Press Conferences (Chris Henry Jr.) Elite Edition September 2

0:00You've just been trolling going back here... Just getting into that orange vehicle. I enjoy every time. You've got good cams. I got good cams now. Joe, it just started looking as if there was... You've got a good, bad... You've just conceived your cam, you know. 5 그런데, I love weather, it just looks apocalypse. It's a betrayal as well. I know I know I know it's part of the Alan victory. I know you know I know how Dan Dutz got that. Unless the scenes are over. Is there any more than one? Zi испытGrach. changed. Swee he's starting to get a clap. kilometres away. Bestie MarkStation? Bestie Matatov's Nugger. I'll get your watch on.

1:01Get your PM sure. Great, great, great. What do you want out of a coil back in your box? Like a white guy. After you've turned missing, you just have to guard him. You just have to guard him. Yeah, this is what I want. We have a radio to you with all the arms and tissues. I'm going to go to the police for a gun. I'll turn it down. You're actually just a target. You see the radio. I'm going to have to go up and down. Yeah. I hear. I hear. What are you doing? What are you doing? What are you doing? What are you doing? I'm just doing what I'm doing. I'm going to go back and down. I'm going to go back and down. Thank you, bro. Those visiting troops today. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

2:01What's going on? What's going on? I'm going to talk with my cell. I tell you, about the night I get this roll. I'm going to talk to my cell. I'm going to talk to my cell. First time I met him, we just found him really well. What do you think he can bring to the clock? You know, when the clock is in the clock. It's like when the clock is in the clock. What's going on between you and the calendar? This is a little obvious. It has helped me a little. It has just helped me a little. It's different being in a state in the country here. There's a point you were just about the hour, that is definitely different. So this fly here. I don't think anybody outside looking at new questions, the strength of your commitment, like you're locked in your last eight, you send it over and over, but you're making visits

3:02around the country, you see other schools, it's almost a totally different mindset. What's that called to the new class? How do you approach those other visits and how do you communicate with Ohio State about them? What's been the message you've been talking about? I'm always locked in, I'm still enjoying my sins, being through this only one time. I'm very interested in enjoying the other schools I've had in life. Yes, I'm going to be really hard to try to get this flip. So how do you stay in Ohio State? What is it that made you want to take those? Whenever I need like, have trouble remembering something, I just go up to them and they know every play, every little detail, he just helps with that. And if I need help, with four words, I think it'll come out and help me. And just like, whatever I need, it's 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?

4:03Definitely, Coach Hart told me that at the beginning, he played a quarterback in high school and he hadn't made a transition to receive it at here in Ohio State. And he's going to be rough at first, but he has to push me to get me to where I need to be. When you think back and just like you're upbringing, coming from Africa being over here, just what do you, how did all you feel, call of that kind of helped mold you into who you are now? Yeah, definitely, definitely, maybe like tough and not afraid of new change. And he's willing to just adapt to my environment. What was it like for you coming in here as a freshman and getting to see his team go win an national championship for 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 wanted 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?

5:04I just say you've got to, don't let the past like affect you like, and just, you got to be relentless. You got to be relentless, you got to put in the word, it's not easy at all by any means. It's got to be hard, but you have to do everything you do. What do you view as like the best attributes of your game that you're going to bring to this team? I 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. It's the last year, then like when you think back to the whole reward last year, I don't know what that was going to be. What has the last kind of year been like for you as you've been going on from the player that was kind of calling me a process to make your mind say something that you can transition into. So I was this last year kind of 12 months. I was definitely changing my mind because I was always on my sophomore year, I was hurt and I got hurt during track. So I was able to, I was a highly excluded anything.

6:05And this time last year was like when my equipment really picked up and it's been crazy like must have another like, even just leaving me in my corner, my coach is everything. I just give it the motivation to go. Where's your last year in like, for TAVI, for the same thing you guys, for the same team, and the other team? Three working in the game for the time. Oh yeah, that's a big good. Before I even got a hosting offer and before I even knew it was exactly actually through with them a couple of times in both. Bella Bons, from Trotte, yeah I was working with, I knew his head coach and he invited me to come and run routes. Actually, Grand Rouse for TAVI in the fight. We was exactly headed like, we first came to the O.A. We had a lot more, we got got together, hosted a freshman class and he's strong and he's working on everything. He's definitely got nice on. This cornerback for the years, I was pretty talented. How has that kind of, like, been doing all of your refreshments?

7:07The quarterback? The quarterback. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He definitely challenged it and said, as I always say, I'm so happy about it. And they make it hard for you. And when you play this high level competition practice, you go on a game, like twice as easy as you do the practice. And he's really built on something. Is there going to be a moment of question? I was just going to look down at him. Oh wow, I guess there's a lot more problems. I guess there's 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 would just take some reps and see if we just could. Yeah, I just had past speed, had catching abilities, like, face separation. And I come to college and draw everybody's fast, everybody's big. So you have five new ways to get out, but it's really good for yourself to hire your IQ. We plan as much.

8:07So I just wanted to get more experience under my belt. So I can bring younger guys with me because I've been through a lot. One of those younger guys, we're seeing it out here. It's the first time it's hurt all these last years. What have you seen from Will? Because I kind of felt like, well, I should have real forgot about him because he was hurt. Now he's running almost a second man out behind you and tied. What have you seen from that? Well, as a workhorse, he's going to stay quiet, he's going to work hard. And that's what I love about him. He focuses, he don't really talk much. He's going to get the job done, do a job right. He rarely has any mistakes. What would be a successful season? A national championship? A ring? When all the games we don't want to lose anything. We got a mindset that we can't beat. And we just got to go show it. That mindset different. It seems like you guys expect a national championship every year. This year, even more so, you guys all come back for this. You guys have all decided like, that's enough as a month. Does that keep feeling different?

9:07Or is there not really any difference? It's just the same work. It's definitely a difference. Everyone working harder. We noticed our last run. Most of us don't have any years after this. So we got to go bigger, go home, and we're not trying to go home. So what's going to do with that? Finish big. We know what you guys think of Michigan. But when you look at what they did, they won the national championship. And you guys took them down to the final minute. Right? You know what I mean? You were right there. Something goes a little different. You guys could have won that game against them. Does that tell you anything about like that, hey, you guys want to win a national championship? But you played to the 59th minute with the team that won the national championship last year. Like you're that close. So I'm saying, we just work harder. That's kind of a coach makes a saying, you know, nobody cares, just work harder. Like those, you know, when we played Georgia, it's the same thing. Yeah. Last, last play, you know, they went on the winning 90s. So we just got to get over that hump at the end of the season. I think we'll be fine. How frustrating is that? You're that close against the last two national titles.

10:08Of course it's frustrating. But you can't change the outcome. You can't really dwell on it. You just got to, you know, come back and work harder. Do things better than you did last year and hopefully the outcome will change. Is that as you get older, you kind of learn. I thought I was working hard and you always find out there's a little more than you could have been doing. Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's how that's what growing up is basically in college. I thought, freshman year, I was working as hard as I could, but now I look back at it. I really wasn't working hard at all, compared to what I'm doing now. So just to learn anything. The stamina is a 16. What do you need it to be to be your best? It's a 75. 80, 85. I mean, I can, it's all on me. I think it's a little higher. I was just trying to be funny, but I mean, it's all on me. I just got to run harder. Get the shape. But, it's been a thing. The idea of a potential is 15 or 17. I'm sorry about that idea.

11:08There's a making nervous about, can you last that long? I think, I think we, I definitely can last. I was just, you know, we got to get the young guys to come along with us. We can't play 50 snaps a game. That's just too much on our bodies. Just everybody, like, online, online. We got to get those younger guys to play, you know, get that pieces on the D-line and the online and everywhere else. So we can last that long. Speaking of that, we're playing on the snap. If you like playing on me, snap again last year because I don't know. I don't know if any of us were really expecting to play that next time. Yeah, I did. Unless we were like winning by like a lot. I thought like, there are no moments you know, I can go sit down or something. But we're playing them big games, like, you know, Notre Dame, too, or those kind of games. Of course, I want to be in, because I know I can contribute. And I won't want to put that on anyone else when I know I can get the job done. What stands out about Kaden McDonald and this he got that team? You guys are the second. Oh, yeah, definitely. K-Mac is a K-Mac's animal. Y'all, you haven't really seen it yet, but in practice, he shows all the time.

12:10He's just, he's growing right now. He has a work ethic. He just has to get, you know, in the playbook, things like that. You guys are about the exact same size. Listen, you're both listening to 6th or your 327. He's 326. Yeah, he's a very old one. I kind of look at him like my junior, but, you know, K-Mac, he's going to be a great player. He's just got to develop more and getting a playbook. It's really a lot on you, older guy. There's that large group of young guys and then there's these seniors in the back. Is that part of your task for this year to bring those guys along as well? Yeah, definitely. We got to be leaders. Like I said, we got to have them play this year. We can't just play all the snaps. They got to get in there and get some work. And we got to get them right, throwing all season so they can play. And not just play, they want to contribute, like, make plays, tackle, and sex. It's a great job. It's a very, very special thing. Thank you. It seems like these guys get bigger. Each one of the first-man class is going to be bigger or bigger. Do those guys kind of, it doesn't kind of allow you to solve the first? Yeah, there definitely is some big dudes. And they all work hard.

13:10I'm really seeing much of some of the day too when I'm passing on. But throughout the workouts, they've been working hard. They're determined to... I can say that. And it looks like they're ready to work with me. How important is those? It feels like... There's a lot of great defenses that you have big, athletic defensive tactics you can eat up space, ballroom, move, right? Is that an environment maybe for great defense? To have guys like you that have some balls, but also a great team? I think that is definitely... I think if you look at the last couple of nice and championship winners, like Team up North, they got two-bit, uh, detaco, two athletic detacos. Look at Georgia, two athletic detacos. I think that's definitely neat if you want to go on that big run and beat those big teams. If you think about this, they're almost defined by the defense with actors. What's Georgia, Jordan Davis and Deanna Carter? Let's miss you again. It's Chris Jenkins. Couple more questions for you.

14:10It is funny how... I mean, you understand it because you play it. But I feel like some time... I don't know. Are people realizing how important defense tackles are? A little bit more than they used to? I think so. I think they're starting to develop more and more of these like freakiest detacos. Yeah. Like in the combine, just now, you see in like those guys, they're moving four to four, seven, eights and things like that. So we'll see. And when you think about those freakiest out-line defense attacks, how do you think you fit into that mold of that kind of player? You watch that and say, yeah, that's me. Yeah, definitely. I think I'm top-notch when it comes to detacos, but I don't want to get a big head, but you know, I watch it come on. I watch it do the drills. I have tapes here, you're like, you're looking like my film. So I think I'm up there with all those times. Do you become like a artist who comes to the bad guy on the passes? I think your legs can't be clanked. I mean, you're going to bring practice. You're not doing as much a weapon on the weapon. I'm just asking, how do you work on that? Do you have like a goal in mind?

15:10I don't remember how many bad lines you're going. You have a goal in mind? How many do you want to have? I mean, as many as I can have, I think I have more than that. But I think they've counted. I think they've counted some of them. And it's some of them where I like just missed it. But I think we work on drills matching the hand. And I think that goes big. And what we do is a D line. Just affecting the quarterback is, anyway, you can. It's just great for the defense. That little thing covering his eye, you know, he might throw it. A little bit to the left to our players. So it's something that you really, really have to work on. You just do that with what you do in the past. It's a theory that's one of the things that you've maybe worked on the most. You can bring your time here because there are a few guys that I've seen. Oh, that pass through the second. We don't have that. I think I just have like an eye for the ball kind of. I kind of just look at the quarterback and just, I see him like load up. I just try to get in his ways. And sometimes he just throws it to me. I'm irritated if you want to be a high state quarterback. I mean, they get frustrated, but you know, we're a team.

16:13We're just getting better. I should lot of, a lot of different backs, man. They just learn to grow for them. If you want to pick your top three backs, you have to go right now. One, two, three. I don't really have a top three, but I'll give you, I'll give you one. I would say, say, Juan Gibbs and I like McCaffrey. Auto, he was injured this year. I like McCaffrey. Who's the best back in this draft? Best back in this draft. I lead out of the yard. That's y'all decision. Playing well, Howard. What I'm going to remember most. We're a Howard, man. He's just such a great leader, man. It's just like in moments where usually a lot of players they fold, man. He was just always calm and relaxed, man. He just the leader that he was, man. That's one thing I'm going to remember about him. Yeah, he's shoot.

17:13He's going to be really good, man. He's on Coach Locke. I think he got the transfer in as well from West Virginia. Just that one, two punch with them both as well. They're going to be really good backs. And so James people's, man. He's smart. The way that he goes about his business, man. He's mature. And so, man, he's growing, you know, just as a person and as a player. And so, man, yeah, definitely Ohio State. You know, that running back room is in great hands. I was right there. I'm looking at the UFC spot and put on this. I'm going to raise the personality and the approach of the federal defense. Yeah. Coach Heartline, man. He's full of energy, man. And he's creative as well. You know, I'm just learning from him as well. You know, I'm trying to run more outside the backfield. It was being able to learn from Coach Heartline. And so, he's definitely creative at what he does. And he brings a lot of energy to the team as well. And so, I think that would do really good. So, what's your intensity, man? Just intensity, man. And intensity that it playoffs. Every game, man, is like the intensity got higher and higher.

18:16And so, you know, being able, I know in the lead, it's the same thing. Even if it's not the playoff, just every game and the intensity keeps getting higher and higher. And so, yeah, you just, I know you got to bring it. You know, each and every day and come in and work just like Ohio State. You know, I definitely feel like Ohio State. They definitely do a good job of preparing us for that. You know, I just remember even before going through this process, I'll talk to a lot of players before then. And they told me a lot of just about how much Ohio State prepared them, you know, for the NFL. And so, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I know I took a couple of days off after the National Championship. And then, shoot, right after that, I'm writing sample Florida and I'm writing to it. And so, yeah, I think where I trained, I trained at your birth performance. I think it's called the House of Athlete or the Compound now. They did a good job, man. They're just bringing us in and the way they went about training us, man. They did a really good job.

19:17I mean, now, when you play in Michigan, it's the Bucking Nears. No, I haven't. What do you think of the city of Tampa? Tampa, Tampa, nice. It's a nice city, man. Really nice. I think it's really easy for you to win. The 40 to broad and avert. I think it's really easy for me to win. Yeah. Yeah. No, man. It's really all about technique and then it's about mindset as well. And so, I say, you know, it's for the love of my brother. It's for the love of Will Howard. It's for the love of the receivers who I got on the perimeter. Just making sure, you know, first of all, my quarterback doesn't get sacked. And I told Will I think it was before the first game. I was like, I got your brother. I said, man, I'm not going to let you get hit. You know, and so I don't know if I gave up a sack. I'm not sure that, but I know if I did, I haven't given up too many. And so, man, it's for the love of my brother's, though, man, making sure the ball get in their hands, you know, the guys on the outside

20:19and making sure they get fed. You had to hit the practice field later today. What is something you'd be working on right now when you need to start? In my game. You can't really work on this, you know, in all season, I feel like it's more so. You know, you got to put the pads on. You got to go through some inside run, you know, maybe. It's really just continuing to run through tackles. And so that's, I feel like that's one of the areas in my game. You know, I want to continue to get better at it. I feel like I did a good job of that in my senior year. And so I just want to continue to build on that. So you get to play. Yes, I did. Yes, I did. So people try to look like, I'll let you borrow out there. I'll get back in person. I'll be mad with you. I did meet with New Orleans as well. I never got that comparison. Actually, I know I have a Camera shoe. Yeah, man, I have a Camera great, great back, man. Just what he does and those 101 matchups, he's dangerous, man. And he's so smooth. He's so smooth as well. I'm not going to lie. He's smooth. So I did your play, Rob. You played with the two teams.

21:19You see what I'm playing? Yeah. Inside zone from stack, being able to hit that thing downhill. And I'll say the next one is probably just an option out of the backfield. And man, man, coverage, you're getting on that linebacker. And so. Yeah, I say the man, the biggest thing is the way that he carries himself, man. And the way that man, he approaches the game. He comes in with the mindset, you know, he's going to work every single week. You know, every practice, you know, he's working hard, you know, even shoot him. I don't know, every good, I think he had it. Every game was a good game for him, man. And so, but still, man, he always has the mentality to mindset that, you know, he's going to come in each and every day. He's going to continue to work and get better, man. And so he's definitely, man, he's going to be a special player, man. He really is.

22:26Man, a lot of ups and downs, man. It's just how you respond to adversity. And I feel like that's something that God has definitely helped me to do better. It's just, I'm not having something to lean on now. You know, I remember before I met him, you know, going through those adversity, I had nothing to run to. You know, you can run to people, but they still can't. It's not too much, they can't truly help you. You know, I feel like, you know, I feel like the only person that can truly help you is your relationship with Jesus Christ. And so being able to lean on him, you know, he gives you, in those moments where it's tough, you know, where it's slow. And when you're behind the scenes and you're going through things that people don't know about, he gives you that peace and comfort. You know, even in those moments, man, where it's so hard that you can't explain. It's like, man, I'm going through this, but like, how am I still filled with this internal joy? You know, how do I have so much peace in this situation? And so that's something that only Jesus Christ can give you. And so...

23:28How are you? Um... Man, those guys have such a great mentality, man. Am I just really loved their mentality? Especially Q as well. You know, I talked about Will Howard, his leadership, but Quincham mentality. Man, um... That boy just, yeah, that boy just gifted. You know, you see, you know, sometimes he put in a situation where he looked like, you know, he should have a negative five yards. And then as soon as you know it, you know, he, that running through somebody, stiff arm and somebody, and shoot, it's a game to 10. And so... Yeah. Um... Shoot, I think... Yeah, man, I think it's just like, he's just gifted, man, to be honest. He's just gifted, you know, he's a big back, you know, he's strong, and so, um... You know, he's able to do those things, and so, um... Yeah, man, it's definitely, you know, I look at his game, and I want to, you know, at the same time, I want to learn from Quincham. You know, I want to look at this game, and it's like, man, where, where can I get better at as well?

24:28You know, that's the type of player I am. I'm always looking to get better, man, I'm always looking to grow as a player. What's your last experience in training? Jule and San. Oh, yeah, he's going to be a great back. He's going to be a great quarterback, man. He's so, so accurate, and so, um... He's definitely, man, I know Coach Dez is definitely going to get him right. Just, you know, um... Continuing to grow as a leader, continuing to grow as a player. And so, he's going to be really good for a high state. He's, I know just the quarterback position. I feel like, you know, the quarterbacks in the past, they've definitely been vocal, and so I feel like that's something that they're definitely going to ask of Julian San as well. It's to be that vocal leader, and lead the offense, and lead the team. Thanks, guys. Thanks, guys. Shoot, man, he has a bill like JK Dobbins, and I kind of see them, you know, similar, similarities in their game as well. And I know JK Dobbins, he was a great running back. I feel like he's not talked about his none. A lot, but man, his career here, you watch his highlights is great.

25:29I remember, um... Before I recruit, before I committed here, I remember watching JK Dobbins highlights like every, every, um, one of his years here, like four or five times. And so, man, he was such a great back. And, um, I feel like, you know, when I see JK Dobbins, when I see, um... James people, I see similarities to both of their games. I feel like they play the same. I appreciate you all. Yeah, I'll be going. This...

27:44Well, I got coming in last year. I knew the role, so I just attacked every day, really the same way. It's taking the van very rough. Physically, how different are you? Weight wise, body wise, all that from the year ago. I think I got a lot bigger. I'm like 240. I'm like 244 right now. Last year, I played at like 236 to 37. What does it feel like at 244 or a value? You feel like almost a different machine out there. Yeah, like... What does it feel like to be running around out there like you are, but with more, more back? I just feel like I'm like, like, like more downhill, like stronger, like I'm taking all the bloods better. It's bigger. Maybe that's not the correct term, but to think you're going to be playing much more than you did even last year. And you played quite a bit last year instead of... What do you have to get straight in your head about being on the field that much more?

28:47I just got to get ready to just play 30 more snaps. But, are you... How would you describe how much you're looking forward to it from an 8-stand point? I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready for it. My play. I'm ready for it. The text is open. It's a rematch. But it's not really two different teams compared to the last time you all played and stuff. How has that enhanced this camp for you and this team getting ready for the... We're an opener of that magnitude? Yeah, with an opener like that, we've been... We've been emphasizing it a lot. We know we got coming, so we know we got to do... We've been preparing for it. I already did probably with the... I think Riley ready to play right now. He advanced freshman. He ended up here in the book. He studied in like he advanced. And his measurements was crazy. He saw it like the saw it. I feel like you said you're ready. What was that process like during last season? Could you feel yourself becoming more and more ready for whatever the team needed from you? Yeah, because that's pretty much what my role was. Just whenever I was needed I had to step up. So I feel like that's what built me into me being able to say I'm ready for this year.

29:55When you say ready, is it more a physical thing? Is it a mental thing? When I say ready, I think it's pretty much like everything physically, mentally, mostly. I think I'm there. A different piece of that feeling this year is analyzed because this is not supposed to be the best. Asked one more time. I feel like it's a way bigger responsibility with me having to step up this year. But I kind of go about it the same way. Like last year I was intentional with everything I did. I feel like this year is going to be the same thing. It's probably a little bit more. And what work? How's everybody working? I say. Scrab my game. I say like when you think of me, you think of like a like a bully like a silver bullet.

30:58I don't really. I'm always on the ball. That's how I like to play a thing. No, I ain't got to be my nickname, but. Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's it. A couple more questions. How does that fit you? And what are you enjoying about? I think it fit me because. I don't know. I just like the defense. I feel like we got like you said we got a lot of freedom and we're moving around a lot. A lot of the times is like, you know, I don't know. I don't really not answer that. I think it's a go on your instincts a little bit more. Maybe that's not so thinking of too much. I don't even know if I say that because there's a lot of thinking going on, but it's like. I just like it's deep. I like how it's pretty deep. I like what you got going on. What was it sad when CJ left the right? Uh, now I wanted to my sad. I was kind of like happy for you. Like, yeah, that's what you want.

31:59No, no. That's my dog. I don't say it. Kind of missing a little bit. But yeah, I'm happy for him. Well, don't thank you. Go ahead one last but coach days talked a lot about the guys who played some last year, but maybe weren't the starters and the hunger for. That wasn't maybe your national championship you guys will win your own. Yeah. How much do you feel that is a guy who certainly contributed last year, but will be in this bigger role and along the summer year. Yeah, I do feel like. Yeah, I do feel like I did win a national. But like you said, my role wasn't the same as how's going to be this year. So yeah, I definitely want to want to go get another one experienced that like feeling maybe on the field. A lot more place. Thank you very much. Today coach day and mentioned that I was the server was designed by again. What have you seen from him this offseason and how soon that he kind of hooked us, which we saw like. I think this guy is what he wants to do. 25 or go off of last year. Yeah, I think Austin's always had a good demeanor about him and he's I think he's elevated that even more.

33:03I think it feels like there's been a lot of police that he's he's instilled in himself to see himself do that, you know, over time. And you know, really he's just been really impressive. You know, he's one of those guys in my opinion that he's just don't talk about a lot because he does everything right. When you're playing online, you're always at the point of attack. So it's easy to get exposed. The people are talking about you a lot. It's usually not a good thing. And Austin is the complete opposite. So we'll make sure to identify all these great things he's doing, but he just continuously continually does his job at a high level. And you know, I expect that to continue. I expect that to develop more and more into a leadership role, which we already feel. And you know, be a mainstay and bring along that online group, which we're starting about. So Austin's a big player. Brian, I think it was around the same last year when people were talking about Brandon's being such a big leader behind the scenes.

34:04And I know he didn't play maybe starter snatch last year, but how important was he to just what you wanted that room, the chemistry to be and how much brother you see from. Yeah, Brian's always been a big part of our senior wise coach really drives it helps run it. Cornell is taking a big role in that as well this year. Frankly, all those guys are stepping up. Cornell, JJ David Adolf. You know, these guys were all I've made progression from a leadership standpoint. Those guys are really trying to take over with B at B.I. Be in the fourth front of that. So I expect that. That's good that he holds himself to a high standard, but I want him to start bringing even more and more guys at home in that same fashion. Brian, you're also the best thing that Jeremiah does and plays the wraps when he goes and has a lot of sense. You know, I think that best thing Jeremiah does is just he just always wants to learn. So, you know, as a coach, you can't, you know, baby him. You can't like put him on a pedestal. He does not want that.

35:04So he being held accountable. You know, there have been opportunities and then he finished more and held the ball on your hands, turned up to him. I identify him. He applies. Like, so I'm not going to say there's one individual thing in the ball's time as hands. I think just overall for him. He's always trying to learn. He's always trying to contribute whether he's that, you know, he knows there's a decoyish mentality or block him. And the mentality is a big guy or whatever that rule is, he just loves learning the why and then I'm then applying it in that role in that. Brian, we're running our last week, which they talked about, far now, maybe taking the biggest strides out of anyone in terms of leadership. Did you guys have the push now? Was that all kind of him naturally kind of stepping into that role? No, it is more him for sure. There's probably a conversation that was had, obviously, that, you know, we know your capable of this. Why not be this guy? Whatever those conversations are between myself. You can coach make and coach day.

36:04But ultimately, you know, players apply. Players choose to do things. We can recommend and suggest all we want. But ultimately, players are responsible for making plays and making changes. So, yeah, I would agree with coach. You know, he's the right kind of guy for it. There's the right kind of a rule. No BS kind of guy. A lot of guys have a lot of respect for him. So doing a great job after we love it. And then those conversations that had were received. And I'm glad it sees really taking the, taking the reins of it and ran with it. All right. Go ahead. Talk to the board about what it takes. More kind of a second group to get on the field in terms of replacing those guys. Are you seeing that maybe more of an opportunity to have some rotation this year? Given what you've gotten in terms of experience and what not behind the first three years? Yeah, there's always a chance. I mean, there's so many reps being had in practice.

37:06And you're either playing at the level of the guys that are starting or you're not. Ultimately, that's what it comes down to. If you can match the execution level and or bet or whatever, ultimately the film tells you who should be on the field on Saturdays. And at what point in the game? You know, whether it be situationally or not. And guys maximizing his rep opportunities ultimately dictates how that works. Right. So we've got lots of reps early in spring and we got two fields going. We got tons of reps happening. And more times than not it kind of shows itself. But yeah, I do that frankly every year. It's the same opportunity, but those guys just have to do it. And you know, you love defining roles, but guys define roles. And they earn range. And if you keep it that way, ultimately, the respect in your room and the position room on your team should stay true.

38:08And so a lot of competition right now, a lot of good stuff happening. We're just going to try to see who does it more consistently over time. Every time we've talked about it, it seems like it's been more he had to catch up a lot of roles early. Like, it's like that. Where have you seen the biggest sense of the film? Yeah, I think him going through his first spring really helped him first winner really helped him. Being grounded for his first for a summer, you know, instead of like showing up and having acclimations for a month before you actually get into it. I mean, all of those things, you know, almost makes you feel like you're in your third year. Like for Jeremiah, or these young guys that came in this year to come in January. But at the time you get to your second year, you're almost like it's your third year because you've worked with Coach Mac, you've had a spring, you've had a summer, you've had a fall camp, you've had a fall season. And you're like, gosh, it's only a second year.

39:08I always say when you come in June, it's still all new until you get back to June. And so that's what my own experience, my own now, I mean, he fully understands that. I mean, there you don't understand it. I'm good, I'm good, I'm good. You don't realize it. So, yes, I mean, it's your question long windedly and say that, you know, it's a really good spot. And he's put himself in a position to compete for getting on the field, whether it be offensively or special teams, I expect him to earn roles in special teams even before you even get on offense. That's how we're built here, right? Defensively and offensively, you can't get on special teams. So, you expect to put off with a defense. So, you know, the guys on special teams are the best football players, period. So, those guys, I like to see him on in that light, but obviously, you had a great spring. He's growing and I want to see him keep building on what he's doing. You know, don't want to have step backs. I know he's not going to understand the progression he's on is really good.

40:09What kind of asset is Tyler? I love really enjoyed getting to know Tyler. I think really how they have his football IQ and his personality and how he commands with his room and his guys and how he both relationships. The overall having Tyler in the building is a great honor, a great situation. What do you expect Tyler to do? I mean, I can't say that anything like it's only day two. So, like, we're going to see about the body of work. These guys have, they've done a pretty good job of making the plays we're supposed to make. And then we'll go from there. Just stay one day to install. We're looking at the body of work for guys to separate themselves, not just today. With the quarterback, so just kind of a general. What are you looking to see first day, second day, third day? Consistency. What you do most often is exactly who you are. So, we consistently make the play.

41:11It's just the communicator's loudly loud because they have energy consistently to power well. Whatever that is, the look, the consistency level of anybody ultimately dictates your identity. So, we're chasing that. It's too early right now that speak past that, but like, where did he build? I talked yesterday about how important the cadence is with the quarterback. So, what he's looking for there. Have you seen both those guys deliver what you're looking for? Yeah, they're going to go job they're going with it and they understand it's a weapon. Right, I'm just talking about it. David, eight off on the phone. The power saving the quarterback is going to come to the point. Working out there and blocking. You have a time. You have a trick thing does that. And you have that time to block the other one. Yeah, I think anytime you can work together. Guys are getting a feel for each other. Not only just, oh, he throws the ball like this. It's more about the camaraderie. He has my back. More than anything. You can't challenge a relationship. You don't have a relationship.

42:12So, you can't challenge a guy. You can't be out of guy. You can't get, you know, push a guy. Less relationship is built first. So, the faster you get the relationship built, the quicker you can get to uncomfortable conversations. And ultimately you grow. So, during the foundation is still number one. And those guys doing that in their own is a good sign. From your space player, you're able to kind of get away. Obviously, you work here the most. You're able to get away. Kind of keep being together. Push each other in that sense. How much is that? That's all you know. I mean, I don't know how much you're pushing each other on your own. I mean, again, I'm not. When they're on their own, they're going to do it on their own time. And so it feels a little more ownership, I think, at times when you do stuff like that. But again, ultimately, it's just the bond going. What's new? It wasn't there in January. But it's it's it's obvious now.

43:18Oh, yeah, it's all personal. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, it was awesome. Like, we're playing full basketball and we're literally trying to drown each other to win. I mean, there was no files. We just want to know who could execute might the plays. And that was included. And when we were going to say like nothing was off limits, there was nothing else. So one, the guys kind of who show up, the guys that compete, the guys, oh, that's right. I mean, poor son, he gets a value of everything he does. It doesn't matter. Every coach is probably that way. Anytime you're around, people manage just to see the nature if you're if you're worried about it. It was a lot of fun. The guys in the lock. Yeah, that's good.

