that you're making the transition to see? How has this last year been? I was definitely chasing like because I was always on my sophomore year I was hurt and my junior I got hurt during track so I was able to like I was a highly excluded athlete and this time last year was like when my junior really picked up and it's just like it's been crazy like must have another like he was just leaving me in my corner my coach is everything that they've just given the motivation to go. What is your relationship with like the team and the team? What is your relationship with the team and the team and the other teams?

4:11What is your relationship with the team and the team and the team? That's a big good. Before I even got a hosting offer and before I even knew it was exactly I actually threw it with a couple of times in both Bella Mons, Tronstein. Yeah I was working with I knew his head coach and he invited me to come in and run routes and I actually ran routes for a table in the fight. If we was exactly at a like two, we first came to the end. We had a lot more up. We got together, us the freshman class and he's working on everything. He's definitely got nice on. This quarterback is pretty talented. How much is that? I don't do it all in a few of the freshmen. The quarterback? The quarterback. Yeah yeah yeah. They're definitely talented and as I always say I just love being on it and they make it hard for you. When you play this high level competition practice you go on a game like twice it's easier to do the practice and he's really built on something.

5:14Is there been a moment in question? I don't know. I think I've been kind of like a moment first. I realized. Oh wow these guys are really good at this. Yeah just like I just first like on high school I just take some like reps and I've seen we just got. Yeah I just had past speed and had catchability like face separation and I come to college and draw everybody's fast, everybody's big. So you get to find new ways to get open. It's really good for yourself to hire your IQ. Yeah. What can you, you know, face up your convales a little bit because that drop your head before half time. Yeah. Let me split right down. Right down. Airwalk you guys were involved instead. I think we've fans wondering why can't you be that every possession. I know it's not that simple. But hang on that a little bit.

6:15I mean from this important success in a game where you know the office was a little bit lacking. Yeah you can't do this. You're still I mean to boo-ee I guess we're going to go game like this. Yeah I mean you know we're not we're not too really focused on anything that happened in last week's game. Obviously we've recognized the problems and we've identified the issues and we have done our best to try and solve them throughout these last couple practice weeks. We have full trust in the coaches to put together a plan to put us in the position to be successful. But there's also a million hard job as players to put on the field. So we're working through all those kings and you know getting out all the impurities from last week. We're solely focused on being tested this week. How much of a bonus is it having another home game? You know I could have been your last home game. What's going through your mind in every yard? Yeah it's a show. No you're good it's amazing. It's such a blessing just to be able to play in front of Black Eye Nation in the shoe. It's an experience that I was going to miss. Had that been my last game in the shoe but guys giving us another opportunity to go out there and play in front of amazing home fans.

7:18Play on the field with my brothers that I played so many times and knowing that this is for sure the last one. It's definitely a special feeling so just trying to soak it all in but also have the intense mindset to go out there. And execute. Third row left and open. Left forward. Is it effective? Does this play out run like feel different knowing that for you guys in the senior class you haven't been able to yet accomplish any of those goals that you've set out for? No I wouldn't say so I would say if you know went back to you know Georgia 22 and two others. I would made the playoffs like I was laser focused then to and laser focused then out so I think you know we have the same mindset going in. Obviously in the back of our heads we know okay this our last who are our last chance but we're never we're never looking at it as okay. It's now or never it's always now or never we're trying to win every single game every time we get an opportunity to go all the way. So that's been our mindset the last couple of years we've come up short but we have an opportunity to do something special this year. Right from Steve L. I can point of course.

8:18I think that will did not have the kind of game you guys would use to see in you if you had two interceptions didn't complete passes at the same level but you did do it throughout the season. I know you had to rough it and you took during the game but coming out of that you still have to hope that the faith in him that he's going to play like he has the line shared season as opposed to maybe kind of things that happen in that you know. Yeah absolutely will is our quarterback he's our leader he didn't come here by accident and you guys have seen the product he's put out there on the field week after week so you know I don't necessarily think that he played bad in our last game but you know moving away from that we have full trust in him he's putting together a great practice week and we're excited to see what he puts out there on Saturday and lead us. I'm going to have a go there just with a couple more. Stephen means clave it up. How is it going to sound weird? In your football life when is the last time you think you have ever been frustrated with how games going in the game playing of some?

9:20Does that make sense? I would say you know there's there's rarely a Saturday that I'm not frustrated you know I mean we can we can be the team by 70 like I'm saying but there's always a standard that I hold myself to I hold my team is to and I hold my coaches to. So that's kind of the standard around the building so we've all cultivated a really good culture here to where we're able to have tough conversations hold each other accountable not only coaches the players but players the coaches so there's always ways to improve any games have any no matter if we win by 70 points or you know we lose by 70 we're always looking for for ways to improve so yeah. You, Cardinal and Jeremiah very good receivers obviously but you guys don't tend to have the personalities that sometimes even to protect your very good receiver. Why? You know I can't speak for for those two but I know for myself you know I just I just look at my life and I look at the ways God is blessed being as hard for me you know not to bow before him and be humble in those moments so I'm not really want to talk to him a smack.

10:22I'm going to go out there and do my job and I'm going to do at a very high level you know all the things that go on my head I never really share all the time but at my core deep down I'm a very real and deep competitor so I think that I know when I came to love I know the type of caliber player I am but there's no need to really both say anything like that just put on the field and do what you're capable of. And find a question Jeremy Birmingham the podcast. One of your former classmates here plays a Tennessee now. Returns and comments about Ohio stadiums and about the crowd of big income. Do you you guys have like a message for Ohio stadium or for fans who are hearing that and being told that the stadium doesn't get loud or that Arkansas you know what type of place is like. Yeah I mean you know knowing Bucket nation I don't think I have to do too much motivation. We're going to come out there Saturday and it's going to be an amazing environment so that's just just the type of fans we have.

11:22I'm not going to feed too much into the stuff that Tennessee is saying but we're really looking forward to this opportunity we're glad that we're playing at home just to be in front of our home crowd and from our families so it's going to be an amazing environment and I'm excited. I'm going to do it one more step. You talked about the accountability on players to players coaches players but if you elaborate a little bit more on how the players kept the coaches accountable. Yeah I mean we've we've had a you know tough conversations throughout the year and coach challenge us in ways how can I get better and we give them feedback so it's not really any different than the way they criticize us so. You know I think it's important to be able for coaches to be able to handle what players have to say because it's an intern to make some better coaches just like they're able to coach us so that's really just that relationship that we have that we have is very special and I think it's unique to our program. Really good game of connection and I was kind of afraid of like whether I'll find out another school but I mean here like the guys were really close knit or all pushing each other trying to be the best.

12:22What stood out about this interior of the world? Really like just like how like the noise up they have like they're really good into like helping me understand the system and like they're really good to points and everything like they're really good to me. Which is something that I have it's how they need to be able to do it. Do you mean the case really? It really is yeah. Yeah. How would you say how back to the street? Yeah I mean the connection and the chemistry is incredibly important because I mean these are people playing with and working with them. You're going to see them every day so we have to at least get along with them understand where their mind is especially in the game. You played both right tackle. What do you do most of the stuff left hand? You had one year there at Ryzen and left tackle. How does it find that to all of you? I mean I saw a play right and then by my junior at the moment.

13:22As far as senior like moving to left and yeah I mean there's some pretty seen this process of even. The coach is a rice because they have some really great and helping me transition. I don't even know if it's significant with this challenge. You're just driving unless that was surprising to you to try to put on top of your table set on top. You shot it, you took it out of you and then second off thing. Did you put up a do you consider turning pro? Yeah I mean I was on my mind back at the same time. I also realized I wanted to continue to develop and continue to be great. Which is why I wanted to find a good school where I can have a good olympic and she's in the help of midsermilk. I mean because you know what is it like I've always known so it's all getting better and improving it. Things that were big discrepancies in my game. You definitely should be. Obviously we've used some dark and jacks in Josh Prior. A lot of guys back in the national championship team. You and the whole Daniels and just do you think about the depth of the olympic? I mean it's an amazing thing. I mean we're all pushing towards it to be great. You know I'm just competitive.

14:22Which is I mean that's the best place to get better. Did you seek out Ohio State or they seek you out or was it kind of a joint game? No I almost ever seek out a hot state. You did? Yeah and how did you know you had a shot that even come here? You know what I mean Ethan? How does that work in the portal? Honestly I really didn't know it was just kind of a whole thing. I mean I put a lot of prayer to it. My family talked to my agent and my whole coach is a rice aunt. They're really helping through the process. Without them I don't know whether I'll be here right now. Yeah but by the grace of God I ended up here. Obviously Justin Fry was the coach when you came here. What was that kind of transition like of him leaving in a tie with Owen coming in? I see it was pretty seamless. I mean both of them are incredibly coached. They both know what they're talking about. They're really tuned into the fine details. So I mean I wasn't worried at all. It wasn't just businesses usually. What are the biggest things you like about playing for Coach Bowen so far?

15:22These are really good communicators. We need a lot and he's really good at just kind of like putting out the fine details and how you can prove your game and then when it comes to different skills and everything just how to find to it during practice and everything. Would you please sign two more questions? Time for two more questions. I would love to see you guys. It's right about that. Well I guess I'm trying to live by being the hardest working person in this field. So I mean that's all I want to do. I want to spend the most time watching film and spending the most time after practicing getting extra work to the end of the road and the edge. I feel like that's how I would describe myself. What are the benefits you're using to be when you try new work on it? Well I can always be better at a lot of things but you know just really like for working everything and let's be consistent. That's the biggest thing to be consistent with. What Coach Bowen is really talking about. If you talk about our dropping that weight then right now you see that.

16:22Is that been an adjustment playing that way for your team? I feel better. You feel better okay? So you didn't lose any strength? Did you know you got to lose better? Yeah I knew and then you just talking to diet dishes and everything. How's your diet change? Well I focus a lot more on getting the right macros into my meals and yeah that was really the biggest thing. The biggest thing about losing weight is diet. It's like a lot more protein that's carbs so far. That's your base. Alright so you can thank you. Thank you so much. Alright y'all have a good day. I personally, so I was still a people all the time. If you're a kid yourself, you're self. They're looking good. So it's why I come out here like that. So you're really a question. It's just like the quarterback's so far and it's pretty well. What do you like about that? The quarterback? I was looking at Julian.

17:24I think we're going to have a pretty good one. It's the pain with James, CJ, Sam, Ivy, you know, both James and Ken Wade to get us there. They're going to get turbo here. Right now what we got out here, I'm excited about the win. What's your zone of dreams people? Both as a back end as a down end. It's very mature and what's your zone of dreams? I mean, he's pushing to be great. I mean, I think he had a great result, Malaysia, with Trent and then Q. So he don't show really good things. But like I said, he'll make it easy for nobody. CJ was saying he's now 2.26. Yeah, he came in at 244 pounds at Challenger going the process of getting them here. Because he could do it all the places. And they say he want to be, he felt like I could get him ready. And I told him I said, they're like, part of that's going to be disciplined. He's going to be getting his weight down.

18:25He went from 244 to 226, he's on par, I love him. But that's just so the mindset that he has to be disciplined and challenge himself. And he looks good. Yeah, what I imagine is using 20,000 to go faster. I mean, I look at him as a slasher. He has good, he has good enough speed, great hands. And he's a slasher, a big guy. And the big guy's often win with the little guy. So he's going to fall for it. But I look at him as a slasher, the power. And he got really good feet for a big guy. Really good hands and good vision. So it's going to help him a little bit, which probably is longer speed. But he looks good. You were looking at guys, I was going to take the portal once to that hole. So I was going to take the first to tell you the fact that he played, you know, he was a guy that I looked at and he's a high school and a good professional. He's a high school receiver. He's pretty good receiver. Then you know, try to move him tight and then get moving and running back. So it's diverse to tell you who they do a lot of things. Big body guy that gets to buy, can run between the tacos.

19:30His feet are quick. And once you think for a big guy, you have really good feet. You have good balance. So that's what makes him good. That's what I saw. Is that a comment for a bigger back like in the title of the first utility? No, I'm not. It's a friendly good play company running back. So tie the end back. Well, tie the end back. No, I don't know many with that type of background, but when he's a high school receiver, they try to play as an H bet. But really good. When you look in the portal for running back, so we want to try to recruit running back. Does it matter to you if you have two different styles of running backs? Maybe one guy can do certain things better. Or is it he'll just say the best running back. You can find it. I want to have different styles. I'm going to try to take the same thing. I'm going to take the same thing. I'm going to take guys with different strings. Whether they're big guys, small guys, tall scatters, in between the tackle runners. I don't want to take the same thing. They're all different, different backs. You guys have built a wheel and clinch on a lot of them. They're a slower red zone story.

20:30You guys are like, you're really going to talk. Is it important to find the back of the badge of size? Let's see if he has the problem. I have my own opinion on the size they've been coming to risk. I had Jordan James out of order. He's my red zone running short yards. He's a freshman. He probably waited two, ten, twelve, five. Which is not very big. But then he got the new again. Some guys just got the most sticking about his own. He played with a lot of aggression down here running. So that could be CJA, that could be James. Or it could be the freshman, though, Jackson. It's just who has an always for getting his own. That's who I'm going to roll with. You don't have to be six, two, four. No, just because you're being there, I don't make you pop. We knew we could obviously, you know, freshman running back to coming in. But what is there near? But what do you need to see from a freshman to feel comfortable with that playing? The first thing you will be on the ball.

21:31You know, whether they do their little small detail, take care of the ball. The second thing will be how good they are in the past. Because that's the hardest thing for high school best. Because they're not really Jordan high school. You have to understand the past. But all their fathers are who. Me. So like they say, I'm a head coach in my heart. So that's why I need to see first. For everything, yes. I will understand the weaknesses of that. Because they need to be. Do you feel comfortable with O and Isaiah, whether at or at least, you know, whether time lives. Yeah, I think they're going to be fine. Like I said, I tell all the young guys, these are marathon, not a sprint. The first thing you've been on, I'm a spot on a specialty. You know, you earn a spot on a specialty. Then you earn the right to be a buck out, I'll be. So they get out there in the field. So I think they're training the right. So it was the first practice. Not it wasn't married. Some to build off. I couldn't have stuff to work on. Yeah, I was.

22:33Good. Yeah. Long day. Be during last season or this whole season, just about kind of what was it? What was it? Be able to be around and do different things? Yeah. He's been back here, compared to him. I will talk to him about some stuff. And he's better than helping me like, like, pre snap with the VN, how like, the short is turned, like what's expected to be passed right now. And I'm grateful for that. He, uh, and going through it and helping me go to. I mean, just how I was raised. I just know how to work. That's all I have to do. I'm just giving effort and just going east out of it. I want to save this with full respect. When we see JJ and Sonny, it's like, that makes sense. When you're the third guy, were you surprised to be named? What puts you in that same category? Yeah, I was a little surprised. I kind of have feeling because like, it kind of like, I mean, I kind of, I could have guessed it.

23:37But like, I just knew like, I was one of my goal to talk to him behind Bug Guy and I just couldn't work out. So what did you get in that was, what did you mean? How did you say that? Um, it was really special right after a text in my parents. And, um, they really knew what it meant until like, the video came out and the question explained it to us. So then, uh, that's what it's really, uh, very interesting. Back then, in my off, it was playing full prop stand by bars and games. Did you just tell the difficulties of going back and forth? Not just like, when we were learning them, we actually had to play both of those five games. Um, yeah, it's pretty difficult, uh, especially during the game, you have to put the whole mind around. It's a lot easier in practice because it's like, I'm getting like, seven down, but like, going left in my end game. It's pretty hard, but like, like in high school, like, I was, it was every other player I was in back then, with the triple out. And so like, I knew, I knew it, um, uh, it was comfortable with it. And sometimes I just take a, I'm walking to the runs of my scrims, I had like, uh, say it to be the same playing game.

24:40And then, um, I got one more time so I can put my head in. Bring in two packages and put them in the frame, and then you just kind of find the way to run. And then you put them in the frame and then you set them in the back. And then you put them out. And then you just kind of put them out. And then you put them out. And then you put them out. Yeah, so like, I got to set the example, um, and then, like, my first two weeks here, I was like teaching them, like, like, I don't know what they're expecting these plays because I've seen some new plays for them. And even new defense, like, like, technique two, because I keep the same technique. And I'm just trying to make sure I meet them, but, um, just helping them out because we need them. What did, like, what did the idea of playing the background kind of come about? Did it come about like, rap, was it something that I would use to go to bowling games, what did you think, when, how did that come about? Um, it came close to the springtime. They wanted to have, um, they just wanted to have a good five out there, and like, they want to play the best so that they just, yeah, I can choose. What did you do all touch on this one? They're awesome. They're great. A lot of, a lot of eyes, and it's awesome because everyone's watching something. It's not like, uh, someone's only watching this place, so you know what's going on.

25:42I got a feedback to get, like, after a play, after a practice, from, like, all three off the world. It's, it's, it's awesome. Uh, they can, they can tell you like, everything, because they know, like, what's the last time I had it, with, uh, like, Coach Johnson, and Coach Dickie's watching, watching the coach on the bowling field, so what, right? So, like, you really, you know what's going on, but... How has the experience that you got at the big reps and the big games, all that helped, like, coming into the side? It really boosts my confidence, um, and like, and, uh, I can like, lead the young guys to, because I know it's going on, because they really don't really miss this first time in spring, so I like to be on the ball. My stuff's like, just that leadership of them. Where's the Tilti has also been mentioned a lot, and it's been all, both sides of the ball, playing in different spots, you know, I rate on that. Yeah, um, this... Yeah, I can beat that question one more time. Can you just talk about the versatility that Coach Chase has been talking a lot about that, um, since the ball, you guys in different spots, being able to win? Yeah, so like, I mean, you all see it in my eyes here, we lost two, stars, all maybe stars, so like,

26:42really guys need to step up, and like, going to season, I didn't know I was playing, I started, uh, left guard, and then I didn't really know I was going to bounce over the right, and what a donny news, I'm bouncing out the tackle, so like, it really helps, uh, everyone, like, I mean, a lot of guys in season are playing more compositions, and it's going to help us in the ball. But if you learn from Donny and, uh, jogger, satin all that way. Just like, technically wise, um, there really helped me, like, pretty snap stuff, and like, no one in my life was going to, was you guys, I can, I'm like, uh, a great place, and stuff like that. All right, thank you. Thank you. Thanks. We will open up the floor for questions for Becca Bucco, where you can write down the very, the BBS. Just the feeling you guys, you guys, you're going to get another crack in these guys. Yeah, we're super excited, I think that, uh, you know, I played in the Rose Bowl in my freshman year, it's an amazing venue, it's so beautiful, they do a great job, hosting for the players, the coaches, the families. Um, so it really doesn't get much better than this, um, and having a chance to, you know, redeem ourselves from what happened earlier in the season,

27:46and we don't take lightly, so we're very thankful. Austin Ward, the podcast, what if I told you that Jeremy is going to force him to get pressure from the year of national? I did hear that, yeah, that's a little, I don't even know who won it, who won it? Oh, it's, it also has that exact same thing. Yeah, I mean, I don't know, that's, uh, you know, we know what we got here on our side, we're not too worried about, you know, um, awards and stuff like that, so I know JJ, um, the, the type of kid he is, that's only going to motivate him more, so, um, it's fuel to the fire, which I think is good for us having him to this week. What, what was the, what was the first moment that you saw him at the Pellas? This could be something? Um, I would say, probably just his, his mindset, um, not even obviously he's a, you know, he's a, he's a freak when it comes to, you know, um, you know, his, his body and stuff like that, just his physical nature, but I think just his mindset, the way he approached the weight room, um, it didn't really seem like a way of freshmen would and, um, he was our only freshman ever to receive, you know, a iron buck, I reward, which, you know, something I was pushing towards my, my entire time being here, um, but, you know, it takes another level of

28:50duty to be able to receive that reward, especially as a freshman, so, um, you know, that's kind of when I knew. Steve, it means, what do you mean about that? More on that. When you and Mara first got here, Garrett and Chris were adamant about the way that you guys, even as freshmen were pushing two guys who were about to be first round round pigs, and then Mara kind of said the same thing about Carnail and Brandon last year. How did JJ push you guys when he first got here as the young guy and now you guys are the older guys? Yeah, I would say it's, it's very similar. It's kind of the same exact thing. And, um, you know, I don't know what it is about the culture and its all the same, but we keep bringing in these type of people year in and year out. That's what makes our room so great, but I think that, um, something that JJ was able to push me in was just, um, you know, he was able to push me in my leadership. Um, I needed to grow in that aspect, but he also was able to challenge me when it came to the weight room and on the field, um, because we were always, always paired together when it came to summer and when our workouts were always lifting together. You know, I get a couple of wins. He get a couple of wins, so, um, it's really that next level step of competitiveness that I needed and that edge that I needed.

29:54That worked 2474. You guys came into the Tennessee game with a lot of outside motivation with Michigan boss and kind of the three weeks of talk. I know obviously there's still not motivation to go on and win a national championship, but how do you keep that kind of edge to life with better term mentally after some of that stuff has kind of gone away. Um, I would say kind of you lose your edge. I wouldn't really call you a true competitor. I think that, you know, the way with the college football playoffs is structured, the intensity cranks up weekend every every single week. So, um, if you're not more intense than you were the last week, then then something's wrong with you. I think that, you know, Tennessee was a great win, great for our momentum, but we have our full focus on organ, not worrying about anything in the past, nothing in the future, our full focus is towards this game. Um, and then, you know, we win this one, we go on to the next one, our full focus is going to be on that one. So it's just you keep moving down a ladder like this. Step on Christy, please let me know. Michael, there's been a lot of change in college football in the playoffs and things of that nature, but you know, the way in some of you and some of your teammates and coaches talk about the Rose Bowl seems like that's one game that's really, you know, maintained a lot of that tradition.

31:03And you play the net, you know, what it's about, could you explain it to, you know, we'll never have a chance to play that why the Rose Bowl does maintain, you know, that level of respect from the coaches. Yeah, I think, uh, I don't know, they're just something about us, something in the air down there in the past, the data. Um, it's just a beautiful venue, especially that time of the year. Like you said, the tradition is held year in and year out, and it's kind of the game you dream of playing in when you're a little kid, you know, playing back yard football with your friends. The role of the Rose always one that tends to come up. So just having a chance of playing it. Um, it's definitely very surreal. And this is going to be my second time. So I'm going to do my best to take it all in while also being fully focused on organ. Dan, let me worry. The macro will study still has 90 minutes about that first game or just what kind of drive you seem to him this week wanting to get back at this one. Yeah, will is he's a laser focused person. He goes about his business. Um, he's very loose and he's very calm and he's able to rally the team. But you can see it in his eyes that this game means everything to him. So every single practice, every single huddle, making sure we're sharp, making sure we have a, you know, a better practice than we had last.

32:08Um, than yesterday, a better practice than organs having. So, um, his, his full focus is on being this team. And, you know, obviously it's hard not to think about the stuff of the past. But I know he's, he's laser focused on what we got coming up. Tony, you heard about the game. What team we played for? Um, honestly, I wasn't, I was never really a. A bug I fan until, you know, I really committed here and I saw what it was all about. I was actually an organ fan growing up, especially on the Pacific Northwest. Um, you know, my grandpa went to UW and stuff like that. So I like the Huskies too. But, um, there was a legendary football player named fo2, leato from my high school and he went to organ. And a couple of y'all probably know that story from a couple of years back, but he tragically died in the car accident. Um, and, you know, he was, he was someone I looked up to in high school. Um, you know, I was a relatively close with him, even though he was a bit older than me in age, but I'm just seeing what he did at my high school and then going on to play big time football organ.

33:10That was a school that I really dreamed of going to. Uh, they build them in like, on the back. I think that's another, uh, Jeremiah question. Is there one moment, one play, one something that made you go, oh man, I've never seen before. That's just incredible. Yeah, I'll say it's happened multiple times. There's not really one. I can pinpoint, but the more he does it, the more, um, I tend to react less. So I would say probably my earliest memories of it were in spring, ball, um, kind of getting the first glimpse of him when he's making all these ridiculous catches and he still does it time and time again, um, even now, but it's just more common now for me. The land. But you had, uh, I think it was 12 touches in the first game against Oregon, Henry, two carries. Is there something about this matchup that favors you and now that you have, where that productive, the first time you played this team, what kind of attention? Or I guess maybe different defenses are you expecting to see? Yeah, I mean, we're not entirely sure what their gameplay is going to be, but we're paired for everything.

34:13Um, you know, I'm not going to get too much into scheme and stuff like that, but, uh, we know that if the ball comes our way, we've got to make those plays. So whether I have 10 receptions again coming up this game where I have zero or one, um, we're just looking to get this win on the road, um, because it's really a road game for us, you know, flying across two times on. So, um, I think that, uh, you know, it's going to be a great matchup, um, whether they tend to focus on me more or or not. It doesn't really matter to me because I know our team has a great plan regardless. Do you guys ever surprised when the game and you think it's actually a car not only a quarter to the end? You can kind of feel it throughout the game, I would say. Um, you know, he's, he's a true competitor. He wants to get involved, but at the same time, he's super selfless. Um, he's really humble. So he's going to do whatever it takes for the team to get a win. Um, but it's the competitor nature and then that wants to, you know, contribute as much as he can. So, um, you know, I try to be in his ear to tell him to be level headed and stuff like that. I need to. He's a very level headed and selfless guy like I'm saying, but, um, you know, sometimes that's just how the game goes.

35:13You know, I had a game this year where I only had one catch, um, but, you know, we ended up winning by lot. So, um, I think that, you know, it's, it's hard or it's easy to be focused on the, uh, the personal attributes that you could have game in and game out. But no one's really going to remember those if we're holding up the trophy at the end of the year. He could be a number one. Like 95% of the boss would write down the number three. You see his work as they all of those things that he does. That makes it play. You guys ever been hiding like, yeah, this guy can absolutely be a number one. Those guys are awesome. I would disagree with you. I think that he is a number one. I think that we don't have a number three receiver. I think we have three number one receivers out there. So, um, whatever the defense, you know, if they want to put their attention on one guy or, or a couple of us, um, they're not really doing themselves any favor because we're going to have a favor. We'll match up on the other side of the ball. So, um, that's never how we view ourselves. We know we're alpha dogs out there every single one of us. Um, knows we have the capabilities of being number one receiver and we are number one receivers. And final question.

36:13Steve, how long has 24.5 hours worked? Yeah, and McAtey to that game, he made one of the clutch plays that passed down the sideline. At any time when you make that play, you think, and did you ever, your mind that we're going to win this game after we're now close to field goal range? I mean, did that play in your mind, say, my goodness, we've got a chance to get out of here with the win. Uh, yeah, I definitely knew where I caught the ball and I knew we were, you know, closer being a field goal range. So, um, you know, there was a sense of, you know, I knew I knew it was a big play that I made. But, um, in those moments, you have to finish out the game no matter what you can't get a big head, you can't get complacent, you have to finish the game, um, until the clock hit zero. So, that's something we've been working on, you know, we work on too many every single Wednesday. Um, every single Wednesday practice, so today we'll work on our two minute, um, and we don't even call it two minute. We call it clutch because, um, in those time, in those, in those games, in those big moments, someone has to make a clutch play. So, we're focusing on that every single game, knowing that we're going to have to make one of those plays coming down the stretch here. What would it mean if you're able to finish this one off and get to the final four of this playoff?

37:16Just what in your mind, just, would this be, you know, just the ultimate, I suppose, to be a team that's already beaten earlier this year? No, I think the ultimate would be winning the national championship. So, um, you know, we're focused on this, this just happens to be the next team in the way. We're not focused on, when we played them earlier this year, whether they got the win over us, um, they're just a nameless faceless opponent. So, we're going out there, fully prepared, not worried about what's happening in the past. Um, you know, we played them before, we felt them out, so it's all about who got better from that point in time until now. A method, thank you for your time. Thank you. I think that you do have some understanding and awareness of the offense and maybe it's not the first time you hear about the formations, but to be able to go and apply that to the field, I mean, that takes a lot of work. Um, so there is a, there is a slight advantage there just from how much you're around the program. Um, but I'm not sure if, you know, in the meeting room or on the field, which, which one affects more ultimate, you know, we're judged based on what we do on the field and our goal is to go out there and execute it. How do you guys show that they have the toughest guys on the team when they get your touch?

38:16Yeah. Um, we talk about it all the time. So if we want to show where the toughest guys on the team, you know, we can do that by showing where the hardest working guys on the team. Um, we can show that we are the mentally toughest guys on the team. Uh, we can make sure that we don't ever get too high or too low and we, you know, play with passion and emotion. Um, without out letting that emotion and passion play with us and affect us. And, you know, we talk a lot in the quarterback room about moving on to the next most important thing. So if I have, you know, a play where, you know, maybe I made the wrong read or screwed something up, you know, I've got, you know, about half a second, right to kind of be bummed out about it. Right. But I've got to learn from it. I got to move on to the next most important thing because so many guys let that first play affect the next play. Um, so we're really working to continue to grow from that. Um, but as far as, you know, showing that we're tough, I even tell our guys that, hey, if I'm, I don't know, lost in cerebell and I'm watching film. And I see in the back of that film that Julian is up or Tavian is up, but Lincoln and the opposite of Julian and Tavian are standing in the back doing a mental rep.

39:23Like that gives me confidence if I'm Austin that those guys one understand what they're doing and two are committed to get better, right? And are going to be in position to be tough when we need them to be tough. So like little things like that. Um, or something that we're constantly working on to show that we're being in that position. What have you seen from Lincoln in your first year working with him to help you? Yeah, um, you know, I've definitely seen a lot of growth from getting in here in June last year and to what we see about now. Um, you know, it's just a full year of understanding the offense, a full year of getting a feel for what we're trying to do and what we're trying to accomplish. And, you know, just the, the small, my new details about where my eyes need to be, how I can tie my feet in with my eyes, how I can make sure that, you know, I'm not just throwing the ball to the right receiver because that's what my red dictated. But I'm also throwing it at the right time. And I'm, you know, I have accuracy within that accuracy that I just displayed by putting it on the right shoulder, right? Or the right, um, you know, to offset our receiver and throw them away from a defender or whatever that may look like.

40:25So that's, that's what I'm excited because you're starting to see more and more of that from Lincoln, um, as, as we've getting into the, you know, two practices and we only have two practices, but, um, you know, just that growth that I don't think is a growth that happened over two practices growth that happened from the time we got here and I got here in June through, through right now. He said now, three quarterback coaches in three years, three, like, all there's in three years, can that be like an advantage for him, like, understanding different concepts and different reads, having to see things through different lenses because he's had so many different voices in his head. Or how do you kind of give that? Yeah, I mean, he's that, he's had different quarterback coaches, but the reality is it's been the same tasking. It's been the same system. So it's not like we changed the way we read a play based on who the quarterback coach was before we made mistakes, made slight tweaks, right, or adjustments or, you know, had a new concept in or two. But I think what Lincoln can get from having those three different quarterback coaches is maybe just three different slightly different perspectives where the message is still the same.

