Press Conferences (Devon Armstrong) Elite Edition September 2

0:00Getting our group together when maybe you know it's a heart practice or a hard you know lift so I mean that's definitely not something small here at Ohio State when Iron Buck guy and all of us in the world and on the team would definitely agree that he's worthy of that Iron Buck guy status and he deserves that. A lot of coaches have talked about versatility and all kinds of things and they've been to it. We're all in every kind of way in this spring. Yes, I'm just bouncing around, you know taking reps a little bit everywhere. You know I think it's you know kind of this time of the year is for just getting a feel for the game. You know just meshing in well with wherever you're at on the field. I think it's a main job. We talked to guys this time of year a lot about their first year and everything. Do you think maybe it's going for it with your brother? Yeah so I mean just having somebody to kind of always you know bounce questions

1:04to you know we were roommates and stuff like that so just having somebody that you've kind of shared so many experiences with you really could motivate each other and we really know like you kind of get us going more so than anybody else because you know we've been playing this each other for a while now. Have you worked to be able to counter-stripe with this largely here for this season? Yeah I mean it's just being close on and off the field. It's just really not only you know being together on the field always kind of going over some plays in the film room. I've just spent a lot of time with each other. Thank you. Jeremiah and Cornell and Brandon and Michael. Yes that's my mindset like in practice the whole day. I want those boys to get me and everything that they have so like in the midst of this it's going to be easy for me and I'll be prepared. What have you seen with Grocery and Young Men's?

2:06Obviously we saw that he's not a Jeremiah last year. They're your main sorry but Calvin and some of Aaron some of the young guys. How have you seen that come along? And Scott has gotten completely better from his brain. Glad completely better. Is that just time being the problem? 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? Calvin has gotten a lot better like I would say that he's gotten a lot smarter. And then he also write GB. I think he's there about Calvin's intelligence you know where he's grown. Where specifically is it? The film room is it kind of picking up the playbook? Where have you seen that? I would say Calvin has gotten smarter just like his game knowledge like expecting like a different kind of routes and stuff like that. When did everything start to click for you in the last year? Was it in the soft season? When did you feel just comfortable? I would say in the spring I started to get a lot more comfortable in our defense.

3:06We say you break up the caskiest day with the share of my name. I'm sorry if you're asked but it's earlier but what is like going up against him to you? It seems like you enjoy it. Yeah I love it. 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 one-on-one matchups? This preseason or whatever. You know how badly who this game is. So Jill, he forces me to pay the back of the game. If you don't pay the back against him, he'll go get it. Yeah. And you Dave said that. How would you describe this defense now compared to this time a year ago from the 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 is a lot more smart than they are. Everybody is like... I would just say that we're going to just smarter. Yeah. When you look up and Nathan ran some decided to come back and Caleb down, transferred in.

4:08What 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 the level of those guys that played that? Yeah I would say that. A down's coming and... What they say he was coming back, Zell says he was coming back, it's just so light. I think we'll be happy to be the daddy. Thanks man. Of course. I said it right. But he was quite elusive and stuff. Was that a good... I don't know, prep for this week? Because Dylan gave us a little bit different scram where he still gets the job done. Yeah, that was definitely good to have. I mean, all the quarterbacks are very mobile and being... People that have more experience versus mobile quarterbacks helps us obviously... You know, just help us home and learn from our... We have them going through the hole and how to scramble us. What 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... And everybody helps us out, really closing the cage and creating a pocket ball.

5:10Is there a fine line between being aggressive but also being wary? This guy can slip away. You're saying what I'm saying, Tommy? You can't just go right at him and go ahead. Yeah, he's definitely a quarterback and then gets out of the pocket. So, I mean, he's definitely a threat and he's a main guy in the offense he 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 really helps us. Go ahead. Do you have 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 last time you guys played. He seemed to have a pretty good game, you know, and he's kind of a tough guy to move out of there and 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. Being able to be there and be there and be there. 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 a game plan and working against and working the tendencies that he has and being able to work against that. That really helps me.

6:11Yeah. You've got the role of middle, Steven Leonard, college football, how old is it? Yeah, kind of piggybacking on that. How much of it was there offensive line being a strength that our 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, 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, if we're going to have a good offensive line. So, I mean, like I said before, just being able to attack the offensive line, attack the weaknesses and be able to go after them, make it harder for the quarterback, make it harder for them or a world. Uh, for a right, Andrew Gillick, believe in Doc Brown. What's the challenge similar to Tim's question in, you know, when you play a team like this that runs the level of RPOs that they do that is going to do. How do you stay true and be aggressive and force the issue where, you know, Dylan Gabriel is really good at making those grades? Uh, 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 their passer in playing and playing to their tendencies, you know.

7:13A 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, you know, 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're good running back in Jordan, James. What makes him special and what's the challenge for you guys? Uh, I think he's definitely one of the better running backs in the conference of well. I mean, just how hard he runs is it's hard to bring him down at times. So I mean, as a front four, we probably stopped in the run. That's the first thing we're going to do as we go on the game. I mean, past rushing is good and all, but we can't stop the run. We're going to run the ball there and throw all the time. So all the time we have to figure out how we're going to stop him. We're going to run the ball and then we're going to take him down. So I mean, it's our job as a front four to go on there and stop the run. We're going to make him one dimensional as we go out there. So I mean, we get out there every time I ever mind said we go out there. I mean, we're not going to allow him to get any yards, allow him to get going. We're going to stop him. We're going to make him throw the ball.

8:14When I, JT was up here asked him about how to compare to trust him and Jack is 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 is nice 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 like to be around. And they're two good people. So it's hard to tell. And that guy do that one more question for you. Tony Irvin. Yeah, obviously a face tough. Well, you did it last week. What's the key for you as a defensive one facing tempo? Yeah, I mean, we've been going through all week in the past two weeks is just getting set. I mean, that's the first thing you do. If you're not set, it means 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 that are efficiency. They can before they can do theirs.

9:15It can be difficult 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 times. But that's the definitely what we've been working on the past few weeks. It's just getting the call, get the call early, get set so we can go and be play faster. You've changed the play to one side of the field. And now it's lined up. They're going to be at the other side. So like you've got to just run the signline side like this. Yeah, I mean, I have a lot of last game. You know, it's hard. It's definitely tough. I mean, that's what we work on and practice. Just moving fast that we can simulate in 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. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thanks, John. Kind of the same really. It's a long, long place, but there's more understanding for sure. I feel like you could get to that more understanding. I feel like that's the difference. Peter was saying the other day just kind of like coming into this offense after like 20 years of breeze. And it was just kind of built on top of each other, on top of each other.

10:16It's like kind of a lot to kind of say again. Do you find that they kind of turn it down to something new or starting to go zero with everybody? It's just a little bit easier to kind of get everybody on the same. Yeah, I feel like it's way easier. Like you said, it was kind of more of a jubilee style to last playboost. All credit to them though. He built that around him around this players, but like I said, it's more this playbook is more for matchups and feel like it's going to be better for us. How do you think is going to really take advantage of your skillsets? Just building around the strengths that I have, you know what I'm saying? Things that I can do and things that she can do. Things that our players can do is kind of focus on what we can do and building on that. Feel like it's planted a player's strength. A lot of emphasis has been around the way this office is. A lot of speed and how does that transition been so far? I mean, like I said, it's building around the player's strength. So of course, we got speed and ATR receivers.

11:18So just building around that. Like I said, playing to our strengths and be able to capitalize off that. The light is going to help us a lot. Most of the time we're going to get a lot of players in in the West. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's definitely going to play a big difference. Like I said, coming from the West Coast, they bring in that Stanford offense here. So I'm excited to be able to be a part of that. For you personally, what was the next level look like? What do you, what do you try to accomplish this year? Just thank the system, man. Nine couple of ups and downs last year. Just building off that. It's always going to work on the physical part. But being able to bounce back after a bad game, a mental aspect. Just learning that last year and be able to build on that this year is a huge part. You know, with Mike Garner, do you take it upon yourself to kind of be that voice in the room or to take this up forward even further? I mean, it's not really. I mean, everybody kind of grown in NFL. It's just on you to be able to have that standard like us.

12:22I just try to do that. Lee, by example, I'm not really outspoken, but just Lee, by example, working hard trying to dominate every rep. And hopefully they follow up to that. And that yards after the touch. Is that, you feel like that's a strength of yours that maybe wasn't you to lot. I don't know if you utilize it the right way, but you could show more way. Yeah, it's offense that is built around that. Just catching the ball in space, catching the ball over the middle or even on the outside with space and separation. I feel like it's built around having yards at the catch. So I'm definitely proud to be in the system, like I said, and I'm excited. Is that a mindset too, like being able to yards after the catch? Oh, yeah. I mean, of course, I mean, you don't want to get tackled by the first person. And my mind says, trying to take everything to the house, you know, every touch. So I definitely got to do that more and definitely try to work on that in practice. Chris, what kind of impression of a two-dewey? A grade-do, man.

13:22Some that I definitely needed, some that he relates to me just from backgrounds. He's a great coach, a great leader, motivational. And like I said, I'm excited to have him around. And for him to push me is everything that I need. How did you talking about like, I thought you found some back, you know, the tough performances or whatever, like did you try to find any resources to help you figure out how to do that? Oh, yeah. I mean, it's all the guys that tell me that's natural. I just have bad games, but just having a standard that I have for myself and the expectations I have for myself gets hard sometimes. So I just be able to be hard on yourself, but at the same time, I just let it go and just bounce back for the next game, some that I learned last year. You wonder if those guys that feel like you could always have the certain level of production or are you okay with those certain games where the defense is so focused on you, the other guys have big games and you're just running good outs and the ball's not coming.

14:22Yeah, I definitely was like that early in my career, especially in college. What I found out, it's just about winning really, just trying. If you are that number one guy, just bring that attention to you so other guys can get open. It's going to be games like that. But as long as we win it, I feel like I can control what I can control. How about a customer, since you've been in a way since you've been in a rookie year, you've been in a rookie year, you've been in a rookie year. When did you really start getting used to the NFL, doing that? You were the primary concern for the opposing secondary? Probably last year, really. I was not a rookie year, I wasn't really receiver one. Mike and Jarvis this year kind of had to play my role until they got hurt, but probably last year when that was the focal point. That still wasn't too much attention, but some games it was kind of like that. So probably last year, that's when I learned. In terms of him, I'm still learning at the end of the G.

15:22It's hard to feel like the spot is for who goes out there and do their job. He said the last few years on you, I should have shown something. What was that like, and he said he had to be like that for sure. I mean, obviously as a young guy, when I was older, I was on you every 24 or 7, every play. I want to say annoying, but it's like, they ain't going to get off me a little bit, but it definitely helped me. I feel like it helped me in the long run. He was giving me good advice. He didn't tell me anything wrong, so I appreciate you for that. I don't know how much you got this. When you hear Ryan Day say what he said about you last week, how much they kind of need you to do, how do you take that up the plate over the year? Well, we're waiting to fully say, I'm so tired of you knowing. I'm not saying that. I appreciate you. He said he has the ability, he has the competitiveness I love being around him on the field. He's got a great way about it. He's learning how to continue to finish.

16:22A couple of clips that we showed the team were finishing down to be able to play hard. The team is focused on the job and the way it's acting for the future. Playing side in is not easy. It's certainly not easy anywhere you play. But it's not easy at all. You've got to be able to run around like a receiver. That's a lot like an offensive one, and you've got to be able to check like a weapon. They also said, we need you. Well, I feel like that's great to hear from your head coach especially at this high level. You hear your head coach praise, you give me a pass on the back in team meetings. I just feel good. You may be in up there. Let my team see me do good, so I extra effort. Whether there's some things I gotta come in and play and make some big plays. You basically, it's seeing my high school is pretty easy. I feel like I dominate the high school. So when you come here and you're starting from scratch and maybe some of the things that you were able to do with high school, you can't get away with it anymore.

17:23What's that transition like in trying to develop? Actually, as a tight end versus just being better than everybody else. Honestly, I feel like it's high school again. I wasn't always dominant in high school. It's just like my last two years, I sprouting and I did what I needed to do. This first year was a developmental year, the second and third year. When I repop out and be the hardest fighting, you didn't want to team. Tight ends, real to work. How do you talk to your dad about football and how to do it? Fire and defense. Well, he always gives me gems. He was on the defensive side of the ball, so he can give me a little different standpoint. But, you know, many of his conversations, more like following a sign conversation, not too much football. I don't feel. Do you wear a 15 because you're 50 more than there? You're dad working on it? Nah, I wear a 15 because I was born on the 15. That makes more sense. Johnny, could you just adjust the flies to go, you know,

18:23you talk about early in high school, maybe you weren't like the scholars and you developed into one. Now you're back at that under the developing part of your life. How hard is that from this mental perspective, especially because you're far from home? Like, what is the biggest challenge for you? Well, at first it was kind of hard because I had to reprogram myself to like, you're back on grimoat, but at the end of the day is, I've done it before. I know what the overall goal is. I know what I want to complete in my journey, so it's time to work. When you hear press conference, you're talking about Johnny, we need you. Is that intimidating? Is it inspiring? How does that make you? As an aspiring, he basically called your number. When your number just called, make a play. That's all it is. Because they love me, I love the team, he loves the team, so when he keeps sending you out and lets you know he needs you, that's all he needs to be said. It would require confidence about you right now, like it's talking to the center of you.

19:23I guess where does that come from? Where do you get your confidence? My confidence? I feed off myself a lot. I bring it into your mind with smiling. I feel like if you didn't do it on the wrong, there's little not to be confident about. Johnny, I'm Packard, the same. The toughness, street stands out between last year and this year. It's more tough. What does that mean to you? What is toughness to you? How are you more toughness to you? Toughness? I feel like for the tight-and-unit this year, we made a stand out of the tight-and-unit. We the toughest team, we the toughest unit on the team no matter what. Often it's the deepest society to be the toughest unit because we have to do, I feel like the most. Like he said, we're around, it's like a wide receiver, like a D-line, main o-line, sorry. So, I feel like you got to bring it, you got to be tough. It's just part of the game. What does that look like on the day to day? Is that in the weight room that you built that? Well, yeah, I was that guy struggling the weight room, I got a little bit bigger. But that's also on the field, being able to get in between big plays, some extra efforts down the field,

20:28running, being tough, being tough is an overall game, it's just not physical. You play such a development like a decision, what's it like to do that against the so high-speed team? Well, you get the tension on skills every day. You have the best people on the other side of the ball. You got the safety of the high level, corners of the high level, D-line of the high level, and the linebacker at a high level is just every day gone for real. What happens if you have a bad day? No, it's just staying at the bad day. It's just lessons. Other than systems, what is it? What's the standard book that you need to do to take care of? Stand the books, stay watching, stay out. I feel like. Johnny, with your room being at C, as this, you feel like there is a good opportunity for quite a few of you guys to see some time on the field and not just towards the end of the game, but maybe some real legitimate meaningful reps. For sure. I feel like everybody in our room is well capable of going out of the field and not missing a beat.

21:29I feel like everybody in our room can come in, play H-O-Y, know what they're doing, and do that high level. I feel like what our room being deep is none but a weapon for us. Have you guys been kind of tailoring your practices towards that kind of possible game plan aspect? I want to say Taylor, but Coach Puss is in the best situation. Coach Puss is in all the situations actually. If he wants to go out of the Y, go out of the Y, if he wants to go out of H, go out H, do what you need to do. I feel like everybody has their own journey for real and how they go about it is different. I feel like he's taking it on the chin and I feel like he's taking it well. He's learning from the other guys. Like I had to do last year, he's making plays, he's learning. I feel like that room is deep and everybody can do what they need to do as well. So I feel like you're going to be able to do what you've been doing.

22:30You feel like you're going to finally get on the field a lot this year. What's your sense of it? I feel like I'm going to get on the field. A lot that all depends on me. If I go on the field and get what I need to be done, I get more plays. If I don't do what I need to do, then I'll find the next man who can do it. And the checklist is what? I mean, what would get you on the field? What you said if you do what needs to be done? What is it? What is it? The test is just seeing. That's all it is. Know what you need to do, why you need to do it. Why you need to do it? That's all part of it. Once you're out there and they know what you know what you're doing, you're going to keep rolling. So you mess up. If you mess up, they're going to tell you how to fix it. Are you back out there? When you watch video of yourself, can you see what kind of weapon you are? If you're on the field, you're still what I'm saying. You're still your danger of bandages, right? Yeah, I know I'm a match match problem sometimes or most of the time. I use them to try not to watch too many videos of myself. It's just film now. I feel like I made a lot of progress from last year.

23:39This year we'll see how high it goes. We haven't played our part yet, so I don't know what to expect. But I know I'm going to go out there and get it 110%. Hopefully the buck is on. You mentioned learning to play, but where do you think your biggest goal has come in this last year? I feel like the growth has been all around, honestly. With the guys on our own, different guys have different skillsets, different guys have different gems. So you pick a gem from Pat, you pick a gem from G, get a gem from K before he left. He still talks to us a little bit. He got bigger gems now, so I feel like the development has been all around. I can pinpoint one part of my game for him. What do you like most about the game football? Physicality part. And 15th is the score test. And how much better do you become from a blocking standpoint where you want to come? Where have you definitely improved in that realm? Say the guess I'll. The blocking standpoint of your, you know, as Brian says, it's most complex, probably positional field.

24:43Playing tidy. You got to be this guy and this guy and then you got to, you know, split the scene. I feel like the blocking standpoint, the thing I got better at was just hand placement and hat placement, knowing the leverage of the ball, knowing to get your hands out there first, get the first touch. Or if you get the first touch, you win a block. Last question. The room? Yeah. How much have been opened? That helps me a lot. These men are here, even can catch something or block something. Sorry, Charlie. Thank you. Thank you. You're a really comfortable. That's because he's been watching everybody else all the time. He knows how to do it. He's a great man.

25:47He's a really good guy. He's a redone of this. Now spring workouts and he kind of just gave the ball like he's a great dude like he, he really wanted to build connections with us. So it's been amazing. Let's find the biggest adjustment you've had to make sense coming to my understanding. The biggest adjustment I would have to say is, uh, just really buying in to the culture because we're a big culture program. We keep the culture, it no matter what's going on, we are going to be, same way. So just kind of buying in stuff like that. You got to go to a couple of those bowl games and kind of see what that experience was like. What did that kind of do for you to help prepare you to do it yourself? It was crazy because there's my first time actually watching games from the field. So I actually got to see steps. I got to see play calling. I got to see coach Fry. I see coaching those guys up on the sideline and actually figure out the talk that he's talking about.

26:48The freshmen offensive line patient is a development. It's a development. As a guy who comes from high school, we're playing a lot. How do you kind of reset coming in as an offensive line? Knowing it may be a year or two before you start to get real fun. Um, you know, you kind of just want to learn from those guys that have been here because of, like you said, it's kind of tough coming in and being a young guy and then going against different fronts you might never seen before and talking different knowledge that you might not talk before. But for me, it's been kind of a learning process, but I'm picking up on it. I get very great coaching every day. And the older guys do a great job of, you know, communicating. So it's kind of been really easy. Nine different guys started last year. Like, what does that mean for this real in terms of you guys know you got to be prepared for it. So how do you prepare for that? Um, just coming every day ready to work and coming with that mindset that, uh,

27:49we all need each other. It's not just one guy there's one guy that knows five guys out there. And those five guys that are going to be out there, they got to be able to trust their brother. And the guys that are on the side, we got to be out there churning on our brothers. And when our names are called or whatever names is called, you got to be able to step up. Or just that early on, like right now for you trying to still, your teammates can trust you. Just coming every day with the mindset that I'm here to work. Like I come in the building, I come in the woodie and they know that I'm here to work. They know that I'm not here to play around. They know that I'm coming in to meet and ask the questions. Trying to figure out what's going on picking the older guys, brains, staying out the practice, even getting at your work. You talked about this kind of scene improvement already. Where have you seen that the most in your games? Uh, I want to say knowing the game of football. That's, that was the biggest improvement for me because, you know, coming out of high school

28:49is kind of a lot more simpler. Coming to a place like Ohio State, you got to know your stuff. And coach gives us a good, a good look. I'm talking about Cusper, the Diffus Aquare, he gives great looks, different looks and yeah. Is that through film work that you've started to see that the most kind of the knowledge of the game? I'm gonna say the whole field. Uh, yeah. I want to say the film and on the field because you can work on the end of the film and you can work on the board. But if you can't take it to the field, then none of that really matters. If you don't invest that time, and you're just trying to yell at motivated, just like one ear out the other, so leadership is the same way. What if you just spring look like for the CJ? It's like things where it's where it's where it can apply work. I think CJ is going to be moved around a lot. You know, it's funny when we got, we hired an app nutrition the first person I thought it was CJ. Because I think it's a.

29:50Like that nutrition, well, some of the stuff that he's done was similar ish. Like I know, an album was with him at Detroit, you know, the lion. So like there's some stuff. At least we did over there in order to that we'll see if we're able to kind of implement some of it here. I'm sure some maybe not others depending on what our guys do best. Probably about CJ because it's like it's a fresh start. I do set eyes on him and I think it's an opportunity to be multiple and use him. And what he does best, you know, so that's the exciting thing. You know, when you really studied what coach Patricia has done in the past, is he likes to take like who are like who are our players? And then let's build it around those guys. And I think CJ has had a helpful winter. I think he's one of those guys, so I'm excited to see how we get creative and use him into the spring. Does that mean you see how to be like flow is more of an edge defender? Kind of differently than you guys do? I think yeah, I think he has that, I think that's exactly what kind of like potential CJ has. It's the ability to, you know, get on the edge, move around.

30:53The nice thing about that is, is that you're not handicapped just with CJ doing one thing off the edge. You think you have the ability because he understands conceptually zone drops, linebacker terminology, right? You can get really creative with how you use him. But I think he definitely needs to be utilized more as a just got to the heart of America. Go be destructive. What's happening? So you got to be a new player for this team. I don't know. I don't know. I'll find out on Monday with your man. What about Matt? He's the leader of you guys. This coach is how you, how are you? I see all the favorites of you guys. And how are you seeing that? And how do you feel about the higher foot? I love the higher. I had a lot of respect for coach Patricia. I've never since he worked me a Marcus out back here. And what we were talking about that when he first was in the interview process, just kind of how fast time goes. But I'm really excited just to continue to learn.

31:53Like I said, like there's some, it's funny because there's some terminology that when I was at an other day, you can use. And I can at least speak some of his language with what he's called things before. And you're trying to morph everything together right with some things that we've done. What he knows will do like it's a lot. But he's been incredible with. I think the staff he's very organized. He's detailed. You'll have constant clear communication. You know, I may have you we're going to get together at this time of the year. You're just efficient in your role. And it's been a lot like when you're come from outside and you come back into it. And you have to try to catch him up on the recruiting board. It's it, you know, like you have a lot of these conversations. Okay, what are we looking for at these positions now? How do you see it? Because you don't under one coordinator. If I see a my plan back, it needs to be this. And then under this coordinator, well, I think the my back needs to be this. So you have to have those conversations at every position. And you just kind of keep going through. And.

32:54But I'm just excited to learn. I think the more systems, I mean, look, play in the system here in college, play the system. Under Steve Spagnolo, play the system in Tim Walden, play the system under Greg Williams. That is Alan. Coach of Ralgold and Jim. Every one of those, there's like different terminology for everything. So you're just you're learning a different language. Call them think, you know, I mean, there's concepts. And I think it was kind of collect over time. What you think is. And I think it's a lot of stuff and how you do stuff a little different. And I'm just really excited to learn from that. And I'm telling you success. He was seem very excited over there talking really to be here. Yeah. Coach of college, which whatever. So long. What's his personal life with you guys? Yeah. He's been great. I mean, his energy is incredible. He's very he is. He's authentically excited to be back in college football. He's been told there's like a yearning to get back to like the why you got the coaching, right? And he's been a fact young people is the impact and teach the game of football. And so the few times he's been in front, you know, kind of like talking to the guys.