44:18I mean, it's not real basketball. Yeah, but like that. I thought it says I'm drive. I think I borrowed groups. There was a three something that was pretty good. It went all a little under. But then me, JJ, who else beat him. No, I did not. We lost the first one. But it was car now. It was B.I. And it was Lincoln. Those three we could not. They went for a run. Good seven rate. We got some bad turnovers in our first game. We were identifying. It was tough as competition. God, you have to plan again. But there was like the eighth game. And we don't make it. We heard a lot about Lincoln's athleticism. Like how much to show up and everything. It seems like the team does involve baseball. Like do you see it everywhere? It is a competitive. You know, I think that's the biggest thing that comes off on

45:18the link. And it's enjoyable to look sports with him. He's on your side. We plan as much. So I just wanted to get more experience under my belt. I can bring younger guys with me because I've been doing my good. One of those younger guys, we're seeing it on here. It's the first time in the sport all year. What have you seen from Will? I don't know. I've never felt like last year, we all forgot about it because he was hurt. Now he's running almost a second man off on the tie. What have you seen from the back of your team? Will is a workhorse. He goes, stay quiet. He goes, work hard. And that's all I love about him. He focuses. He don't really talk much. He's going to get the job done. Do a job right. He rarely has any mistakes. What it would be is successful season. The national championship. A ring. When all the games we don't want to lose anything, we got a mindset that we can't beat. We just got to go show it. That mindset different. It seems like you guys expect the national championship every year.

46:18This year even more so you guys have all come back for this. You guys have all decided like that. Is that just keep feeling different? Or is there not really any difference? It's just the same work. It's definitely a difference. Everyone working harder. We noticed our last run. Most of us don't have any years after this. So we got to go bigger, go home and we're not trying to go home. Finish big. We know what you guys think of Michigan. But when you look at what they did, they won the national championship. And you guys took them down to the final minute. Right? You know what I mean? You were right there. Something goes a little different. You guys could have won that game against them. Does that tell you anything about like that? Hey, you guys want to win a national championship. But you played to the 59th minute with the team that won the national championship. Last year, you were that close. So I'm saying we just like work harder. That's kind of a coach makes a saying. You know, nobody cares. Just work harder. Like those, you know, we won't play Georgia. It's the same thing. Yeah. Last, last play. You know, they went on the win in 90.

47:18So we just got to get over that hump at the end of the season. I think we'll be fine. How frustrating is that? You're that close against the last two national titles. Of course, you know, it's frustrating. But you can't change the outcome. You can't really dwell on it. You just got to, you know, come back and work harder. Do things better than you did last year and hopefully the outcome will change. Is that as you get older, you kind of learn. I thought I was working hard, but then you always find out there's a little more that you could have been doing? Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's how that's what growing up is basically in college. And I thought, freshman year, I was working as hard as I could, but now I look back at it. I really wasn't working hard at all compared to what I'm doing now. So just to learn anything. If the stamina is a 60, then the answer to what do you need it to be to be your best? Uh, 80, 85. I mean, I can, it's all on me. I just, I think it's a little higher. I was just trying to be funny, but I mean, it's all on me. I just got to run harder in shape.

48:18The stamina, the idea of a potential that's 15 or 17 or 17, is how do you... What's the side of that idea that's making you nervous about, can you last that long? You're worried, you're worried, you're worried about that. I think, I think I definitely can last. I was just, you know, we got to get the young guys to come along with us. We can't play 50 stamps a game. That's just too much on our bodies. Just everybody's like, online, online. We got to get those younger guys to play, you know, get debt pieces on the D-line and online. And everywhere else, so we can last that long. Speaking of the light game, I don't know if you like playing that many stamps again. Not here, because I don't know if any of us were really expected to be playing that many stamps. Ah, yeah, I did. Unless we were like winning by like a lot. I thought, like, there are no moments you know, I can go sit down or something. But we're playing them big games, like, you know, Notre Dame too or North, those kind of games. Of course, I want to be, because I know I can contribute. And I won't want to put that on anyone else when I know I can get the job done.

49:18What stands out about Keaton McDonald is he got a game. You guys in a second? Oh, yeah, definitely. K-Mac is a K-Mac's animal. You haven't really seen it yet, but in practice, he shows it all the time. He's just, he's growing right now. He has to work, I think. He just has to get, you know, in the playbook and things like that. You guys are about the exact same size. Listen, you're both, listen, six or your three 27, he's three 26. Yeah, he's a very obvious. I kind of look at him like my junior, but you know, K-Mac, he's going to be a great player. He's just got to develop more and get into playbook. So really a lot on you, older guys, there's that large group of young guys. And then there's the seniors in your back. Is that part of your task for this year to bring those guys along as well? Yeah, definitely. We got to be leaders. Like I said, we got to have them play this year. We can't just play all the snaps. They got to get in there and get some work. And we got to get them right during the all season. So they can play. And not just play, they want to like contribute, like make plays, tackle, sex. It seems like these guys get bigger.

50:19Each one of the freshmen class is bigger or bigger. And those guys kind of, it does kind of value themselves the first. Yeah, they're definitely some big dudes. And they all work hard. I'm really seeing much of some day too when I'm passing on. But throughout the workouts, they've been working hard, you know, they're determined to, I would say that. And it looks like they're ready to work with me. How important is those? It feels like, you know, there's a lot of great defense that you have big, athletic defense attack, so you can eat up space, but also move, you know, right? That is that. Is that an inquire maybe from great defense to have guys like you that have some balls, but also a great team? I think that is definitely. I think if you look at the last couple of national championship winners, like team of Northe, you know, they got two good, uh, detackle, two athletic detackles. Look at Georgia, two athletic detackles. So I think that's definitely neat if you want to go on that big run and beat those big teams. If you think about this, they're going to fight by the defense with actors.

51:19Like, what's Georgia, Jordan Davis and DL Carter? What's Michigan? It's Chris Jenkins. Couple of more questions. I mean, you understand it because you play it, but I feel like sometimes I don't know about people realizing how important defense tackles are. A little bit more than they used to. I think so. I think they're starting to develop to develop more and more of these like freakiest detackles. Yeah. Like in the combine, just now, you see in like those guys, they're moving four to four, seven, eights and things like that. So we'll see. And when you think about those freakish out-line defense attacks, how do you think you fit into that old of that kind of player? You watch that and say, yeah, that's me. Yeah, definitely. I think I'm top-notch when it comes to detackles, but I don't want to, you know, get a big head, but you know, watch it come on. I watch the dude who's due to drills. I have a tape here. You're like, you're looking like my film. So I think I'm up there with all those guys. Do you become like an artist? You know, it comes in the bad end of the past. You think your legs have your legs.

52:20I mean, when you're going to spring practice, you're not doing as much a weapon on a weapon. How do you work on that? Do you have like a goal with mine? I don't remember how many that last trick. You have a goal with mine? How many do you want to have? I mean, as many as I can have, I think I have more than that. But I think they've counted. I think they've counted some of them. And it's some of them where I just missed it. So, but I think we work on drills matching the hand. I think that goes big. And what we do is a D line, you know, just affecting the quarterback is, anyway, you can. It's just great for the defense. That little thing you cover in his eye, you know, he might throw it. A little bit to the left to our player. So, let's something that you really, really have to work on. You can do that with what you've been doing. It's very good. That's one of the things that you've maybe worked on the most. You can bring your time here because there are a few guys that I've seen. Like, oh, that past trick takes a little bit of time. We don't have to ask this style. We're kind of kind of expected for the second. I think I just have like an eye for the ball kind of. I kind of just look at the quarterback and just, I see him, I load up.

53:20I just try to get in his way. And sometimes he throws it to me. I don't know. How your advantage would be to be a high state quarterback? You're a bad dog, passes. I mean, they get frustrated by, you know, we're a team, you know. We're just getting better. I should lot of, a lot of different backs, man. They just learn to grow for them. You got to pick your top three backs. You got to go right now. One, two, three. I don't really have a top three, but I'll give you, I'll give you one. I would say, say, Juan Gibbs and... I like McCaffrey. Auto, he was injured this year. I like McCaffrey. I appreciate it. Who's the best back in this drive? Best back in this drive. I lead out of the yard. That's y'all, that's y'all decision. What do you all remember most? How are you playing with Howard? Playing with Will Howard? What I'm going to remember most. We're a Howard, man. He's just such a great lead, such a great leader, man. It's just like in moments where usually a lot of players they fold, man.

54:21He was just always calm and relaxed, man. He just the leader that he was, man. That's one thing I'm going to remember about him. What do you think James P. What do you think James P. Yeah, he's... He's going to be really good, man. He's on Coach Lock. I think he got the transfer in as well from West Virginia. Just that one, two punch with them both as well. They're going to be really good backs. And so James P. He's smart the way that he goes about his business, man. He's mature. And so, man, he's growing, you know, just as a person and as a player. And so, man, yeah. Definitely Ohio State. You know, that running back room is in great hands. I was right there, like I'm looking at some UFC spotting but I'm just having a huge personality and a coach. I'll keep that up until they get the same way. Yeah. Coach Hartlund, man. He's full of energy, man. And he's creative as well. You know, I'm just learning from him as well. You know, I'm trying to run more outside the backfield. It was being able to learn from Coach Hartlund. And so, he's definitely creative at what he does. And he brings a lot of energy to the team as well. And so, I think they'll do really good.

55:22Straight line is off the way to the playoffs. I can't wait to see what your chances are. Just the intensity, man. And the intensity of the playoffs. Every game, man, is like the intensity got, you know, higher and higher. And so, you know, being able, I know in the lead, it's the same thing. Even if it's not the playoffs, just every game and intensity keeps getting higher and higher. And so, yeah, you just, I know you got to bring it, you know, each and every day and come in and work. Just like Ohio State. You know, I definitely feel like Ohio State. They definitely do a good job of preparing us for that. You know, I just remember even before going through this process, I'll talk to a lot of players before that. And they told me a lot of just about how much Ohio State prepared them, you know, for the NFL. And so, yeah. Yeah. What's your favorite year? What's your favorite year? What's your favorite year? What's your favorite year? What's your favorite year? What's your favorite year? What's your favorite year? Yeah. Yeah. I know I took a couple of days off after the National Championship. And then, shoot, right after that, I'm writing sample Florida and I'm writing to it. And so, yeah, I think while I trained, I trained at your birth performance.

56:26I think it's called the House of Athlete or the Compound now. They did a good job, man. I was just bringing us in and the way they went about training us, man. They did a really good job. Have you ever seen it? The Bucking Nears. No, I haven't. Have you seen it in the city? Tampa. Tampa, Tampa, nice. It's a nice city, man. Really nice. I think it's really nice. The 40, the broad and the vert. You've been on the races, it's an awesome locker. You need to be here with your mentality of like when you've got a linebacker, so you're gonna be a bit of a baffer. You're bigger than you when you're in ready to score a locker. Yeah. Yeah, nah, man. It's really all about technique and then it's about mindset as well. So, I say, you know, it's for the love of my brother. It's for the love of Will Howard. It's for the love of the receivers who I got on the perimeter. Just making sure, you know, first of all, my quarterback doesn't get sacked. And I told Will, I think it was before the first game. I was like, I got your brother. I said, man, I'm not gonna let you get hit. You know, and so, I don't know if I gave up a sack.

57:28I'm not sure that, but I know if I did, I haven't given up too many. And so, man, it's for the love of my brother's, though, man, making sure that the ball get in their hands, you know, the guys on the outside and making sure they get fed. You had to hit the practice field later today. What is something you've been working on right now when you need to? In my game. You can't really work on this, you know, in all season, I feel like. It's more so, you know, you got to put the pads on. You got to go through some inside run, you know, maybe. It's really just continuing to run through tackles. And so, that's, I feel like that's one of the areas in my game. You know, I want to continue to get better at it. I feel like I did a good job of that in my senior year. And so, I just want to continue to build on that. So, you get what I say? Yes, I did. Yes, I did. So, people, you look like, I'll let it run out there. You get back in your scene. I can better do more. I did meet with New Orleans as well. I never got that comparison. Actually, I know I have a Camera shoe. Yeah, man, I have a Camera. I have a great, great back, man. Just what he does and knows, 101 matchups, he's dangerous, man.

58:29And he's so smooth. He's so smooth as well. I'm not going to lie. He's smooth. Yeah. Inside zone from stack, being able to hit that thing downhill. And I'll say the next one is probably just an option out of the backfield. And man, man, coverage. You're getting on that line backer. And so. I say the man, the biggest thing is the way that he carries himself, man. And the way that, man, he approaches the game. He comes in with the mindset, he's going to work every single week. Every practice, he's working hard. Even shoot. I don't know. Every game was a good game for him, man. But still, man, he always has the mentality to mindset that, you know, he's going to come in each and every day.

59:29He's going to continue to work and get better, man. And so he's definitely, man. He's going to be a special player, man. He really is. I think he's a matchup champion. He's going to look back on it. But what's the standout? Man, a lot of ups and downs, man. It's just how you respond to adversity. And I feel like that's something that God has definitely helped me to do better. It's just, I'm not going to have something to lean on now. You know, I remember before I met him, you know, going through those adversity. I had nothing to run to. You know, you can run to people, but they still can't. It's not too much. They can't truly help you. You know, I feel like, you know, I feel like the only person that can truly help you is your relationship with Jesus Christ. And so being able to lean on him, you know, he gives you, in those moments, where it's tough. You know, where it's slow. And when you're behind the scenes and you're going through things that people don't know about, he gives you that peace and comfort. You know, even in those moments, man, where it's so hard that you can't explain. It's like, man, I'm going through this, but like, how am I still filled with this internal joy?

1:00:31You know, how do I have so much peace in this situation? And so that's something that only Jesus Christ can give you. And so. The back of the firm, Peterson Power and Judgment, is to experience that. Which aspect could be to those other individuals that you run to, follow, and being around power and understanding? Um, man, those guys have such a great mentality, man. Am I just really loved their mentality, especially Q as well. You know, I talked about Will Howard, his leadership, but Quencha, I'm mentality. Yeah, man. That boy just, yeah, that boy just gifted, you know, you see, you know, sometimes he put in a situation where he looked like, you know, he should have a negative five yards. And as soon as you know it, you know, he, he, they're running through somebody, stiff arm and somebody and shoot, it's a game to 10. And so. Do some of the things that he does, he just realizes two different guys. Yeah. Shoot, I think. Yeah, man, I think it's just like, he's just gifted, man, to be honest, he's just gifted.

1:01:33You know, he's, he's a big back. You know, he's strong and so, um, you know, he's, he's able to do, he's able to do those things. And so, um, yeah, man, it's definitely, you know, I look at his game and I want to, you know, at the same time, I want to learn from Quencha. You know, I want to look at this game and it's like, man, where, where can I get better at as well? You know, that's the type of player I am. I'm always looking to get better, man. I'm always looking to grow as a player. He's really saying, oh yeah, he's going to be a great, but he's going to be a great quarterback, man. He's so, so accurate. And so, um, he's definitely, man, I know Coach Dez is definitely going to get him right. Just, you know, um, container, grow as a leader, container, grow as a player. And so he's going to be really good for how I stay. Uh, he's, I know just the quarterback position. Um, I feel like, you know, the quarterbacks in the past, they've, they've definitely been vocal. And so I feel like that's something that they're definitely going to, um, ask of Julian saying as well. It's to be that vocal leader and lead, um, and lead to offense and lead to steam. Thanks, Trent. Shoot, man, he has, he has a build like JK Dobbins.

1:02:34And, um, I kind of see them, you know, similar, similarities in their game as well. And I know JK Dobbins, he was a great running back. I feel like he's not talked about his, not a lot, but man, his career here, you watch his highlights is great. I remember, um, before I recruit, before I committed here, I remember watching JK Dobbins highlights like every, every, um, one of his years here, like four or five times. And so, man, he was such a great back. And, um, I feel like, you know, um, when I see JK Dobbins, when I see, um, James people, I see similarities to both of their games. I feel like they play the same. And so I appreciate you all. Yeah, I have a good one. This. I. I. I. I.

1:03:34I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I.

1:04:34I. I. I. I. I. Well, I got coming in last year. I knew the role. So I just tacked every day really the same way. Basically, basically, basically, how different are you? Weight wise body wise on that? Um, I think I got a lot bigger. I'm like 240. You know, like 244 right now. Last year, I played it like 236 to 37. What does it feel like 244 or about?

1:05:35It's almost a different machine out there. Yeah. What does it feel like to be running around out there like you are? With more, more back. I just feel like I'm like, like, like more downhill, like stronger. Like I'm taking all the bloods better. It's bigger. It is. It's daunting. Uh, maybe that's not the correct term, but to think you're going to be playing much more than you did even last year and you played quite a bit last year instead of what do you have to get straight in your head about being on the field that much more? Is it going to get ready to just play 30 more snaps? So. But are you, are you, how would you describe how much you're looking forward to it from an each standpoint? Yeah. I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready for it. The text is open. It's a rematch. It's not really two different teams. Compared to the last time you all played and stuff. How has that enhanced this camp for you and this team getting ready for the, where an opener of that magnitude? Yeah, with an opener like that, we've been, um, we've been emphasizing it a lot.

1:06:36We know we got coming. So we know we got to do, we've been prepared for it. I already just probably worked with him. I think Riley ready to play right now. He advanced freshman, like he ended up here in the book. He studied in like he advanced and his measurements is crazy. Like he saw like the saw line to him. Or like you said, you're ready. Right. You know, you're ready. What was that process like during last season? Could you feel yourself becoming more and more ready for whatever the team needed for you? Yeah. Cause that's pretty much what my role was. Which is whenever I was needed, I had to step up. So I feel like that's what built me into me being able to say I'm ready for this year. When you say ready, is it more a physical thing? Is it a mental thing? When I say ready, I think it's pretty much like everything physically, mentally, mostly. I think I'm there. A different is that feeling this year than last year. That's possible. That's what I'm asking. Um, asked a one more time. How different is that responsibility that should be ready for this emotion? Call that. Anyone's last year?

1:07:37Who knew you were a role player? Um, I feel like it's a, uh, it's a way. Bigger responsibility with me having to step up this year, but I kind of go about it the same way like last year, I was intentional with everything I did. I feel like this year is going to be the same thing. It's probably a little bit more. Somebody you, somebody you remember, somebody you saw, somebody you saw. And what word? I was by word you watched. Uh, I say, describe my guy. When I say, like when you think of me, you're thinking like a, like a bully, like a silver bully. I don't really bully. I'm always on the ball. That's how I like to play and think. No, I ain't got to be my nickname, but I'm not saying that. Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's it. Um, think of fit me because. I'm not saying that the thing to be that sort of thing. Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

1:08:37Yeah. Yeah. That's it. Yeah, that's it. Yeah, that's it. Yeah, that's it. I don't know. I don't know. I just like the defense. I feel like we got, like you said, we got a lot of freedom and we're moving around a lot, a lot of the terms is like, you know, I don't know. I don't really know how to answer that. That's okay. Does it? You can go on your instincts a little bit more, maybe. That's not so thinking of too much. I don't even know if I say that because there's a lot of thinking going on, but it's like, I just like his things. I like how the things are different. I like what he got going on. What was it sad when CJ left the room? Now, I wanted to much sad. I was kind of like happy for him. That's what you want. No, that's my dog. So yeah, kind of missing a little bit, but yeah, I'm happy for him, though. Well, don't think you go ahead one last question. Coach, Dave's talked a lot about the guys who played some last year, but maybe weren't the starters and the hunger for that wasn't maybe your national championship. You guys were going to win your own.

1:09:38How much do you feel that as a guy who certainly contributed last year, but will be in this bigger role and a lot of some of your classmates? Yeah, I do feel like, um, yeah, I do feel like I did win the Nadi last year, but like you said, my role wasn't same as how it's going to be this year. So yeah, I definitely want to go get another one experienced that like feeling with me be on the field, a lot more place. That's it. Great. Oh, Bill, thank you very much. Thanks. Yeah, both created out champions and I thought they played their best down the stretch, um, in particular that last drive. So, um, that's good. I should, again, keep saying this build confidence as we move forward, both those guys being in that spot. So new challenge this week. You know, that game's behind us, you know, time to focus on, you know, Purdue. I'm going to keep lying real quick. Um, is there any update on time beyond that? Can you just get into how well Caden McDonald was playing the front?

1:10:39Yeah, he came back really stepped up for us and, um, you know, we're hoping that he can continue to give us, you know, more and more snaps, but great to see him, you know, with the game in a line. I think it was the third down play where he really got a lot of movement on the center and that made a huge difference in the in on that play, especially, but he was in there for all those plays two weeks in a row. So big spot for him to step up in. So we're going to continue to try to find ways to get him on the field and, um, Tally is doing good. He's day to day. We'll see how he is when he comes in. Uh, Tony Gerber, what kind of, uh, with that defensive tackle situation, what is Andrew Houston done to get involved there? Yeah. Well, he's got a very bright future ahead of him. I think he's going to be really good football player. Hasn't played a lot inside. So he's learning that position, but I think that, um, when you look at, you know, how he projects out, you know, we got, we got one here now. He's got to keep growing. He's got to keep learning from, from Ty and Tyleek and, you know, the age of crises of playing inside because it is different than playing on the edge.

1:11:42But he has a size, the power, the strength, toughness to play inside for us. He's going to stay there and what was his response to the position? He really embraced it. You know, I think he sees what this could be for him. You know, not saying that, you know, maybe down a row, we wouldn't move him back outside, but, um, I think he realizes, you know, when you go from being, you know, a very athletic and strong defensive end and now moving inside, now you become elite as a three technique because you have that speed and quickness and he does have the power to hold the point of attack. Over to the right, Don Perry, WBNS coach, uh, first, uh, rankings come out. What's the matter? Will you pay attention to that? And just any thoughts on it? Yeah, no, no, no, just focused on Purdue. That's all that matters, you know, in, um, rankings right now, uh, for us, again, don't, don't mean anything because you got to keep winning. And that's, that's, you know, for us, every time we walk off the field on a Sunday, no matter what happened the game before that game is over with. It's on to Purdue.

1:12:43I think Purdue, you know, their record, um, may not say it, but they've been playing good football. And, um, you know, we've got to come in and play physical in this game and we got to continue to build on what, what happened last week and, and that's, that's what today's going to be all about in a Tuesday practice because, you know, whatever rankings are, they are. The matter, as we always said, the ones that matter at the ones at the end of the year. It was obviously a huge win over there. Um, love the celebration afterwards. I didn't know you were such a great dancer. Um, as far as what that does, for the confidence because you know, one thing to say is that, but to go do it, and the way you were able to drive down the field and close out that game, what's it do for your coach's confidence? I think we know we can do it. Uh, it's been two weeks in a row. We've done that now. Um, you know, do I think that we should be in that situation in that game? No. Um, you know, I think our execution has got to be better this week, you know, for where we need to go and what we want to do.

1:13:45But we also know the game of football takes twists and turns along the way and you're going to find yourself in games. You know, there was on pluses and minuses on both sides, positive plays on both sides and negative plays on both sides. But, you know, you got to win the game in the fourth quarter and a big part of that is being physical so that you can control the game at the end of end of regulation. And, you know, like we did, we milked the clock there with five minutes plus to go in the game. And, you know, I've been in games before where, you know, in five minutes, there's about four or five different possessions. You just go back and forth and, you know, it turns into a, you know, shooting match. We, you know, it's a 35, 28 or 48, you know, 42. And this one here, you know, we ran the ball and milked the clock and, you know, finished the game that way. And that's, that's what this game needed. You know, you never know what's going to come up next. If we don't get to stand on defense, off as to go out and get a score. So whatever it takes to win the game is what we got to do. And, but it all comes down to, you know, how physical we are running the football and stopping to run.

1:14:45Hey, folks, can we ask where? You know, will is, it should be your stable force being such a veteran as your quarterback, a couple of turnovers. I know the one of the goal lines and a bit of looking the way that thing came out to touch back for is what it is. Any concerns of as far as will trying to protect the football in big games? Well, it can happen. It can't happen. You know, it just, we got to take care of the football. And, you know, the first play, you know, you got, you got, you know, fooled a little bit in terms of what he saw. And so that, you know, unfortunately, sometimes like that, those things will happen. But we can't fumble the ball inside a 10 yard line. Just can't do it. So, you know, we were, like he said, you know, we were fortunate in the game because of, you know, the play of so many guys down the stretch and turned into a four quarter game because of that. You know, we take care of the ball better. It doesn't, it doesn't have to be that way. So he knows that. And, you know, we're going to keep hammering at home this week and a huge emphasis on execution and taking care of the football. So, you know, the game is over, let him go. Ryan, what did you like from a course in the game, you guys at the North Guard?

1:15:47And what did he show you in the West of the East and the West? Thank you. He was ready, I'm here, really not playing whole-chanceur. Yeah. You know, we looked at him during, you know, the preseason. He was out with illness. He was playing back up center. We moved into guard. We felt like at that time, you know, Tagra gave us more at right guard. And with Donnie at left guard, Seth was, you know, solidified at center. So, you know, we kept Carson right there at center at the time. Since, you know, Donnie had moved out, you know, we felt like there was a hole there that we need to fill. And, you know, we had a couple different options there and some good options. But in this game, we felt like experience was the right thing to go with. And, you know, after watching the film, he stepped up in a big way and showed us that he can play guard. And so we're going to continue to go with Carson. And, you know, we saw what we saw in film and now he's got to keep building on it. Right, obviously Carson giving you that boost is helpful because it answers one question.

1:16:48I'm curious about the last week with Donnie and the decision to move in the tackle for a kid that played guard for three years as a lot of and a health prospect, etc. How is the conversation with him about taking that risk of moving out there? How does he handle it? Post game? How does he handle it? And how does it feel different after the game? You know, I think anytime you're making a move like that in a big game and going against a high end player like Carter is, you know, there's a lot to process there, but he never flinched at all. You know, he never thought twice about it. He embraced it. I think, you know, Justin did a great job of preparing him, you know, in one week. Now he had been getting reps out there and practice, but it's not the same as preparing to play in a game, especially when you're on the silent count, especially against a great player like Carter. And so, you know, we really did tailor the game the best we could around that. There's a couple of third downs. We just had to call it and play it and we did help with the cadence at one time and then Carter got us, you know, on the other ones, but, but I thought Donnie absolutely just fought his tail off and played physical the whole time and wore those guys down and embraced a new role in a tough spot.

1:17:56So I think he can be a very good tackle. I mean, just watching his athleticism, his, his length, the way his feet move. And he can play a good tackle for us. Now we've got to keep getting on the reps and keep getting more and more the experience of being out there in confidence, but, you know, he's showing now that he can play both positions. So I think it's only going to help him. Fourth and two in the second quarter from the field. I mean, it's a risky play call up the risk giving momentum back because they didn't feel to call that play the Jolani. What have you seen out of him in the last couple weeks? I don't know if you've ever seen a player who's maybe hadn't found his foot. Yeah, those are not easy decisions, but you got to in that moment, I felt like, you know, we, we had run the sneak before. We wanted to take, try to get will on the perimeter. They did a nice job of, you know, kind of sniffing it out, but we'll continue to keep the play alive. We didn't think it would get all the way to Jolani, who was actually the last read in the progression. You know, we had a tail back in the flat.

1:18:58We had Jeremiah on the over and then here comes Jolani on the side of you mirror, which I don't think we threw all week. So for those guys to do that. And like I said the other day, I think you got three catches and three drops on one play Jolani. I'm on that play. It was just one of those plays you got to make and he did and what a sideline was excited for him. But I think when you look at Jolani, you see somebody who has a tremendous amount of talent. He's growing every day, he's maturing every day. You know, when he's consistently doing his job and knowing what he's doing, you see it. You know, and I think that's been the thing that's held him back a little bit, but he's making those improvements now. And the more he can build trust in the staff and making a big play like that in a big spot, certainly does a lot for him. Brian for Carson, since he didn't play in that combo, what growth have you seen from him really since that racing game last year. Now that makes you think this can be a consistent step. Carson has toughness, Carson has athleticism, Carson's smart.

1:20:03And I think after watching the film and maybe not taking on as much of the stuff in terms of making all the calls and everything like that, that maybe having set there next to him and Donnie over here next to him, allowed him to focus on his job and not, you know, be worried about all the different things that happen. You can just can go play football and that's what he did. So I think there's a lot of growth and maturity there emotionally. So you don't want to pull into a being a guard or center right now. Right. You talk about not having the strong spirit to make no calls. Playing a being guard, being next assessing him, do everything. How does that help him whether I think you'd have to ask him, but from my point of view, having Seth in there certainly has built a calmness isn't the word, but a confidence. A, you know, they're much more sure themselves in there and Seth gets everybody in the same page, but also talks to them about how we're going to do things in terms of footwork, about hand placement, about the double teams.

1:21:09And I think that's been great for Carson to see that. You know, when you think about Carson's, you know, first couple of years here, you know, I don't think we ever expected Luke to leave after three years and he did and kind of left the whole there. So Carson got forced in action a year early. Another year under Luke and seeing Luke operate for another year as a senior would have gone a long way. And that's usually the ideal situation for a center. Carson got forced in action sooner than what we have liked. But now he's got a chance to see Seth work and I think that's really going to help him in this future and you saw it there on Saturday. And like you said, whether it's guard or center, I think he's in a better place now and certainly going out there and doing it on the field, you know, leads us to believe that's the case. Follow up on the offensive line there you guys celebrated for the guys as the offensive players of the game. What board did you can see from Taylor, kind of moving forward to have better performances? Yeah, we try not to do that too much in terms of putting out the grades when he was close, but you know, the grades of the grades and you know, you got a great out of champion in order to get player of the game.

1:22:13But we thought he played his tail off. He played really, really hard. Just a couple of things in there that you know, we got to clean up and this is not a feel good situation. Either you grade out or 80% of you don't and he was right there. But you know, we were real with the grading and doesn't take away from the effort and what he did and we definitely called him out in the meeting and made sure everybody understood that, you know, he was right there and gave a great effort. It was part of the offensive line. So, you know, when you're grading, you're looking to decide when you're looking at technique. Robert, on the back. Will Howard, when he makes mistakes, he seems to move on from the pretty well. At least we're talking to him after the game. It seems to be something he really has. Is that better than me? Is that just wiring? Is that something you guys can coach into someone to move on to the next play? Do you bring sports psychologists into the situation? Have you seen a guy like him and moved on that? I mean, I know he does. He definitely does. He's got to he's got a knack for that.