41:31So maybe it's just a slightly different delivery of the same message and I think that can definitely be a vanish because he still knows, you know, on this concept, this is where my read is, but maybe he heard it in a different way over the last three years. I guess could be an advantage. If you are he's quarterbacks and they're supposed to be the toughest guy, the first guy to go in the last guy to lead, but they're all trying to do that. How do you then separate yourself as one of those guys given they're all trying to strive to do the same things? Yeah, you know, I think the ultimately right is can I sustain it? Can I be the guy that does it the most consistently? I think every single one of them, I know every single one of them saw that quote by Coach Day, which, you know, it's pretty awesome. It's so real. It's who we have to be. We've got to be the toughest guys in the building. We've got to be the hardest working guys in the building. So it's easy to go ahead and, you know, do that and be that guy.

42:34You know, the next day after seeing that quote, can I continue to be that guy when we're in practice 11 of Spring Ball or we're in summer and we're going through workouts with Coach Mick? And it's June 17th, you know, can I be that guy with that consistency all the way up through Fall Camp? It ended to moving on into next year. And I think that, you know, anyone can do something just once, you know, what can I be the guy that can do with consistency? And if you look at anyone that's done anything great, it's been because of their consistency. What do you think being all the traits? Where does, can't we be the quarterback at Ohio State fit in? The kind of magnitude, is he able to handle that position? What is that fit into your evaluation? Yeah, I think, you know, all these guys were, a lot of that was done in the recruitment process. I'm confident that all three of them can be the guy that I want to say. I think that, you know, those guys already kind of check that box. So, you know, now it's just a matter of who goes out as it's a job. And again, we are so far away from that point, but, you know, when we're recruiting a guy, we try to figure all that stuff out.

43:36We're gathering as much data as we possibly can to learn about the person and to understand their mental makeup and to make sure that they're fit. It's pretty cool up in the quarterback room. We've got pictures of all the, you know, great Ohio State quarterbacks up on the wall. You know, you go through and take a look at those guys. You know, it's just pretty neat, but above all, you can talk about some of the different guys' mental makeup and what made them different. And so, how do we find those guys in the recruitment and recruiting? And so, we get to the point like we are now where you feel really confident about all three of those guys that they are, you know, mentally tough enough and can be at that point that they can't be that guy. What do you think they learned the most from Will and the job he did last year overall? You know, close to that. Yeah, I mean, where do I start? You know, Will, when it came to intangibles was, you know, I haven't been, I can't say I've been doing this for 35 years or anything crazy like that, but was by far the best I've ever seen to it. And just as far as what he did the best, you know, I think it just having is such a complete understanding of the offense.

44:42You know, from the run game to the past game to the protections, just understanding, you know, the ins and outs and the little details and everybody's job and where, you know, certain concepts or protections or play styles were weak and how to adjust them if we were going to see something that made us weak there. You know, and having that total command because I think, you know, a big part of trust is showing that, you know, I'm competent and I understand. And so Will built that trust in his teammates by showing that, you know, he was extremely competent, you know, he understood everything and all the ins and outs and he could tell everybody on the field what to do. And from there, then he built it, you know, grabbed on and grabbed the trust of all of his teammates and then he could start to lead. So, you know, the biggest thing, it's tough to say, but I think that everything that he did was kind of built off this total understanding of what we were trying to do offensively. Billy, thank you very much. Thanks guys. Appreciate it.

45:42Yeah, I mean, just, just, yeah, just, you in here, see, in a room that seems to have a lot of threes, you kind of are a different body type as a one. I mean, how do you fit in this key? Well, I fit in well, but I think this key breaks me. I can, I can just, I can't really get that experience. Yeah, I can. I hear you first of all, I think, I should, I think, I can, I can just, I can't really get that experience. I mean, obviously, they're not for the teams that you guys go against or run driven, I mean, just how much do you look forward to that opportunity to get in there and be that, you know, that, that run soft. It's a great opportunity. Putting the work really, really good work. I feel like Saturday is just like just showing the world, but, you know, obviously, the boys are the world. That's what we really count. That's what I really come up with. How different, how old was the spirit spring practice that maybe called practice last year?

46:42It's not even quite 50 years, but I, we've got players that like to come up with my bodies, transform, blah, blah, blah. You know, the game was slowed down. I mean, where are you going to play? I'm just going to play for the second half. I feel like I'm not in a game or a transfer. I was just in high school, last year, going in the fall game, so I had to adjust to it. But now I'm learning the game and I know the assignments I gotta do, and I'm just doing my job. That's what Coach Johnson was really being on. What did you take out of last season? You mentioned coming straight out of high school. Don't play a ton. How much did you take away? What kind of things did you learn from freshman? I'll say, it was tough, you know, but I'm learning from guys like Mike Hall, Tom Hamilton, Tyler Lee. These guys are pro at guys, so I'm just trying to get, I'm going to ask many questions I have for them. And he's really just getting better just everyday. Full back, I think it's good. When you got the opportunity to come, how much did I buy?

47:42I'm not the contender. No petition, no petition. I just wanted to do my job. I'm a team player, so whenever I gotta do for my team, I'm a great player. Last couple days, I'm a couple of years old. I'm a couple of years old. And having some big people, I've been having issues. Obviously, I'm just trying to get to know how to do it. I'm just surprised I'm looking to help. Do you feel like you're breaking up your path? No, this is not surprising to me. I've been putting in the work. I've been working my whole life, but I feel like Coach Nick. I just, this all season, it's really big for me. I like being on it. You see the results. I know. I don't want to do my job. I know. I'm not gonna be here. I'm not gonna be here. I'm just here. I'm just gonna jump. I'm just gonna jump. That's what I'm thinking. I know. I know. I know. You guys suffer another one. You're a large interviewer.

48:42Right? Right. That's what you can motivate you to have a different path. I want to say a motor, baby, but I'm here for a reason. A guy I got me here for a reason. So whatever happens, you know, it happens. I love to hear. I just know that's be great. Yeah. A lot of times like to play early in the year, it doesn't get that often. You can do it any time. I actually imagine it. There's some chip on the shoulder, but I'm just gonna better here. I'm sure people here are playing. Go. Yeah. Really, yeah. I got a big chip on my shoulder. You know, I'll take no days for training. I know. Because you got to play every play like your last play. So that's how I do it. I'm just gonna motivate it. Some big season coming up, 17 games. Somebody got to step up and daily and then the young guys like me and Jason, he wrote it's time wanted to step up. Can we see a full back of a spring game? Can we get a touchdown in the spring game? Oh, no. We ain't really meant to talk about it, but I think during the season, we're not saving.

49:44I can't wait to see how old you saw this guy. Can't let the opposing team know when we got the print. How did you think that went, sir? In the combo? Yeah, full back. It was awesome, man. It just felt like high school days, you know. I'm excited. I'm blocking for guys like Quasana, Train, Dallin. I mean, it's, I'm open at my. Do you have to fight with Kaden for that role? Because he was just talking about it too. So clearly, is it worth it? We share a couple of plays, but you know, whatever it is for my team, I'm a douche. You know, is it Kaden douche or I do it? I think it's going to be a good thing for us. The offensive lineman, when you're going to the LL, that gives you the best, the best look, who you had the best matchup. I like going against Donnie and Fryer. I feel like, these are pro guys, you know. So I'm going to get the best. You're at the Ohio State. So every day, you're going to compete with the best.

50:45So you got to breathe? You mentioned, I was 17 games when that's happened. There's got to be more depth inside. It's that competition like when you talked about heroes, you said competition like a lot of games. I was really competitive, you know. I'm trying to be them to the ball, you know. I feel like all of us, we just work and you know, getting better. You know, you know what's up state this year? You know, we're trying to be the champion of North America in the last few tournaments. That's the only thing you haven't won, but you just bring the spring. You can go to the corner. Of course, to get ready for the season. How have Tyler and Ty and set the standard? Those events, I'm glad they came back. They showed me things, you know, little things like little things I'm working on. Like, technique wise, things like that. So, it's not really good for them to come back. Kind of like little distance. Thank you very much. Coach, like I said, you know, any team that drasts me, you know, I'm going to be excited. It's going to be a blessing and I can't wait. Yeah, I mean, I'm excited about it. You know, people think that I'm just going to stay in Ohio my whole life.

51:45But, you know, wherever I go, I'm going to be happy. So, if I leave the state of Ohio great. Yeah, Edger can be, you know, as good as anybody else in the country. You know, if he wants to be with his size and his speed and his athletic ability. How strong he is, too. He could be the best guy in the country's position. So, I think you guys will see him take a big lead going into a sophomore year and be a really productive player already. Yeah, I'd say what's next is, you know, like I said, Edrick, you know, you got Kate McDonald, Kate and Curry, Kenyatta Jackson. I mean, those four guys right there are NFL players, too. So, I'm excited to see what they're going to do, you know, with their first year all as a group together playing. Sky's the limit for those guys, too. You know, I know Coach Johnson's going to get those guys right.

52:45And I look forward to having them have them all having a great season. Yeah, I like to watch a handful of guys, you know, Coach Johnson's always bringing stuff in and chopping it up for us from the pro level. So, I watch a lot of TJ Watt, a lot of Miles Garrett, you know, Nick Bosa, all those guys, Max Crosby, you know, all the guys are just the best of what they do right now. So, just taking a mixture of things from all those guys, you know, trying to emulate in your game. I'm going to show you what they're doing. Say that again. Yeah, I know, I think I'll bring a toughness and, you know, that competitive drive, you know, in leadership. So, whoever team drafts, we're going to get one of the hardest workers in this draft. And that's really who I'm about. The title is raised, you know, going in the locker room and just putting your head down and busting your ass every day. Yeah, a lot of good bounces. No, but just, you know, getting to the side of the ball and scooping it, making sure your feet out of the way.

53:45And then just running to the end zone, doing the rest. Say that again. Yeah, I have. I have met with the Giants. It was good. It was really good, you know, table and those guys do a really good job. So, you know, they're a great team and they've had really successful seasons. And, you know, they're kind of great season in the future too. So, it was good, you know. I really like their meeting as well. Yeah, the all season, the conversations were about, you know, winning the national championship and winning the games on defense side of the ball and being the best defense in the country. You know, nothing else. And, you know, it's cool looking back on it now and realizing what we did. You know, really this time of the year, last year, all coming back and deciding to run it back and then being able to be the best defense in the country and winning the national championship. You know, it's such a blessing from God of you to do those things and do with that group.

54:46Right. What was it about physicalities, especially among the guys that really just flying the games? Yeah, I mean, the games won up front. Every game is one of the, in the trenches, you know, whether the team does for 400 yards or not, you know, can't do the job without the offense line in defense same way. So, you know, I mean, going in every game, we're always trying to be the most physical team. You know, it's something we preach going in every, every year in every game. Tyleek and Ty Hamilton lead it off and do a great job in the middle. And then, you know, me and JT, hold down the edges and the guys behind us flying up, making plays, you know, like guys like Lathen Ransom coming up in the hole and knocking guys out on the run. And, you know, Cody and Sonny being all over the place too. So, playing physical and playing fast and violence like RMO at Ohio State. I think we got a lot of similarities and we got some differences.

55:48And I think that, you know, JT is a hell of a player and it's been so much fun playing alongside him for four years. And we were just talking about last night. It's going to be weird lining up and not being across from each other for the first time since high school. So, you know, I'm going to let the scouts do the comparisons, but, you know, I'm just happy for him. And I'm so excited to see where he's going to go too. You know, he's a phenomenal player and just, you know, always rooting and praying for him. It was my brother. Yeah, all of you have been able to have formal meetings with so far this week. Yeah, a handful of guys. And they've all been good too. They've all been good meetings and I get a lot of good feedback and learn about some stuff too at the next level. So, I'm just taking this process one step at a time and I'm excited about it. Say that again. My best trait. That's a good question. Probably, uh, probably toughness or physicality. Most underrated part of my game. Probably my past rushing. I think that, uh, it's, I think at the end of the season, I was able to prove myself as a past rusher.

56:51More than I was in the beginning of the season. And, uh, but still I think that, you know, I saw so much left to prove because I know it can be a great past rusher in this league. I know I can get out to the quarterback with the best of him in this league. So just continue to work on anything I can to be better at that. I mean, not too much, you know, maybe a couple people here and there. Uh, just football fans, you know, we, we met and JT and I had dinner with Will Howard and a couple other guys out there. And, you know, we got recognized as a group a couple of times, but other than that, that's about it. What's that? Uh, yeah, I mean, you know, we got punched in the mouth in the year and I was a great opportunity for us to go one of two ways. And we chose the way that was one of the national championships. Um, really, you know, I was just all about regrouping after that game and we did that and was able to put our best foot forward and win a national championship.

57:52Yeah, when you were, when you being able to participate in the first 12 team, you caught the whole playoff, obviously going to win it. What are your thoughts on the new format as they continue to think about what the best process to play on this? Yeah, I think it's great. I mean, think about it, you know, the teams that played in the national championship wouldn't even been in the playoffs this year had to not been for the 12 team playoffs. So I think it just goes to show you that like an NFL, you can lose a couple games and the best team might lose three or four games in regular season, still go out and win the Super Bowl. So to me, it just feels like it's becoming the NFL playoffs for me and, you know, across the country. That's how it's going to look for the next few years. Yeah, I think that being able to experience that longer season would help me a lot. And I think that it helps you find that routine and really have to stay in it, you know, for the extra month and a half that you're playing games. So I think that helps a lot. Yeah, I think I'm, I think I'm a lot more prepared. I think that I did, I kind of came back and was able to do the things that I needed to do to prepare myself to come to the next level.

58:55Right now, I'm really confident and going to the next level and excited for the opportunity competing in some of the best players in the world. So again, please. Yeah, I haven't met with the Browns, but, you know, looking forward to here soon and it'll be exciting. Yeah, I mean, Coach Johnson's still at the top of this game, you know, no matter what anyone says or has their opinion on Coach Johnson still. You know, the best defensive line coach in college football and, you know, it's, it's simple really as a recruit, you know, look at all the guys that he's, he's helped produce to come out of Ohio State to go to the next level and all the first rounders and all the, all pro guys that he's coached and his time at Ohio State and a Penn State. So it's an easy pitch for me if I was a recruit, but other than that, he cares about you more than just a football player too. He cares about who you are as a person and developing as a good young man as well.

59:59So love coach Johnson, he's still at the top of this game, no matter what people say about his age. Say, so I'm sunny. Yeah, well, sunny is, you know, sunny is one of the hardest working kids I've ever been around, you know. Me and his older brother were good friends growing up, so I've got a chance to know sunny is the only guy and seeing him now, you know, the freak of an athlete that he is and the type of man he is, you know, just happy for him. And I think going into year two, he's going to take a huge jump playing linebacker. He had a great year this year, obviously, in his first year playing it. And he's a super smart kid, super competitive kid, tough kid. And obviously he's got the traits, you know, at the top 10 picks. So I'm excited to see what he does this year in his second year. I know it's going to be something great. Yeah, Coach Noel is going to Penn State. I think that he's bringing, you know, that smarts. And obviously now he's done it at the highest level, one in national championship with us. And, you know, helped us get to where we wanted to go.

1:01:01And I know he's going to do the best he can at Penn State, you know. Obviously, I'll still always be rooting for Ohio State, but I definitely root for Coach Noel's and his success, because he's been a huge part of our journeys and a great guy, a great guy to play for. And, you know, he's always going to be my DC. So I wish him nothing but the best, but that one game every year, we're rooting for the buck guys. So look forward to seeing that matchup. You're on your head, you know, you've got a lot of criticism. Especially after the game. Yeah. And if it all been a 14-flay-off, the women in the three women in the middle, they put a bet. And it's just been off-charts and hard to see. But what do these crew doing to play on? And if just a season of three-year career will be justified here, who is as a team of the best. Yeah, man, Coach Day is one of the toughest, most resilient guys I've ever been around. That's the reason why we all love him. It's the reason I love him so much. You know, no matter what's going on, no matter all the unfair shit that's being said about him, excuse me for cussing, but, you know, he's going to stand in there and stand strong and take it all on the brunt. You know, take a head on for us and take all the blame even if it's wrongfully deserved.

1:02:02So, you know, playing for him and seeing the way he's responded the last few years, especially this year, just shows everyone across the country what he's capable of and that he's the best. He's the best-head coach in the country by far, I think, in college football unbiasedly. So, being able to see us have that happen. Here are all the things that we heard in Columbus and him and his family go through the things that they went through and come out the back side of it and win the national championship, and it just meant the world to me and meant the world to us and him and his family. So, Coach Day is one of the toughest guys I've been around. That's the biggest thing that stands out to me. Yeah, I mean, like a lot of guys, you're coming to college with an idea of how it's going to go, and then it goes completely opposite for the first couple of years. And I think that's the beauty of growing up and becoming a man and growing a football too is that things aren't always going to be easy. You know, talking to guys, you know, who've been in the league, you know, things have been quite frankly the opposite of easy for a long time

1:03:03and then they have a breakthrough and become one of the best players in the league. So, you know, I think I learned a lot about myself just, you know, going through those tough times and being able to develop, you know, when it feels like you're not developing. And then being able to come out of it, you know, those first two years and be able to be a productive player and be one of the best players for your team and help one of the national championships. So, I think the development part is something that you just show up every day and keep working and eventually, you know, all the hard work you put in is going to show up. Yeah, we talked to him. I just texted him, we were just having to say, you know, good luck with everything coach, appreciate everything. So, we've chatted back and forth a little bit and he texted our senior group chat a couple of days ago and we got out here to the combine and just said, good luck. And a couple other things I can't say on here to go out there and kill it. What do you weigh now? 2,35, 2,40, what were you? Not 2,45. What's it been like? Yeah, well, it's been great. He's been good. Somebody that's came in, humble and is ready to work.

1:04:09That's been the only words that I have for him. Not a minute of just many words, but he's here to work and he's done just that. And I'm just, we got to have... You've learned a lot. That's kind of a piece of holy fuck. Like I know you guys worked on it. Sorry, you missed 4,5, anything. But also, that's what he's doing. You guys learned a little bit. Yeah, I think essentially that's the culture of our room. When we come off the ball violent. We're just looking as soon as hard as we can but clean up the details after. So, that's kind of our mindset going into it. You went free to do your fucking work. How hard is it though? It's going to be a receiver. It's like you know you're doing a lot of things. How hard is it to kind of change the perception? Or you guys don't pay attention to outside noise, but also a lot of things. You've got a lot of things. Pretty good. Yeah, it starts off with like you kind of got to, it starts off with tuning out the outside noise.

1:05:10And what other people have to say about it. I really do have a mindset. I kind of look at it as if it's like a drop in a bucket. You know, if I got a big bucket, there's no one thing I'm going to do to make this bucket full. It's a daily thing where I put one drop in a day. And you look back over a year, two years, three years. You look back and you're like, man, I've gotten a lot better. And so, like I said, I'm just very thankful for the event. The guys that I have around me push me very hard. And I'm just thinking. You mentioned that the development is part of TEDx. What was the book challenging part of you to be balancing it through the play? Yeah, I'd say definitely the size component. You know, you got to be someone that's, you know, when you got to be big, you got to be strong. You got to be fast. There's a lot of jobs that you have to do. It's a very asking job. You need to buck the big, some of the biggest guys in the field. But also run routes off some of the smallest guys that we've been feeling. And so, I think just thankful just to be out here and do exactly that. What was it like to get that shot the other day for the pros counts? You know, just run routes, catch balls. Oh yeah. Show off. Yeah, no, there's a good opportunity.

1:06:11I think some of the big, you know, region behind it, we're just kind of giving those guys out there that we're at. Prodame, you have limited numbers. So just get out there and give those guys a breather. But maybe the opportunity to get to go out there in front of scouts. I think that's a pretty good deal. And you're taking only a quarterbacks to this point. The quarterback battle is going on. What's been your take on Will? For example, get the no-hem. And then of course, David. I think the line said that we have body around here is ironing, sharpening iron. So that's kind of like, it's not just one room. It's from top to bottom throughout this whole team. No matter what position you are, we're here to work. And I think we're all here to make each other better. Whether it's in a cornerback room or a tight-iron room, we're running back room. Offense versus defense coach for his coach. It doesn't matter. We're all just iron and sharpening iron, especially this time of year in spring ball. We're not doing too much game planning for next week. Which we're really just spending this time to get better and build a good foundation for ourselves. It's time to work on boom forward. You've seen Will have it fitting in more and more as the practices have gone on. You know, getting to know everybody and all that kind of thing. I mean, I've been here for a while.

1:07:11I'm sorry. Yeah, I think I think I think it's time goes no matter where you are. You start to adapt and you start to get used to what we have going on here. And so it's good to have. Thanks. Yeah. You're welcome, man. Thank you. What's it been like? Yeah. It's been like. Learning pollution. Yeah. I'd say when it comes to that, I think it's all the glory to the Lord. And I decided to give my life completely to the Lord a little over a year ago. And that kind of really changed my outlook on the way that I approach football. It's no longer something that I idolize. It's just something that I do. And I think from the time of my life where I stopped, you know, compartmentalizing who God was in my life. God was something that I do on Sundays or something that I do in a Bible study. It was something it went from what I do to who I am. And so now I embody that as who I am. And so some of the fruits of the spirit is peace, patience and kindness. And so those are the kind of things that I've started to embody on this journey.

1:08:12I think it's easy to kind of compartmentalize football away from faith. But ultimately it's all one. It's all one. So it's giving me a spirit of patience, peace, and joy with the guys around me. And so I'm just I'm thankful. I'm thankful to be here. But being quite honest, I just I know for a fact I wouldn't be where I'm at right now. And I know on the outside looking in, you know, I was like, you know, where are you right now. But I wouldn't be where I'm at right now if it wasn't for my relationship with Lord. It really came into my life and you know, changed around from the better. G, what did you see from Bennett Christian last year? How did you go about suspension and how do you work with him? Yeah, I think he did a great job. A lot of perseverance. I think that's no matter who you are, when you're kind of hearing news like that, that you're going to be out for a year, that's hard. No matter where you are. I'm really proud of him because he came up and he came to show up every single day. He got better. He got better. The easy thing to do in that kind of situation is throwing the towel. Be like, man, you know, forget this or I'll get better next year.

1:09:12But it's all the drive at him. One thing I see now every day he showed up. He got better. I'm proud of Bennett and I'm proud of this unit. That's the question. One, two, three, all. Two, one, two, three, all. Two, one, two, three, all. Two, one, two, three. Two, one, two, three. Two, one, two, three. Two, one, two, three. Two, one, two, three. I mean, yeah. I don't know. I don't really know how to answer that question because if you go from one unit to another unit, the moment you trade units, you're no longer in the unit you were initially in. So you're now a tight end. And so, I mean, to answer that question, I think the time that I went from in the receiving unit to the tight end unit is the moment I became a tight end. I'm going to give you a few. I'm going to give you a few. I'm going to give you a few. I'm going to give you a few. I'm going to give you a few. I'm going to give you a few. No, no. Okay, Kevin Wilson, the coach Wilson is my coach. Coach Holland is my coach and I was a receiver. It's just different. It's two different roles. I think I'd say to answer that question. The moment that I decided to come to play tight end is the moment I couldn't tighten. And so, now over the years, I've gotten better at playing the position.

1:10:14But the moment that I transferred over, I've been a tight end. And I'm excited to be a tight end. Another position I'd rather play. Go back, guys. Thank you, Gene. You're welcome. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. Me, Coach Walt, other DBs, you know. We did a great job bringing BIA back for like two or three years now. And it's in a great place. It's in a great place. It's in great hands with Coach Walt. And can't wait to see them boys play. And you know, at the top of the years, this is... No, I had not. You could play at a high level. We just got to continue to keep developing. Continue to just work on this confidence. And continue to just keep producing on the field. And making sure that he prepares at a high level. And, you know, he gets under the wing of Germain and Davidson. And just continue to elevate his game. Devon Sanchez, solid player.

1:11:17I only got the song, Two Practices, really. You know, he just fresh out of high school. So really looking forward to seeing them play. He heard a lot of good things about them. So excited to watch. Got to find a way to separate yourself. Whatever it is, give you watching. Film, getting extra work in. And just having that confidence knowing that you that guy. And, yeah. In practice, Marvin Harrison. I feel like I could play all areas of the game. I could play inside. I could play outside. I could play off. I could fit in any type of scheme. I'm physical. I'm great run support. And I watch a lot of film. I have not spoken with the Steelers.

1:12:17Just continuing to mature as a corner. You know, I've grew a lot in terms of just learning the game from the mental side of things. And, just continuing to keep evolving as a corner. hard that guy and just continue to play the game at a very high level and yeah. Just him being a leader and being vocal, his decision-making and just leading that offense man and no he's done a great job no he won a national championship with

1:13:20him so good to us. I'll say either Chris Olabe or JJ. Yeah. Means it means everything to me. You know we just stood on everything we talked about. We went through the fire came out of it and we went on one hell of a run. Not at all. You know we the buck guys so you know how I go. It's a lot of games really. It's a national championship.

1:14:20Team of North game last year. Maryland 23. Nebraska from this year. Really a lot of games. Man I wouldn't really say play I would just say hosting that national championship trophy at the end of the day. No better feeling than that and you know we remember forever in Ohio so it's awesome. Really just from the head down. Understanding that you know as you continue to get older your body starts to wear down so just playing the game from a mental side of things and understanding that you just got to continue to keep preparing yourself playing at a high level always be available and consistency.

1:15:20Yeah man you know it's part of the game especially me playing corner you know and everything is going to be perfect you know even though you try to make everything perfect just the matter just continue to just next play mentality and continue to keep pushing forward. Oh dog I expected a lot out of him. He gonna go crazy mark my words. It was very important just leave the room you know the blueprint that Coach Wall gave me. Another blueprint that I came in as a freshman and just been a four year starter being the number one guy for four years. Understanding that you know as BIA it is a standard and you guys got to continue to live that standard. No I don't think so. Just him being in the lead for 12 years you know him giving me the blueprint of you know what it takes to be. I got that in the lead that's always accountable that's always consistent just sustainability and how to play the game the right way and how to move in this business.

1:16:28I bet you don't have a starter all those things. How's that gonna translate to the NFL if help you on your rookie season? Really just being comfortable and confidence that's all that matters for you just being confident yourself. I'm confident in the scheme that she ran how you play your role in the scheme. How other people are playing the role in the scheme and just playing out a very high level and just believing in yourself always. Yes I did. Yeah it went well man it was a great meeting and walked some ball talked a little bit and really happy to build has had me as a former. The game was an anomaly just wasn't my day but I wasn't who I am and just had to keep it pushing. How did you process all that? We've watched you for years and we do that. How did you process that? How long do you take me to find me?

1:17:31I'm the next week really that Monday prior to Tuesday practice on to Nebraska so that's what it was. Got to charge it to the game and just continue to keep building on my craft man and just honing on the people around me and that's it. Now I don't drive starting I really a big thing to me man I let the game so much man. I just want to continue to keep playing the ball playing football at very high level. I have a 10 12 year football career. It really wasn't about revenge for me it was really just about the team aspect and understanding that we got the national championship right in front of us so just a matter of just continuing to keep playing and just be yourself that's what it was. I was awesome probably one of the best things that ever happened at Ohio State.

1:18:32It's like a lot of teams really do that and really trying to get on the same page everybody else and you know everybody has out there feelings their emotions and come together at the end. Just the camaraderie the love that we have for each other that everyone cared and that was what was really important and glad that happened. Oh definitely a lot of things that we weren't doing a lot of things that we needed to do so just having that meeting having that loss even though we don't want that loss but no national champs now so that's what matters. Is that Purdue? Yeah yeah. It was cool you know he I don't you know I don't really guard like that but late then yeah late then was guarding them and you didn't we weren't making too many plays but late then he was doing his thing and but he was giving us great looks and great addition to our team.

1:19:44I think Julian that guy to be honest with you so and Lincoln's Lincoln's pretty good too so I'm great I'm happy I'm ready to see this little match up they're going to have but Julian is a great player great zip on the ball great pocket presence. He's going to have a good career. I mean couple of practices in money first guy here just the way he's throwing the ball how he's to himself how he's a know he's all about boy I could just tell yeah. Yeah. Now I'm going to say that he has a good arm but I want to put nothing on him right now but he's he's going to be a great player. Not really vocal yet but you know as he continues to you know being the building more be around the guys more get more experience I feel like he'll start you know being more vocal and I feel like that's one of the things he could work on because he's really quiet.

1:20:54Yeah man JJ man he's a great player you know he's blessed and if he continues to keep going at this level he'll probably be one of the best to come to college. Cardinal Tate and Milden Graham yeah yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He could be a great player. Me and him be going out a little bit in practice, but that's just me out of love just trying to continue to get him better. And, you know, he's quick, good hands, good casual ideas, good releases. Really excited for him and his fusion. And I always like to take part of the close man. I don't know how I was playing that kind of thing.

1:21:55I'm a little like, you know, really depends on what type of guy you are. You know, for me, I wasn't money, don't really move me. It's all about the love of the game. But all the guys I feel like, all this money that's coming in, don't lose your passion, don't lose your love for the game. And go to a culture that's going to, you know, build you and mold you and grow you into a man, and you know, the money's going to come. I was just going to recall what they were, what about the fact that they were what they could get on the field, like us. Yeah, definitely, but I ain't going to, you know, put them out like that. Is that what you feel like on the table? That might look the biggest weight on the room, just like coming back for that senior year in class. What it takes to win a championship? That's probably the biggest one. I'm having a hatred to him. No, I didn't. Do you have any financial aid or the Mike Greenwell-winner? The variable? Yeah, I got some familiarity with him, but never really met formally.

1:22:56Freshman? Oh, no. Oh, no. Huh? Yeah, for sure. He's a lot. He's a lot. Oh, winning on the building? I feel like I had a great career, a lot of ups and downs. Once again, you got charged to the game, but you know, I've been the number one guy. As soon as I walked into the building for four years straight, never had a guy. Only had one guy over a hundred yards on me, my whole career. And, you know, I feel like I'm, I'm staying cornering and I'm just continuing to keep evolving on my game and, you know, helping to have a long NFL career. No, I had a phone interview with them, though. Yeah, a little bit.

1:24:04I like Kid and McDonald, Arville Reese. I feel like CJ Higgs, he's going to be on the rise. I feel like this is his year. Sonny Stiles, going to have a great year. Yeah, that's who I, oh, and Kenyatta Jackson. Hey, I mean, probably one of the best receivers off the board, one of the, probably the best receiver off the board. Yeah, he's a great player. Can't say I can't, you know, I can say I can say everything about him, but you know how it is. You know, play. I don't know because, you know, we got a new DC now. So, Mabitch was Lorenzo Stiles. So, to your point, you know, I think that there is good depth there, but we're going to need them all. Is this is good depth as you've seen defensively in a few years? I mean, from your advantage point. At corner, yes. I think we're still, from you to say that, the best we've seen at all positions.