33:56You can sense like he's excited to just teach more. You know what I mean? And kind of ironically, like you know, similar to a lot of other things that chips that last year, right? Yeah. Get back and you're like, man, I'm just excited to. And so he has that excitement. He's been a phenomenal job, I think, of being the other players. Just kind of like walking around versus like popping in, making sure that he's in front of them and they get to know him and he gets to know them. And it's a lot. You can imagine when you come in, we have all these guys, right? And trying to learn all these guys, I'm learning recruiting, trying to learn to staff, and learn dynamics, like it's a lot, but he's handled it really well. You know, he's an old school ball coach, so he's a grinder. So he's really good job. James, son, he's probably not going to need to do much this spring. How much more can you get done with the young guy? Let's tell him that. I've got to do a lot. But in terms of Ryan DeRity said, you know, 50%, 75%, or whatever. How much more can you get done with the young guys when they're not worried too much about the senior? Yeah, I think, I mean, you're always just looking for competition,

35:00especially like a spring ball of mess what it's all about, right? You're trying to have it so cliche, but it's true. The iron sharpens, iron mentality of you want your run to be super competitive, to where, hey, the guy in front of me makes a play. My next set of four plays I go out there. I have the point, right? And it's a constant driving of the room forward. So, yeah, sonny gets 50 or how many reps off 50%? Rub a coach said, that means more opportunity for somebody else to play, right? So that'd be more for our values, that scheme flexibility with our value. We're going to pay pierce around, we set TJ Riley. You like all these guys stove. We're all going to get more reps, which I think is great. So we got to do it this point of season. But I think, you know, yes, there's still stuff that, within that all of a sudden, is that he's going to be clawed and try to get those reps because he's a true pro. And that's been the most enjoyable thing about working with him is like,

36:04you get a kid who's played safety his whole life comes to the back yard. He just wants to learn the why behind everything. And, you know, very similar to the fact of Cody, like, would you have guys who are that easy to work with? You're not trying to like, not worried about texting anybody in our room about coming over and trying to learn all, you know what I mean? Like, were you at, you know, like, they're obsessed with the game of football. They're always around when they're at class. So it's like, it makes it really easy as a coach because they're passionate for the game. And so strong. You mentioned TJ in terms of the higher with the map. Just what can sunny, like, what do you envision more with him with all of that stuff? I think, I think we just have a lot of guys with a lot of links. We talk about sunny styles, long, conron, our velvetease, long conron. Like, it's crazy because you see sunny and you're like, okay, this guy, like, I wish I was built like that when I played. And then you see our Val stand next to sunny. You're like, you know what I mean? And so like, and then you look across the room, like, as the room warms up,

37:07you're like, holy smokes, like, we just have a bunch of guys. And that's a lot of credit to make coach made as a phenomenal job. I was just talking to Burm about it, like, to see even our media guys, what they looked like when they showed up during the bowl of the whole natty run. And they're kind of hanging out during practice. And we see the high school bodies to see what they look like today before they go away. And like, the shoulders are all about everything. It's just different. And they've been indoctrinated into the brotherhood. So I think, you know, there's just a lot to work with. And so what he's really good at, right, is like, and he's talked about it. One year, he has junior say, oh, we'll even get a smite variable, you know, Roosevelt, Colvin, and those guys. And then a couple of years later, he has Brandon spikes. So he's like, okay, I'm just going to split his blitz brand in the middle all the time because he has 260 pounds in the beast. And then he always says he was my best nose guard from Mike Bakker, right? And then the year after that, he gets, you know, got Jamie Collins and Dante Hightell.

38:09So now we can do a lot of stuff, right? So they're just like, hey, this is what we're doing. We got plenty of people in there. And I was like, hey, here's what we got. Let's utilize it. So that's what Sprint will be. Walgone the lab and figure out what that means. I'm sure through Sprint Ball, there will be like, hey, here's what we do really well. I just use it because this unit is going to be different, right? I mean, you know, there's a lot of production. So the unit will be different. So you kind of got to reform your own identity and you have to re-hearn that silver bullet, big name, and mantra. How many other guys can look at our bell and just seem like he's on a very good track. Is that it? What's his ceiling? It's how he can do something about Bell. It's just a lot. Right now he's locked in. He's done a great job becoming a leader. Coming out of his shell, I think, I think for Belly, it's all about consistency and just preparation. And I'm proud of our bell, you know, he's through the season. You got way better at, you know, a lot of it's little things, just note taking and stuff.

39:09Like sometimes these kids are always on their phones and stuff, not like the meeting rooms or anything like that, but just naturally. So like to get out of pen and paper and like, you hear things and to me, yeah, I got it. What you do until your dog tired and then you forget, you know what I mean, but when you really understand it, you know what I mean, like go play faster. He got so much better through the year. Just a lot of that's because of Cody, like becoming a pro. And then now it's like Sonny's pulling him along. He's pulling paint along the paint's pulling TJ and Riley and Eli, so they can still like, so I kind of love the competition and the way it's made up. Yeah, Bell is on a great path right now. How many different guys do you feel like can be in that Mike's spot for you? That's what I was obviously losing Cody and now having that. I think that's something that's slower, though, is we kind of go because, you know, week one Sonny actually started at Mike for us. And Sonny smart enough to play them all. Our bell is smart enough to play them all. Pain pierces smart enough to play them all.

40:10And it's also like how do you, like depends on what scheme you're running. Where are they? How do they be utilized as well? You know what I mean? So you can say Mike, Mike Backer, you know, whether it's Tommy, I convert Garofilm, Reese, or two different people and Cody's different than those two. So I challenge to like a lot of the guys that come in. And so you got to learn both the more you understand about the scheme in general, the faster you will play. You know what I mean? Like if I just sit here and I say, hey, I got to learn Mike. My drop is this and that's all I need to know. Like, well, no, football happens so fast and all the shifts and motions that like if you're out there just playing and you're waiting for a call and you're just reacting, like you're so worried about what's going on on your side of the ball. You don't even recognize that the offense is telling you something's what they're doing. So if I'm out there and also I'm not getting a call, I know what the call should be. It's like, hey, are we playing? You know, let's go. Now listen, you get it. You can look, I can see, okay, here's what the tight ends doing. That's what the back's doing.

41:11Here's what plays are coming. If you just line up the place, you're on a pass every time, like you know, stand a chance. You got to eliminate plays in your mind by seeing what the offense is doing. Like they tell you a story every time they line up, they just window dressing. People motion and shit, they're trying to do man's own indicators and they're trying to make sure that they're getting the same formation. They're in the same place, but they just shift the people and then they motion and they move and they don't want you to recognize. So if we're always worried about what work you're doing, so the more you know, the faster you can play. You're not sitting there thinking, oh, what do I have for you? You're reacting. So I know you have. So my challenge to guys is like, there's always a no both. So I think a lot of it would just be on depth of certain guys and get, you know, if Sonny's only doing 15 to 75% of the place, then probably more guys get more will reps than they had because we need more will bodies. That's technically where Sonny has started, but we'll rotate them through. Let the production kind of show what it does. And sometimes you know, you'll live with some mistakes just from being a news spot, but you'll be able to judge too, like who's actually getting in the book.

42:15You know, I mean, who's actually studying? How much of growth have you seen from Sonny this time of year ago through the National Championship game? And then what's next? Man, I mean, definitely, I know Sonny has big goals and he should. I do as well for him to see how far he's come. You know, the first thing kind of stands out is just like his, his footwork has gotten so much better. You know, when you're in the boxes and linebacker, you got to be able to remember Luke Fickley's to say it all the time, and you got to be slow until it's time to be fast. And when you're twitchy like he is, a lot of times, you know, when you're about safety, you're used to pulling the trigger and rolling. Like you got to learn how to shuffle and not cross over. And he got so much better as a year or not. I think a lot of people question whether he'd be able to hold up Fisk, howdy wise, and you know, he was, he was great. You know, he was the season guy. He's really good with his hands. He said, really natural ability to snag will keep challenging him. I think he should be a dominant guy in coverage. He needs to be a guy that we can put on a tight end and be like, he's not going to, he didn't catch on the ball.

43:20He has that athleticism. I think we need to challenge him there. Challenge him. I think everything is just missing. It's not just sunny. It's everybody's urgency in zone coverage. I mean, the urgency with you have to break on the football to close that space, not at the ball carrier, have so much space on you to cut making miss is critical. I think sometimes he's he could be so athletic that you know, you can get away some stuff. And he knows anything that I'm saying right now, he already knows. So the best part is a lot of times like he'll come to me before film and already say that man coach on that play, I should have, you know what I mean? Like he knows. And the best part is that he's humble enough. Our whole problem is that they just want to be, they want to be pushed and they want to be coached. And so the big heck of a rascal you asked for, right? Like, how I was asked like, what do you mean for me? Just, just keep making sure like you're pushing it. Don't let me settle. So he's probably the best on the room with that. Look at sunny and our valet paint. That's kind of your top two guys right now.

44:20Yeah, I mean, I think going into it, you know, I think it's sunny or valet paint is right up there in that next, you know, your accurate there. And then it's like, who else is going to emerge from really the fourth, the fourth guy? You know, I think it's a healthy way to put it. Yeah, I just, I think our, I think our backers are so competitive, so competitive that it's, you know, like I know Peyton Pierce is chopping at the bit. I know that he's going to push, you know, Vell and sunny. I know that you look at Riley and TJ and Eli and Stove, like those guys are going at it. These work guys, those guys are going at it and it's constant. You know what I mean? They're trying to fight each other. Everything. So, because the reality of it is they're fighting for reps, right? So this game is hard. It's winter loose every single day. And, you know, a lot of the guys are going to make our break and start with the mental preparation to be honest with you. And because that's where trust starts, right? If you don't know what you're doing, I can't put you out there.

45:23So who preps mentally as we get rolling and then the physical part of that blood. Let's say it says it's sunny, our belly and Peyton probably have probably the top three. But like I always say, it's always fluid. It's always fluid. I haven't done this. You know, it's funny. There was one coach who said that I forget what kind of felt team was. But he said that what he does is he has the depth chart. Sit in the front of the room. So if you're a starter, you're the first to grow, you know, and then the second row. And then he said, I think it's like, it'll change weekly. Sometimes Luke can't, I'm like, I can't do that. I got it. I'm not sure they can do that. Good? Just speaks to how great a coach is. I think a lot of coaches would have had a lot of self-eager going into that meeting. He didn't at all. He loves us, you know, all of us like for his sons. And we felt that form, you know, that loss. You know, we knew that we had a rebound like we did.

46:23I mean, I can't say enough like how much he means to me. He means to me. The way he goes about business and we don't go about it. Like a lot of teams do about fear of losing your job. We go about as a family. It's about love. And I don't know. We had to execute and we did that tonight. How happy are you for Coach Day? You know, and how close you are. You were his first committee. It's a pretty big deal to help you get through. Yeah. I mean, it's a dream come true. Like I said, I mean, God is so great. And during that took us down and it took Coach Day on. This family on. And then I'll be curious like we did tonight. And I'm saying, it means everything to us. And to see you have the success, you know, it makes me so happy. I know I saw the spot was by my own on our face and. So she ever knew it was going to be an excellent. And I got a client. I wrote it's terrible. And to come out tonight and win this game for them, it's awesome. You dropped them. You dropped them. You dropped them. You dropped them. You dropped them. You dropped them. You dropped them. You dropped them. You dropped them. They're going to be in the world. Yeah.

47:24You know, we knew what the expectation was, we're going to the season. You know, we knew that we're at a high estate. And, the job they had every year, and they're not competing for national championship. We're not doing our job. So, you know, what never a burden, it was kind of a motivating factor. You know, do what we're doing right now. And we just did. And we're like you see, you know, just left is something that, you know, you can't put it in the words how much it means. So we never looked into the burden but there's an opportunity in it. And we did that just tonight. You dropped your name in the back of a chance at a championship. When did you sense that? Well, look, we never know today was going to fight to the end. During the season, it was during the season you felt that you felt that you felt. I think that before the season we knew that we were capable of national championship, just because of the guys we had and the coaching staff. We knew that we were capable of this. And through all the ups and downs we were able to persevere and keep fighting. Keep swinging coach. They always say, you've got to fight your way out of bad times and life. And as a player, as a coach, as a family, really, for him, you know, he's got to fight himself out of bad times. And he did just that, made the adjustments, made the change that had to get made. And now we're champions. So like I said, God is so good. And the journey brought us on was amazing.

48:25Jack, I believe you were the last week to send your deep butt guy, honestly, grew up in Pickerington. When did you allow yourself to think about what this moment would be like? And what it wouldn't mean for your legacy at Ohio State if you could get this done? When did you allow yourself to think about that? Yeah, I know. I mean, honestly, I haven't still even thought about it. I'm just so happy to be able to celebrate this in the squad, guys. It's not about me at all. It's about this team and Coach Day and the City of Columbus. I've been waiting for this for a long time for 10 years. And now I'm just so happy for this group of guys. And the stuff that we went through and heard, and we keep getting up and keep showing off the practice and going as hard as we can. And I've probably told the positive attitude and trust on God's plan. And here we are in national champions. And they can never take that away from us. So I'm just so happy that we will finish the job. And we're going to be able to do it. You're going to attack now. Now there's a lot of these on the stage at one point. What were your thoughts about your attack? I said that again, please. It looked like you kind of dropped your knees at one point. And we're giving some kind of thanks or whatever. But what was going on there? Yeah, I was just thinking God. I was thinking God for all of the ups and downs in my career.

49:28And everyone else's career. And then to end it, this way, it's so special. I mean, what do you put your faith in God? You know, he says it's not going to be easy. It hasn't been easy for any of us. And we kept trusting him and believing his plan. And here we are in national champions. You know, when I don't want to say, oh, you guys didn't believe it, but we're going to be guys if you're going to get the job done at the weekend of November. So here we are in national champs. It feels great to say. Who brought the cigars? Who brought the cigars? I'm sorry. Since then, you mentioned the Qorak-Qorak-Spice stuff. We've seen other games and twists. It seems from the outside, like it was pretty extensive. Some of the changes that were made. What was it like in that room for those two weeks because you guys have sort of changed over maybe some philosophies? Yeah, I think it's just here being a simple trust in the guys. And I think we have so much trust in the coaches that they don't make the right, you know, the changes for us to be in the best position possible. And I think they did just that. And I think for us, we just had to go out there

50:28and just accomplish the plan. And whatever play was called, whatever may be, just go out there and execute it. One thing we've been preaching is execution is really the motive. I didn't even be called, but as long as everybody's mindset has one mentality, which is just go get it. And make sure there's no yard gain. I think that changes the mindset of everybody on the cerebral edifice. Did they feel like big changes to you all as they were ongoing? I mean, at first, it was a tough loss. So I think it felt like everything was big. But then when you kind of just take your time and look at everything and analyze everything, it was just like, man, we just need to keep everything simple. And just about us and not like feel like we're making everything about them. We can dictate what they do. And I think that was the mindset. Did it make Letterman wrong? Yeah. JT, I know you get to watch a little bit of video of Caleb and Lathen and Jordan. What stands out about that group from your vantage point?

51:30Oh, they're respected. They're relentless, man. I mean, Lathen, Caleb, and everybody in that BIA core, yes, they can cover. But when it's time to stop the run, they'll come down 12 yards out however far off the front line, scribbling, coming, though the nose in there. And I respect them for that. Because there's going to be times where we need them to make them tackles. And they're displaying it this whole season. Yeah, how critical are they in a game of this magnitude? Obviously, everybody's critical. But you know what I mean? Sort of the last line of defense, but sometimes the last line of defense is in the middle of it. I mean, they play a huge role. I mean, like you said, it takes everybody from the front four. It's like a check reaction. The front four don't do their job. Then it falls back in. So we off to work as a collective unit. And I think there's a reason that there's 11 of us out there. And it's crazy. If one person doesn't do their job, then something can go wrong. But if we just all continue to stay, communication will have one another. Continue to just lay each other. We have each other's backs and just trust one another. And man, I think that performance is going to be off the charts.

52:31Oh, for the right. Lian, Stitz, WSYF. How would you describe the mentality of the defense right now getting this opportunity for a rematch in the warden? Yeah, hungry and thankful. I mean, we know how the last time when we had a chip on our shoulder. I mean, we were riding high before that game. And we took that loss. And we came back how to make a couple changes. But I think we understand what everything's at stake right now, just fighting to where another high-stage jersey for the next game. That's what's on stake. And just to be able to represent this state and this team. We understand what's on the line. And we're just hungry and blessed that we get this opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl. Right behind your Adam King, WBNH. What do you remember most about walking off the field in Eugene? What was kind of going through your mind in that moment? I mean, there was a, I don't think anybody imagined it, imagined a solution. I didn't, that's for sure. And I think after that, it was kind of head deep.

53:32I understand it. That man, we still, there's still a lot of ball left to be played. I mean, you can let it sting for a little bit. But if you let it carry over too long, then there it goes. There goes your whole season. But I think we did a great job of just understanding, coming together in this room right here, not being afraid of display or hold accountability for one another. And as that happened, we came back, we grouped. And we're just going right now. And I'm just blessed for those specific moments losing. I mean, no one wants to lose, but the testimonies and the things are taught within those little situations speaks of all of them. I throw over, Vladimir D'Roll. Hey, Jay, what did you see from Kenya last couple of weeks? Was there like a push from him? And then there were many conversations with him. We can see like he's playing since the best performance. Yeah, I mean, that's my boy. He's in the R2X Club, too. But, you know, Keata, I mean, every time his number is called,

54:33he goes out there and makes the most of it, no matter where we are in the game. When he goes out there, he's just hungry. He wants to go make plays. And you know, we see it in practice. So it's not surprising to us. Bill Rebino, it's fun. It's this bad. Dylan Gabriel is obviously very elusive in our talent. And he's not very tall. How important it could be to just stay in your past rush lanes and neglect a lot of balls and kind of make it different that way. Yeah, I think it just comes out being disciplined. No one who you're playing against, like you said, Dylan, he's sharply very elusive. I mean, he can, he is making throws. I mean, he get out the parking to everything. So I think for us, we just have to discipline him. Just continue to just meet with Coach Jay, meet with the coach's nose and understand how we can just eliminate that. What should about you and Jay? I mean, your personality seems to be a little different. More on the quiet side. He's not. How about you? You've played together four years, both five store guys.

55:33Kind of describe your relationship with him, friendship with him. And just kind of how you cop along each other. Man, that's my brother. Like he said, we're different, but very alike. I think outside, like you said, he's louder. I'm quiet. But once we're on that field, we're like the same person. We'll do anything for this team. We'll die for our players and we'll give everything we got. We've been together for four years, correct? Yeah, fall camps. Every room. Yeah, sometimes a go over there. Sleep over there. So yeah. There's the neat one. Who's the messy one? We have our share of days when we, when I'm neat, he's neat. Or we might both be messy, but we do a good job. Yeah, I'd probably say I would better cook the jack though. Tony Gertman, Buck I Hell. When you're playing a team for the second time, and that was almost a season to go by now, how much of a square one with this scouting and preparation or how much do you take in that game? How much do you avoid taking so that you don't have any

56:33creative signals to what you're going up against on the offense while you're playing? I say it's pretty 50-50. I mean, that game, like you said, was a while ago, but at the same time, they elevated as a team. So did we. So we understand that they made some changes for sure. There's a certain density we can take back from that game, but we also understand that they went on a little run after that. And we can see that they elevated as an offense. So we just got to continue to watch those games, dissect other games, and just continue to see what stands out and what they change for the past game. We got a couple calls on Zoom that will wrap up with, first we have Nick Hamilton from Nightcast Media. Nick? Just wanted to ask you basically about the synergy of this defense and how you guys were able to not only celebrate the triumphs but get through the adversity, be able to be this top-notch defense that you are in college football today.

57:34Here, Pete, the question one more time. Yeah, no problem. Wanted to ask you about the synergy you are were able to develop over the course of the season, obviously celebrating the triumphs, but also getting through the adversities to where you go all the top-notch defense that you all are today. Yeah, I mean, like you said, we went through a lot of trials to trials, but there's also a lot of things we can take away from all the wins and losses. And from those wins, we understood that, hey, we can be the best defense in the country. And from those losses, we understand that there's still things that need to be fixed. And I think when you take all that in at once, that it comes down to the common goal or the common talk, which is you can, there's always learning points everywhere. And depending how we dissect those games or how we just continue to come as one and elevate, we continue to just collect all those learning points and just continue to grow from them. And one final question. Joey Coffin, Columbus Dispatch, Joey. JT, what have you guys done better in the Tennessee game

58:38and just late in the season, you think about turning some of the pressures that you've got on quarterbacks in the sacks and getting home in some of those situations? Yeah, I think it was more just understanding the defense as a whole, understanding everybody's job. The thing is that the season went on, we had to understand that, we have to know what's going on in the backhand, we have to know what's going on with the linebacker crew to understand what plays we have, room of freedom. And I think once we understood that and got a better understanding of everybody's job, I mean, it showed this play because everybody knows what each other's doing. It's not like the linebacker know what they're doing. The corners and B.I., they know only their job. I think we all know each other's job and we continue to ask each other questions on if they're bliss and how they can get to the quarterback and if I'm dropping playing quarterbacks, I can ask Cody on how to open field tackle it. So we just kind of lean on each other's understanding. Because like I said, Denzel knows how to play corner-bedded, then I know how to play corner. So he has more wisdom at that position than I do.

59:41JT, thank you very much. Thank you. Thanks, man. Yeah. 5.8 hours of very average for your career. Like, knowing that when you're out there, you're very productive. How much confidence does that give you that really all you need is an opportunity? All the confidence in the world, the way I work. I want to say just from the numbers, but just the way I work, my work ethic, and my relationship with Jesus is like, I have the most confidence when I step out there. Because I do know like, if he grants me the health, it's over with. I don't think I'll be, you know, I think it'll be a great year or whatever, a couple of years. However many years he grants me great health, you know, and I think just the work ethic, my prayer and all that stuff, that's what helps me have that confidence. The numbers will be there and they might be higher after this year. You know, it's crazy to think about it because I had six points yards per carry. You know, so we'll see. You're going to go forward to running behind this line, that thing, but they have to be up

1:00:44right? Yeah, yeah. I play with Bradley. I play with him, you know, I know Slater, I know all the guys, you know, and I'm excited. I think, like I said earlier, it's a talented group. You know, we just got put together and win some games because that's what I came before. Justin, on the part of the year, I wouldn't say part of the recruitment, but like whenever I decided I was going to sign it, it was great to have him in the room. Yeah, we're great. We have a great relationship. That's like my brother. I think it complements each other very well. You know, he can do a lot of stuff too. You know, a lot of people think he's just power power power, but I think he has some other parts of his game too, which it'll be great. Because I feel like I could do everything. And when one's getting tired, we can roll it in, we keep rolling, win some games. When you, the two of you keep going, how do you think this is going to look? Or what will be that partnership that's back there?

1:01:45I know. That's a hard question. How do I think it'll look beautiful? You know, a lot of people call this a passive league, but I think you got to run the ball to win a Super Bowl. You know, if you look at the team's win the Super Bowl, they can run the ball. They can control the clock. And so if we're both good, it'll look great. Beautiful. How do you describe the record on an offense? I would describe it as, you know, a great offense. I think he gives a quarter. He's going to give the quarterback a lot of options. He's going to give the running back a lot of options. He's going to give the receiver a lot of options, you know, and I think it's going to be great. And so his offense is going to be amazing. When we talked to him, you know, it was like, why are you going to build something good for us in offenses throughout your career? Which everywhere you've been. And you said that one part of it is just you got to call the police. You got to call run the police. As a running back, you know, how much confidence, how much you say it is to give you, you know, you have a play collar that's going to stick with it and allow you and the

1:02:48offense to run into a rhythm of rope. It gives me a lot of excitement, you know. It's going to be like I say, it's fun to play his offense. You know, and I think he does have some good things in the past game too. But like you said, he sticks with the run and that's that's the identity. You want to offense that has an identity, right? You're going to be looking everywhere else to find your identity. You want to have it. And so I think his offense has that. And the guy he builds and puts in there, it complements that identity. So I think it's going to be great. You've been here 100% now. So you mean full goal for training? That's the expectation. Look, I ain't going to answer any of the four. If it's up to me? Yes. Look, because I had this problem like two years, three years ago. I'm thinking I'm full goal. I think I'm ready to go. And then next year, you know, I'm on PUP. Like, hey, look, some stuff above my prey, pay gray. So, but I don't know. Hopefully I can start. I think I'm ready to start, you know, at the beginning of training camp.

1:03:50But that's not up to me as I've learned. I wouldn't say that. I think I've been in some great organizations. And I think this organization is a great organization. And the training staff is great. And so they just want what's best for me, you know? And they're taking care of me, which that's what you want in the organization. And so that's where that comes from, which I appreciate it. Like I really appreciate it. You know, because I'm a type of guy like I work really hard. So maybe sometime I'm blind to, you know, the danger of something, you know? So I appreciate it. But like I said, if it's up to me, yeah, I'm out there. But never know. Well, any frustration for you during the getting into the agency, you know, dealing with rehab and not, you know, having a full season of paid for the production to go out. There was any part of that where you're like, I wish I had hit the open market with a different situation. Yeah. I like it.

1:04:51I like how would I say this? I like it the hard way. But not, you know, I like it the hard way. I like it. I like trial and tribulations. So I mean, the dice that I was giving, the role was I was coming off a third Achilles. And that was the Lord's plan. So it was beauty in that. Like I was comfortable. I was caught like there was multiple teams, you know, I wasn't like I didn't have any other team. But I was comfortable in sitting back and just enjoying the process, letting myself get fully healed. So whenever that team whoever I would sign with who now is the Chargers is going to get the best me, you know, and I think people all around the league know that like, okay, this guy, okay, it's a high risk, high reward type thing, right?

1:05:51Not even a high risk, low risk because you, it's a business, right? So I got hurt last year. So not as much money that he's be throwing at. But I think everyone around the league knows that whenever I am on the field, the numbers don't matter. And so they know that and a lot of teams were like, all right, here, you can, we give you this, but we want you to be healthy. So when I'm healthy, it's going to be great. There's the chance that I've been giving here. I'm so grateful. And I know that's going to be, they won't be, they won't regret it. Are you the type of person that likes to prove people wrong? Like you've run a couple things like a high risk high reward, injury from, you know, like you just have a person that really tries to prove people wrong. No, I hear it. I see it. It's pretty cool. Like you'll never see me unless I'm just like in a bad mood. You never see me like, oh, like if I have a great game or a great year, like I have this wonderful year, I ain't going to go back and, you're like, yeah, yeah, what happened?