1:23:16And I, you know, we talk a lot about there's a fine line of like, you know, you make a mistake and it's like, well, I just want to the next thing. Well, online, we just, you know, have a major problem here. So there's that fine line there. And so what we try to do in practice and I try to do is whether it's a quarterback, the kicker, the left guard, or, you know, the corner. Is, you know, make it hard for him in practice. When they do make a mistake, I mean, just, you know, get all over him so that they feel what that's going to be like in a game. And then you watch to see how that respond. You know, if if that play bogs them down for the rest of practice, then you know, we get we get some growing up to do here. And so we try to do that in practice, but, but wills not somebody's been in the program for a long time. So I can't sit here and say that, you know, any of the coaching staff said any credit for that. This is, this is something that wills had. And, you know, whether he earned that when or learned about this when he was in high school or gained it from being at Kansas State, you know, you have to ask him. But, but that's something that we all try to do, you know, and again, whether it's a corner getting beaten a goal wall.

1:24:17You know, you got to like, Davis and the way he came back after they get in that, you know, that completion on them and they did call the hold on them to come back and make that play like that's what you have to do in these types of games. And I will say that I do feel right now in the middle of the season, probably more than in years past that we've been tested more. Our players have been tested more. The team has been tested more so that we're a little bit more resilient than maybe in the past. And we played against, you know, teams or had games where we find ourselves in, you know, games that were a little bit lopsided and you don't really get tested. You don't really get put into some of those tough situations. So, you know, we're kind of on that to be a difference. Are you concerned at all with Seth's snaps? I saw it during the game. There were some low ones and will at one time kind of try to calm him down. I think I don't know if that's nipping or if you've seen anything. No, we want very, very accurate snaps. It makes a big difference. But I think he's been accurate with them. I thought he handled the environment. I thought the fact that our offensive line and zero false starts, zero holding calls was big in the game.

1:25:19I mean, that's what we needed. We needed a clean game. And so there's a lot going on there. And as you know, with the silent cadence, you kind of saw we were tapping and then moving our head. And the head movement is so that the offensive line can then realize, okay, the ball is about to be snapped and anticipate that. And I didn't realize it. But if you ever try to just like on the move your head quick and then snap the ball. I mean, you can get dizzy quick. You know, you can almost feel like you have vertigo. And so it's not easy. It's not. And I thought Seth handled himself well and handled the environment well overall. Yeah. I mean, we, we all work hard. Putting the game plan together and I thought he called a good game. I thought he had patience. You know, I'm not always the most patient. I think he's more patient than I am. And I think, you know, he understood that we need to establish the run in that game and be physical.

1:26:21And, you know, I think he did that in the game. And then when it was time to call some things that put guys in conflict, I thought they were well designed. And in those plays, man, they take a lot of work. You know, whether it comes from the design of the play early in the week, then it comes to, you know, how we're going to wrap them, the scout team look, the protection. I mean, there's just so much that goes in like the one play to Mecca. I mean, that took a lot of work and meetings, walkthroughs, you know, corrections the next day, just to get to that, get to be a competitive excellent. Then you get to get the right coverage, you know. So a lot of things came into play and even just a strain by Donovan on that play, just to give enough to push that, you know, defender off to give will one more second to flip the sips to get the ball thrown. So, but that's what it takes in terms of execution. Those plays were well executed and we need more of that. And we got to be clean and simple so our guys can play fast. But I do think you call the good game. Over a while by the moment.

1:27:22That was what we were counting on. Yeah. And I do feel like Carson was practicing better, but I can't sit here and tell you that there was a whole bunch of practice that, you know, put him ahead of anybody else. But then when he had the opportunity, that's life. He grabbed it. But now now, now where we're going from here, you know, I mean, again, that the Penn State games over, like we got to worry about pretty well. We got to keep moving forward. So, you know, now we'll see kind of how things go as we move forward. But he showed he can do it. And again, I hope that builds confidence for him as he moves forward. And Aladdin, he's in the north. One of the Penn State offensive linemen said actually, the game that he felt like your D line was doing things, particularly against the run that they hadn't seen all the time before. Some stunting and things of that nature. And it does this until the last two weeks. There have been some noticeable differences with structures with these things like that. Where are you, I guess, in putting on the field, some of the conversations you guys had coming off of the Oregon game? How has that looked to you over these last two games? I think I mean, it's looked the way that we've wanted it to look.

1:28:22You know, we almost, you know, kind of a goofy word. But like reengineered the defense. We had to almost start from scratch after the Oregon game. What I mean by that is not like, you know, scrap everything, but like, okay, what are the base foundations of what we're trying to get done? Who are best players? We got to put our best players in a position to be successful. What are teams, you know, scheming us up, you know, in terms of what are they looking at? And you start going through that process and you almost have to kind of knock it down and rebuild it a little bit. Now, you know, to the naked eye, there's probably not a lot out there that you're really noticing. But there's significant things that are going on that I think are giving our guys confidence. I think we're doing a better job of putting our guys in a position to be successful. I think we're getting lined up better. So we got to keep building on it though. I mean, a lot of football left and we've already put a lot of football on film. So we've got to keep upgrading. And there's that line of, you know, doing what you do well and being able to play really fast and then making sure that you have enough changeups. So guys can't, you know, nail you down. I imagine that's only possible if you have veteran players who can handle those kind of things like how much of the key has not been changed.

1:29:28But it wasn't, that's what I'm saying. I guess it wasn't like, hey, we're redoing all of this. It's like, let's just trim all this out of here and just focus on these things right here. These are the best things we do right now and then kind of go off and have the one off from there. So like, again, you know, you didn't know all of a sudden start to see, you know, a three down front. You know, so it wasn't like that. It was just really cleaning up some of the communication, how we do things, putting the right guys in the right spots. But, you know, it doesn't take much to be a little bit off. You know, and I think that, you know, we're moving towards where we want to be. And, you know, there's going to be really good offences coming out of here soon. By the way, I think Purdue's offense is playing well. I think both quarterbacks are talented. They do a good job on offense. So like, you know, if our guys think that like, they're just going to go out there and play this Saturday, they're wrong. I think, you know, they're a much better team than their records shows.

1:30:30So we've got to have a great week of practice and keep growing. And, you know, if anybody in this building here is thinking about last week, then they're distracted and that can't happen. After getting to the end of that kind of building off that road, but the defense, how much you say you want to be more involved in meetings and hands on. How much do you think that's helped in kind of the reengineering and changing a little bit? I mean, I think we have a really good system in place. I think we have really good coaches. I do think that maybe just being in there and being a little bit more systematized in terms of, you know, you know, here's what we're thinking on first and second down. Here are some thoughts I have. How do we tie this all together? How do we put our best players in place? You know, what are we thinking here on third down? What are the first few calls in the red zone? And just, you know, making sure I got a good feel for that and then giving just a little bit of feedback. Not a lot. I don't want to bog them down. But a little bit of feedback on what I'm seeing as an offensive coach to make sure that, you know, they know. Not only on that room together, like, you know, when they leave, like, they're on the same page.

1:31:31But I think the communication has been good. And I think, yeah, I do think at least being in there has helped. Listen, you know, talking to the coaches and making sure we're on the same page. I'm going back. You covered across the rough game against Penn State. There were things said after the brass game, after the Oregon loss, there was, you know, obviously a big game moving in Happy Valley. You guys win that game. How have you seen the energy from the week before kind of shift now in this, in this place with everything now in front of you? Yeah, we'll find out today how we do it, you know, on our 230 team meeting and how we do it practice and where we go to Purdue. That's it. You know, I mean, was it a good win? Yeah, it was a good win. But it's just allowed us an opportunity to go chase our goals. That's all it's done. You know, we knew we had to go do that. And, you know, we knew when we looked at the schedule going to Oregon to Penn State, we're going to be two great road opportunities for us. You know, we didn't get the first one. We got the second one. So that was good. But a lot of football ahead of us.

1:32:31And that games behind us now. Hey, folks, I'm Matt. We can try to keep one question over the run out of time. A far left. There were new things WTNH. Because Jeremiah Smith is on to such a great start. And he scored a touchdown in every game before this one. Your perspective was it how would you make the fact that he actually didn't score a touchdown? We had a chance. We just didn't connect on it. Yeah, we wasn't for a lack of trying. But, you know, he is off to a great start. And I thought even for again, for a freshman in both of these two environments, you know, he didn't flinch at all. And I think now that we're in mid-year, he's become a veteran player. He's not really a freshman anymore in my eyes. Steve L.A. at 24.4. Yeah, coach. The last drive, we're going to ask about that. The first play you're on the one yard line. You got to get it out of the shadow of your in zone to avoid the safety and getting them all back. That play ends in the quarterback. All five of the offensive linemen are together at the five yard line. Just, I mean, you could have had two or three of them get there, but everybody got there and

1:33:32she'll have been safe back. Just how important was it to start it by taking away the risk of the safety and then going for there? Yeah, I mean, that was it. I mean, we're backed up on the one foot one yard line and we got to bang it out. We got to get that first first down. Not only do you get to get past the five because of the backed up punt, but, you know, you got to get that first down. You got to get it out of there. And, you know, we know there's going to be a ton of guys in the box and it's just going to come down to, you know, running through the extra guy and making sure you get moving up front. But to see the offensive line jump up and fist pump and, you know, we'll get the thing out. I think to the four or five yard line. I mean, just, I mean, that's what we needed right there. And that moment in the, the huddle was like that. And then the next play, you know, we're running and getting vertical and, you know, getting downhill and started with the offensive line, but how they're running back. It's very hard to, but that's got to be who we are. I mean, that doesn't matter if we don't do it again next week. It's got to be the same thing. So, but good to see us finish that finish the game that way.

1:34:32I have to go for a press pro. I know you didn't get to the lead no doubt part of this game, but it turns up the way that the new playoff structure isn't everything. How much does that matter in retrospect anymore with one stop? Like, aren't really as big a deal as they used to be? Is it as a win or win? Yeah, win is a win. And I'm sticking about that a little bit this week is, you know, with us huddling now and with everything going on, like, it's a different style of game. Yeah, I got to remember finishing a game with five some odd minutes on the clock. And that was it. I mean, the game was over. We milked it out and we had some longer drives. And, you know, we're not snapping the ball at 20 seconds. So the number of plays are way, way down. It's almost more like an NFL style of game nowadays because you're huddling. So, yeah, the number one key is turnovers, rushing yards, you know, all these situations become more and more critical. And we need to do a good job in the red zone. You know, it's cost us the game. And so the situational football becomes more and more important. But, yeah, I mean, these games are going to be that way because, you know, we're huddling now

1:35:34and a lot of teams are huddling now. And so, I just think that, yeah, the game has changed a little bit in terms of that. I'm certainly much different than it was, you know, five years ago when it was just back and forth in high scoring games. So, efficiency and execution are all time high. And, Andrew, one more. You talked several times now about that with the whole line stand. And you can talk about defending an inch of grass there. But just what goes into from your eyes, a goal line stand. And what is important for getting that sort of a stock? Because, obviously, it had two of them on side of that. Well, it starts with the guys up front. Yeah, it starts with K-Mac and Hero and Ty and JT, I mean, those five guys holding the line right there. And then it's this next level of guys. It's Cody, it's sunny, you know, those guys. And then, like, as the pile is there, I mean, you've got to push that pile back. You've got to drive it back. I felt like in the four-minute drill in offense, like, we were pushing the pile one way. And I thought, the goal line stand, we were holding our ground right there and pushing the pile.

1:36:34It's just a mindset, you know, that, you know, we've got to go win this game. And, you know, to get two stops inside the five-guard line in this game was the huge difference. At Murphy, 24-7 sports. Randy talked about Caleb and his intelligence taking meetings to the field and all that. I think some people just look at the stats and say he's not having the year. He had it all of them up last season and understanding it's a different defense. But does Saturday show exactly what you're talking about where he's taking the way a guy like Tyler Warren? He's making plays. It's kind of the culmination of things with him. Yeah, yeah. No, he's all over the field. He's got a huge impact on our defense and had some huge tackles in the game, some huge plays in the game. And he's a huge part of our defense. Awesome work. A lot of effort. When you mentioned that shot to Jeremiah, it was just fractionally awful. It was another to Carnell. I think the first flush instinct is always just look at the quarterback. When you evaluated those two plays, what could be done?

1:37:34Not just by Will maybe to execute those. Carnell did a great job off the line of scrimmage. Got behind the defense. The cornerback slipped a little bit and there really wasn't anybody there. And Will in that moment, you know, just needs to keep the ball a little bit more inside. And Carnell made a great catch, but you know, kind of landed out of bounds. And then on the second one, you know, I think Jeremiah felt like, you know, the safes were so deep that the ball wasn't coming his way. And you know, we tell Will. I mean, if he's anywhere near the depth of the safety, just launch it as far as you can. That's what happened. So, you know, he just has to stay with it. And, but you're right. I mean, those are two missed opportunities that could have been much different. You mentioned that earlier, like there were pros and cons. Like, you could have not been in that game. Those are the ones you think are like, turnovers. The conversation with Will, these are four opportunities that change things. That's it. That's why, you know, execution, we got it. We got to be efficient. We got to execute. You know, I think the mentality and the physicality and the toughness was all there on Saturday.

1:38:35That's it. And in the end, that's what won the game. And so that's good. But, you know, it doesn't need to be that way if we're executing better and cleaner, taking care of football and those things. So, you can do both. They're not mutually exclusive. So, looking to combine all those as we head into the back half of the season. Dan, how's the more you follow up on Tegrif and Merleier? Do you feel like he's, you know, firmly that starting right guard for you guys at this point? Are you still looking at mix in Austin and Merleier? Yeah. No, I mean, Austin's ready to go. And he maybe would get some reps, but Tegrif's our right guard right now. And back to what it all, it times just in front of eight to eight plus football in season. Just how validating would see the way the line played on Saturday. I know it's just one game, but for him, for Justin, how valid he was at it. And for you, for trusting in the process here? Yeah, I mean, a big step in the right direction, for sure. And if we can keep building on this, then yeah, that'd be a heck of a deal. And I think, you know, it's staying after it and being resilient. And that's what it's going to take, you know. And I think now, you know, there's a confidence coming out of it. Like, okay, we just did this. This is who we can be.

1:39:36But it's no good if we don't do it again this week. I know the question about Will. I know what you like about him. A lot of things talk about him quickly. You also talked about the things that went wrong against Penn State. This team is obviously loaded. How confident are you that he is the quarterback who can take you to the championship level? Yeah, I think what you saw at the end of the game, you know, made a difference in finishing this game. You know, we hadn't really finished a game like this in a while. But having his legs, having his physicality and all that made a big difference in this one. So now we know how capable he is and a lot of different areas. He is the leader of this team and the guys believe in him. And we know we can win every game with Will Howard. And so I think the more and more he's in this offense, the more and more he feels. What it's like to be the Ohio State quarterback, the better.

1:40:38But at the end of the day, it's about winning the game. And he did that and he's a winner. Again, a lot to come out of the game, a lot to learn from. And we have to play cleaner. But we love his fire. We love his competitiveness. We love his composure. The guys believe in him. And he can make a lot of throws. Ryan, what is Zen status if he does return this week next week? How does that prompt you to just evaluate your left side of the game? Yeah, we'll see. Yeah, right now we're going to stick with what we have. If Zen were to become available, then that would give us more options. I don't think he'll be available this week. He is getting better. So we'll kind of see how he is and have an update later in the week. But I think we're in that right now. The focus will be to stick with what we got right now. Because we feel like it was a good synergy coming out of that game.

1:41:40Ryan, was there a drive? Obviously the last drive was guttural to the to the end degree. But was there a drive Saturday where you looked at there and go? This is what I envisioned when I brought in Chip Kelly and Will Howard, etc. Were you just felt like things were under control so to speak? It was kind of what you envisioned, this offense being about. Yeah, I would say the responses after the interception, we kind of went out there without any hesitation and just started rolling pretty good. And the combination of run pass and play action and all that was really what we're looking for. I think the perimeter blocking has got to be better. We left a lot on the field because of some of those perimeter blocks. And so we're going to work hard to get that fixed. But yeah, I think the response that we had after the interception for a touchdown that was just a confidence level that I think had an effect on the whole entire game. Really, just to respond like that. And then the other drive we got down there and through the touchdown to Brandon and his.

1:42:41I mean, that was good run pass mix there. I do think if we connected on a couple of those shots because that still has to be a part of our game, then you feel a little bit different coming out. Obviously the ball coming out on one yard line. That was a good drive as well. I mean, the block that Trayvian had, I mean, no one's going to talk about that because we phoned them on a play, but man, it was a great play. So I think it was a good run pass. We were efficient. You know, enough to win the game, but we need to be more efficient. Did you see those guys, like you said, Quichon and Trayvian sent them out? I mean, that just tells you everybody gets it. We can what to do. Well, that's the mentality. The mentality was right in the game. And it's got to be continued to be. That's what we got to start every week. That's the mentality. But, you know, you want the scoreboard to look different and execute better. And finally, question. Stephen, please. I just, given what that goes right now, I asked, where are George and Ian more in terms of their level development? Right now? Something else will happen. Yeah, yeah. I mean, they're ready. They're working hard. They're getting the reps in practice.

1:43:42And, you know, they got to stand ready. They got to, you know, and sometimes it's not always easy to be that guy who's one snap away, but hasn't really been in the game much. So, you know, if it's appropriate, we'll try to get him in the game to get him, you know, some game reps. But, but they need to keep coming. They need to get the reps in practice and be prepared. Because you just never know how it's going to shake. And the radio show you say, who communicated to you guys that I do was clearly trying to figure out your guys' snap count. That makes you guys want to switch some things up there and be caught up on the, oh, he's, you know, no, there was nothing like in terms of communication. He's just, he's a great player who tries to get a jump on the ball. You can see that on film. And so, you know, we came over, you know, there was a timeout and we just said, you know, and this third down, there's an opportunity to get maybe, you know, a free one here. And so, you know, we don't typically use a bunch of cadences when it comes to silent count, but the guys were disciplined enough to use the double head, head bob. And that was enough to get a first down, which turned out to be a pretty big. Anytime you get those first downs like that, it was big. But we had everybody over in a sideline and we communicated that to Seth.

1:44:44And Seth was great and the guys, you know, hung in there on it. And it was a big play force. Folks, thank you very much. I think you're right. Do you feel, you've run up against an offensive arm and feel like, do you feel like you're at a good weight level where you can do things against them either what the offensive arm is doing? I mean, yeah, I mean, this year is kind of different because I obviously I'm pushing to the ball, but it kind of feels the same. The thing I like being able to play is I like tying the things up and being a bit of wrongful speed and being able to hit somebody and catch the left guard. And that's just what I'm able to do now. This end the ball and closer to him. Some of those guys just talked to you about this kind of capacity of being a serious officer. Um, we haven't really talked about like a few guys, but he's talking about like, with his beginners. Um, I got the chance to work with him with my, my junior at the opening, but I was different because I was playing off the ball. Boom.

1:45:45Yeah, that's done. We got the normal Smithy road. It's very intentional, but he knows that we're human. So, you know, he knows nobody's going to be perfect and it's okay to mess up, but it's the thing is being able to learn from that mistake and not do it again. Um, it's different, but like I said, I've just been enjoying the ride. You know, I like why I am now. So I'm just going to grow at this fight and get to where I want to go. Imagine that we're in the process. 100%. 100%. 100%. It's a great set. No, we're very hard. We want to just look at our twins. We're going to do class with a lot of guys. And now we're probably going to have like five or six guys here. Exactly. So I'm being able to just stick it through and just, you know, I feel like

1:46:48these things here. Each year, I feel like I was telling this thing because yeah, it was opportunity to transfer, but I just kept telling like God just to stay. Let his will be done. Just let his will know. No, I try to every little drill that we do. I try to make sure I'm doing it to to the team, you know, I don't like to mess up. And that's why you see me have to practice working with Coach Johnson or Coach Patricia because of the fact I know it's very urgent, but I still feel like I have time. I was only spring. You have 188 days probably to work with. You're up in there throughout December, obviously. What exactly did you start to make that transition though? And you heard they were hired in an opportune show in the form of the team. Obviously in December it was different because we had Coach Knows here. And Coach Knows was more, he was telling me different ways he was going to use me with the

1:47:50Jag and where he was going to have me line up and things like that. Coach Day, what he was telling me was we were going to bring in different coach and just, you know, there'll just be a specific coach just for the position I was playing. Just that way could just be easier on everybody. And that probably was just going to be Coach Knows because he obviously is decent, but with Coach Patricia coming in, I feel like it's a lot easier on everybody because of the fact, like I said, his experience and everything that we're doing now, it just feels like everybody can just play fashion to be themselves. When you see my question, what was the last question? We talk about it every day. Right. Yeah, Coach Day brings it up every day because of the fact we got to, like, yeah, we have one good day today, but we do have to stack day on top of day on top of day because of the fact that we played Texas, Texas, just in the playoffs. You know, they didn't know Sasha, even though they're probably in the same mindset as we are right now because they lost a lot of starters, but it still doesn't mean.

1:48:56No, I feel like watching those guys, I feel like you can see like it helped them in the longer, especially with the blue, especially with the blue, especially with the blue, the blue last year because of the fact it was, it's the first year on a lot of skirmish, but, obviously I watch those guys, I watch other guys, but I'm on my own. Deep in tabs on everything because like Coach Day said, you guys are just first day you show up in the room. Yeah, I think that's leading, are you doing the little things, etc? What's that like? I think that's... That's the fishball. Kind of with that report. When you're at a big time program, I'm like, I have to stay, I think everyone's judged. Everything you do is important. How your locker looks is important. All the small details. I hear you, I hear you, Vandal, I'll go ahead. Colin, you basically are a parent. I mean a lot of people think you're going to be the guy. What do you think you have to prove over the next several weeks and then appreciate that? Yeah, I don't, I always say that outside noise. I'm just focused on getting better every day. You know, getting ready for Friday's practice. I'm just, I'm just working out practice today. I was going to kind of ask the same question and then how do you handle that?

1:49:59Like having that really people here to watch a practice or you know, being or walking around in Columbus when you know that the quarterback's probably the most judged position, maybe in all of college football. You know, I think, like I said before, I'm really just focused on the fundamentals and improving every day and just get better. You know, taking what coach day, coach making, coach wrestler, bringing to us the court. Yeah, I think this winner, I've gained a little bit of weight, got stronger, so that was a big point. I was just in the winner and I really just, you know, focusing on just getting getting bigger and stronger. I've looked about, I gained about 10 pounds of social distancing. I feel, I feel good now, just, you know, being a little bit heavier. It was good. It was a big, big thanks to coach Mekko. It's been so easy. What do you think of being the starting quarterback at Ohio State?

1:51:01What does that look like to be? What does that mean? Yeah, it's definitely, definitely the goal. But we're so long as life, just different. Yeah, 15 times easier to get. What should that person look like? Yeah, I think, you know, the first guy in, last guy out, kind of like everyone says, you know, being that leader of the offense. What are you able to do last year? What's that I was with you last year about, you know, Billy Fessler, what he was able to do with the quarterbacks and how much did you specifically get to work with that? Yeah, he had so much impact on our quarterback room last year. Him and Coach Kelly both did a great job with us and I was really appreciative of those guys. Just we're, we work closely with that coach Fessler and I was happy to see him get on in. How much different do you feel when you talk about putting on the way through? When we talk to you in your go-to training practice, you can just get in here and come from Alabama. How much different a year later do you feel in this program as a quarterback all of a sudden? Yeah, I think when you, when I first got here, I was still learning how everything works and learning what you're doing. And now I think I know what I would know what I'm doing within the plays or within how the program works.

1:52:06So I think it's a, it's been good to just get adjusted but still still trying to improve. And when you talk about toughest guy, first one and last one or what? There's two other guys that are trying to do that. How do you beat that guy when two other guys know that that's what they're doing? So we're trying to do it in that job. 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 important for us to just be close but also better. I'll see you throughout a watch. Go ahead. Watching you through one of the biggest things that stands out I think is how quick your release is and still how much. See if you can do it on course. How did you develop that quick motion? I think I've naturally had a kind of a quick release. I'll cut out a high school I was always, I wish I had a quick release and I've been trying to get a quicker. You said the watch will end up in the battle last year. What did you learn from that? Well, maybe you and Lincoln had to take it and understand that it's competition.

1:53:06Trying to get each other better for the team. Yeah, I think Will and Devon had a great friendship but they were all sparing competitive. So I think it was, it was definitely good to see and that's something that we had in our room this year. I want to show you're the toughest guy with nobody touching it. I think there's a lot of ways to show toughness and support back. I think taking mental reps, finishing out plays, bursting through the line, I think all those control techniques. It looks like you're on the line. We spent a lot of hours here watching tape, getting ready to practice. So we spent a lot of time. You have a couple of like, I'm going to get it going. I'm going to stay away from the point. I wouldn't say that. I think we all, the whole core record is held to a standard. We all are together in this tournament, beyond time and show up early. Just how it was a little bit easier for me, like I've said, just a familiarity with the facility and the people and the coaches. So the rest of the server already built and they kind of understand how I learned and how I operate in my line.

1:54:09So they've been able to coach me and adapt to how I learned and teach me for our things. Is that your conversation with more practice field or in the classroom? You know, it's the biggest thing that I've tried to focus on is translating everything from those mediums to the field as quickly as I can. Just picking up on every quick note that I can. Any advantage I can get on my opponent, I want to have that advantage. So I learned everything in the meeting and trying to understand to feel the best possible. What's different about that? Yeah, coach, coach wrestler and coach CK, our system for best coach and other quarterbacks in Tata. So we get together like every time I walk through this. Whether that's just me, Tremaine and Havana, a little meeting with coach wrestler, before workouts or after workouts. There's something going on every single day, just to build my development and really give me, like I said in that advantage, I'm just trying to learn everything I can and be the best possible player in person.

1:55:18Yeah, really like I said, just learning everything. I got to understand why we're doing things we are doing and what we are trying to do with it and how we're going to do it and how we're going to accomplish it. That's still a learning thing for me. This starts second practice. I really just want to get better and amplify it and make it better so that I can try to practice. It's like taking a snap of something to do a lot of things. Sir. Yeah, definitely very opening for me just because I didn't. I think coming from the place that I came from, like you said, not doing under-center things like that. There's little intricate details even to just taking a snap under-center that I never knew were there because I had never done it. So learning that stuff and fine tuning everything that has to be going into being a great quarterback. It was definitely very eye opening.

1:56:18The first day I got here and the coach and I was able to get the first step here. Versus the 16th of August. Yeah, really just, you know, I think getting better every day, that's the main focus. Just trying to develop everything with that. Get better at everything and our can. And be a better leader for the team, be a better teammate, be a better person outside of practice. That's really been the main development. We'll see where it takes me throughout the spring, but just trying to get better every single day, develop everything with that. So I need focus. The better leadership that you have for your team and the close relationships that you have, the longer it will take you. With him, I saw just nobody hated, but nobody dislikes, but everybody loved, well, he was comfortable talking to anybody. And that's something I'm going to carry with me, just trying to be familiar with everybody.

1:57:19Know everybody, know everything about them. That's really been the main focus. It's building relationships for people that I don't really talk to. And really just trying to build that chemistry around the team. It's been the main focus. You're the buddy I've been all the time coming for you. Is there a building like what you can do to get me in the club? It's called Gabriel. It's not that it's supposed to do it for you now, but it's just the way you're at it. Yeah, I think the first time that I had taken a snap with my offense on field, my group of offense on the field, it was like, this is actually happening now. And it's not just a dream that I'm trying to, you know, make happen. It was a dream now, living now. And so, you know, I just take every opportunity I can. Blessed to be here. I love it here. I'm not a good chair for the world. So, it's really good to do some great. Really just like I said, you're better every single day. The guys in the room are the best in the country. So you just got to compete every day. I don't know how state that's what they breed. So, competitions, what we talk and that's what we do. I'm really just getting better every day. That's been all of our focuses. I'm always trying to work.

1:58:20I was curious how you assess Texas offense. And they've had their struggles in the running game. So they look like a team that's kind of pass heavy and leads into the past first. And how would you evaluate that part of their game? I mean, I mean, you could say they struggled to pass a few games in the running game. But I think they got a super explosive running game. If you watch the Clemson game, I think they put up almost 2050 Russian or something like that. I think they're a team that's capable of putting up around 50 points if you let them. Deep thing I've showed already, it's in an extremely talented offense on all three levels. I think the quarterbacks great player, the running backs are very, very explosive. She was very explosive. They got great tight day and great online. So they're well-rounded offense. And you guys are big favorites in the game. Do you worry at all about, you know, overconfidence or complacency? Just because the way you all have dominated the opposition so far? No, I don't think anything outside knows matters. I think there's things that you said about it. Before we won those two games and other stinkings set up about us after we won those two games.

1:59:20And those things might be different. And it really doesn't matter to us. We're just focused on the opinion inside the, inside the Woody. And we know we got a bear egg in every single week. I mean, it's a really good team. It doesn't matter how it beat the last two teams. This is a whole completely different team. Thank you. Sorry. That's all our questions on Zoom. All right, we'll go back to the local level here. Phil Rebenoins, Columbus Dispatch. You guys travel, you're fans travel very well, but obviously this game is in Dallas. Do you guys kind of thrive and like the playing front of hostile crowds? Uh, I think guys kind of like going in in an enemy territory sometimes. You know, it feels good being a little bit of the villain, you could say, but uh, yeah, I mean, obviously you got to take into fact that it is in Texas. So it could be a lot of environment. It could be like an away environment. We obviously know that. But I mean, it doesn't matter where you put the ball down. Where's going to come show up and play? And I think there's a staff that you guys, that your opponents have not been called for a holding call since

2:00:23September or something like that. Is that something that you guys are aware of? And do you guys point out on the film? Anything called out? What do they call that one? Yeah, we're aware of this that. We don't pay attention to too much. So you guys just play. Now we're going to have too much to say about that. You got to just play through and just let your, let your talent take over. I want to come down to a ref decision. Over here to the right, Austin Ward, the podcast. Something that didn't feel like against Oregon that you guys had to blitz as much as you had in maybe some other games in the second half of the season. Why is that? What does it allow the linebackers to do when you don't have that responsibility? What made that a successful approach on Wednesday? Yeah, I think when you got as talented as guys, we do the front, those four guys up front. I mean, a four-man pressure is feeling like a six-man pressure to the quarterback. You're able to drop everyone else in the cover. So it makes it a lot easier on our defense when the defensive line is just taking over like that. It's tough for an offense to do anything. We got four-man rush.