1:25:09No, I don't think we're there. Yeah, yeah, but at corner and, you know, maybe a couple of other positions and then some other positions. We got to solidify a little better. Okay, final question for Coach Day Spencer, Holbrook, Letterman Ro. Ryan, you've talked a lot about needing guys for 16-17 games in depth, but one of the positions that we haven't talked about that with is receiver. Do you feel like you guys have the receiver depth that you need right now? And can those guys, those top four or five play all 16, or do you need guys, younger guys, or veterans who haven't really contributed to step up? Yeah, I think it's a little bit of a question. You know, I think when you have you have Mecca and Carnell, and then Jaden Ballard, Jeremiah, I think you get into, you know, Bryce and Rogers, who has done some really good things this spring. I know we had a couple of tough plays today, but we think he can really help us next year. We're missing Brandon and his same thing. He was having, you know, a lot of momentum, and then there was a procedure. We just felt like out of caution. We had to get it done. We just didn't want it to linger, so we did that.

1:26:09So we'll need him to step up in a big way. And then like you, to your point, we're going to need a couple more guys to step up to build that depth there. Because, you know, we do have some really good players, but we're going to need them all. So I think it's important that some of those younger guys do step up. We are going to get, you know, Miley in the summer, and we're going to get, you know, Damarian Witten, who's going to play, you know, a little bit receiver, a little bit of tight end. So we do have some young guys, and to your point, they're going to have to help us. Do you think that Jaden is in that group right now that can't help you? I think Jaden took a step here this last week. You know, he's been challenging him. There's been a couple plays one in particular. Like, you know, he needed to make some plays to say, okay, I'm here, and you can count on me. There was a really contested play in the red zone that he made. He made, you know, a big play on a post out here the other day. So you're starting to see him make those plays. And if he can do that for us with his, you know, deep speed down the field, he can really stretch the defense. And so we're going to need him to. And we did see things in the last couple of weeks to let us to believe that he can. I'm sorry, coach. I got one more Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch, and then we've got coach Noles.

1:27:09Ryan, as you look back on not just today, but all 15 practices and assess the impact that chips had for you guys. Is there something you feel like, or just in general, where he's helped maybe the most, where his presence last two months is giving you as the biggest boost? Yeah, I think he brings one voice to the defense. And I think that's very, very important. Certainly has an unbelievable history of running the football. And I think when you start to tie in some of those quarterback runs, and you notice those quarterback runs aren't design quarterback runs really. Most of them are reading an end, and those aren't polacious hits. They're things where we're going to keep guys upright, and he doesn't really good job with that. But the other thing too with Chip was, he got here just a couple of weeks before spring started. So we kind of got the spring going, pushed through the spring, learned about the personnel. I think the next couple of months will be important to figure out where we go now. What do we do? What does the install look in the preseason? And then we go from there. So like any spring, you want to identify the personnel and get guys better,

1:28:12and then really dive into the scheme and the chemistry as we head into the summer. Coach, thank you. Do you feel like you're going to fail to lift the quarterbacks over the stand before Tuesday? We're going to give them feedback for sure, and go from there. But yeah, I think after you go through 15 practices, you want to give feedback. Great. Coach, thank you very much. Alright folks, we're going to bring Coach Jim Knowles up here, and then after that we'll have Chip Kelly. We will open up the floor for Coach Knowles over here to the right, Dylan Davis. Hey Jim, Taiwan Malone is a guy who really flashed out there today. I'm just curious, where does Taiwan fit in your depth defensive line right now? It's a guy who probably doesn't get talked about as much, but where does he fit in that right now? What have you seen from in the spring? He's developed for sure. It wasn't quite ready last year for a lot of reps, but he showed marked improvement.

1:29:15So long season, we play a lot of guys up front. We really need him to come along, and he showed flashes to that. Over to the left, Nathan Barrett, Cleveland.com. Nathan is like Nathan and Malik, and Agassilorinzo also not being able to play. And that's been, I guess, the case through most of spring. Just what did that open up for you as far as developing more depth at safety and how have you seen guys like Bonsu and McLean assert themselves this spring? Yeah, every situation like that gives somebody an opportunity. Our depth was really down at safety this spring, so because you had Nathan, you had Jihad, you had Malik, and then Lorenzo. So it opened up opportunities, and Bonsu is a guy who really got a lot of reps, and you saw him improve. And then McLean, I think, is a great plus.

1:30:16I mean, he is a guy that has football intelligence. He's picked it up. He's kind of one of those incoming freshmen who still should be in high school. He's a guy I think you're going to point to, and you can see right now he's going to be a player. Over to the right, Austin Ward, the podcast. What was a healthy Mitchell Melton? How does he fit in for your defense? What does he bring to it? You know, Mitchell is that combination player. You know, in our four down, he's a guy that can do a lot of things, drop, fold in there, make plays. You see some of that all the time. Really athletic, you know, we're kind of loaded at that end position. So he's going to play there. Like I said last year, we haven't needed it, but he's a guy you would point to along with CJ Hicks, you know, for the long season. People get injured. You get a little light inside.

1:31:18It's always hard on the defensive tackles. But if you're going to play with three ends, you know, that matches a guy who definitely can do all that. He has that. Over to the left, Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch. Jim, you've talked about this before, but I think in past years where you're going up against a really talented receiver group offense to encourage your players to, it's not okay if they give up to the play and to go nearly almost the first half. Today where you, the offense didn't get in the end zone until the late in the second half just. And you guys have guys down the second area. Just what did you think of that sort of trend and how it's evolved in the way you guys almost shut them out of the first half? It's become, you know, an expectation now. You know, our DB's, you know, our BIA, Best in America, we led the country in past defense. I think there's 96 what I got here and it was number one last year. They've taken that spirit. So it's a competitive spirit. It's an expectation now.

1:32:23It doesn't matter who we're going against. It's, it's, they view it as a standard. So that was good to see in the first, first half. Over to the right Spencer Holbrook, Letterman Role. Jim, we've talked about safety changing the way that you play defense in the Leo and the linebackers. But how much does having the depth that you guys have a defensive tackle change the way that you can do things defensively? Yeah, I mean, you're going to play to your strengths, you know, and that's, that's my job. What do we have and what do we do best? And when you have defensive tackles, but I've said it before, it helped our defense so much last year. When you have defensive tackles that actually make tackles, which is what we have right now, it changes the way you call a game. You know, it certainly helps you be in better shape on explosive plays on the back end. You don't have to do a whole lot to help those guys out because they're making tackles.

1:33:23So you got to go, you got to go with that, you know, you got to let those guys play and, and they're good. So you can't get too far away from the scheme of having those defensive tackles make place because they're doing it and it works. So you got over to the left, Tony Gurdman, Buckeye Huddl. Jim Ryan talked about the quarterback run being more of a thing with the offense this year during the season. How much of when you're facing a team like that, how much does that impact your day to day throughout the week preparing for that? Yeah, it's a ton, you know, it, I think it changes everything you do on defense. You see it everywhere from the NFL on down if you have a quarterback who can make plays with his feet. Your scheme better be designed that, you know, to, to take that away into account for it. So it changes the way you look at everything when you're game planning. Thank you, Donovan. Over here to the right, Tim May, the Tim May podcast. Yeah, Jim, you might be getting ready when I asked Ryan about just, for example, Calvin Simpson Hunt, but the corner seemed to be playing almost with the chip owner shelter to a certain extent.

1:34:26I mean, David Zanig-Benoson took the day personally. I mean, I think you know, to make it some of the hype going into the game, but what, what do you see from that group in particular that Buys you going into this off season? Yeah, when you can, when you have corners that you can count on, again, it's just like having defensive tackles in the run game. When you have corners, you can count on that are going to compete all the time, no matter what the situation is. And we've developed that. Again, it changes the way you call the entire game. I mean, you, you're able to leave those guys on an island. You're able to switch out converges and they know what they're doing and they take great pride in it. So having those guys out there in the development, it's a big deal. It really is. And it's not jumping into a picture of the board. I was just getting it laid back here. Yeah, I mean, he's, he did come in late and you know, he compete, he's one of those guys that just competes every day, doesn't say much.

1:35:29You know, he's trying to live up to the standard of the other guys and you, you see him coming along. You know, you see him step by step coming along and, you know, put him in a, you know, competitive atmosphere, same step up. That's a great sign. And final question for coach Knowles, Dan Hope, 11 Warriors. You mentioned CJ Hicks a few minutes ago. Have you seen him take the strides you need to see the spring to trust him as a guy who could be a potential starter on his defense? Yes, I mean, I think CJ has shown that he has talent. And I think it's my job to put him in the best situations for him because he can be a force. You know, he's much better when he's bloodsaying or he's directed because he's able to use his athletic ability, but he has certainly shown that he's going to be able to help this defense coach. Thank you very much for your time. All right. And we will bring offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Chip Kelly to the podium now. We'll open up the questions over to the left bill Rebenowitz Columbus dispatch.

1:36:37Chip, what are your just general impressions of the offense coming out of spring, especially at quarterback? We'll look at all 15. So I think, you know, this day is is a big part of it, you know, because it was the first time they were going to play some of those guys that were going to play in front of a crowd. And that was an amazing crowd. You know, 80,000 for spring game. Now you could see some of the young guys kind of looking around like, wow, this is different than the indoor. But that's what they have to get ready to play it. So we got better from practice one practice, 15, you know, it's still an evaluation through the whole process, but it's not something in the players, though, to the will, we're not making a decision, walking off the field today, saying, hey, this is the direction that we're going in. We'll be very authentic and look through everything and make sure that we get a really good feel for what it all looks like and then who will best move this offense. That's what our decisions going to be based on. I do. I think we got a lot of guys there. That part's tough. I think because you got it. There's guys that deserve reps, you know, when they're all competing for it.

1:37:38So, you know, sometimes you'd like to be sometimes when you had a guy who was an initial starter, well, he's going to get the bulk of the reps to get them better, but they capitalize on. We really rolled them. You know, if you were at some of our spring practices, you're watching all those guys rotate and rotate out. And as we talk about all the time, you know, the old adage is don't count your reps, make your reps count. You know, when we'll put it all together and really come up with, you know, which guy do we really feel is going to help us move this offensively over to the far right bill landess, the podcast, Kings of the North. Hey, Chip, you said when we first talked to you that the basis of a lot of your success running the football just kind of figuring out what your guys do best and then leading into that over 15 practices now, how good of a field. Do you think you have for that? And then what did the next few months look like as you try to piece that all together? Really good question. It's interesting because the one thing that I think sometimes makes tough and an evaluation is what a good front we want to get. You know, so for 15 practices, those guys on the other side of the ball were pain, you know, Jack and JT and Tileek and those guys, but I know come fall. There's not going to be anybody more happy that we have those guys on the defensive side of the ball because of what they can do.

1:38:47So I still think we'll have to really evaluate that what we're good at what we're not what we got to get better on what we got to work on, but I think the work we got against such a quality defense was was really key for us. Over to the far left, Nathan, Barrett Cleveland dot com. So you were go at this time, came out of the spring with still a lot of question marks about the offensive line. And even I guess that last season came out with question marks. What have you seen that progress in the time that you've been here and what's your confidence level that that offensive line is going to allow this offense to do everything it wants to do this fall. Yeah, I mean, I've been here short amount of time. So I didn't know I really don't have anything to compare to so I kind of tabula rassa come in with a blank slate and just observe it. I think we're really athletic. I think that in and in Seth and those guys inside are really smart and really intelligent. They allow you to to be able to make adjustments in game. Just talking football with some of those guys. It's like, well, these guys are wired the right way and a lot of those guys have played a lot of football. So they can bank on their experience. I think we've got about four guys that have played significant amount of snaps and we've got to make sure we can find out who the fifth guy is.

1:39:55But that's similar to where the quarterback spot is. I think I also think of the offensive line. You're not going to play a 16-17 game season and just play with five guys. You really have to develop your depth there. There's going to be a number two center that's going to play a lot of football. There's going to be a number two guard, whether it's on either side of the ball. There's going to be a third tackle. I think you're going to get tested, especially in this new playoff format. You really have to think that way. So you're not looking for five starters. You're really looking for 10 starters because you're going to have to probably play 10 guys to get when you get through a 16-17 game season. Over to the right. Austin Ward, the podcast. I think it was the first play of the game, the T formation and then the reverse spin move with Will Howard. What's the inspiration for that package and that sort of wrinkle with the quarterback? Mr. Hayes. There's a looming figure around this whole program. We get to go to work every day and the Woody Hayes Athletics Center. So it was good enough for Woody. We're going to stay there. We're going to do it. We ran some last year. I think we took 21 snaps at UCLA and T got a short yardage formation for us and we've done some different things with it.

1:40:59I also think our players had a lot of fun practicing that and doing some different things. It's a small part of our offense. We will not be in the T 21 times in one game. But we may get it in some short yardage situations. I think it's come back. There's a lot of schools right now that are starting to do that. It's really just you're trying to, you got a half a yard to get. You're trying to get your big guys in the game. I think we use three tight ends and two running backs in our formation today with Packard being the full back in that situation. There's a lot of different things you can do in short yardage but a little bit of a tribute to Coach Hayes and what he means to this program. Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch, over to the left. Chip, did you look back? You've been here two months, 15 spring practices. Is there something you feel best about what you've been able to accomplish with this offense? Well, I haven't accomplished anything because I didn't take a snap. But I think the most impressive thing since I've been here is how close this football team is.

1:41:59Some programs talk about a brotherhood. This is really a brotherhood. Our practices, as we talked about, how good our defense is. They're highly competitive but they're not combative. And those guys really work very, very well together. Both the whole line of the D line and the secondary and the receivers. The competition is going to be the best there is in the country. That makes you better. But I think sometimes competition guys can lash out and get really combative. And then all of a sudden the fight breaks out and the fight breaks out. And we're trying to accomplish and get footballed on them. But I think the way these guys cooperate and work together as a group is a special bond. And I think you're going to need the closest team and the most connected teams on the ones that win. Over to the right here. Andy Baxter, Letterman, or Al. Jay Favis, there's been a lot of talk about Jeremiah. But Ameca is the big returner in this group. He kind of reminded everyone what he can do today. What's it been like working with him and what kind of weapon can he be for you guys? Good point. And Ameca has reminded me and the other 14 practice sessions of what he can do. Special player. And J.J. is a really talented player also.

1:42:59But I think all of the whole group of Cornell tape did some really good things watching him this spring. And for all of them, I mentioned it with the elephant spline. I came in with a blank slate. I had no opinions formed. Not that really just why I didn't just observe them. But I think that white receiver is really special. And I think there's a bunch of guys in there. And again, when you have to play multiple multiple games after the regular season is over, you're going to make sure you're going to need depth like that. And the fact that it's you feel a little bit comfortable right now that we got some guys there that can make some plays on the perimeter. And that really dictates how people are going to defend you. So you got a couple really good running backs. So are they going to load the box? Are you really going to load the box and leave those guys in one on one coverage? Well, then it's the quarterbacks responsibility to decipher that and get the ball of those guys. So we're do they at least a double coverage a list of double coverage. And now it's a little bit lighter box and you can run the ball. So having too many weapons is a good problem to have.

1:43:59Second roll left pat Murphy 24 seven sports chip. We've talked a lot about kind of the quarterbacks maybe fine for the starting spot, but some of the younger guys. What have you seen from them? We got an opportunity to see more of them today than we probably have. What's your assessment of them as they kind of get in this? I always am so impressed with young guys that enroll early in watching how they get acclimated and what they do. You know, when you look at Julian and air and in JJ, you know, they should be in the hot lunch line of their high school. And they're out here playing in front of 80,000 people. And they've really progressed when you watch them in meetings and listen to them and they interpret, you know, so basically the whole concept here is where we throw them in the deep end and see if they can swim. You know, this three didn't maybe anything. We don't put the install in with, hey, you guys are in install. We're an install this with the older players. And then you guys, you know, go sit at the kitty table and we're just going to do the really simple things with you. They get it all in the more they can digest the more when you're in a room when you're checking for understanding and asking questions. And they can spit back to you the more confidence you have when they get in there with the plays that you can call form.

1:45:09So those guys have been impressive. They're still learning, you know, they were the guys today that were kind of looking around and saying, wow, there's like 80,000 people here along with the offensive coordinator in the quarterback coach because I was kind of looking around because I'd actually never been in the stadium until yesterday when we had our 14th practice in there. So I played Ohio State once when I was at Oregon, but that was in the Rose Bulls. I had never been actually in the stadium until yesterday. So I caught myself when I went into the stadium today looking around saying 80,000 for spring. Again, that's impressive. Got time for just a few more folks over here to the right Dylan Davis Delaware Gazette. Given what you just said about throwing them into the deep end, what stood out the most about Julian's progression through 15 practices and where he is as you guys head out of spring. Julian is a very fast processor. You know, he really thinks very, very quickly on his feet. Like he makes really quick decisions. He doesn't stick on and he can progress and any ceasing is really well for a young player, you know, and not having been exposed to a lot of college defenses.

1:46:14And especially what Jim does, you know, Jim can make Jim can make a young freshman quarterback cry with some of the stuff he does. But you know, I never saw that with Jules. And I that's been in press of his his ability to retain and, you know, him and JJ, the compliment I would say them is if you got here and you didn't know what class they were in, you wouldn't say that those guys were freshmen in terms of how they picked things up and you know sometimes freshmen act like freshmen. But the guys who are special, they don't act like freshmen, you know, they act like football players and those are two guys that are examples of that far left Cameron T. Robinson, the athletic chip. You on the topic of freshmen James people's and Sam got around the second half. You talk about how deep you need to be in this era of college football. But as you search for RB three, what did you see from them today and what is what is their growth been like in this spring? Yeah, James really flashed early for for me, not knowing again, kind of, let's just take. Don't worry about what the background is where they're from, who they are.

1:47:18The this guy of this stars, that's kind of that stars. It's the raw buck ice and there's how they do it. I think James is got really good feel and vision. He can hit things. I thought sand is really good things today. T.C. is another guy who really came along during the spring and work constantly talking in our staff meetings about depth. We're very cognizant of the fact that the playoff situation has changed. So you have to develop that depth, you know, used to be maybe have a parent of spare is what everybody says, but I think you may have to have more than that. You're talking about 16, 17 games. You're really going to be tested that way. So I was really happy with how those young guys have come along here in the 15 training sessions that we've had. Over here to the right, Tim May, the Tim May podcast. Thank you, Jerry. You have your own podcast. Yeah. Like these guys all had like a name next to their. Okay. That's a little cool. He must have some juice if you got your name in your podcast. Definitely. Okay. By the way, I like it. It's not just the lunch last hot lunch last night. It's a hot lunch. Yeah.

1:48:20Just too quick. He's number one. Do you feel compelled to let these quarterbacks know where they stand? You know, it's coming up Tuesday. You know, to me. Yeah. You know, where does that go? I mean, in your mind. Yeah. We're all sit down as a staff and visit me. He doesn't believe a job of, I think, all our players understand where they fit and what the picture is. And we'll give them our assessment. This isn't, you know, we're not going to come back. But we do it after every day. They know where they stood after practice. One after two after three after four. We grade everything. They're getting constant feedback in terms of where we are. And then after 15, which we had today. But, but we can't do it unless you watch the film and can really look at the things. Because you may see something, but you're on the sideline. You know, why did he make that decision? Well, I couldn't really see the field safety from where he was. Okay. Now I understand why you made that decision. So, you know, what, but they'll, we'll meetings with all our players. And that's, that's always been the method. So this week during, you know, between one day through Friday, we're all scheduled. No one's going on the road. We're recruiting until after that. But we're all a player meeting said every position.

1:49:24You know, offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, safety is everybody. Everybody's going to sit down with their position coaches and know where they fit. And we see them. But do you feel a pressure with the, with the transfer portal looming? I mean, you've been a head coach for a long time. I mean, is that on your mind at Tuesday? Yeah, I think you're aware of it. I'm 100% and I don't think it's pressure. But I think you just open lines of communication and everybody knows, you know, which what your evaluation was through the training sessions that we have. Guys, we got to have, we got real quick. Last two questions. Dan Hope and then Rob Aller. I feel like you need to have a starting quarterback named by and whatever biggest things you're going to be looking for between now and then and determining who that guy's going to be. Well, between now and, and whatever then is we're not allowed as coaches to go back out and practice with him. You know, in college football, you get 15 training sessions in the, in the off season. And then they'll go back to work and with Mick in the, in the weight room and getting bigger, getting faster, getting stronger. They'll have organized activities themselves.

1:50:25And they, they do a really good job of that. But once there's a football out, like we're not allowed to be there to evaluate and even assess. So they're really from a football standpoint on their own until August. So you always want to do it earlier. But I also believe every time I've, I've been involved in this is that it kind of happens organically and authentically. You know, because the players know. If you say, hey, we decided we're going to be with Joe and they all think it's Tim. You know, they know they're in the locker room with them every day. Players, players understand, you know, who they feel is the guy. And most of the time it, the decision is very obvious. You know, when you just say, this is where we are with it, you know. But there's that timetable thing. I don't, I don't, I can't give you an exact timetable on that. Rob. Chip, you talk about Julian, but typically in your experience, you've done it again, like Tim said a long time. How long does it take for the game to slow down for a young QB?

1:51:27I think it depends on the individual. You know, I've had some kids. Um, where early, you know, you were like, wow, Marcus Murray, I was like that. Remember vividly second practice. He got to the fifth reading the progression and threw it out here in his big game. And I asked him why I do it all. I asked why, because I just want to understand it. And I said, why did you do that? And he goes, I don't know what we call that defense, but there was like a lot of guys over there. And they didn't seem like there was anybody over there. But for him to process at that. That was right. And he came back the other day, whether that was cover 60 other day coach, I learned what you guys call the coverages. But it all happens differently. I've got guys that for two years seem like they're just, you know, they're really struggling. And then the light bulb goes off and you know, whoa, like they got it. So, um, everybody has different learning styles. You know, our job in the evaluation process is to identify those learning styles. So, you know, they cognitive learn early and auditory learner. You know, do they do they learn by feel is it is it more?

1:52:30A feel guy, you know, a more film guy, you know, it's all different. And I think we have to keep poking and prodding. And for us as coaches, that's the challenge too is what is their best learning style? And how can we convey it? Because education basically is just a transportation knowledge. But it really doesn't matter what I know or what Ryan knows. It matters what they know. So, um, that's that's always kind of what we're working on and studying and thinking about and kind of where we are and how much can they handle and then how much is too much, you know, because this may be a great play. I agree 100%. But if you don't feel it's a good play, then then why is it in? You know, I mean, and that's that's this whole feeling of process that we're all they're learning us and we're learning them. So, this is have identity, so to coaches really? Running quarterbacks? Is that something you've always sort of lean toward or is it year by year case by case? What advantages do you like about? Because all your guys can run a little bit. Yeah, I think a running quarterback causes problems for your defense. So when when plays break down the unscheduled plays, you know, if you just go back to the recent Super Bowl.

1:53:38On that last drive, the two big plays were my home's run. But Petra my home is another runner. Andy's not calling design quarterback runs for Pat. But when the defense matches up and plays two men and turns their back to the quarterback, well, maybe the best decision is to take off. You know, the second one he took on, like, he may score. You know, a lot of guys go and they want to hook side, you know, and and there's times where you have to understand if you do have a running quarterback, we talk about the best ability, the best ability is availability. You're not lowering your children, taking people on, but we are always looking for quarterbacks that have the ability to run. We're not looking for running backs that can throw, you know, so you're not going to see us 20 times a game. We're running the quarterback. There are people that run it offensive styles and are really successful with it. But with this group we have right now, that's not. Now they can hurt you with the feet. We'll did it when he was at case date, you know, obviously Devon took off a couple times today. Lincoln's a really, really good athlete. Julian can run, but, you know, we're not calling design quarterback runs, you know, you're not going to see, you know, a tremendous reminder, respect for cochays and the legacy that he left here.

1:54:42The straight T is about as far as we go. We are not going single wing. So we are not going to snap it and run quarterback ice on quarterback power. So, but it is a, it's another weapon, you know, and if it also keeps defense is honest, you know, if your defensive and is going to continue to bend from the quarterback, closing the edge and he's getting first downs, within the defensive and has to stay outside and contain the quarterback. Well, then we can run the ball up and hand the ball off. Sometimes in our running game, our quarterback really is a blocker. He's responsible for a defender of the defender's cheating and fitting in on the run. Well, then his responsibility is to make, make the defense be honest and that's really aired. Did that a couple of times today. We had a block that safety was sticking his face in there. So we took off around the edge. What happens in next play the defense is wider than what we get to do. We get a chance to handle ball off the running game. Coach, thank you so much for your time and thank you for being a buck. I, thanks. You know, we're very, very excited right now and it's a fun group to be around every day. Coach, Mix have been doing a great job and you know, some of the workouts we've had this summer.

1:55:42But now as we head into the preseason camp, it's going to be critically important to build the foundation every year. You know, you, you rebuild the team. You don't just jump back to where you were the year previous and you know, we're going to work really hard to have a physical preseason camp and build that foundation is that's going to be what's going to be the difference in the end. So, Denzel Burke is one of the first guys that are here. Denzel has already had a tremendous career to Ohio State and made that decision like one of the other guys to come back and play his senior year. Denzel has already played a high level of football, but he's going to be one of the best corners in America. He's shown great leadership. He's made great strides as a player, but also just in his maturity. We're talking on the plane ride over here about how you approach preseason camp a lot different now in his point of his career than he would as a freshman. And he's much more intentional with everything he does. And I think it's a chance to be the best corner in America next season.

1:56:42Ameca Buka can't say enough about who Ameca is. Ameca is an old soul. Since he's been here, he's been a warrior. He has his degree. He had to make his decision on whether he wanted to go to the NFL or not. He decided to come back with a degree in hand. And you know, we didn't get a chance to see the best version of him last year with his ankle injury, but we're seeing it now. And he's always been a leader. He had been a leader since he walked in the building as a freshman, but now he gets an opportunity to do that as a senior. And then last is Jack Sawyer. A lot of people lead different ways. Jack leads by his actions. It started off by being one of the first guys to commit to me in the class as a head coach, but also in that recruiting that class, but also decided to come back this year. He was one of the first sat down with me and his dad Lyle and said they have unfinished business here. And they started to get the guys to come back and build that group together that wanted to come back and leave a legacy behind. And so, you know, being a Buka means a lot to him being from Ohio. And he's going to continue to lead. He's playing his best football at the end of the season. And we'll continue to do it.

1:57:50We're going to be able to celebrate off season. So these three guys are here that they're unbelievable representatives of representative to Ohio State and proud that they're part of our team. You know, the last thing I'll just say and then I'll put up the questions is just that, you know, our focus is on this preseason. It's the next step. And, you know, sure, a lot of coaches will say it. You can't really focus on what happened in the year before. You can't get too worried about what's coming down the road. But we all know there's a lot of noise and a lot of hype around this team. And what we can't do is let those distractions grab our focus from what we need to do day in and day out. We know it's going to be a long season, but we got to have a great preseason. We got to have a physical preseason. We got to lay that foundation for what's going to come as we head throughout the season. But we're very, very excited about our guys. We have great experience in that locker room and some great talent, but it's going to take more town. It's going to take all the no talent issues to get to where we want to be and reach our goals. So appreciate everybody and we'll open up the questions on your last question.

1:58:54Dave, bill 24 seven sports. I want to ask about your offensive line entering camp. How do you feel about your own line overall entering camp? And then in addition to that, who do you expect will be your right guard or who are the guys competing there at right guard? Yeah, as you know, the old line has been the area that we've been really locked in on. I think that coming out of the summer that their bodies look different. I think you'll see them next week. You know, we have some of those open camps. Our days of camp that they look good mixed on a great job. And they've had a good, good summer. But we know how important that is. I mean, you know, this, this team is going to go as the offensive line goes. This team is going to go as a defensive line goes. And so we know how important the offensive line is going to be. So I think that some guys have really stepped up Josh Breyer to me has had unbelievable summer. Donnie's been much, much a leader. When it comes to that right guard position, I think you know, you're going to see, you know, Carson, hisman and Seth, you know, they're both can swing between center and guard. But then Tecger, Shabola is someone that has had another another guy stepped up and had a good summer loop long comery.

1:59:59And we feel like we have some decent guys in there that can, you know, fill that role. But we got to go put it on the field now and see how this training and everything that's happened this summer is going to translate to being on the field. On your right side, go. Hey Ryan, Dylan Davis, Deliver Gazette. I know you've talked about debt that receiver being a big part of what you need to accomplish in the preseason. I guess, where do you, what do you feel you're at with that debt and behind a mecca, who's kind of started to emerge in that four to five member group? Yeah, it's a great question. I feel like we have a good, you know, we're kind of top heavy there. And then, you know, okay, where is four, five, six, seven? Brand in us, you feel brand in us when you're out there. So this is going to be a great opportunity for him to do that. You know, Jay Ballard is another guy who's been in the program a while. We need him to step up and make an impact. He's down the field threat with great speed. And again, this is somebody that's been in our program now. And I think that's another part of this team that we have is, you know, two, three, four. These guys have been in the year in the program for a while now. So there's been a lot of built up, you know, springs and summers and practices and development along the way.

2:01:06And so we need, we need JB to step up and he's been charged with that challenge along the way. Bryson Rogers, another guy that gives us some play, an ability in the slot. He's got bigger. He's got stronger. He needs to continue to play that way because he has the ability to run routes and get open against anybody in the country, in my opinion. You know, co-do Antweez somebody that has to step up as well. And then we have some other young guys in there that have an opportunity to do that. So, you know, that four, five, six, and seven is going to be critical and, you know, solidifying the wider seabird depth. But that's going to have to happen this preseason. Me. Tim May over row on three dot com. Right. I'm just wondering if you have you told your team to embrace these expectations for this season and number two in your mind, how legit are these expectations? Well, I think anytime you're your out of state, you know, we know you're going to have expectations.

2:02:09But, you know, there's always going to be chat. There's always going to be noise. And it's our job to block all those things out and just focus on what really matters. And I think especially this time of year, the easiest thing to do is focus on, you know, the goals, focus on the end of the season. But that's really is a waste of time if we don't build the foundation right now. Now, our guys, they know what the expectation is. You've heard some of them say, you know, what what what their goals are. We're not going to shy away from that. You know, we want to win the rivalry game. We're going to be right in this stadium right here when this big 10 championship won a national championship. You know, we know that. But at the same time, like that can't be our focus because that's that's a distraction from where we are right now. And so where this season goes and what this team looks like is going to look a lot different than it did last year. And this is a new journey. We've got to rebuild that to get to where we need to be. And that's our last last winter. But the next step is now in preseason. And so, you know, we know the expectation. Every time you know, I've gone into a season at Ohio State, I guess this is going to be my eight season now.

2:03:10You know, six is the head coach. You expect to win every game. That's just what it is. And if you don't think that's the case, try to lose in a game in Ohio State. I mean, you're expected to win them all. So that's not new. We embrace it and recruiting. And we want to make sure that those type of people are in our program. Ryan, Jimmy, Jimmy Watkins Cleveland.com. And delegating play calling duties to chip, obviously that's going to change your. Your perspective on the game day change your responsibilities on game day a little bit. How might that change the way you manage games on a situational basis? Well, I think this year there is a change with two minute warning. I think that needs to be something that we take into consideration. You know, just how the games are going to change at the end of the end of the game. But, but other than that, I feel like, you know, I've always had a pretty good handle on that. So going into each game will have a game plan in place.