1:06:52No, because I don't care. You're eventually see, like I'm like, I'm a guy that's really good. So I ain't worried about that, but I'm proving myself right that I am one of the best in the league. Right? So forget all the naysayers and people will talk about being injury prone because whenever I have this great year, it's going to be forgotten, you know, too. Why, why give that energy? Talk just in the hall or I got a chance to be in the hall. Yeah, I was, you know, we just, with him, you know, he's a great guy. I mean, he was in my class. I remember seeing him, we were at an award show because I was a dog walker, a finalist. And I'm like, I've seen him play, but I didn't know he was that tall. Like, I didn't know he was like six, six. I went at first on him. This was years ago in college. And I'm like, and this is really tall. Like, it's cool though. Like I, like I never really got to, I think a lot of those would be kind of, you know, nerdy, dirty, but he's cool, dude, very laid back.

1:07:53No, we'll face to him. You know, you know, you know. Actually, we're in week five. Just isn't good enough to compete in the college football playoffs. And so our mindset is to get better and better and better. Call it what it is. Last time we played them, we fell up short. But, you know, here we are, X amount of weeks later, we were able to see who upgraded more. And it looked like it was a bug, guys. And so the goal is just to continue to upgrade every single week. And then you'll look back and say and see how far along you've came. Austin, podcast. G, when you go back to that street fight and throw in the first punch, the fact that the coaching staff trusted you to do that, we all know how much work has gone into your career and getting to this point. Yeah. I mean, is it, is it wrong of us to say that might mean a little something more that you are the person they wanted to start the game with? I would not necessarily, I mean, in my opinion, not necessarily. I think that the coaches have great trust in all of us that are out there. I think if they didn't have great trust in us, I don't think I would be out there. I don't think certain guys would be out there if they weren't trusted.

1:08:55And so I think the job of the coaches is to draw and put us in positions to be successful. And I'm just a true believer that our coaches do a really good job at that. And so I don't really ask questions on what they tell us to do. I go and I do my job at the highest level and I try to execute it. And so yeah, I think it's just my job when the ball comes my way to make good things happen. And you look forward with hopes that it will continue to keep coming your way. Rob Hall or Columbus Dispatch? Yeah, you have to go against JT and Jack seems like they just keep improving. What's it like going against them? Yeah. I'd say two days. Have you seen that improvement? How much of a challenge and helping is it? Yeah, but they are two electrifying players. I don't think, you know, just being real, I don't think I've seen any defensive ends to their caliber on an opposing team yet this far. And so when you get to go against that every single day, going back to the analogy of

1:09:56fighting when you're sparring partners, that good. When it's time to show up and play on game day, you're going to have confidence in where you're at. And so I just feel like those guys have given me a great amount of confidence going against those guys all throughout camp throughout the entire season. Sometimes when you get to the games, it's like, dang, I was going against better practice. And so that's the whole goal, right? Iron and sharpening iron. We believe one man will sharpen it another. And so that's the goal of why we practice so hard and why we do the things we do even to this point of the year, why we practice so hard still is to give ourselves that mental confidence over the opponent that I've gone against better opponents, you know, even in practice. And so that's the goal right there. What are these dudes like off the field? They play opposite on the field. They seem like they're pretty different off the field. Project unity? Yeah. Yeah, no, they're great guys. I think, yeah, this is a bunch of, I mean, from top to bottom on our team, this is a bunch of great characters on our team, you know, all throughout. But when you get on that field, they go into a mode where they're not to be messed with.

1:10:56And so, yeah, I'm glad to be on their team. I think about a month ago, I asked, well, where is confidence in the rower? Has Groney said it's been a nice day from January to where he is now? Yeah. When he is on time for a parade, like he has in the last two weeks, how much more confidence does that feed until the whole offense knowing he's in sync with receivers? How much does that feed at the end? Yeah, I mean, I think that's the same way I'd answer that question is how I'd answer that with any player on our offense. Whether that's Will at quarterback or offensive line or Trayvianek Khrinsche on that running back or myself at tight end or the receiver in court or special teams. You know, I think our goal is to, we taught, we preach this all week and all year long is to be at competitive excellence and to make the play when your number is called. And so, the more times you're able to do that, the more often you're going to be successful as a team. We have a goal around here to grade out a champion at 80% on the game. And so, the more times that you can look back and at the end of a game, you can come in

1:12:00here on a Sunday or the day following a game you grade out a champion. That's your job is to take care of your 111. And so, obviously, yes, of course, when we have Will that when he's firing, it's ultimately going to help our whole team. But that's the kind of mindset that we have for everybody is that we all need to be doing our part and doing our job. And ultimately, we have the guys, we have the talent. And so, you look at the scoreboard and like we're at. Scott, you will let you have a couple of Zoom questions and you have them there? Yes, sir. Our first question is going to come from Michael Cohen. Michael, go ahead. Do you want to, instead of trying to throw that first punch early in games, there's different ways you could try and do it. To do so vertically in the passing game aggressively. Where does that come from? Is that a coach day message, a coach Kelly message, somewhere else just to attack in that way in particular deep down the field repeatedly? Yeah, I think that's just our entire identity as an offense. I think, yeah, definitely coach day, coach Kelly, they kind of install that mindset is that we're not going to hold back. We're not going to hold back.

1:13:01We're going to come after them. Sometimes coming after an offense or sorry, coming after a defense doesn't always look like taking a 50 yard, 60 yard shot down the field. Sometimes that's just we're going to run the ball right at you. And so I think it's, yeah, that's just kind of the mindset behind it. We're going to come right after you guys despite how it looks. It might be a vertical throw or it might be running in between the tackles, but the whole message stays the same is that we're going to be dominant. We're going to be the proactive ones that we're going to fill the first punch. Next one's going to come from Dan Hope. Dan, go ahead. G you mentioned that you guys need to upgrade every week. How do you guys make sure you keep that same edge you've had? You don't get complacent when you've played as well as you have the last two games. Yeah. I think that's everybody's job in here. And I think a special, a special emphasis on our coaching staff that they have a responsibility to make sure from top to bottom that this thing stays like a well-ran, oiled machine. And I think they do a great job at that. One thing that don't allow us to do around here is get complacent or to be comfortable

1:14:04with wins. Although, you know, Coach Dada does a great job. He tells us all the time, you know, to whenever we win these games, he says, enjoy this win for 24 hours. You know, be able to feel it. It's important to celebrate your victories. But when you come back in your 24 hours later, run it the next week. It's too competitive out here. Played out of how it stayed. You can't lose football games. And so the whole goal is to celebrate the victory. But, you know, get your head down and get right back to work. Whether you win or you lose or whatever it looked like last week to get your head back down and get back to work and show up for Tuesday practice and get ready to roll again. Our final one from Zoom is going to come from Kurt Bulls. Kurt, go ahead. Hey, gee. I don't know if you even watched the Texas gamer or what's their tape. They obviously blew a 16-point lead. The way you guys are riding high at dominate. Do you feel like that gives you an edge in confidence in this game? And do you think you all play a more physical brand of football to Texas? No. I wouldn't say that we find our confidence in anything that an opponent would do.

1:15:08Like I mentioned a moment ago, we all of our confidence and all of our motivational come, all of our motivation comes internally. We don't look at an opponent and say, you know, they blew a 16-point lead. Or, so we're going to give us more confidence that, you know, how much more can we do? We're not going to look at team that maybe just blew out another team and maybe be a little bit more timid because this is going to be a good team. I think a lot of our motivation and a lot of our drive comes from what happens internally in this building. I don't care what anyone says. You can show it before games. You can take your shirt off. You can try to flex your muscles and, you know, look however you want to look. But when you cut on the tape, ultimately, what you put in this week and throughout the week of preparation and what you did this whole entire year is what's going to show up on Saturdays. The raw raw stuff, the, you know, the false motivation that may come from, you know, what happened week prior to that team. That's all meaningless. What really is important is what did you do that week to prepare to be ready for competitive excellence on Saturday? And so that's the mission around here is to make sure we're doing our due diligence.

1:16:09We're putting the work in necessary to show up on Saturday to be confident and dominant. We have time for a few more questions here locally. The Cole Sheeran, WBNS. What's it going to be like going up against Queen Heeran? What was your relationship like with him when he was here? Yeah, I briefly met. It was good happening here. He was definitely a cool guy. He wasn't here long enough for him and I had to be very close. But obviously, you know, when you line up on the other side of the field, it's, it's no friendships in that moment. We're there to win a game. And so I think, I don't think it really makes a difference if, you know, who's at quarterback and I don't think that's something that we're going to be thinking about. But obviously, after the game or, you know, it's going to be exciting to play against, you know, someone that you know, but ultimately, it doesn't really matter who's in their uniform. Our goal is to come after them, regardless of who they are. Over the left, Noah Weisskopf, some flattered. How do you see Will change on the field and off the field for the moment you first met him?

1:17:11Yeah. Will has, you know, continuously became more of a confident leader. He's somebody that I've seen take tremendous strides in his faith and his servant leadership. And it's just been amazing to be a part of and amazing to witness. I think he's just been continuously growing to be more comfortable and confident. And this is all of just one year. I mean, I could only imagine if he were to have two years here and what he would be able to accomplish. But it's just been amazing to be around him. He's growing to be one of my better friends on this team. And, you know, I'm assuming I'm speaking off all of the buckization that we're excited to have him. There were been ones pulling this dispatch. G you and everyone in your class had ups and downs and previous years you've fallen short of your goals. I know you're focused on the moment, but are you guys savoring this? That maybe the disappointments have made this even more special, even within this year? Yeah. Yeah. I ride on my iBlack every game, Romans 8.28.

1:18:11And we know that all of things work together for the good of those who love the Lord. And I'm just a firm believer that everything that we have been through as a team, all the hurt, all the hardship, all the tears, all the shame, everything we've been through has ultimately led us to where we are today. And I have confidence in that. And that's why I'm not a big believer in getting too high or getting too low. When I lose games, I try to stay as even kill as possible, same way when we win games. Because I ultimately just have the faith and the ability to know that the Lord is working all of these things together to make us better. So these moments, I think through hardship, I believe that makes people closer. And so I think as a result of the things that we have been through, you're looking at a very tight knit team. And so I'm just excited for what the future holds for us. You two are the shame. And you know, like losing a game is not a crime. It's just a disappointment. Yeah. But is that the kind of pressure that you guys feel here that when you lose, it's not just a loss?

1:19:12It's shame? Yeah, it's important right here. It's not, especially at the Ohio State University, from the time that you sign up here, you know exactly what you're getting into. And our coaching staff does a great job of making sure when it's time to, you know, after you go through a whole spring, summer and off season, that by the time we get to game one, you know exactly what you're up for. And so losing is absolutely unacceptable around here. And there can be a bit of shame to maybe even show yourself in public because of a loss that you've had. But again, my point being is that despite the things that we have been through, I'm a firm believer that there has to be a certain amount of faith that you have trust, that all of these things are working for moments like this. And, you know, even in my, I don't know how this might sound, but even in my personal life, regardless of even what happens in the future from today moving forward, I will continue to keep the faith that it's working for my good, whether it's making me a better father one day in the future, a better husband one day in the future. However that may look, I believe in how the faith that the Lord is working all things together for the good of those who love him.

1:20:14A couple more questions. Do you have any Birmingham podcasts? Yeah. You're starting to go down to the road. I was just going to ask about it anyway because the transformation in you as a person is so, I think, obvious to everyone. Yeah. Can you imagine yourself three years ago, being the person you are now and now leaving you all say whenever it happens, whether it's one week or three weeks from now? Like with the legacy that you're leaving here, is it something that you would have ever imagined about yourself? No, man. No, I think there's, I think what has taken place in my life and the lives of other people on this team. And I know that this, I'm here to talk about football, but it's a true testament of the Lord that I serve. He's taken my heart and he's made me new. His word promises that he'll take your heart of stone and make it a heart of flesh, that he will soften you and making you more into his image when you take on your cross and know him. And I think that's exactly what has taken place in my life.

1:21:15And just when I look back on my journey and the things that I've been through, even that question that you just asked me, it kind of made me a little emotional just because when you said that for whatever reason, I just thought back just some years ago when I, when I headbutted that guy from Team North and just the amount of public ridicule that I received from that and the anger that I've received in that and you know, that's just one thing that was blown up big, but there were other things that were going on that maybe like that was a behavior pattern that I maybe I had and I just look at what the Lord has done in my life and not just myself, but other guys on this team. It's just been amazing to say the least. And I'm able to stand here confident and say the things that I do because of the revelation that he has given me that he is true and that no matter what happens on this field, that there's a place that I can call home with a relationship with him. It's an interesting juxtaposition of you were on the way to being like the bad example. Like don't, here's a guy with all this opportunity and took this path.

1:22:17And you took it and changed it and I just, I just think it's fascinating. We don't talk to you all this time. No man. So were you suggesting you were going to apply for a six year? No, not at all. No, no, no man. But you're absolutely right. And again, I say it again and I emphasize it that it's just a true testament of Christ. And I just encourage everybody that's even whether in the room or watching it, that if you may feel like you're that protocol, you're that one who's felt like you've straight away too far and there's no way that a Lord can forgive, this Lord that you're talking about can forgive the things that I've done. I just want to encourage you that there's no sin that you've committed that can outweigh his justice and outweigh his grace that he has for you and the love that he has for you. And so I think it was intentional the things that I went through to get to where I am now to maybe shine that light on somebody else. You walk from Columbus here. Joey Coppen, Columbus, this path.

1:23:17Texas is past defense, just to go to the living big plays and getting interceptions. What is stood out about that back end when you've watched my film? Yeah, I think just for a couple days of how to watch them on film, I think top to bottom, they look like a pretty good team. It looks like they do a good job all the way around. They look again, they look good, but these are the moments that you live for. These are the moments that the reasons why you come here to a house date. We've reached all the time to like when you come here, you play for games where you play against someone. We call these match-up games where you're almost playing against yourself. And when you're playing against yourself, that means you're not just going to be bigger, you're not just going to be stronger. You're not just going to be faster. And so the question comes down to, well, if I'm not bigger and stronger or faster and we kind of look the same, then what's going to make me win? And I think ultimately the answer to that question is all the intangible things that you work on throughout the season. The things that you can't really see on the outside. The grit that you may have in your heart, the distance that you're willing to go to win

1:24:18the game, the skill that you have acquired throughout the season. All of the intangible things are going to be on display this weekend. And we'll see either of them or ourselves who is put more into the intangibles to win these kind of games. Any final questions? Tim Mayn, Letter and Roll. Yeah, as you've been speaking here, gee, I'm just saying of other teams I've covered in the past, really good teams and stuff. And one guy, one time, tell me, there was almost like a hum in the background when you're in this building and stuff of like work being done and things like that. You have a feel for the spiritual aspect of this team also and stuff. Do you feel that special hum or where we want to call it about this team at this moment? Without a doubt, I said it a few times in an interview post-game and I'll say it again, there was a moment that we were able to share after coming off of that loss against team of North. We had a player-led meeting where we were able to catch out some of the differences

1:25:21what we think is going wrong. And there was just a moment to be very vulnerable with each other as brothers. There was some frustration that was going on and ultimately at the end of it in this room actually. We stood in here all 100 plus guys and we locked in arms. We put arms around each other. Actually, when you looked around in that moment, there were actually a few guys that were even tearing up just because of the powerful moment that it was and we were able to pray together. And I think ever since that moment moving forward, I wouldn't even say it's just from that moment. I don't know how long, but I believe that there's something very special about this team. And I think people are getting ready to witness the special ability that this team has. I've received many, a lot of ridicule and coming after losses of just how people may say things like they, I miss real football players. I'm tired of these Christian athletes on the field. I miss the real gritty football players. I think here moving forward, people are going to be able to witness the strength of the Lord that we serve. Your day is over in my podcast.

1:26:22Toughest team wins bottom line. You feel that in your heart too. The toughest team finally wins these games. Yes, yes. I think, I mean, there's an accumulation of a lot of things. There's being tough, having discipline, not getting dumb penalties, having great technique. Again, when you get in these matchup games, it's all the intangibles that you can't really see. I'm not just going to walk out in the field and just have confidence that I'm bigger than them and I'm stronger than them like we can and maybe some other games. That's just not how it works. And so it's going to come down to all the intangibles. Am I more disciplined? Am I not going to hold on this play? Am I going to make the catch when the ball comes to me? Am I going to uplift my teammates? Am I going to be positive and we're going to be a cancer on this team? You know, all those little things are all what goes into winning these kind of games. Like you mentioned, toughness. And so we hang our hat on that and that's the goal. It's to go out there and be tough and put all these things together and get a win at the Texas. You said thanks, Oste. So when you're to when you're red and I feel like that's the best thing for me and him and I feel like that'll be exemplified on the weekend.

1:27:25Yeah, I do. I feel like step one of being better and you know playing the way you want to is being conscious and self-aware of what you did to put yourself in that position that we previous up. And then that's where it all started watching the film and you know being in tension on practice. So just catching up all with my body, doing those type of things. I think I did a really good job at this week up to you know, it was confident that I felt all year and now I'm just about going out there and making sure a chance like the Sunday was confident and will. I wouldn't say wait on me at all.

1:28:30I wouldn't think about during the game. I wouldn't say that was the reason why I played better. What was your take away from developing speed tricks and seeing the line of tension? Just that stuff like that is contagious and it's something that you know we've you know you this all I know so all you kind of get used to something but the reality of it is it's not okay and we got to figure it out and we got to figure out why we're not winning again. We got all the time in the world, we got all the the pieces. So why are we winning when it matters and then you know little things like that out of them and that was my takeaway from becoming from someone that's been part of great coaches, great teams and it's a great player himself. You know when he talks you going to listen so I know we all you know heard him and tried to go about it the right way this practice week and as far as having energy and you know if you don't have energy you make it so that you know it's contagious and that was my kind of take away from that.

1:29:32I moved to all over the place but I imagine with the body and with that one you can line up a little bit more in the slot. We've seen you be pretty ridiculous inside there. Is that a place that you feel at home is that something you would enjoy being there more? Yeah I mean I don't mind being in slot I don't mind being outside the truth of it is you know usually you get less of a you know a cover player in the slot you get to see the defense show itself in a little different view as you know I suppose you being on the outside and just focus on your corner so there's ways to get into your rod a little faster and just break down the coverage and find that zone and that hole so I like it and I feel like being the type of player I am it's you know it can seem a little easier in the slot to break things down I'll say but but no I like to own both of me I can figure out I like to own both and when we being in slot being the slot and you know vice versa. But you're in the slot can you get quick wins that are right in the quarterbacks you have to house me right in front of them?

1:30:35Is that an aspect of it that's positive when you're doing it right in front of me? You know that's a good point maybe maybe yeah maybe that is something that goes into it but I think you got to make some tough guess you're in this slot I'll send you over the middle of the field got those big you know the big backers and the stack monsters that you got to do it a little more and that's what comes with it but you are right in that sight line at the quarterbacks so yeah Do you remember the feeling walking out of the stadium after beating these guys when you were riding pretty high right there Yeah You know can you get back with a win something? Yeah you know you got to start somewhere and this is who our next opponent is so we got to go out and do what we got to do yeah I mean we want to get on the street we want to get on and if we're going to do it it starts this weekend so you know we got to pay treason we got to we got to go hand over it

1:31:36I believe the team or all is where it needs to be you know we have some adversity hit as a team we all would agree that we then respond the right way with the adversity we had some people say some things throughout these past few weeks we had people you know step up and have people you know show show ways not to do those things so I think we are in a right spot I think everybody is missing a right spot physically my especially we are too which is my support because that's where the cons of the adversity hits you just want to show me where they are there's no magic potion to get on the touchdown but still find back behind again there's no magic potion to bend down the home ground but spot another way to make it into a win show who you really are I think it's time for us to for us to respond the right way when it works in the game whether they open down and we have to be the same team no matter what I think this this weekend is going to be the right time

1:32:38to show it what do you think it is that I should be checking in I think it was just what everybody needed you know whether whether he was talking to you or whether he wasn't and it was something you could be saying you know brick talked to us talk to the whole team a few days later about how it coming from him you know he has to be here at all he's on the band with us a week playing one game with us and you know he felt and saw that which is real as a team the core group you know we've been we've been in the situation a lot of times and unfortunately we came out on losing hands so it can be easy to kind of fall in that and here we go but that's what I said like about diversity that we got to make it could be okay to think like that but how you want to change that so when adversity hits again you know it will you know what's going to be our reaction and I will respond the right way and if you do respond the right way you see a player a teammate a coach not responding that way to make sure we all get on the same page so it coming from him was very good

1:33:40because everybody respects him he has all the accolades in the world he's definitely paid but you know that's the person that the as a man so I think I was really good to come from him have you gotten the sense that it's resonated or is that something you'll kind of see on Sunday I mean I hope he resonated right after he's finished speaking but obviously we're going to see this Sunday because like I said you know the verses are going to come you know it would be nice to have a game like last time but you know you can't prepare for that I just got to go out there and do our job and you know let's respond the right way look at that and say you have been here for a few days and you know what makes you like an expert so you like that that's a bad response so if that was the talking the locker room or around then that would get weeded out real quick because that's not when the football that's not being a teammate that's not holding your own stuff accountable if that's you're thinking that way

1:34:40and if you aren't thinking that way it's probably what's talking to you so hopefully that message whoever was in that locker room at the time was heard from top to bottom and we can move move forward with that What's it been like seeing that go from you know he was only playing like he's been on plays with him and running in the show like how you seeing him handling that I feel like he's handled with race he's been humble about it and he's been vulnerable about you know he's he's opened up you know he's he was surprised just like everybody else was so you know it really was a a family effort to kind of you know cope with what happened obviously try to find a way to move forward the right way and productively honestly really feels like he's been alone if kensomeet and like just all the way through because you know he he just sent the same things we're hearing the deepest of our own you know all the things he's preached to us these past few years that's made made the deepest what it is you know to make us fight this heart in the love in regard my heart this you know all that he's now just bringing it to bringing the light to everyone

1:35:40here so it's just been cool to see the office and especially teams you know here those messages you know feel his passion you know here his speeches for the life before the games and watching the run they're response so he's been good if you ever seen play like if you ever seen video can playing oh yeah yeah you seem like a very tough line if you if you want to cross the line back with a mohar you know he's crazy or he can hear really hard but um yeah as a kid I definitely watching on coach bird play I remember his name I remember space I remember all that so I respect him a lot as a person and obviously you know as an former player and you know him playing with practicalist I believe Ronnie lot I'm not mistaken was was like his mentor was and I think coach them was am I correct I don't think it was who was the no not practicalist he he was the head coach for this signature there's our signature also a bad old lot backers well so

1:36:42um he knows a lot of ball he's seen a lot of ball as an old school mindset which I love which I'm that's who I am so um you know a lot of respect for the show you but T is about his black growing technique just black going on a challenge black oh no I just I just see that I just see that you think you think it's just played on a couple of weeks um I think it's better to say we haven't played through our standard um you know people getting saved what's the reason then but at the end of the day we're the ones that cost the white lines really ones that have to you know handle the adversity really ones that have to step up when the time's good so we got to each challenge ourselves to you know get back to our standard just you know having fun out there just just running around here and you know executing didn't turn over so that's just what we have to do because it was about to take us to one football guys as far as uh Jeff you talked about the top this is player he doesn't he doesn't like Jeff Jeff over he doesn't like Jeff

1:37:42oh like Collins that a coach goes break okay, clipped back there had the top this is a player for what you saw and watch how does that carry over to being a head coach um I think it's more I think it's a massive um like it's it's a ability to to take adversity with it's good a bad and turn it into something and you know make it work something fighting for um like I said before you know him being vulnerable him opening it up into the deep things like the day him open up to the whole team telling his story telling his why like that that builds character that builds trust and that you know that builds love and that builds the family and play it hard for them and she won the right there and feed his family and make she want to go out there you know do everything you can for you know for him as a as a man of also as a coach because you know he would do the same thing off the field and if he could play he would definitely be doing the same thing for us on the field so I think that's just just a respect thing He was jailing Mills what have you seen from the Patriots offense so far with Drake May

1:38:44a guy who's he's trying to put the ball in the air trying to establish the run game um got a good running back over there with Remindery um but uh young young quarterback I said it's putting the ball in the air and he's also you know he's getting those third and fifth and sixth you know he's converting those outsides with his leg as well so we just have to be aware that um when he does want to take off scrambling and then those passing down situations you know covering down on those guys as a former Patriot like do you see similarities and the defenseers are totally different without ball a check there um a lot of those guys um were there when I was there um I mean DC um who is the DC now we call him DC uh Coventon um he was there he was the D-Lion coach of course Mayo as well um so they are kind of running the same type of defense little tweaks here and there but for the most part the same Is there extra meaning for you playing at Foxboro this weekend? Um I don't want to put a snap on that um because at the end of the day uh it's it's it's time to win regardless whoever we are going against