2:01:25Feel like a zero coming at you. And then you got everyone dropping in the cover. It's kind of just shelt over the field. So I mean, it definitely makes the defense a lot easier for everyone else when the defense line's playing like that. Jim Knowles had talked about this a little with having so many veteran players that you could make different game plans. You don't have to just be pigeon-hold into one thing. We kept a week. Does it feel when you get in there and you guys start game planning? Like they are very different for every opponent for you guys at this point? I don't know if I would say that. I think they keep it simple enough where guys aren't like confused when we're doing. I mean, it might look like that for like the quarterback. We might be giving them different looks and things like that. But I don't think it's over-complicated at all. But I mean, that might just be because we got a veteran deepened as well. So it could be a little bit biased. But that's kind of the way it feels. It doesn't feel over-complicated when I got. I'm going to join the conference. Columbus, this back. So how do you think it's helped you guys to get Caleb Downs,

2:02:28Jack Danmore into the box? Later, late in the season, I've been doing that. Seems like more, how does it help you guys? Yeah, I mean, I think both our safety's have done a really good job dropping down in the box coming down fast and running support. I mean, I think when you see guys coming from 12 yards and they're making tackles for two yards games, it's all that's pretty impressive. I mean, you saw late in the last game come from the weak side, boundary hash. About 10, 12 yards, you come down, hit the dude at two yards and then Columbus knock him out. So, I mean, both our safety's are super impressive in the run game. So it definitely makes it the health of the defense. Usually you're dropping the safety in. Usually those are four yard runs, five yard runs, and where they're stopping for two yard runs. No yard runs. So, super impressive and the health of defense on a lot. We'll go to Jeremy Birmingham, the podcast. So, how much does the defense structure only change since the foreing date of the NUG or if it's more of a lost time time, but you guys just being more veteran and knowing the defense better, or as there have been fundamental changes that have been made?

2:03:29Because it looks a lot different. Yeah, I mean, I think there's been some changes, but I think a lot of it's been a mentality of trying to be a speed more aggressive than we're just trying to... It's having an aggressive mindset. I think you've seen that when it showed up on tape with the pressures, the TFLs, and things like that. And I think we've gotten a lot better since the beginning of the year. And we've kind of improved on the issues that have shown up each week because the issues are always there. And I think we've improved on those really well. And then obviously, it looked like a completely different team now. You've got a team of different aggressiveness from the coaching staffs, and not just the coach's goals and individual position judges like the coach, or not, but even from my day, like, is he been a different type of leader? I think he's been a great leader the whole year. I think after that team of North lost, we kind of hunkered down and say like, hey, we're going to get up and we're going to start swinging. And we're going to keep swinging as hard as we can, and see what happens at the end of the game.

2:04:29And I think that's what we've been doing the past two games, and it's worked out pretty well. But next to Mick Walker, Letterman Rowe. So, you mentioned a great fight in earlier. What stands out to you about Gunner and Helm? And how do you kind of take out a guy that's a kind of such a focal point for us? Well, I think he runs great routes. He has good hands. I think they set up some really nice plays for him. Like, you see some of those plays where he kind of sneaks out of the protection and comes out wide open. I think the biggest thing that stands out is probably the routes in the hands. He's super impressive for a tie down. Obviously, he always be aware of where he's out on the field. And there's going to be some explosive play set up for him. Any other questions here? Can you just go ahead and get a quick one? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, Tim, maybe Letterman Rowe. I'm sorry. Good minute eruption, Jerry. When you were in a nutshell, how would you describe him to someone? He seems even more effective when he kind of gets out of the pocket or moves around and stuff. So, what do you see when you think of him?

2:05:31I would say the capability of like early on the game, no, him getting his routine. Like some of those routine throws, routine throws. They run the ball. They play action shot 50 yards and I'll feel it's like that. I think he's a super good job, a good job of that. Being able to sell the play action and pull the safety's up. And then pitch you down, feel it with a 60 yard bomb, something like that. So, I think that's the biggest thing that stands out to me on film. He's a super talented quarterback, super talented arm talent. He can get the ball on many different ways. But, that's probably how I put it in the nutshell. He's just super talented player. He can make any throw on the field. Like he said, he can move around a little bit. I don't think people respect that enough. His legs, he can move around and extend the plays. It hurts you down, feel. Is there really a guy that used to be in this building, at least for four or five months? I wasn't really here with him, but, I don't think it's really odd. You play some former players before, but obviously he's a talented player. I think a lot of guys have a lot of respect for him. So, it's just going to be a good match. I'm excited for it. I'm going to Bill Rebellion, Columbus this batch.

2:06:32Adam, the win will talk to you next. I'll ask you now. I'm sure it's the last year of your following a ball. You're going to be talking about, do you have any idea what you can do about next year? I mean, you're obviously two can go to the NFL. Do you have any thoughts on that right now? No, I haven't thought about it at all. Just worry about winning. Scotty, that's it from Columbus for sunny styles. Any more on your end? No more on our end. Thank you, sunny. Thank you. End of this game. We knew we needed to be physical, play downhill football and go at him. And I think our O-line took that challenge and ran with it, man. And those dudes are our bad SOBs, man. They're coming downhill and just rocking people off the ball. And I think they're playing really, really good football right now. They're just continuing to get better every single week. I think they played really well last week. I think they played really, I haven't watched the film yet, but I think they played really, really well this week. Love you. Who is that? Mech, love you, mech. But the overall, man, those guys are playing their butts off.

2:07:33And then, you know, I mean, you let Q and Trey do the rest. And we say we want to have our O-line get to and our backs get to every single play. And, you know, I think our O-lines get us four and our backs can get us, you know, 60 plus. So, I mean, it's good. And I mean, our O-lines playing at a really, really high level right now. And, you know, across the board, I'm really proud of those guys. Noah Weiskov, the Lantwer. After that first half, what was the message to the team in the locker room? I mean, I wouldn't say anything was really different, man. We just came out and we said, you know, it's a new half. And, you know, every, we always put the emphasis on that middle eight, you know, and ending the first half the right way and starting the second half the right way. And we didn't, we did not execute the middle half in the first half. But coming out of the half time, going down, getting the score, you know, getting a couple turnovers, like that was huge. And that was, you know, our emphasis was like, we've got to come out and start fast. We've got to go down, get a score, you know, we deferred,

2:08:34so we get the ball first. And then we got to come out and get some stops. And, I mean, the defense played an unbelievable game today. And when you got defense, it's going to shut them down like they did. I mean, it's hard not to win a lot of games. Andy Baxter, a letterman, Rowe. I was about earlier this year. There's Open and then there's Ohio State Open. How much of that factor in the Red Zone with a Mecca and just where you at with kind of adopting that? Yeah, absolutely, man. It's, it 101, you know, is, they're open. And I've said that. And, you know, I have all the trust in the world. And those guys, and I've seen them do it and practice. You know, it makes my job easy when I can, when I can throw a ball that, a Mecca on that corner route, that last touch on that, that we had. Wasn't a great throw, honestly. You know, we, we, we'd practice that play on the hash mark. You know, where I had a little more time to throw that. And, you know, we have it in the right middle. So it's a little more off the hash. We got to be a little quicker with it. And I left it a little inside. And Mecca made a great play. And, you know, it's just like things like that. Just giving guys chances. I mean, it, JJ, like that one handed catch is, I mean, it's stupid.

2:09:34Like it's, it's, you know, you just let them, let them go make plays, man, and it's, and it's fun to watch. It's, it's easy. And, you know, it makes, makes my job, makes my job pretty nice. Over to the right. James Watkins, Cleveland.com. What are you playing big games before? Which means you played in games before big games before, if that game something to say. What do you think you learned about a team in these kind of moments? And what did you learn today? Yeah, we said this coming into this game. You know, we were going to learn about this. We're going to learn a lot about this team and our toughness and our, you know, our ability to, you know, block out the noise and go down and get to work. And, you know, we knew we had a big one coming up this week. But we knew that this was a big one too. And I think our ability to just come out there and play some smash-mouthing football a little bit. You know, I think we started well. You know, the first quarter, we only had one drive. It was 14 plays and we went down and scored. And, you know, the second quarter, you know, just, you know, two turnovers, a turnover on downs. You know, we beat ourselves, you know, it's, it's never, you know, the other team beating us is us beating ourselves. But, you know, it's all about how you respond.

2:10:34And we came back and we did a great job. So, you know, I'm proud of the way that we played. But, you know, we got a big one coming up next week. So I'm excited. If we can start to wrap up with Donovan Jackson in the back, please, and we got two more questions for Will Howard up front. Bill Rabinovitz, Columbus Dispatch. Everyone has been pointing to this early game. All season, I was out this test. How well prepared are you guys? How do you feel going into that game with all the states? I think confidence-wise, we feel great. You know, we've continued to iron things out and get better every single week. And I think that's true. I think we've learned a lot about ourselves and about this team. You know, I think going into this game, you know, we know that it's a big one. And, you know, I haven't really looked at it yet. We knew that this Iowa team was going to be a good team. So, I mean, you know, I looked at it a little bit, you know, on the by-week, and I started checking them out and seeing, you know, what they're about. And, you know, I'm excited, man. It's going to be, it's going to be a good challenge, you know, played against Dylan a couple of times. He's a great player. You know, their defense is good. You know, I know Dan Coach Lanning is a, you know, a good coach and he's going to have them ready.

2:11:35So, I'm excited to get home now and start watching some film and get ready for these guys. And final questions for Will, Tim May, Letterman, and Rolf? Yeah, just a quick, well, the way the first half ended for you is, you know, in a monologue going, hey, I'm better than him. I mean, you know what I mean? Absolutely. You just get straight down, I guess, at halftime. And then, in number two, if someone gets another question, you can Dylan Gabel, you know, you guys from the big play, I'm not going against the coach, I'm a big, big pincher. Yeah, just, what does that mean to you? Yeah, man, it'll be fun. Uh, you know, going into the, going into halftime, yeah, I was, uh, I was, yeah, I was, I was, I was pissed at myself, you know, because I feel like it's uncharacteristic, you know, putting the ball in harm's way like that. You know, I want to be safe with the ball in my decision-making. I like to hang my hat on that. And, you know, it's just like, but at the end of the day, man, you just got to flush it and move on. You can't dwell on it too long in the moment. You know, we'll go back right now and I'll go watch the film and, you know, be critical as critical as possible and say, you know, you can't do this, you know, it got to be better.

2:12:35Um, but in the moment, like, it's very, very, very important to just move on and brush it off. Um, and then, yeah, going in and next week, you know, with Dylan, man, I actually, in 2022, we played at Oklahoma and I was ageing with still plans. So I never actually have got to play against Dylan, but I know him. He's a good dude, man. And, you know, I got one of my, one of my boys from, from K-State, one of their safes. So excited to go out there. It's going to be, it's going to be a fun game, man. Well, thank you very much. Thank you. I'll go books. You know, go up the end of the ball. So it's fun to play with the guys like that and, you know, just opens up the offense as I head to the cell. It's a lot fun. What's the, what's the answer to the struggles in the rental and the first off? Yeah, I think we just need to clean up some little things. It's one of two things every time. So, we definitely got to figure that out and clean it up as we go. Max, I knew you'd talk about the talent, but you guys had an all-man. So, when you have those red zone struggles, how do you think? Yeah, I see them. I see them. I see them. I don't know how much talent you have on that. Yeah, you know, you're a bit of a fan. Yeah, I mean, these guys take steady. I mean, we know what we're capable of, and there's days.

2:13:38You know, we're still confident about what we can do, and we stay confident. So, I'm just curious. So, today's talk about, you know, the first time you can want to see all over the field, but especially with the tight ends. Yeah. Does that fund as it be? What's it like being part of an office that, you know, asks you to do so many different things? Have so many different formations and things like that? Yeah, no, it's fine. I mean, rolling in and out with those guys is a lot of fun. As my account is fun, so it's been fun to do a lot of different things, and it's a lot of new things that, you know, I'm just using a lot of better roads. So, I'm excited about that. Like you're sitting here, like, you know, I've got a lot of things that you can't do. Yeah, I think I've become a lot better. I mean, the audiences got every day, I've been fans and I've been somewhere in the inside. You have no option, but it's all that excited. It's been fun. When you're out there, it's like, what's you've seen as a group? I can guess that one. It's your own experience. Oh, yeah, I mean, we have these four games, stretch kind of stuff. We have a lot of different things to make, and I think we're excited about that. So, we can do this after this by week. Well, sure, you must have biggest lessons. Biggest lesson? Or, say, stay, stay, stay, you're the key.

2:14:40I'll get you out of here tomorrow. I mean, there's gonna be ups and downs, but you gotta say that you gotta say even a sign. When you're out there with JJ, does it amaze you some of the things that he does? Yeah, I mean, you see that we did a practice, and I'm sorry, honestly, now I see it, because it's really amazing as a large piece, you see it every day, but yeah, you get a special talent. We have a chance in certain plays, we get to do that, and then allowing certain guys in certain blitzes to really mess up what a quarterback is thinking. So it allows us to have more pressure and be able to allow us to do more moves at the time, because it makes it all fun and confused. What we're doing, so about allowing putting blitzes in there, really mixes up the past rush for us, and allows us to get sad. 10-8, under mid roll. Yeah, with that said, like, for example, S-E-R-D-9 against E-M-A-L-E-A-V, I said it right, I think. But he was quite elusive and stuff. Was that a good, I don't know, prep for this week? I mean, because Dylan gave us a little bit different screen, but he still gets the job done. Oh, yeah, that was definitely good to have, because like I said, all the quarterbacks are very mobile, and being able to have more experience

2:15:41versus mobile quarterbacks helps us, obviously, just help us home and learn from our, where we have, and how to go through the hole, and how to unscramble us, where we can learn from those crampals, and we go from that game, and the past game we played against Oregon, just learning the quarterbacks tendencies, and when they like to run, where they like to run, everybody helps us out, really closing the cage and facing the pocket problem. Is there a fine line between being aggressive, but also being wary, this guy can slip away, you're saying what I'm saying, Tommy? Yeah. You can't just go right ahead, I mean, go ahead, I'm sorry. Yeah, he's definitely a quarterback, and then gets out of gas out of the pocket, so I mean, being, he's definitely a threat, he's a main guy in the offensive runs the show, so I mean, being able to stop him and contain him, really slows the offense down, so being able to cage the pocket, and be able to slow him down, and make him make more decisions on the run, and moving around, that way helps us. Go ahead, just add one more, him, I'm sorry. Well, no, I didn't want to ask about their center. Their center, I impressed with you with him, the last time you guys played. He seemed to have a pretty good game, and he's kind of a,

2:16:42actually, kind of a tough guy to move out of there, and something looks like. I mean, what's your impression of him? He's definitely one of the better centers in the conference, I mean, he's a really good guy, I mean, being able to be there, and there, and be able to be there, and be able to move the way he can, it's really hard to get around him at times, but he's definitely having the game plan, and working against, and working to tend to see that he has some good work against that, really helps me. Yeah. Yeah. Fifth row of medals, Stephen Leonard, college football, fouls. Yeah, kind of piggybacking on that, how much of it was there, and the offensive line being a strength that are team versus Dylan Gabriel being able to escape, and the lack of pressures that we had on our defense? Oh, yeah. I mean, when you got a good offensive line, I mean, it makes it even better for a quarterback, you know, being able to roll out, you know, that your line was going to help you protect you when you're in the pocket, so I mean, it makes it easier for throws, and it makes it harder for us, honestly, for having a good offensive line, so I mean, like I said before, just being able to attack that offensive line, attack their weaknesses, and be able to go after them, and make it harder for the quarterback, and he's harder for them, or rural. Worker or right, Andrew Gillis, believe in Doc Brown. What's the challenge similar to Tim's question,

2:17:44and you know, when you play a team like this, that runs the level of RPOs that they do that was in the same team, how do you stay true and be aggressive and force the issue, where, you know, Dylan Gabriel is really going to make it up great. Oh, yeah, like I said, just putting pressure on them, I mean, do you see how they get it back there? I mean, we got a lot of different plays that can help us get back to our passer, and playing and playing to their tendencies, you know, a lot of times they have the RPO, the RPO helps them out, it means they get the ball out fast, I mean, things like Jackson and JTB, and get their hands up, knock the ball down, crazy string them out of pressure for the quarterback when you got hands in your face all times. And final questions, Bill Rubino, it's Columbus Dispatch. We've asked about Dylan Gabriel and the receivers, they're not one dimensional, they have a good running back in Jordan James, what makes him special, and what's the challenge for you guys? I think he's definitely one of the better running backs on the conference as well, I mean, just how hard he runs is it's hard to bring him down at times, so I mean, as a front pro, we probably stopping around, that's the first thing we're gonna do is we go on the game, I mean, past rushing is good and all, but we can't stop the run, they're gonna run the ball down,

2:18:44they throw all the time, so all the time we have to figure out how we're gonna stop him, how we're gonna run the ball, and then we're gonna take him down, so I mean, it's our job as a front pro to go on there and stop the run, we're gonna make him one dimensional as we go out there, so I mean, if you get out there every time every mindset, we go out there, we mean, so we're gonna have to get him, we're not gonna allow him to get in the yards, allow him to get going, we're gonna stop him, we're gonna make him throw the ball. When I, JT was up here asked him about how to compare, contrast him and Jack, it's personalities. What's your take on that? How different are they as just personalities? I definitely think Jack is more outgoing, I mean, the guy he needs, like the light that shines around me, and everybody goes around him, and everybody loves him, he's an outgoing guy, they're gonna come to you, shake your hand any time of day, and then JT's more of the glue guy, I mean, a lot of guys gravitate to him, I mean, he just has a bright smile on him all the time, he's just a great guy that people like to be around, and they're two good people, so it's hard to tell. And Ty, I do that one more question for you, Tony Irvin, like that, huh? You guys obviously have faced tough, but you did it last week. What's the key for you as a defensive one

2:19:46in facing tempo? Oh, yeah, I mean, we've been going through all week in the past two weeks, it's just getting set, I mean, that's the first thing you do, if you're not set, it makes it harder to do your job, so let's be able to get on the ball, get set before they're lined up, and set the ball is one and more important thing, so when we're set, we're able to do our jobs and the efficiency before they can do theirs. How's it going, though? It could be difficult at times, you know, you gotta look to the signline first, you gotta get the call, I mean, the call has to be set down first, so it can't be difficult at times, but that's definitely what we've been working on the past for the weeks to just get the call, get the call early, get set, so we can go and be play faster. You never find where you're like, you've changed the play to one side of the field, and now it looks lined up, they're gonna be heading to the other side, so like, you've got to, you're just running the signline to signline just to get the money. Oh, yeah, I mean, I have been a lot of last game, it's hard, it's definitely tough, I mean, that's what we work on and practice, just moving as fast as we can, simulating these things so we can get into the game, it's a lot easier, so we moving around side to side, running around, doing extra conditioning, just for moments like this. Time, thank you very much. All right, thank you.

2:20:48We're gonna try to get better every day, you know, and never be satisfied, and, you know, he was very demanding, you know, very demanding on his players, he's a man on his coaches. You know, he just, very competitive, you know, and, I've said this before, there's a lot of similarities between these two programs, and maybe the personalities are different, but, you know, 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 for all team, and that's all coach's now talking, those are the things he would talk about, you know, and just having us being, being the toughest, most disciplined team out there,

2:21:50and that's, you know, so it's like, it was like, we're here in the same thing, and so, and that's what we're stressing, and that's what we want to be, and that's what we're trying to be, that this year, we hear at Oklahoma State. Well, some of them, some of them these best teams, especially early on, are nasty. Yeah. It's a line, and they got away from that, I don't know if that maybe someone could, but 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 just not be satisfied, you know, and just be demanding on them. What is a being called in the ball can? Well, I mean, I just, I just want us to get better every day, and I want us to, my goal, again, is for us to, to be tougher, and to be more physical, and to be, and to be, and to be more disciplined,

2:22:51you know, and really focus on those, focus on those attributes, and I know if we do, that that will carry over to us, being successful in the field. Yeah. It's being such a veteran. How have you seen social media impact? I'm pretty proud of this. Well, it's impacted 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 a, you know, well, to get used to all of it. 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, 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, but it is, it is, it's having an impact on, on, on, on, on, on recruiting, for sure. Yeah. The differences between based on style of offense, and we can explain some of them, is it a little more spread out? How does that affect you here? Well, that's a great question. I mean, that was probably the biggest transition for me, was, was just,

2:23:53and 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. I mean, they've been awesome, so I wanted to be a part of that. But with that, it was, you know, it can't just stay, we were, we were, you know, ground and pound and we were, a lot of quarterback running in some way, 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, for other, 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, and so, but that's kind of where I was, where I was going to, where I was, you know, where hey, I had just, being able to, to, to resource Johnny and Marcus, hey, you know, how'd you guys do that?

2:24:53You know, what, what, what was 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. Been a great transition. How does your job in a needle with Sean? Well, he's in there, depending upon who wins the quarterback job. One may even work, one of those, and the other, what is that cap working relationship like? What's been great with Sean? Sean's awesome. I mean, I've said, 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. And so I'm really excited. I'm really excited. He's got a chance to work with him. And the whole offensive staff has been awesome, you know, was and, and Casey and, and Matt had all been great. So it was really good. Touch Gundy talked to him fast about trying to work for you, and he can't stay before, and obviously, at this time. But, yeah.

2:25:53All of those pitches, like in those conversations, that I did at the time of those times. Well, I mean, it was great. Coach Gundy's, you know, he's, he was awesome. And so, it just circumstances, just, for whatever reasons, just didn't allow me to, to be able to, to do it, but, but, but, I'm just grateful now for this opportunity. I'm, I'm just grateful, for the game you 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. Obviously, we all have work to do, so we're going to keep doing that, but he's a, he's a great guy. What are your actions? I have to be proud of him. I have to be proud of him. It's a good thing. I have to be proud of him. Oh, yeah, you know, just to try my hardest in spring, obviously, move in the fall, can't be no, do my job, and wherever, you know, you're going to put the best five on the field at the end of the day. Whatever coach Boeing thinks, that's what's going to be his decision. You mentioned having four offensive line coaches. How much does that help to have, you know, so many different brain? You can pick from it. It definitely helps a lot, you know, whenever you have a question and so easy to get feedback

2:26:55and you don't have to ask his coach, Boeing, you guys, dick you if you want to whoever you want to ask is just so many resources. So compared to, you know, the answer we just had, we had three, three guys. It was just in Friday and coach, and then one of a guy, but it's been a lot different. I've been lacking a lot more. Do you feel like you're able to get more, you know, individual instruction of having so many coaches like that? I definitely said that we know we hold a lot of meetings. So, you know, talking to a specific coach about different things, you know, all them explains stuff a little different and just to be able to find one that is, you know, it speaks to you in the way you like it to. So you're not helpful. Are you said that you changed your body a little bit since you got here? Have you felt the difference already in spring home? I definitely have, you know, I would say I was a physical in high school, but I've been a lot more physical I can tell, just, you know, a coach making the strength staff. You know, they help you a lot, just exposing and all that. So I appreciate the strength staff a lot. And once you're January, you're with team, how much has that helped you and the other early enrollments? Not just getting the hair, but learning the culture of a high school. So coach, they asked all the seniors before we came in. They asked us if they were okay for us to come with the playoffs with them

2:27:56and they all just give it a green light. They wanted us to experience that for the next time we're in the playoffs. So we can see that I think that's helped tremendously. I think it made us mature just being around those guys and knowing what to do when we do get to that place. Are there ways that you've already seen that pay off? I definitely can say, you know, just maturity-wise, especially from this class. I think we all just came in a little bit maybe immature, but we've definitely grown throughout that process. Just see the way a guy like Dott of Interaction stepped up from obviously, what's your, how inspiring is that for you? It's very inspiring, you know, me and Dany were pretty close like they talked to him a lot. So, you know, just seeing him move from guard to sac on just make such a huge jump in that little time was just really cool to watch. Carter, especially the three primary coaches you're working with, do they all speak the same language? If you follow my drill, I mean, who do you listen to most, I guess, in those kind of situations? You know, they're all from different places. So, at first, I think it was a little hard for them to mention the one that would link open. Now they've got it down packed. They're all at the same exact thing. So, that's been helping a lot. I mean, obviously they can explain us a little different if you'd like them to, but they've been doing a good job of keeping everything together. And Coutic in particular, what's he brought?

2:28:58What's he brought to you? What are some tidbits or things he's brought to you? Open your eyes a little bit. Just let the little older playstyle like I said, he's not like too fancy on all the techniques stuff. So, I like just how straightforward he is with all the techniques stuff for sure. Just very straightforward. I know you know Luke pretty well both being from Toledo. How have you just seen Luke grow here so far going into this year? I think I've been watching him for a while. I've known him like you said. But I've just seen him grow as a leader. It's been really cool. Just seeing him a while back, you know, think all the software he's seen here, we always play to each other. But seeing him move into that leader role has been really cool to see. What kind of leadership is he bringing to that unit right now? He's always talking to the younger guys and encouraging us, you know, tell us what we need to do. And not only the younger guys, but the other guys just encourage us as a whole. And what does his story mean to you? I mean, obviously this time a year ago, he wasn't even sure where he was gonna fit in or whatever. Now, especially through the playoffs, he was a force. I mean, what does it just tell you about perseverance, but also a season? I think it really just never give up. I mean, obviously you might not start the first game.

2:29:59Maybe not even the second game, but you can always make an impact if you really, if that's your desire. Who you've been leading on? So that's gonna lead to players on team. Nice guard kind of teaching the ropes. I kind of teach you to take some tricks and training to move, you know, all the offensive lines on the offensive. I would say Austin and Luke a lot, you know, I talked to them for your offense, especially about technique stuff. Austin's been playing a little different places. So he's been helping me a lot of my small technique things, just what they do for sure. Is it the small stuff that is a big adjustment from playing golf? Is that really the kind of thing that you're gonna do? Yeah, yeah, it's definitely the smaller stuff. There's like, you know, hand protection stuff like that. Nothing to address it. So it's been good. The tradition has been too crazy. Exactly what positions they've been representing? Only a left tackle. Yeah, so far. You feel pretty comfortable there? I feel very comfortable. These are growing men you're going again. Kinyata and Kaden are like 22, 23 years old. Yeah, yeah. Obviously that's a lot different than the high school you're playing, what, 16, 17, most 18. So it hasn't been a lot different.

2:31:00The first co-practice were my best. I've definitely adjusted pretty well this spring. Two more questions. Part of that, I asked Jay-Montz about the same thing. You guys obviously switched pilots very close. He came up to Lido a handful of time, and then all of a sudden, by the time you get up here, he's gone. How's it been getting the know the new offensive line good? It's been really good. Obviously, we had all the freshmen had a really good relationship with Coach Fry. Men seeing him leave was actually a little hard, but we all kept our minds open with Coach Bowen, and we're lacking him a lot. We've been developing relationships with him, and he's been really good to us so far. Good, all right, sir. Thank you. Thank you. Guys, in the room. I mean, I'm not sure. It's probably something you got to ask him, but you know, Jeremiah has played with a lot of great guys throughout his career. He's seen all the talent you can see in the world, but I don't know if he's ever in all, but I mean. You went all over. Oh, and I, oh, yeah. I mean, I'm not surprised at anything he does now. Like, I've seen him just out. We were nine years old. So anything he does, anyone hand-kidged, I've seen.

2:32:00I'm not surprised at anything he does. When he was nine, did you know this is not a, this is something special we even met, haven't had nine? Oh, yeah. I mean, coaches were coming up to us, complaining that we were nine years old. Like, can we get their IDs and stuff like that? Right. So I mean, I mean, there's definitely some footage. We gotta go find, but the place we used to make when we were younger is just to see where he is now. It's amazing. And it seems very unaffected by all of the starter. Yeah. How did that happen? I think how he was raised. He's very level-headed. He knows his goals and what he wants to get done in life. And this is just one step of the way for him. Can I throw a back to Texas for a couple of questions on Zoom? Scotty? Yes, sir. We're going to start with DefondFromClean.com. Go ahead. Brandon, I want to go back to what you were talking about with Coach Day earlier. Whenever he talks about this team success, he says all the credit goes through players.

2:33:01It seems like the players think that he deserves some of the credit. How big? How influential has he been during the turnaround you guys have had these last few weeks? He's been a huge man. Coming here after that team of Northwest, he knows heart breaking, of course. But we came in here. We had a leadership meeting. And he was in here. I mean, and then we had a team meeting after that. Hearing the stuff he had to say. We had to say, going back and forth, we just we knew we would have his back no matter what. I mean, there's a lot of stuff set about him, his family and stuff like that. But in here, we're a brotherhood and we're a family. And we just, we don't stand by him no matter what. Our next question is going to come from Dan. Hope Dan go ahead. Brandon, I mean, I'm sure you came in here to Ohio State thinking you'd probably be starting here in your second year. But it seems like you really embraced the growth process. Just what's kind of that process that like for you of kind of embracing your role this season and continuing to develop? Yeah.

2:34:02In life, things doesn't go the way you exactly plan it to. And that just did happen. Things happened to Mecca last year that allowed him to come back and that allowed me to learn more. And that's just how I see it makes me a better football player for the future. So yeah, I mean, yeah, let's see it. Three more on Zoom. Next one's going to come from Stefan Means. Go ahead. Steven, but that's dark. Yeah, you're good. Brandon, there are a lot of clips of you this year where you're super, super excited after a block and kind of showing your emotion there. What about blocking do you love so much as a receiver? Just being able to hit another guy with all my power, the hardest I can without any consequences. Except if you hold, of course. But yeah, just bringing that power.

2:35:04I mean, I heard some of the defensive guys telling me yesterday they were like, bro, I hate to go against you. So knowing that from the defensive guys, so I know what the other defensive guys are thinking, like, just keep bringing it so that they not going to like it for four quarters. That's my mindset. Next question's going to come from Danny Davis. Danny, go ahead. Brandon, what are your impressions of these Texas defensive backs and this kind of we've seen from them on film so far? Yeah, the last couple of days we watched them. They're a fast team. They don't give up many big plays down field. They're aggressive. But I actually know some of the DBs they have at corner there. I play with them. Well, I played with Mulik Muhammad at SFE, so I might know him a little bit. And we have a watching them. They're fast team. They're physical. They're disciplined. But we just got to get the job done. Give any Malik stories or any? What's your name?

2:36:06What is it? Give any Malik stories or anything you remember about playing with them? Oh, yeah, but I'm not going to say them here. Yeah, we'll just keep that. Our final question is going to come from Kurt Boles. Kurt, go ahead. Hey, Brandon. One of the issues Texas has had the second half of the year is finishing. And what if you can speak to, and they had a trouble, obviously, in the Peach Bowl, you know, blew a 16-point leak? And you talk about finishing and having a killer in sync. And you guys obviously seem to have that now. Yeah, I think that started in offseason training. At Fall camp, we always say go plus two. If you're doing a 10-yard pro-shuttle, you have to go plus two throughout the line. And that's just finishing as well. And then Fall camp, we had these long 2-0 and FHR practices or whatnot. And then we came out. And we had to do these finishers. We called them Asperg games late in the year like this.