2:04:10You know, chips here for a reason to run the offense. But I think it's my job as the head coach to look on the horizon and figure out what's coming. And in this conference, you know, have experience of what's coming down the road, the games we need to win, how we need to win. Also with the type of players that we have. So that'll kind of be my input in the offense knowing, you know, what we're doing. And the great thing for he and I is, you know, we see things the same way. We've been in the same offense together in our careers. So I think there'll be a lot of that. But chips, one of the best offensive minds in, you know, history of college football, in my opinion. He's a great play caller. So, you know, he's got to do that. He's just got to go and get a feel for our guys and let them call it. But in terms of the management of the game and everything, it allows me an opportunity to be on both sides of the ball, including special teams. And have a great feel for that and making those decisions. Hey, coach, Mike Regolato, Bruin Report online, sticking with chip. Last few years, I've been able to see his innovation and his creativity with players.

2:05:11Aside from that, how excited are you to see what he can do with this team? And what else does he bring to your, to your, to your programming? Well, I think when you, when you look at any offense, what you're trying to do is you're trying to figure out what plays maximize the guys you have in the locker room. You know, chip has a background of doing things in a lot of different ways. I think everyone immediately goes to the spread offense and, you know, when he was at Oregon and some of the no-huttle stuff. But, you know, he's, you know, you see a lot of things with three tight ends in the game, you know. Before that, you know, there was a lot of two back stuff. There's, you know, there's a lot of different versatility in his background. And so I think the idea is, all right, what fits our guys? It starts with the quarterback and then it goes with the offensive line, the running backs, the receivers, and how that all gets put together. I think he would tell you he's very excited about what he has, you know, in terms of the town level, you know, on the perimeter up front, the running backs, the quarterback options, the tight ends. So that's the journey that we're on. You know, what is it that fits that? And then it's my job as the head coach to make sure it fits complimentary football across the board and that the offense is complimenting the defense.

2:06:20And so in terms of the second part of your question, you know, what he brings. You know, for me turning it over, you know, I really wanted to have somebody that, you know, had head coaching experience. You know, you never thought that you know, you'd have somebody that was a head coach the way he has been in college and in the NFL and that background. And so it allows me a little, you know, more of a piece of mind and certainly a lot of trust there. I mean, I trust you with my life. And that's a big part of anytime you're, you know, handing something over like that. But you've done, you know, you're almost your entire career. Coach Ryan, thank you so much for your time. All right. Thanks, guys. Let's do the field. All right. This concludes the opening media session with our coaches podium sessions on the south end of the field on the opposite side here. Our coaches and student athletes will begin at 115 p.m. Say, hey, okay, not only within games, can we keep guys fresh, right?

2:07:23But can we do that so that when you get to the last few games in the season that act that are the big ones, right? The ones that you're judged off of when you get to the game, are we healthier? And I think that's, it's kind of a full, a full fan, right? So I feel confident with five guys and that's going to be a week to week. You know, to me, like these guys know, I think honestly, who start to be week to week? If you display during the week of practice that you're locked in and somebody else has a bad mental week, well, I can't reward you with starting if you have six mental errors during the week, you know what I mean? Just because you started last week. So I think it's got to be that iron sharpens, iron constant complications due to the whole fall. I always felt when I was here that they were trying to outrofruit me, which is the reality, right? Which is why it prepares you so well for the National Football. That's why Ohio State prepares you so well for the league because now it's like they're trying to out-drat you.

2:08:24And so I used that as fuel, but I also thought firsthand, you know, like there was a season where it was John Kerr, Marcus Freeman, certain guys rotating week to week. And so I thought like, should it have happened to them that could happen to me? So I just tried to be a certain way in practice. Like I tell the guys all the time, you have to control the things that take no talent. You have to eliminate all loves. Like if you if you loaf on the field, you're a traitor. Like you should just go play for the team. Like that can't you can't be coaching effort. And then you can't have mental errors because if you have a mental error, then you can't trust you. So those are the two things I always have the player was like, all right, you're not going to catch me loafing and you're definitely not going to catch me not knowing what I'm supposed to do. I might get beat and that's that's inevitable. It's football everyone's got scholarship, right? But those two things you can control every single day. What's the next step? You're going to be some crazy. I think it's just and you know, we haven't we haven't done like any of my series. You know, so we know he can tackle and all that. But I think it's just the repetitive grind of a football game from in the box, the constant.

2:09:28And he's been he's been willing so far. You know what I mean as far as his hand placement has been good. Even more on the strike he's tough. So it's just continuing to have him challenged to. There's plays right now where he's seeing it from the first time from the will backer. So the next time he sees it, maybe throw catch tackle is up in the reception. You know what I mean? Because he's seen it before from that perspective. Everything he's seen before this has been from top down off the shelf, right? So now it's dropping back that was driving. So he's made great progress and I'm really happy with without something done. James, look at recruiting. It's really well for you. Obviously you can't talk about specific recruits, but just overall how you feel like that's going and are you enjoying your food? I am. I am enjoying. I think it's it's fun to build relationships and get to know so many different types of kids. You know, how state presents opportunity, right? And so many different ways. You're not going to get developed better anywhere else in the country.

2:10:29You have the largest fan base, largest alumni, major's opportunity everywhere, right? So you try to just like explain your passion for the school that did so much for you, you know, especially being an out of state kid, not being formal, high. And then realizing how much Ohio state changed my life. And so now you communicate that to other young kids who kind of see it and try to tell them the vision like where you can get to. I think the fun thing for me is that most of the kids I'm recruiting are way more athletic than I ever was. So it's like I tell them if I can the only way I survived in the NFL eight years was the fact that I had football intelligence like I knew where I was going. You know what I mean? I knew we're all spitting. And so now if I can impart that information on kids who are extremely athletic, well now you're now you got something special. You know what I mean? How much of you guys have already talked about the long season and the need to play more guys? Well, I think yeah, you're going to have to have depth. That's the reality, right? It's a longer season. There's more games.

2:11:34And there's no excuse to have a place like here like if you're all I'm playing with a maybe a guy who was third or fourth, it doesn't matter. You know like you got to be ready to go. So I think depth is crucial at all of the reasons because injuries are going to happen. There's part of football, you know you never want to wish it upon anyone and you're certainly not. But it's just you can't be naive to think that you're just going to have every single starter healthy for the whole season. You talked about your mentality as a player and then you're recruiting different players than you were. How do you, how do you marry that when they made that same mentality that you need is what you want them to have? Well, you figure that out when you get to know them and there are certainly some kids that you start to recruit to where you see like, you know what? Ohio State might be too big. It might be too big for them. You know what I mean? And so it's not for everybody. You have to want to come in and compete against the best and realize that you have to win every single game to be the best in the world of what you do. That's the expectations that Ohio State and that's certainly not for everyone and that's okay.

2:12:38But you have to through the process kind of find out who has that mentality, who really craves football. You know like who craves football versus a lot of the other fluff that kind of comes with it. Who craves ball because when they crave football then the other stuff will take care of itself right and we'll just keep getting better and better and better if they want to be the best. Two more questions for James. Yeah, I think that's your job as recruiters. You got to figure out what's the mindset of the kid and are they serious about football and you have to talk to the people that are around them and you got to figure out how to talk to coaches. You just got to try to figure out like who loves ball and the NFL they do the same thing right now they're attending the massive amounts of money and they're saying, okay, we're going to get this person money as a change their motivation or they still love ball. So now I mean in college with the same thing like who actually wants to be the best or who just likes the attention that comes with playing football. James, I've already talked about it but he told a little bit of the elevations from our bell from end of the class and obviously missed the time last year with the injury.

2:13:41But where he's at now versus the expectation that he had to move this way. Our bell is I mean, showing a lot of progress. You know, most importantly, you know, mentally with the playbook and everything. I think our bell last year there was a couple things right because of injuries on the D line and camp. You know, he moved the end for a little bit and then we brought him off the ball and then he had an injury and he kind of missed some time. He wasn't an early mid year, you know, so he comes in right in the summer and so he missed some reps there. So the see where he's at right now is extremely impressive. And for a guy of that size and that much power and his ability to run. He's a he's a special athlete and so our bell is at a good spring. You've got to continue to dive into the playbook and got to continue to learn all the little things and as you go, right, like week one, we two start seeing new schemes, new schemes, things build. And it becomes kind of a lot. He's just got to continue to comb through it all because athletically, you know, he's one of the most gifted guys that we have in the room. I know, and I always try to make sure he's put on the deck.

2:14:41What has changed the time that you've been recruited to now that you're Wednesday and like are there fundamental differences you've noticed in here on the day? No, I think it still comes down for the most part. Like, NIL is certainly an aspect for some. For some, this could be the most important thing. It's always a factor. But I think you still just need to find out who are the kids that love football and they want to be developed. And it's about the relationship to an extent. Like, a relationship gets you to the final stretch. For some kids, NIL might be the thing that pushes them over the top. I mean, I don't know. Like, every kid is so different, right? I try to view it as you're just building relationships and are you going to get a young man to trust you to develop them? And to not only the player that they want to be, but the person that they want to be in the future. And can you convince mom and dad that you're the right person to do that? You know what I mean? So I think one of the things that is helpful is my playing experience. I think, you know, when you've played and you've done it and the drills that you're doing, you know that they work.

2:15:44You're not going to waste your time on stuff that doesn't work. And then the fact that, you know, I am blessed to be at my alma mater. There's no sense of trying to leave here. You know what I mean? I have the question. I get a ton of, what do you see yourself in five years? I'm like, where I'm sitting? My alma mater. You know, my kids love it in Columbus. Obviously, I love Ohio State. So I think those are things that can kind of be in the van. Okay, so I know you've been working with, you know, kick off and punch teams as well. What's that that's like for you and try to hold it again and ball without that? Yeah, it's awesome. Maybe I love it because it gives you an opportunity to coach the whole team. You know what I mean? Like special teams in a spot where the whole team probably minus the quarterbacks, right? Is all in one team room and one meeting room. So you get to actually directly impact other positions and just your own. And I think it also gives, it gives a little bit of urgency to your own room. Like when you're in there every single time, you better be making an impact on pun. If you're a linebacker, you better be making an impact on kick return or kick off, kick off return,

2:16:45you better be making an impact, right? Because your coach is in. You know, play him how we can and not fully sure what how that's going to look like yet, but we're going to be ready for it. So you get a sense of pressure. How much do you want to do that's not for you? I mean, he's gone through so much. I don't think he deserved any of that stuff he's gone through, but you know, he's he's our leader. No matter what, he's always standing in front of the team and he's he's taking all the heat and taking all the bullets for everybody else. So, you know, if we can get this done for him, it'll be it mean everything because he's gone through so much. What is the whole hour to be able to take this here? He's a wonderful leader and I mean throughout all the adversity we've gone through, especially injury wise. I mean, he's been he's been a person that he could always look to. He's always confident. He's always upbeat and you know, he was really big this past week too.

2:17:51We just like round the guys and making sure everyone is still focused on the mission and I can't say enough good things about him. He's a great deal. I mean, one thing I like about him, he just I was I think he says tough in that pocket. I mean, I know it's tough. You guys guys running all the field trying to come and attack you, but he's always stayed tough in there and he's ready to make it. Make a throw or whatever it takes to keep off and going and he just I feel like I just get confident when I watch him out there. So, well, kill Daza. Thanks to the door for word, finalists. I'm not mistaken. It's been released here in the last couple of minutes, but what have you been most impressed by about this young guy? Do you have like grown up conversations with him when you talk to him? How would you describe your interaction with him and what he has brought obviously? He's super wise beyond his ears. I mean, he's still in the sophomore right now, but he's like he's a he's a knack for the game. He's a knacker. Just I guess experience and everything. So I mean, he's he's a unique player and I mean, we're so thankful to him because he brings another like coach like mindset to the team and I mean, he's he can't really say enough good things about him either because he's a wonderful player.

2:19:03He's here, we're learning to do before play. Hey, I think this is what's coming. I mean, I mean, how often does that happen or does it? No, I mean, that's not only as common just because it's sometimes he's loud and everything, but you know, I think that's where our coach knows is really good because he'll put us in a heart call to prepare for a certain situation. What would you say? You mentioned basic alley many times. 100% I mean, that you got here early and such a big impact or developing. Yeah, it was so good. Like you said, I think I heard last year had a like a amazing impact. Spucers as a person, but yeah, I mean, it would feel pretty good. Both of us in the same class that had been so good. It's been like watching bright online and step into his role.

2:20:04What do you think of his offense? I like I feel like he's more aggressive. But I like it. He still does a great job posting himself. Even though he doesn't maybe have as much time, but I do feel like he's though that's a great job with us understanding. He has to do with us and the whole offense. He talked about other guys. How much of an impact other coaches make helping to keep track of the receiver and the scanners. I needed some of the older guys. Yeah, I feel like coach Jordan and older guys, the veteran room, good job of stepping up when coach hard is not available. I feel like coach Jordan did a great job. People my first back or last year just had the extra meetings with him outside of our already meetings, having extra meetings with him. Just learning more, just taking away from him. I feel like he's been doing great job since I got here. What do you think of the freshman that are coming? I think they're solid up. I think they're solid. I like all of them. I feel like they all can grow definitely. They all like, I know what they're feeling because of how I just got here last summer, but I feel like they're all doing great job.

2:21:09Do you have to remind some of those guys that just because we've been here a longer does it work too much further ahead than you guys? Yeah, well, yeah kind of. But I'm not really considering myself like a young guy anymore. Since I've been here throughout the summer and the season, I kind of just trying to prepare myself to be a bit almost. We're not really a younger guy, but I do try to be like a better person to the young guys. When did that start? When did you stop feeling like you're getting better? I'd say really just, just the upcoming of the spring and the winter, I feel like I learned a lot as being in season last summer with the team. And I would have a big role and just take a bigger step with the team and all of that. So I don't want to just get some of myself going to work. Seder is proud to see the competition between the receivers and the foreigners. It's so kind of seeing what's just how talented those sides are. What would have you thought of that quarterback room and the way that they battle against you guys to crack this? Yeah, yeah. It's always like that. The eye head is there. I mean, it's their local. I mean, it's always like that. Even when people aren't here to see, we go back and forth at almost every day in the practice.

2:22:17I mean, it's not new to us. It's just a standard of the eye efforts. I'll see it. That's it. It's the best. I probably say I'd say they both did after. Do you feel like the return game is a place you can make them back this year? Yeah, I do. I do feel that way. I have did a little bit of a permuterning with some of our returners. I feel like I've been impacted. How much is looking forward to being in the shoot Saturday being part of the offense? Really been the first time as a buckman. Yeah, I'm excited. Just to actually get the step foot and actually like get rolling in the shoot. It'll be a great feeling. I'm pretty excited for it. You put yourself in the position to play. That means going hard every play. That means going through plays every night. So I mean, he's coming to his own. Jim Miller said that for you, it was confidence and reps and I support the person. Where you want to come from right now is something. Like I said earlier, just playing a lot faster. I feel like I'm more calm out there.

2:23:17I feel like the moment isn't too big. I feel like getting bigger throughout the year and when I was hurt, definitely helped me. Caleb's missing the fastest things this day. It's kind of like a legendary, which is what I was talking about. I think the great thing about Caleb is he's such a likable person, a likable teammate, a great teammate. He'll help you. He'll help any of the teammates. He's definitely, he definitely knows what he's doing. He's a great player. And for me, he just pushes me to be better every day. I think with your room being so stacked as this, what have you guys? Is it a pile of right? Do you think that there could be the opportunity though for you guys to all see quite a bit of playing time throughout the season and not just towards the end of games, mock up during any kind of playing time, but some real meaningful reps? I think that our room definitely has a lot of great players, but as far as playing time, that's a question for Coach Norris.

2:24:18What do you guys kind of have been prepping for that though throughout the call camp? Maybe switching in and out and really seeing a lot of one-two action? We're definitely, we're all getting reps at each spot. It's not just a just-terrifying band anymore. It's not just you're here, you're there. We're all playing different positions. We're all learning different techniques, so it's making each one of us more versatile. So you've been playing through the end of the two? How comfortable do you feel about strong safety? I feel comfortable in any safety spot. So I mean, the more reps you take, the easier it is. I played both safety spots last year, so it's not really that big of a transition. What are the differences between the two spots that you have to be used to? Honestly, this year they made it so they're kind of... I mean, they're both... You have to do each thing in both spots. So like, you have to come down and make tackles, Evander. You have to come down and make tackles that adjust at home. Obviously, it's boundary and feel so that the spacing is a little different, but I mean, you have to do everything at both safes.

2:25:23What's different this camp compared to last camp? For me personally, I feel like I have... I developed a better routine. I feel like I'm more mature and what I'm doing. And I feel like just go out there and play and have fun. I think that's the biggest thing for me. Don't get too caught up on the last play. What have you added or what have you improved to your routine? I think just getting here earlier, and at times last year, you know, it's hard to maintain that routine throughout the whole camp or throughout the whole year. But this year, it's easier to maintain that because I know what to expect. I know the requirements of me and I know that the team is following. Were there guys and last year's remetted influenced you to show up a little better? Yeah, for sure. Everyone is required. BIA, our standard is so high that we challenge everyone. It doesn't matter if you're going to play this year, it doesn't matter if you're going to play two years from now.

2:26:24It doesn't matter if you're a true freshman. You're going to come in early and we're going to put in the work just like everybody else. It's not just the starters that are held to the standard as everybody. It seems like Jaylin McLean, one kind of a similar trajectory as you were last year. He's pushing for playing time right away. What have you seen from Jaylin and that team? He's all over the field, man. I mean, he runs to the ball every play. He hits hard. He's making plays on the ball. Like I said before, he has a lot of potential and I'm excited to see what he does this year. You talked about getting bigger and bigger and you can't play like 25-thousand last-offs. You were able to keep that weight on and the voices looked like to Candy. So, through the season, it kind of fluctuated, but right now, I've gained even more weight. I'm at like 195 now. The plan is to get to 200, but it definitely builds confidence when you got to go down there and feel like that. Yeah, imagine you're playing folks in the ball. You say playing, so. Exactly, yeah. You were obviously on the run end of a play in that mission in game last year.

2:27:25Just what did you learn from that? I think that Coach Preaches competitive excellence and that means putting yourself in position to make a play. And that means practicing harder, that means taking each rep, like it's that big moment in the game and that's definitely what I try to do this year. I'm going to have to spend here, I know it's going to be. I'm going to have to play one point without people playing the back. Coach, today you want to have a time to force off. Yeah, so we ended up letting our defense coordinator go. I mean, we would have gotten a whole new staff. So I just decided getting the chance for something I wanted to do. And I just wanted to go to a four-year lot more long ones. I'm excited. So that's awesome. Yeah, it was two-gap.

2:28:25Just to, yeah, I'm going to double-tune. Re-surprised to hear from my say. I didn't know what they'd been doing in the transfer room, so I think it all was a surprise for me. What other programs have you been doing here from? I heard from quite a few. I heard from TechSanem, Missouri, from Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Nebraska. Once you've committed here, you obviously have to kind of see firsthand what it takes to make a national championship run. What did you maybe take away from kind of watching that being involved in practice that whole time? The biggest thing I took away was seeing how the guys practiced. I was able to go on the scout team to see how the offense did things very particularly, like sharp. So it was an influence on me and how I have to do things right here. Since you've been out fully in practice, not just scout teams. What's been the biggest difference maybe in the jump-up to let Molo-Horror is their biggest?

2:29:28Yeah, I know. Just seeing everyone's practicing hard. Everyone's trying to make a play. Do their job to the best they can. Just to speed. That's the biggest difference. No, it was amazing. I don't really know. Going from graduated right after COVID happened, so you get really recruited. Being able to be recruited. And to see what that was like was awesome. I didn't see it. Did you get your fast stack? Yeah. You had to give a live safe and play your computer yourself after it.

2:30:28You got some additional high-level college people that you travel with. Man, I see a question. Not a particular person. I just see a bunch of highlights. As you're... You had to tweak maybe like, can you stop being a junior, bridge? Those kind of things. You coached Jay, you heard him what you were doing before. Yeah. Just like footwork, honestly. It's going from a two-gap, and you're just holding the edge. You know, just been an adjustment. So, I'm fitting that one. Different. I'm pretty fast, so different. So did you get a pretty good person to come with me to say happy. Yeah. Were you able to believe from being like, it's learned. Talk to you with so dear before you have a big conference for the practice. I want you to take it. And I did the best I could to learn from Jack and JT. So just to see how they practice and what they did.

2:31:28I'll get last in for points. They did it. One of the biggest ones you all have to have a good time today. Yeah, I know. Coach Johnson. I told me you could develop me and I firmly believe that. He involved people to do that. So I'm excited to get there on the team. Do you remember where you were? You remember that? You remember that? Yeah, I know. I was on my way to dinner with my family. I just got a call on the car. Coach Jay. It was unbelievable. I was on my way to the dinner. Yeah, it's great to have you go out and play. What was that? What did you tell you? I've seen it's new each year. We bring in different guys. And we have new freshmen. Freshmen come in as well.

2:32:28So I mean it's different. We all develop a good relationship with each other too. You feel like you're in a pecking order right now in that room? I mean, 1, 2, 3 or if you feel wide open? Like we're being told it is. I'd say it feels wide open. So how does that hit you going from a standpoint? You have an even steep chance to be starting a quarter back here. It may feel good because I'm going to come to the building every day. And I'm starting to view the best quarter back in the nation. I'm going to try to do a story for a quarter back. My first in person was just a certain mention. I'm not playing. I'm as players. They're both really talented. Both really good quarterbacks. Both really smart too. So I'm excited to see what the spring brings us. Obviously. Obviously. What did you learn from the two of you guys?

2:33:28I mean, how? He honestly wasn't super vocal. But he kind of went by example. And I mean, I think a bunch of people follow his lead there. And then Will was more vocal. And yeah, we also will also lead by examples too. So also, I think it's going to help me move forward. So you think you have both of those different ways of leading. That it's showing you the way to kind of find current way. Yeah. What you think Coach A wants to see out of you. That's specific. I would say. I'd be more a leader. I mean, I said earlier, speed a guy or teammates can look up to. In fourth and two, they'll make a play. I'll get first down. Keep the drop going, stuff like that. You know, you're consistent. And I guess that's what you're doing. You're pressure every day.

2:34:28And this kind of competition helped you describe that aspect. You're almost got to be. Maybe perfect. Maybe the wrong word. I mean, yeah, there's always pressure. I mean, just being a player right here on high state. There's always going to be pressure. But it's a privilege. Obviously, Tavius has been on campus quite a bit in the last couple of years. How have you seen that help him with his acclimation? Sorry, I say. Tavius has been on campus a lot. How have you seen that help his acclimation into the room to spring? Yeah, I mean, when he first got here, obviously, that's a new freshman. And that's super like involved with other people. He started to find his voice, find his way around. So I'm just good to see him. I get more comfortable and more comfortable. So. Alright, thanks. What's the key to that? I get back, keep on calling back, watch his eyes, and they'll make a plan. So how are you doing now? Safety's are playing both spots in the spring. How are you finding that to be like? I'm adjusting really well to that because I just...

2:35:31I can just do more than just like one player one to one. So I just really like that. What Ryan said yesterday about how you guys said the green things out in that even last week. Anything to add on to emotional? Can you give us an insight into how competitive this spring has been? Yeah, we're all just winners, we're all competitive. We just want to win. What have you been able to learn from Caleb Downs? What are the approaches to the game, how he plays? What have you been able to take away every single player you're talking about? Really just like his mentality. He has that dog mentality. So I'm able to just pick up every single day, mentally and physically for him. How much does it inspire you to come in last year? See what Caleb did, see what Lathan did, and you know, know you have a chance to follow him or what's that? It's just, it's very special because you know, I know I can be that great of a athlete as well. And maybe some men. What do you look at for this year? What do you need to do and give yourself a chance to get on the field more this year? Just really stay more in mind. I know it's my playbook and hopefully it's just a bigger and talking about food.

2:36:36You said you had bigger, but you put on more weight this last year? Yes, I have. What are you up to right now? How much, how do you think that will help your team? A lot because we know it's a physical game and you gotta be in a game. How is Coach Guerrero and how is it that are safe to you? He really knows the stuff. So just being able to take in every piece of advice that we know he's telling me it's just... What's Coach Patricia like? He's good. Yeah, I like him a lot. He always talks to the guys. He's really loving and knows about him. Actually, the game like this where they are lighting up quickly is your job at hand-study or... maybe or complicated, how can you spend it? Yeah, I feel like one of the keys to Victor is always, you know, communicate. You can't run the defense you want to run without all being on the same page. So yeah, I think that, you know, I say these DBs linebackers. We always do a great job communicating anyway, but, you know, in any game you gotta be at the highest level of communication.

2:37:38I think that's what we're gonna do. In your running back, what just jumps out to you about your couple of guys and talk about your patients? You run intelligently for one of them in other terms. What just jumps out to you? Yeah, he's a great running back. He's a truly patient, a great contact balance. You really gotta run your feet when you're tackling him. And you know, it's explosive and has that home runs fee. So, you know, really excited for the challenge and excited for another great back. Rob all of us this bad for a great job. Yeah, I remember we was just up there and he said, it's kind of unique that players can hold coaches accountable in this program. What's that look like? How does that work? Is it done quietly? Is it done mildly? Yeah, I think that's what's so special about our team is, you know, obviously when you say, you know, holding a coach accountable, there is no disrespect in that matter. As far as, we're looking for ways that they can make us better and they're looking for ways that we can make them better. So, you know, having that relationship, you know, just benefits the team. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Tony, I got you already. No, we've been on this business back. Come back.

2:38:38Oh, safety. How much do you appreciate flying next to Cam? And what does he maybe talk to you? Even if it's too here, younger? This is being around and watching what? Yeah, I appreciate Cam. You know, he came here and like I said beforehand, I'm such like a pro. Cam, he asked me a bunch of questions. You know, what the sponge learned is much, he could at such a fast rate. You know, continue to learn. I think you just being with someone like Caleb, you just, someone I constantly compete with. And he makes me better by doing that. So, I think we're always just in competition with each other. Obviously, we support each other more than I think anyone else in the building. So, I think just having a brother like that that I can compete against at such a high level, with also having the support from him is extremely special. It's almost the entire season you guys are playing like that. If it takes that to win an actual championship, you know, questions about the line. Who knows how we're going to go? When it comes down to you guys having to win, how much confidence is there on this defense of the year? You know, at the end of the day, we have complete comments in our offense first of all. But, I mean, as a defense, we go out there every time we step on a field.

2:39:40And we're expected to, you know, get the stop, expect it to win the game. Coach knows it's a great job, you know, making sure that we feel that every day our practice, that if it comes down to the defense, I mean, we need to be ready for that moment. So, I think we'll be ready. Have you got time for just one more? That's much to me to get ready to come in here. Tony Garvin, fuck out. Lakin' with the splits of Tennessee's receivers. How does that impact your job? Yeah, it just obviously does a unique split. And, you know, why is that a little more on this more space? But, I mean, just preparing for that game. I want to say really affects our job. But, which had to be ready for that. It's something that we haven't seen before. And I think our coaches and, you know, team has done a great job of showing us those looks of the players with the game. Lakin' thank you very much. Thank you guys. I'll say, I want to say after sophomore year, that's when, you know, it was a lot of ups and downs. And, you know, even this past year, it was a lot of ups and downs. But, you know, mainly from last year, it was a lot of ups. And, you know, just like letting him control everything, you know, I tend to, you know, overthink. And when he controls things myself, but that's not how, you know, God works. Like I said, God has a pen for everybody.

2:40:40He's packed with my pen to my pass. What is the biggest thing you've ever seen? You've looked through the top of the JT and showed you how to lead the team. It's like consistent. You know, everybody, it's different leaders. You know, you've got the vocal leader, you've got the leader that's out by example. You know, it's different personalities in the group. So, I'll say, you know, just, I can't talk to Edward, I can't talk to, you know, Ken Curry. I can't talk to Ken Curry, I can't talk to Ken Curry, I can't talk to Ken. You know, so it's just, you know, it is, you know, stay consistent, you know, stay positive. And, you know, everything, you know, take care of yourself. You may bless your, you know, major part of this team, right? What's your sense of this defense? How's the back of it? It's a placing eight starters. How he could hurry off and make another run. You know, everybody, you know, everybody's working. Like you said, we lost, you know, a lot of good players, man, a lot of good leaders, man. But, you know, the guys that stepped in up, we just got to step up. We just got to, you know, take on what the guys that, you know, left for us. Pretty much it. Good.

2:41:43The same mindset that we had last year, you know, the second-sister, you know, on our toolbox and trust in Coach Jay, whatever he, you know, got for us. The rest of you guys on the defensive side, or to Tennessee about what that game was going to be like. Yeah, I mean, we knew how important it stops. We're in that game and, you know, more so than the hit just to be able to get off the field. I think that was the huge part for us because we know if they can drive the ball and create big plays, it'd be tough. It's tough on a long day for us on defense. So, you know, I would just, I'm happy that we got those stops and we needed to get it. And that was one of them. And, you know, all those stops really propelled us to have a good game on defense. Bill Rabinovich, Columbus Dispatch. What changed the most after the order game and the re-engineering of the defense? Was it mindset? Was it a schematic thing? What changed the most? I'd say the most prominent change is really that attitude in that mindset. I mean, we know we played good before that and we'd done a lot of things. But, you know, sometimes you need a little juice and a little bit of that.

2:42:47So, obviously stuff has changed. Scheme has changed. Stuff has, like, attitude has changed. But I think we have that mentality that we have to be able to win games no matter what on defense. And to be able to do that, I mean, we say it all the time in our meetings. It doesn't matter what the offense does. We should be out there and go out there and be able to win a game. So, I think we brought back that mentality and it's just got to keep going. You know, it can't just stop a tendency. You have to keep going to Oregon. You played so well before that and then that kind of came out of nowhere. How about you, Rude Awakening? Was it how much did I make you realize, okay, we're not there yet? I know. We had, that was a rough two weeks for us after that game. We had to, like, really, we had a lot of tough conversations. We had a lot of overhaul and just, you know, really looking in words to ourselves. And what do we have to change? And, you know, I think what we've done so far has been pretty well. And we have to keep that going because it doesn't matter. It's really what you've done lately. So, you do that for this next week. Stephen, it means clube.com. If you were a coach, how would you grade a JT Snap with a linebacker?

2:43:47Because Tennessee. Snap is a linebacker. Now, I mean, I give a lot of credit to, to, to Nico as a quarterback. I mean, he did this thing, moving around the pocket. It's not easy, like, trying to, oh, you said JT as a linebacker. For me, how would you grade a JT Snap? As a linebacker. Oh, I mean, some tough plays. I mean, that's football though. Sometimes, you know, guys get juked, guys, whatever happens. But, you know, he always keeps coming. That's the best part about JT. Like, he'll never stop playing as hard as possible. So, we're, I'm just, I'm happy he kept going and he made a lot more plays after that too. So, it's very different tackling it. Right? I'm going to go about just, you know, what's the main difference between having to tackle those two types of players. What I've noticed is, I mean, when quarterbacks are scrambling and they're particularly, like, good scramble threats, they use that ball fake a lot more. And it's, no matter what, even if they're passing line, it's still threatening. Like, it's just the mentality, like, the playing defense.