1:39:46um when when Sunday at one o'clock comes you know I'm pretty sure that I will be fired up What your thoughts and being around the atmosphere? Hey he's an incredibly detailed guy and I got that for sure from uh it's like watching a film when he broke down it's like something gang fun with me and he also accomplished some of the guys that he he's coaching the past that are similar to me and you know that was uh he really just showed how how good of a coach he is you know getting to know coach more bell during this experience when has that been like It was good he's a he's a very passionate guy and I mean I love that like the head coach should have that and um yeah you can tell how much he cares about the what the guys about the program about just like being dedicated being um driven to win to succeed what did they tell you about the opportunity here in As far as meeting a player of your sort at a position or long y'all can't spot Well I mean you know they see me at left tackling this um I'd be a good fit you know coming in but I was putting the coach north all stressed you know

1:40:46they'll also have other great uh on all kinds of linemen in the portal that have lots of great skills you'll say in that fill wise I'm now a big good fit when it comes to such as I would what you guys do but uh if you see does and what a sight the people here you know What's kind of the ultimate feeling now about FSU I think some of the big experiences then what's kind of the feeling about them yeah it's it's a there's definitely a good feeling it's great I'm glad that I was actually able to come down here because I mean zoom calls and phone calls are nice but you know in person is a lot different and this is again to know the staff here again to know coach herb it's you know question of all like it was it was a great experience so for all who I was to be checked out during this process what are their schools I've talked to some others so I've talked to um a house in an Iowa and and um really just uh yeah that's what we've been I've tried to keep it short kind of try to keep it sweet probably needs to be 200 bunch of schools I mean that's not the main priority like are you entering decision mode now or do you intend to take some trips

1:41:47in early January yeah I'm done with when do you want to decide um sometimes with all Christmas good for those of us who only seem to make highlights of you what what are kind of your strengths and areas you're looking to improve so shrink wise I would say it probably just um movement um yeah I mean I've been told my coach heard you know I'm very well for a 300 45 pound guy definitely yeah if I ever done off-done this like meant to got my stances and big thing for me so big and just be able to move people without the sense time also just being consistent and can't place any punch on it for work in general just like me if you're I mean if you're a big strong guy and you can only do so much by when you don't have right technique so that's a big reason why I want to have a good one coach for work just to refine that technique to be precise in everything and uh that's kind of like well looking for to improve it I appreciate my memory. I've been trying so far so just gotta keep

1:42:52keep carrying that on and see where it takes us. Obviously when your sideline you're not playing how important is it to stay like mentally ready and mentally get those reps so that when you come into the spring you can improve definitely I mean that's all it is really just mentally envisioning the plays envisioning making the plays and every night you know I think about it probably every day so it was it was a big part of it for sure for sure. How have you gotten better? I think just understanding the defenses and understanding where the quarterback wants me at a specific time and um you know building that trust with them is huge and I think I've been doing a pretty good job of that. How does that relationship with you and how does it develop in due year two? Yeah it's developing great I mean we have a great friendship off the field so you know that helps a lot on the field as well so we have a great connection you know both on and off the field and it only helps. Your brother's coming right? Yeah yeah so you'll be here in May it'll be a lot of fun it'll be a lot of fun having him up here. What do you need to see a lot of this team

1:43:55on the Saturday? I think just you know go out there and play hard um limit the mistakes and at the end of the day it's just being consistent with what we do and playing hard so that's what I want to see for sure. You feel like everyone's worth a pair for this spring game? Oh for sure I think we're way ahead of last year and I'm excited to see where it takes us. Anything on the river or the freshman? Yeah, it drew a bit of a yeah he's getting healthy now he's looking great he looked really healthy today and I'm super excited to play with him he's a lot of fun to play with. Just how quick is this turnaround? You guys just started practicing a couple weeks ago and now you have a spring game to get to. It's pretty quick but you know I like it I like it a lot so it's fun to get out there and play you know I'll let him be 11 put the ball down and go. I mean that's the goal that's the goal every day you know that's what I'm reaching for and whether I get it or not who knows but that's what I'm reaching for every day. That I mean you know he's not going to get tasked to a corner anymore he's going to get his dizzle germane and

1:44:58and Iggy and all those guys. Yeah absolutely um we kind of we try to recruit guys with that dog mentality you know it's not really something you're going to want to teach them it's going to be something that you you hope they already have and he definitely has that he has that competitive spirit that competitive nature um so it definitely shows when you know going a bit against you know bigger talent. Yeah I think you guys don't care like good picture how how you guys look boys who get to rock whatever but this often seems like there's been a a concentration slash focus on the lead game and maybe this is going to be a run for his offense and as you guys in the scene of a room kick that's the trick on the squad. I mean we don't you know we got to see what however things tax are we put on the field but I mean a run first offense opens opens up big lanes for the passes you know you you got to take the safety's low you got to do all that type of stuff so um it's it's less about it's less about who gets the touches and um more about you know how we can capitalize on opportunities that we're giving so do you agree that people are right for taking the offense to be that way or is it like a

1:46:02I mean you can I mean you can tell you in any way you want we have the best running back field in the in the entire nation and we have the best receiver unit in the nation so we kind of we're kind of jack of all trades so you've been moved around the offense in the past of different things motions different trade and ways to get open but has that increased any knowledge of telling us here or is it kind of the same as the benefit of the day? Probably stay away from talking about scheme stuff. What was it that Jeremiah did that you think the day we're going to be in Iron Buckeye? Yeah, just coming in every single day and competing that's really what we're challenged to do um as as buck guys when we when we walk into the weight room with coach make you're supposed to be there and show out and show out every single day and you're not allowed to have a step back you're not allowed to have an off day he took he took care of all his um you know the non-negotiables of this program he was never late he made his weight every single day he gave his 100% effort and at the end of the day he was just winning a lot of competitions and just grinding so yeah. I'm gonna let you let you bring a lot about

1:47:03brand new program. Um, Brandon didn't get a chance to do a lot this spring. What stood out to you even when he wasn't on the field this spring that that basically makes it like he could be a legitimate impact player for you. Well yeah first and foremost he got he got voted on by his peers to the leadership committee on our team which is a group of about you know 16 to 20 of our of our guys who the team looks to as leaders so obviously you can see how people think of him on this team they think highly of him um and he comes in every day as a very fiery competitive nature um and you know he puts in really hard work and days in and days out so even though he hasn't seen the field too much yet um we have no we have no um concern that when he does stuff onto the field he's gonna make a great impact. He's only been here here. Yeah. Yeah. I think last summer about him like he's gonna be on the leadership maybe I have to have three hundred six five days like yeah just his ability to be able to you know talk a good game but also back it up um not in a sense of playing football more in a sense of we're gonna be the hardest

1:48:03working team on the field uh we're gonna go in day in day out I'm gonna I'm gonna beat you even when I don't feel healthy even when I don't feel good all that type of stuff it's it's all mentality. I'm not gonna from far away it looks like uh violent not just like kind of who's a little bit like like young bear right we're here with you like you see that in him like yeah yeah I'm not trying to compare with number ten or all big but you see that a little bit in the way that he can shift around yeah he definitely is very fluid about the way he moves and we see it in his in his uh you know his routes and his releases so you know when when all the wide receivers are knowing the film room and you know he's getting crapped he's doing all this body movement stuff it's like okay we could see he got a little sum to him so it's just about bringing him along you know he wasn't you know he just got here his first first year here kind of built on along there's steps you got to take but he's definitely training in the right direction. I think a lot of teams get talent for whatever reason you guys seem to develop the developers' receivers better than anyone what what goes on out there that somehow helps the Ohio State keep placing guys. We played Denzel uh Davidson Ibnelson, Germaine Matthews,

1:49:08Jordan Hancock, Layton Ransom, Caleb Downs that's really what it is it's it's BIA getting this better every single day so tremendous credit to the defense and the the ability to be able to develop corners like that it's just good on good every single day that's that's the way you get better so I mean we definitely have a strong second there I would say this year um but you know it's just it's just it's not just their talent that makes them special it's their it's their ability to go hard every single day they show up every single day with a competitive nature and you know we're going back and forth on the field every single day they'll be bigger and and spin that each other a little bit but um it's all love at the end of the day we appreciate them for getting this better. Let's question Matthew you do a lot of things this all that to have that you can't wear brain and seem like a guy who do so much whatever move around whether it's just things or anything you see kind of that same worst how-build and Brandon is kind of something to do yeah absolutely Brandon you know he came up played running back for a lot of his life played a little quarterback here in there you know now he's received very he can do

1:50:12a lot of different things um so we just try to put him in a position where he can be the most successful um in the position that makes him the most successful or just the ball on his hand so we try to do that for him um and and a bunch of other guys in the program who thrive with that Michael yeah um to be honest with you man uh you know my career to this point it's been a lot of ups and downs uh I tend to harp on the downs more than the ups um but another opportunity is all I need uh at the end of the day that's all I want it um you know I'm just a guy that's kind of trying to make the most of the opportunity whenever it comes whenever it shows and um you not take pride in that um obviously you know the the number of opportunities wherever you are maybe limited but that's why I say you got to make the most of them and um each and every day man I'm just trying to get better better at my crab being a better teammate been a better person um all the intangible things and like I said when opportunity comes my way I just want to make the most of it along those the downs instead of the ups is that a conscious decision or is that something that

1:51:15just kind of happens um I think a little bit of both um I think just the guy that I am uh my competitive nature um obviously I love to compete with others in this game in this sport uh but I compete with myself a lot and um obviously some of our downs have been things I had had been able to control obviously talk about injuries and things that had nature um but some of the other things um I want to on a day-to-day basis I think just being a competitive guy that I am it's just it's just something that's inside of me I always want to be better than I was the the previous day so when you look at the speed in the room with you um and also John Ross I mean what does he notice about that especially you know you and yeah um I mean you can look up look out there on the field man and uh find around trying to make plays and uh you know for me um and I'm sure John as well every time you're on the field you just want to put that speed on tape um no matter if you're the number one reading the player or the last reading play you're always just going to put that speed

1:52:17uh you know on tape and obviously the quarterback's to see that it coaches to see that and you know hopefully my opportunities come from that which is always going on. There's a talk around the NFL that they might want to ship the workouts to Lee Jr. would to live thinking about like injuries and permission towards that would and some that's talked about how all seasons comes in for players what that would say what are your thoughts on that uh have you what do you consider? Yeah um to be honest I haven't really put much thought into it um I feel like now like I'm a year six in a week I kind of got to um not kind of but I have a pretty good routine uh you know how I've scared them off season um in terms of dates and you know report dates and all that stuff like that um but shoot there if they're willing to push it back I'm not going to be mad because that kind of just gives us more time um obviously with our families and um kind of doing the same things uh just working out like the first two weeks of OTA is kind of just working out and training and stuff like that which I mean we're kind of doing already you know I mean but then I see the side of it coming in when we do because got a lot of new faces um guys that you sign up for agency and then obviously

1:53:19the draft um so I mean it's it's not a bad thing that we come in when we do because guys get to kind of be around each other know each other um create that bond early on. Can you send a injury history uh for yourself do you think that schedule should help in terms of injury recovery and streamlining after the season? Um I mean yes and no um speaking personally I feel like a lot of my injuries have been things out of my control I feel like I had a lot of freak injuries um and you know can prevent I don't know um but I mean more time off more rest more recovery I mean if you're doing it the right way there is definitely beneficial. Just a second around back in 19 the Eagles were very interesting and you what do you remember from yeah uh that period that that process? Yeah um it's actually funny because I took a top 30 visit here and um I remember my visit vividly um coming in like just really loving the place um loving the staff uh loving the people um especially like just having uh like conversations with how we and just kind of just being in the building um like it felt it felt right to me um and I

1:54:21remember like going home after my top 30 visit talking to uh my girlfriend wife at now but and my mom like like I really liked the Eagles and that was kind of one of my teams like going into the draft like I thought um that I might be here um and I know that I know that there's been talks that you know it almost happened or whatever um but I mean I in the hindsight of things like things always work out how they're supposed to be you know now I'm here so I don't know if that it was meant to be like that obviously it was but you know now I'm here soon. You want to be installed here do you feel like levels of playing field for you with your competition at all? Um so I think obviously with Kelli me and here um you know at the end of day for me like football football um and obviously like I say like being with a familiar face um and Nick um so working with him and kind of like knowing what he's done in the past um and then obviously Kelli being a different dynamic um the good thing is like a lot of that stuff is similar just different terms and different names um so for me um it's been very easy to kind of just be in here and get an offensive understanding so um yeah I think that's a credit so another reason why I came here just knowing

1:55:23Nick had had some type of hand in the offense with Kelli um so it definitely helps me keep saying again impressions of jail hurts so far yeah uh shoot so I remember when I first like agreed to terms would come here uh the first person I got a text with from Jaylen and uh he was basically just saying like excited uh you know have you here um he's said he kind of watched me from afar just knowing that I was a uh you know a speedy guy good player whatever um just you know that that meant a lot to me um for him to reach out um you know during that time um and since I've been here man he's he's been knows down like this works hard um he's a great leader um just kind of his presence is aura um it just speaks volumes of the player he is the leader he is the person he is he is man and uh he's just grinding to get better each and every day and you know when you're in the building when a guy like that you just want to play for them and want to get better with them so we got to say something so far um do you notice that the way that they do things here it's been different than the other places you have said um yes I would say they are very very very detailed

1:56:26like Fernando and his team um they're like super super detailed like even today like we got these little things where we kind of rate our soreness from the prior practice and things like that and uh talking with the with Stefan and Chisholid just about plans and all that stuff like they're very very detailed um and I've been I've been in places where it's been like that um but I think this is kind of a step up um just how they're so intense with those things and I think it's definitely been a fish for the players you mentioned a couple times as far as why you came here even Kevin and Jason but um haven't he changed the botan in that room as a fellow receiver how does that it sort of gets in getting a lot of 101 uh yeah man to be honest with you um like looking at looking at the room looking at the situation it's like like I'm blessed to be with with two of the best receivers in the game um and uh from outside looking in like the question is oh like why would you go there they already got these guys and I'm like man I want to I want to be around greatness like I want to be in there and be with these guys and work with these guys and learn from

1:57:27these guys obviously me and AJ came in together Devise came in to your after um and so like I've known AJ prior because we trained together for the combine and all that stuff um but like to being in a room with those guys like it's only room for opportunity to to learn more like these are two the best um and if you're in a room with that like getting all the knowledge you can like plan competing with those guys like it's only gonna make you better so um like I'm blessed to be in this opportunity blessed to be in that room for sure thank you thank y'all what have you seen the growth of the young mourners obviously we saw that it's not a Jeremiah last year uh there's your main sorry but Calvin and some of the errands and the young guys how do you see them from all of them? um and Scott has got a completely better from his brain glad completely better I'm just getting used to the speed of college trouble I would say

1:58:28what 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 many else fry jb go ahead and these are about Calvin's intelligence you know the you know where he's grown where specifically is it the film room is it and I pick it up you know the playbook where have you seen that? I would say Calvin has gotten smarter just like his game knowledge like expecting like up different kind of routes and stuff like that what did everything start to click for you so last year was it in the soft season when did you feel I would say it in the spring I started to get a lot more comfortable in our defense we say you break up the past history with the Jeremiah name I'm sorry if you ask but earlier but what is like going up against him do you it seems like you joy it yeah I love it he's he's tough I like going against him a lot he's really good what do you improve in your game just from that for example those those 101 matchups this preseason or whatever you know how belly who dis game so Jeremiah he forces me to pay the

1:59:33bank if you don't pay the belly against him here go get it yeah yeah uh and you and you Dave send it how would you describe this defense now compared to this time a year ago from this 10 point okay confidence factor you don't mean that you guys feel on the field what how would you describe it oh it's different about it I guess I feel like everybody's a lot more smart of this area everybody's like I would just say I will go just just just just smarter yeah but you know when you when you look up and late and ransom decided to come back and Caleb down transferred in what did you feel about that they did 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 yeah I would say that like a downcoming and um what may say he was coming back zel say he was coming back it's just so like that's the only thing that I would say yeah thanks man of course you know one thing to win

2:00:36or anything you said he was a little surprised how much attention you got right away from the defense how about you yeah definitely though we maybe killed him or one of ones kind of how the game plan was set up um getting about different coverage out of cloud to my side and I just kind of had the game goes what's the process been like sometimes where whatever reason just just just see that yeah definitely um especially in college a lot of the game fans defensively were taking the away um you know we had a lot of success at a high up state obviously within the one of the boys having different um the weapons they're kind of still getting the victories and um I was yeah you continue to do better jobs doing it here my heart and the rotation the process been like post game getting on the same page with Kyler just maybe it's exchange taxed or you guys can yeah film definitely um kind of ask me what did I see there kind of go over and play and um I just kind of get him what I saw and kind of different feedback there

2:01:36just change words Mark I get it we're asking questions about the previous game bar either type of guy to let a game like that winger or how do you flush it you gotta move on gotta move on some long season guy like 16 more of them hopefully no I can stay healthy throughout the year and just continue to build and get better each week okay did so much work throughout the off season to get on the same page how different is it when you get into that regular season yeah it's totally different it's totally different um you can do a lot of things you know in shirts and shorts and then you go once you go out there put practice and get pads on you do like the point practice we did with the colds but there's nothing like actually going out there um not in live action and really trying to be on the same page so I think that relationship will continue to develop and develop that it's just a matter of rubs them as much as I think is just yeah definitely definitely um like I said I was kind of my first live action together um so continue with when you're early impressions yeah but obviously I have a death certificate no jg's call or preseason obviously be also really healthy that's kind of the best but most

2:02:39important thing obviously that's all healthy even going for it so um that's it I can say Mark what are your early impressions of the Rams what do you think of the Rams yeah I mean they're a good team they're good physical team I got a new lot of new guys upfront I think that's kind of where they're strong suit is um kind of a little different to Buffalo come more a little match coverage so I'm excited to build this personally when the bells gave give you one of my opportunities wasn't many of them wasn't many of them so uh Bethlehem you think I'm just what you think game versus just playing you know not getting a preseason game actually it's definitely definitely thinking a lot out there and um you know I think I'll come with reps I think to think in less and just going out there and playing definitely come with reps and it's something you know I'll get better at but um they definitely say I was thinking a lot out there is there anything you can do to prove that that's for the coverage anything you get in the past because you're you're going to face that a lot obviously yeah I mean you just got to team you get open for yourself make it yourself available uh the one the ball does can't wait making the play um

2:03:43he's just taking you away that means other guys are having chance to get open so that's how kind of how I look at it is no longer since you know offense the best thing is for us they're constantly with pilots is something that comes pretty quickly in a new game or something might change lunch hopefully sooner or later I think um now we'll continue to see we'll see I don't think we're in a bad place right now at all obviously I don't really think that but uh just a live reps we'll continue to grow and show just a true blessing from god to really be able to put in the hands off over here to the right Tim May Letterman Row Caleb you've always been really good with the ball in your hands you can google that right but the bottom line is in what was it like to get out there in the open field and do something like that and then you know Ryan Dave's been hinting about that for a while now about you and then the CJ Hicks block near the end of that uh it felt like it was normal um it felt like it was the right thing for me uh time to ball my hands to be in the third of play um and then as I said they did a really good job blocking CJ told me that he uh that he put somebody on the ground at the end of the play so

2:04:46I gotta go back and look at that what you think flipped the game today what was that moment that flipped this game from your vantage point really I just I think this is a collective of the whole game um I would say the at the beginning of the game we were a little shaky but I would say after we went up by seven it was really just all right we got out of the house I was like okay we got to do our jobs and then yeah we got to do our jobs and we're going to dominate uh over to the left Cameron T. Robinson the athletic okay look in in what way can you put in the words to run this defense been on last four of them I would just say process oriented uh just truly trying to get prepared every week trying to get ourselves in the best position and the best minds at the play and really going to the game like they're not going to score we're dominating the whole game um and at the end of the game we let up a few plays that we really should not have um so we can't do that again we got to finish and play for 60 minutes but um really just going to the

2:05:46game by we're dominating and nobody's gonna nobody's gonna move the ball scored a ball and that's what we're gonna do and final question for Caleb Laurie Schmidt to the left uh the club is this patch. Caleb Omega said someone had called your tv but they said that here it's coming it's gonna go to the house you were calling that was I just okay so I just see them I followed tag in June you said it on tv earlier today and that was the craziest thing because he told me probably like three four weeks ago he was like do you get back there you're gonna score out like okay and then he did that and then uh will will set on the sideline that he said it before the before the play happened so I can't remember that too. Play different terminology different it's a whole different scheme so just learn how they want things done compared to how you used to do how you used to do things is really the what's it like being in that tight end room everybody's got different skills to see everybody's different but y'all do some of the same things right yeah no it's a great room a lot of really good guys I've grown really close with a lot of those guys so uh everybody helps each other uh really nice learner from Dalton breadin those guys I mean Dalton's done it for

2:06:46a really long time so he helps me a lot with things that really aren't coachable things you know I mean you mentioned how the family at the game but what about working out here at this high school you're still in a little higher yeah yeah I want to lecture tonight about their eighth of the size of this place uh yeah this is not like my high school but this is a healthy place uh but super cool to be home and just be back and give you a little sense of comfort I guess for me especially being my way for as long as I've been I don't get I don't go out a hole I actually want home yesterday I went back to the farm for a little bit uh which was great for a couple days he did with my family and stuff and see my grandparents and everything so it was good uh but I really haven't been out enough to know so I try and keep her inside yeah yeah what do you think if you play that really showcases it's not the most uh it's a good question I don't think that's

2:07:49for I for me I'm just trying to give I mean every time I think you can be as you you can play this game for 50 years and there's always going to be something you leave the field with like I wish I would have a better not area I wish it would have been better in some other you know what I mean like it's never going to be this is absolutely perfect so like to me that's right right now the hardest part of this is just mental toughness of it all I mean physical toughness I mean you either have it or you don't in my opinion so I mean I've always felt like I was kind of bred in that area of the things and that's just kind of way happens naturally so just play after play that's kind of how we roll thank you guys we are we gotta get you on the boat it's Zach Harrison Javonte and Tyler Friedell in front of me so I feel like I'm just trying to be able kind of one of those peers that they work for me and kind of just giving them the steps to get there and I feel like they're definitely picking up quick and they're definitely going to be one of the great Russian. So we coach Josh who's talking about it JT and Jack probably don't need it on a day experience same as some of the opportunities for you to be out of them is there a difference in the work going

2:08:50to get in the half of champ with you in the last couple? I feel like all the camps I've definitely gotten a big course load and I love that because I asked coach J4 I love getting more reps because I just like perfecting my craft so I mean some people may not need it some people need it but I mean it's like he has made it up to side he has to speak on that course load so what kind of right I mean for me it's always just kind of getting my little details perfectly like my steps in my footing kind of just perfecting my toolbox and what we call it my craft and just trying to be so I can win every place and kind of do. Yeah um definitely just getting stronger faster everything all the above but one of my big things would be the leader and kind of just not trying to look at the steel look up to Jack and JT and kind of have my own kind of leadership and be able to bring people into so I feel like kind of have a lot of leaders on the D line and we had to be in position so we kind of all kind of

2:09:52just count off the children and folks. Um it's good competitive and we love it so you're all competitive people we all love to fish each other and I feel like the bringing the best side of all is we're all just kind of bouncing off each other and see what one person does and we kind of build it into our toolbox and we all kind of just kind of build one great thing. Hey do you remember last year when you got the shot at full back and get the day approaching without adhering to a coach film? I mean how did that come about? Because you heard Jack saw your slot being. You're getting touched out. So I definitely did it in high school I was full back and a little bit of Titan so I feel like it kind of saw what I could do there and coach Wilson honestly you love watching it too before you love and I feel like you playing that seed and coach Day's head and coach Day kind of just went for it and tried to do the best I could to do it.

2:10:52Is that continuing now? I mean you know you need to make a new playbook I did not know you have gotten that far. How top of set is there? I like to think myself as a football player I can really play any position on the field you need me to just give me a week or two to learn it and kind of perfect it and I'll try to do my best for you. Kid Jack you're the same thing. Oh yeah. And don't like what you're talking about. Graphically that's what. Kid is talking to Coach Johnson on Tuesday about some of the conversations he sort of sought you and got out to have some conversations after JT and Jack decided to come back. Just kind of went into those from your perspective and how did that help you maybe get the right mindset I guess many days from. Um definitely kind of seeing it all the way through. I feel like people kind of just see what happened and they don't know everything that goes into it how long the season is now. What you got to do to prepare for and what happened in all that time from here to to then. So I feel like we definitely just coached in me kind of connected and we kind of just talks man-on-man and he kind of just sat straight to me and I feel like we kind of both

2:11:56have been gone. Making each other better every day and we got the 4 best DNs, 5 best DNs honestly and college football and we're going to be one of the best D lines in college football. I don't you feel like a better player today than you were in this season. Um I feel like I'm taking big steps in my roles of just being responsible and being more of a leader and kind of stepping up and taking a step to kind of get out there more on the team and kind of bring people in and I feel like we kind of helping out more. I mean it sounds bizarre but I mean the season goes by so fast already so when you're kind of like week 10 in you're like wow it's already week 10 so now it's kind of gives you more time to kind of enjoy it and kind of save for it because you've come already here for like refreshments for the first place crazy. But you don't want to spend all your powder in the first first month of the year right and there is a not pace yourself there but I mean there's a mindset that I didn't have the season. Yeah definitely definitely going to have to have the mental stability to handle all those weeks

2:12:59all those practices. How much has Larry talked to you guys about like that? Last question right here. 2016, 2017, 4 NFL 2 Feds and I was all in the same location. How much does he talk to about that? I mean he doesn't have to talk about it. We know about it. We've seen it every day. We watch the film. We see them all working together. We know what it could be. We know we could become. So we know we were right at the same, we're at the right place at the right time and God wanted us to be here and he knew we wanted us all to come together and kind of play together and be able to bounce off and just perfect our craft together and I feel like we are just great individuals and we come together at something special. Great. They'll be able to eat off that as well. CJ when you look at the defense second half, less than two years will allow. One scoring drive, big stop at the one yard line. Can you talk about their performance to get the offense second opportunities to give and keep this thing close and actually put what was in there? They play their tells off. It's not always perfect. It's not always how we draw it up but that's NFL. Those Jaguars are a heck of a team. I don't think that their record shows who they are. They've had some injuries and things like that.