2:37:07And I think Coach Day did a great job preparing all of us for these moments. And yeah, we just were ready to go. We have time for just a couple more questions in Columbus so we can wrap up with our other two guys. Bill Landis, Kings of the North. Brandon, try me on the second touchdown run. It seemed like you took two players out of the play first with your release. And then with the guy you actually blocked. Is that how it's designed? Or is it just lucky to get the guy to start off the takeoff in side of the release? It's actually designed for me to block the safety and lead the corner 101 with the running back. But I was surprised. The corner actually came in so far in my release. I think he thought it was a pass. But I think he was edge of the defense. If you go watch that play, but I don't know why he came in so far. But it helped out for us. And I made my block interior off score. Any lesson there for even a young receiver watching that? That even if you know him to play, you're not getting the ball.

2:38:08You're intended to block. But your release has to be at all point like as if you're going to go pitch pass. Yeah, definitely. Every little detail matters and then type of plays. We were in a red zone there. So we say every yard matters. It's two yards. So the block I made is just a testament to Coach Hartline's prep me throughout the week to make that block. And final question. Joy Confinn, Columbus, this back. Brandon Will and then there's been some of the ball deep well lately. And some of the special things where you guys have opened games. What do you think is this clip for you guys and for him and watching those buzz? A lot more confidence. I say throughout the year, we were always there as offense. We didn't quite know our identity. And now slowly but surely, I think we found that. And we're going to keep on rolling. And he's made some great throws. And yeah. I'm sorry, Brandon. I do have one more steep. How many of you do the 21st out and 24th? Yeah, Brandon, there've been opportunities

2:39:08for you to play a huge role on offense. And the number of plays you play in game can differ from one week to the next. But the opportunity is coming sooner rather than later for you to be an every down player. Just what are the things you need to do in your game to take it to where it is now to be an every down guy? I think there's a lot of things I could recall in my game. I would say continuing to be football smart by IQ. Just knowing what the defense is going to do before they do it. My routes always can get better. My hands always can get better staying in the jug machine. Work ethic, keep on top of it. Don't get satisfied with anything I do. And don't get too big. Don't get too low. Don't get too high. Don't get too low. That's what they say. Do you feel like a guy that the people follow? It seems like just in your mind, even the second your guy that you're kind of working toward being kind of a leadership type guy? Yeah. I got to have guys that will take that role.

2:40:09Yeah. It's a great feeling, of course. No guys are watching what you do and listening to what you do. But we do that with a lot of players here, not just myself, but the leadership we have on this team is like no other. And that's why we got so far, I think. Brandon, thank you very much for being in meetings last year and being around the program, as long as he's been around the program. Does that show up more on the field or in the costume? If there is any advantage for him? Yeah, I mean, he wasn't out here practicing last year. So the first time that he was out here running around, the field was in December when he came up for practice as an early and early or January and everything else. So I think there's a little bit of advantage there, just because he did get to see practice before. But again, 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. So there is a slight advantage. There is just how much use around the program.

2:41:09But I'm not sure if in the meeting room or on the field, in which one affects more ultimately, we're judge 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? Yeah, we talk about it all the time. So if we want to show where the toughest guys on the team, we can do that by showing where the hardest work in guys on the team. We can show that we are the mentally toughest guys on the team. We can make sure that we don't ever get too high or too low. And we play with passion and emotion without letting that emotion and passion play with us and affect us. And we talk a lot in the quarterback room about moving on to the next most important thing. So if I have a play where maybe I made the wrong read or screwed something up, I've got about half a second to kind of be bummed out about it. But I've got to learn from it. I've got to move on to the next most important thing. I'm going to guys let that first play affect the next play. So we're really working to continue to grow from that. But as far as showing that we're tough,

2:42:11I even sell our guys that, hey, if I'm, I don't know, lost in Sarabot, 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. That gives me confidence if I'm lost in 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 are 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 with each other? Yeah, I've definitely seen a lot of growth from getting in here in June last year. And to what we see about now, 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 this whole new detail is 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,

2:43:11I'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, you know, to offset our receiver and throw them away from a defender, or whatever that may look like. So that's what I'm excited because you're starting to see more, more of that from Lincoln as we've getting into the, you know, two practices. And we've only had two practices, but, 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 right now. And that's what's exciting. He's had now three quarterback coaches in three years. Three, like, all there's since three years, can that be like an advantage for him like understanding different concepts and different reads having to see things through different languages because he's had so many different voices in his head or how do you kind of gauge that? Yeah, I mean, he's had different quarterback coaches, but the reality is it's been the same past game.

2:44:12It'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 like tweaks, right, or adjustments, or, you know, I had a new concept in her too. 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. So maybe it's just a slightly different delivery of the same message. And I think that can definitely be a advantage because he still knows, you know, on this concept, this is who my read is, but maybe he heard it in a different way over the last three years. And I guess it could be an advantage. If you have more questions, if you are, he's quarterback and they're supposed to be the toughest guy, first guy to go in the last guy to leave. 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 distract you from the same things that's going to be changed? Yeah, you know, I think the ultimately, right,

2:45:12is 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, so I can quote my coach day, which is 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 do that and be that guy. 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. 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 anyone can do something just wants. But can I be the guy that can do it with consistency? And if you look at anyone that's on anything great, it's been because of their consistency. What do you think being able to train? Where does can't we be the quarterback at Ohio State for the kind of magnitude

2:46:14of the Is the able to handle that position? Where does that fit into your evaluation? Yeah, I think all these guys were, a lot of that was done in the recruitment process. I'm confident all three of them can be the guy in Ohio State. I think that those guys already kind of check that box. So now it's just a matter of who goes out of the Is the job. And again, we are so far away from that point. But when we're recruiting a guy, we try to figure all that stuff out. We'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 their fit is pretty cool up in the quarterback room. We've got pictures of all the great Ohio State quarterbacks up on the wall. And you go through and take a look at those guys. And 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 bringing them in 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 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

2:47:17in the job he did last year overall? I mean, I'm close to that. Yeah. I mean, where do I start? Will, when it came to intangibles, 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 do it. And just as far as what he did the best, I think it just having is such a complete understanding of the offense from the run game to the task game to the protections, just understanding the ins and outs and the little details and everybody's job and where certain concepts or protections or playstyles were weak and how to adjust them if we were going to see something that made us weak there. And having that total command, because I think a big part of trust is showing that I'm competent. And I understand.

2:48:17And so Will built that trust in his teammates by showing that he was extremely competent. 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 a grabbed on and grabbed the trust of all of his teammates. And then he could start to lead. So 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. We just go on with Sean and the rest of them. How much pressure is on the deep fence to perform to the high level of respect and the maximum rate? Right, I would say that last year was, we excelled in certain things, but we're also trying to get back to where we were in the past. So we got some great additions. And we're excited for that. Ultimately, it's to use some of these guys to be the number one defense in the league. And that's always going to be the goal. So whatever we can do to utilize all the different talent

2:49:19that we have on this team to be the best and play as a team and to build the best chemistry that we got, that's what we're going to do. What's the end of it just offense? Just early in the game? What's the end of it? Yeah, we're not used to going against the normal offense I have been the past three years. So it's been a lot more moving pieces. Definitely have to use your eyes pretty well because if not, then somebody's going to be open. But I like what they're doing. I'm very excited for it. I just know it's making our defense a little bit better because we're having to do different things, not just the normal offense we've been used to. I was going to say just because every other team has some variations that they were in this game. Is that kind of, do you think that'll kind of benefit you because you're seeing that more than versus way? I would say so. I mean, as the league has changed over time, I think they revert to certain offenses that do well in certain systems. And I would say we're taking maybe a little bit pieces

2:50:21from other offense that we see to do well. So I like what we're doing. I mean, I don't know as much as some of these quarterbacks that we have on the team, some of the offensive players. But I just know it's tough to go against. I'm low-sack number last year, but still one of the top two scoring defenses. What do you guys really need to do to finish getting it after the quarterback? Yeah, I would just say place, you know, heavy emphasis in practice. It's always going to start in practice with getting after the quarterback, not touching him in practice, but, you know, making some good moves. And I would just say rush more. I mean, there's so much that goes into it, goes with the coverage. Everybody works together. I would say that we had great numbers, but we do, we are trying to get that number up. But the ultimate goal is always going to be the ball. Getting the ball taken away, getting off the field. We're putting our offense out there on the field, and we're staying off. That means that we're doing a good job. And you already asked about it from a competition standpoint.

2:51:22But from a collective standpoint, having new wins tomorrow, you're going to be able to feel what kind of a trio can do for a defense. And the sky's the limit with this group. I do believe we have one of the most talented linebacker core groups in the league. So just excited what we're going to be able to do out there on the field. I think we all compliment each other super well. Bigger guys that are explosive. So I'm excited for it. I'm OGs recently, but yeah, it's their side of the team. But if you see from sunny, the soft scenes are moving into the new ball. He's really stepped up as our later of the defense. I mean, he's being in his room. I really get to see how he operates every day. He doesn't take a single rep off. He's not just the most vocal leader, but he's also, he makes by example, he is one of the biggest, fastest, strongest dudes we have. But he's also the hardest working dude we have. He's never skipping out on recovery, watching film.

2:52:24Literally everything he represents a buck I feel ball player should be in. Just learning from him every day. It's helped me in time. With the presses you're not in the middle of that. Just every day, I mean, he's pretty athletic. He knows what he's doing to. He's a savvy football player. And so it's good having him and the locker right next to me. And I was just talking ball every day and how he could have done this better. And I could have done this better. It's just making each other better. We're having fun out there and flying around. OK, you just talked about the rubber band. Yeah, you can go ahead. You have to post a single and that is also done kind of because I'm not sick of the player and how it's great. How does that help you? He has a prior experience. You're a leader. I mean, it's awesome having him because he really does understand it. I would say he understands it more than most guys. He was a captain in all American here. Like the stuff even he's doing today, every day he'll show some sort of, you know,

2:53:25every single week we're going through camp every day. He's going, he's posting a picture of every all American linebacker we've had. And we got to learn about him, like not just the brotherhood we have here, but the past brotherhood. So we learn new all American linebacker every week. And we got to learn what he did for the bug guys and what he didn't leave and stuff like that. And so I think it's helped a lot. And then you know, he's having the young guys learn the fight song and pop quiz and stuff. So it's great. We're having a lot of fun. How does that help you? Like you go actually up on the air and you say, how does that help you get acclimated to the standard? It helps a ton because heat, I mean, like when you walk in the linebacker room, you just, like when I walked in, I was like, man, this brotherhood is real. And I have older guys helping me when I got here, because we had a pretty old team last year. And they brought me in and I came in on a boot. And I didn't know how I was going to go. And they were all cheering me on even though I was hurt

2:54:26in the weight room. I'm getting cheered on in competition and stuff like that. And guys, they know your name. Really, it's helped a lot. And so I think this past year has really helped me bring in the young guys and help with them and stuff like that. We're super tight as a linebacker unit. So it's been great. Who's this week's All-American? This week's All-American. We had today was Pepper Johnson. So number 98, he was a baller. So we've had one every day. We've had different guys. So we had Spielman yesterday. So it's just someone new every day. And it's fun because you get here. Lauren ises has a lot of stories about them, which is some funny stories. What did he post? Because he posted his event. He hasn't posted his event. Eventually, I thank you, Will. So we'll see. So you guys kind of like this. You're a good, all right. I've got a resident with me. I get to do it, guys. I think all of them, they're just, there's so many that have come through here.

2:55:27And I think it helps. There's a standard. You can be playing linebacker here. The goal should be the best linebacker unit in the country across the board and have the best linebackers. And so I think that's really a standard for us. Wait, does it matter to you? It's like, you're getting it struck. You're going to go from a guy. Been there, done that. I mean, at the highest level, how much does it enhance what he's telling you? Yeah, 100%. I mean, it validates a lot of stuff, he says. And I think that's one of the main reasons I liked him so much is that he's not only our personal relationship is great, but he knows everything about the game. And I'm learning so much every single day. And you can't find a coach who doesn't know more about linebacker than he does. And he's been through every situation. He knows when the offense does this play, what's hard for the linebacker on that play. And he understands it, finds ways to help us get through those plays and stuff like that. What's the reason to be able to come up with that? It meant a lot. I feel like it was one of my biggest accomplishments

2:56:29in my life up to now. Obviously, I think that goal one day is to be a captain here, but I feel like being an iron buck, I have it a big, big offseason or getting bigger and stronger. I think you just meant a lot because our teammates vote on it too. And so just knowing that like every day, when we do those one-on-one competitions and leading guys, people are noticing that I was given everything I had. So it had been a lot to have coach make and all been choose made a iron buck. When the class of this offseason that you started, you kind of visualized some goals that you had, and was that one of them? Yeah, I mean, I think right off the bat, right when the last season ended, my goal was to be a starter and iron buck, I had just taken steps every day. We read a book, chopped wood, carried water, and it's a lot about living in the present. And so I think that's helped all of us at time is like, what can we do today? We are very best. And so I think that's what's helped me a lot. I mean, I still don't want to really go. So don't put it down for the time. For you just being you, the last question you did that, I mean, you're the main one.

2:57:30For you, you can't even work. You just being you, is that you're working at the anyone? Yeah, I mean, my parents are still strong work ethic at me, and not backing down for many situations and stuff like that. And so I think just going in, leading, and giving everything I got every day is just how happened it was. Great. Thank you very much. We're just all excited to go out there and get here. OK, well, anyway, the fact that the way that this defense has additions on every level, talk about chasing the people to mine and the traffic there, you guys have willing to second level, and then the third level, who they go on with Sean and the rest of them. How much pressure is on this defense to perform to the higher level of expectation in the next one? Right, I would say that last year was, you know, we excelled in certain things, but we were also trying to get back to where we were in the past. So we got some great additions, and we're excited for that.

2:58:33Ultimately, it's to use some of these guys to be the number one defense in the league. And that's always going to be the goal. So whatever we can do to utilize all the different talent that we have on this team to be the best and play as a team and to build the best chemistry that we got, that's what we're going to do. What stands out about this offense? You see, just early, just early in the game, what stands out about this offense? Yeah, we're not used to going against the normal offense. I have been the past three years. So it's been a lot more moving pieces. Definitely have to use your eyes pretty well, because if not, then somebody's going to be open. But I like what they're doing. I'm very excited for it. I just know it's making our defense a little bit better, because we're having to do different things, not just the normal offense we've been used to. Yeah, I was going to say just because every other team has some variations of that one, and this is, does that kind of do you think that kind of benefit you? Because you've seen that more impressively.

2:59:34I would say so. I mean, as the league has changed over time, I think they revert to certain offenses that do well in certain systems. I would say we're taking maybe a little bit pieces from other offense that we see to do well. So I like what we're doing. I don't know as much as some of these quarterbacks that we have on the team, some of the offensive players, but I just know it's tough to go against. Hello, Zach, remember last year, but still one of the top team scoring defense. And what do you guys really need to do to finish getting after the quarterback? Yeah, I would just say place heavy emphasis in practice. It's always going to start in practice with getting after the quarterback, not touching him in practice, but making some good moves. And I would just say rush more. I mean, there's so much that goes into it, goes with the coverage. Everybody works together. I would say that we had great numbers, but we are trying to get that number up.

3:00:34But the ultimate goal is always going to be the ball. Getting the ball taken away, getting off the field. We're putting our offense out there on the field, and we're staying off. That means that we're doing a good job. And you're already asked about it for my competition standpoint. But for my collective standpoint, having you wins a margin, we're going to feel what kind of a cheerio can that do for a defense. When the sky's a limit with this group, I do believe we have one of the most talented linebacker core groups in the league. So just excited what we're going to be able to do out there on the field. I think we all compliment each other super well. Bigger guys that are explosive. So I'm excited for it. I appreciate it. Appreciate it. It's really just our family, first-year family. And we just got a person beer, and we got to win the games, and get back to the men. Our first line was saying that Parnellan ran in a really thin leader's number. For sure. What if how have they both been leaders for you and the every-on-sever? They've been leaders just in multiple ways, whether our column, we're in the film room together or on the jugs.

3:01:35I'm asking them about this route, how I can run it better. I'm asking them how I run this route on this plate, just many different things. I feel like those guys, they're like big brothers and all that dentists help me. A valuable is that to have guys that are in the play like football, but also a bit of college for a while. So we're doing good ask and move various things college life, I value. It's real valuable for sure, because they're first round pit guys. So I feel like just being in a room with those guys, and if you're able to thrive with those guys, you know something's going good for you. What if your impressions have been in Port-A-Bacic? I guess specifically, a champion. It's a first round company. What have you kind of known about him and learned about him? I had always had a good relationship with Tavian. He recruited me hard to come here. So I feel like we always talked, and he came here, and he's been doing this thing, they've all been doing their thing. And Julian's saying he's another Cali Kassel. I had a little relationship with him too. So good to see Julian, Lincoln, and Tavian all doing real good. What is that next step for you, Julian? What's the plan? What are the terms of evolution?

3:02:36What do you want to get better at? It's springtime. It's just springtime. I just really just everything. I feel like you can never be too perfect. And I feel like you just got to keep doing your job. So I say maybe just showing up more and just doing my job to the T. Going against these corners or these DBs, how does that kind of lead you better? That's what we do. It's their pretentative. In high school, I had a five-star corner DJ DJ on Lee. He's at Alabama. So I always had good work with corners. So I feel like it's just a lot. I'm going against a lot of good guys now. Instead of just being one on one that practice with DJ. So it's real good for short. Does it take more turns to play with slot than outside? Say it again, please. Does it take more courage to play with slot than outside? What do you mean by that? Because there's more stuff. But I think there's bigger hinders inside. You've got to be aware of it. But there's a thing more courage to do that. I guess you can say that. I feel like I've just always played slot. And I feel like that's what I've been better at. So I feel like I feel like it's just what I have to do to be on the spot.

3:03:40No matter who's in front of me, how big he is, how strong he is, I feel like. If I got an assignment, I got to do it. I'm looking around. I'm going to be my first day. I'm looking around. I'm looking at July. Crazy. And then I see Jeremiah crazy. I'm just looking around everybody. KJ came and cranking off the bar. I'm OK. This is the real deal. For sure. How do you take that holy crap moment and then go from it? I really just take that and I just, I just think I have the challenge. OK. I think I know how these attributes they got all these things, but can they get past me? Can they beat me though? So every day just working on that just getting better and better. Have you been using all the strong legs, jumping, falling straps? Yeah, that's my dog. We came in together and just like talking to each other about the process, especially when I was a coach for my life. And I was like, you know, we're going to build you with me.

3:04:42And then we just stuck through it. And then me and him now, I just talked to them every day. That's my bully. We're working on different things because he's at the left. I'm at the right scene. Things with different point of view. So it was great. How's the transition going for you? I was going to be amazing. I feel every day get better and better. Going against the best every day. So you have to be on your AK and going to his news like CJ. That's my play. Just getting better and better and transition. Just not an hour, half away from home. So this has been pretty good. You started for getting flat experience. So those, what are you kind of tricky to get within? No member of those games, what do you think you learned? I think for my role, I think I did just enough. As a person, I am now. If I was a person, I feel like I would have done lay better. But just going into that role, helping that's helping Minnesota do what we got to do. And I feel like I did just enough. But there's always back to do. There's always been work for me.

3:05:42Where did you see this? Let's specifically do one of three models. Pass, pro, and my first steps. Working on those things. I had the lift, I had the power. I just, I was all over the place. And just every, I feel like every game I was understanding on how the game worked and how to attack, how to be passive, how to work together as an online unit. Not just be by myself. You mentioned the first step. What, what about that first step? Really just make sure I feel powerful out of my stance. That was the one big thing I had to work on. And especially at the ballhouse school, working on my stance with my, make sure I can push off and like gain ground. And I felt like sometimes I wasn't doing that. Even when you mentioned that he had to lose 30 pounds and he got here, did you have to change from your body at all? Definitely. I was three, 20 coming in. And I played at three, 20, I feel great. And then they told me they wanted me to go down to three, 15. And I was like, nah, I want to do that. I got three, 15. I started running.

3:06:42I started, they started putting me on a meal plan. They started doing all this. I'm like, oh, I see the vision. You know what I'm saying? I was like, yeah, I definitely chose for my body. My arm is steadily getting bigger. Weight room is going to be amazing. I'm growing every day. It's hard every day. But I love it though. I'm getting worked after practice. I have to do weight room. Cooked, but I can see the results and see the games. Good to go. What did you like? You leave a place. You know, you're probably breaking some people's hearts back there instead of the describe what it's like to make a move like this. You know what I mean? And basically the midst of a college career. What were you seeking more than anything else? It was definitely a big move. What was I seeking? Just development with knowing I can, I wanted to go against some of the best dudes every day. And coming here, I'll be able to do that. Just a training program in the culture here. And it's summer in Minnesota.

3:07:43So it was definitely a like a easy merge. You had said you were, of course, you hadn't really thought about Ohio State being actually when the hotel houses quickly sort of emerged. What do you remember about just some of the other group I'm going to be. I remember coach Fry calling me when I hit the portal. He was one of the couple of first people to hit me up. I was going to go home anyways, because I was going to go to my mom's house. I fasted. When I hit the portal, I made sure I was making the right decision. And I was going to go home with my family and just talk about it. And my cousin and I were like, you're already an hour and a half away. So you might as well just see what's up up there. They show an interest. And I was like, you know, I'm going to advise you. You mentioned the transition from Fry to Tyler Bowen, just what's it been like playing for coach Bowen so far? I don't really know too much about coach Fry, just a little bit. But what I was in here, I definitely saw like dudes definitely develop. Like I can see it on tape, not necessarily like we see that practice. But with coach Bowen every day, just improving.

3:08:46And he's just always telling me things little things. I don't even notice that I need to work on, especially with coach Johnson and coach Dickey. Having no story in the room is probably the best thing ever for me. I got some great additions. And we're excited for that. Ultimately, it's to use some of these guys to be the number one defense in the league. And that's always going to be the goal. So whatever we can do to utilize all the different talent that we have on this team to be the best and play as a team, and to build the best chemistry that we got, that's what we're going to do. What's the answer out about this offense? Just see, just early, just early in the game. What's the answer out about this guy? Yeah, we're not used to going against the normal offense I have been the past three years. So it's been a lot more moving pieces. Definitely have to use your eyes pretty well, because if not, then somebody's going to be open. But I like what they're doing. I'm very excited for it. I just know it's making our defense a little bit better

3:09:46because we're having to do different things, not just the normal offense we've been used to. I was going to say just because every other team has some variations that they were going to miss. Is that kind of, do you think that'll kind of benefit you? Because you've seen that more than personally. That would say so. As the league has changed over time, I think they revert to certain offenses that do well in certain systems. I would say we're taking maybe a little bit pieces from other offense that we see to do well. So I like what we're doing. I don't know as much as some of these quarterbacks that we have on the team, some of the offensive players, but I just know it's tough to go against. Hello, second number last year, but still one of the top teams in the team since, what do you guys really need to do to finish getting it after the quarterback? Yeah, I would just say place heavy emphasis in practice. It's always going to start in practice with getting after the quarterback, not touching him in practice, but making some good moves.

3:10:47And I would just say rush more. I mean, there's so much that goes into it, goes with the coverage. Everybody works together. I would say that we had great numbers, but we are trying to get that number up, but the ultimate goal is always going to be the ball. Getting the ball taken away, getting off the field, we're putting our offense out there on the field, and we're staying off. That means that we're doing a good job. And you already asked about it for my competition standpoint. But from my collective standpoint, having new wins tomorrow, we're going to build on the field. What kind of a trio can do for a defense? In the sky's limit with this group, I do believe we have one of the most talented linebacker core groups in the league. So just excited what we're going to be able to do out there on the field. I think we all compliment each other super well. Bigger guys that are explosive. So I'm excited for it. Bard was going to be up in the air. So I think for me, just starting out, I took it something that was kind of important to me,

3:11:48that whoever was, everyone competing for that spot, I wanted to create a bond with them, because I feel like a tackle guard bond is important in terms of communication understanding. Because again, a left tackle is only as good as guard is. And vice versa. You know what I mean? So I feel like I've done a good enough job so far of starting to develop that relationship with each potential guy. So that way, as we as a spot is getting, as people start to compete for that spot, again, I feel like I should be able to pop in with whoever. And we should continue to keep the standard standard. If that makes sense, that's my mindset. First, there's a guy competing for a spot, and I've never spent any time with him just one all one. During the summer, just taking reps before camp, hey, what's coming to facility? Let's do XYZ. Let's talk about this tape XYZ, then they come in, and then now there's no kind of flow. So now I'm not really seeing how we're going to fit together,

3:12:48but I want to fit with as many people at a left guard as possible that way, when the situation's been made, there's no new startup process. I got to start over my process with this guy. It's kind of already been flown, if that makes sense. That's what tackles a position that draws a lot of focus. Arguably, this is more pressure than the position on the line. In your opinion, what is the problem mindset to succeed at that position? I think that the mindset for me, as always, has been that when I win my one-on-one, the ball goes down the field. You know what I mean? And I think that's what I'm most excited about, just being a left tackle is that, especially with the protections that are a little bit of longer plays where the left tackle tends to be a one-on-one or the plays I tend to love the most, because kind of halfway through the play, we're locking them up and just know that he can't go anywhere. Start to smile a little bit, you're like, oh, dude, ball's gone. You know what I mean? Ball's gone and it's going to be a touchdown. It's going to be a huge gain.

3:13:50So I think for me, that's kind of the mindset that you kind of have to have the left tackle spot is that. As soon as I win, like, my rep, we're going down the field. So that's just the mindset I have in terms of how well I have to prepare. How do you want the mindset and where the people able to get there? Honestly, I'll say that mindset kind of came from college. Again, obviously I played with a lot of great guys in college, you know, and glad we have on those guys here. You know what I mean? I think I said throw the ball to as well just because against one of those things. Like with CJ, you just, again, a left tackle, my mind was just, well, that's CJ just do his thing. And that's my thing. I want Kyle already be able to do his thing. Don't worry about whoever's over here, just do your thing. That's why you're here and just throw it to Marvin. And, you know, it will be good. You know what I mean? So that's something excited about. And I think all that starts because of what we do on the line. So when I think just not just myself, the entire room takes pride in, hey, like when we do our job

3:14:53up front, that's where everything else goes. So let these guys we have with the ball in their hands do all that magic. We just got to do our job, just take it when you're one on one, you know. Where do you want to end up just playing that match by me and something special just because of the history of that position and, you know, just of all the greats that have played left tackle. I mean, do you ever think about just the past and the, you know, the people, the players before you who were in that spot and did great things? Yeah, I mean, again, I feel like just from, just as a young guy in a game, I, of course, tried to, I like to watch the, the greats the game. I like to watch guys like, a weight worth, of course, you know, a willy Anderson, you know, he played on the right side, but again, I think continuing to watch the greats that played the game just can take the dominate for those guys. For me, he'd be able to talk to them again to be able to learn from their story and their journey and how they developed. Of course, I understand I want to create a,

3:15:55I want my game to be able to be like theirs in a way to where it's talked about in a way of like, that's a guy you need to watch, just to watch with, you know, the fight that he played with, the finish that he played with, and the technique he played with, because those guys played almost 20 years, you know what I mean? So, and again, I think that's something when you watch the guys, though, the legendary guys come before, yeah, you know, they're strong, they're tough guys, but, you know, I don't know, but when you're like 36, 37 years old, you probably not that strong. Not as strong as you used to, but that technique and just the skill set, that's something that I admire. You mentioned earlier about the guys going out to UCLA and kind of getting out of the heat. I'm curious, when you're working out here, do you do anything outside or do you avoid it altogether right now? I don't know, I'm always outside. I'm always outside. I don't mind the heat. I love the heat. And honestly, for me, it helps I'm off like 30, 20, so I kind of warm up quickly. So it's kind of nice for my warm up. I don't have to be doing like 30 minute warm up.

3:16:57You know, you kind of just be outside long enough, collect this. And your joints are on go. So I actually, I like it a lot. Going back to the players that have been in the league for a while, Calvin Beachham is one of those guys that's been in the league for a decade plus. What have you been able to learn from him? I think, again, just learning how to be a pro in terms of certain things, like for example, I'm a guy that when I like to train by myself, I just take a thousand reps of a set, a thousand reps of a reach block. I'm a rep, rep, rep, rep, and type, I've done a hundred times in a row perfect. And some of that beach is like talking about in terms of being a pro. And I thought to me, that's me being a pro, as a young guy, I've got a lot of reps in my body. So I'm going to take a lot of reps and preparation. But Beach is a guy where it's like, it's not about necessarily the quantity in terms of it's really through the quality. But even more so, he's like, you know, offseason, you don't got to be doing something like this every single day.

3:17:57But when you do it like from your first rep, even your first rep is not like here, I'm taking this rep, oh, it wasn't good. Because it's going to be better on the second one, like each rep, even when your buyer's self is just kind of, I guess a mindset, I just give yourself 15 reps instead of doing 60 reps. And it sounds like a huge difference, but to me, I don't mind taking 60 reps from by myself. And there's nobody that's waiting around on me. And I'm by myself, I can take my time and I'll do that. But just being like, I'm going to do 15 perfect reps. And I'm just going to slow down and take all my time, stuff like that. That way your body, I way you're not, you're not doing too much before camp, you know. Many of the guys that left guard in the mix were here last year, except for Evan. How does that relationship develop throughout their overseas? Yeah, I mean, so honestly, that's my guy. We like to compete. We've been competing in the weight room since day one in terms of just like, what we consider like athletic competitions.

3:18:59So like, even in the weight room, at the very end of the week, when we're done lifting, I'll talk to Evan and I'll be at an outer stand. It will just do some sort of competition, whether it's grip or whether it's jump or where it's pull-ups or something. And I don't let him wave until I beat him in these two things. Like so if we do, if we do a jump thing, and like I always thought was the best kind of, the most height when I jumped out of a line, I could dominate anybody and that, but he beat me in that surprising size. I know what happened on the bike. And then we did this bike thing, I beat him on a bike, and I were now at an on pull-ups, to be the one on pull-ups on a kidnabicon leave. But we just have that in, we're just always just competing. And then again, obviously, he wasn't on the team with us last year. But I think what he brings to the table with being a vet is that he's like a plug and play guy. He knows, he's been in no scenarios before. He's played with guys like Penae when he was with Detroit. So obviously, he's just being able to talk to him and how, this is how it was when I was setting with Penae.