2:44:50You're always worried about them throwing the ball. So, they can, they have a little bit more wiggle, whereas running backs, you know, there's a certain amount of jukes moves that they could use or whatever moves they use. So, I mean, I think a lot of the things that we do is just trying to just treat quarterbacks who scramble, like running backs, you know, just try to stay down because, you know, your presence affects it no matter what. So, if you're jumping for throw, you're probably going to be wrong. All right, we have time for a couple more. I think we just have one. Someone else wants to jump in, but we got Tim May. I'm going to run. I was trying to hold my hand up. Coven, what has your interaction been like with Caleb and Lathen, especially from standpoint of feedback, you know, maybe between plays, maybe on the sidelines after series and stuff? Is it grown as the season has gone? And what do those guys especially bring to the table in that regard? I mean, they've always been really great, really great problem solvers. So, at this entire year, you know, our communication is strong, in between drives and everything. I think they do a wonderful job.

2:45:50Both of them just, you know, diagnosing what's going on. And then, you know, if we need to fix, they're always on top of this stuff. Our coaches are great at that too. They make sure that any little issue is being taken care of. And we communicate with them within the positions, but, you know, they really get at that stuff. And one other thing with you, I'm just being honest, I thought from like the late in the fourth quarter on against Nebraska, and then since then, you seem to have been a different player. Maybe I'm wrong. I mean, I don't know if there was an epiphany there or whatever, but can you describe your drive or whatever from, you know, that was a close game. It was, you know, I think surprised a lot of people. You understand what I'm saying? You seem to be a, you're personally seem to be a more driven, different player. Am I wrong about that? Well, I mean, I don't, I feel like I've been taking, you know, the meetings to the field to practice everything. I want to say I've been consistent and, you know, I'm just being able to be in position to make more plays. And, you know, I'm thankful for that, but I mean, we're just really, really just, I mean.

2:46:54I had first one in last one or, there's two other guys that are trying to do that. How do you be that guy when two other guys know that that's what they're trying to do with a matchup? Yeah, I think it's, our room is very competitive, but we're also very close. It's only three, it's only three guys in our room. So I think it's, it's important for us to just be close, but also competitive. I'm watching you throw. Go ahead. Yeah. Watch it. You throw one of the biggest things that stands out. I think it's how quick it releases. How did you develop that quick? I think I've naturally had a kind of a quick release. I'll come out of high school. I was always, I was just, I had a quick release and I've been trying to get a quicker. Yeah. You have to watch will. What did you learn? Maybe you were looking to take it and we're seeing it. That's a competition. I was trying to get each other better for the team. Yeah, I think Will and Devon had a great friendship, but they were all very competitive. So I think it was, it was definitely good to see and that's the thing that we had in our room this year.

2:47:59I just want to show you the toughest guy when nobody can touch your cramps. I think there's a lot of ways to show toughness and support about it. I think, you know, taking mental reps, you know, finishing out plays, bursting through the line. I think all those control toughies. I'm just like, I'm all on this. You know, we spent a lot of hours here. We're, you know, watching tape. I'm getting ready to practice. So we spent a lot of time. I'm going to get it. I'm going to stay away from it. I wouldn't say that. I think, I think we all kind of, the whole core record is held to a standard. We all are, you know, together in this tournament. We all have to be on time and show up early. I'm going to laugh and talk to you later. I'm going to talk to you later. I'm going to talk to you later. I'm going to talk to you later. Yeah, I definitely, I saw that last year. And just how much, how much noise there is, but I think you have to fuck up the noise.

2:49:00Now I'm just going to start spring practice and just get better. We're talking to you a lot about leadership things and that from year one to year two. Where have you made the biggest thing? Do more questions from the two these folks. I would say, I think just knowing, just knowing where I'm going with football and understanding football IQ. I learned a lot from Coach Kelly, Coach Day and Coach Vessel. And they've been, you know, there's still more room to improve and grow by thinking they're a lot of good. How much do you like to work with? With Bradson? Yeah, I love Coach Harlan. He's a, he had a lot of impact on obviously the offense last year. So I, uh, we have to really ship it. The first couple of days spring practice been a little bit messy. How much of your things changed and you think under Coach Harlan offensive? Much. I'm not, I'm not sure. Yeah, I mean, what, what do you know? I guess it's what I'm saying. I'm not sure. You're supposed to say? Yeah, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not sure. But I would say about a steam wise. Yeah. You like the direction going? Yeah, I like him as OC. I like him as a, it's our coach.

2:50:02So I think it's a, it's been good. It was a really fast. Really fast. We're sticking around. How keep was that for you? Talk about a little bit or coach Kelly, ladies, I think you're going, hey, what's up? And then those fasts were still there. What, what does that mean? No, I think we had so much trust in Coach Vessel last year with him just helping out the offense. And I was, I was really excited to see him get elevated and can I do the, like, really? I really, really, really, really, really, really tough. I'm going to put it back to testing it. I'm going to put it back to testing it. How was he done that with you and how it was fine? Yeah, I think Coach Day definitely tries to make it tough and practice on the quarterback. So it's a slow bit easier in the game. But I think it's, it's been good. We, I think the whole program loves to challenge. You like it, right? Yes. All right, Julie. Thank you. Thank you, Julie. I mean, ask for pictures and everything. Now, I wish I could get everybody, but, you know, sometimes I, I can't do it. Too much sometimes, but I mean, some people they understand, but, you know, I was, you know, thank you for them and all. So is there a specific thing that you want to get better at?

2:51:04I know you're limited. Yeah. Is there one specific area? I mean, you want to know just know getting a better understanding of the game. That's the biggest thing. I miss a little of everything. It's me. Coach Hartlan. Talk about you want me to prove one and stuff. I actually want to prove it as well. But that's one thing just know getting a better understanding of the game. For sure. You know, so many snaps. I actually probably knew coach told you you think how that. Yeah. How much have you fought that? How much do I be out there every single snap? Yeah. I mean, no, the competitive nature in me, you know, want to go out there and practice. No, but, you know, got listened to my coaches. No, but, you know, for me, you know, I always want to practice. I always want to go out there and know, compete. But, you know, sometimes, you know, I had to listen and know just, you know, take a little break sometimes. Not really. I mean, it's a long season ahead of us. So, I mean, I'm just, you know, taking the day by day. You don't see many true freshmen that make that the game for you. Play it in the national championship game. What's the key for you to stay hungry, you know, to continue to grow up and make your goals?

2:52:04I mean, no, just, so to name it, I mean, just because I made that one play. I have that year, you know, after that, you know, just can't get big headed. I always feel like it's one for improvement. I never feel like you just got it. That's one thing a lot of people mess up one, feel like, oh, they have one good year. Okay, I'm gonna ask, that's not any of me. I'm gonna continue to do it for years and years to come. I feel like to myself, for sure. What do you know about this important time? Well, because you party no big, Torres Sieve, just like me, you know, just came in campus ahead. Now, I'm just working. My hype to see this feature here at Ohio State probably gonna be, you know, next one for sure. What's it like, you know, it's like the national championship banner and seeing all the new signage. Do you play the huge role? I mean, it's no sub-blessing, no disappointed, no, a role and no, the 90 run that we had as a truth freshman. But, no, it's time to move on. I mean, that's behind us now and I can't wait for this season to come up. What kind of obligation do you do to a guy like me to kind of take a look at your weight and show how you work really hard?

2:53:05I feel like he already got that, just coming in. He already got that hard work at the quiet, just like me as I came in. I feel like I'm about to go out and talk about ball really, me and here early. I mean, spend the time on Coach Hardline, me and everything. He doing it the right way, I should say, and he have a bright future here. Coach Hardline said he wants you to come up with a good game. Yeah. You know, just stepping out my covers on, I mean, something everybody wants to see from me, not just my coaches, but players on the team as well. I could either shoot me as a lot of people call me out on just saying they want me to talk more. Working on it takes time. Not really the guy that's talkative or know, but lay by assembly. But one thing that's definitely working on is trying to know, talk more, get more of my covers on and just give it to you. Is that's open with your coach anymore than anything on the field? Yeah, for sure. That's definitely the biggest challenge. You know, like I said, just stepping out in my covers and leading the guys and leading the younger guys as well.

2:54:08with Texas next year. Going back to the playoff game, do you think about that moving forward? Just kind of how you were taken out of that game? Oh, yeah, I think not really think about it. I mean, that's behind me. Maybe we won the game. We ended up going to the National Championship. I mean, we see it on week one. I just know, can't wait to face a great opponent. What's your impression of David Sanchez so far? Yeah, big long corner, the Coran, physical. He got it all and I can't wait to see things he do here this year. Or as well. What if you know it's different? Is there anything different about this defense of these first three weeks of spring that's caught your eye? They just passed physical and willing to hit somebody I should say. Saying they nothing really changed for me. And guys still got no thought they've been doing over the last year and a half. And so in the year and a half, I should say. Coach, that makes the quarterback's live like he did for a couple of practices last week. As a wide receiver, Cardinal, how do you think your quarterback responded to that?

2:55:08Over offering. I think they responded pretty good. I did not expect the quarterbacks to be live in a scrimmage. That surprised me for sure. I could definitely surprise me with that. But I feel like they handled it very well. They took hits. Something we need. They needed. I should say, you know, tough them up. Right. Why do you see those guys all around the corner back seeing how they handle that? It's obviously not a norm to do that. Learning anything, no, but it's definitely not a norm to see a quarterback get hit. It gets his no defense, I should say. But no, guys, they was getting hit for sure, but they was getting right back up. So command to put on something for that. How much do you work on questions? What's that you get? Definitely can't get better. No, I feel like I'm getting complacent. Always want to prove that. And I'm just taking the day by day and just getting better each and every day. So why do you prepare for the scrutiny and the expectations you're going to get on the next two seasons here? Off the season you just had.

2:56:08Not really focused on the espacation that I have coming up or the year after that. No, just focus on spring. Spring and you know, just going to tell a fall camp and just get ready for the season. I should say, espacations go be there. And I really know something high. No. In my mind right now, I'm just no. Being a leader and no, just focus on the team. How much changes in right now? I'm just taking when you're waiting to show how you work. I feel like he already got that just coming in. He already got that hard work at the quiet just like me as I came in. Just all about ball really. Me here early. I mean, spend the time coach hard line meeting and everything. He doing it the right way. I should say and he have a bright future. Coach hard line said he wants you to become more of a good player. Yeah. How much for a challenge that you are kind of a quiet guy. Yeah, it is a challenge. No, just no stepping on my comfort zone.

2:57:08I mean, something everybody wants to see for me. Not just my coaches, but players on the team as well. We have a leadership meeting. There's a lot of people call me out on just saying they want me to talk more. I'm working on it takes time. Not really the guy that's talkative or no, but lay by a zombie. But one thing that's definitely working on is trying to talk more and get more of my comfort zone. And just be able to get it. Is that open with you? I'm more than anything on the field. Yeah, for sure. That's definitely the biggest challenge. I can say just stepping out of my comfort zone and getting the guys and getting the younger guys as well. You guys open with Texas next year. Going back to the playoff game. Do you think about that moving forward just kind of how you were taken out of that game? Yeah, I think not really think about it. I mean, that's behind me. Maybe we won the game. We ended up going to the national championship. I mean, we see it on week one. I just can't wait to face the great opponent. What's your higher impression of David Sanchez so far? Yeah, big long corner, Corrine, physical. He got it all and I can't wait to see things he do here this year as well.

2:58:10What if you notice different? Is there anything different about this defense of these first three weeks of spring that's caught your eye? They just fast, physical and willing to hit somebody I should say. Saying they got the really changed for me. Guys, they're going to know what they've been doing over the last year and now. In the year and now, I should say. Coach, that makes the quarterback his live like he did for a couple of practices last week. As a live receiver, Cardinal, how do you think your quarterback responded to that? Over offering. I think they responded pretty good. I did not expect the quarterback to be live in a scrimmage. That surprised me for sure. Coach, they definitely surprised me with that. But I feel like they handled it very well. They took hits. Something we need. They needed, I should say, tough enough. Why do I see this all? I'm not quoted back. I'll be handled that since it's obviously not a norm to do that. Learning anything, no, but it's definitely not a norm to see a quarterback get hit. It gets his no defense, I should say.

2:59:11But no, because they was getting hit for sure, but they was getting right back up. So command, good old. I'm going to work on questions. Definitely can't get better. No, I feel like I'm getting complacent. Always want to prove that. No, I'm just taking the day by day and just getting better each and every day. And why do you prepare for this group name? And the expectations you're going to get on the next two seasons here? Off the season you just had. Not really focused on the espacation that I have coming up or the year after that. No, just focus on spring. Spring and just going to follow count. And just get ready for the season, I should say. Espacations go be there. Not really something high. No. In my mind right now, I'm just being leader and just focus on the team. How much changes is right? How much changes? How much changes? I don't really know. I don't really know. We haven't really spoken about that right now.

3:00:12I don't really know. What's the aspect of that? Jeremy, a lot of guys have said that they want a lot of championships to take it down. They don't want to see it. It's moving into the team to the team. What is how important is that for you? And why do you think that's significant for this team? I mean, like I said, we came live in the past. The 2020-2014, they won the national championship. This year, we did it. So, I mean, we just took everything down and the weight room and everything. So, we could focus on being ourselves and this our season. What do you like about this new defense? I really like this game. I just really can't get into too much. But I really like how I learned how to put pressure and engage with the guys. And this is an impact on us. I appreciate it. I see like that. You're getting raps in there. How comfortable are you? I don't matter to me. I just want to be on the field. Wherever I'm at, I'm going to just give them all. Is that old though, maybe kind of accentuate what you do as a player? Just give me a chance to be closer to the ball.

3:01:13I get to just two more. She said that I can do more. I've been just being outside. I can be inside as well. So, it's just being closer to the ball. And she's showing that I got through different things. I was really coming on. It's kind of an experience of getting better. It's technically getting better. You just getting better every day. All the young guys, I think they're all just coming along. For all the sudden, I've received a word about talent. It is death lives. Do you think they can come back? I think it must have been a good potential. I think we have the most time as a cornerback in my country. I thought we was the last year and as well. So, I think it really just nothing changes. We'd be out here for a reason. So, I think whoever's in the room, we just got to keep up. Keep that standard. What was the most memorable part of the playout? The Texas game was a good game. I liked how we put it that game out. But obviously the match from Chapman Gip just went more. The clock hit triple zero. You just feel like a champion. So, I had a national championship, but the Texas game was probably my favorite game. I just had that experience that tried to run out of it.

3:02:13It feels like my junior high school, where my senior high school, where my state championship, my junior year. And I just remember to fill in just one winning so bad again. And we ended up coming up short. So, I think it's just staying on the guys and just staying on myself to do everything we can and just go back to back. It's going to be very hard and we know that. So, I think it just got to support. What is it? What is it? It's a champion. It's obviously climbing up now. It's random. Just the bulls iron back. And I didn't really do much. It's got to be us, be the buck and I swear. I think when we go out there and be us, it's just really won't be any problems. There was some talk from the leaders about taking down the couple of banners and not wanting this year's teams to think that they're champions. Kind of building back up in there. Why is it important to do that? Kind of not allow last year to a competition? Because most of the champions didn't win anything. Like the freshman class, they wasn't on the team last year. They don't have a national championship. And most of the guys are like, I wasn't a starter last year. So, I want to start. I want to be a big regional while we win the national championship. So, I think most of the guys that we have on the team this year

3:03:14really wasn't a checkman. It's like, you didn't too much do anything. It was most of the seniors that gone. So, I think it's just on our own. Because you really just won something for our own. Which receivers are we not talking about enough that you're out there covering? Who should we be talking about? Who should we be talking about more and why? I like. I like Karniotape. I like, yeah, I've been seeing a lot of minor grand. I like minor grand a lot. What's that? He's just smooth. He's just very smooth. He's a good player. He's a great player. He's a very positive player as well. We all know that, Jeremy. It seems like every time we're out here, you're one of the guys. You're always celebrating plays. You're always bringing a lot of energy. Like, do you, how much do you do better than the big part of who you are just bringing in me energy? I think, I think a lot of guys can feed off of my energy. So I just try to give the mother and J.I. can and just encourage out of the other guys and encourage even some of the older guys that's here and probably doesn't have as much experience on the field. So I think it's just giving people the confidence. I think confidence is the most important thing about this game. If your confidence is where it needs to be and you feel confident to do your job,

3:04:15it's going to be really going to go well soon. I kind of got thrown out there to a fire as a freshman in some big moments. What do you think is he prepares to be ready to play as a freshman in the field? I think just taking every day, coaches are telling me, there's always a big value. I think just taking every day, it's just like, you're going to be out there and just prepared that you never know when that play is going to come and you know, like Texas game, I played the whole second half. You've got to be ready for that. If you just sit in the center of the side of the line and think that you're not going to play and think that, I'm not going to get in this and that. You get tough for your identity. That's when you just, your mind start playing tricks on you. So I think just being prepared, standing ready at all times. You think about it? Yeah, but last question is performance. I think having this, it's holding hand on the very last freshman. I think he looks better than me, even if I can't man and spring. So I think that is going to be a very good football player here. You just, as to just, he said he can. I mean, the Tissot know, like you said,

3:05:18it's very crazy each and every week playing. But you know, you can't, you can't let it get to my head. I should say, let me just football at the end of the day, but just happy business position. You know, happy business position. Okay. Oh, none of us think we could be covered, man. Oh, man. I mean, we actually talk about this yesterday as well, but you know, I mean that's what they do that's what they do. Maybe we should go out there and, you know, play our game play our game and no sort of reason why not to play men on men. Two. Four.

3:06:19Three. One. I go five. It's good. The problem. My mom said, you know, just go out there. My day just dominated the person I'm suffering me. No, just do what I've been doing for the last two to three weeks, I just say, but you know, they play men on men. So I'm just ready for the challenge. Yeah. I mean, feels good. Just say somebody going out there and playing men on men, guess Ohio State receivers is something crazy. But you know, we just ready for the challenge. They said they're not chasing their game plan, but we got to go out there and show them the reason why not to play men on men. Well, in the middle of the race announced the month 2016. I'm sorry about that right now. Sure. We're going to be the conversation.

3:07:20Yeah. I mean, I don't really, if I be on a curve, I'd be on a curve. It's not really a big deal to me. It may definitely be a blessing for sure, just to be on a curve. Of a game, but you know, it's not really a dream. It's a dream of mine, but I don't really think too much of it. Yeah. I mean, no, not yet. Probably hit me after this season. No, just no. Playing in the college football playoffs as a freshman, playing in the Rose Bowl as a freshman, playing in a Cardinal, not in the National Championship. I mean, it's a blessing for sure, but they haven't hit me yet. What's your favorite catch in the game? My favorite catch, I would say we play Michigan State.

3:08:22The one I call the two defenders, definitely probably my favorite for sure. Or you go the one from Iowa, I should say, and the answer, probably the two. Sure. I mean, like you said, it's pretty frustrating me having a game that I had in the Rose Bowl. They're coming to the Cardinal, just doing different things, chasing their scheme up for against me. But I mean, like you said, whatever I could do to make, I mean, help the team win. It's not really a big deal for me. The way we win, that's all I really care about, and it got us to National Championship. Right here.

3:09:29It means a lot. We put a lot of work in this season. We have highs, we have lows. We have people kind of as out. We here now, we just ready to pull on the show Monday. Good thing that you're doing well. Okay. We're doing great. We have coach day. You have a lot of goodness for Friday. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. First of all, when there's a national championship, because there will means a lot. I mean, you see everything that he bet on this year, people saying he should be fine. I mean, I said everything I had been through this year. I see everything people saying about him on Twitter. I wasn't here. He first got the head coach on job. But I know this year for sure, we definitely got to win this for him. What's the most famous in the world today? The top four, like, I don't know if you agree with me. I mean, it's a lot of people in the league.

3:10:32I should say, I can't really say who. But I mean, you had guys like Odell. You had guys like Odell. You had Stefan Dicks. It means a lot of Michael Thomas Chris Carter. Just a lot of guys I played in NFL and stuff like that. But yeah, really them guys for sure. What do they say? No, just keep going. You got it. You've netstuffed for sure. Really, yeah, really that for sure. Yeah. I'm going to see how they're going to be. Yeah. I'm going to see how they're going to be. You know what I'm saying? Like, physical defense. Like people say, like they like to play men. They're not changing their skin. So we're just ready for the challenge. Like you said, best defense we probably go see all year. And we just got to be ready to go out there and run there and just put on the show.

3:11:32I'm excited for Will. First coming here in Ohio State. January our first workout we had together. Just everything that we did through the season. I'm just happy for him to be in this position right now. But we got to finish the job and that's the winning out of you Monday. I mean, it's pretty funny. Them saying that because I'm just only a freshman. But I miss the bless of a show of people that even say that. But I got two, three more years left for college. I'm just focused on college right now. I'm not really worried about the NFL right now. Oh, I got it. I got two, three more years left for college. And I'm just focused on college right now. I'm not really worried about the NFL right now. Oh, it's very special for me.

3:12:36Just being a freshman and playing the national stage. A peer for a national title was something that I dreamed of as a very young kid. I'm just happy to be here. And I just can't wait to put on a show Monday for you guys. I'm just going to be here. I'm just going to be here. I'm just going to be here. I'm just going to be here. I'm just going to be here. I'm just going to be here. I mean, all I received was just sitting on the bench. And we just seeing him hit the quarterback in the ball. Come on. And we all just got up and just started jumping up and down. We all decided. Happy for jacking that moment. And we just knew that that moment. Like, yeah, we're going to the daddy for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it shows a lot. Me, you know, going from high school, winning three state championships,

3:13:38I saw my daughter then, you know, coming to Ohio State. And I'm just going to be here for National Child Right Now. Me just showed that I picked two great schools. But I'm happy to be here and just came with the pool to show my day. The coolest person. I mean, you got a lot. I can't really say just a specific person. You got a lot of great guys. Reach out and then lead like, oh, Dale, you had guys like, stuff on digs. A lot of other players will just get cut off my mind, but really, really them two guys, for sure, owe Dale a stuff on this. When you're looking at their name, what's something that you got on your mind is trying to attack and try to dominate. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, like they say, they play man. So, I mean, I'm just ready for the challenge. And just get ready to go out there Monday and just no put on the show. Thank you. All right.

3:14:38Can you please go to the front. I'll see you guys in the next one. I think I heard somebody going on great. Oh, what are you playing out for, then? The first one is, I'm just saying that it's not going to be a very cold one. You just need to think about it. The vice, Geno, had gave me. I should just keep golf first. I know the reason why I'm here. I mean, yeah, like he said, just keep golf first. And just no keeping the main thing the main thing. and the best corner I faced this year. I mean, I faced a lot of great corners. I can't really say, but yeah, I faced a great with a lot of great corners. I can't really put a name on it. I'm not a question. Didn't see what you did. I have a question. We got a lot of money. You can see what it is. What is your dream vacation? My dream vacation is, uh, turns and cake goes. Yeah. There.

3:15:39There. There. There. What are your words, too? What are your words? I'm good. How are you? Yeah. Just curious. I'm like, you know what the inside of the spec or what I'm referring to in a new unit. Uh-huh. I say both respect and frustration as well. But I mean, I doubt they come out there and trippin' to me. And they say you stick it to whatever door now year. And that's playing man coverage, which is ready for the challenge. I think I have a set of ideas. How do you want me to answer that? That's what you're saying. How do you feel about the day? Pretty good group. Christian Gary, 29th, the great corner. 15th, Lenard Moore. Two great guys. Or am I there? Very physical. We all have to receive it. So we ready for the challenge. Other questions? Yeah. Other questions? The third one? Yeah. Okay.

3:16:39Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Uh-huh. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. I say just no understanding the defense, understanding the defense, understanding the game plan, understanding what coach Kelly is saying. I mean, just coming in, I feel like I progress from my first game gets accurate to now. I feel like I better each and every week. I mean, things slowed down a lot for me. But yeah, really just no understanding the defense is and no understanding what they're trying to do to me for sure. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Two, a physical guys, um, but, you know, we're ready, we're ready for the challenge that they're coming with and that's to play mental man. And you know, we ready to go one彈 roof.

3:17:46A.. I mean, the environment is pretty crazy, uh, seeing all these cameras. southern. I see them all life but it's a blessing for sure this is the main disposition right now. I mean we just had a prayer, prayer, prayer, prayer meeting and you know we all they all just, I mean we all discussed the issues because they discussed the issues and you know we just want the work. I mean not two and a half weeks we had off before Tennessee game and we just came out there on Tennessee game and we played with a chip on our shoulder all throughout the playoffs and we go continue to play with that chip on our shoulder and that championship on Monday. Do you know how that very impactful, he had a very impact on my career I should say, just going to his games as a very young kid, seven, eight years old, him playing Westwood, him playing

3:18:49for Westwood's year and they played Clemson Orange Bull down at Miami. I mean just going there seeing his games, it was like yeah I definitely want to play on the stage and I can't wait till I get to know that moment for sure. There are you. Cause they really just in his own, his own love space, he's just walking around trying to get his mind right, trying to get his mind ready for the game. But you know he just game everybody hyping the locker room and you know just trying to get us ready to go to win the game. Yeah. Oh yeah, oh yeah for sure. I mean you go play mangas Ohio State receivers, I mean just be ready cause you know we definitely go come out there and you know give our best and I mean they said not go change what they do so we just

3:19:50ready for the challenge. You have a vision of what you've seen this kind of situation felt? Not a year later, definitely sometime in my career college but not my first in college I should say. I mean just to be able to be in this position right now is you know a blessing or just a young kid from Miami to be here and I won't take it for granted I'm ready to go out there and give him my all. Yeah. Yeah. I mean I was watching that game against was it Georgia? Yeah, I was watching that game.

3:20:50I was pretty sick myself cause I was actually committed at that time. So I mean yeah they left a bad chance to name off but I mean we ready to go out there Monday to redeem myself and you know just put a show Monday. I mean I just laugh but you know that's what they do they're not going to change what they do just because we're high state so when you gotta go out there and put it in and put it in and why not to play man on man it gets us. So when you gotta go out there show them Monday. So. There you go. Can you say the game? I'm sorry. My journey here at the Ohio State repaired me a lot for not just checking but still me just going through everything that I've been through.

3:21:54Now first guy here all of Matt Jules all the hard work guys that we had all the hard practices. Just preparing all of us for this moment and I'm just ready to go out there and give it up my all on Monday. Okay. Okay. Yeah. We just squeezed this. 200. 200? Me is big and strong. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What's it? No. No. What's it? What's it? What's it? Yeah. What's it? No. No. What's it? What's it? Yeah. That's weird.

3:22:54Yeah. It's pretty good. No problem. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So you're like watching the most. And why not probably like the most is the one against Michigan State when I caught over two defenders on their silent line, party line or the one after that, I should say, or you go to the one against Iowa. Probably them three, probably my best ones for sure. Thank you. I mean, just will put in the ball in my area and I just know how to make a play for them. Even though somebody was grabbing my face, I just know I still have to make a play because

3:23:56the ball touched my hand. So, I mean, just when the ball is the other thing, I have to make the play no matter how the ball comes at me. After a big game, I mean, we really, they really feed us Chick-fil-A or piece out of the game. So, it's really either Chick-fil-A or piece. So, yeah, probably Chick-fil-A for sure. Yeah. It went pretty good. Everybody just speaking with their thing is going right in what they think is wrong. We just a lot of the older guys, voicing their opinions on what we need to do to come together

3:24:56as a team. But, you know, that me and Deftly helped us in a big way because it helped us on the field as well because we played a great football right now and we just got to treat that one Monday. Yeah, Deftly got emotional. Can't really say what it really was said because players only and coaches only. But it was definitely some stuff said that people took, people took and they were playing and they went with it and that's the reason we were playing the way we were playing right now. Yeah, Mac helped me a lot this year. Him being our older guy in the room. Me and Carl Nell as well and Brendan and all the guys in our city room as well. Me just a great guy as well. It's very smart. I mean, Mac has been a big part of the reason that I'm having a seat that I'm having a seat because he's been a big, you know, older guy been there, been a lot of great guys

3:25:56in our room like Chris Alivega, Garrett Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr. Jackson, Sneak and Jibbos. So he's seeing all the grids I've been through there and he teaching us the right thing and the right way and the buck out way for sure. Go forward. So you've got to get what's next, right? Yeah. Climb up the Deftly and then you're signing up. Yeah, for sure. You got to see the kid under Justin Trion on the title of ball and what is that relationship like with Tyler Robinson? Yeah. It's been really good. I think the guys who came in with him too, Coach Dickie, Coach Johnson, Coach Fields, they're all great guys. Definitely great O'Line coaches. You get feedback from all of them and they're all on the same page every day. So it's really good having them. I'm really happy moments here. It's exciting for sure. What do you think of these last couple of weeks of spring ball and what do you think your biggest growth has been? I'd say my biggest growth has definitely been probably like a strength factor. I'd say that's definitely like from the once they're definitely like the strength and getting work into spring ball for just being more focused, kind of like to being more calm.

3:26:58Kind of, that makes sense. Like just not freaking out before the play. Like what am I doing? Just playing football. That's probably my biggest growth. I was practicing. I was practicing different before off at the line coach. I mean, do you feel like it has changed the ways that you're getting reps in on the reps? No. No, I mean, like after every play, like you're getting feedback from everyone. So like it's great because you'll have coach Bowling and coach Johnson still coaching the ones or the threes or the twos. And then like when you're running off the field, you got coach Dicky or someone else like coaching you up telling you what to do. So I mean, I think it's really awesome that we are capable to have four coaches in the room with us. So that's that stuff. You're doing great. Have you been strictly at center? Are you playing some guard? Probably left guard right now. Yes sir. Do you feel like there's a shift to center potentially down the road? I know. I don't know. I don't know yet. I mean, just left guard. That's what I've been taking reps there right now. That's just how I'm going to do it. As a freshman off guard's alignment with this patient, this is pretty important.

3:27:59It's just because of the developmental part of that decision. How do you, as a guy who was playing on high school, how do you develop that patient's knowing? It might be a year or two before you're out of use. I take it as like, you know, you just got to keep just stacking days. Like you can't get down on yourself if you're not playing. Like you just got to keep developing. And like the guys we have in our room are awesome. Like all the, you know, uppercise my glue, Josh, Austin, Austin, Carson, Taggart, all those guys. Like they're great dudes. So it's really awesome being able to learn from them. Like watch them, give them some reps of them every day. See what they're doing. And then just take that back and just use what they use. I mean, it's definitely just like keep stacking days. Just keep working. Don't really pay attention about that. Just work. It's really. The interior of the line up is the other guys played a lot of football. There's a lot of important football. Who would you kind of lead on? You're first to be a player. It's not just trying to learn very steady, how learned small things.