2:14:01But they play really hard and I feel like when it's a division opponent as well, it makes it a little harder just because that means a lot for the playoff right and everything like that. But we got to stack a win. Me and Zeez were talking about, you used to play a couple of marineries football. When the offense is down, the defense got a pick so when the defense is down, the offense got a pick it up and the special team got to blanket everything. So we got to play three phases football at a high level and we got to clean a lot of things up. But defense play really, really well at the top. Hey, ZG, can you talk about how it goes through your mind when you talk about the set going backwards? How your A was stay so calm and focused, what you think in those moments can be like, you got to make a play. Can you take us through kind of your mindset? Oh yeah, it's kind of funny. Like last night in Chapel are a pastor, pastor, Vom Wann.

2:15:01I forgot what church he's at, but it's from Southy to Houston. And he's talking about you got to go through the mud before you get to the miracle. And that resonated with me. Not only just involved, but it's just in life. It's not always perfect, but the mud makes you who you are. The mud we have is self-inflicted mud. But I feel like that kind of motivates us in the sense. And it motivates me just like, man, they're trying to see how great you're really going to be. In the 30 and 20 or the second and 20, how great you're going to be. I just kind of just challenge myself a little bit. But I don't love it, but I deal with it. And I respect the game. And I'll just know that those plays, if we can make them, we don't want to live in that situation. We're going to slip this in the bud. It's going to happen. We speak to existence. I definitely like it motivates me just to be great. Last three, start making that. It seems like at times you guys are just able to turn it all. Coming out of halftime, two, three, and now.

2:16:01But then if I'm a draw, you guys are moving the ball kind of with ease. Aside from the penalties that have you guys go backwards. What point does it be you start to look at the office and say, no, we can be so much better if we play what has passed the tempo. And we're able to play our brand of football. We're playing our brand of football, man. You know, like we're just because you get two, three and I, and me, you're having a bad day. I expect what you're saying, I understand. But just because you go tempo, don't mean like, you just start rolling. Like we try that. We just get in shells. So, but I do understand where you're coming from. I think we can get more of a tempo and get going a little more. And then I don't even just stay in no huddle, really. Just get out the huddle, breaking the huddle the right way. All the elite teams I ever was growing up. Patriots. I watch staffer a lot with the Rams. I can go sawing and so forth. Man, you watch it on TV as a kid. You see how quick they break from the huddle and they get on a line of scrimmage. And the defense fails that. And now you get the opportunity to read the defense a little more.

2:17:03And I think that's where we can take the next level and get better at. But yeah, I definitely do like think we just came out a little short. Out of the second half, but you know, it's not about, you know, looking down on yourself, you know, it's all about the next play, making the next play the better play. And my team actually helped me doing that. You know, Mr. Thurl, the in the second half, I mean, the first half. But I know I can make and I just rushed it. But, you know, they picked me up and came back in the locker room and, you know, just went from there. And, you know, we know that's one thing about ball. You can't like, hey, hang your head down too long. Because, man, the other team ain't doing that. They try to get you, you know. So, yeah, but I definitely do understand what you're coming from. But, you know, I feel like, man, we got a lot of good things going on offense. We got to just clean things up for sure. See, Jay, you talked about your relationship with Nico. And what ways have you seen him grow as a wide receiver here? I would just say, he's grown a lot, but I just think he needs opportunity.

2:18:05I've always, I think Nico's been gracious. He's been born, you know. I told y'all when I was met his dad two weeks ago when we played the Bears and they're just like his pops, but his pops are like, he can play, you know, like, he's hella young to this day, you know what I mean? So, I definitely know like Nico has been great for a long time. He doesn't even his opportunity. And, you know, I think as he continues to go, he's going to continue to get better and better and grow. But I think Bameg Dianne's done a good job, a great job helping him along the way. Learning about, right, running and just like how serious you got to take the game away from Sunday, from Monday all the way to Saturday. How hard you got to prepare. And I think, you know, being is how to him do that. And I think as you continue to go, man, you just seem to get better and better every week. CJ, can you just go through the current sequence? It was like the 105 mark. Then you got to the 401 second mark. And then I was sitting on the like your stood around like 10 seconds rolled off. Can you explain what was happening?

2:19:06What we are trying to do, even though you're at scoring, right? What was going on at that point of what we are trying to get done at? Proud of us going grand. Well, a lot of times, a lot of games come like I think the first week of the first two weeks in in the field was like 11 out of the however games came down from one scoring. If you can get the lead or tie it up, we're not giving them the opportunity to go down the drive. That's the goal in the plan we want to do. But we also do want to stay aggressive. But just be smart. Time management, I thought Demiko and Bobby did a great job. And, you know, we end up scoring, which was great. And then you see we get them with 16 seconds. It's hard to operate. Eight was now at 70 yards down the field to get a field goal or a touchdown. Like, so you just playing at the time game and, you know, we knew we had, excuse me, we knew we had a field goal and we were tired of the game of them going overtime or we could score and not give them much time either way and went. You know what I mean? So just thought that was

2:20:10very smart. What we did there. How's your? Yeah, I think everyone played a lot longer than they ever have. So, you know, I think, you know, heading to the spring, it's just the tear down of the former foundation and the rebuild of the whole new team. I mean, they have to have that mindset. You have to have a mind, a day one mindset in order to progress. You can't rely on previously built culture or schematic understanding. There's no assumptions. You have to rebuild from scratch. We're in the process of that. We will treat day one like day one that includes Jeremiah Smith. And so great opportunity to, you know, evaluate and grow a new group of guys. I think in spring, I think our opinion is, you know, by fall, everything the team, the team, the team, it's what it's all about. But in order to add to a team, in order to add to a collective, you got to focus on the individual. The individual must improve so the collective can improve. And so

2:21:10building the base, I think, schematically and fundamentally, culturally is what we're attacking as we head into spring. How much is Brandon looking forward to a different spring, a different opportunity? I know it wasn't fun for him. Having to take a little bit of a backseat to him, where do you see him? The fire right now. Is he gets right for this one? Yeah, I think when you come out of a season, you get out of January and kind of take a breath. Then when you get back in the winter, it's the first opportunity to reestablish the new role that I want to have. I mean, across the board, there's not one guy that doesn't want to improve roles. So, I think they're all attacking it that way. I think Brandon's one of them, but he's one of 50. And I think that it's our job to provide opportunities to grow, to separate themselves, to see peer-to-peer e-vows, to allow these guys to check a chase a role, at least through winter they've gotten that started, to continue

2:22:16that through spring. And I think Brandon's, you know, fits in line with that. I think Brandon did a great job looking back of finding his role last year and excelling at it. We know we talk a lot about if you want to be a starter, you have to be a starter before you start. And if you're not, they're never going to be the starter. So, I think he embodied that, you know, he gave himself an opportunity to get into spring, get into us, excuse me, into winter, continue who he is, continue to build, you know, his base, build his leadership, and then now he's got to take that in spring. So, all the great things you do prior, doesn't mean anything, you don't have to go out there and do it in spring. So, you know, that's the harsh reality of this sport, you know, what have you done lately? And I think all these guys are chewing at the bit to get back on the field. Brian, everybody brings their own experience. Ryan was quarterback, you were a receiver, and then to become a play-puller, obviously you have an understanding of the whole offense. But what was the process like for you up? Protections and the run game and quarterback play and just

2:23:18continuing to grow with your knowledge of that part of the game as you prepared for this position. Yeah, I mean, I think you're always growing, I think that, you know, you still have a special to eat, or you still have an expertise in one area, and it seems you have an expertise in all of it, that's just not true. And in my opinion, I've seen multiple coordinators, and I know that as a fact. So, you know, for me, I think it's just, you have an opportunity to be with the best staff in America every single day with the best coach in America. Just stay off your phone and pay attention and take notes and actually maximize your time. It's amazing the amount of people that don't do that. So, every time I'm in a meeting, I just try to make sure I'm getting a nugget, or I'm getting information, or when things are said, do I truly understand it? And I really, guys will tell you, I don't care, I'll ask the question. I think I'm, I look dumb, but I don't care because I want to know the information. So, I think that approach, I think a lot of guys have that approach, that approach allows you to just build, you know, over time, and then that'll continue

2:24:25to build from now to game one, and then build through the season. So, the opportunity to grow is literally daily. So, I just try to make sure I'm finding those opportunities, or I'm aware of those opportunities when they're writing my face. Yeah, Coach Jordan's always been a huge part of other receiver room. I think that, yeah, he's just understanding that my pull-away is real, that can happen. So, he's going to be on his toes, and being ready that we're ready to not skip a beat, right? So, information-wise, communication-wise, he's got to be locked in on that and just on to assume that, you know, Coach Hard's got it. He never really has. I expect him to continue to do that, and he's been a big part of everything we've done. Is that almost like taken from what Ryan did last year, where he shipped away from play-calling, and he ended up somebody else, and she'd think away from being a quarterbacks coach, where like, if you have somebody you trust, then how long did it take you maybe to develop that trust,

2:25:25and that relationship with them, and to where like, you know that, hey, if I'm pulled away for a second, like, Devon's got this, and I don't have to worry about like, what my room is here. I think it's more important that I do a great job being organized, so I'm never pulled away. I will be in that receiver room, and they will be coached to the very highest level. So, I think there's ways to eliminate being pulled away by being organized on top of things, having the right work and working great help before that receiver meeting ever happens. Is that important for you, because that's the way you've got to emphasize, nothing is going to change in terms of your, I never, there's no, nothing's going to change in my involvement in the receiver room. Ryan, for my land to be going through a full spring, full oxygen for the first time, what do you look at everything? It's areas he can throw to push playing time is here. Yeah, I mean, my one is, he's doing a great job. He's growing an exponential rate, getting stronger, getting bigger, he's got weight added, you know, and I'll tell you like, you know, I always explain to him like, you don't realize how much you've missed when you, when you come in June versus a mid-year, like, it's massively different. Not saying you can't

2:26:27overcome it, some do, at the end of the season, you know, some have, but, you know, I think that's probably reliant on the room, you know, and Chris had an opportunity late, a lot of, you know, in the season to kind of make an impact, but it's very, very rare. So, and now, you know, he's going through the winner workout, his growth, his, everything he's done, he's like, hey, coach, hard, you know, I know what you're talking about now, and when you miss that, that section of winner workout. So that being said, it makes you laugh, but he's doing a great job. I expect, I expect expectations for him through, through spring, and I don't see that changing. The average year is younger than it's been past years, I think, make up for that, you don't have somebody who's maybe used to it. What's the average? It's like the average, like, 30, 30, is the average age? Is that, include, include support staff? No, it's just the primary management. What's it, what's it been in the past? A couple minutes, two more minutes. No kidding.

2:27:27Yeah, we don't know yet. Kevin Wilson. Dan Lantings, the head coach at Oregon, I was his average. I'm asking. I don't, I'm 38. Kenny Dylan-Hambos, 30s and people. So, I don't, I don't know, I gave zero thought to that. I think that, you know, I think your ability to kept with players is important. I think you probably see a little bit that happening in the NFL as well. I really had given zero thought to that. I don't want to just ram along that. Yeah, I just didn't know if it was the thought of the manager. No thought to it. We've heard him, we heard him, he's catching a lot of things. He seems to generate a limited buzz but has limited role. Now he's got an opportunity. What's the next step? Take the next step and be a, be everything he's capable of being. I mean, I think the guys that, you know, we're out there are, you know, very consistent in all job faces. You know, like, again, I think he wants to be a full rounded receiver. You know

2:28:29that. I think he loves playing in the slot. Great job there. I asked him to come out to the outside a little bit. Did a good job out there. I think his natural positions is in the slot doing a great job there. But it's just another opportunity to establish himself based on his peers, right? I mean, it's kind of like the draft. I try to explain sometimes to these guys like you come to Ohio States compete with the best. It'd be alongside the best. It's always pure to peer evils. Like, that's how it works. Like the draft embodies that. Like if it's easier to go play somewhere else than that's fine. That's what we're kind of looking for per se. I'm not saying that's pricing. I'm just saying it's a very competitive room and you chose that because of this room. Now you've got to beat your peer to play more, play more and do more and all that stuff. So, you know, I think that you got to continue to build where he's at. And the guys seem to be, you know, starters in our room, you know, really, I think over the last eight years have been NFL quality guys. So if you're and it become a starter to Ohio States, it's a good chance. You're probably an NFL caliber receiver. I mean, again, just go on to the numbers. So you're chasing that.

2:29:32Can't get discouraged. Or maybe not being, you know, not doing what you think you should have done. And that goes for everybody. It's not just Bryson, but all these guys are chasing that. As I ramble about Bryson, but, you know, I think that it's not just him. It's at BI. It's car now with everybody wants, it's chasing a higher level of play. And this spring is another step forward to do that. What's your question? How much in your estimation is that a gift? To be able to do it? How much of it is learned? Where do you stand on that? Oh, never gave it a lot of thought to it. I've never, I've never called a play in a game. So for me to have an opinion, I think that'd be a little brash. I would say that like anything, it's probably a skill that you can improve on and do better at and do good and do worse at. I think being surrounded with guys and seeing how they do it has been a blessing. And it's very clear others more than one way to do things. So being, being aware of that, I've noticed that.

2:30:33What's your impression of the three freshmen and how they may be transitioned here? Yeah, all four freshmen, I'm like very encouraged and pressed with. They carry themselves the right way. Like we have hoped. They worked their tails off. They've all improved. I would say that they're the right mold, the right fit. They belong in the room. And now they hesitate to improve. Now they're competing both, you know, first individually between each other. And then, you know, as we get into this, brain, they'll start competing against each other with the rest of the guys, what I mean by that. So, but as a group, the freshman group are very impressed and they're off to the right start. Great. Coach Arland, thank you very much. Amazing. It seems very unaffected by all of the starter. Yeah. How does 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 Defon from Cleanand.com. Go ahead.

2:31:38Brandon, I want to go back to what you were talking about with Coach Day earlier. You know, whenever he talks about this team's success, he says all the credit goes through players. It seems like the players think that he deserves some of the credit. How big, how influential he'd been during the turnaround you guys have had these last few weeks. He's been huge, man. Coming here after that team of North-Wars, you know, heartbreaking, of course. But we came in here. We had a leadership meeting and he was in here. And then we had a team meeting after that. Hearing the stuff he had to say and we had to say, going back and forth, we knew we would have his back no matter what. I mean, there's a lot of stuff said about him and his family and stuff like that. But here we're brotherhood and we're family and we just we go 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.

2:32:41Just what's kind of that process been like for you of kind of embracing your role this season and then continuing to develop? Yeah. In life, things doesn't go the way you exactly planted too. And that's just happened. 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. I'm Steven, but I'm sorry. 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,

2:33:46of course, but yeah, just bringing that power. I 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 to them. They not going to like it for four quarters. That's my mindset. Next question is 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 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 might play with them. Well, I played with Mollick Muhammad at SFE, so I might know him a little bit. And we have been watching them, they're fast team, they're physical, they're disciplined, but we just got to get the job, huh? Give any Malik stories or any any. What do you say? Give any Malik stories or anything you

2:34:54remember about playing with them? Yeah, but I'm not going to say them here. Yeah, it was just keep that. Our final question is going to come from Kurt Bulls. Kurt, go ahead. Hey, Brandon, one of the issues Texas has had the second half of the year is finishing. What if you can speak to, and they had a trouble obviously in the Peach Bowl, you know, blew a 16-quaint leak. Can 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 off-season 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 up as well. And then fall camp, we had these long two-and-a-half hour practices or whatnot. And then we came out and we had to do these finishers. We called them As for Games, late in the year like this. And we, I think Coach Day

2:35:55did a great job preparing all of us for these moments. And yeah, we're 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, maybe 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 walked. Is that how it's designed? Or was it just lucky to get the guy decided to take off inside 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 that the corner actually came in so far. Am I at least? I think he thought it was a pass. But I think he was the edge of the defense. If you go watch that play, but I don't know, I don't really know why he came in so far. But it helped out for us and I made my block into a real score. Are there any less in there for like a young receiver watching that? Even if you know him to play, you're not getting the ball. You're intended to block. But you

2:36:55your 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 to two yards. So the block I made is just a testament to Kyle. Coach Hartline print me throughout the week to make that block. And final question. Joy confidence, Columbus, this batch. Brandon Will and this has been throwing the ball to equal lately. And some of the special way you guys have opened games, what do you think is this quick for you guys and for him and watching those plays? A lot more confidence. I say throughout the year, we were always there as offense. We had we didn't know 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. Steve, how are you doing? Twenty-four sevens for you. Brandon, there have been opportunities for you to play a huge role on

2:37:56offense and you know 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 in 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 in every down guy? I think there's a lot of things I could work on 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 jugging 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 is what they say. You feel like a guy that the people follow it seems like just in your mind, even the second you're guy that you're kind of working toward being kind of a leadership type guy. I got to have guys that will take that role. Yeah, it's a great feeling, of course.

2:38:57No guys are watching what you do and listening to what you do. But I just feel like we do that with a lot of players here and 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. What are the first things that come to mind when you think of you know how you're doing? Speed of power. Yes on and tidy. Yeah, is that something that I mean you feel like you have to work on or is that something that you're like yeah that's the kind of back I am I'm just going to be next in mind. I think that's the kind of back I am but you're going to go. Yeah, yeah. What are kind of a few of those things that you're like yeah I need to work on. Like go to the courses the next few months or a few. I'll just have to make sure I keep all the details lost for you. What do coach like tell you that you like to actually game? Is it part of this world of tackles or speed or what does he like? I think that you like more I thought about field game. I think he like that I'm not a big fan of that. What's kind of your main I mean obviously as an in-state kid committed to this class what's your pitch now to other recruits and be like this is why you should join Ohio State 2020. It's a real

2:40:01family atmosphere. Yeah, everybody get along. Everybody talk to everybody. What'd you say? What's it give you coach's reaction? He's talking about the training back or the back. I've always looked up to a low-action watching this film. Do you that's funny? Do you think that your voice style can mirror his perspective? Respect is in just a way that he really is a low-speed or a little off-speed? No, I think not. Yeah, I think I can. I think speed and hard. Yeah, I think I can. We're the main guys saying you're talking to right now to join this team. I'm really talking to everybody. I'm just wondering if you're interested in that auto-commute trailer. Any guys that you want to join the class? Anybody at the top here? No, I'm not. I'm sorry if you already got asked this but coming out here as a recruit, there has a commitment here. What did you want to show today? What did you want to get out of this experience? It wasn't up in the show. Nothing. I just wanted to do some work in with those guys. How did you

2:41:04feel like that went? Obviously he's still relatively new here but he seems to bring it a little bit of a different energy than some of these camps in the past. I feel like it went good. Do you sense that energy? I mean when you're out with him it's... Yeah, I feel his intensity. He's different than other guys though, right? I mean kind of how would you explain his coaching than some of the other running back coach you've made up working with in the past? It just intense. It's intense. Like go, go, go. Did you talk to Coach Lachon when he went over to the warden? I did. Okay. So when did he get out of the warden? I didn't work in getting out of the warden. Like roughly. Around like after the season, like not so far out to see. Okay, so I mean is it was he kind of the same guy that he is now? So just in the new uniform basically? Yeah. Okay. Then you guys obviously added Isaiah to the class and there's no secret they would like to have another one. What are your thoughts on being in a class with three different running backs like that? I have no problem being in the class. What do you like about Isaiah? I don't know Isaiah. You don't know Isaiah? Yeah. You never met him? Yeah. You just damn

2:42:07none the first time. When you committed to who are some of the guys that reached out to you? Not really a couple of long backers. Take me on. You might have a little cast barricade on the goal line. I see you can grow here but also like you just got to grow today. Yeah man it's inspiring. You know Will came in here not knowing anything but to go hard and put his head down. I'm super super proud of Will and I think we kind of feed off each other. You know he was a lowly or under recruited guy out high school so he always knows it's to go hard and what that looks like so I'm proud of him. What do you think Max is going to have to do? A lot a lot of skill. I mean the guy he fits the room personality wise. Johnny would tell you that he's fun to be around. He's an outstanding ground runner and he's he wants to get better and he's hungry so he's a great addition. We have a lot of people from the outside who see that new guy comes in and we guys have two or five guys who feel like they can get reps too.

2:43:10Maybe some people want to tell us who some of these guys believe. Why did you guys say why is this group so deep and state even though you guys probably are another guy? Yeah I mean I think it's just a testament to like how strong his brotherhood is you know when a coach told us that we bring him back so I just thought it was a great opportunity for me like I can worship stuff and he's a great player and I already have the bswars stuff for me and will and I think now we are something really good guys and really good safe fresh. It was a lot of fun there and ultimately we come the best players we can be. I think it was was a late and we said yeah I saw that as like take him. I'm sure you're not watching pretty his offense when you guys are getting ready but how quick did you kind of realize that? This guy's legit like you see the numbers you realize like this guy's real good. But when I met him the first day he was class acting for me I think character is a big thing. I had a really medical football player and as I have good character and I met him the first day I knew that he was a hard worker. He came in here just grinding and you know it's showing right now in the field. It's going great.

2:44:12What do you have to do to give that a search for something that's really good? Yeah I mean I just I'm not really focused on specific areas. I was that want to become a more polished outrutter and to get better vlogging and to get better at past protection. So really I'm just working on everything man and hopefully you know to get all of this together I can have a really good year. Does it feel good to have the only touchdown catch from one of the quarterbacks? Yeah it's a little to see yeah yeah that was cool. That was a cool moment to have with him. How's that been working with Julian? Yeah it's great you know I remember when Lincoln first got here I was dragging him out to the fields throw with me so me and Lincoln go way back and I'm 41 first got here I loved Julian and even Tavians coming in and he's he's impressed me. There's been a lot of talk about the foreback position and the leadership that coaches want to see I mean how are you seeing those

2:45:13three guys coming to merge you know as leaders and is that role? Yeah I think they at first weren't nowhere near as vocal as Will was when Will got here but I think they're really stepping up in that in that role and it's really good to see. All right then I thank you. Awesome thanks guys. I want to say this with full respect. When we see JJ and Sonny it's like that makes sense. When you're the third guy were you surprised to be named? What puts you in that same category? Yeah I was a little surprised. I kind of have a feeling because like it kind of like I mean I kind of could have guessed it but like I just I just knew like I was one of my boldest thoughts in the eye and bug guy and I just couldn't work it. So what did you get it out? What did you mean? It was really special right after I texted my parents and they really knew what it meant until like the video came out and they pushed me to explain it to them so then I have to wait until they get there. Back to the old friend of yours playing football, back then right bar and games.