3:20:00This is how it was. I was saying to C-Hawks, these are the different things that I can do that made some things. Like in your game, how you set, and I'll talk to him about what I like to do in certain scenarios, and how his set can sort of match that. Does that make sense? So I think you add to a lot. What's the longest you've stayed after until you beat him? To the point where a strength coach is like, you guys got to go. You guys should go. We're not trying to break any rules around here. But it's just me and him just going, and he loves it. So and even us starting to do it, we started to get other guys in the O-line that tried to hop in on our competition for fun. But only Matt is going to be Evan. It's just, I'm just beating you. So it was fun. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to try and bump that up and go somewhere to beat

3:23:40him. I'm excited to see him on the field and invite him to be able to come here. I feel like the resounding thing that I heard from these NFL guys and from people around the league was need to play more. We need to see more high level players. I played a lot of football in my time at the A-Cade, but I only had one year where I was really the true starter and where I played the whole year. The most part I was a backup filling in. I felt like there's a bunch of statistics and things that they look at. I was on the very lowest end of the amount of yards that you're supposed to throw for. You look at the success stories versus the failure stories. There was so many signs of a point in becoming bad.

3:24:41And really in my heart, and that was at the end of the day, I mean, it was up to me. It was my gut. I felt like I just wasn't ready to leave college yet. I was a little more. I wanted to go to a competition for the reason I made a lot of things. I was often sent in 16 years to like, I'm not a big fan of birds today. Absolutely. I mean, the biggest thing was I felt like I could come competing here to win the national hand. And that above anything else was one of the most important things. I felt like I just had more. I wanted to go to college and I wasn't done yet. And that was I think what really drew me here. Obviously, you know, getting to the next level and, you know, playing in an offense like this, I think is really going to prepare me for that next level and give me the best shot. And that's all I just really shoulder on the cake, you know, for me. I mean, we definitely talked about it.

3:25:47You know, we're all here to compete and we're all here to, you know, help the buck guys win. That's all we're here for. And that was, you know, that was made evident when I came on my visit. And, you know, the thing that I'm the most fired up about is how good the dudes in the room are and how good they've been to me. You know, I they could have, you know, believe me, I've been in a situation where we brought in an older trans, a kid and, you know, they could have been, you know, mad and not helped me and not helped me out. But I mean, Devon and Lincoln, the guys that have been around, they've, they've really helped us a lot, especially us, us three new guys. And, you know, I know I'm older and I've done things but still just learning a new system learning, you know, how we do things and how we, you know, go about our business. Just everything's a little different. So I'm so thankful for those guys that they've just, I mean, they've helped me so much. Just getting, getting accustomed to, you know, being in this building. What do you get offered in the air?

3:26:48Really good dudes, really good kids and really talented too. I mean, they can both spin the ball really well. You know, they're young and they, you know, they know they got a lot to learn and so do I. You know, I think we're all trying to learn this together, even, you know, focus over on a little bit and we're hitting the ground running. But, you know, it's exciting. Those two guys there are especially, especially in the care of, what do you want extra advice? It's hard to say. I would probably say the draft would have been my, you know, I was talking to some other schools, you know, Miami and USC were in there in the mix. But it was really, I would say here in the draft at the end of it. You know, there was a lot of different things at the end of it. It was a long, hard process, but, yeah, I would say. I mean, that was probably the most like it.

3:27:49When you first thought you talked to about the weighting rack and the confidence, I mean, I think it's going to be a strong, a strong, a strong, a strong, a strong, a strong, a strong, a strong, a strong, a strong, a strong, a strong, I mean, nothing, nothing crazy, you know, it was just... Oh, thank you. Appreciate that. I'm a fighter fan. Who really? Yeah, I'm doing it. I'm going to pump it out. Yeah, I appreciate it. Yeah, there you go, a little sidetrack. But, uh, no, I... What was the question again? I'm sorry. It's a fighter controversy. What's up? Yeah. How the confidence in the ball means that they have to do that. Yeah, no, it was... I mean, it wasn't really anything crazy, I would say. You know, I just, you know, nothing really changed. It was really kind of, you know, they were kind of holding me off a little bit just to fill out that game, just in fairness. You know, I was agitation and waited my time and, you know, it all worked out.

3:28:52Did Coach Day live in the home? No, he even got to make the play. It's hard to tell. I don't really know. It was a whirlwind of a process. You know, I started hearing initially they might be interested, but I hadn't really heard anything directly. And then, you know, really getting in like, I really started to feel that interest. Did Coach Day let you know there's a change coming in court later? A little bit. Yeah, I kind of figured that. I didn't know for sure, but he kind of hinted at it. You know, his point was, you know, it's in the best interest to him and the team. I was all in. I completely understood, you know, the decision and why he did it. Your conversation, okay, what was this defense about your team during the other team? Yeah, I mean, there were a lot of things that were said. You know, a lot of things that, you know, were attractive to me about this offense and about what he kind of thought about my game.

3:29:58And how he thought he could, you know, elevate me to where I wanted to be. And, you know, I feel like one of the biggest things was how close dial the offense is. And, you know, a lot of these other schools that I was looking at, you know, maybe these air raid type schools. You know, they got great offenses. And, you know, I just put up a lot of numbers, but I don't know how much that was developing to be out. And, you know, I was playing in a system that coached up Ryan, which I'm using to make sure I had how much. How much better can you prepare for the NFL than with somebody who's coached at a head coach level and an important head level at the NFL? You know, it's, there's just all the things pointed to him. You know, when it comes to state enforcement, I can't say ready in the air.

3:31:04I know I took a couple of days off after the National Championship. And then, shoot right after that. I'm writing sample Florida and I'm right to it. So, yeah, I think where I trained, I trained that, your performance, I think it's called the House of Athlete or the Compound now. They did a good job, man. They're just bringing us in and the way they went about training us, man. They did a really good job. The Bucking Nears, no, I haven't. It's a nice city, man. Really nice. The 40 to broad and avert.

3:32:06Yeah, yeah, no, man. It's really all about technique and then it's about mindset as well. And so, I say, you know, it's for the love of my brother. It's for the love of Will Howard. It's for the love of the receivers who I got on the perimeter. Just making sure, you know, first of all, my quarterback doesn't get sacked. And I tell Will, I think it was before the first game. I was like, I got your brother. It's, I said, man, I'm not going to let you get hit, you know. And so, I don't know if I gave up a sack. I'm not sure that. But I know if I did, I haven't given up too many. And so, man, it's for the love of my brothers, though, man, making sure that the ball get in their hands, you know, the guys on the outside and making sure they get fed. In my game, you can't really work on this, you know, in all season, I feel like it's more so, you know, you got to put the pads on. You got to go through some inside run, you know, maybe I was really just continuing to run through tackles. And so that's, I feel like that's one of the areas in my game. You know, I want to continue to get better.

3:33:08I feel like I did a good job of that my senior year. And so I just want to continue to build on that. Yes, I did. Yes, I did. So people trained you to look like nothing more out there. You get back in nursing. I can never look anymore. I did meet with New Orleans as well. I never got that comparison. Actually, I know I have a Camera shoe. Yeah, man, I have a Camera great, great back, man. Just what he does and those 101 matchups, he's dangerous, man. He's so smooth as well. I'm not going to lie. He's smooth. So I mentioned that you're going to be able to play with a man in the middle of the year. Yeah. Inside zone from stack, being able to hit that thing downhill. And I say the next one is probably just an option route out of the backfield. You know, a man and man coverage. You're getting on that linebacker. Yeah, I say to man, the biggest thing is the way that he carries himself, man, and the way that man.

3:34:19He approaches the game. He comes in with the mindset, you know, he's going to work every single week. You know, every practice, you know, he's working hard. You know, even shoot. I don't know. Every game. I think he had a every game was a good game for him, man. And so, but still, man, he always has the mentality to mindset that, you know, he's going to come in each and every day. He's going to continue to work and get better, man. And so he's definitely man. He's going to be a special player, man. He really is. I don't know. I started in, you know, some entries. Man, a lot of ups and downs, man. It's just how you respond to adversity. And I feel like that's something that God has definitely helped me to do better. Is this, I'm not having something to lean on now. You know, I remember before I met him, you know, going through those adversity. I had nothing to run to. You know, you can run to people, but they still can't. It's not too much. They can't truly help you. You know, I feel like, you know, I feel like the only person that can truly help you is your relationship with Jesus Christ. And so being able to lean on him, you know, he gives you, in those moments where it's tough, you know, where it's slow.

3:35:23And when you're behind the scenes and you're going through things that people don't know about, he gives you that peace and comfort. You know, even in those moments, man, where it's so hard that you can't explain. It's like, man, I'm going through this, but like, how am I still filled with this internal joy? You know, how do I have so much peace in this situation? And so that's something that only Jesus Christ can give you. The back of the firm, Peterson Power and Judgement, which aspect do you do those other individuals that you want to follow and from being around power and God? Um, man, those guys have such a great mentality, man. I might just really love their mentality, especially Q as well. You know, I talked about Will Howard, his leadership, but Quinch, I'm a mentality. Yeah, man. That boy just, yeah, that boy just gifted, you know, you see, you know, sometimes he put in a situation where he looked like, you know, he should have a negative five yards. And as soon as you know it, you know, he's running through somebody, still farming somebody and shoot us again to 10.

3:36:26It's a. Um, shoot, I think. Yeah, man, I think it's just like he's just gifted, man, to be honest, he's just gifted. You know, he's, he's a big back. You know, he's strong and so, you know, he's able to do, he's able to do those things. And so, yeah, man, it's definitely, you know, I look at his game and I want to, you know, at the same time, I want to learn from Quinch, you know, I want to look at his game and it's like, man, where, where can I get better at as well? You know, that's the type of player I am. I'm always looking to get better, man. I'm always looking to grow as a player. What's your last experience in the game? Julian Sand. Oh, yeah, he's going to be a great, but he's going to be a great quarterback, man. He's so, so accurate. And so, um, he's definitely, man, I know Coach Dez is definitely going to get him right. Just, you know, um, container, grow as a leader, container, grow as a player. And so he's going to be really good for high state. Uh, he's, I know just the quarterback position. Um, I feel like, you know, the quarterbacks in the past, they've, they've definitely been vocal. And so I feel like that's something that they're definitely going to, um, ask Julian Sand as well.

3:37:29It's to beat that vocal leader and lead, um, and lead the offense and lead to steam. Thanks, thanks, thanks. Shoot, man, he has, he has a build like JK Dobbins. And, um, I kind of see them, you know, similar, similarities in their game as well. And I know JK Dobbins, he was a great running back. Um, I feel like he's not talked about his, no. Um, a lot, but man, his career here, you watch his highlights is, is great. I remember, um, before I recruit, before I committed here, I remember watching JK Dobbins highlights like every, every, um, one of his years here, like four or five times. And so, man, he was such a great back. And, um, I feel like, you know, um, when I see JK Dobbins, when I see, um, James people, I see similarities to both of their games. I feel like they play the same. And so, appreciate you all. Yeah, I'll be going. This.

3:38:47Yeah. Yeah.

3:39:47Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you. She's a great. Thank you. Thank you. The whole world. Thank you. Hello. Hi. Hi. Thank you. Thank you. The whole world. Thank you. Yeah. I have to talk to the chiefs. Yes. Oh, it was a great conversation. I mean, these guys are mean to have a lot of good, de-line talent there. So having guys there, I mean, they feel like I could fit in very well. I mean, people have guys who pull me in and really help me out and allow me to really get in their fist system and fit in there and be a good player there.

3:40:49Oh, yeah, of course, Jones, I mean that. That guy's amazing. Be able to explore the way he did in the past few years, man. He's great. I mean, that guy is practically unblockable. So we're watching him a little bit. I mean, the way he uses his hands, I mean, he doesn't allow people to touch him. So I always hear a favorite game or memory in all men in this past season? Definitely win the national championship. I mean, there's no better feeling than that to be able to go out there. I mean, we're going to hold onto guys you grew up with for the past five years. I mean, see us really pull through out there, hitting a couple of bumps in the road and be able to really exert ourselves and really make it all the way to the national championship, one at all, man. It's a great feeling. Do you like the sun in there? What's it feeling? Oh, yeah, since being off the team now, definitely sunken now that we really won the national championships. It's going to sink any more. We'll be able to see the rings that we got. We can get here and probably in the next month. It's all like a... What's it like seeing JT in draft gifts so close, like they have to see them here? Are you going to wait to get a visit for the side line? I mean, it's nice. I mean, especially to have the entire deeps of line here at the combo. I mean, it's amazing. It's not too many times you get not too many teams of you to have that.

3:41:51It just shows the elite level that we have and that they have been at Ohio State. It just shows how great we are and how great we can be. It felt like a whirlwind going from you played a champion game among the guys and now you're here. Yeah, I mean, it feels like I'm still playing for Ohio State, but I'm not playing anymore. It's kind of weird. Trying to get to Justin Point down, stepping into a new chapter of my life. Just being relaxed, calm, and just walking there and being myself. Are you planning to work out tomorrow? Yeah, I'll be doing the drills. How much time have you had? How much time have you taken off for yourself? We had a week after the game and then after that, I flew straight to California when I had to train her. You mentioned it. You know, it feels like you're still playing for Ohio State. When you've been there for five years, how hard is it to like pull away from that and not be part of it? Yeah, it was definitely hard the first couple of weeks and trying to... It was definitely a slower pace. Being in Ohio State, everything was up temple, everything was hard work. You're doing group activities all the time. It's hard to be able to adjust to be more of a calm setting.

3:42:53You're doing a lot of things on your own when you get in a NFL. It's not guided anywhere. So you got to be able to adjust to that and that's probably the biggest thing. How would you feel like that when you feel a next level on a temple? I'd like to say that Ohio State is the best of preparing. You can see a player after a player going to the NFL. I mean, it's just one of the best players because it's the way Ohio State and the system that they had. They did things in an excellent way to prepare you for the league. And this is what I'm grateful to be able to go to that school. I think I'm about to line up next time I'm on the field. I'll go see if that's why I'm talking about next season. I think it's going to be a part of the year. Yeah, it's kind of sad. Obviously, I wish we could have even just one of them build on team with me and make it even a better experience being there. I mean, a lot of questions they like to ask is like, who would you bring with you? I mean, of course, is here anywhere in my D-Liaman, bringing those guys with me. So this is definitely going to be different. But I mean, there's a lot of great talent on these teams, a lot of great D-Liaman in there. So I love to learn from other people, learn from them and build a girl from them. Do you and Jack tell Sorrento and Sunny they have the carrier of Pickering to your top?

3:43:56Oh, yeah, of course. I mean, I like to say all the time, man. Columbus brings to Ohio State, man, it's the best player. So being there and being still representing Pickering to the mean, we got a lot of good guys still in Pickering to that, still in high school. We get to get there. So them representing this. It's great. What do you was talking about, Sunny being a potential team of Block O, and then champion of the D-Liaman, with the D-Liaman, with the D-Liaman, with the D-Liaman? Where have you seen Sunny kind of grow as a leader and what do you think about the new role that you're getting as a leader? Oh, yeah. I think that just the leadership off the field made it so much better. I mean, from a guy who started off as a safety, moving the linebacker, I mean, it was a natural adjustment for him. He made no complaints to none of that. I mean, he just came in and worked, and it kind of like me. We just worked as hard as he could every single day, just learn to play book. You can see the leadership on the field. We's out there calling the plays with confidence and being out there supporting his team, man. His team rallied behind him. You see him, but my chip holds support in the heart state. It's interesting. I mean, I have no comments on it. I want nothing but the best for him, but being at the Penn State. So I mean, it's not for the best for him. Who do you see emerging as a leader on that team?

3:44:56That's the one I think you can see. Um, Keal Jackson. I feel like this role, man, I've talked to him. He definitely wants to step up. You stepping up this year. I mean, he's played a good amount of time last year. I feel like him being able to go out there and really step up and be a leader for the team. That's something you can do, especially with the talent that he has. What are you up to, Cheryl? What do you want to show him? What do you want to show him? What do you got pads on? It's all on stuff like that being a special interior guy. You really don't get to see me run. So being able to go out there and really run and be able to see my movement, be able to see my men and my ability to move around. Definitely surprised a couple coaches. Who was the most pivotal moment that the season for you guys? Um, as hard as it is to say being a loser to him, North. I mean, that was kind of like the pivotal role that really hit the whole team in the face. And allowed us to really kick the fire underneath and some people played our best abilities. That we knew we had since the beginning of the season. And much of it hurts to lose. I mean, it kind of set the tone for the rest of the team and you see how we dominated teams in the playoffs. So people talked about that being a...

3:45:56Did your opinion of Friday change or how did it change after that being knowing that he's the coach sitting there taking the front line? Feedback. Yeah, I mean, I didn't change at all. That's how it should be. I mean, being a coach there, I mean, he's up front and he's going to tell you everything. He takes criticism and that's just something that being a man to be the drop of ego, he's going to take criticism, I mean, that makes him even a better coach. And not a lot of coaches can do that. So it makes him even better that he's here for his team. He's not just trying to be the head coach, he wants to be for his team. So I appreciate him for that. Of course, I mean, yeah, I mean, the whole goal going to a house that he wouldn't be the team of North. Especially with my brother, he's never lost to him. So it's kind of like a pride and rights to the dinner table. But I mean, every day we won a national championship, so I'm not getting to carry on for rest of my life. You mentioned being able to surprise him, you feel like you're a little bit overlooked just because of how much talent you had around your ass day. We had a lot of good guys.

3:46:57I mean, that's what comes up here in our house, I mean, you got to tell him everywhere. So I mean, just being myself and just being a show people who I am is what I'm here for. So I'm just going to do everything I possible to be able to prove to the people that supporting me right. I want to be versatile. I want to be like, I can play a little bit of three-take, play nose guard anywhere on the inside. I feel like I can play maybe even a little outside, who knows. So just being a big versatile, I feel like playing on a high-level state. We were allowed to move around a little bit and allowed me to show my talent. So being able to be versatile and play anywhere allows me to be a better player in the league. You're not just kidding, you're out there. What are people going to see for them this year? They're going to see it more developed player. I mean, I feel like this year is kind of the set and stone of him being able to take over the role of being a defense end out of a house state. So I feel like, yes, all the talents, all the skillset to be able to go out there and be one of the best deans to come out of a house state.

3:47:57So it's up to him to be able to hone in on a leadership and be able to be the best player you can and lead others to be just like him. What do you feel like the best match for you because you're going to run for the whole time? Obviously, just being able to shut down the run. I mean, I feel like I pride myself in my run game and I'm being blocked by a single person. So I'll just be able to go in there and be able to be a lead run stopper, but also be able to go in on third down as well and be able to show my past rush. I mean, go out there and do the best I can so I'm not even really getting to do what I'll say. How much do you feel like you've grew as a past russer at a high-on state and where do you feel like you've used those growing up? Yeah, I mean, I feel like power is always my go-to of past rush and I feel like it worked. I mean, we didn't really get the rush as much at a high-on state, but at times I did get the rush that showed me and my skillset allowed me to move guys out the way and make sacks and be in some good. I mean, I feel like obviously you always need something to work on in past rush. There's different moves that come off of it like finesse moves, any type of chops and stuff like that. Just to work on those and finishing sacks is something I could work on. What do you think of the biggest lessons you'll take from Larry Johnson with you to me?

3:48:58Honestly, just focus on little things. I mean, technique is critical when it comes to defeating a block or getting blocked. So I mean, just hone in on those small techniques so I'll always make sure that I'm critiquing myself in the best way possible and not getting complacent. I don't think we got really other to your guys who are taking a second. We got guys like Edrick in there, Jason Moore, Ty Worm alone. I feel like the younger freshmen in there, I feel like everybody can step up. I mean, those are guys that have played a little bit last year. I feel like having every position vacant, I mean, allows for competition. So being able to those guys to step up and really prove themselves that they can play at a elite level is going to be something I'm looking forward to see. I want for you to leave that room in way that they are prepared to step up. It's super important. I mean, I feel like that was a whole goal as leaders to be able to just elevate the younger guys and allow them. So when we leave that, they can carry the torch. So we're like to say, so everybody moves up from back seats to the front seats. So I feel like we're giving the possibility to be able to move up to the front seats and be ready for every challenge that's done.

3:49:58I think JT said there would be another 15 block guys here next year. So yeah, prediction on a number. I have no idea. I mean, I think there will be a lot of guys. I mean, we like a lot of good talent, a lot of young guys. I mean, who knows? What do you think it would mean for this group of guys that's here to retire, break the record of one school, you didn't draft it enough in a draft? Records 15, now you got to see that. Yeah, it would mean a lot, honestly. I mean, these guys work hard. I mean, I'm being in a hall stage. You got a lot of great guys there. I mean, guys we showed and our film shows, man. I mean, this is probably one of the more complete teams that we had in college football. So I feel like the scouts understand me and coach's understanding how good are guys we have. And then not only do we have good on the field, man, great character guys, man. So yeah. How good is something to talk about? Oh, he was great, man. I mean, being able to come from Bama and build a jump on a hall stage. I mean, he felt like you played on for him the whole time. I mean, this guy was a great guy and not only off the field, but on the field as well.

3:50:59I mean, he was very technical-sounding. He had a great technique. He was hard to get around him in practice. So I mean, definitely showed in games. So he's a great guy. I appreciate him. It's not a good guy. You have to rest guys here with the longer season, potentially. Yeah, we play it by ear. You know what I mean? We see how goals by time we get in the camp, but you know, obviously he's earning his stripes. So, you know what I mean? When you earn your stripes, you know, a lot of jobs to create opportunities for you. You know what I mean? We have to see how it goes with all the other stuff. You know, once we get closer to the season, and we're getting the game plan stuff, but he's doing a great job and he's taking a great step forward. Tim, when you're the way that you've been building the room, or the way you kind of establish your room now, it seems like it's been, like, son of pieces, kind of relationships, and kind of building bonds. And I'm curious, is that something that you came in, with the, like, a couple years ago, with the intention of feeling or is it something that you're like, that's kind of been cultivated over the course of your Thomas position, both here and the guy who? No, 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,

3:52:00and you're authentic in your communication, and you have honest feedback, and you have direct teaching, the guys that have a value in character and they appreciate that stuff, they're embrace that. 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 there where it being as a young man, and when you get close to him, it's been a lot of time with him off the field. You can coach him hard, and you can say truthful things to him, and then they'll embrace it, and you have real conversation, because you know, the only goal is to help them get better as a young man. As you see, computers go in those toneless, and the... I've received room so far ahead, and the portal is going to kind of skew that evaluation sometimes. How's that dynamic change in these two years? Has the scoop gone older, and you've been bad at even more talent? Yeah, it's them balanced up a little bit now. That goes with great competition. We go against 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,

3:53:00I 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. So as competitive, it's 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, that will prepare for Saturday. I asked Denzel, how about that same idea? Well, my first day of practice actually, the receivers kind of got them, but did we compel me for this? No, it's just competitive, man. They got the best group in the country that you're going against 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're seeing a lot of good stuff with Coach Day and Coach Kelly doing over there. So it prepares you a lot, and it helps us grow. So why are you playing in a Sasha game for three and a few weeks? Is that?

3:54:00It's the one that you're recruiting. Or a wider receiver room kind of in a part of your green pitch. Like, these are the guys you get to play against. Yeah, always 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 of practice that helps you grow. It's no better thing to go against every day than to see that on a daily basis. I'm also near room massage. Jordan, you're looking at to play that in this moment. 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 out there are four different guys in there. Obviously, Lorenzo's in there, Jameen is in there. Miles, 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 be 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 the time we get ready to start the season. What's your name? What's your name? What's your name? I'm Jim. What's your name? Jim's out about a pound and some kind of... You can run any strong. You know what I mean? He's fast. Very serious about his business. He's big. It's 200 pounds. He can run. He's strong.

3:55:00He'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 to spring. What do you want to see from there? This spring. Keep competing. You know what I mean? He's made the transition. Competing the day. You know what I mean? Start going in. You're throwing in the fire. You let him go. You compete. You go by the time we get out of the end of training camp. You've been him figured out. Yeah, I want to. But now you just throw it all at him. 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 the time we get into training camp. It seems like you're going to do it with your spring. You kind of click for your main last year and you start to see it perform a little better in practice. Is that like a benchmark for where you want here? And to be by the middle of spring? Does he have to be at 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. 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 get another evaluation again. We'll get into training camp. See if this stuff carried on to make sure we go up for our starting in September.

3:56:03Tim, what's your assessment of the growth that you've made down to these? Kind of got his feet under one defense. What do you like about him and that nickel sprux? 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. Coach, thank you very much. I can ask one more. All of you have to come back like Denzel's a great example. Because that surprised you as you reflect on all these guys that came back late from Lancer. And it could have turned pro. No, the culture here is real. Coach, 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.

3:57:04That brotherhood, the environment, and of course, they run the program for those dudes 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 the fact that they come back and do that is a testimony to how he runs the program. Coach, thank you very much. Yeah. What were the conversations like that led you make the decision to make that transition? I mean, there was already a little talk about playing some linebacker. Like, for some reason, they've been. Like, I was already like, kind of like, wasn't really learning it. Like, no one was teaching me, but I was getting the low linebacker a little bit just because I knew I probably, I'm going to play linebacker at some point. So then like, obviously, when Downs came here, it's like, all right, so where can I help the defense the most? I'm saying, and we're trying to get our best level on the field, we're going to help the defense the most. So that's what kind of like the conversation was. And yeah, I just want to do whatever I can, whatever, wherever the defense needs me, wherever I can impact most, that's kind of the conversation. What's been the most difficult thing about making that transition to me? It's less time in space.

3:58:05So less wasting movement. You're trying to save the, you can kind of a little more waste movement with your sheet. You can be take longer strides, you know, linebacks with everything short, choppy, keep staying power, keep your base. So I mean, that's just something like, every line progress to work on honestly. That's kind of been a big thing, but there's a lot of things to work on, obviously. Why is it that you and the staff decided to lineback on what you're going to happen to be doing? I think my capability, what I'm capable of, and then like the person that we have, like I said, I'm trying to get the best level on the field, wherever that may be. So you're still trying to figure that out. Just like the conversation was about, it may have been hard for you to keep your weight down the stage. Do you look bigger? How much have you changed physically? Are you allowed to just like finally eat now? I mean last year I was eating regular, like I was like 2.30 to 2.35 the whole year last year. I don't know if people thought I was 2.25, but I was like 2.35 sometimes last year. So it's not really like anything changed, you know.

3:59:07Obviously I'm a graduate of the Gainsome or Weight, you know, I'm listening heavier weight. It was different training to be a DB than training to be a linebacker, so you couldn't gradually be a little bigger. Do you, are you embracing that different kind of training? Yeah I love it. I love to be with the linebackers. I think with the DBs, like sometimes in the weight room, like I was expected to win. So like when I won, I was like, oh, it's only one. Well, when I was with the linebacker, now it's like it's more of a composition, you know what I'm saying? Not like any hits with the DBs. I'm 2.30 going against someone who's 2.05, you know what I'm saying? I'm expecting to win. So I love the composition that I spent going with. Yeah, Cody said you came in and said, well, it's already bigger than most of the linebackers. See, are you playing Will and Sam on the power of the positions? I've been working on both, yes. Is there any, like, what's the difference between the two in terms of both? So Sam's in the middle. I mean, obviously Sam, more outside the box, outside the linebacker overhang. You can walk up on the edge on the tight end, Will's more inside the box.

4:00:09I think the biggest difference from Sam and Will, Sam, you've 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 San Francisco field in the Vowl Street. So I think it's pretty similar, honestly. The only difference is 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 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 words back. So like I said, the only difference really is now just suggesting the less time. Yeah, yeah, Coach, most of you coming from where you are coming from. You have a better perspective of what's going on. Because you might say, you know, I feel like I have a great understanding of the defense. I think at safety, I kind of already knew 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. I think I'm starting to learn that now because obviously lineback you've got to be knowing that more.

4:01:09So I think when it's all said, I think I have a really, really, really good understanding of defense and knowing exactly what everyone's doing. Do you feel like you're a warm enough term for the mix of the defense too? Is that like back here? Is that exciting because you can drop in one minute, pass rush into your B? I think you can get in some of that anyway. Yeah, actually, I think you can say being a linebacker in the play, you're almost in every play. Yeah. 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 pedals and it's a tackle. So I think yeah, a linebacker, you're in the play more. More chance, more opportunities to make tackles. Do you feel comfortable there? I mean, what does that, you know, obviously you're staying that linebacker? 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. Sonia, are you happy or dead? Have you any advice on the new position? Oh, yeah, we watch 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 shit with little footwork and stuff like that.

4:02:11But 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. You know, live backer, everything happens quicker for you. How much did the experience playing some of that stand to help you with this? I think it helped a little bit. It's been like in terms of physical like being in the box down on the line. But I do think the the run fit as a will in a Sam can be a little different. Like in terms like I said, like being an interior fitter, like your 30 backer, you get pools, 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. 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 would probably be that that's 10 to 5.

4:03:17Because it's a big adjustment because everything's happening faster. And you gotta react faster. And like I said, the waist and movement. So I think footwork is huge. I think when you see the great linebackers, since the play happens they're going. They're not taking any waist steps, they're not fall stepping, things like that. So I think waist and movement and being able to see what's happening react to fast. It's been the big spin fitter between being on the same team with your brother? I mean, you know you got someone out there that's a it's more than a team. We call each other brothers, but you know bloods, bloods a little thicker. So that's always pretty cool. It's always it's never 101. Yeah, I think when you're blood like that, I think he's not scared to tell me the truth. 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. Not what you want to hear. What's your advice on playing Dickel? Oh, for him? Yeah. I mean, he just so out of lead he got to keep trusting his instincts.

4:04:20I 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 he's he's he's he's he's he's great and coverage too. So I think something really good. I think we'll be able to do a lot of different things. Kind of like you see a hand caught. Obviously a little different body than a hand card, but I think he's going to be really good. It wants to step on that field. He's needs he's needs this time. Thank you. Great. A temporary injury here that you know, we're hopefully getting them back here soon. I like to take it on to take it on first day. I know you see. Yeah, I know progress being made and you know. The biggest thing you try to figure out is when when guys make mistakes do they learn from the mistake and move on from it. He's done that. He's I saw him flash today and special team. So so that's good. That's positive, but. But yeah, I think the more guys are thrown into the fire. You kind of find out how they respond and and you know, a lot of the installs kind of in now. I think we'll still continue to install some things and look at some different. Schemes on both sides of the ball, but the next two weeks it really an opportunity for guys to go compete.