3:28:59Definitely, I'd say look, Montgomery, that's a guy who I just, every practice, I'm just, when I'm not here, I'm just watching him take his reps. Like see what he's doing. He has like a two-eye or a three-hand foot from front of him. Like what footwork he takes, where he puts his hands and his head. So I definitely say, really, because a guy that I never watched, close, just trying to see what he does. Is that one of the biggest transitions to making even bigger jump from high school to college on the offensive line? Just leave it the small thing. The steps and hand placement. Yeah, that's definitely a huge thing when I first got here was like, there's different forward. It's rattling pretty much every block you gotta take. So that's like I think it's the most, it's the most detailed position on the field. It's like, you just need, everything needs to kind of be perfect and the block. Okay, you're taking steps and placement. How do you feel about the club? Oh, it's good. Yeah. I'd say it's good. I mentioned that to bars, is that a position you see yourself sticking with or is that just kind of where it's worth starting with?

3:30:03I mean, I could see myself sticking out of the guard. But I mean, I could play pretty much anywhere. I think I'd obviously be interior. But yeah, but right now it's just been less guard. So it's good. Thank you very much. You've been at the last round. You've been at the top of the block. Jake, you had the opportunity to watch those ball games first and kind of get that experience on what it's like to be part of a championship roster. What was kind of the biggest thing you took away from that whole couple of weeks experience? Yeah, I would say definitely like watching all those ball games and the national team Egypt just watching the Cow the Guys carry themselves like how they like the preparation. It's up to get ready for that just how they go about their days like what they're doing when they're out here practicing how they practice. So just it was pretty much just like kind of just feeding off the moment with their doing kind of kind of kind of glens to see like what it takes to kind of get to a stage like that. Thank you very much. Get ready to roll again. Our final one from zoom is going to come from Kurt Bulls.

3:31:04Kurt, go ahead. Hey, gee. I don't know if you even watch the Texas game or what to their tape. But they obviously blew a 16 point lead and the way you guys are riding high dominate. Do you feel like that gives you an edge and confidence in this game? And do you think you all play a more physical brand of football in Texas? No, I wouldn't say that we find our confidence in anything that an opponent would do. Like I just mentioned a moment ago, we all of our confidence and all of our motivational cut all of our motivation comes internally. We don't look at an opponent and say, you know, they blew it. They blew a 16 point lead or so we're going to give us more confidence that, you know, how much more can we do? Or we're not going to look at team that maybe just blew out another team and maybe be a little bit more timid because this is going to be a good team. I think a lot of our motivation and a lot of our drive comes from what happens internally in this building. I don't care what anyone says. You can show it before games. You can take your shirt off. You can try to flex your muscles and, you know, look however you want to look. But when you cut on the tape, ultimately what you put in this week and throughout the week preparation and what you did this whole entire year is what's going to show up on Saturdays.

3:32:11The raw raw stuff, the, you know, the false motivation that may come from, you know, what happened week prior to that team. That's all meaningless. What really is important is what did you do that week to prepare to be ready for competitive excellence on Saturday. And so that's the mission around here is to make sure we're doing our due diligence. We're putting the work in necessary to show up on Saturday to be confident and dominant. We have time for a few more questions here locally on the cold shears WBMS. What's it going to be like going up against Queen Ears and what was your relationship like with him when he was here? Yeah, I briefly met. It was good happening here. He was definitely a cool guy. We never, he wasn't here long enough for him and I had to be very close. But obviously, you know, when you line up on the other side of the field, it's, it is no, you know, friendships in that moment, you know, where they're the winner game. And so, I think I don't think it really makes a difference if, you know, who's that quarterback?

3:33:11And I don't think that's something that we're going to be thinking about. But obviously, you know, after the game or, you know, it's going to be exciting to play against, you know, someone that you know, but ultimately, doesn't really matter who's in their uniform. We're going to, our goal is to come after them, regardless of who they are. Now, over the left, Noah Weisskopf, some flattered. How have you seen Will change on the field and off the field for the moment you first met him? Yeah. Will has, you know, continuously became more of a confident leader. He's somebody that I've seen take tremendous strides in his faith and his servant leadership. And it's just been amazing to be a part of and amazing to witness. I think he's just been continuously growing to be more comfortable and confident. And this is all of just one year. I mean, I could only imagine if he were to have two years here and what he would be able to accomplish. But it's just been amazing to be around him. He's growing to be one of my better friends on this team. And, you know, I'm assuming I'm speaking off all of the book I mentioned that we're excited to have him.

3:34:11There were been ones, both of us this past. G you and everyone in your class that ups and downs and previous years you've fallen short of your goals. I know you're focused on the moment, but are you guys savoring this? That maybe the disappointments have made this even more special, even within this year? Yeah. I ride on my iBlack every game, Romans 8, 28. And we know that all of things work together for the good of those who love the Lord. And I'm just a firm believer that everything that we have been through as a team, all the hurt, all the hardship, all the tears, all the shame, everything we've been through has ultimately led us to where we are today. And I have confidence in that. And that's why I'm not a big believer in getting too high or getting too low. When I lose games, I try to stay as even kill as possible, same way when we win games. Because I ultimately just have the faith and the ability to know that the Lord is working all of these things together to make us better. So these moments, I think, through hardship, I believe that makes people closer.

3:35:13And so I think as a result of the things that we have been through, you're looking at a very tight-knit team. And so I'm just excited for what the future holds for us. We need to work with shame. And, you know, like losing a game is not a crime. It's just a disappointment. But is that the kind of pressure that you guys feel here that when you lose, it's not just a loss? It's shame? Yeah, it's important right here. Especially at the Ohio State University, from the time that you sign up here, you know exactly what you're getting into. And our coaching staff does a great job of making sure when it's time to, you know, after you go through a whole spring, summer and off season, that by the time we get to game one, you know exactly what you're up for. And so losing is absolutely unacceptable around here. And there can be a bit of shame to maybe even show yourself in public because of the loss that you've had. But again, my point being is that despite the things that we have been through, I'm a firm believer that there has to be a certain amount of faith that you have trust, that all of these things are working for moments like this.

3:36:13And, you know, even in my, I don't know how this may sound, but even in my personal life, regardless of even what happens in the future from today moving forward, I will continue to keep the faith that it's working for my good, whether it's making me a better father one day in the future, a better husband one day in the future. However, that may look, I believe in how the faith that the Lord is working all things together for the good of those who love him. Any more questions during Birmingham, the podcast? Yeah, you're starting to go down the road. I was just going to ask about it anyway because the transformation in you as a person is so I think obvious to everyone. Yeah. Can you imagine yourself three years ago being the person you are now and now leaving you all say whenever it happens, whether it's one week or three weeks from now? Like with the legacy that you're leaving here, is it something that you would have ever imagined about yourself? No, man. No, I think there's, I think what has taken place in my life and the lives of other people on this team.

3:37:17And I know that this, I'm here to talk about football, but it's a true testament of the Lord that I serve. He's taken my heart and he's made me new. His word promises that he'll take your heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh, that he will soften you and making you more into his image when you take on your cross and know him. And I think that's exactly what has taken place in my life. And just when I look back on my journey and the things that I've been through, even that question that you just asked me, it kind of made me a little emotional just because when you said that for whatever reason, I just thought back just some years ago when I, when I headbutted that, you know, guy from Team North and just the amount of public ridicule. And I was really scared to kill that I received from that and the anger that I received from that and you know, that's just one thing that was blown up big. But there were other things that were going on that maybe like that was a behavior pattern that maybe I had and I just look at what the Lord has done in my life and not just myself, but other guys on this team. It's just been amazing to say the least and I'm able to stand here confident and say the things that I do because of the revelation that he has given me that he is true.

3:38:20And that no matter what happens on this field, that there's a place that I can call home with a relationship with him. It's an interesting juxtaposition of you were on the way to being like the bad example. Like, don't, here's a guy with all this opportunity and took this path and you took it and changed it. I just think it's fascinating. We don't talk to you all. No, man. So were you suggesting that we all would give him a five or six year? No, not at all. No, man. No, man. But you're absolutely right. And again, I say it again and I emphasize it that it's just a true testament of Christ. And I just encourage everybody that's even whether in the room or watching it, that if you may feel like you're that protocol, you're that one who's felt like you straight away too far. And there's no way that a Lord can forgive the Lord, this Lord that you're talking about can forgive the things that I've done. I just want to encourage you that there's no sin that you've committed that can outweigh his justice and outweigh his grace that he has for you and the love that he has for you.

3:39:26And so I think there was intentional the things that I went through to get to where I am now to maybe shine that light on somebody else. You want from Columbus, Joey Coppen? Columbus, this back. Texas is past defense, just to go to live in a big place and get the interceptions. What has stood out about that back end when you've watched my film? Yeah. I think just for a couple days of how to watch them on film, I think top to bottom, they look like a pretty good team. It looks like they do a good job all the way around. They look, again, they look good, but these are the moments that you live for. These are the moments that the reasons why you come here to a house state. We've reached all the time to like when you come here, you play for games where you play against someone. We call these match-up games where you're almost playing against yourself. And when you're playing against yourself, that means you're not just going to be bigger. You're not just going to be stronger. You're not just going to be faster. And so the question comes down to, well, if I'm not bigger and stronger or faster and we kind of look the same, then what's going to make me win?

3:40:26And I think ultimately the answer to that question is all the intangible things that you work on throughout the season. The things that kind of you can't really see on the outside. The grit that you may have in your heart, the distance that you're willing to go to win the game, the skill that you have acquired throughout the season. All of the intangible things are going to be on display this weekend. And we'll see either them or ourselves who is put more into the intangibles to win these kind of games. Any final questions? Tim May, letter and roll. Yeah, as you've been speaking here, gee, I'm just saying of other teams I've covered in the past, really good teams and stuff. I had one guy one time tell me there was almost like a home in the background when you're in this building and stuff of like work being done and things like that. And you kind of you have a feel for the spiritual aspect of this team also and stuff. Do you feel that special home or where we want to call it about this team at this moment?

3:41:27Without a doubt, without a doubt, I said it a few times in an interview post game and I'll say it again, there was a moment that we were able to share upcoming after that loss against team of North. We had a player-led meeting where we were able to hash out some of the differences what we think is going wrong. There was just a moment to be very vulnerable with each other as brothers. There was some frustration that was going on and ultimately at the end of it in this room actually. We stood in here all 100 plus guys and we locked in arms. We put arms around each other. Actually, when you looked around in that moment, there were actually a few guys that were even tearing up just because of the powerful moment that it was and we were able to pray together. And I think ever since that moment moving forward, I wouldn't even say it's just from that moment. I kind of knew all along, but I believe that there's something very special about this team. And I think people are getting ready to witness the special ability that this team has. I've received many, a lot of ridicule and coming after losses of just how people may say things like they.

3:42:31I miss real football players. I'm tired of these Christian athletes on the field. I miss the real gritty football players. And I think here moving forward, people are going to be able to witness the strength of the Lord that we serve. Your day is over in my mind, Karrist. Toughest team wins bottom line. You feel that in your heart too. The toughest team finally wins these games. Yes, yes. I think, I mean, there's an accumulation of a lot of things. There's being tough, having discipline, not getting dumb penalties. Having great technique. You know, again, when you get in these matchup games, it's all the intangibles that you can't really see. I'm not just going to walk out in the field and just have confidence that I'm bigger than them. And I'm stronger than them, like we can and maybe some other games. That's just not how it works. And so it's going to come down to all the intangibles. Am I more disciplined? Am I not going to hold on this play? Am I going to make the catch when the ball comes to me? Am I going to uplift my teammates? Am I going to be positive? Am I going to be a cancer on this team? You know, all those little things are all what goes into winning these kind of games. And like you mentioned, toughness. And so we hang our hat on that. And that's the goal is to go out there and be tough

3:43:31and put all these things together and get a win at Down in Texas. Thank you very much. We're done. Y'all in the field, you know, hitting and banging. The next step, you know, after practice, you know, you're most likely starving. And so, you know, I feel like I kind of like feeling myself a little bit more. I normally go to see the solid with a little bit of ranch. I go with a bison burger. You know, it's kind of not the same as a beef patty. It takes off. Like I said, a calories off your diet. It's definitely a solid bite. Then there I normally wrap up with grilled chicken, matcha tails and broccoli half a time. You know, it's like one of my go-to's. My pre-workout foods, I try to eat some predsuits. You know, there has a little bit of carbs on there. So it gets my body started. I know everybody's different, but for sure works out for me. And then after I don't just do a shake, I feel like I took kind of two full before lunch. So I definitely just do a shake, you know, after practice or after live, you know, just to make sure, you know, I'm getting a protein and just getting everything back that I lost while I'm working out.

3:44:31All right, it's time for some rapid fire questions. Do I count my macros? I try to, you know, you're supposed to eat brown for me. It's like 2,500 to 3,000 calories. And so I definitely try to make sure I'm accumulating them every day until, you know, how much I need this day and that day. Because you know, sometimes, you know, my appetite's kind of different depending on how I'm on my days. My favorite carbs, for sure, I have to eat one of my favorite foods is French fries. And so, you know, it kind of definitely plays a hurt in my diet. For sure, breakfast, you know, it's my favorite meal. So it's the easiest thing to make. If I did my piece of crust to anything, it had to be cheese or, you know, I thought you can't go wrong with either one. I eat in bed, yeah, I do. You know, I'm a big guy, you know, I'm not a friend of a kid who I'm back. For sure, I'm where I'm at. I'm all talking about it, but, you know, you do the other thing. My dream taco, I think, is just normal bread tacos, you know, it's pretty good. I wanted to say this guy is the protein in my pan. You know, sometimes it gets just a little gritty.

3:45:35And, you know, once she makes it that well, I think it really helps out the shake a lot. I just want to say, just work hard to stay dedicated to whatever you're doing. Everything's not going to be all right sometimes, but, you know, it's going to be all right after time. But, you know, it's going to work out, yeah. Your brotherhood, they don't let nobody down. They always got each other back. So, I mean, it's a new team now. So, you know, we got to build that kimchi with each other, you know, just get tight. I feel like when I was there for that playoff running and I practiced, when they were at the National Championship, you know, I just got to watch, you know, how guys are, you know, real locked in. They're close with each other. They're not letting nobody slack off. And, you know, I feel like we had the opportunity to do that with this team now. How did you handle Luke? You handle that first lock? That first lock, you know, it kind of got to me. It was the IGB. You know, he, you know, he let me hear. So, after that loss, I was like, now I can't let this happen anymore. Because it's like, now it's not high school where you used 17, 16 years old.

3:46:37And if you lose, you lose. Up here, it's not. If you lose, the coach will see that. So, and they're going to see how you respond to it. So, I feel like I had to, you know, open my eyes. I had to go, go in there and lock them. Like, you know, I can't let this happen anymore, you know. So, I got to go up. And, you know, these guys are counting on me too. So, it's really important that I don't lose. If you had to describe yourself as a competitor, how would you do that? I'm a great competitor, you know. I like winning. Who does something like winning? So, I mean, winning is, it's in my blood. You know, my parents taught me that at a young age, you know, going out there competing for anything that you want. And I feel like if you can go out there, I can peep for it, you know, as yours. And if you can peep for it all the time, who don't take it from me? So, I mean, I'm a good competitor. I'm always going to go out there and try to take what's mine. If it's out there, then anybody can have it. And I'm going to be the one to get it. There's some roles in your room, obviously. Are you a talker? What's your natural environment? Yeah, I mean, it could come out on me, you know. But I really am a game to the talking for this part. But, you know, if it gets there, it gets to that point where, yeah, I can bring it out. Because, you know, regardless, I'm not just going to let nobody just come out here and just catch balls on me.

3:47:41So, if I'm having a good day when I'm consistently getting TPUs, yeah, I'm a talker. But, you know, being in that room, you kind of got to talk. You know, the Jermaine, you got IGD, you know, those real talkers in that room. You kind of make sure you want to bring it out. And, you know, when you bring that out, they just bring it to energy out of the whole defense. And when you got the whole defense clicking, I mean, you can see what happened. Is there anyone that's kind of a competition you're at? It was during the winter. We were doing, you know, just stuff on the field. We were just having the time of the field. Just a lot of competitions. So, I mean, he just kind of, it was a day where, you know, they had us going up against just a freshman. And then they kind of threw us in there in the fire against the older guys. So, we had to, you know, we had to wake up and, you know, we all kind of lost. And then we all kind of, like, we all kind of came to get that professional group, like, what are we going to do about this? Because, you know, they're kind of nice to step up in those roads. Yeah, definitely, definitely, definitely, definitely my work on college moments. You know, just showing that, you know, it's real now, a metal high-oh-state.

3:48:41I'm not in Houston, Texas, no more in my school. Far from my family, you know, I got to wake up, I got to grow, I got to mature fast. And, you know, I just got to get ready for the next level. You've mentioned high school a couple times. How did, you know, grow it up there in Texas, playing at that level? How do you feel like that helped you prepare for a high-oh-state? I feel like you prepared good, you know. I feel like I went to a powerhouse in Texas. We obviously ran the Houston area. You know, we've been running the Houston area for a long time now. And I feel like, you know, we're a real college program. We live just like these guys who do the same lifts. You know, the level of ball I play, the highest level of ball in Texas, 6A. You know, we're going against guys like Dunkin' Bill, no crowd of those top schools, you know, receiving the Korean War against Houston. I want to get some three times in my career. So I mean, those that really prepared me for this level, you know, coming in like, okay, this is not where it's a little school where, oh, they don't believe that I can come here and make an impact. I came from big schools, so they're counting on me to make an impact. Because, you know, I think, I mean, everybody would say Texas is one of the highest football players in the country.

3:49:44You know, it goes us floated in the probably Georgia. So I mean, they're counting on me to be ready and that level of ball prepared me real, real well. How'd you do against the Korean? You know, it was when lose, when lose. You know, I went to something he lost something. So I mean, it's just getting better on a sharp and higher. Because, you know, he's the top receiver, obviously, in our class. You know, I feel like he's going to have a good impact at the working. So, I mean, it's just, it's just, it's just, uh, just seeing what's going to happen next. Looking forward to seeing him again? Yeah, definitely, definitely. I, you know, I plan on planning against him. We don't, we want to see him this year. Hopefully we see him in the big team championships. So, you know, I want, I want, I want that rematch. Devin, you committed super early in the process six months after that. You shut things down when, quite frankly, someone of your caliber didn't have to do that. You could have, you've seen kids play the game a little bit longer than that. But you chose to not do that. Just kind of locked in here. Why? You know, because this was, this was, this was what I felt, this was home. You know, I didn't really feel like, you know, standing, texting was a good thing for me.

3:50:44I didn't, I didn't feel like that was home for me. Up here, I just felt like it was home. You know, because of all, because they, you know, they're making it, you know, making me feel important up here. And then, you know, like you can ask, because what, how many times I came up here? Uh, throughout my high school career, I came up here 13 times. So, it got to the point where I was knowing the guys on the team. I had the numbers just to fight that. When I come up here, you know, I don't got to always build the coaches. I can go chill with something that guys on the team. So it was just, just me, you know, knowing where I went to play my college ball at, you know, knowing where I felt like it was home and then, you know, it was also my parents too, you know. My mom being, you know, feeling safe that, you know, I'm up here, you know, I'm handling the business and not having to worry about me when she goes to sleep. And, uh, playmakers in positions that make a great play. So I'm excited to be able to play in this offense, especially with the playmakers around me and see what we can do this year. We talk a lot about the yards after the catch for the soft fences. The important is for an offense to have that in general nowadays,

3:51:44like when you were hit by the best offense, this is in the NFL. If you may have that, it's not, like, how necessary is that to have that to be a top-notch? It comes along with the scheme or along with the playbook, you know. Like I said, the West Coast offense brings a lot of opportunities for the playmakers to make plays, to get the playmakers in space. And I feel like he's doing that. In OTAs, we did that a lot. And I'm excited, like I said, to be able to play in space, be able to play in open holes and a defense and make plays after the catch. Chris, is it a receiver, like, when you make a catch and you're trying to make the determination of like, you don't want it to get somebody out of it? I mean, not making it unnecessary hit. How do you make that calculation, like, when it's worth it, when it's not? Just, just all feel really, just seeing, we can really see a pre-snap from the coverage post-snap scene with they do what the defense does. You can really feel the defenders around you. Like I said, if you can see three or four people around you can really do too much.

3:52:46Like I said, there's a lot more space with his offense, a lot more holes in the defense that you're trying to get the playmakers into. So I'm excited to be able to work with that. You can't really do it as much in practice, you know, you're not going to get hit, but more pre-season and first couple games, I'm excited to see see what that looks like. I think of the sheets, the expressions. I'm excited, man, like I said, from jump. He's a special, a special player. You don't really get that so many players like him that's so quick, so fast, at least speed, and I ain't got a run route too. So I'm excited to see what he does in the future, but I feel like that's the least they can do for him this year. How do you think he would get me to accomplish one another? It's just speed, man. Speed, you can't teach speed at all. Just having us on opposite sides, even to play on both sides. It's just speed down the field. You can run 15, 20 yard end breakers out breakers. And like I said, you're going to have to play two safes most of the time,

3:53:46or you can run the ball, you can get underneath the house. It's going to be a great compliment to the offense, so I'm excited. Chris, you said you hope this new office will play makers in the decision to make plays. What about you specifically, what's an area where you think you'll have more opportunity than fit your game? It's a lot of areas that you can see to look at, to improve my game, but yards out the cases are one I'm looking forward to. Just more opportunities with that, more space. Just to showcase my speed and my ability with the ball. So I'm excited to do that this year. Something that I really showcase the first two years, so I'm excited to be with it. It's something that the quick game element of it just getting the ball in your hands. Yeah, quick game, play action, more over the middle routes. It's a lot of different things that you can say that this guy's going to help that, but I got set on the side of it. How would you describe the chemistry between you and Eric?

3:54:46We're getting way better, man. I mean, it was our first year last year, so it was kind of up and down, but that's what it comes with the game of football. We worked a lot this off season, OTAs, which was really good. And we got off to a good start these first two days at Camp, getting extra working. But that's not coming with time, so I'm not worried about that at all. We both competitors, we both want to be the best, so we got to do something to be good. Where do you kind of notice that difference is just like feel on the route? What do you kind of notice now that it's year two, but that's more natural? What do you mean? So, like, Eric, for you and your dad, you're actually actually working hard. It's just like, it's more than that, man. It's NFL, everybody's good, so we just got to know what each other's thinking, pre-snap, post-snap, cover cheese, where the walls won't go. Just read, what read I am and the progression, everything goes along with that. So, just being on the same page, being, like I said, a chemistry is built with time. So, just little stuff like that that turns into big things is going to be huge.

3:55:50You caught one from Spencer Rattler today too, what do you really impression? He's real talented, that's the first thing I've seen from him. His arm titles out the charts, he's a real natural feel out there. He's going to be real good, I want to see him in action, but from my first impression, he's going to be a real good player. It's going back to the sheet that you talked about all the different stuff you should do. You think there's still a lot more there for him? Oh yeah, he hasn't really, I think this is the first year of being a receiver too, or really a receiver. In my opinion, we both are a receiver one, so I just be able to move around, run real routes. Feel like it's going to be a huge advantage for the saying. It's a special player and I can't wait to see him ball. I can't wait to see him get more opportunities and see what he can do. My run real routes, he's just like an opportunity to run. Yeah, just getting more, he hadn't really played too many plays in his first few years.

3:56:52He kind of just get thrown in there when he's getting the ball or when he's a decoy or something like that. But he's actually being involved in the offense, always being in, even on run plays. I feel like he's going to be a huge advantage for him to get a feel for the game and be more natural out there. How far does a receiver like that do? The shed kind of, you know, think of him as the deep threat label and then, so people just think of him as a deep threat, but he can do more. How hard is it to kind of shed that label or that perception right? I mean, that's what life everybody is trying to label somebody as one thing or two things, but I feel like you can showcase, I mean, that's not really who we are, you know what I'm saying. As you get as he gets more opportunities as you can see, you can see he can do more and more. That's what anybody on the team. I'm excited, like I said, and for his huge opportunity is going to get this year. And it's going to be a big one for the Saints. Does this scheme ask for more blocking from receivers as they're more responsibility?

3:57:52Oh yeah, for sure. I mean, that's what I told you too. We both don't have the block, and I know we're not the biggest guys or the strongest, but like I said, we could want to be on the field. We got to be on the field for the play action plays, all those things. We both got to go block D-Lime and block Lyonbackers, but that's what's coming football. So we both got to take that next step in our game. Is that somewhere there's like a payoff? Like you guys know you play from play action next time. Yeah, it's going to be a huge payoff. Like I said, most of our office is based on play action, all the in-breakers, all the yards at the catch of a play. So we got to go in there and block, and like I said, take that next step and be able to be grateful for our team. Like being here? Oh yeah, so. After I feel the weather out here, man, that's what I'm used to. Not using the war and then it's out there trying to catch my breath. It's a great opportunity for us. Are you going to chance to see family and friends at all? So this is their boyfriend here? Not yet, but they're going to come by here soon.

3:58:52Appreciate you all. Thank you very much. Jacob Ferrell, I'm very impressed with him. I've been impressed with Hunter Woodard in terms of his toughness and how he's well-keptics. But there's a lot of good young guys that have been working really hard. Hunter Anthony and Tyree Swoleons, I'm excited about those guys as well. I got a good young class today. Sure do, coach. Thank you for your time today. And I'm very, very welcome. Thank you. So you were coaching under Bill Snyder forever. Yeah, you could probably write a book about what you learned. Maybe in the synopsis where did you learn from Snyder coaching under him? Jeez, well, I mean, just going to try to get better every day. And never be satisfied. And, you know, he was very demanding.

3:59:56He was very demanding on his players. He's demanding on his coaches. You know, he's just very competitive. And I've said this before, there's a lot of similarities between these two programs. Maybe the personalities are different. But first day, I got here. First day, our first staffing coach, kind of talked about us being a more tougher, more physical, more disciplined football team. And that's all coach Snyder talked about. You know, those are the things he would talk about. You know, and just having us being the toughest, most disciplined team out there. And that's, you know, so it's like, it was left here in the same thing. And that's what we're stressing and that's what we want to be. And that's what we're trying to be this year. We hear Adolfo stay.

4:00:57Well, some of them have done these best teams, especially early on. It's nasty. Yeah. It's a line that got away from that, I don't know if that's maybe someone who is. How do they get back to being like that physical? Well, yeah, I think we got to, I mean, I, we got to be demanding on them. And we got to, we got to instill the toughness and continue to instill the toughness, continue to instill discipline and, and, and just not be satisfied, you know, and, and, and, and, and, and just be demanding on them. Yeah. What is it being for us to be talking about? Well, I mean, I just, I just want us to get better every day. And I want us to, I, my goal, again, is for us to, to, to, to be tougher and to be more physical and, and, and, and, and to be, and to be, and to be more disciplined, you know, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and to be more disciplined. You know, and, and, and, and really focus on those, focus on those attributes. And I, and I know if we do, that that will carry over to us being successful in the field.

4:01:57Yeah. It's being, being such a veteran. How have you seen social media pack of career? Well, it's, it's impacted it quite a bit. Yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's very interesting, you know, and, it's, it's, it's taking me, you know, I got to, you know, wow, to get used to all of it. Yeah. I'm not saying I'm great on it, but you're on the Twitter. Yeah, but I'm on Twitter and all that good stuff and so, so, so, you know, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's, it's been, it's been fine. It's been, it's been, it's been, it's been, it's been, it's been, it's been, it's been, it's been, it's been, it's been fine. But it is, it is, it is having an impact on, on, on, on, on, on, on recruiting, that's for sure. Yeah. The differences between these types of style of offense and we think states are on this, the most great out of them. How does that affect the career of James? Well, that's a great question. I mean, that was probably the biggest transition for me was, was just, and one of the most exciting things for me was being able to be a part of this offense, because Coach Gundy's offices have been the best, some of the best in the country, period.

4:02:57I mean, they've been awesome. So, I wanted to be a part of it. But with that, it was, you know, it can't just stay, we were, we were, you know, ground and pounded, and we were a lot of quarterback on the game. Some, you know, and, and, but also just taking as much time off the clock as we could so we could keep the, keep the ball away from other defenses, you know, or for other, other, other offices. And so, just slowing down and that type of stuff. So, here was playing fast and getting guys to, just teaching my guys to, you know, to get up and make the calls and get the points. And that was different. And so, but, but that's kind of where I was, where I was going to, where, where I was, you know, where, hey, I just, being able to, to, to resource Johnny and Marcus, hey, you know, how do you guys do that? You know, what, what, what were some of the things, you know, and, and Jason Meckendood was really helpful with that as well, you know. So, but it's been a great transition. It's been a great transition. There's a job in Amigo with Sean Mason, depending upon who wins the quarterback job.

4:04:01One may even work more, more than the other, what is that kind of working relationship like? What's been great with Sean? Sean's awesome. I mean, I've said that Sean's got a, he's got a vision. He knows where he, what he wants. And he's very passionate. He's a very intense, very detailed. And, and so, you know, he knows, he knows exactly where he wants his offense to go. So, I'm really excited. I'm really excited to get a chance to work with him. And, and the whole offensive staff has been awesome. You know, Waz and, and Casey and, and Matt have all been, been great. So, it's really good. Touch Gundy talked in the past about trying to, or, of course, who can't to state before, obviously, this time. What are those pitches like in those conversations that I, with them at those times? Well, I mean, it was great. Coach Gundy's, you know, he's, he was awesome. And, and so, it just circumstances just, for whatever reasons, just didn't allow me to, to, to, to do it.

4:05:04But, but, but, but I'm just grateful now for this opportunity. I'm, I'm just grateful he gave me a call. I'm just, that's one thing I am very grateful for. I'm very, very thankful for that he, you know, he gave me that call. So, I'm very, really excited to be here. We need a guy like that is going to make sure the O-line is picked up. We're ready to go every day. I was held accountable with things, or having a practice of people, and saying anything, and how I'd made a leave, maybe different than somebody else made a leave. You know, like, a practice, at least, like, a legal positivity, you know, I mean, so, but, he, the energy I would be on, just, oh, I'd put the beyond, so I was kind of, how I would be, the goal of, really, my whole life, all of the NFL team captain, like, specifically, and I felt I wasn't a captain in high school, wasn't a captain in college, but, I'm going to make a joke, I was in high school. So, I feel like I'm not going to be a captain till I get that I felt. But, that would be awesome, you know, but, you know, that happens, I'd be great, but not, either way, I want to assume a role as a captain from,

4:06:15to perspective the guys onto the visual world, and get back in that way. Yeah, I mean, I can't say that, I mean, I guess the biggest thing is that I felt it has felt like how you used to in the past, but it didn't take just the first LTAs, it took training and left and right, once this season ended, because I know what it was going to be. So, I took a lot of, you know, grips, just to give back to feeling like myself for the LTAs, and then that whole first week, but now, like, today specifically, just changing some small things with my feet, that is it, talking about the long coach, about some things I can do with my feet to get to the, to sell my traditional angle that I love to sit on, thought I felt, I thought I felt great already, but I felt even better, so I need more excited tomorrow now, get on my feet back, and how I like the right side, and on the left side, so alongside me.