2:46:17Did you think you'd tell the difficulties of going back and forth? Not just like we were learning that we actually haven't played football for those five years. Yeah it's pretty difficult. Especially dirt and game you have to put the whole mind around. It's a lot easier in practice because it's like getting like several down but like going back to my end game. It's pretty hard but like like in high school like I was it was every other player I was in back for with the triple out. So like I knew I knew it and I was comfortable with it and sometimes I just take it but I'm walking to the line sometimes I had like a safe to be the same playing in it. Again I'm more time to get into my head. I can bring into practice and it's pretty hard to find a way to help. Yeah so like I got to set the example and then like my first two weeks here I was like teaching them like I don't know what they're expecting these players because I've seen a new place for them and even new defense like technique two because I keep the same technique but just helping them out

2:47:23because we need to be able to do that. When did you like when did the idea of playing back what kind of kind of about they do about like Raff the same mental and the coach was going to go and gain what they've been winning and how did that kind of like come about? It came close to springtime they wanted to have they just wanted to have a good five out there and like they don't play the best so they just didn't get the chance. What's the deal? They're awesome. They're awesome they're great a lot of a lot of eyes and it's awesome because everyone's is watching something it's not like someone's only watching this place so you know what's going on. I got to feedback to get like after the play after the practice for me all three off one. It's awesome they can they tell you like everything because they know like what's the last I had with coach Johnson and coach Dinky's watching left and coach the one who feels a lot of them right so like you really you know it's going on it's but how was the experience that you got the big reps and the big games all that helped was like coming into the sun? It really boosted my confidence and like and I can like lead the young guys too because I know

2:48:24it was going on because they really don't really miss this first time spring so like they're going on my stuff like just that leadership of them. Where's the utility has also been mentioned a lot. It's been a lot of both sides of all playing in different spots. It's been a lot right on that. Yeah um this yeah I can beat that question one more time. Can you just talk about the versatility that coach has been talking a lot about that up all sides of all? Are you guys in different spots being able to win? Yeah so like I mean you all see it in my eyes here. We lost two stars all maybe started so like really guiding you stepped up and like going to season I didn't know I was playing a sergeant left guard and I didn't really know I was going to bounce over the right and what a donny news and bounce out the tackle so like it really helps everyone like I think a lot of guys this season are playing multiple positions and it's going to help us in vocal. But if you learn from Donnie and jog or satin all that way. Just like technique wise they really helped me like pretty snap stuff and like no one

2:49:25like what's going to go as you got expecting from my great place and stuff. All right thank you thank you. Thanks man I try to prepare like him I like that from him. He prepared when he prepared he intentional so that's definitely something I try to do like him but like you said I'm I'm leaving so but when it comes to preparing and being intentional with studying and how I prepare for practice I definitely took that to him. Anything from the leadership scene? No I'll Cody Lee. Cody definitely type of a person in the middle here. Those big trees too? Yeah when you don't know something wrong, I don't know something. Yeah, what's that? Where's that come from? All right just being honest like Kevin Boyle's guys when they ask you what happened and you try to lie and then you get a film room and it's obviously obviously lying here. So it's a deal. It's like not in there. Now how how much you got to prove what is it that you don't know something? I can't believe the last time that happened so that's a good thing.

2:50:26Those big shades to fill with Cody though for the leadership standpoint. What is he taking out the door with it? You know, maybe our male somebody got a feel in that slot. Yes sir I think it's definitely some big shade to feel. This Cody was a great player, great leader. He's like with the quarterback there a deep thing so it's definitely some big shade to feel. Yeah and like Kosoa and I said though you got to be who you are or not. Yeah, you got to be. Yeah, you can't just out of being but definitely that's what you do. When did you feel like you blaster last year or they could prove it count on you? You remember how it came along? I think it started in like fall camp just flashing. Yeah, I got to like the first games. Wearing a wrong side I was hotline. I'm just being great. I like it. I like it's personality. I like a more feel and that's a poor. Yeah and the life backwards. What kind of is there going to be any differences in responsibility and soaring the use in this system? Or is it going to be in its own heart? Is it kind of safe?

2:51:26Oh, we just learn it right now. We just work it out. We just work it right now. We just learn to stay here. What do you think about CJ Hicks and what he can do in this defense? Think CJ Hicks. You said what he could do in his defense? Or just what he can do this season. We can do this season. I think CJ will pop up this season for sure. I think this definitely going to be one of his years for sure. Got to. What do you think is the biggest difference between French and French and French? To me it's no difference. They both coach you and they both like they hard on you but they want you to be great. So I'm not thinking of difference. We're talking about how you're looking at what you guys do here and fitting you. Do you think Jeter's more so we're trying to plug into you guys? No. I don't think so. What's the difference between French and French? You know about the stuff either on or off the layer of something.

2:52:29I think Sonny is a great year. The first before anything Sonny is great here. I feel like he's like the voice. He can be thinking of something Sonny just can't worry about for the whole team I understand. So Sonny is definitely a great year before anything. And John Martin is not a sonny. He's not just a boy. I bet for a person like you. Listen. How does that show itself? Obviously local. You know. And for what? Listen. What is? Because there's something that you need to about that. On the whole field or when it's leadership? Whatever. I mean like I said he's just a great leader like you, you're a vocal guy. Like you said it shows up on the field too. So he's it's hard to follow up to a guy who says something don't own and like they not own their stuff. So Sonny one of those guys who he's only stuff. So when he leave everybody listen. There's obviously been long string of linebackers success in Ohio State. Say it again. We've been a long string of linebackers success. I don't know how you look at Sonny taking that next step

2:53:30this year. I'm motivated or are you going to be part of that line to be one of the great linebackers to play in Ohio State? Well I'm ready for it. I mean that's what I'm here for. You're the tenth. So I had to go answer some questions. How do you feel about your home? It was like jammed. Yeah. My neck. You are helmet. I know that you've got a sort of a different helmet. How do you want to do it? Yeah, maybe when it hits the top like that it's not as good. But I think these guys 11 months ago kind of crushed their dreams. Do you get the sense they're kind of a different team or and also that they this was a very important game for them to win? I don't think they're that different. I think they've had a ton of injuries on defense which hurts them but the mentality of the head coach you could see it throughout everybody. It's really a cool team. I could just see from afar that it's probably a fun team to play for and they come out and they play to win every game and I respect that.

2:54:34But I've put so much emphasis on the ball. All meetings take aways and I think you got that too since the five week. Is there any accounting for that? I mean, there's so many different things that go into a turnover or take away how do you track your brand around that? It goes into every level of the defense. When you have your opportunity I know we had two against Stafford. That could have made I mean if maybe if we get those it sparks a bunch of other ones. So you just have to make your make your plays when they're there and then just being being the right spots and I don't think we've done a great job of that this year. It's good. He's a really good player and yeah I wanted to see where I'm at against him. Have you ever seen anything like the Jameson Williams touchdown or

2:55:37his pop act to him and you've seen something like that? I was in the tent so I had no idea that happened. There was a play in this game when we saw a kind of a misdirection sprinted all the way across the field to make the play. Did you see the play? I think it was it the one Gibbs cut back. Yeah, I had like a 10-yard cushion and he ran by me like I was didn't exist. And I tried to sprint and I just just like I don't have this and thankfully Mustafa is a heat seeking missile and he made the play. I mean I think we came in with the right mindset as a team just myself. It felt a little like dead energy wise but yeah I was a learning a moment for me to learn

2:56:42and make sure that I come in with the right mindset every single week. It seems like there's a lot of plays where you guys get to the finals, pass breakups and it'll be like a couple plays in a row and then there's an explosive about what can you believe in or what you're on about the existence? Yeah, I mean we did we did get them to the second third and longs and then yeah they would make a big play and you definitely want to capitalize when you back them up like that. We didn't do that tonight and that's why they scored 40 points. I'm sure yeah, I'm sure. And if I need help like with full words I think they'll come out help me and just like get out right knee there. When you are making that transition to a new position do you have to kind of be patient and realize it's going to be a process that takes time? Oh yeah definitely Coach Hart told me that at the beginning like he played a quarter back in high school too and he hadn't made a transition to receiver at here at Austin and he's

2:57:48helped me. It'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 you know coming from you know Africa being over here just what do you how did all you feel call of that kind of helped to mold you into who you are now? Oh yeah definitely maybe like tough and like not afraid of like new change and he's like willing to just adapt to my environment. What was it like for you coming in here as a freshman and getting to see if his team go win an national championship for those first few weeks here? Oh it definitely was a high motivated you know being a freshman. It wasn't really my team though so like I didn't really get it so that makes like push me like that once when it's my turn. I got put in the word I want in 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? I so you've got to don't let the past like affect you like and just yeah I'm relentless you got to be relentless you got put in the work it's not easy at all by any means and it's got to be

2:58:49hard but you have to do everything until. 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 it tough and physically. It's about that. When was the last year when you think back to the whole reward last year? What has the last kind of year been like for you as you've been back from the player that was kind of important for us as to it? It even was hard to say it was what they can translate to. How has this last year been for the 12th? I was definitely changing like because I was always on my sophomore year I was hurt and my junior I got hurt during track so I was able to like I was a highly inferior athlete and this time last year was like when my recruit really picked up and it's just like it's been crazy like must have another like you but it's leaving me in my corner my coach is everything

2:59:49I just give you the motivation to go. Oh yeah that's a big good before I even got a house they offered and before I even knew he was exactly actually through with them a couple of times in both Bella Monson and Tronstein yeah I was working with I knew his head coach and he invited me to come in run routes and I actually ran routes for Tavis right? If we was exactly headed like two we first came to the end we had a lot more up we got got together as the freshman class and the struggle he's working on anything he's definitely got nice on this cornerback for the years I was pretty talented how has that kind of helped you with all the pressure? The cornerback? The cornerback? Yeah yeah yeah that definitely challenged it and you said as I always say I just are being on it and they make it hard for you and just when you play this high level competition

3:00:53practice and you go on a game like twice it's easier than the practice and he's really just built on something. Is there kind of a moment in question? I think that's a little bit down at home. Oh wow this is a little bit different this is something that I guess like a welcome call to the pool. I guess there have been kind of like a moment first I realize oh wow these guys are really good at this thing. Yeah just like I just first like on high school I just take some like reps and I've seen you just go yeah I just had past speed and catch your abilities like space separation and I come to college and explore everybody's fast everybody's big so you have fun new ways to get open it's really good for yourself to hire your IQ. So I'm excited for you. Does it feel like what August 30th is it just around the corner years that I want to say and you gotta have a career to go against Texans you know you can be open. Yeah I don't think so I don't think so quite yet you know and I think we have a unique

3:01:55situation where we've got three really talented kids you know they're all young they all have a lot of room to grow and I think they all understand that and are eager to attack that growth but most college football teams or a lot of college football teams going to a year and they end up you know having a guy get hurt or something happens so as far as you know having one guy I guess I'm going either we want to develop the room we want all three of them to continue to get better to continue to develop and you know big guys that we can count on you know throughout the season. Did you guys win a board? Scholarship guy? Oh that's still in conversation what kind of Seattle goes um you know obviously three is a little bit less than we typically have um but you know the three that we're really confident in right now. The last year we got to ride in the working sport of X-2 in the sport of X-2 you worked in the sport of X-5 in the sport of X-2. Who's filling out your room? I mean you have someone that you've had in mind to come into being the assistant for you or how do you see that? Yeah right now Colin Kienos in helping me so Colin was working with me at Akron he was a student assistant and he was really really impressive there so he's going to come

3:03:00in he's going to help out with some of the day-to-day stuff and then you know coach day and I have built a pretty good relationship where you know between my time here is the G.A. where you know I learned the game of football the way he sees it and that was such a pivotal time in my career you know I was so blessed in college and then in my first couple you know my first job there that I got to work with Joe Morehead and you know I learned so much football from that man and I credit so much of my career to him to put me in the position but then having the opportunity to okay hey man let me see it through a little bit of a different lens and to learn how coach day sees it um it was so big for me in my development so that couple of years as a G.A. was awesome for me and then last year to be able to sit in with him and really kind of see the game you know in a similar fashion and I'm always going to continue to learn from him because he's just such a special coach but to be able to see it you know in a similar way and continue to bounce thoughts on them to make sure that him and I are communicating in the same way um you know coach day will always be directly involved with the quarterbacks and now coach Hartlein will as well you know as the offensive coordinator I think as the guy in that chair you have to have a relationship

3:04:03with the guy that's in the hub I think that's really important so you know him and I have already begun conversations just about you know how that's going to work out how you know he's going to continue to see the game the same way that the quarterback does and how he's going to communicate to them those those conversations are already um beginning so it'll it'll be it'll definitely be a combination of you know what's three Billy Tavian being there for the championship run how that I guess help with the development well it's pretty cool just about every one of those games where he was at at a point of game at the national championship you know our guys were coming out and I grabbed him I say hey look around you got to take a couple minutes and take this in right this is what it looks like this is what this is what we work for so you know when you get to a really hard day in the winter right you just remember not a homework and to get to that point um so for him to have that experience and to be able to see that and you know hopefully one day when he's in that spot he's like oh I've seen this before I know it looks like um it's pretty cool I think just to have that bank in his memory

3:05:04you know I think he comes off soft spoken but um these without question you know come out of a show and I would even say he's soft spoken last year you know I think that he kind of understood that you know will was in charge of the offense and and he knew that he was young and was still earning respect um you know a big part about leadership is you can't just walk into a room and start leading you have to earn the respect to your peers and truly understood that um and you know I think he earned that respect about the year and so this year you're definitely seeing a step up him and Lincoln both you know are in that phase where they've earned that respect and so they're doing a really good job leading right now and and Tavine's doing a good job on her respect so we're kind of in the middle right there which are the most you phases. Really uh most Lincoln is I think still less than two years and just specializing in the community because it's just regretting it actually kind of is the end of his personal year I guess where do you think he is harnessing all of that all of athletic ability to be on a really good level. Yeah I mean there's no question how Lincoln's special obviously um

3:06:06and you know guys that have that background that have been successful in multiple different sports you know one way or another is going to translate to the game of football um so I think that we're continuing to see that Lincoln um you know I think as the more that he you know is in position to understand and learn the game and which we saw last year um you continue to grow um and so to take that into spring you know and combine that with his athletic ability um I'm excited to see you know I think it'll be a really good competition. Can I uh you pull back truly lead until he is the quarterback? Oh absolutely. I mean the interval one is quarterback. Oh I think so. I mean um leadership comes in all different phases you know in all different ways and um oh there's you know there's without question I've been part of different teams and I've seen it where maybe the guy that wasn't starting quarterback was you know the strongest leader on the team um so I definitely think that that's part of it you know I think once you are in the respect of

3:07:08your teammates and once you show that you know you're going to lead by example and you know they respect you for that um you're in position now that you can be both of them so you know I definitely don't think that you need to be a starter named a quarterback to be a leader at all. You've been around some incredible offensive minds in college already. What are your what are the traits you look for specifically as a quarterback being a quarterback yourself? Yeah um you know I think it comes in a couple different ways um you know from a tangible perspective I think that you've got to be extremely accurate um I think you have to be able to make great decisions with the football and get the ball out of the time um and I think that you have to be able to do it. We solve a problem with defeat um so you know it's rare and college football that every protection's blocked up perfectly or everything goes exactly that we drew it up on the whiteboard so when things break down I'll be ready to fix it with our legs um and then you know as far as intense football I look at I look at you know guy like Will who had those intents was about as well as I've ever seen um and that's just complete command and understanding

3:08:12of both the offense and the huddle um to know exactly what we're trying to do on every single play um know what we're trying to attack understand where the issues are and where they lie and how you're going to combat those issues um to be able to understand you know when it's time to to move on through the ballway and move on to the next play and then also be mentally tough enough that when things don't go our way uh to be able to react the right way and move on to the next way. Did you know last year what last year? What last question? Did you go fight a question? I had a competition at all over your just focus so I lost. Oh no no I didn't do it as an addition all I did. Like when you're coaching and you build a relationship with these guys you want nothing more than for them to go out and have success on the field and and I think that's so you know so important like I sit in that room and you know it's about them it's about them going out and reaching their potential and maximizing their talents and and going out and execute on the field and so you know last year I was just trying to find a way that I could help them do that um so you know to be able to work with those guys last year and to to help out and you know I have

3:09:16them see some success. It was it was special for me but it was special for me because I know how bad they wanted it and so that was that was pretty neat. Are you surprised to be named? What puts you in that same category? Yeah I was a little surprised. I kind of have feeling because like it kind of like I mean I kind of could have guessed it but like I just I just knew like um that was one of my goal to talk to me behind Buckeye and I just put in the work that was in there. So what did you get in now? What did you get in? It was really special right after I texted my parents and they really knew what it meant until like the video came out and the question explained it to them so then so then I had to wait until they got there. Back then in Toyota it was playing a good football club then right bar and games. Did you just tell the difficulties of going back and forth? Not just like we were learning that we actually had to play both of those five games. Um yeah it's pretty difficult uh especially dirt and game you have to put the whole mind around. It's a lot easier in practice because it's not getting like several down but like going back to my game. It's pretty hard but like like in

3:10:21high school like I was it was every other player in back coach with the triple option so like I knew I knew it um uh was comfortable with it and sometimes I just take it I'm walking to a mountainside scrimmage I had like uh say it to be the same playing in it again a lot of times I get into my head. Yeah so like I got to set the example um and then like my first two weeks here I was like teaching them like I don't know what they're expecting these players because I've seen some new places with them and even new defense like like technique two because I keep the same technique but um just helping them out because we need a lot of practice. What do you like when did the idea of playing back what kind of kind of about good football like raps? The same mental, the coach was going to go in game, what did you win? How did everybody come about? It came close to springtime they want to have um they just want to have a good five out there and

3:11:25they don't play the best so they just won't make them choose. What do you have to do all the options? They're awesome they're great a lot of a lot of eyes it's awesome because everyone's watching something it's not like uh someone's only watching this place so you know what's going on. I got to feedback to get like after the play after the practice room all three off one off one. It's it's awesome uh they can they tell you like everything because they know like what's the less I had with uh like coach Johnson and coach Dinky's watching left and coach the one who feels a lot from right so like you really you know it's all lines but how was the experience that you got the big reps and the big games all that helped with it coming into the zone? It really boosted my confidence um and like and I can like lead the young guys too because I know it's going on because they really don't really miss this first time spring so I like to do my stuff like just that leadership of the coach. Where's the utility has also been mentioned a lot in both sides of the wall playing in different spots? Can you elaborate on that? Yeah um this

3:12:26yeah I can pick that up question one more time. Can you just talk about the versatility that coach has been talking a lot about that on both sides of all? Can you guys in different spots being able to put? Yeah so like I mean you all see it in my eyes here we lost two stars all maybe started so like really guiding you stepped up and like going to season I didn't know I was playing I started left guard and then I didn't really know I was going to bounce over the right and nor did Donnie knew he was going to bounce out to attack him so like it really helps everyone like I think a lot of guys in season are playing more compositions and it's going to help us in football. But if you learned from Donnie and jog or sat in all that? Just like technique wise they really helped me like pretty snap stuff and my no one like what's going to be like it's like a great place to start off. Thank you thank you. It hits the top like that it's not as good but I think these guys 11 months ago kind of crushed their dreams. Do you get the sense they're kind of a different team or and also that they this was a very important game for them to win?

3:13:32I don't think they're that different I think they've had a ton of injuries on defense which hurts but the mentality of the head coach you could see it throughout everybody. It's really a cool team I could just see from afar that it's probably a fun team to play for and they come out and they play to win every game and I respect that. It's put so much emphasis on the ball all meetings and takeaways and I think you've got that tooth since the play week. Is there any accounting for that? I mean there's so many different things that go into a turnover or takeaway. How do you crack your brand about that? It goes into every level of the defense. When you have your opportunity I know we had two against Stafford that could have made I mean if maybe if we get those it sparks a bunch of other ones so you just have to make your make your plays when they're there and then

3:14:33just being being the right spots and I don't think we've done a great job of that this year. It's good he's a really good player and yeah I wanted to see where I'm at against him. Have you ever seen anything like the Jameson Williams touchdown or his pop back to him and you've seen something like that? I was in the tent so I had no idea that happened. I think there was a play in this game when we saw a kind of a misdirection sprinted all the way across the field to make the play. Did you see the play? I think it was the one Gibbs cut back. Yeah I had like a ten-yard cushion and he ran by me like I was didn't exist and I tried to sprint and I just was just like I don't have this and thankfully Mustafa is a heat seeking missile and

3:15:37um and he made the play so. What was your mindset against Miami? I mean I didn't have the game. It took us. I mean I think we came in with the right mindset as a team just myself. It felt a little like dead energy wise but yeah it was a learning a moment for me to learn and make sure that I come in with the right mindset every single week. It seems like there's a lot of plays where you guys get into the finals, past breakups and it'll be like a couple plays in the row and then there's an explosive allowed. What can you believe in around about the ecosystem? Yeah I mean we did we did get them to the second third and longs um and then yeah they would make a big play and you definitely want to capitalize when you back them up like that we didn't do that tonight and that's why they scored 40 points.

3:16:40I'm sure yeah I'm sure. This isn't a normal bull trip but we're not here to you know necessarily go sightseeing or check out the city or anywhere to win a football game and that's that's what we're here for you know we're going to be hunkered down doing everything we can to get this win. Well if you talk about motivation getting over that October 12th game I think you talk about early in the week of trying to balance that with not getting too high 100 motion. How does that motivation for you show up on an idea of basics? More preparation, more film, how does that look like for you? Yeah it's just really an edge in everything you do I feel like and you know carrying that kind of pissed off mentality. I mean obviously not letting it affect you in a negative way but you know making it you know reminds you hey like I'm going to go the extra inch here I'm going to I'm going to you know see if I can find something extra on film late at night or I'm going to you know go over this you know sheet again called plays one more time like all these little things that you know I just you know we just can't let that what happened last time happened again. We were earlier this week I was talking about how you know playing back here at Football he

3:17:43attended the replaying of the Rose Bowl you mean you grew up in big 10th country what does it mean to take part in this game what does it mean game mean to you kind of grown up. It's a ton man it's it's crazy that you know that God has blessed me and put me in this position to be here and be the quarterback in the Rose Bowl you know a game that I grew up watching every single year some unbelievable games that I've watched in the Rose Bowl some classics and just to be a part of it is a blessing and I think we're all we're all humbled to be here and we're all understanding of how unbelievable this opportunity is and we're not taking it lightly because you know again it's a business trip and you know the only thing that we're looking at is you know we win this game we go on and playing top role so you know it's really exciting it's you know crazy that we're here and that we're a part of this but you know can't let it be too big you know gotta go out there play football I think so I think you know you go back and watch the film and you know I just didn't you know and I'm

3:18:48I'm I'm critical of myself and I think we all are here you know but I just look at it I'm like man I don't think anyone this year beat us you know I think we beat ourselves and you know you watch and you know we had to turn over you know in our own 20 yard line and they got the kick you know that's two possession just going first half and then obviously the way the game ended like the other and we're still one going away that's that's what what hurts and it was a you know a hostile environment in their place you know I'm just I'm just thankful that you know I said this this is the other day but we're thankful that we get through the other thing. Do you feel like if we look back the two weeks of going to Tennessee you feel like there's a confidence about this they may be one there you know uh the two show you know we put it all together yeah what is your sense or the team from that aspect because it feels a little bit different yeah I think you know a game like that you know in Sills confidence because it shows us we're capable but you can't

3:19:49be complacency and it can never be comfortability it has to be confidence and drive and that's what it has to urge us to be like man like we can do this uh when we play in our best if it was anyone the country that can hang with us but we have to be on our game we have to make sure that we can't let anything come back to you. I'm happy. I'm happy. I'm happy. I'm happy. I'm happy. I just you know at the end of the day I just want to keep the keep the ball moving down the field you know getting in a rhythm I think it's going to be big for us and I think we did a really good job at that in Tennessee game weathering storm a little bit early in the early calls that we got to fail to sound in that game and kept us going but regardless we kept the drive going and for me keeping us on schedule taking care of the football and making sure that we convert on third down in our situation we good you know we do all that all that stuff obviously for me you know I want to

3:20:50leave these guys and drive drive the machine because we got when we're on our stuff I mean we're on our stop so we just got to make sure that we finish our preparation right these at least last two days and go out there and put our best reward. Thank you very much. Thank you. You come on this way. This field is a comfortable ball out there. I really feel like my first couple of games it was it was a test for me for the test to see where I was at just for me personally I feel like it's big for any person to get on the field and get the season time especially when you got that's the fun and you have the sense. Yeah I'm a good guy. Yeah what changes is I was going to ask you what changes once you've gotten experience what just changes about your mindset out there. You belong I mean go ahead yeah more confidence you just you get more comfort every time you got there airy airy play that you have there's more confidence in the game than I can. Yeah. Good to meet how excited are you just playing the first phone. Thank you. Super excited. I can't wait to read them. Jerry's with ice. I can't wait to read them. So I'm

3:21:51super excited. It's just like any other game though just take it take it. Play by play. A value to most I can't just try to make the most of airy play and I always try to do too much how I'm trying to make a play that I that ain't for me it's like I know the play is one kind so it's really doing my job and being in the right place. Yeah that's what it's said for me about you seem under basically under control for one of another term out there you're not just running around like a chicken with his head cut off right I mean where does that come from to make. I think practice helps that I go just some of the best players in the country in my country so I think I go just don't I don't know anybody else can really play to that. We talked a little bit we talked before I even committed here before he committed here we talked a little bit by a bit I didn't know.