4:05:24And he's going to be one of them because we're trying to build three deep in each position based on. You know, the way next year is going to be with the playoffs and everything like that. We know we're going to we used to say a pair of spare. Now we need three at each position. So need to build depth at all positions. And so he'll he'll be somebody that'll be in the mix. Can we take Rob? Yep. Yeah, they were in the backfield of bunch, especially like you said in the coming out period. You know, first time doing coming out a little. You know, too loose on offense. You know, we got to tighten that up, but you can see the quickness with some of those interior guys and you know, you see Caden and you see some of the movement that's going on in there. I think Jason Moore. I think Larry talked about that he's flashed and showing that he can do it. So, you know, and then also, you know, on the edge, you see Mitchell Melton getting the backfield as a as a rush. You got a couple of sacks, I think today. So, you know, same thing.

4:06:24We're looking for for, you know, three, three guys at each position because all those guys are going to play and we're going to roll this year. Because we know it's going to be a long season. Yes. Yeah. I think any time you have somebody who's as talented as both of those guys are, you know, you get excited about them, certainly in the recruiting process. But then when you have guys who have discipline and then skill like they do, that's when you have a chance to have a great player. I think both of them have discipline in their life. I think both of them have built up a skill package. Caleb already has a year of college footballer is belt at a high level. So, you know, he's further along that way, but but Jeremiah has really stepped in. You know, he got his black black stripe off real quick. He's got a great approach and, you know, I'm going to be careful what I say, but he's been certainly a pleasure to watch and we're all very excited about his future.

4:07:37If he continues on the path that he's on, he'd have a he's going to play a lot of football and certainly would have a chance to start as well. Yeah. Yeah. I think you're seeing CJ play fast. You know, he really likes blitzing. You can tell he's quick in there. He's doing a nice job timing up the blitzes and another year under his belt of experience being in a room with Tommy Aikenberg, Seale Chambers, watching how they did it. Now he's doing it. But I think you're seeing the speed and the athleticism and the length between Cody, you know, Arvel, Sonny, CJ. You know, those guys are athletic, you know, gave powers. You know, all these guys are guys who they can blitz, they can cover, they can, you know, check defenses. They think they're doing a good job with that. James and Jim have both done a really good job of training them that way. So excited about that group, you know, in their versatility.

4:08:39They're not what they need to be yet. You know, I'm glad we're not playing. You know, it's kind of a buildup. You know, you kind of watch them and watch their practice and then you see, you know, this project you made and start to get to the heart of spring practice. You know, kind of earn it there. Or they're straight. So we feel that way. And both of them guys deserve to get the practice. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think the next level runner, I think the D had the play for this year. Same problem with the other division. These very quick and short areas. I think he does a nice job in the spot. I think he's in this match with a lot of guys in there because of his equipment.

4:09:43He's a very good row runner. So the quarterback, he's got excellent bodyguards. He understands states really well. And I'll break this foot here. So it counts for him. He's a stronger player on contact. But if you could do that, it would definitely be good. Yeah. I think all the runners that have run hard just to see some of the skills that are different. You know, Steve said they're not that they're not that good at that. So I think some of the different things that they're taking that up really well. It's great to kind of a great job of the leadership. Just kind of really good job coming down. They said they were just good. But it's great to see both games and say, you know, coming in fresh. They're taking that foot. You see both of it now. I'm excited about all of them.

4:10:44And I think it's a good deal. I'd like to give you a suggestion. I think it's a good talent for us. I think it's a good thing to do. One of the guys who's been very, very good. I think it's a good thing to play for us. You get a scary voice. You see gap. You've done a very good job. You've been very disappointed with the approach. You've been a good guy. You know, you really bring value for us. I think you see it in the world that you're fond of. You have to be good. You get to have a good approach. You get to have a good approach. You get to see both of you. I think it's going down for you. You get to really good job in the pocket that happens to you. I don't like to see good job. I think it's a good thing to see good job.

4:11:49I think it's a good thing to see good job. I think it's a good way of having stories back there. So we have to be good. We have to be good at this. We have to be good at this. You have to be good at this. You have to be good at this. You have to be good to see good progress. But I really like to see good progress. You have to be good at this. I just want to make sure we have that. We have to move to the candidate. That's a really good conversation. Just want to make sure we get the right person in place and definitely taking conversation and feedback from, a lot of people in the program to make sure we have the right guy because you're right. Right now, there isn't, you know,

4:12:50I have to get it done right now because of recruiting. I feel like we should have somebody in place here by next week. And final question, any back to you? Well, he's finally healthy. And he's actually, you know, putting stack and practices together. So I think that's probably the biggest thing. Because I don't think, you know, he's been able to really show what he can do because he's had some, you know, injuries here and there. And, you know, he put on a lot of strength and a lot of weight early on and then had a few issues. But now he's healthy. So at least we're just going to be able to do a lot of things. And I think that's the biggest thing. Because I don't think, you know, he's been able to really show what he can do because he's had some, you know, injuries here and there. So I think he's been able to make a really healthy so at least we're seeing him out there learning and growing and making some plays. So, you know, I think we're kind of halfway through and figuring out how we grade it out today. But at least we're making progress as you're getting on the field

4:13:53and he's getting those reps under his belt. All right guys. Thanks. A fan says and having a plan. need to be and how does that affect my decision. But constantly playing those games both on the field, but also I think it's just as important to play that in your head. You know we talk to those guys all the time that relaying around the bed and maybe watching some film and you know looking at a clip and okay what would I do here on this play? What would I do here on this play? And constantly challenging your mind to play with an imagination even when we're not out there on the field doing it. It's an opportunity to grow up, it's an opportunity to get better and maybe somehow mentally I can put myself in that position. So if I do get a look that hadn't shown up on tape all year long but they give us a different look on defense than maybe they've shown I'm ready for that moment. Well number one you know you use an ironbucker so which is pretty incredible obviously we know that's a big deal around here and his work in the way room was tremendous. So as an athlete we've definitely seen that and then you know on top of that we've seen him grow as a leader. He's more vocal

4:14:56his presence has felt I think he's playing with with it a little bit of an edge to him which is good to see I think you have to play that position with a little bit of an edge without you know ever getting too high or too low and that's contagious. So we're seeing that right now from Lincoln and then you know as far as mechanically it goes you know we're definitely seeing Lincoln get the ball out quick I think he's accurate. You know I think that his base has improved there's been you know a couple of things that in the spring you was working on with his footwork and we've seen some drastic improvements that way. Because Lincoln's specifically you know that he's had the black jersey on a lot of things that bloodsome probably just taken away by well in play day and things like that how do you see him as an athlete in that regard while also not being able to see it as much on the practice field since he's not alive. Yeah I mean you know you definitely can't see it to the full extent as though you go live but we still see it you know we still see it you know there's times when he's extending plays are stepping up through the pocket and and taking off and going and

4:15:58and you know there's no question Lincoln's a great athlete and and that's got to be something that he plays through his strengths you know that's got to be something that his game has in it which he's shown to do a great job of you know he's made a couple plays throughout spring where he's extended the play and kept his eyes down filled and made some great throws so you know that's although we can't see that quite as well because we're not going live there's still definitely a feeling for that. You can't really lower that at the witnesses and you're going to kind of show their things that do really well how do you make sure that those guys are trying to win the competition on what they do well but also making them get out of their comfort zone so they're being thrust into positions that maybe they're not super comfortable with to show you guys what they can't do those things. Yeah I mean you know as we as we script practice and we go through it we try to be extremely detailed in the in the different reps that everyone's getting in it's not like you know we would ever script a certain play on purpose because it fits someone's strengths better you know we want them to run the offense you know the offense is always going to adjust to the skill set of the players that are in the entire offense but at the end of the day you know the offense is going to be the

4:17:02offense so from a decision making perspective from a throw perspective those guys are going out there and getting those reps and competing in it. So I assume this one training camp here not really taking it turns into who's ahead. At what point do you need to start thinking that way? Are you just right now just taking the challenge and getting it wrong? Yeah right now we're just we're just taking a day by day and really period by period on the field meeting off the field you know and you know the one thing that's pretty cool is those guys are very competitive and they push each other hard and they're you know they're ultimately really good for each other because they both make each other uncomfortable because you know they're both very good players you know and and Tavians right there with them included in that mix and and above all that they're still friends you know I think was pretty cool right now is just you know you walk into that quarterback room and you've got a bunch of really really good guys that all get along well and and you know are willing to help each other out and give each other pointers and tips that they see something and you know it's it's it's an enjoyable environment to be around every day but

4:18:08but ultimately those guys are competing you know they're going out there and they're trying to win the job and I think they realize that every moment is important and every period is important and they're going out they're trying to get done. When you talk about a quarter back getting the ball out quicker how much of that is efficiency of mechanics and how much of that is mental like how quickly they see something to think that the ball out faster. Definitely a combination of both you know I think when you look at a concept you know how quick can I process the information I'm getting from the defense and the way that I can process that information quickly is where my eyes are in the right spot if I'm looking at the right thing and I can anticipate what that defender is going to do and make a decision and get the ball out right that's that's a major major factor and then there's also a piece of it right that comes down to the mechanics as well but I think more than anything you know it's it's about making sure my eyes are in the right spot making sure that I'm trusting what my read is and making sure that I'm getting the ball out and

4:19:09making a great decision with football coach wrestler thank you very much thanks guys not too hard for me to put it behind me stuff happening in life stuff happening in the game that may not go our way but just about responding and coming out here and having fun. Previous generations in the game that have had concussions and some of the struggles they're having in their older life. What are these specialists telling you to alleviate any concerns that you may have about the potential of having to deal with those same problems those former. That's a great question. A lot of the information and a lot of things before like during the time of those older players are a lot different than the knowledge and information that we have now and I mean we're able to treat concussions and also back then is like if you got a concussion they were sending you right back into the game so now it's a lot different we got a protocol and it gives your brain time to heal and everything so I think things are setting plays

4:20:13now where it's a lot better than before and that time with we're making problems later on so that's why I'm not really too concerned about it. So the new helmet recommended by the trainer or Michael's dad? No I just wanted to get into a new helmet. I mean people have a refer to they also don't know our team meeting has said how there's a number of helmets are better than other helmets right now so I just wanted to check those out and see what they are. Is this helmet question any more severe than the others you can? No that's one of the other things I mean I'm not going to give a whole seminar on concussions over here but no it's not necessarily more severe. Each concussion like just what I learned each concussion is its own specific concussion and you gotta give that time to heal and then once that's healed and ready to go once you get back out here you're good so it's not like concussions are building on top of each other like you give it time to heal but I think like before with guys we're getting trouble with a long time ago it's like they get a concussion not fully healed and they go right back out there and playing. Denzel of a cap to see a side or maybe part of it can you just reflect on how you've grown

4:21:15since showing up here in fairly 21? I've been here for a little while now I've been enjoying every second of it. I always came in trying to be a captain and trying to lead these guys as best as I can and I definitely feel that I've grown vocally and just trying to help build the team up and build myself up so I'm just trying to do anything I can to help this team. How about in a concussion situation like this you're so close to reminding your brother that you have to sort of involve the family's decision behind that. Yeah definitely they all they came down with me so when I was I had like when the team was here doing meetings I was driving up to a Pittsburgh meeting with the concussion specialists and everything and they were with me and just easing their mind that that's the biggest thing easing their mind they're all they're all worried and everything but they'll be okay. We saw the play with the Elijah Mollett and your head growing. Say it again. We saw the play at practice. Yeah. Did you think it'd be up for two weeks after that? Oh I mean I was good pretty it was that day that I was kind of had a headache and everything

4:22:18but I was pretty much good after that but it was just about going through the protocol and I mean there was no rush back we weren't playing regular season games so I mean I was just really getting the time to heal it wasn't any rush. You both is already in camp and still had a helmet to helmet just from your perspective and you have to be an expert but are those doing what they're intended to do that you know Dante, you can learn it when he got first you know I'm saying like you guys are still getting concussions and getting where it is definitely still a physical sport so I mean concussion and I happen regardless I know if you were in a guardian cap or not. I think it could be looked at too I know and just talked about it on the guardian cap I don't think in the back that is much padding is I would like but I feel it could be looked at but I think you get a concussion whether you're wearing a guardian cap or not so I mean stuff happens this is a physical game. Sorry would you just clarify this you said you're going to get any improvement? Mm-hmm. Also wear the guardian cap during the games?

4:23:19No I'm not going to. You feel that about this game helmet that you're wearing? Yeah. Yeah that's you know what's the name and the brand of helmet like any details you have? I'm not sure the brand of name yet I have to get it from those guys inside but you guys would definitely be seeing this soon though. And how do you feel about not playing in a preseason game? Hmm. You have to say it's your career where it's not a big deal? Oh I want to say it's not a big deal but I don't feel any pressure any like I just needed to play in a preseason game. I feel that's a great opportunity for the younger guys to get out there and showcase what they're able to do but I still been practicing and playing and working out and getting ready for the season so I mean I know the game I'm looking forward to that first game and I'm not really concerned about not being able to get a snap of the preseason game. We think about MJ did feeling that he particularly during the joint practice is against Jefferson. Mm-hmm. Yeah MJ is the number one corner I mean you you guys see it he's going to be big for this year and I think that's what's special about this team we got three number one corners myself MJ and Greg I thought we all number ones and we able to do different things out there on the field

4:24:24and uh there one guy's out another guy can step in and not lose track or not lose pace on what we got going on. I don't know. MJ has a few growth as a leader in the early of the year three and he's trying to pick on this one as a guy that's bringing energy and also trying to bring the ball on. Yeah definitely like you said bring it in that's exactly bring it energy bringing guys along MJ's real vocal out there and he competes as he's in competitor out there and just working hard and trying to be the best he got the mindset of wanting to be the best and he is so we just go out there and compete with one another. We're happy to see CD Lam get his contract signed and be ready to go out there hopefully this game can face the better. No I'm definitely happy for him that's like changing uh contract and everything for him and his family so uh definitely happy for him I'm looking forward to going to having that match up in the game I always love going against the number one guys and best guys on that team so I'll be looking forward to it. It turns out we got more of the history that's concussions that we're talking about. I think when you suffer the latest one people who cover the team and fans are wondering

4:25:28how loud and discussion you know could you contemplate and retire and you could ever go through your mind or do you immediately know that you're going to come back. Yeah like I said this is a game I love man I love playing this game being with the guys out here I really don't see myself doing too much other stuff so unless I'm just really physically unable to play this game I don't see myself stepping away from football no time soon so and like I said before I can't take it easy on these receivers out here so me being out here I got to give them a good look and just go out there and play but I answer your question now I haven't seen myself walking away though. Are you actually out of protocol now? Yes. Yeah. Hey, did you know uh great-cult miles hardened this teal drafts? What have you seen? Say it again. Sorry great-cult miles hardened this teal of the drafts. What have you seen from any other camp and what kind of exciting about him? Yeah miles he's been balling he's been showing out making plays against the Vikings and just making plays out here so it was big for him to make the team I was happy for him we all congratulated him and he's going to be a big piece on our team coming going forward.

4:26:32Didn't some of the other rookie you mentioned making the receivers better? Where have you seen how have you made Jamari talked about how you you've helped him you know as a rookie what what have you seen out of him in his development? Yeah he's been looking good since he came in I think he's been getting better and better he's night and day from once he came in so where he's at now I believe. I think that's just his competitive nature and what he's been doing out there in practice and us going against one another out there so he's been good and he's going to be a big piece as well to our offense. What's your tip to you? What's your tip do you give receivers? How can you help a receiver? Yeah I mean it's a constant communication like if I were to win on a red they may come and ask me what it is that you've seen on that play that you're able to get in position and I'll tell them that I may ask them a question so it's just that constant communication on how we could get each other better. I appreciate it. Thank you guys. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Glad to see you back. Glad to see you. I just-

4:27:37I feel like, does that count the mindset that you take an everyday in practice? Like you just say you're not happy and you're in my country. I don't know if you feel like I'm 98 out of 100 receivers. Is that actually probably your not catching close on you? That's what- If I keep that in the back of your head and we want to get Jeremiah and Carnell and Brandon and I'm back in- Yes that's my mindset like in practice the whole day. I want those boys to get me and everything that they have so I go up and then Saturday and it's going to be easy for me and I'll be prepared. What have you seen with Grocery being young in corners? Obviously we saw it that he's not at Jeremiah last year. They're your mates are. But Calvin and some of the Aaron's and some of the young guys. How have you seen them come along? Um, and Scott has gotten completely better from his brain. Glad completely better. Is that just time in the program? I'm just getting used to the speed of college football I would say. What about Calvin? He was obviously here last year. He was. Um, Calvin has gotten a lot better like I would say that he's gotten a lot smarter.

4:28:38Yeah. And then he also write GB. Go ahead and think he's there about Calvin's intelligence, you know, the, the, you know, where he's grown. Where specifically is it? The film room is it kind of picking up, you know, the playbook? Where have you seen that? The brain up a grab. I would say Calvin has gotten smarter just like his game knowledge like expecting like a different kind of routes and stuff like that. Perfect. When did everything start to click for him? The last year was it in the soft season? When did you feel just comfortable? I would say it in the spring. I started to get a lot more comfortable in our defense. Yeah. We say you break up the past yesterday with the spare money and don't start to ask about this earlier. But what is like going up against him? Do you? It seems like you enjoy it. Yeah, I love it. He's, he's tough. I like going against him a lot. He's really good. What have you improved in your game just from that? For example, those, those one-on-one matchups, this preseason or whatever. You know how badly this game is. So Jim, he forces me to pay the bank. If you don't pay the bank against him, he'll go get it.

4:29:38Yeah, yeah. And you, and you, Dave, how would you describe this defense now compared to this time a year ago from this standpoint of a confidence factor? You don't mean that you guys feel on the field? How would you describe it? It's different about it, I guess. I feel like everybody's a lot more smart than this area. Everybody's like, I would just say that we're going to just just just smarter. Yeah, but you know, when you look up and late and ran some decided to come back and Caleb down, transferred in. I mean, what did you feel about that? Did it just grow stronger in that one week span, two weeks span? You're still on up saying? I feel like. Those guys have played at that level. Those guys have played at that level. Yeah, I would say that like, a downcoming and um, um, we're saying he was coming back, so he was coming back, it's just so right. We'll be happy to meet him any. Yeah, Drake, go. Thanks, man. Of course. Bearing as versus mobile quarterbacks helps us obviously being a

4:30:40GS helpers home and learn from our, where we have, and how to go through the hole and how to scratch us, where we can learn from those crampals and we go from that game and the past game we played against Morgan, just learning, learning the quarterbacks tendencies, and when they like to run, where they like to run, and everybody helps us out, really closing the court, going to cage and cage and pocket ball. Is there a fine line between being aggressive, but also being wary, this guy can slip away, you're saying what I'm saying, I mean, you can't just go right at, I mean, go ahead, I'm sorry. Yeah, he's definitely a quarterback, and then guess I guess I have to pocket, so I mean, being, he's definitely a threat. He's a man guy in the offense, he runs the show, so I mean, be able to stop him and contain him, really slows the offense down, so be able to cage the pocket and be able to slow him down and make him make more decisions on the run and moving around. That way helps us. Go ahead, and one more time, I'm sorry. Well, no, I didn't want to ask about their center. Their center, I impress with you with him, the last time you guys played, he seemed to have a pretty good game, you know, and he's kind of a, kind of, you know, actually, kind of a tough guy to move out of there

4:31:40and stuff he looks like. I mean, what's your impression of him? He's definitely one of the better centers in the conference. I mean, he's a really good guy. I mean, being there and there, being the size and being able to move the way he can is really hard to get around him at times, but he's definitely having the game plan and working against and working to tend to see that he has some good work against that, really helps me. Why? Yeah. Fifth throw, middle, Steven Leonard, college football, fouls. Yeah, kind of piggybacking on that. How much of it was there offensive line being a strike that are team versus Dylan Gabriel being able to escape and the lack of pressures that we had on our defense? Oh, yeah. I mean, when you got a good offensive line, I mean, it makes it even better for a quarterback, you know, being able to roll out to know that your line was going to help you protect you when you're in the pocket. So, I mean, it makes it easier for throws and it makes it harder for us. Honestly, we're having a good offensive line. So, I mean, like I said before, it is being able to attack the offensive line, attack the weaknesses and be able to go after and make it harder for the quarterback. And he's harder for them or rural. For the right, Andrew Gillick, believe in Doc Brown. What's the challenge similar to Tim's question? And, you know,

4:32:40when you play a team like this that runs the level of RPOs that they do that is that they do that. How do you stage through and be aggressive and force the issue where, you know, Dylan Gabriel is really going to make it on the grades? Oh, yeah. Like I said, just putting pressure on him, I mean, do you feel like get it, get back there? I mean, help us get back there, passer in playing and playing to their tendencies, you know. A lot of times they have the RPO, the RPO helps them out. It means you get the ball out fast. I mean, I mean, things like Jackson, and JTB, and get their hands up, knock the ball down, crazy stream them out of pressure for the quarterback when you got hands in your face all times. And final questions, Bill Rubino, it's Columbus Dispatch. We've asked about Dylan Gabriel and the receivers. They're not one dimensional. They have a good running back in Jordan, James. What makes him special and what's the challenge for you guys? I think he's definitely one of the better running backs on the conference as well. I mean, just how hard he runs is, it's hard to bring him down at time. So I mean, as a front pro, we probably stop in the run. That's the first thing we're going to do is we go on the game. I mean, past Russian is good and all, but we can't stop the run. I mean, they've been running the ball down the throw all the time.

4:33:41So all the time we have to figure out how we're going to stop them. We're going to run the ball, and then we're going to take them down. So, I mean, it's our job as a front pro to go on there and stop the run. We're going to make them one-dimensional as we go out there. So, I mean, if we get out there every time I have a mindset, we go out there and we're going to get them. We're not going to allow them to get in the yards, allow them to get going. We're going to stop them. We're going to make them throw the ball. When I, JT was up here asked him about how to compare contrast him and Jack as personalities. What's your take on that? How different are they as just personalities? I definitely think Jack is more outgoing. The guy is neat. He's like the light that shines around me. And everybody goes around him. And everybody loves him. He's an outgoing guy. They're going to come to you, shake your hand any time of day. And then JT is more of the glue guy. I mean, a lot of guys gravitate to him. I mean, he just has a bright smile on him all the time. He's just a great guy that people would like to be around. And there are two good people. So, it's hard to tell. And Ty, I do that one more question for you. Tony Irvin, like that, huh? You guys obviously have faced tough, but you didn't last week. What's the key for you as a defensive one

4:34:42in facing tempo? Oh, yeah. I mean, we've been going through all week in the past two weeks. It's just getting set. I mean, that's the first thing you do. If you're not set, it makes it harder to do your job. So, let's be honest, get on the ball, get set before they're lined up and set the ball is one and more important thing. So, when we're set, we're able to do our jobs at the efficiency before they can do theirs. How difficult is that? It can be difficult at times. You know, you gotta look to the signline first. You gotta get the call. I mean, the call has to be set down first. So, it can't be difficult at times, but that's definitely what we've been working on the past few weeks to just get the call, get the call early, get set. So, we can go and be play faster. You never find where you're like, you've changed the play into one side of the field. And now, it's lined up. They're gonna be handed to the other side. So, like, you've got to, you're just running the signline side like just to get the money. Yeah, I mean, I have a lot of last game, you know. It's definitely tough. I mean, that's what we work on in practice. Just moving as fast as we can, simulating these things so we can get into the game. It's a lot easier. So, we moving around side to side, running around, doing extra conditioning just for moments like this. Alright, thank you very much. Alright, thank you.

4:35:42Thanks, Tom. I think you know you're not gonna get hit, but more preseason and first couple games, I'm excited to see see what that looks like. Can I pick up a sheet's, uh, especially? I'm excited, man. Like I said, from jump, he's a special, special player. He don't really get that so many players like him that's so quick, so fast, at least speed and ain't got a run route too. 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 could make you get in the open for another? Well, 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. Just speed down a field. You can run 15, 20 yards in breakers, out breakers. And, like I said, you're gonna have to play two safes most of the time, or you can run the ball, you can get underneath or else, it's gonna just gonna be a great compliment to the offense, so I'm excited. Chris, you said you hope this new office will put to play makers in the decision to make plays. What about you specifically?

4:36:42What looks in the area where you think you'll have more opportunity than this year? Um, like I said, it's a lot of areas that you can see to look at, to improve my game, but yards have the chances of 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. Uh, something that I really showcase the first two years, so I'm excited to be with this. It's something that, like the quick game element of it, just getting the ball in your hands. Like, quick game, play action, uh, more over the, over the middle routes. It's a lot of different things that you can say that this guy's gonna help that, but like I said, I'm excited. How would you describe the chemistry between you and the Garrett and the Zon? We're getting way better, man. I mean, this is our first year last year, so it was kind of up and down, but that's what it comes with the game of football. So, uh, we worked a lot this off season, OTAs, which was really good.

4:37:45And we got off to a good start these first two days of count, 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, uh, we got to, we got to do something to be good. So, where do you kind of notice that difference? It's just like, feel on the route. It's very like, what do you kind of notice now that it's year two, but that's more natural. What do you mean? So, like, Derek, for you and you, you just got to work. Uh, where do you kind of know? It's just like, it's more than that, man. It's NFL, everybody, you know, everybody's good, so we just got to know what each other is thinking, pre-snap, post-snap, cover cheese, where the walls won't go. Just reads, what read I am, and then the progression, everything goes along with that, so, uh, just being on the same page, being, like I said, chemistry is built with time, so, uh, just little stuff like that that turns into big things is, it's going to be huge. You caught one from us, and it's a rally to the day two, whatever you heard early impressions from him. Uh, he's real talented, yeah. That's the first thing I've seen from him. His arm title is out the charts. Uh, he's, he's a real natural, uh, natural feel out there.

4:38:49He's going to be real good. I want to see him in action, but, uh, for, for 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 that? Oh, yeah. He hasn't really, I think this is first year being receiver two or really receiver. We were, in my opinion, we both are receiver one, so, uh, I just be able to move around, run real routes. I feel like it's going to be a huge advantage for, for the same. So, uh, it's a special player, and I can't wait to see him ball, and I can't wait to see him get more opportunities. And you're going to see what he can do. By, by, by run real routes, he's just like a, an opportunity to run. Yeah, just, just getting more, you know, he hadn't really played too many plays his first few years. He kind of just get thrown in there when, uh, when he's getting the ball or, uh, when he's a decoy or something like that, but he's actually being involved in the offense. Always being in, um, even on run plays. I feel like he's going to be a huge advantage for him to get a feel for the game

4:39:52and be more natural out there. How far does it for a receiver like that? For the shed kind of, uh, you know, think of him as the deep threat level, and then, so, people just think of him as a deep star, but he can do more. How hard is it to kind of shed that label or that perception? I mean, that's, that's what life everybody is trying to label somebody as, as one thing or two things, but I feel like you can showcase. I mean, that's, that's not really who we are, you know what I'm saying. Uh, as you get, as he gets more opportunities as you, as you can see, you can see he can do more and more. Uh, that's what, that's what anybody on the team. So, uh, I'm excited, like I said, and, uh, for his, for his huge opportunities, going to get this year, and this guy's going to be a big one for the Saints. Does this, does this scheme ask for, uh, more blocking from the receivers? Is there more responsibility? Oh, yeah. For sure. I mean, that's what I told you to, too. We both don't have to block, and I know we're not the biggest guys, or the strongest, but like I said, we just want to be on the field. We got to be on the field for the play action plays, uh, all those things. So, uh, we both got to go block B-line,

4:40:52and block linebackers, but that's what come with football. So, we both got to take, take, uh, 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, so, 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 up, play, so we got to go in there and block, and like I said, take that next step and be able to be great for, for our team. Like, in here? Oh, yeah. So, I feel the weather out here, man. That's what I'm used to. I'm not using the war, and then, out there trying to catch my breath, uh, it's a great opportunity for us. But you get a chance to see family and friends, and also this is their football friend here. Not yet, but they don't, they don't come by here soon. Appreciate you all, now. Thank you very much. We're going to see the, the whole field of all these, and the, well, these in the pocket, um, are two big things in terms of his accuracy. All right, down to Barry WBN. Coach, this is kind of charted waters with the new playoffs system,

4:41:53and everything from an offensive standpoint. How much of the offense is in, and are you holding things back because there's some poofy? I mean, how do you manage all that? Yeah, I don't think we hold anything back. I think our offense is always game plan specific in terms of who we're playing, and how do we attack what they do? Each different, each defense you face is somewhat unique. You know, and so you can say, hey, this team's a little bit like this team, but not totally like that team. So I think it's, it's not, hey, this is a really good play. Let's not run it because we're going to need it down the road. It's, you know, you have to win every game. And, and I don't think you can take that approach of, let's save this for another game, because you don't know how, how games are going to express themselves during the, the course of the game itself. So, um, everything we do is just game plan specific, specific, especially now that we've gotten in a conference play. All right, pretty much. And you guys, yeah, I mean, we could add stuff that I think we may have done in the spring, but we haven't used yet, just because we haven't faced that defense yet.

4:42:54Thanks for the whole work, letter to the roll. Chip, in 2022, your UCLA offensive line was a semi-finals for the Joe War award. Mm-hmm. Today, there's some offensive lines, maybe semi-finals for that. Do you see similarities for the way that Dite unit was playing and the way that Justin has your guys playing right now? Um, do I make me think back? I think they're different. I don't really upset it before. I'm not into comparing one group to another group. I didn't know that that's pretty cool for those guys. Um, that's a prestigious award. You know, those guys usually go unnoticed. Um, you know, that that's the nature of the position if you're an offensive lineman. They, you know, they're either close or too valuable hardware. They don't really get a lot of attention. They're not, they're not the guys that are out in the limelight, let some of these other guys, but they, they work their tails off. You know, I think that's the, the gist of any team that's going to be a really good football team has to be strong on both lines. And the fact that, um, they've been recognized for that, that's something that's, that's pretty cool. But now we got to live up, we got to live up to that standard every day. So, you guys know, I started those award test coaches,

4:43:54but to see the, the way that those guys have responded since losing Josh, that's has a play card and the leader in the office. How do you, um, have I waited that? What do you think of the even the way that's playing without you? I've been really impressed. And I think really Donnie and Seth have really stepped up in, in, in that leadership port. You know, I think the two of those guys have really kind of led from the front, um, to tough, hard-knosed physical players. Obviously Donnie being selfish and moving from left card to left tackle was a really big deal for us. And he continues to work in his craft every day, because, you know, I think everybody just thinks whole line, but, you know, all, all five of those positions are really different. Um, and it's not easy to go from one position to another position. Um, and the fact that Donnie's done that has been great. And I think Seth really, because he calls all of our, um, identifications and, and directs what our blocking schemes will be, you know, is really kind of fell into that leadership role force. And I think our guys are rallying behind those two. All right, Dave Holmes. WSYF. I'll try and talk a little bit about his upbringing at Fenway Park and historic baseball venue. Want to get your thoughts on playing a game in Wrigley?