4:07:15I mean, obviously, I feel like, in the league, whether I left the right, you're still going against Premier Guy, so obviously, you have high expectations for the left and right tackle, but definitely, like, the level of energy, and like, the expectations definitely take the interest, because now, I can either blind side, that's the, as the tackle world, you know, so, so yeah, I would say in terms of communications, as far as this even outside of the facility, just stuff like that, like really crazy, but the tackle quarterback, bond even more off the field, I think has been something that's even the cool experience. I got a text one day, and I said, hey, you put it up, I was like, you know, yeah, I've been training both, I've been training both, you know, I asked after the season there, like, honestly, you know, we'll talk to you, so play the season, and I just got a text one, and I was with the free agency, then, so I was like, you know, what, I had an O season right tackle, so if I get the word, I'm going, I'm staying in a right tackle, and I just do what I did before, I'm build on that, but I was like, I might as well as training the left tackle now, as if we're going to be left tackle, and I'd rather do that than training the right tackle, I don't wish I'd be hit.

4:08:36You know what I mean? So I'm like, let me just prepare an advance, I'll say, yeah, it's gone. You know, I think occasionally, on third down, there would be a lot of twists, that was just not like, it's automatic, and I think that was my mindset for like the first half of the season, like, I didn't have to go once again with some pros, like, oh my gosh, they did that. I kind of figured, okay, this is the type of rush, I'm going to get like, this is how this guy usually rushes, if I get the vibe, this is how it ends like the rush, you know, tackles that, you know, first year guys, you got the premium patch on, already know what it was going to be, already know what we every stunt, and honestly just knowing that's kind of an advantage to, so you're not, you're not, oh, they brought the twist on my side again, it was never air goblin, but it come out the hot, like, three plays in a row, and in two minutes, I do that. I mean, I'm watching more everybody else, and he really, he really goes out there occasionally, and I was like, you know, he's going to pick me, you know what I mean, so, that, that's kind of, it's also kind of an advantage in a way, but it's also exciting, I'm going to get the hardest look, you know, those are real, real reps, you know, the things, really out on our way to kind of process,

4:09:52I was like, hey, when I tell me, let me know about, I'm just going to train it, I was training all left, to OTA's, I guess if I didn't hear anything about TAs, I came in like, so, you know what I mean, because just like, I'm cool with training both, I would have been cool with training both continually, but I feel like anybody, any position, I feel like, okay, like, you want as soon as possible, you give your feet kind of a subtle, your hips subtle, it is, your hands, so then, certain kind of what, we've been hard of the age who are both there, how to, you know, but they're definitely, but in times of the development, you can definitely lie faster, you're staying on one side, but I think having that, the weeks that we had to transition with seasons over, I'm going to let it slide, you know, it could, you know, I'm trying to eat up, but I'm not having any weight, things at a town right now, but when he comes back, I'm gonna show him the new house.

4:10:54So I've got a house that's not too far from, so I told him, I got that house, like, I could yell outside. DJ! You know what I mean? So, yeah. Catch his feet under him. You know, I always think when you're in your rookie season, you're going from bowl game. I don't even know Wisconsin playing a bowl game. Sorry Wisconsin, I don't even know, but, you know, personally, I just think when you go from bowl game to training for the combine to, you know, rookie minicamps, OTAs, you know, minicamps, I mean, to training camp, the regular season, you really don't get a time to really catch yourself. You know, you understand some playbook now, you can be more vocal. You know, and I think, with my absence, the other guys' absence, you know, you need guys like that to step up and be ready for those opportunities. What do you think of it? The same you had during the season, was it more thorough? What was just tightened down everything? You know, my left side, because I was over-competing a little bit.

4:11:57But, you know, it was, it wasn't anything that lingers, you know. I'll say this, a groin's not like an ACL, it's not like anything's ever going to get affected again. You know, feeling good, able to do everything, squat and heavy, with power and speed. So, you know, it feels good to get after a go. What do you think of what the team was able to accomplish in our season, in terms of bringing guys like Russ and you think, what are the conditions? You know, I think they're all good acquisitions, but, you know, you never want to be known as a paper champ. So, you can't win the off season. I think the work gets done out here on the field, gets done in the classroom, it gets done training, you know, and then you see where you're at in training camp, and then you build on that. You know, I think we got the right guys in the building. It's just about putting a complete team on the field. Can't help it because they just separate the business part of the game and the actual football players. Oh, you know, you always want to, you always have to treat it like a business,

4:13:02because, you know, one day it's going to end, and that's a good job. It's not like in college where, you know, you got 40 years guarantee. Well, now you don't even know what that I know is crap, but it was transfer portal, portal. But, you know, you have to, I still have love for this game, and I still work my tail off, and I still put everything into it. And that's not going to change, but you have to know what you bring to the team and what your value is. Can't help it. You're going to be able to be out there with your teammates today, emotionally. Great, you know, we got a new training staff, and still learning the warm-up a little different. But, you know, I love it. You know, just getting after it, learning new guys, going through the same drills I've been doing by myself. I actually like having more people around, because like, kind of go stir crazy when it's just you and another guy, you're like, damn, I got to go back up for another rep already.

4:14:05And so, you know, it's nice to be up here and get a chance to be with my guys. Can we confident, and we'll get down to your emotions? Oh, I'm going to try to remain pretty neutral, because, I don't want to be too either way. All I know is I want to be here, but we'll see what happens. This is my last year here. I've had a great career here, but I look forward to playing that show. Can you give us a second? When that second surgery you said at this time, it was on the left side, was the first time around on the right side? Right side during the season, left side. And that was just tightening down my core muscle. It wasn't the same as my ad doctor. You know, you can ask Dr. Bradley, Dr. Zuckerbron, who did the surgery as well. You know, if anything, it's going to help me, and you know, make me a lot stronger from here on up. Can you say you were training with another guy who have you had been working?

4:15:06Tyson, I've been training with him for the last eight years. We've always trained together. We've got a trainer up north, Sharlal Kohalei, who's my guy, trained a Heath Miller, Breck Hesel, multitude of guys that I'll respect. And we've just been getting after. Can you give us a few guys historically, 35, they paid big contracts, and I think that's held against you? I think there's not a lot of history behind it. But, you know, for me, I look as, I'm not looking to be like anybody else. You know, my game is different from everybody else in the league. You know, I like to think, you know, I can play the run in the pass, and that's where I'm different. You know, I remember last year of my team just brought to my attention, you know, the thing that's really cool is you watch powerlifters. And you know, my game's built on power and technique. And those guys go into the 40s. And so, you know, that's what kind of research I'm doing behind the scenes.

4:16:08But, you know, I will see what happens. There's not a lot of history, but I'm here to make history. And I'm here to, you know, win another super-world year, and you know, have a great season. Do you have a set goal for yourself, or how many years you want to play in the NFL? Do you just take things here right here? You know, it was tough answering that question right after the season. I will say this guys, I can't keep answering that question right after the season. That is not fair to the season that's not fair to my family. You know, but in my mind, I got three years. And I want to maximize them. I want to play at a high level, and I want to go deep into playoffs. And, you know, we got a good team. And I'm going to do my part to be ready for all those situations. If you plan on practicing, when you report to the church, or it's possible only that you might hold in and enforce those situations. I have not even thought that far. I've taken a day by day. You know, I told my agent, and we talked about it.

4:17:10And we were cool coming out here. You know, I'll be here for many. And then I'll be there for training. You know, I don't know what the work entails, but when we get there, we'll cross that bridge. Why is it important for you to work? Remain a stealer for those three years. So, you know, there was a conversation between me, Omar, and my team. And there's certain guys that are one-homogods. You know, and I want to be one of those one-homogods. And, you know, there's a hunger and desire there. But that doesn't mean just hanging it up and calling a career. To me, I think, you know, I got more bullets to fire. And, you know, I'm excited to do that. What's the meaning? Last one. Can you and Russell Wilson are going to be out there with what's paid men in the year past? I saw Russ as, um, on social media. But, I have been able to see it.

4:18:11I like the surprise happens when it happens. But, you know, it's cool to have another Walter Payton man in your winter. You know, I think it's an honor to be there. And I want, I'll say one thing. I won't be here. I'm just telling you guys, so it's not a big deal. I won't be here because I have to do a Walter Payton man in your thing all in Thursday. So, it's not like I'm skipping. But, you know, it's an honor to be with Russ. You know, it's an honor of doing things in the community. Doing great work. And, you know, the cool thing is as much as we get honored and nominated for these things, the work doesn't stop. And I can see that with Russ this foundation, you know, we had an event for our foundation. And my mom was quick to, you know, tell Russ, hey, we need the partners around. And I was like, wow, let's just enjoy the event. But, you know, it's really cool to be a part of a lead group.

4:19:11All right. Thank you. Thank you. And we're getting the game plan stuff, but he's doing a great job and he's taking a great step forward. Tim, we're going to go through the way that you've been built in the room. We're the way you kind of just have a sure group now. It seems like it's been like the centerpiece of kind of relationships and kind of building bonds. But I'm curious, is that something that you came in with the, like a couple years ago, with the intention of doing it or is that something that you're like, that's kind of been cultivated over the course of your Thomas position? You know, it's been there for a while. I've been doing that for a long time. It's all about relationship. If you develop real relationship and you're authentic in your communication and you have honest feedback and you have direct teaching, the guys that have a value and character and they appreciate that stuff, they're embrace that. So, but they have to know you care and you have to know that it's real and they have to know that you're really concerned about that we're being as a young man. And when you get close to them, it's been a lot of time with them off the field. You can coach them hard. And you can say truthful things to them. And then they embrace it. And you have real conversation because you know,

4:20:11the only goal is to help them get better as a young man. Yeah, it's done balanced up a little bit now. That goes with great competition. We have the best receivers in college football. So, that helps escalate your growth process. Because if you don't figure it out real fast, you're getting embarrassed. So, that competition, but what happened with that, I guys started competing. I guys started growing. I guys got better. And now it's even up a little bit. So, where you get really good work at practice today. You know what I mean? So, it's competitive, it's fun. Those guys both on both sides of the ball care about each other. So, it's great competition and they all are real close. So, you know what I mean? It's that stuff that gets us better that will prepare us for Saturday. I know, it's just competitive.

4:21:12They got the best group in the country that you're going to get every day. So, you have to bring it every day. You know what I mean? So, we got a great quarterback room. We got a great receiver room. The running backs are really good. So, when you out there going against them is deep. So, you have to be ready for it. And obviously, man, we see a lot of good stuff with Coach Day and Coach Kelly doing over there. And so, it prepares you a lot. And it helps us grow. You know, you're playing kind of an associative for green, green, green. What's that? It's your green or a white receiver room kind of in a part of your green. It's like, these are the guys you get to play against. Yeah, all of that's because, you know, that's where you get better. Our shop is our. So, you know, you get to see that every day at practice. That helps you grow. It's no better thing to go against every day than to see that on a daily basis. Oh, we just move a lot of guys around. We watch our practice. We have a lot of guys in there right now. You know, we pop out through a four different guys in there. Obviously, the ring's old in there. Jameen is in there.

4:22:13Caleb, miles away. We have about four or five guys moving around. Right now, we just try things out in spring ball. See what it fit. You know, see what things work together. So, there's no probably some more guys in there. You know, we move it around to try to just get the right fit throughout the N and C. How it goes by time we get ready to start the season. He can run any strong. You know what I mean? He's fast. Very serious about his business. He's big. He's 200 pounds. He can run. He's strong. He's conscientious. You know what I mean? He's starting to grow and he's starting to get better with it. You know what I mean? So, we look for big things for him in spring. Keep competing. You know what I mean? Now, he's made the transition. Competing the day. You know what I mean? Start going in. That transition is all just like how I'm in germany last year. You throw him in the fire. You let him go. You compete. You go by time we get out of the end of training camp. You'll be them figured out. Yeah, I want that. But now you just throw it all at him. Compete. Continuing to grow. Continuing to learn. He has the skill set. He has the length. Now you just got to put it all together. And it takes time to do that.

4:23:13And hopefully you see that by time we get in the training camp. It seems like a midwinter spring kind of click for germany last year. And you start to see and perform a little better in practice. Is that like a benchmark for where you want, Aaron? To be by the middle of spring. Does he have to be at a certain point where you wanted to start clicking? Yeah, by the time you start getting about two weeks from now, that last week, you know, because it takes time because there's a lot of stuff going on. But you know, by the time you get into that last week of spring ball, you'll start seeing the things that you look for show up. And then you know, you get another evaluation again. We'll get into training camp. See if this stuff carried on to make sure we go for starting in September. What's your assessment of the growth that we've just made now that he's kind of got his feet under one defense? What do you like about him and that knickles? He's very conscientious. He's smart. He can run. He's tough. He's made the adjustment because he's out of Europe on his belt. So now you can see he's not making a lot of mistakes. He competes. He's real conscientious. And he has a physical presence. So the growth has been really good. And we look to continue that throughout spring.

4:24:13Right. I asked one more. All the guys that came back like Denzel's a great example. Because that surprised you as you reflect on all these guys that came back late to the ransom. They could have turned pro. No, the culture here is real. Of course, they does a great job of building the culture. Our room is close knit. The guys on defense are real close. Those guys want to come back. They have an agenda. You know, we want to come back. They want to come back and walk away with something. So it didn't shock me. But it's a good environment for them too. You know what I mean? That's when you see those guys come back. That's a testimony to the culture that's set here. Their brotherhood, their environment. And of course, they run the program for those do's to want to come back. Because we go at it. It's hard. It's not easy. It's not easy. But what we do. So, in fact, they come back and do that. It's a testament to how he runs the program. Very much. I think the biggest difference from Sam and Will. Sam, you just got to be more outsized sometimes during the slot with two. You know, but I think it's similar concept. Because you can do the same thing in the boundary. It's almost more like the San Francisco feeling of the Wilson to boundary.

4:25:15So I think it's pretty similar, honestly. The only difference is that Sam Lashar, I never really was an interior run fitter like in the A gap, you know, going A to B or whatever that, whatever that might be. So that's a little different. But I mean, I think I got some of that. Experience at safety just from a few yards back. So like I said, the only difference really is now just adjusting to the less time. Yeah, yeah. Coach, most of you coming from where you, like you're coming from. You have a better perspective of what's going on. Because you played safe. Yeah, yeah. I feel like I have a great understanding of the defense. I think at safety, I kind of already knew what the linebacks were doing. So now what I'm really starting to learn is like exactly like every little detail with the D lines doing. That's not really what I didn't know every little aspect of it. But I think I'm starting to learn that now because obviously lineback, you've got to be knowing that more. So I think when it's all said, no, I think I have a really, really, really good understanding of the defense and knowing exactly what everyone's doing. Do you feel like you're long enough to remember in the mix of the defense too and that lineback here is not exciting because you can be dropping one minute pass-resistant.

4:26:15You or me, you can actually make some of that anyway. Yeah, actually, I think you can say it'll be an lineback here in the play. You're almost in every play. Obviously the play can run away from you. But you know, it's safety sometimes you're just back there, playing every guest you take two back battles and it's a tackle. So I think yeah, lineback here in the play more, more opportunities to make tackles. Can you feel comfortable there? I mean, what does that, you know, obviously you're dan, I'm staying out like that. Yeah, I feel super comfortable with it. Like I said, I think it's just going to be adjustment. You know, obviously it's different playing from a five than it was from playing from my 10 last year. So I think it's an adjustment, but I'm super comfortable with it. So any of you top here, dad, have you given you any advice on the new position? Oh, yeah, we watch, we watch tape all the time, watch practice. You know, he was a high level linebacker. And I'm just getting started with this. He gets a little shit with little footwork and stuff like that. But it's good. I get good teaching him, you know, obviously coach Lord Knight is great player, great teacher for him, coach and all, you know, he's a super smart football mind. So I'm getting great teaching all around. The linebacker, everything happens quicker for you.

4:27:17How much did the experience playing some of that Sam's stuff? Nice to help him. I think it helped a little bit. It's been like in terms of physicality, like being in the box down on the line. But I do think the the run fit as a will and a Sam can be a little different. And like I said, like being an interior fitter, like you're a 30 backer, you know, an A, you get pools, like you got to go spill it. So things like that. But I think I'm adjusting well. I think I'm picking up on stuff pretty fast. You know, this is still going to be a lot of stuff for him. Yeah, like you know, do you feel more pressure talking to the media with your brother sitting right there? Not at all. What do you think has been the biggest change from linebacker and safety climate? I think the biggest change will probably be that that's 10 to 5. Because it's a big adjustment because everything's happening faster and you've got to react faster. And like I said, the waist and movements, I think footwork is huge. I think when you see the great linebackers,

4:28:19as soon as the play happens, they're going. They're not taking any wasted steps or not fall stepping, things like that. So I think wasting, wasting movement and being able to see what's happening react to the fast. It's been the biggest benefit of being on the same team with your brother. I mean, you know, you got someone out there that's it's more than a team. You know, we call each other brothers, but you know, bloods, bloods a little thicker. So that's always pretty cool. You know, it's always, it's never 101. Sir, do you know it's coming from? Yeah, I think when you're blood like that, I think he's not scared to tell me the truth, you know, saying, you know, obviously guys here, we have tough love, but I think it's always going to be a little different when it's your brother. Because he going to keep it 100% blunt exactly what you need to hear and not what you want to hear. What's your advice on playing Dickel? Oh, for him. I mean, he just so I've let it. He just keep trusting his instincts. I think he's going to be great. I think what's huge for him is like I said, the athletic ability. Speed, you know, he blitz off the edge.

4:29:20He blitzed super fast. And he's just great in covers too. So I think something really good. I think we'll do a lot of different things kind of like you see a hand caught. Obviously, a little different body than a hand caught, but I think he's going to be really good. It wants to settle in that field. He's neat. He's neat this time. Thanks. Great. Yeah. Straight. Straight. Um, honest communication, honest assessment. Um, the character, the value, the work at it and the main things, the competition. You got to compete. If you don't want to compete, it's not going to be the place for you. Because that's the, that's the thing that will get us where we need to go is competition in the room. Um, and those guys here love to compete. We sell that. We're looking for guys who embrace that who cherish being in those spots. And you can take time to grow, you know, uh, you don't have to have the, uh, the pig mentality of problem of, of instant gratification, you know, you can develop and grow. Um, so, and sometimes you may be, uh, and behind a guy that's a really good player is nothing wrong with developing and growing and playing when your time is right.

4:30:29And if the time is right right now, the freshman, like what was your name? Did you play early, you know, um, so we try to also sell that, you know, we care about him as people and try to prepare you for life after football. Um, so it's bigger than just football. We're going to prepare you for life. Whether it's the NFL or on with a regular career in, in a workforce, we want you to prepare you as a young man and we try to sell that and preach that, uh, to the parents. With, you're main having that impact that you mentioned, rolling all these different spots. Do you anticipate, you know, there wasn't a lot of rotation among the cornerbacks last year when everyone was healthy. Do you anticipate maybe rolling him through to rest guys here with the longer season potentially? Yeah, we play it by ear. You know, I mean, we see how it goes by time we get in the camp, but you know, obviously he, he's earning his stripes. So, you know, I mean, when you earn your stripes, you know, a lot of job to create an opportunity for you. You know, I mean, we have to see how it goes with all the other stuff. You know, once we get closer to the season, um, and we're getting the game plan stuff, but he's doing a great job and he's, and he's taking a great step forward.

4:31:35Is that something that you came in with the, like a couple years ago with the intention of feeling or is that something that you're like, that's kind of been cultivated over the course of your Thomas position. Like, you guys know, it's been there for a while. I've been doing that for a long time. It's all about relationship. If you develop real relationship and you know, authentic in your communication and you have honest feedback and you have, you know, direct teaching, um, the guys that have value and character and they appreciate that stuff, they're embrace that. Um, so, but they have to know you care and you have to know that it's real and they have to know that you're doing it. You're really concerned about where being as a young man and when you get close to him and spend a lot of time with him off the field, you could coach him hard and you can, and you can, you can say truthful things to him and then they embrace it and you have real conversation because you know, the only goal is to help him get better as a young man. As you see, a couple years ago, I think those are the, uh, I received room to so far ahead of the board and we're going to kind of skewed that evaluation. How's that dynamic change in these two years as the scoop's gotten older and you're better even more talented? Yeah, it's done balanced up a little bit now.

4:32:37That goes with great competition. We have the, uh, we go against the best receivers and call it football. So that helps escalate your growth process because if you don't figure it out real fast, you're getting embarrassed. Um, so that competition, but what happened with that, I got started competing. I got started growing. I guys got better and now it's even up a little bit. So where you get really good work at practice today, you know what I mean? So as competitive is fun, those guys both on both sides of all care about each other. So it's great competition and they all are real close. So you know what I mean, it's that stuff that gets us better, uh, that will prepare us for Saturday. Oh no, it's just, it's going to competitive, man. They got the best group in the country that you're going to get every day. So you have to bring it every day, you know what I mean? So they, they, we got a great quarterback room. We got a great receiver room. The running backs are really good. So when you out there going against them is deep. So you have to be ready for it.

4:33:37And obviously, man, we see a lot of good stuff with, with, with, with, with Dave and Coach Kelly doing over there. And so it prepares you a lot, um, and it helps us grow. So why are you really playing kind of an associative for the future? Is that, is, is your, you're a, uh, uh, a white receiver room kind of in, like, a part of your green pitch. Like these are the guys you get to play. Yeah, oh, that's, because you know, that's where you get better. Our shop is iron. So you know, you get to see that every day at practice. That helps you grow. It's no better, uh, thing to go against every day than to see that on a daily basis. Oh, we just moving a lot of guys around. We watch our practice. We have a lot of guys in there right now. You know, we pop up through a four different guys in there. Obviously, Lorenzo's in there. Jameen is in there. Caleb, um, miles, we have, we have about four or five guys moving around. Right now, we just try things out and spring ball. See what it fit. You know, see what things work together. So it's going to probably some more guys in there. You know, we move it around to try to just get the right fit throughout the N and C. How it goes by time we get ready to start the season.

4:34:39He can run any strong. You know, I mean, he's fast, uh, very serious about his business. He's big. It's 200 pounds. He can run. He's strong. He's conscientious. Now, man, he's starting to grow and he's starting to get, get better with it. You know, I mean, so we look for big things for him to spring. Keep competing. You know, I mean, now he's made the, uh, the transition, um, competing today. You know, I mean, start going in that transition. It's all just like I'm in germany last year. You throw them in the fire. You let them go. You compete. You go by time we get out of the end of training camp. You better figure it out. Yeah, I want that. But now you just throw it all at them. compete. Continue to grow, continue to learn. He has the skill set. He has the length. Now you just got to put it all together and it takes time to do that. And hopefully you see that by time we get in the training camp. It seems like it's a bit of a way to your spring to kind of click for germany last year. And you start to see and perform a little better in practice. Is that like a benchmark for where you want your parents to be? By the middle of spring, because you have to be in a certain point where you want it to start clicking. Yeah, by the time you start getting about two weeks from now, that last week, you know, because it takes time.

4:35:39Because there's a lot of stuff going on. But, you know, by the time you get into that last week of spring ball, you look to start seeing the things that you look for show up. And then you know, you get another evaluation again. We'll get in the training camp. See if this stuff carried on to make sure we go it for starting in September. What's your assessment of the growth of what those made now that he's kind of got his feet under one defense? What do you like about him and that nickel spot? He's very conscious. Anches. He's smart. He can run. He's tough. He's made the adjustment because he's out of Europe on his belt. So now you can see he's not making a lot of mistakes. He competes. He's real conscious. And he has a physical presence. So the growth has been really good and we look to continue that throughout spring. I can ask one more. All the guys that came back like Denzel, the great example. He's got some fries you as you reflect on all these guys that came back late to the rinse. And they could have turned pro. No, the culture here is real. Of course, they does a great job of building the culture. Our room is close knit. The guys on defense are real close. Those guys want to come back.

4:36:40They have an agenda. You know, we want to come back. They want to come back and walk away with something. So it didn't shock me. But it's a good environment for them too. You know what I mean? That's when you see those guys come back. That's a testimony to the culture that's set here. Their brotherhood, their environment. And of course, they run the program for those do's to want to come back. Because we go at it. It's hard. It's not easy. It's not easy. But what we do. So in fact, they come back and do that. It's a testament to how he runs the program. Coach Wong, thank you very much. I'm expecting the win. So like when I won, I was like, oh, sunny one. But that was the lineback. And I was like, it's more of a competition. You know what I'm saying? Not like not any hits of the D.V. I'm I'm two-thirty going against someone who's two or five. Right. You know what I'm saying? I'm expecting the win. So I love the competition. I asked my government. Yeah, Cody said you came in. He said, well, he's already bigger than most of the linebackers. You see where you playing? Will and Sam. How was the position? I've been working on both. Yes. Is there any, like, a fundamental difference between the two in terms of both. So Sam's in the corner.

4:37:40Um, I mean, obviously the standard more outside the box, outside the linebacker overhang. You can be walked up on the edge on the tight end. Will's more inside the box. I think the biggest difference from Sam and Will. Sam, you just got to be more outside sometimes during the slot with two. You know, but I think it's similar concept. Because you can do the same thing in the boundary. It's almost more like the same just in the field than Will's at the boundary. So I think it's pretty similar, honestly. Only the differences that Sam, last year, I never really was an interior run fitter, like in the A gap, you know, going A to B or whatever that, whatever that might be. So that's a little different. But I mean, I think I got some of that experience at safety just from a few yards back. So like I said, the only difference really is now is just adjusting to the less time. Yeah, Coach, yeah, Coach, how's it? You coming from where you, you're coming from. You have a better perspective of what's going on. Chris, you played safe. Yeah, yeah. I feel like I have a great understanding of the defense. I think that safety, I kind of already knew what the linebacks are doing. So now what I'm really starting to learn is like,

4:38:41exactly like every little detail what the D line's doing. That's not really what I didn't know every little aspect of it. I think I'm starting to learn that now. Because obviously, lineback, you've got to be knowing that more. So I think when it's all said, I think we have a really, really, really good understanding of the defense and knowing exactly what everyone's doing. Do you feel like you're long enough to remember in the mix of the defense too at that lineback here? So it's not like you can drop in one minute. Pass rest into your being. I don't think you can sum of that anyway. Yeah, actually, I think you can say that when we can be in a lineback here in the play, you're almost in every play. Yeah. Obviously the play can run away from you. But you know, it's safe to sometimes you're just back there playing every guest. You take two back pedals and it's a tackle. So I think yeah, a lineback here, you're in the play more. More chance, more opportunities to make tackles. Can you feel comfortable there? I mean, what does, you know, obviously you're staying out like that? Yeah, I feel super comfortable with it. Like I said, I think it's just going to be adjustment. You know, obviously it's different playing from a five than it was from playing from like 10 last year. So I think it's an adjustment, but I'm super comfortable with it. So any of you top here, Daddy, have you any advice on the new position?

4:39:41Oh, yeah, we watch, we watch the table all the time. Watch practice. You know, he was a high level linebacker. And I'm just getting started with this. He gets a little little footwork and stuff like that. But it's good. I get good teaching him, you know, obviously coach Lord Knight is great player, great teacher for him, coach Moles. You know, he's a super smart football mind. So I'm getting great teaching all around. The linebacker, everything happens quicker for you. How much did the experience playing some of that Sam? It's got faster health with this. Um, I think it helped a little bit. Let's just be like in terms of physical like being in the box now, down on the line. But I do think the the run fit as a will and a Sam can be a little different. And terms like I said, like being an interior fitter, like your 30 backer, going A, you get pools, now you gotta go spill it. So things like that. But I think I'm adjusting well. I think I'm picking up on stuff pretty fast. You know, there's still going to be a lot of stuff to work on though. Yeah, like do you feel more pressure talking to the media

4:40:42with your brother sitting right there? Not at all. What do you think has been the biggest change from linebacker and safety to my backer? Um, I think the biggest change will probably be that that's 10 to 5. Because it's a big adjustment because everything's happening faster and you gotta react faster. And like I said, the waist movements. I think footwork is huge. I think when you see the great linebackers, soon to play happens are going. They're not taking any waist steps or not fall stepping. Things like that. So I think waist and waist movement and being able to see what's happening reacting fast. What's been the biggest benefit of being on the same team with your brother? Um, I mean, you know, you got someone out there that's uh, it's more than a team. You know, we call each other brothers, but you know, bloods, bloods a little thicker. So that's always pretty cool. It's like my footwork 10. You know, it's always, it's never 101. Yeah, but when he tells you something, he doesn't observe that, you know, it's coming from. Yeah, I think when you're blood like that, I think he's not scared to tell me the truth, you know,

4:41:42saying, you know, obviously guys here, we have tough love, but I think it's always going to be a little different when it's your brother because he going to keep it 100% blood exactly what you need to hear. Now what you want to hear? What's your advice on playing Dickel? Oh, for him? Yeah. Uh, I mean, he just so out of leather, he got to keep trusting his instincts. No, I think he's going to be great. I think what's huge for him is like I said, the athletic ability, speed, you know, he bliss off the edge. He's, he's, he's, he's, he's in super fast. Um, and he's just great in coverage too. So I think it's going to be really good. I think we're going to do a lot of different things. Kind of like you see a handcock. Obviously, a little different body than a handcock, but I think it's going to be really good. It wants to sense on that feeling. He's, he's, he's, he's time. Looks like and then they grow from there. So you're trying to see where they're at, but you're also trying to project where they can be as we head into the summer. Jeremy Burby, have podcasts. All right, obviously, uh, transfer for real things on Monday. In this era of California, Paul,

4:42:44how are you guys dropping for that? I mean, and how insane is it to think that you just gone through these last six, seven weeks spring breakfast and now you're looking at potentially another changing 10% of the roster by the end of Monday to the start of fall. Yeah, it's, it is crazy. Yeah, I mean, it's unique, but I mean, I feel like we have a team that, you know, has come together for a common purpose. And, you know, we talk about, you know, why, why do you play so hard here at Ohio State? It's because of the, the brotherhood, the love of your teammates. I think we have a good group that way. I think guys want to be here. They want to be at Ohio State to understand what it means to be a bug guy. They see the opportunity this season. So, you know, I don't see a bunch of guys that are just looking to run out the door. I think there'll be a couple of different situations that maybe it does make sense for, for, for guys to maybe look at other places, but, um, and we'll just, you know, we'll adapt as those happen. But we know we're going to have to play with a lot of depth next year. You're playing 16 or 17 games more than ever before.

4:43:47Guys are going to play football. So you might be a, you might be a two right now or you might be a three, but you could be in the college football playoffs fighting for, you know, a championship and, and be the guy that we're counting on. So, um, I just think this is, this is a different and unique time that we're stepping into. So, when guys are looking at the depth chart, I don't think it's as important as it always has been in the past. There's going to be a lot of football played next year. And we're going to roll guys and play depth, especially in the first half of the season because we're going to need them in the second half of the season. And 11 warriors. Ryan, with the quarterback competition, have you started to narrow it down at all? And has anybody started to separate the others? Um, no, I don't think we've narrowed it down. Um, but, you know, you're seeing guys make certain plays and, um, certain things that are showing up and, and practice. Um, as we start to get into some of the move it stuff and you get in the situational things, um, you're starting to, you know, just see commonalities. A lot of guys, you know, these guys bring great things to the table. Each guy brings, you know, either an experience or a skill set that's different from the others.