3:22:54How much have you used to use the covers you got here in the spring a lot so we used the first two DBs and our flag to get here so it's really yes the only person that was here for the screen and all the other other other press became in the summer so we really just been on each other just making sure we straight make sure everybody I mean make sure we both just got our head and the right spot and that's our man right for the room what did what did that interception return by Jordan Hancock do for the room. I feel like it was a game changing play just put a whole game I feel like it was a play that we needed bad and we was down at that time so I feel like it was a great play and just shows with the cornerback room game how versatile we are and I snip it what what what what what what concerns you most about Michigan State coming in here what have you seen on video that concerns you about their op-outs. Not really too much they really don't have men in the loose right now so they're going for everything got us really just we got to keep our eyes in the right spot just be in the right place at the right time. What kind of

3:23:59I've seen a lot of girls he was he got to start by with for me so he was really working hard and spring was getting up early every day we used to be roommates so he was getting up very every day early and just trying to get here learning deep fits he's been doing everything he told to do. If you get a friendly check let's go ahead and walk you out there. I feel good because we've been the same play so it just makes it easier to communicate and make plays together. I'm not good to do for years and years to come I feel like to myself for sure. Well because you're part of no big tower receiver just like me no just came in Cabot Set now just working my high-pitched CS future here at Ohio State probably gonna be no next one for sure. What's it like seeing all these like the national championship banner and seeing all the new signage

3:25:03you know and you played a huge role. I mean it's no subblessing notice I played no or rolling no the nighty run that we had as a choose freshman but no it's time to move on me that's behind us now and I can't wait for this season to come up. I feel like he already got that just coming in he already got that hard work at it quiet just like me as I came in just all about ball really me here early um me spending time with Coach Heartline meeting and everything he doing it the right way I should say and he have a bright future here. Heartline said he wants you to come up with okay. Yeah. You should call now and bring him up and leave his group. Yeah. How much for a challenge that you are kind of a quiet guy. Yeah it is a challenge no just no stepping on my comfort zone um mean something everybody want to see for me not just my coaches but players on the team as well we have a leadership meeting there's a lot a lot of people call me out on just saying they want me to talk more

3:26:03on working on it takes time um not really the guy that's talk talkative or no but lay by the time but one thing that's definitely working on is trying to know talk more get more my comfort zone and just build it. Is that open with you? I don't feel more than anything on the field. Yeah for sure that's definitely the biggest challenge um you know like I said just definitely not my comfort zone you know leading the guys and leading the younger guys as well. Do you guys open with Texas next year I going back to the playoff game do you think about that moving forward just kind of how you were taking out of that game? Oh yeah I think not really think about it that's behind me um maybe we won the game we ended up going to the national championship and I mean we see it on week one I just know can't wait to no face a great opponent. What's your impression of Devin Sanchez so far? Yeah big long corner of the Corrine um physical um he got it all and I can't wait to see things he do here this year as well. Well if you know it's different is there anything different about his defense uh the you know these first three weeks of spring that's uh caught your eye. Oh they just passed physical and willing to hit somebody I should say saying they

3:27:08got to really change for me um guys they'll go no do what they've been doing over the last year and a half and so in the year and half I should say yeah. Coach that makes the quarterback's live like he did for a couple of practices last week as a live receiver right now right how do you think your quarterback you're responding to that over offering? Uh I think they responded pretty good uh I did not expect the quarterback to be live um than a scrimmage um that surprised me for sure. Coach Devin definitely surprised me with that um but I feel like they handled it very well they took hits um something we need they needed I should say you know tough him up and go go right why do you see there's a lot of people that are not quoted back seeing how they handle that since obviously not a norm to do that uh learning anything now but it's definitely not known to see a quarterback get hit it gets his no defense I should say um but no guys they was they was getting hit for sure but they was getting right back up so command to uh good olds of them for that. Do you want questions? Hey can you get? Uh definitely can't get better no no feel like I'm getting complacent um always want to prove

3:28:13me and no I'm just taking the day by day and no just getting better each day. Coach Devin why do you prepare for this group name? In the expectations you're going to get on an X2 seasons here off the season you just had. Uh not really focused on the espacation that I have coming up or the year after that um no just focus on spring spring and you know just going to follow count and just get ready for the season as you say the espacations go be there not really know something high no in my mind right now I'm just no being leader and no just focus on the team. Jeremiah how much changes is right Marley? I don't really know we haven't really spoken about that right now um I don't really know what's that. Jeremiah a lot of guys have said that they want a lot of championship about taking down they don't want to see it just moving into the CSM team where what is how important is that for you and why do you think that's a different thing for the state moving code? I mean like I said we came live in the past um the club the 2014 they won the national championship

3:29:18this year we did it so I mean we just take everything down and the weight room and everything so no we could focus on being ourselves and no just our season. Great job. Yeah I mean it's tough but you know we got to move forward you know I mean that's all we can do um for you know what is our problem um which you know I don't think it's hard to see and which is you know just executing you know and hone down on our assignments and um you know just get the job done and uh so out of it you know we got to buy a week you know rest up and get ready for San Fran. Yeah a couple of tough plays uh the Red Zone 4th quarter that end to be an interceptions but you're able to mount the drives and the regulation. What is your confidence in you know that you would bounce back and be able to reach you in a way that you didn't have final drive? Yeah total confidence I mean he's done it you know again again again honestly and uh you know every time we we go we take the field you know again the huddle um you know I know we're going to give our best effort you know I know if we give him time we run the right routes we know we're

3:30:22supposed to do he's going to put the ball where it's supposed to be and you know that's all we can you know do and uh but yeah we have total confidence when we go out there we just got to stop beating ourselves honestly. I don't have zero yards no win but you just had a career day. Well um I just want to what you take from that is height of loss. Man I hate losing you know I'm saying whatever I rather win you know 100% um you know my confidence level you know it's always been the same you know I've known that you know I could break out and have an amazing game you know whenever but um it's the ones that count. Can you kind of walk us through the last touch down there and tie the game for you and taking the big hit and everything? Uh yeah um you know corner out you know through a perfect ball had to put it really back shoulder for me you know to make a play on it um and you know just made a play on it um just about it. You know that is kind so what do you have to catch you thinking about to or read me hit or protect them at all then?

3:31:23Uh yes sir um you know I make sure you know I see my surroundings you know you know some guys trying to take your head off um so you know yeah I do but I think at the end of the day when I see the ball it's about the ball and and catching it you know that's my job and you know I take I consider all those things but you know getting the job done is first. What about the port then five that set that up what did you guys see on that play? Four to five some man coverage you know and say and be be your man catchable. Yes either the next year and I and I played the first few games and I just feel there was a lot of scar tissue in there so I had to get it cleaned up I didn't get hurt again I could have played the whole year but I got it cleaned up so I can feel like me and um so after I got that cleaned up I had the first two games back from the injury I had over 120 yards rushing right and then went on had great great ending of the year you know 100 total yards in the playoff game we lost

3:32:23which I hate the most. The styles don't matter me I want to win but then come back the next year hurt again like torn Achilles so two really unfortunate injuries but that's just a guy's plan you know and um I think that the storm is now over you know and I do think that I'll be over the shine I like to the whole world. Are you concerned that you have been labeled I could care less because I do I do I know this out there um because as it should be this should be I got hurt two major injuries back they're not back to back years but you know so I haven't been on the field as much as I should that's true that is true but it's not like I'm having these little little dinky injuries and sitting out it's something I can't control literally so that's why I'm not bothered by it like yeah I am injury-poin you can say that you know but I do think that the chargers are getting a guy that's gonna be healthy from now on you know guy will it and it's gonna be great and I do think that it's gonna be it's gonna be a great

3:33:28however many years here. like knowing that when you're out there you're very productive how much confidence does that give you that really all you need is not the need for that. All the confidence in the world you know the way I work I want to say just from the numbers but just the way I work my work ethic you know and my relationship with Jesus is like I have the most confidence when I step out there because I do know like if he grants me the health it's over with is I don't think I'll be you know I think it'll be a great year or whatever couple of years however many years he grants me great health you know and I think just the work ethic my prayer and all that stuff that's what help me have that confidence with the numbers will be there and they they might be higher after this year you know Zen and it's crazy to think about because I had six point yards or six yards per carry you know so we'll see oh yeah yeah yeah I play with Bradley I play with him you know I know the

3:34:36Slater I know all the I know all the guys you know and I'm I'm excited I think it's like I said earlier it's a talented group you know we just got put together win some games because that's what I came before I wouldn't I wouldn't I wouldn't say a part of the recruitment but like whenever I decided I was going to sign it was great to have him in the room yeah we're great we're we have a great relationship that's he's like my brother so I think it accomplished it complimented each other very well you know um he can do a lot of stuff too you know we got a lot of people think he's just power power power but I think he has some other parts we're game too which it it'll be great because I feel like I could do everything and when ones get tired we we can roll it in we keep rolling we win some games when you the two of you keep going how do you think this is going to look the world will be that partnership that's back there I know that's a hard question

3:35:36how do I think I think it'll look beautiful you know I'm a lot of people call this a passive league but I think you got to run the ball to win the Super Bowl you know if you look at the the team to win the Super Bowl they can run the ball they can control the clock and so if we are both good it'll look great beautiful I would I would describe it as you know a great offense I think he he gives a quarter he's going to get the quarterback a lot of options he's going to give the running back a lot of options he's going to give the receiver a lot of options you know and I think it'll I think it's going to be great his offense is going to be amazing throughout your career and you said that one part of it is just you got to call the place you got to call run the place as a running back you know how much confidence how much you say it is to give you you know you have a play call that's going to stick with it and allow you and the opponents on the team to a rhythm of rugby it gives me a lot of excitement you know it's going to be

3:36:41like I say it's spawn the plate is off it's you know and I think he does have some good things in the pass game too but like you said he sticks with the run and that's that's the identity you want to offense that has an identity right you don't want to be looking everywhere else to find your your identity you want you want to have it and so I think his offense has that and the guy see bills and puts in there it it compliments that identity so I think it's going to be great you mentioned your honor for setting out so you mean full go for training the atmosphere look I ain't going to answer any of the four if it's up to me yes look because I had this problem like three two years three years ago I'm thinking I'm full go I think I'm ready to go and then next you know I'm on PUP like hey look some stuff above my prairie paygray so but I don't know hopefully I can start I think I'm ready to start you know the beginning training camp but that's not up to me as I've learned I wouldn't say that I think

3:37:46I've been I've been in some great organizations and I think this this organization is a great organization and the training staff is great and so they just want what's best for me you know and they're they're taking care of me which that's what you want in the organization and so that's where that comes from which I appreciate it like I really appreciate it you know because I'm a type of guy like I work really hard so maybe sometime I'm blind to you know the danger of something you know so I appreciate it but like I said if it's up to me yeah I'm out there but never know well any frustration for you during the getting into the agency you know deal with with rehab and not you know having a full season of paid for the production to go out there was already part of that where you're like I wish I had hit the overmarket with a different situation you know I like it I like how would I say this I like it the hard way but not you know I like it

3:38:49the hard way I like it I like trial and tribulations so I mean the dice that I was given the role was I was coming off a third Achilles and um that was that was the Lord's plan so it was beauty in that like I was comfortable I was like like there was multiple teams you know I wasn't it wasn't like I didn't have any other team but I was comfortable in sitting back and just enjoying the process letting myself get fully healed so whenever that team whoever I would sign with who now is the Chargers is gonna get the best me you know in I think people all around the league know that like okay this guy okay it's a high risk high reward type thing right not even a high risk low risk because you it's a business right so I got hurt last year so not as much money and he's be throwing that but I think everyone around the league knows that whenever I am on the field the numbers don't lie and so

3:39:51they know that and a lot of teams will like are here you can we give you this but we want you to be healthy so when I'm healthy it's gonna be great this the chance that I've been giving here I'm so grateful and I know that's gonna be they won't be they won't regret it are you the type of person that likes to prove people wrong like you've run a couple things like a high risk high reward and injury from you know like are you this type of person that really tries to prove people wrong no I hear it I see it it's pretty cool like you'll never see me unless I'm just like in a bad mood you never see me like like if I have a great game or a great year like I have this wonderful year I ain't gonna go back and you're like yeah yeah what happened no because I don't care like you're eventually see like like I'm a guy that's really good so I ain't worry about that but I'm proving myself right that I am one of the best in the league right so forget all the naysayers and people will talk about

3:40:55we being injury prone because whenever I have this great year it's gonna be forgotten you know too well why give that energy yeah you know he's a great guy I mean he was in my class I remember seeing him we were at an award show I was I was a dog walker of finalists and I'm like I've seen him play but I didn't know he was that tall like I didn't know he was like six so when I first saw him this was years ago in college and I'm like am this is really tall like he's cool though like I like I never really got to I know a lot of those gonna be kind of you know you know nerdy but he's cool dude very late but no offense to him you know what's one of the challenges that he presents he's a good player he's got no great feet um the technician you can tell he grew up with with a pops that was getting them on early so you know he wanted to best know league for the reason for a reason you enjoy

3:42:00his matchups you get you get number one corners we kept a week here you know with seed and then it's all so we can answer things you enjoy yeah yeah I love it man I love it you know as long as I said I said it's last week long as we don't crown them before the game and and um you know we still take some chances at him I love it so you know yeah I love it and one of the things you see you guys are offensively are progressed from being brewing on the last list of three weeks um yeah we've been running the ball well um you know getting the bags going and then you know making making plays in the receiver room just being opportunistic with it I feel like that's where we're improving so knowing that that you know when we're caught upon we got to make that play and I feel like that's where we've been at our best you know we've we've all had our opportunities and just you know go make it yeah I mean he got out the pocket his mobility um trusting that and just being confident you know

3:43:03I feel like when you come back from injury with that like that um it's all about confidence and and you can definitely see that building throughout the last couple of weeks and Aaron and Robert were saying that they get the positive boost top corner but they're also giving the corner safety help how do you approach it do you take that as a challenge or is it there's a little frustrating that you you're going to go up against two guys uh yeah whenever they give that look you know it could be frustrating but uh you know I got trust that we're going we're going to have to answer on the other side and and that's what we've been finding so yeah it's definitely frustrating you know I pride myself on making plays and stuff like that doing what I do but they want to give me that look you know we got to we got to handle it the best way we can handle it you know that means the other side of the field you know lowering numbers and we got to take advantage so for sure yeah I feel like so you know we got to do it on Sunday now that's when it matters you know you would ask me before they go in last week I would have thought we was on the same page so we got to do it on Sunday that's what I'm at during the football season

3:44:06you know we're doing a hard training in the morning whether it's lifting and then after no time we're going to yell in the field you know hitting and banging the next step with no after practice you know you're most likely starving and so you know I feel like I kind of like film myself a little bit more um I normally go to see the solid with a little bit of ranch I go with a bison burger you know it's kind of not the same as a beef patty it takes off oh my god I said uh calories off your diet it's a definitely how it's all about dinner I normally wrap up with grilled chicken matchtails and broccoli half the time you know it's like one my go-to's my pre-workout foods I try to eat some pretzels you know there has a little bit of carbs on there so it gets my body started I know everybody's different but for sure works out for me and then after I don't just do a shake I feel like I took a kite to full before lunch so I definitely just do a shake you know after practice or after live you know just to make sure you know I'm getting a protein and just getting everything back that while I'm still working out all right it's time for some rapid fire questions do I carry my macros I try to you know you're supposed to eat brown for me

3:45:10it's like 2,500 to 3,000 calories and so I definitely try to make sure I'm accumulating on every day until you know how much I need this day and that day because you know sometimes no my appetite's kind of different depending on how my day is my favorite carbs for sure I think one of my favorite foods is french fries and so you know it kind of definitely plays a hurt in my diet for sure breakfast you know it's my favorite meal so it's the easiest day to make if I did my piece of crust anything it had to be cheese or man I thought you can't go wrong with either one I eatin' bed yeah I do you know I'm a big guy you know I'm not a friend I keep going back for sure I'm where I'm at I'm gonna tell you better but you know you do your own thing my dream taco I think is just normal bread tacos you know it's pretty good I would just say this guy's in the protein and my pan you know sometimes it gets just a little gritty and you know once she makes it that well I think it really helps out the shake a lot I just want to say

3:46:11just work hard to stay dedicated to whatever you're doing everything's not gonna be all right but you know it's gonna be all right after time but you know it's no workout yet run first offense opens opens up big lanes for the passes you know you you gotta take the safety slow you gotta do all that type of stuff so it's less about it's less about who gets the touches and more about you know how we can capitalize on opportunities that we're giving so is it like you're making our decision you're still being back I mean you can I mean you can tell you that anyway you want we have the best running back field in the entire nation and we have the best receiver unit in one nation so we kind of we're kind of jack of all trades so offense and past of different things motions different trade and ways to get open but has that increased any knowledge of Kelly is here or is it kind of the same as the benefit of his probably

3:47:12stay away from talking about scheme stuff yeah what was it that Jeremiah did that you think just coming in every single day and competing that's really what we're challenged to do as as buck guys when we when we walk into the weight room coach make your supposed to be there and show out and show out every single day and you're not allowed to have a step back and not let it happen off day he took he took care of all his you know the non-negotiables of this program he was never late he made his weight every single day he gave his 100% effort not the end of the day he was just winning a lot of competitions and just grinding so yeah I'm gonna do a lot of lectures you'll make a great deal out about brand new product hmm Brandon didn't get a chance to do a lot this spring what stood out to you even when he was on to do this spring that that makes things like he can be a legit man and back play for you well yeah first and foremost he got he got voted on by his peers to the leadership committee on our team which is a group of about you know 16 to 20 of our of our guys who the team looks to

3:48:12as leaders so obviously you can see how people think of him on this team they think highly of him and he comes in every day as a very fiery competitive nature and you know he puts in really hard work in days in and days out so even though he hasn't seen the field too much yet we have no we have no concern that when he does step on to the field he's gonna make a great impact he's only been here yeah yeah just his ability to be able to you know talk a good game but also back it up not in a sense of playing football more in a sense of we're gonna be the hardest working team on the field we're gonna go in day in day out I'm gonna I'm gonna beat you even when I don't feel healthy even when I don't feel good all that type of stuff it's it's all in mentality I'm not gonna from far away it looks like violence not just like right we're here with you like you see that in him like yeah yeah

3:49:15you see that a little bit in the way that he can shift around yeah he definitely is very fluid about the way he moves and we see it in his you know his routes and his releases so you know when all the wide receivers are knowing the film room and you know he's getting crafty he's doing all this body movement stuff it's like okay we could see he got a little something to him so it's just about bringing him along you know he wasn't you know he just got here his first here here kind of built on along there's steps you got to take but he's definitely training in the right direction and a lot of teams get talent for whatever reason you guys seem to develop the better receivers better than anyone what what goes on out there that somehow helps the highest they keep placing guys in front we play Denzel uh Davidson Ibn Olson's remain Matthew's Jordan Hancock lay the ransom Caleb Downs that's really what it is it's it's a it's BIA getting this better every single day so tremendous credit to the defense and the the ability to be able to develop corners like that it's just good on good every single day that's that's the way you get better so I mean we definitely have a strong second there I would say this year um but

3:50:20you know it's just it's just it's not just their talent that makes them special it's their so their ability to go hard every single day they show up every single day with a competitive nature and you know we're we're going back and forth on the field every single day they'll be bigger and and spin at each other a little bit but um it's all love at the end of the day we appreciate them for getting this better let's question a method you you do a lot of things this all that to have that you don't wear brand and seem like a guy so much whatever move around whether it's just things or anything you see kind of that same horse how filled and in brand is kind of something you do yeah absolutely Brandon you know he came up played running back for a lot of his life played a little quarterback here in there you know now he's received very he can do a lot of different things um so we just try to put him in a position where he can be the most successful um in the position that makes him the most successful or just the ball on his hand so he tried to do that for him um and and a bunch of other guys in the program who thrive with that

3:51:21all right yeah Jack then mall Jack JTE telly every time to a great leaders order off the field they'll help me uh with just simple stuff like uh if I didn't know where to go get something down they'll tell me or they just like hanging out with you doing good and closer just a lot of different small things they got bothers closer like last year uh they already the start going this year I haven't started yet but I'm gonna give it to you yeah I feel like uh maybe we teach now we do that anybody can be a leader no matter what you are first we so I'm more junior or senior or even if we're walking everybody can be a leader just yeah yeah but when did I hit you last year that yeah this technique this thing can work for me you know maybe you get you have to grow into it a little bit I had a grow it to a little bit um it's very new especially playing D in my own life uh but I had uh telly help me like I said uh throughout the whole process yeah when did it really strike you then I could be a factor

3:52:25oh you know what game or you know how do we do you feel comfortable on this or anything else I would say closer towards the playoffs uh meeting with telly can I uh I don't feel comfortable okay I can actually do this because when it showed me some stress I have like see him like see you can do this and uh that really helped me get the confidence in what I can yeah but then you became a factor you became a factor especially you know basically through the playoffs and stuff would that mean to you to be a factor that early uh all the word of God first of all to keep me uh healthy to keep going out but uh it'd been a it'd been a lot that coach Jay trusted me about to go on end of the big games like that and uh murder now we ever produce what about your skills and do you think could so well uh definitely speed and strength was my made to I was saying to help me but uh inside of those guards I think that was really right inside what's the what changes

3:53:32definitely the my main thing also uh and so I know the interview talk about some of those interviews I said the main thing was been a team play and moving the three tenths was going to help the team so I was willing to move this hand to it I was very competitive uh we both we all come in trying to see where we need to get better uh just to keep moving forward so it's pretty good good competition and I love them but um and Drake I thought you made the move like during the bi-week last year is that right what was the toughest part about that all crash course uh really meant that I really embraced it uh I knew that uh I made the movement side uh in order to help out the team and we had some really great games last year that's more than uh JT Jack Kenny Kerry Kerry so it was pretty good as and then moving the three-take I also asked Dev down there while uh still been able to showcase

3:54:35did you feel like you like just needed to get done quickly like did you feel like pressure to get it done quickly because you needed to be ready for that next game no they they were um all in on me just whenever I'm ready just let them know how I feel about moving in or setting myself if you just get asked uh you know either with you you play as a freshman so it takes place a pressure uh Jack where is Tracy all the guys that came in are they continue to work hard every day even if they don't get it the first time they don't ask us on what are they doing this situation to help me out so uh their ability to keep trying to learn from people that's played in more big stage uh that's the word really don't keep them going. Were you surprised how quickly things did start to click for you inside just excuse me given you said they were going to be patient with you but by the time you get to the playoffs you're playing like that design the surprise how quickly and just kind of happened. I'm not really I knew once I got it to stay was gonna trust me a lot more than to keep going

3:55:38out there each and every time so uh I appreciate them uh like I said earlier thank you Lord thank you guys. Thank you. What is about this bill's offense makes them as dynamic as they are the challengers they present to you guys this weekend? Starts with their 6-5 to 150 pound quarterback. For real that's the one that gets the horse going um I mean without them I don't think they are and they know that so right now he hasn't done any interceptions so hopefully Russian coverage can work together so we can cause his first turn over the season. Uh I know in a guy he's been a guy to pass that those lots interceptions because he takes shots and yeah I know he's even a throw the ball as far as he can in front of our crowd so you got to do a good job of plastering them. To statistically the run game with the run defense was a lot better in the second half Sunday in the first half. Does anything really change there at all or in the way? Our aggression um you know just to piggyback off that we got to continue to be better uh personally for me I don't like seeing the amount of yards on the board granted you know we did win but you know I don't want to I don't want to be the hindsight guy and forget about you know the run game is still I think an issue for us is an issue for me um we got to be better I don't want

3:56:42to be one of the last teams in the league in a run game so we're we're doing a good job you know are our minds as right uh the coaches are emphasizing it and uh eventually he's going to get going. Obviously you never want to have a teammate be treated away like your own but with Ernest Jones coming in he's highly touted there's a pretty good run defense uh kind of linebacker what does that do for your defensive room? Trader Ray my book I but it does it it does uh I can't really speak on it because I don't really know uh Jones that that will I don't know his game um I've heard from others that I know that plays with Rams I say he was good but I mean as far as that I don't know hopefully this move works out for the betterment I'm obviously I mean we all want that too but um we'll see how it goes feel like a positive thing obviously when John Schneider and your coach are working to get an impact player under team when NFC is kind of this wide open? Um it can be viewed as a positive or negative thing it depends on what what window you look through. What's that process like for you in terms of having to learn guys and their tenancies and

3:57:43communicate with the new players that are coming in during during the middle of the season? It's a big process it's definitely not easy to rework your roster in the middle of the season um they're going to do what they're going to do regardless and obviously I respect that I'm for I believe in their and their system and what they want to do but you know it's an adjustment for all of us to learn a new guy and um kind of reestablish a new relationship and reestablish a new voice that you're going to hear making a call in the middle of the field especially you know because he's the quarterback of the defense so it's just something you got to get adjusted to all of us. Playing in a different weight this season has that been any sort of an adjustment for you? It has been um just getting comfortable with my body again and figuring out uh you know my strengths and weaknesses and how to make sure all my all my weaknesses are just completely strengths so it's been a challenge in that aspect too and I think I'm doing a good job by this so far. But Miss Pastrush is going well how much of it is guys playing on each other like I'm thinking of boys sack force from was you know two you collapse the pocket and then he's able to get them. Yeah you all in uh yeah um I always say last game was the probably the best game

3:58:44surprisingly of us all working together as good as we did um I think this these past couple games prior before that game it's been a lot of us just we just went in and it just happened to be like that I feel like this Atlanta game was a good game of us communicating uh the the past game schemes whether it's a game or just going to straight worth a straight rush and just reading off each other um and we had to get better at that it's only been a couple games well it's only been seven games we have a lot more football to play to to get better and good our relationship on that aspect. If you dropped in covers as much as you thought you might have or um but on par I've dropped a good amount of time so far this year uh I'm talking about doing it now so should put me on whoever not put me on George Kittle. No. Have you seen Derek Hall grow in the last four months even this year at the end of the year? I mean he's the same type of player that it honestly um only thing that's been different is his mindset and it's applying to the field and uh he has to have to continue. I was Jackson had a duck jersey on the week after.