4:44:56Yeah, I think it's cool. You know, I, I, I've not seen, I've seen just highlights of a football game in there. And I've been to a game at Wrigley when I was out recruiting once, but, um, the fact that you can play in settings like that is, it's pretty cool. And I think it makes it unique, you know, obviously, um, they're refurbishing their stadium. So, you know, they got to be on the, they got to either build the one that they did on campus or go to Wrigley. So the fact that we get to be the one team that plays in Wrigley, I think it'll be pretty cool. And I think our players won't enjoy that. Awesome. More of a podcast. Chip, I know every, every game plan every week is, is different. Contention on the opponent, but it's felt like the last couple of game plans and lean a little bit more on Will's over Russian threat. What's, what's motivating that decision? The defense is that the people deploy, you know, sometimes they, they always have an extra guy in the box. And if you run the quarterback, then that evens numbers back out. It's as simple as that. You know, some teams don't do that. And other teams do do that. So, you know, it's, it's just sometimes when you get, especially, um, when you get in a conference play, I think there's a lot of people in this league that know how to stop the run. So, you know, you're going to be able to have a,

4:45:58a mobile quarterback and it helps the Will has that mobility. The land is things of the North. Chip, do you ever interrate off the play or change something up kind of just for the sake of doing it to break a tendency or put something different on film, or is it always opponents specific? No, it's always opponents specific, but you still self-scout yourself and what are we doing out of this formation and what is our run pass ratio? And even within that, within, out of this formation all runs are this, you know. And then that's always the, the fine line. Well, we should do something different. Well, what we're doing is working. Why would we do something different? You know, so you kind of play that game and go back and forth with it. But we're constantly working on self-scout of ourselves and tendencies that we're trying to just understand. But some tendencies are good tendencies. You know, you could be, hey, you're 90 percent run out of this formation. You're also 90 percent success out of this formation. So, you know, do you not call that ever again because you think that they think that you think this, you know, you can get into that real dilemma of just, you know, it's still about executing and still about

4:46:59lighting up and playing. But we do spend a lot of time on that. That's part of what our weekly game plan meetings are about. Any more emphasis on that in a college football season that can now be 17, 18 games where you want to make sure you're sprinkling in different things so that if you could game 17 and a team has a pretty expansive book on you guys, he'll wise that they can't, you know, key in on something you've done all year. You want to make sure you have those changes. Yeah, there has to be some of those. But again, I think you can drive yourself crazy when we put this on tape and they think that we can do this because they know that we can do that. They can't do that. And we do that. And I didn't make any sense what I just said. And that's what's going on in your head when you're starting to think about all that stuff too. So it's that process. You know, I still think you have to part of being really good at it is what are we good at and how do we continue to be good at it so that everybody in the stadium doesn't know hey, they're running the ball over the right side on this play because that's what they always do. You know, I think you're still trying to

4:47:59mass some of those things, but you still have to play to your strengths. Can you have your feet broken for the athletic? Shift, you kind of offered a question about what's running. I think you're going to be the last thing that comes we've got to do. You know, I have some tips in the United States to talk about it to be power all the time. But how have you seen Will's progression and understand or reading what he does his want and to do when it comes to heading off to Q which way of pulling or is that more from you guys selling hands? You want your bulldozer or something more. No, no, it's a good question. We don't tell him we want you to do this or want you to do that. It's totally a lot of that stuff is if it's a read play, it's he has to read it out and how he sees it. Just like we don't tell him where to throw, you know, it's the plays called to the Curl or the flat but it depends, there's a defender defend the Curl or defend the flat. Like you can't tell him before the play, throw the curl because I know the guy's going to chase the flat. Well, then he sits in the curl and you throw a pick and it's, Coach told me to go there, you know, we know it and we told you to read this player. So it's the same thing with some of the read plays that we run. And I think he does a really good job.

4:49:00You know, he was really well trained. I think Chris climate is a great job and Colin climate is a great job at K-State. And, you know, so Will's got a really, really good understanding of our running game. You know, it was more of just learning the terminology here as opposed to what it was like there. But I think he does a really, really good job of that. And when we put something in new, it may be new to this unit, but it's not new to Will. It's just, oh yeah, we run this. And then we'll go back and actually look at K-State tape with him and kind of pick his brain, how do you read it? And how is it presented to you? And what's the best way for us to present it so that we can execute? You're like, I've been told this is bad. So what do you see as the advantage from from huddling more and just sort of planning to slow pace of play in offense versus past couple years, you can achieve a more place for a minute than you are. Now pace a little slower, just what does the advantage of that? Yeah, I think you can communicate better. You know, so obviously the thing that's changed this season and I think a lot of people have slowed down. Is the ability for the quarterback to communicate

4:50:01with everybody before the play. You know, before it was just everything was driven by signals and everybody was looking to the sideline and then getting everybody on the same page. So there's some teams and sometimes when that's to your advantage. You know, I think more people do it to us because they don't want them on our hands so that I think the game has, we don't get as many possessions right now as we have in the past. Just because I think both sides are doing it a little bit more. But I think the communication thing that you're allowed to talk to the quarterback up to 15 seconds on the play clock is one of the advantages of Huddling. If you're an NGN2B, you guys have also done it? Do you think more, does it keep you going to win to do the other team? Yeah, it gives us an advantage again from being able to communicate so what will can talk to the offensive line about, you know, and name like normally you'd send a play and but he couldn't give them like, hey, these guys are 85% twist and boundary corner on this play. So make sure that we're really high alert for that. So there's a lot more that goes on. It's not a two-way conversation because he can't talk back to you.

4:51:02But we have a style of speaking in that situation so that we can communicate some different things. Before it was, you just called the play and broke, now you can give them a lot more information. There may be a player you got to injure the play before. Hey, there's a new left corner in the number 15. We talked about him, we saw him on film. This is what he's susceptible to. Let's make sure we're attacking him when you know he's in. Instead of you waited until you get to the sideline between series and go, hey, there's a new corner in the number 15. But you can communicate that stuff now. Give me a minute, Rob. Oh, thanks, Jerry. Hold up on that a little bit or just on offensive plays. Do you ever have times in games where you have to say to yourself, I got to be displeased here, I got to call some run plays. I know it sounds kind of stupid, but I mean, to have the balance when you look at this line up with Jeremiah and Mecca and Carnael and, you know, you could throw them all 50 times a game and nobody would question that. You're saying, does it take discipline to also stay with the run game? I think it takes discipline to know what the defense is trying to take away from you.

4:52:06So, you know, for you to try to continue to throw it if they're going to play high-safedies and light boxes, you know, you should be running it more than, you know, and when people are loading up the box, take away your run and saying, hey, we're not going to let you run the ball in the situation. And you are still trying to run the ball in the situation. That's what I think the discipline is. So, sometimes it's not consecutive plays in a row or series. It's just kind of, what are they like? Because you take, say you're playing Northwest, you have nine game breakdown in Northwestern. This is what they've done for their last nine games. What, as you go into the really first, second, third series of a game, is what we saw in the last nine games actually happening in this game. And if it is, then we're pretty solid in terms of our game plan. If not, then you may have to morph a little bit towards run or a little bit towards pass based upon how they decided they were going to come out this week. Because they may have come out in the previous nine weeks and done this. But in your game, they're doing it a little bit differently. So, it's the ability to make those adjustments and kind of lean one way or the other.

4:53:06You know, I think it's the discipline part you're talking about. Not just saying, well, we're just going to chuck it. You know, but if they're playing really deep and you're still trying to throw it deep, then that's not smart either. You know? How do we necessarily throw it deeper every time? Okay. You just want us to throw it every time? Yeah, yeah. That's fine. You might have lost a win and doubt aired out. Uh, but follow up. Well, once you can't see it. You're not a Woody Hayes guy then, huh? Yeah, and that one. Well, come on. You can't go both ways. I've never been out of women's Texas. Okay. See, you're not a bare brank guy. Yeah. Uh, yeah. We've gone by that layer. Okay. When you walk into a place like Wrigley Field, you seem to have a feel for history and stuff. And Gale Sayers ran there, you know, Dick Buckis Playfield. Yeah. Most people, they take their all-played and sold your field and stuff. Do you think about that kind of where you are? I will Friday, because we're actually going to get to the stadium and get a chance to kind of look around and see what it looks like. But is that aimed at that? Oh, yeah. Do it too. It always does. I mean, I love whenever we were wherever I've been when you get a chance to go play in some of these iconic stadiums

4:54:06and players that you saw when you were going up and play here. It's, that's always a really cool part about what we get to do. But yeah, that'll be, it'll be fun. I think everybody's excited about playing this game in Wrigley. Great. Go, thank you very much. All right. Thanks, guys. You know, just more so let's get off the ball. What kind of impact did working with Brian Young, the Spats-Week have, but defense line as well? Met a big impact. B-Y, you know, obviously, a little bit. You know, we went back to the basics just on technique, footwork, just to fundamentals. And I think that definitely helped prepare this for the game. Did Reels rotations on the defensive line different this week? Just getting maybe more plays to see us together. So I kind of want to take a while. Yeah, it was more, more so, you know, six play. If you guys get tired, just rotate out. But it's a cool rotation. And definitely helped us stay fresh.

4:55:09Even that last drive during the fourth, guys, we were just a lot fresher, able to rest the past. So I feel like it benefited us. Is there also just a, like, I don't know, just like getting into the game flow when you're not, where you're kind of subbing in and out as well? Yeah, so you know, you can get more into it with them. Yeah, definitely. Cam, I came up with that sack in the fourth quarter that, I don't know if it pushed him out of total range, but obviously, he missed the full goal right out of there. Like, Cam's obviously a leader on this team. When he makes a big play like that, like how much maybe he does that give a boost of adrenaline to the defense? A big boost, because you know, that's OG Cam. You know, that's been his Cam right there. You know, all you look at and just smile. But it was a big boost. You know, definitely makes you get on your horse a little more. And just keep your head down and keep grinding throughout the game. That's key, and I'm impressed to the way that he's kind of accepted his role this year. You know, he's not playing as much as he used to,

4:56:11but obviously, and kind of just embrace that and does it do anything for you. Yeah, I mean, I've been learning a lot from Cam, especially technique-wise. You know, I would ask him about just, you know, how I would look at his old film, I'd ask him about, you know, what was he seeing? And, you know, during this particular play. But I think he's an awesome leader. He welcome me and my open arms come here. And, you know, that's my guy. Yeah, when, like, some of the time he stands up front on the team, so like, I've played up to my own expectations. Like, I will be better in for the play. What does it mean when somebody hits the stage with a lot of people grew up watching him? Yeah, I mean, T-5, he had to, man. I mean, you know, every game make him be your best game. That's the lead. You know, but he came up close with a pick. I mean, you know, regardless of it all, he always times the way to get intercepted on the high-key

4:57:11doing it. But he definitely, I smile at that too. It's like, you know, I watched him high school, really just his whole career. So it's an honor to be playing with him. Racy talks about kind of changing some things every now and then to make keep your body uncomfortable. What's the value of that from a player perspective? I think just in terms of, you know, staying uncomfortable, things that mental aspect, you know, going through a game, you know, things may not go your way, just being in that uncomfortable state and always having the will to push him, fight through. How have you seen the changes with the benefits rather of those changes that you're making this week? I mean, like, from practice that's scheduled to your position rules and the right. Yeah, I mean, I think we can see it, you know, during the game, we just watched film. I even know myself during the run. I was just in my hand placement. It was a lot better.

4:58:14You know, because we were just refining a lot of the smaller details that BYU felt like we needed to to fix. So I think it's paying off. And you also talked about confidence a minute ago. From you all sides of all, obviously, up there, bigger eyes on y'all in the past week. How much was the confidence boost from what you get from this win? Oh, a lot. I'm a lot. I felt like we, the whole week, you know, we was talking about finishing and I felt like we did that. You know, we kept our heads down. We went back to the basics. The fundamentals, technique, hand placement, you know, that lean that you have to have. And, you know, just refining the small things and it all paid off. So it was definitely a confidence boost. I want you to describe Peyton Turner from your time with him watching him through training camp and then having a bigger impact on his class weekend. Yeah, now Peyton, great player, great team, mate. You know, that's, that's a, that's, I think, a team I grew closer with.

4:59:17But a great, I mean, he's a great player. Hell of a guy. Thank you. Your ship not only from me, but from a few other guys in the online group. It will be really special for us next 18 days. What's that? Yeah, no, I mean, you know, Peyton, he's been doing, you know, everything right. I mean, he's been, you know, bouncing around. He's been, you know, face a lot of adversity as well. But I mean, he's, he's, he's prevailed and he's been doing a great job leading and stuff like that. Being a younger guy, I'm self-reliant to step up and take their roles. Been huge, not only for me, but for our entire team and our, our unit and so for him to continue to take those steps, as you know, is going to be really important to this off season, or throughout this season, through this off season, because we have a really long season coming up. Like we know, we, you know, it's going to take everybody. And last year really showed that. So I think that leadership not only coming from, you know, like a couple of guys, but from the entire group. I think it's going to be so important because we're, like I said, we're going to need everybody.

5:00:24Left guard. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, just how blessed I was. Just, you know, continuing to come at blessings. I mean, I never thought, you know, that would be the case. You know, I know going into Penn State, with Coach Rouse, like I never played, but you want to give her a shot. And I was like, why not? And through that, you know, I couldn't be more blessed. And then from, you know, taking over after Steph got her, Steph got injured and being there still coaching me, not, not just like taking a back seat and working on his NFL journey. But he really set, you know, sat back and helped me out was a blessing as well. Being able to play with guys like, with two first-round picks, and three all Americans. And Josh Farrish would have been all Americans, so really four all Americans. It was really, you know, such an honor to be able to play with those guys. I just been blessed to play with a lot of really great people. Coach, Justin talked about, you know, Austin's development and how quickly kind of he flipped the Switch

5:01:24after the title game, how motivated he was. When did you kind of see him flip the Switch, did you talk to him at all like that the motivation he had to get better and play a big role this season? Yeah, you know, I mean, pigs always a really intense guy. I mean, especially when, you know, we're doing any off season training or something like that. Like he's definitely a guy that gets people going. He's a really strong guy, really competitive. And so for him to just kind of, you know, unravel a little bit more of that and just kind of like bring that raw emotion, I think, to what we do has been really just fun to see. And I think it's kind of like a culmination throughout the entire off season from winter training to summer training to now. And he's just continued to steadily incline on that. They're really great leadership. So it's a long way to go, but I think he's been doing a really good job in learning, his capabilities, and what he's able to do for the group. Yeah, it's been awesome. And to work with guys, like I said before, like, LaTarls has been like,

5:02:27probably one of the greatest blessings I've been able to have throughout the last seven months. I mean, through what he's done for me, through what Coach Bohn has done for me, Coach Dickey, Coach Johnson, all those guys that really helped me out to become such a better player than I was. It's just been really important just so I can narrow down on what I need to do because, you know, as a center, you kind of need to be able to play all three positions and getting comfortable, like, in my body posture and stance and how I drive off the ball and stuff like that is important, not only for center, but for everything. So I've just been blessed with the opportunity and people, honestly. You mentioned the more question playing behind the set, we obviously played next in the season and I hope players, what did you learn mentally to kind of help your game grow? Yeah, and I think, you know, from being in those huddles being with, I mean, even with great leaders like Will Howard and stuff like that, I found that we always play the best when we can play fast and we're having a lot of fun. I think we play really, really hard when we're having fun with each other. I think when we kind of have that mindset of we're going to burrow down and

5:03:32it's us against, you know, whoever, it's us collectively, our unit against whoever who don't want to land up across from us, I think that's what we have our strongest mindset and collective force together. And I think playing with Donnie and playing with Josh Fyre and Jot or Jimmy and Seth and all those guys in the past and stuff like that, they've taught me that, physically we can be really capable of mentally all together, like we're pretty hard to deal with. Of course, it's going to be the biggest difference between a center who's getting ready to start the first time in his life and a center who's been through the battles and has a bunch of experience. Yeah, I mean, a center who has a lot of green mind as he goes out there and he's really just hoping he just doesn't mess up. He's hoping, you know, this now gets a quarterback. He's hoping on a lot of stuff, you know, he's not really dictating anything. He's not going up there and deciding he's like, okay, I'm going to give this guy two options. I know I've watched in a film, I know the tendencies of this player, I've played these guys before. I kind of have a feeling of what this

5:04:35decordinator can do or what he likes to do just from learning from different experiences and different coaches. So just being able to go there now with experience is huge. I didn't think I knew how valuable experience was two years ago and I still have a lot of experience to get yet. I think in my experience or in my journey, my career, but so far I think the experience has been invaluable for me just from those past two years to now. Yeah, I'm excited. I was looking up a bunch of like trash talk in German forum just so the ref doesn't get us on a couple, you know, but no, I'm pumped actually. It's it's me fun to see him. I mean, I'm me and him, you know, been best friends with the past couple of years living together. And so it's been, you know, it's a blessing to be able to go and play up against him. And I don't really know where he's playing at right now. I guess position wise specifically, but wherever he's at, I'm pretty excited to throw a double TMI. I'm and hopefully roll him over a couple times.

5:05:41German. I really just call upon this, which is like Chubby. That's really good. That's a bit easier. Um, I'm kind of the type to like just kind of keep moving forward and we'll celebrate after, but a lot of the guys were talking to me about it. We'll never, we'd go. It was pretty cool. I don't know if y'all saw we had like little tent on the sideline because it was like hot. Yeah, our equipment team did a really good job with that. So it was kind of a cool vibe because you couldn't really see like the fans or anything. It was like right over you. It was, it was cool. And yeah, I felt like a little huddle, but uh, yeah, I don't know. I didn't really let it. I didn't want to let it get to me because sometimes what can happen is like once you start getting like numbers up, like you'll kind of get satisfied. I'd be like, Oh, okay. I'm kind of done for the game. I don't really need to win. Really, you can get a lot more. So yeah, I don't know. I think it was the first drive was I had like 1.5. Yeah. And yeah. So I mean, like the second most in a game in Carolina history, like the only one who had more was Julius Peppers. Like, you don't seem like somebody who would get to too excited about that. But yeah, that's pretty cool. Yeah, I didn't

5:06:43even know that. Obviously, uh, until after the game, and that was pretty cool. Would have been nice to get one more. But yeah, it was, that was pretty cool. Hopefully, I'll have some more opportunities to do that. But yeah, it was pretty cool. Yeah. You have taken some heat for your celebrations. Not using the fan. Yeah. Yeah. Use the biweek to refine any. No, I mean, especially like, I'm sure you all saw the video that they put out with like, yeah, that was, that was pretty funny. I think honestly, at this point, I got to like stick to it now. Like now that I've, like, there's a name for it. So, but honestly, it's pretty, because like, I've basically like, since, I mean, you can ask like, my parents, like, since I was in like middle school, I've, I've never like been like soup. Like, I just get really excited. And I just like start like, flexing out. Like, since I've been like 11 years old, I've always done that. And yeah, there's like a ton of high school pictures of me doing it. And yeah, that's just what I've always done. So it's pretty funny. I think a big positive for that celebration is like normal people in the stands can do it. Yeah. Which is not the case with some celebration. Yeah. Yeah.

5:07:45Like, even I could do the boflax. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There we go. Yeah. But I like the way he doesn't like he doesn't stand over the quarterback. He's just celebrating. Like dude, he just sat the quarterback. It's time to boflax. Yeah. Have you heard from either boflax or bojangles? Or from the car on inside? I have not. I mean, I haven't, I guess I haven't done a great job of reaching out. But yeah, I probably shouldn't. Let's go. Well, they should call you. You don't make a joke. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. If I can't buy the bo meal at Keenan Stadium by Saturday at 8 p.m. Do you like the boastsack in sin? It's kind of hard to do. Yeah. Yeah. I like it. I like it. Um, that's actually interesting because uh, Keenan actually was the one who made that up last year. Like our first game last year, we played South Carolina and I had like two or one and half or something like that. And so Keenan was calling me that last year too. So it was pretty interesting to see like the origins of that. Yeah. Just need a little momentum. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. Okay. You've legally agreed

5:08:50to give us 10% of anything. Um, were you impressed, jealous, or something else which Javari Ritzies pick six against Virginia? Oh, no, that's that. I mean, I'm sure you all saw the clip too. Like that was all him. Like there was literally like a shallow pat. Like it wasn't even like a screen or something. The shallow he like tipped it up caught it and then Heisman the quarterback. Wow. Holding the ball like a loaf of bread in the other hand and like, I don't know. He's a freak for sure. So I mean, that was just straight impressed there. I don't know. I haven't had an interception here and I don't know if I had any high school either. So really? Yeah. That was pretty sick to see him doing that and then like running down the field next because I was on the field the same time. Yeah. Yeah. Were there any moments where you wondered if he was going to run out of gas? Honestly, no. Just because I like, I mean, doing like the workouts the whole summer with him. Like he's a three tech, but like he's not really because like he's just so free. Like he's big enough to do it. But he's also so athletic for his size that. Yeah. No, he's a freak for sure.

5:09:54All right. Tell us a little bit about growing up bow young bow. Tell us a little bit about your background. I started playing football when I was like seven or so. My dad played college football at Yukon. My mom played college volleyball at Yukon. So they were both there and so I always was around athletics pretty much my whole life. We were like super competitive. Like anytime we get in trouble, we'd be doing like pushups and that stuff. I remember when I was like five years old, like we'd have a game where like my dad would sit on the couch and we'd like go back basically doing like one-on-one like playing receiver and DB versus I have two brothers and sisters. So very competitive household. I started playing football when I was like seven or whatever. Mostly because my dad played football into my older brother. I don't know. I'm not sure if you all are familiar with the like the pop-worn or super bowl stuff where you like you go to or land. So my older brother had done that a couple times. So after that I was like okay I definitely want to start playing football. I started playing. My dad was my coach and then we

5:10:59end up doing the same thing. We went to Super Bowl twice since seventh and eighth grade and then from there is history high school football. Where do you fall in the siblings? So I've one older brother, me younger brother younger sister. What's the game most likely to cause a fight if y'all are all playing? Oh definitely basketball. My little brother was a very big he was quite the referee during some of that stuff. He'd always get mad and like call penalties and yeah definitely I don't know. We played a lot of basketball. We also we had like our neighbor had like a football. It wasn't it was just like a their front yard was like kind of like curved. So we'd like play football on that every time and like you could throw the football over the house for like the deep balls and nice. It was cool but yeah no we played we were always outside growing up the whole time. Would you beat your little brother up? So it was kind of a thing where like he'd start ref it like and it would give me really mad and then like I'd like chase up to him and then he'd like kind of like be like what's that animal that like plays dead? Oh a possum? Yeah he'd be like a possum.

5:12:02He'd just lay down on the ground and then I kind of like get over him but like I would never actually do anything because like I don't know I didn't want to like actually hurt him and like have him go tell my mom or something. I mean he might have hurt you but yeah exactly but yeah so there was a lot of that going on. I'm sure he could tell you more but yeah. You you were academic all ACC last year. Yeah and you're in the business school. Yeah both those things are no joke. How do you manage your time to do all these things successfully? Hmm it's a good question. I don't really know. You just kind of I feel like if you care about something you can make time I'm not sure. I've always been like a very big math person my whole life and luckily for the business school here that was like the big criteria like you do the calculus and the stats and the e-con so that was kind of right at my alley. Not past my yeah and then also having like good friends to be around like I'm sure you're on their will hearty and Connor are both in the business school with me too so like we

5:13:03kind of been on the same track our whole career which has been pretty cool and been nice to have like other people around you to help you get better and stuff so yeah. That sounds like a very intelligent household you guys have. Yeah you guys just like Friday night or Saturday night after the game everybody's like out and you're like guys look we got some e-con we needed. Celebrate like normal with calculus. Yeah I guess so. Yeah what do you like to do outside of football? Hmm outside I've recently I've gotten into fishing a lot more which has been we my girlfriend has a beach house or they live there from Morehead City and so I went fishing with her dad and stuff and it was really fun. I don't know we're I like to do very spontaneous things all the time I'm sure I can talk to y'all more about that later but I don't know. I don't know but yeah we I don't know me

5:14:08Connor will do a lot of interesting fun things I don't know we played a lot of pickleball and that kind of stuff I don't know we did like a whole scavenger hunt one time it was funny I don't know do a lot of stuff like that but yeah. Fishing with the girlfriend's dad can be some pressure because like you want to do well but not too well. Yeah. How did you handle that? I it was kind of he's he was legit legit but he's lived his whole life I was not legit. I caught like maybe two fish the whole time but it was fun it was sometimes like the great thing about Fiji is kind of like more of like just being out there and like the peaceful vibe was almost better than actually catching sometimes so I thought that was pretty cool. You set up a scavenger hunt? Well I'm actually Connor and Will set it up and then he just like randomly like so like me and Connor were roommates Will was not at the time and they just like randomly like put a note card outside my door and then me and Kate Law. Yeah yeah and we had yeah they just did a whole spontaneous scavenger hunt and yeah

5:15:15it was it was fun. It was very cool. It was yeah it was like six p.m. or seven p.m. and we finished at like 10 p.m. but yeah there was so even in acting. Yeah yeah it was it was it was fun though. It was very very creative by Connor Will. So there has been a lot that has happened with this team this year both on the field and off the field. Yeah. How have you guys tried to manage all of that? I mean it's just it's a lot to happen to people. How have you guys tried to manage that maybe individually and together? Yeah I think it's definitely uh everybody handles it a lot different. I mean just a lot of different especially like obviously all this stuff with Tiley can be very tough. For me I just tried to keep focused on my goals and trying to individually work to get better like and focus even more on football and in school and stuff and I don't know for other people. I think I think that's kind of like the mindset of the whole team is just we want to move forward

5:16:18and in the right way and I think that biweek was very important for us to kind of like take a time out reset mentally and lock back in and I think that showed pretty well these past two weeks. You're talking about that first biweek? Yeah the first biweek. What's the best advice you got during that time? I think kind of just that like just focus on what's important and like not let the outside noise affect you too much and almost like just shut your ears off to the outside noise and just focus on the next thing ahead of you and coach Montaquina talked a lot about like you know you have like the high beams on your cars and like just turn the high beams off just focus on what's in front of you right there and yeah I think that was pretty good advice. He seems like a really good coach to me have you enjoyed working with him? No he's awesome he's awesome yeah. What is what does that relationship been like? What has been beneficial for you? What's been beneficial? He's just the amount of knowledge he has is pretty insane obviously he's in the NFL for a long time

5:17:22and coach some pretty dang good players but just like being able to watch film with him and be able to look at different tales or he does a big like run cut up every week for what the team's main runs are obviously like this week we were playing like week fours and they do like the big mesh stuff and so I don't know just like little details that a lot of people don't tend to see that we can look closer as yeah he helps a lot with that. Um coach Brown has talked a lot about and this has been a heavy topic for a lot of the year particularly with the defensive life about rotating you guys in more so that the amount of snaps that everybody plays isn't as high at the end of the year so maybe instead of playing 70 plays early in the season somebody was playing 40 or whatever. Do you think that's been beneficial? Like can you tell a difference? Do you think your teammates and your fellow defensive lineman can tell a difference? Um I mean there's definitely a big difference I think last year I was averaging like 15 snaps if that a game and then now I'm these past few weeks

5:18:24I've been getting like 30 something so for me I mean I can't speak to the fact of like playing too much and then like body hurting because that wasn't the case for me last year but I'm sure that like guys like came in and did probably feel that a lot more so being able to stay fresh is a big thing because like I don't know like say like you're playing the game for 60 plays and like they're like throwing the ball and you can't even put your best stuff on film really because you're tired and your gas that doesn't really work well for anybody like so like playing more plays is not necessarily equal more production that's uh defending that slumash feels like it would be tough yeah what's what's one or two things I can look for when I'm watching on Saturday that'll help me try to be able to figure out what they're doing the biggest thing coach Collins has talked about is just like penetrating like if you sit there just sit on the block and just let them do their thing it's gonna put a big bind on the guys in the back end and uh because like they have to play the run in the past that whole time so for us just being able to penetrate and uh we have some really

5:19:29big strong defensive tackles so the quarterback will like step up really far when they're riding that mash so for them to be able to get through the line and get in the quarterback's face and again like with him stepping up like getting your hands up was a big thing too but for us on the edge is just getting off the ball and trying to get to him as fast as we can that's a big thing putting the pressure on them versus letting them dictate us that's that's probably the biggest thing I'd say all right three weeks left in the regular season yeah it feels it just feels like a different team I don't know how else to say it like what what in your mind is kind of the mindset of these last couple of weeks and what do you think will be important for you guys to continue to to play well yeah mindset wise I don't know I think I think we're just starting to focus on like the little things even more and just completely buying into that and then um I don't know everybody is since since summer workouts we've always talked about uh like we break everything down on champions and

5:20:31like we want to be the best thing that we can be and I think now we're kind of like getting towards that point and just finishing this year like going three and oh in these last three weeks I don't know I feel like that's very important to everybody and everybody's pretty bought into that back that's my like a vocal time I feel like I'm talking about this you know just recently um talking about how what I want to do for the world is I want to bring that home energy that he brought right so last year um of course I'm sure he's been doing for years but the year when I spent on him he brought a lot of energy excitement and happiness in the room which is his natural energy to where I already had to focus on me you know I didn't have to make sure other other guys are you know feels the type of way when they came in here because hump brought that and I've a hump's not here but I saw a way different room I want to be that guy to make sure

5:21:31I want to amputate or practice everybody's high more taking a field team on period you know it's a low day or something you know it's a different but like I want to make it feel like hump comes like pairs to trip I want to bring that because that's what we at hump did with each other who hide each other I do like do but get locked they're lit so I want to do that I want to bring that energy you want to make bring more guys yeah I want to do that from day one you know I kind of I want to do that from day one um I'm talking to him and obviously it's the time I spend the half season before I'm together he started um just being in my self-justing about what the room needs you know because I don't know I do do well as one of the leaders you know a lot of us is that we need a guy like that is going to make sure the O-line is picked up ready to go everyday I was held accountable little things don't happen to practice people are saying anything

5:22:33and how I believe maybe different than somebody else maybe you know I like to practice at least like a