4:44:52The good news is they all can move and that's certainly made an impact on the run game. Um, and the past game, you know, there's, there's good things there. There's still things that they're improving on. But, um, yeah, you're, you're seeing, you know, some separation. I, I wouldn't say that, you know, I read a name, a starter or anything like that. But, um, but there's been good competition and, and guys have made plays. Um, but I think ultimately we're looking for is the consistency over time. How much factor is Julian in that competition as a true freshman? He's, he's in the mix. He is. Yeah, he's, um, you know, chip really rolls him. It doesn't matter if the ones, twos and threes. So you get an opportunity to see what guys look like. I think sometimes maybe when you're young, you know, you get the three work and sometimes you can look at how mess out there. Um, and so this has been a really good, you know, sample size to figure out where guys are at. But, but Julian's been competing his tail off and, uh, he'll continue to do that. And he's got a very bright future. And he's got to have a really good summer.

4:45:57Yes, so the plan on Saturday is to, um, you know, we'll have our ones out there. Um, though, you know, some of the, the guys who have, you know, thousand plus reps who have played a lot of football here, um, will be in a little bit of a thud mode early on. But, but then when it goes over with, with an extra, it'll be offense first defense. It'll all be tackled, um, the rest of the way. Um, so we'll be smart about that. You know, someone like Travion Henderson doesn't need to get tackled on Saturday. Um, but, uh, but at the same time, it's going to be competitive. We're going to get after it and give the quarterbacks opportunities, even with the ones in there to go ahead and make plays and we'll try to create some situations for all those guys to get reps. Um, and so yeah, we'll whirl it and try to give guys as many reps as they possibly can. Go from there. Sorry, we, we've down and reportedly leaving. Or informing you guys he's leaving. Do you guys have enough depth at running back in the quality? I guess I'm doing step that you want there. You have to look in the portal to subsidize up to the, yeah, you know, we're, we're looking for five, you know, and, um, and so, you know, I think, I think we, you know, we're in a situation where we'll

4:47:02be at five, you know, if, if we need to add a six, then we'll look into that. But right now, um, I think we'll be in a situation where we, we feel comfortable with five guys. A little bit. 24 seconds for us. What was your initial conversation like with Carlos and, um, did you have to recruit him pretty hard? I'm just curious how that, at first conversation went. Um, you know, he was excited. We were excited, which is I think it was kind of mutual. Um, it's unique because of where it's at and spring, you know, and that's, that's a tough spot for anybody to be in and, uh, I felt it on the other end of it. So, um, you know, he's a guy who always wants to, you know, do things the right way and handle himself the right way. But I think you just saw this opportunity is such a great opportunity for him. And, um, I think we were probably both recruiting each other the same. Yeah. Coach, going back to the spring game, what does that say for it to be nationally televised? Was it same on the momentum around this program and how excited are the guys for this opportunity?

4:48:04Yeah, I think it's a great, great, uh, day planned, um, an opportunity to be the first ever spring game that's going to be televised nationally on Fox. It's just so exciting for our guys and, uh, for Buckeye Nation and for the program. Um, really cool, really great opportunity. So our guys want to put on a good show. You know, and have some fun with it. Um, and, and like you said, you know, there's gonna be a lot of great recruits here. There's a lot of great momentum around the program and, and how things have continued to build. But, um, and then even that night, you know, we have an event here in the Woody at concert. We call saddle up that, um, you know, it's an opportunity to raise some money, but, but also, um, you know, getting a lot done just in terms of giving back and some charities as well. So it's a little bit of combination of NIL and some charity work. Um, but also an opportunity to have some fun. So Carrie Levox is here in North and Nashville. Something we started last year in the Woody, where folks get to actually come into the Woody, which not everybody gets an opportunity to do and actually have a concert on, on, on the indoor. So, uh, between that and the spring game itself, after the spring game, we do a barbecue for the

4:49:07families here. It's a long day, but it's a great day. And so, uh, we're praying for great weather. Bill, we've been waiting for Columbus Dispatch. When we, uh, asked you about Wil Howard, uh, to the last practice, you said, you know, he's come along, obviously a new system, but you wanted to see a lot of growth in the next two weeks. Have you seen that? And where, where does, is there a pecking, where does he still the presumptive favorite? Um, that's, that's, you know, we haven't really talked about that very much, but his experience is definitely showing. I think that, um, he's played a lot of football before. And, um, I think his combination on the field of being able to extend plays with his feet, run in the run game, you know, pull the ball, what we've seen that happen before and then be accurate with the, with, with, you know, in the pocket throwing the ball, play action on the move. All those things put stress on the defense. And so, you know, we're trying to put him in the most difficult situations we possibly can. Third down, third and long, second and long, different situations, just to see how

4:50:07how those guys respond, just like everybody else. But, uh, one thing about Will is he's working really hard. Uh, he's in the building early, he's in the building late. Uh, he's putting a lot of work and you can just see that. I think the guys see that. And, you know, another part of all those quarterbacks is, you know, what, what do the guys think? What are the receivers think? What does the offense align think? Um, and I think he's done a really good job of, you know, trying to win those guys over. Uh, I think all the quarterbacks have, but, you know, you definitely see the hard work there. You see the experience and you see the ability. I think every practice that he's out there is learning the offense and feeling more comfortable with it. Devon looked really good in the practice. He's all, you kind of assessed his spring. Yeah, I think that, uh, you know, he's now in the year three and a lot of the things that we're doing is still what we've done in the past so that he probably feels the most comfortable out there with the offense. And you see that, uh, you know, the big thing with him is just being, being as consistent as he possibly can and keep the, keep the offense moving because he certainly has the ability to definitely flushes. Uh, Austin Ward, the podcast, right? Who on the

4:51:08defense is giving the offense the biggest headache this spring. Right, Jim Knowles. You know, I think with our defense this year, you know, with, with Sonny, with CJ, with, um, Cody, you're seeing Gabe in there, our Val Riss, you know, we got some pretty good length in their linebacker. Uh, they're flashing. But I would say probably, you know, it's, it's, you know, the interior guys up front, you know, they're, they're, um, you know, creating havoc in the backfield. DBs are, are very active, you know, they're, um, getting their hands on a lot of balls. So, um, I think it's everybody. I think the, the coverage and the rush is working together. Um, you know, the scheme is now in a year three. And I think guys are understanding, you're starting to see Caleb really understand now, you know, the first six, seven practices. Now, like the second half of the spring, he's really taken off. You just see how fast you see it. But I think our guys have done a really good job of making, you know, zone look like man,

4:52:10man look like zone, the pressures, you know, all those things are really starting to add up. And it's, it's, you know, it's not easy on the offensive side. Um, so I think it's the combination of scheme and talent, but, um, but I do think overall we have pretty good athleticism and length, especially in, you know, in this second level. Hey, Tim, hey, podcast. Oh, thank you, Jerry. Uh, do you even say it? For example, where are you in starting a freshman quarterback? Do you look at him as just another one of the guys competing out there? Or do you keep in mind he's a freshman? Just kind of what you're thinking along those lines, right? I think it's just a mindset for him is that he needs to be ready to go, you know, play at Oregon. He's going to be ready to go play at Penn State. He's going to go ready to play against the team of North. He's going to go play for the big 10 in a national championship. And that's in his mind because we know the last time a national championship was one, we were on the quarterback three. And, you know, with the quarterbacks having the builder run,

4:53:10like we haven't done that a lot here. Justin was probably the last one, but he really kind of limped in the last couple games because of that. And so we're going to need guys. So I think, you know, now more than when we had CJ and in Duane and even Kyle, where we didn't really run those guys, they kind of survived the whole season. You know, we're going to run the quarterbacks on this year. And because of that, we're going to need depth. And so that room's got to be strong. So to me, it's not about like, you know, maybe in the past, where it was like just the quarterback, we're going to kind of keep him up right. You know, this year, we're going to do that with Chip. So we need depth in that room. So his mindset's going to be that I'm playing next year. And and if you know, he's the best available time that he's going to play. You know how the answer comes comes in sometimes they get in line, but sometimes they line up and they want to, you know, they want to, they want to line go this way, not that way. Yes. Stuff is he been like that assertive and unbelievable. How has that shown up? I guess. Not just really good. I mean, has a good plan when he gets out there. You know, doesn't want to get his handheld. I've been in press as approach. And like I said before,

4:54:14he's got a really, really bright future. I mean, how fast he gets on the field will be just, you know, kind of up to him. This batch, just to clarify what down was easy told you his plans are to transfer to the field. Yeah, I think, you know, he, we're going to keep all those conversations private and kind of wait till, wait till next week to talk about it. Yeah. The land is the podcast Kings of the North. Right. He said, come around the spring ball that, you know, you had some sort of figure out on the right side of the line, but you felt confident that you had the answers in house. Do you still feel that way? It's a spring ball or episode? I think we have to look at everything. I don't, I'm not sitting here and saying one way or the other. I think the, I like to watch the film today. We did a couple moving some guys around to see how that went. And then see how Saturday goes and then kind of go from there. But I can't sit here and tell you that, you know, I know that that right side solidified right now. So I think we've got to keep looking at all options. I think it's just overall production. You know, you just seeing,

4:55:27especially in past protection, you just see those guys in better position. You know, against Jack and JT and Kenyatta and those guys, you know, they're Mitchell, Kaden, they're, they're, they're just more consistent blocking them. So whether it's, first off, I think Josh Fryer has really changed his body, you know, his body fats down. And that's something his diet and everything. We really hammered this off season. And so I think that was significant in how, how quickly his feet are moving because he's very, you know, sharp and what he does and he's bending better. I think for Josh Simmons, you know, that was never an issue, although he is in great shape. I think it's more of the experience and understanding of the offense, playing more football and more than the mental part of it. So I think both guys have benefited from another year, but both for different reasons. Steven, means Cleveland, good outcome. Different areas of this question. But you got a quarterback room with just a wide variety of different descriptions of guys from various men's guys to the Julia who maybe has showed up and

4:56:29looked a bit better than most freshman quarterbacks typically show up. You've also got a season that's, as you mentioned, a little bit longer, a little bit different. Maybe a more favorable schedule this time around. And we've seen other programs do this before. But in your philosophy and picking a starting, starting quarterback, what matters more, the older guy, maybe a little bit more experience, or the younger guy who might be flashing some upside early on that, you might be able to tap into at some point, you know, later down the line. Well, I think the good thing for us is that we might have both, which is great. So if that's the case, then we'll play, we'll play those guys. I think that's what the season offers the way that, you know, you look at the season. And we're going to do whatever we can to win games. That's what it comes down to. But we also know what our goal is at the end of the season and what is going to put us in position to do that at the end of the season and making sure we have, you know, two or three quarterbacks, it can go help us reach our goals. It's going to be the number one thing. So how do we do that? We got to figure that part out. I don't think we're there yet. Right now,

4:57:32the focus is just getting these guys many reps. We can't evaluate them. But as we head into the preseason, into the into the season, you know, that probably means getting guys reps in the game. So that they, you know, don't get put into a situation where they haven't played a lot of football before. You need to maybe in the past, you know, I think about where Lincoln was in that bowl game. He was not ready to play in that game. He would tell you it wasn't his fault. You know, just, you know, Kyle had played and then when he ended the portal, then, you know, Devon went to was in the bowl practice and got hurt so early. And then, you know, he kind of got thrown into that. With this year, we can't be in that situation because we know we are going to run the quarterbacks this year. We have to build depth in that position. What you know situation, maybe you're more open to maybe putting a guy out there and meaningful snaps and once the season rolls around just for the sake of not being thrown in that situation. We haven't talked about that, but that very possible could possibly could happen. Yeah, if that's what we're trying to do. That's a ways away, but we'll kind of cross that bridge and we get there. But I think that that's certainly something that's worth discussing.

4:58:34Andy Baxter, Blood and Monroe. Right. What have you seen from James Peoples so far this spring and sees only if you can see right away if you guys? Yeah, I think both freshmen and T.C. Kaffee, all three of those guys. So Sam, James and T.C. have had very good springs. I've been very impressed with their approach. I got a chance to spend time with them for those couple of weeks, which was great to see the way that they go into meetings, the way they answer questions, their attention to detail. I'm looking to see them, you know, run and you know, in a live situation on Saturday because I think all of those backs have talent and all of them can catch out of the backfield. All of them are really good in protection and they can run outside and inside the tackles. So first time they get tackled to be on Saturday, but all three of those guys have done a nice job. I mean, Tray and Quinchon have been really solid, but those three guys to see them go play in the game will be fun and an opportunity for everyone to see those guys with a ball on their hand. Andy Baxter, Dylan Davis, Dylan, guys, I'm sorry, we are only trying to adjust a couple more. You mentioned that

4:59:39how quickly Jillian gets on the field is going to be up to him. What are some of the things you need to see from now to through the fall camp that may push him onto the field? Is it just a matter of adjusted speed of the game? I guess where does he not measure up the will in Devon right now that he can still get to? Just overall experience and then just maturity, you know, physically, mentally emotionally, all those things, but he's shown great signs. But you know, I think he's put on maybe 15 pounds he's got here. That's great, but the overall strength and just, you know, size and and then that is a matter of just experience. But I like his approach. I mean, I see things in him that lead us to believe he's got a really bright future and it's very, very encouraging. Yeah, gee, I think last time I came in, I felt strong about it. I still feel the same way. I think he's taken the next step in the progression and blocking. Now when you're playing tight end,

5:00:4560, 70 plays can really add up. And so we're going to have to roll at times. I think Will Kazumeric every day has gotten better. That's been great. Jillani has improved. Certainly, seeing him do some really good things. He's been great in the red zone, catching a few balls and Pat Gerard and Ben and have also shown certain things. And so the room across the board has been solid. And having depth to that position, even having someone like Jason Middleton or some of the guys, Max, as he comes in, we're going to have to continue to have depth in that room because the same thing, we get in December and January. You don't know where that depth is going to be. So we've got to make sure that if we're in 12 personnel and we're 3D at that position, that means there's six guys that you feel okay, put in a game. And that's a big ask. But I think the top guys are playing well. They've got to continue to improve. They all have things they've got to improve on. But I would say overall, we're starting to build that depth in that room.

5:01:48Coach, thank you. Thanks, guys. He took a step here this last week. We've been challenging him. There's been a couple plays, one in particular. He needed to make some plays to say, okay, I'm here and you can count on me. There was a really contested play in the red zone that he made. He made a big play on a post out here the other day. So you're starting to see him make those plays. And if he can do that for us with his deep speed down the field, he can really stretch the defense. And so we're going to need him to. And we did see things in the last couple of weeks to let us believe that he can. I'm sorry, Coach, I got one more Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch, and then we've got Coach Noles. Ryan, as you look back on not just today, but all 15 practices and assess the impact that chips had for you guys. Is there something you feel like or just in general where he's helped maybe the most for his presence the last two months is giving you guys the biggest boost? Yeah, I think he brings one voice to the defense. And I think that's very, very important. Certainly has an unbelievable history of running the football. And I think when you start to tie

5:02:51in some of those quarterback runs, and you notice those quarterback runs aren't design quarterback runs really. Most of them are reading an end and those aren't halacious hits. You know, they're they're things where we're going to keep guys upright. And he doesn't really good job of that. But the other thing too with with Chip was you know, he got here just a couple of weeks before spring started. So you know, we kind of got the spring going, you know, pushed through the spring, learned about the personnel. I think the next couple of months will be important to figure out where we go now. You know, what do we do? What does the install look in the preseason? And then we go from there. So like any any spring, you want to identify the personnel and get guys better. And then really dive into the scheme and the chemistry as we head into the summer. Coach, thank you. You feel like you're from bail to let the quarterbacks go where they stand. We're going to give them feedback for sure. You know, and go from there. But yeah, I mean, I think we, you know, after you go through 15 practices, you want to give feedback. Great coach. Thank you very much. All right folks, we're going to bring coach Jim Knowles up here. And then after that,

5:03:56we'll have Chip Kelly. We will open up the floor for coach Knowles over here to the right. Dylan Davis, Delaware. Is that Hey, Jim. Taiwan Malone is a guy who really flashed out there today. I'm just curious, where does Taiwan fit in your depth defensive line right now? It's a guy who probably doesn't get talked about as much. But where does he fit in that right now? What do you see from in the spring? He's developed for sure. You know, wasn't quite ready last year for a lot of reps. But he showed marked improvement. So you know, long season, we play a lot of guys up front. We really need him to come to come along. And he showed flashes to that. Over to the left. Nathan Barrett Cleveland.com. We've guys like, uh, Nathan and Malik and I guess Lorenzo also not being able to play. Um, and that's been, I guess, the case through most of spring. Just what did that open up for you as far as developing more depth at safety and how have you seen guys like, uh, Bonsu and McLean assert themselves as spring?

5:04:59Yeah, every situation like that gives somebody an opportunity. We were. Our depth was really down at safety this spring. So because you had Nathan, you had, um, jihad. You had, um, Malik. And then Lorenzo. So it opened up opportunities and, um, Bonsu is a guy who really got a lot of reps. And you saw him improve. And then, um, McLean, I think is a, is a great plus. I mean, he is a guy that has football intelligence. He's picked it up. You know, he's kind of one of those incoming freshmen who still should be in high school. He's a guy. I think you're going to point to and you can see right now. He's going to be a player. Over to the right, Austin Ward, the podcast. Uh, healthy Mitchell Melton. How does he fit in for your defense? What does he bring to it? Yeah, he's, you know, Mitch is that combination player, you know, in, um, in our four down, um, you know, he's a guy that can do a lot of things, uh, drop

5:06:06fold in there and make plays. You, you see some of that all the time. Really athletic, um, you know, we're kind of loaded at that end position. So he's going to play there. But, like I said last year, we, we haven't needed it. But he's a guy you would point to along with C. J. Hicks, you know, for the, for the long season, um, people get injured. You get a little light inside. It's always hard on the defensive tackles. But if you're going to play with, uh, three ends, you know, that's Mitch is a guy who definitely can do all that. He has that. Over to the left, Joey Kaufman, Columbus, dispatch. Jim, you've talked about this before, but I think in pastures where you're going up against a really talented receiver group offense to encourage your players to, it's not okay if they give up the play and to go nearly almost the first half. Today, where you, the offense didn't get them the end zone until the late in the second half. Just and you guys have guys down the second area. Just what, what did you think of that sort of trend

5:07:08and how it's evolved and the way you guys almost shut them out of the first half? Yeah, I think it's become, um, you know, an expectation now, um, you know, our DB's, you know, our BIA, best in America, we led the country in past defense, right? I think, uh, it was 96. What I, uh, what I got here, and it was number one last year. So they've, they've taken that spirit. So it's a competitive spirit. It's an expectation now. It doesn't matter who we're going against. It's, it's, they, they view it as a standard. So that was good to see in the first, first half. Over to the right Spencer, Holbrook, Letterman Roe. Jim, we've talked about safety, changing the way that you play defense in the Leo and the linebackers, but how much does having the depth that you guys have at defensive tackle change the way that you can do things defensively? Yeah, I mean, you're going to play to your strengths, you know, and that's, that's my job. This is, is to what do we have and what do we do best?

5:08:11When you have defensive tackles, um, but I've said it before, it helped our defense so much last year when you have defensive tackles that actually make tackles, which is what we have right now. It changes the way you call a game. You know, it certainly helps you be, um, in better shape on explosive plays on the back end. You don't have to do a whole lot to help those guys out because they're making tackles. So you got to go, you got to go with that, you know, you got to, you got to let those guys play and, and, and they're good. So, um, you can't get too far away from the scheme of having those defensive tackles make place because they're doing it and it works. Over to the left, Tony Gurdman, Buckeye Huddl. Jim Ryan talked about the quarterback run being more thing with the offense this year. During the season, how much of, when you're facing a team like that, how much does that impact your day to day throughout the week preparing for that? Yeah, that's a ton, you know, it, I think it changes everything you do on defense. You see it everywhere from

5:09:11the NFL on down. If you have a quarterback who can make plays with his feet, your scheme better be designed that, you know, to, to take that away into account for it. So it changes the way you look at everything when you're game planning. Thank you, Donovan. Over here to the right, uh, Tim May, the Tim May podcast. Yeah, Jim, you might be the interviewer when I asked, uh, Ryan about just, for example, Calvin Simpson Hunt, but the, uh, corner scene did be playing almost with the chip owner shoulder to a certain extent. I mean, Davis and Nick Benosin took the day personally. It looked like, you know, to me, because some of the hype going into the game, but what, what do you see from that group in particular that, uh, Buie's you going into this off season? Yeah, when you can, when you have corners that you can count on, again, it's just like having defensive tackles in the run game. When you have corners, you can count on that are going to compete all the time, no matter what the situation is. And we've developed that again, it changes the way you call the entire game. I mean,

5:10:12you, you're able to leave those guys on an island. Um, you're able to switch out converges and they know what they're doing and they take great pride in it. So, um, having those guys out there in the development, it's a big deal. It really is. Yeah, I mean, he's, he did come in late and, you know, um, he compete, he's one of those guys that just competes every day, doesn't say much, you know, he's trying to live up to the standard or the other guys and you, you see him coming along, you know, you see him step by step coming along and, you know, put him in a, you know, competitive atmosphere, same step up, that's a great sign. And final question for coach Knowles, Dan Hope, 11 Warriors. You mentioned CJ Hicks a few minutes ago. Have you seen him take the strides you need to see the spring to trust him as a guy who could be a potential starter on his defense? Yes, I mean, uh, I think CJ has shown that, uh, he has talent and, uh, I think it's my job to

5:11:20put him in the best situations for him because he can be a force, um, you know, he's much better when he's bloodsing or he's directed because he's able to use his athletic ability, but he has certainly shown that he's going to be able to help this defense. Coach, thank you very much for your time. All right, and, uh, we will bring, uh, offensive coordinator and quarterback's coach, Chip Kelly to the podium now, will open up questions over to the left bill Rebenowitz Columbus dispatch. At Chip, um, what are your just general impressions of the offense coming out of spring, especially at quarterback? We'll look at all 15. So I think, you know, uh, this day is, is a big part of it, you know, because it was the first time they were going to play some of those guys that were going to play in front of a crowd. And that was an amazing crowd. You know, you get 80,000 for spring game. Now you could see some of the young guys kind of looking around like, wow, this is different than the indoor. Um, but that's what they have to get ready to play it. So,

5:12:20we got better from practice one to practice 15, you know, it's still an evaluation through the whole process, but it's not something in the players, though, too, that we're not making a decision, walking off the field today, saying, hey, this is the direction that we're going in. We'll, we'll be very authentic and look through everything and make sure that we get a really good feel for what it all looks like and then who will best move this offense. That's, that's what our decision is going to do. I do. I think we got a lot of guys there. Um, that part's tough. I think, because you got it, you, there's guys that deserve reps, you know, and they're all competing for it. So, you know, sometimes you'd like to be sometimes when you had a guy who was in the initial startup, well, he's going to get the boat to the reps to get him better, but, um, they capitalized on, we really rolled him, you know, if you were at some of our screen practices, you're watching all those guys rotate in, rotate out. Um, and as we talk about all the time, you know, the old adiches is don't count your reps, make your reps count, you know, and we'll put it all together and really come up with, you know, which guy do we really feel is going to make, going to help us move this offensively. Over to the far right, Bill Landis, the podcast, Kings of the North.

5:13:20Hey, Chip, um, you said when we first talked to you that the, the basis of a lot of your success running the football just kind of figuring out what your guys do best and then leading into that over 15 practices now, how good of a field do you think you have for that? And then what did the next few months look like as you try to piece that all together? Really good question. Um, it's, it's interesting because the one thing that I think sometimes makes it tough and an evaluation is what a good front we want to get. Um, you know, so for 15 practices, those guys on the other side of the ball were pain, you know, Jack and JT and Tileek and those guys. But I know come fall, there's not going to be anybody more happy that we have those guys on the defensive side of the ball because of what they can do. So, um, I still think we'll have to really evaluate that, but we're good at what we're not, what we got to get better at and what we got to work on. But I think the work we got against such a quality defense was, uh, was really key for us. Uh, over to the far left. Nathan Barrett Cleelan.com. So, you were going this time, um, it came out of the spring with still a lot of question marks about the offensive line. Um, and even I guess that last season came out with

5:14:24question marks. Where have you seen that progress in the time that you've been here and what's your confidence level that that offensive line's going to allow this offense to do everything it wants to do this fall? Yeah, I mean, I've been here short amount of time. So, I didn't know. I really don't have anything to compare it to. So, I kind of tabula rassa come in with a blank slate and just observe it. I think we're really athletic. Um, I think Donnie and, and, and Seth and those guys inside are really smart and really intelligent. Um, they allow you to, to be able to make adjustments in game. Um, just tucking football with some of those guys. It's like, well, there's, these guys are wired the right way. And a lot of those guys have played a lot of football. So, um, they can bank on their experience there. You know, I think we, we've got about four guys that have played significant amount of snaps and we got to make sure we can find out who the fifth guy is. Um, but that's similar to where the quarterback spot is. I think, and I also think of the offensive line, you're not going to play a 16-17 game season and just play with five guys. You know, you really have to develop your depth there. Um, there's going to be a number two center that's going to play a lot. Front row, build, rhythm, love this dispatch. Um, do you feel like you guys have put all together

5:15:33um, I feel like there's a couple games where we played really well as an entire team, but I think the essence of the guys on the team were all true competitors. And when you're a true competitor, you're never really satisfied with who you are. So we could go out there and hang 70 on a team on offense and the defense could hold a Nazeiro. We're still going to point out the pieces where we need to get better. So, um, I mean, I don't think so, but at the same time, like you could witness this happen on Saturday and we're still going to find a way to, you know, try to, um, push in areas that we need to push and grow in areas that we need to grow. So, um, I don't think you'll ever see a complete game by the book eyes, but we can definitely get a close product and that's where we shoot for. Didn't make it, but I'm in a row. Yeah. Uh, what can you know, fans out there can bail me a little bit because that drop you'll head before every time, you know, literally slid right down, right down with air hauling you guys were involved

5:16:38and stuff. I think when fans wonder why can't you be that every, every possession? I know it's not that simple stuff, but do you hang on that a little bit? I mean, from a stand-borne success in a game where, you know, the office was a little bit lacking. I mean, yeah, you can't do this. You're still going to be a little game like this? Yeah, I mean, um, you know, we're not, we're not too really focused on anything that happened in in last week's game. Obviously, we've recognized the, um, the problems and we have identified the issues and we, um, have done our best to try and solve them throughout these last couple of practice weeks. Um, we have full trust in the coaches to put together a plan to put us in a position to be successful, but it's also a million arduabas players to put on the field. Um, so, um, we're working through all those kinks and, you know, getting out all the impurities from last week, um, we're slowly focused on being tested this week. How much of a bonus is it having another home game? You know, I could have been else by this home game. Just, what's going through your mind in every yard? Yeah, it's, it's a show. No, you're good. It's amazing. Um, it's such a blessing just to be able to play in front of Black

5:17:39Iron Nation in the shoe. Um, it's an experience that I was going to miss. Had that been my last game in the shoe, but, um, God has given us another opportunity to go out there and play in front of amazing home fans, play on the field with my brothers, um, that I played so many, uh, times and knowing that this is for sure the last one, um, it's definitely a special feeling. So just trying to soak it all in, but also have the intense mindset to go out there and execute. Or a third-girl left-and-hope, left-and-more, it's a mech, does this play out front like feel different knowing that for you guys in the senior class, you haven't been able to yet accomplish any of those goals that you've set out for? Um, no, I wouldn't say so. I would say if you, you know, went back to, you know, Georgia 22 and two of those, I would have made the playoffs like, um, I was laser focused then to, I'm laser focused then now. So, um, I think, you know, we have the same mindset going in, obviously, in the back of our heads, we know, okay, this is our last, who are our last chance, but, um, we're never, we're never looking at it as, okay, it's now or never, it's always now or never, um, we're trying to win every single game every time we get our opportunity to go all the

5:18:39way. Um, so that's been our mindset the last couple of years, we've come up short, but, uh, we have opportunity to do stuff that's special this year. Right in front of them, Steve, that like at 24-7th course, yeah, I think, uh, will did not have the kind of game that you guys were just seeing, you know, two interceptions, didn't complete passes at the same level that he did. So that's the house of spring, the bingo and max, who have been healthy? Yes, sir, I feel, uh, very healthy. Obviously, coming off a season and ending injury last year, um, I'm feeling really good, feeling better than ever, to be honest, even better than I did before the season last year. So, it's been a great spring so far. How disappointing was it to get hurt? Your office at the great start last year. Yeah, I mean, it was, it was a hard time. I mean, it's definitely not easy going through any injury, um, especially during the season like that, but, you know, it builds character, I think it's good for me in the long term. I also built that for the time of the season. Oh, for sure. Yeah, saw some key pieces coming there and, uh, produced at a high level. What do you think, George? George is a stud. Once he gets healthy,

5:19:44he's going to be great. Um, he's working really hard right now and, um, he's going to, he's going to have a great season this year. Personally, how exciting is it for you to be kind of your position now this year? Yeah, it's super exciting. Um, you know, I got a lot better feel for the offense this year. Um, really good rapport with Hudson and it's been a fun spring so far. So, I've just got to keep, keep carrying that on and see where it takes us. Obviously, when your side line, you're not playing how important is it to stay like mentally ready and mentally get those reps so that when you come into the spring, you can improve definitely. I mean, that's all it is really just mentally envisioning the plays envisioning making the plays and every night, you know, I think about it probably every day. So it was, it was a big part of it for sure. For sure. How have you gotten better? Um, I think just understanding the defenses and understanding where the quarterback wants me at a specific time and, um, you know, building that trust with them is huge and I think I've been doing a pretty good job of that. How does that relationship with you and

5:20:45Hudson develop in the year two? Yeah, it's developing great. I mean, we have a great friendship off the field. So, you know, that helps a lot on the field as well. So we have a great connection. You know, both on and off the field and it only helps. Your brother's coming, right? Yeah, yeah, so you'll be here in May. It'll be a lot of fun. It'll be a lot of fun having him up here. What do you mean to see a lot of this team on the Saturday? I think just, you know, go out there and play hard, um, limit the mistakes and at the end of the day, it's just being consistent with what we do and playing hard. So that's why I want to see it for sure. You feel like everyone's more prepared for this spring game? Oh, for sure. I think we're way ahead of last year and I'm excited to see where it takes us. Anything on Dipper or the freshman? Yeah, Drew Bipper. Yeah, he's getting healthy now. He's looking great. He looked really healthy today and I'm super excited to play with him. He's a lot of fun to play with. Just how quick is this turnaround? You guys just started practicing a couple weeks ago. Now you have a spring game to get to. It's pretty quick, but, you know, I like it.

5:21:48I like it a lot. So it's fun to get out there and play, you know, 11-V-11, put the ball down and go. I mean, that's the goal. That's the goal every day. You know, that's what I'm reaching for. Whether I get it or not, who knows, but that's what I'm reaching for every day.