3:59:46Did you have something that you had to do as well? I had to do something that was a little more personal but uh not I didn't make that bet but speaking of that I don't know why we didn't run the ball in the uh the last extension of the game so talk to uh them boys down the Columbus and telling them to run the damn ball next time and just get trust the kicker but it's not good. Did you get the penalty the intentional penalty late in the game? Uh I don't know if that was on purpose we I think Mike brought that up to me and asked me do you think it's on purpose or they did by accident? I don't know but it was intentional. It was intentional it was a very genius move. I didn't I won't expect that so I was actually you know big brain played by him. Did you think there should have been a second left? No I'm be real I don't want to be biased. No we ran out of time we just my boy my boy uh 18 was back there just too comfortable but it's all good. He's gonna learn. First game with Roe Robertson Harris uh what were your impressions of him? I mean it's like 68 and it's crazy uh he's super super strong um I've been watching him I've

4:00:49been seeing this game from afar from a while I shouldn't have been watching above and seeing I saw him in Chicago I saw him in Jacksonville you know he just watched a lot of football and a lot of tape so eventually you just see guys you pay attention to who they are um so you know it's been a unique process of just bringing them in and he's picked up a defense pretty well um very powerful guy uh versatile as well and I think it's gonna add a lot of a lot of good plays to our defense here so you can nobody touch your chest you in the ball game that like you don't want big strong alignment grabbing you and and trying to rough out you because they're already bigger than us in the first place especially me they like 68 330 you know I'm wherever my weight is so playing with extensions is very key for D1 the the none Mr. Eris uh that's gonna give me on a sale um and you know I do I do what I'm supposed to do that's that's gonna give me on the field along those lines how do you manage those expectations for people to think that you should be playing week one when the season comes around how do you manage

4:01:50people you know I don't really let let me get to my head because you know like I'm here you know I got dudes in the room that are you know like as you dig you know he's something big three just started I got your main personal American you know he's gonna play this year too so I can't let what people say on the net you know get to me because you know anybody can say oh he's gonna play this year but you know I actually got to prove it so I just got to come out here you know work you know in that spot what's the most important you've learned so far you three months here um competing every day uh that's that's the biggest thing uh having to compete know these guys are a pair they take winning and losing to heart so no my first my first week up here when you did our competition you know I was winning then I actually I got that first loss on my belt and you know it kind of opened my eyes like these guys take it to heart when they lose they don't like it so you know I kind of got that now where I don't like losing so you had you had the opportunity to be around the team for that you know CFP Ron what did you learn from just those few weeks seeing this team take that one uh you know being real tight with your brothers you know they're they're real tight

4:02:54you know they they push each other you know it's a real brotherhood they don't let nobody down they always got each other back so I mean it's a new team now so you know we got to build that chemistry with each other you know just just get tight and I feel like when I was there for that playoff running and I practiced um when they were at the national championship you know I just got to watch you know how guys are you know real locked in uh they're close with each other they're not letting nobody slack off and you know I feel like we had the opportunity to do that with this team now how did you handle that first lock that first loss you know it kind of got to me it was it was the IGB you know he you know he let me hear so after that loss I was like nah I can't let this happen anymore because it's like now it's not high school where you 17 16 years old and if you lose you lose appearance not if you lose the coaches see that so and they go see how you respond to it so I feel like I had to you know open my eyes I had to go going and lock them like yeah okay I can't let this happen anymore you know so I got to go up and you know these guys are counting on me too so it's really important that I don't lose if you had to describe yourself as a competitor

4:03:57how would you do that I'm a great competitor you know I like winning uh who doesn't like winning so I mean winning is it's in my blood uh you know my parents taught me that in a young age you know going out there competing for anything that you want and I feel like if you can go out there and compete for you know as years and if you compete for it all the time who don't take it from so I mean I'm a good competitor I'm always gonna go out there and try to take what's mine if it's out there then me anybody can have it and I'm gonna be the one to get it. There's some role-makers in your room obviously are you a talker what what your natural partner? Yeah I mean it could come out on you know but I don't really I really know my game through talking uh for for this part um but you know if it gets there it gets to that point where yeah I can bring it out because you know regardless I'm not just gonna let nobody just come out here and just you know catch balls on me so if I'm having a good day when I'm consistently getting T.B.U.s yeah I'm gonna talk uh but you know being in that room you kind of got to talk you know the jame you got IGD you know those those real talkers in that room so it kind of it kind of makes you want to bring it out and you know once we bring that out that just brings energy out on whole defense and when you

4:04:57got the whole defense clicking I mean you can see you can see what's happening. Is there anyone that's kind of a competition you have? It was during the winter we were doing uh you know just just stuff on the field we was just just just having the time of the field just a lot of competitions so I mean he just kind of it was a day where you know they had us going up against just the freshmen and then they kind of threw us in there in the fire against the older guys so we had to you know we had to wake up and you know we we all kind of lost and it all kind of like we all kind of can't to get that professional group like what are we gonna do about this because you know some they're kind of nice to to step up in those roads. Yeah definitely definitely definitely my work in college moments you know you know just just showing that you know it's real now a metal high estate uh I'm not in Houston Texas no more in my school um far from my family uh you know I got to wake up I got to grow I got to mature fast and you know I just got to get ready for the next level. You've mentioned high school a couple times well how did you know grow it up there in Texas playing at that level how do you feel like that helped you prepare real estate? Uh I feel like you prepared

4:05:59good you know I feel like I want to powerhouse in Texas we obviously ran the Houston area you know we've been running the Houston area for a long time now and I feel like you know we're a real college program uh we live just like these guys who do the same lifts uh you know the level of ball I play the highest level ball in the Texas 6A uh you know we're going against guys like Dunkinville more crowded those those top schools uh you know receiving the coin more I go against and I want to get some three times in my career so I mean those those that really prepared me for this level uh you know coming in like okay this is not where it's it's a little school where oh they don't they don't believe that I can come here and make an impact I came from big schools so they're they're counting on me to make an impact because you know I think I mean everybody would say Texas is one of the highest football players in the country uh you know they go us floated and they're probably Georgia so I mean they're counting on me to be ready and that level of ball prepared me real real well. How do you do against the Corey? Uh you know uh it was it was when when lose when lose uh you know I went something he lost something uh so I mean it's it's it's just it's just getting better on

4:07:01sharpen iron because you know he's the top receiver obviously in our class uh you know I feel like he's gonna have a good impact at working uh so I mean it's just it's just uh just you know what's going to happen next. Like a part of the stadium again? Yeah definitely definitely and you know I'm planning on planning against him uh we don't we want to see them this year hopefully we see them in the big ten championships so you know I want uh I want uh I want that rematch man. Devin you committed super early in the process six months after that you shut things now when quite frankly someone of your caliber didn't have to do that you could have you seen kids play the game a little bit longer than that but you chose to not do that just kind of lock it here. Why? Uh you know because this was this was this was what I felt this was home uh you know I didn't really feel like you know standing Texas was a good thing for me uh I didn't I didn't feel like that was home for me uh up here I just felt like it was home uh you know it caused a lot it caused day you know they're making it you know making me feel important up here and then you know like you could ask because what uh how many times I came up here uh throughout my high school career I came for 13 times so it got to the point where I was knowing the guys on the team I had the numbers

4:08:04stuff like that when I come up here you know I don't got to always build the coaches I can go chill something the guys on the team so it was just just me you know knowing what I want to put in my college ball at uh you know knowing where I felt uh like it was home and then you know it was also my parents too you know my mom being you know feeling safe that you know I'm up here you know I'm handling the business and not having to worry about me when she goes to sleep. That's something that you know the game slows down for you a lot you know it slowed down for me you know now just shares right you know being a young guy to let it be more experience you know learn the place executing at a high level coach Boone seems like a good guy we better trust me what stands out about him is no like that absolutely love absolutely love coach Boone you know not even just this personality but you know the way he teaches the game before the season you know I think it really you know translates the information you're saying in these meetings it really sticks in you know our players minds especially me you know it's just the way he teaches ball this has some good depth in that we're really good depth how much I would you describe it yeah I mean we got the

4:09:05guys we got the guys in the right you know I left half put it right now and all the way across and we got the guys and they got the toolbox you know it's actually good at high level yeah yeah you know guys are just going after you know the practices are our physical it's how to high level in that the other day it's you know best first best so they can get a little chip you some times yeah yeah yeah we're getting after you're talking about coach Boone would have been your thoughts on coach Dickie and coach Johnson and that out in the room I loved so back that we got these coaches you know we got a lot more hands on coaching you give them one on one reps um you know just getting the you know the information that you need to execute so it's really on us to go ask him questions after practice you know if we work after you know practice on this drill it's really up to you to put the tools in two boxes because we have all the resources

4:10:05and what were your thoughts on the additions of Ethan and Philip and how do you think they could acclimate it will really good guys I mean I love them you know they're good guys to have them wrong and you know we push each other in that room too so it's great what position do you represent specifically right now uh right now I move from left to right so really just tap them you know tap them yeah yes sir Josh Rire with somebody that was a leader in that room uh for a couple of years what is it like now working without him in the room and then what kind of presence did he leave behind yeah so those older guys kind of laid down a foundation for us you know they taught us in and out and they left us with an appalata knowledge you know for when after they left and they taught us a lot of good lessons so you know I still talk to Josh you know pops up in here every now and then and he's a good guy to have you know my freshman here thanks a lot thank you okay and please in pocket for him is there a fine line between being aggressive but also being wary this guy can slip or you know slip away you're saying what I'm saying time yeah you can't

4:11:05just go right at me go ahead I'm sorry yeah he's definitely a quarterback and then guess I guess out the pockets so I mean being he's definitely a threat he's a man guy in offense he runs the show so I mean be able to stop him and contain him really slows the offense down so be on the cage the pocket and be able to slow him down and make him make more decisions on the run and moving around maybe helps us go ahead and one more him I'm sorry well no I didn't want to ask about their center their center what I impressed with you with him 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 a kind of tough guy to move out of there and stuff that it 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 be in there be the size and be 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 to be a work against that really helps that helps me yeah yeah you have to throw a middle Stephen Leonard college football foul yeah kind of piggybacking on that how much of it was

4:12:07their offensive line being a strike that are team versus Dylan Gabriel being able to escape and and the lack of pressures that we had on our defense oh yeah I mean when you got a good offensive line 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 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 and make it harder for the quarterback means harder for them a world. We're going to the right Andrew Gillick, believe in Doc Cobb. What's the challenge similar to the terms question and you know we played a team like this that runs the level of more peos that they do that runs the level of how do you say true and be aggressive and force the issue where you know Bill Gates was really going to make it up for you. Oh yeah like I said just putting pressure on them mean we just be able to get it get back there I mean we got a lot of different plays that can help us get back to your passer in playing and playing to their tendencies you know a lot of times they have the RPL the RPL helps them out it means to get the ball out fast I mean I mean things like Jackson and JTB and to get their hands up knock the ball down crazy stream them out of

4:13:10pressure for the quarterback when you got hands in your face all times. And final questions Bill Rubino with Columbus dispatch. We've asked about Dylan Gabriel and receivers they're not one dimensional they were a good running back in Jordan James but 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 of 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 stopping around that's the first thing we're going to do as we go on the game I mean past rushing is good and all but we can't stop the running I mean they're gonna run the ball there and throw all the time so all the time we have to figure out how we're gonna stop them we're gonna run the ball and then we're gonna take them down so I mean it's our job as a front pro to go on there and stop the run we're gonna make them one dimensional as we go out there so I mean if we get out there every time every mindset we go out there it means we're gonna have to get we're not gonna allow them to get in the yards let them to get going we're gonna stop and we're gonna make them throw the ball. When JTB was up you're asked him about how to compare to trust him and and Jack as personalities. What's your take on that? How different are they

4:14:11as just personalities? I definitely think Jack is more outgoing I mean the guy in these 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 anytime 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 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, fuck that up. You guys obviously a face tough one you did last week what's the key for you as a defensive one 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 and I mean it makes it harder 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 at the efficiency they they can before they can do theirs. It could be difficult times can 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 can't be difficult times but that's definitely what we've been working on the past three weeks to

4:15:12just get the call get the call early get set so we can go and be play faster. You've changed the play to one side of the field and now it's lined up they're gonna be ahead into the other side so like you've got to just run the signline side like just to get the money. Oh yeah I mean I have been a lot a last game you know it's hard it's definitely tough I mean that's what we work on and practice just moving as fast as we can we're simulating these things so we can get into the game it's a lot easier so we moving around side to side run around doing extra conditioning just for moments like this. Alright thank you very much. Alright thank you.

4:16:34Alright pressure is in. It's like really tough. Alright we're good. Thank you bro those music jokes today. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you. Once again your music is very chocolate. I can't tell you about that. I guess this is a whole point of talking. I'm actually talking about it. I'm really listening. This is the first time I met him we just found it really well. What do you think he can bring to the top? You know we were talking about it. It was talking about it. Yeah so like we're the lockers and we're the lockers. So what do you think? What's been like for you to come out to California being out of the fun today? This was a little honestly. I really like how it's going to help you in just a little bit. It's going to help you in just a little bit. Yeah it's going to help you in just a little bit. It's going to be like different being out of state recruit here.

4:17:34There's a phone you were just talking about. Tell you is definitely different. So fly here. So how are you? New generation of recruit where I don't think anybody outside looking at a real question is the strength of your commitment. Like you're locked in the last eight and you send it over and over. But you're making visits around the country. You see other schools. Almost a totally different mindset. What's that coach in the middle of last decade? How do you approach these other visits? And how do you communicate with Ohio State about them? The next thing in the message is the coach. I can communicate with them. I just like to tell you that I'm always locked in. I'm still enjoying my sense of being in the group. This is only one time. I'm just doing it. Enjoying this. I'm in the school that's out of line. Yes, you really are tied in the flip. So how is state? You're all going to be. What is it that's made you want to take home for this? I'm in a position at the 7th grade.

4:18:34Right now, our partner has just been left high five and really fighting real. So why? He's good. He's a very level headed, very humble. Obviously, we all have work to do. So we're going to keep doing that. But he's a great guy. What are your expectations? I'm going to have to go. Just to try my hardest in spring, obviously, move in the fall, can't do my job. And wherever you're going to put the best five on the field at the end of the day. So whatever coach Boeing thinks that's going to be his decision. You mentioned having four offensive line coaches. How much does that help to have so many different brains? It definitely helps a lot. Whenever you have a question and so easy to get feedback, I mean, you don't have to ask this coach Boeing. You guys dig you if you want to. So many resources. So compared to last year, we just had three guys. It was just in Friday and coach leaning and one of a guy. But it's been a lot different. And I've been lacking a lot more. Do you feel like you're able to get more individual instruction of having so many coaches like that? I definitely said that. We know we hold a lot of meetings.

4:19:34So talking to specific coaches about different things. All them explains stuff a little different. Just to be able to find one that speaks to you in the way you like it to. So it's a lot helpful. How much does that help you in the other early in role? I'm just getting prepared for this. But learning the culture of life. So coach, they asked all the seniors before we came in. They asked if they were okay for us to come with the plan. So I'm going to ask you a question. I'm going to ask you a question. I'm going to ask you a question. I'm going to ask you a question. I'm going to ask you a question. What do you mean? I mean, I think I'm going to ask you a question. I mean, who are the seniors before we came in? They asked if they were okay for us to come with the playoffs with them. And 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 I made this mature just being around those guys and knowing what to do. We do get to that place. Or the ways that you've already seen that. I definitely can say, you know, just matured-y, especially from this class.

4:20:34I think we all just came in a little bit maybe immature. But we've definitely grown throughout that process. step up for obviously once you're 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 tackle and just make such a huge jump in that little time was just really cool to watch. Carter the especially the three primary coaches you're working on do they all speak the same language if you follow my drill I mean yeah who do you listen to most I guess in those kind of situations? You know they're all from different places so as at first I think it was a little hard for them to mesh in the one that will link open now they've got it down packed they're all it's in as the same exact thing so that's been helping a lot I mean obviously they can explain stuff a little different if you like them to but they've been they've been doing a good job of keeping everything together. It cooked dick in in particular what's he brought what's he brought to you what what are some tidbits or you know things he's brought it opened your eyes a little bit. Um just let a little older play dog I say 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 it's very straightforward. I know you know Luke pretty well both being from Toledo how have you just seen

4:21:36Luke Bro here is so far going into this year I think I've been watching him for a while you know I haven't known him like you said but I'm just seeing him grow as a leader has been really cool just seeing him a while back you know think all the software he's just seeing you we always playing each other but seeing him move into that that leader role has been really cool to see what kind of leadership is he bringing to that unit right now? uh just always talking to the younger guys then encouraging us you know tell us what we need to do and not only the younger guys but the other guys just encourages as a whole and what is his story made to you I mean obviously this time a year ago he wasn't even sure where he was gonna fit in or whatever now I'm certain 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 is just never give up you know obviously you might not start the first game maybe not even the second game but you can always make an impact if you really that's your desire. yeah we've been leading on this and that's gonna lose players on team you know nice car kind of teaching the ropes and kind of teaching to take some tricks to move you know all the offensive lines I don't know. I would say Austin and Luke a lot you know I talked to him for your office especially

4:22:37about technique stuff Austin been playing um little different places so he's been helping me a lot of my small technique things just what what to do for sure. Is it the small stuff that is a big adjustment from playing top ball is that really yeah yeah it's definitely the smaller stuff just like you know hand protection stuff like that nothing the drastic so it's been good the treasure has been too crazy. I heard exactly what positions have you ever had? only a left tackle yeah so far you feel pretty comfortable there I hope very comfortable yeah these are grown men you're going against Kenyatta and Kaden 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. I first co-practice were my best but I definitely adjusted a pretty well this spring. Two more questions. Part of my ass Jay wants to come to Sanctin. You guys obviously coach pilot's very close he came up to Lido at hand for a time and then all the sudden by the time you get up here he's gone how's it been getting them those new offensive line good? It's been really good you know obviously we had all the freshmen out of really good relationship

4:23:37with coach Frye you know uh then seeing him leave was actually a little hard but we all kept our minds open uh with coach Boan and we're liking him a lot. Developing relationships with him and he's been really good to us so far. Good. Alright Carter thank you. Thank you. And young man so you know things are a little bit different from him but uh you know Coach Dave speaks about this all time tough love. I get I get them boys in a tough love. I'm real I'm honest with him and it took some getting used to. I don't lie to him I tell him the truth so you know I think he's quite familiar with who I am now but I love the kid you know he wears hard and like he's a good kid. What's it like though in this modern age for one of the other term have to be recruitment guys. Meaning you know because tough love is one thing but you got to have the players too. I'm here it's almost like they're recruiting ever stopping. Well I got to say I'm not a legal coach it's much better run back because I'm not a legal and have no desire to be a legal coach but I am as a legal relationship with him.

4:24:40I've been a relationship with the young man. I love know that even though they can go somewhere else. No I'm still having a relationship with him. I believe in a relationship part. If you get the young man to believe in that you're pointing to them as young man and not just recruiting like you selling cars you know they're they're beginning to open up to you and you know believe what you're saying to them. So I am not a legal crew but what I am is a legal relationship. I want to ask you about the true question that you have in touch with them in the practice. Yeah but you look through to them like Bo Jackson I say you know term bill will get you someone just what stands out about the truth. You look at Bo Jackson you got size I think he's right now six foot 220 speed. He got he got gifts on the guy I could give him. You see the potential what he could be. I'm not he's going to have to work and compete but I'm excited about him but like I said we'll see. Same thing with him I said with you see his size.

4:25:40I'm so much right at five and eleven two fifteen. Built the right way but he has the right mindset. So you get excited about him because his mindset is like you know he seems so much older than he is when you talk to him. His mind is in the right place. And like I said Tobal Roger somebody that I've been doing the relationship with since he's been in probably seven grade and they give him here that have opportunity to coach him I'm excited but the three freshmen we got coming in I'm telling him excited about him just to see what their journey going to look like to come forward. Can you evaluate the year James had both and what he put on field and sounder is also what he was going behind the scenes in practice. I think I think what they mean James have discussed about it. It's a marathon out of spring. I think so much like I said we live in the microwave society. More instance to sit right now. And I told him Lager I said you're going to learn from these two guys and when your time

4:26:42come you're going to appreciate it. You're going to appreciate the client and he said behind both of them he learned. He's leading the road now because he had a great guy that watched the leader on which it's a trade and then he saw Q and trade work at it and now he's working just as hard. But when these guys come out of high school and these recruiting service give them these five stars and four stars they think they supposed to come in play from day one and in that junior year they out what don't work that way. Not in the room that I mean they don't work that way because you're going to learn how to be a complete player. One of the other challenges James with this year all the run backs now he said the coach dates running backs playing special teams we're going to be on special teams and I challenge to be everyone of my guys with that in you're going to play special teams. Like you ain't just talking about going on their press you're going to be on the one or two guys out there because you told me you want to play in the middle well you're going to not play special teams. I also teach you teachers to be no just not a selfish player but you want to go out there

4:27:47I know you want to run the ball well well otherwise can't help the team so Lager I think he got a chance to see all of that in his hip in him now. I am excited to see he's a growth but I'm also excited to see him compete because from town 11 that rule we talked about him it's pretty good and I know. We mentioned make some standout. James yeah. Come back mama he has good hands. Has really incredible short air reverse tough. Like say quickness everything that you want the back he has it's not a small guy. He thinks he's six foot 20s 10 miles time but probably 510 right about 210 pounds and he wants to have great knowledge of the game so those are the things that stand out to me like I said short air reverse now I would you know I would go to James right at home I first made James with 10th grade so we already had prior relationship but just I see the growth

4:28:52of him now he's locked in so I am excited to see him in a more in a more demanding role where he gets the opportunity to showcase what he's doing. What you did with trade when Sean I feel where essentially equal terms of touches like give or take obviously how the game flow is going or is there room in this office for there to be one lead guy I don't think that's smart they have one lead and I'm not none of you if your expectations are played deep into the playoffs I got told you know I said it all my job here is to make sure Coach Davis is successful and that's putting the best base on the field you know if you want to run one guy that run him into the ground and that works for you that's good for you man that's not what I'm doing now he still can accomplish his goals by having another guy play with him or another guy you know because it's a long season so you know when I think about running the backs in that aspect you guys like I don't want to get the ball

4:29:54your mind says not on team goals your mind says on your own individual goals like I told Trent Q you know how to be one we've got great success I think those are two best bags that they're not feel combined in this game in the show but they had great success they weren't banged up they weren't hurt they learned how to be enough and they still accomplish everything they won't last in championship so they put the side of the personal goals and they put the team goals ahead when they did that perform still got you where they want to be now I'm excited to see both of those guys named Carl here Layna Hey you mentioned the competition in the room what are you looking for out of the ready backs this spring first thing is I want to see if I can get three or four guys just starting to specialty that's that's the first competition I'm looking at then after that I just want to see just see how all on compete with you know more overall I want to see how James know how he takes on the leadership of the room see how he competes with the other guys whether it's Bob whether CJ whether it's Sam or Turbo or like so I say

4:30:59what's well for this or Tasty Cat I want to see how he competes and like I said big slingers his leadership that's that's the big style of the room is everybody gonna come to be one you know not be selfish point to one another okay if I'm not playing on offense what else can I do on the team can I go start on kickoff can I start on kickoff return plant plant pressure those are the things I'm looking for because like I said it's gonna take that whole room to win and it's gonna take the whole room to win not just playing offense but playing specialty was well so that's what I'm looking for I want to bring that home energy the he brought right so last year of course I'm sure he's been doing for years but the year when I spent my own he brought a lot of energy excitement and happiness in the room which is his natural energy to where I only have to focus on

4:31:59me 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 you know the hump's not here but I saw when you did for the room I want to be that guy to make sure it's amptical practice everybody's high more taking a built 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 you're a person to trip I want to bring that because that's what me and hump did to each other we would have each other do it's like to get walked or split so I want to do that I want to bring that energy I want to make bring more guys you know to do that you know yeah I want to do that from day one you know I kind of I want to do that from day one talking to him and obviously it's that time I spent the obviously before until today started just being in my self-justing about what the room needs you know because I know I

4:32:59renewal as one of leaders you know my offense is that we need a guy like that is going to make sure the O-line is picked up ready to go every day I was held accountable little things don't happen to practice people are saying anything and how I believe maybe different than somebody else maybe not like a practice at least like a legal positivity you know I mean so but he the energy had would be on just though I'd be on so I was kind of how I would be going on literally my whole life I want to get I felt team captain like specifically and I felt I wasn't a captain in high school wasn't a captain in college but I want to make a joke around in high school so I feel like I'm not going to be a captain like he's that I felt yeah but that would be awesome you know but you know that happens I'd be great but not either way I want to assume a role as a captain from the

4:34:03perspective of guys on team visual words and get back in that way yeah I mean I can't say that I mean I guess the biggest thing is that I felt like how you used to in the past but it didn't take just the first LTAs it took training left and right once this season because I know what it was going to be so it took a lot of reps just to give back to feeling like myself or they want LTAs and then that whole first week but now like today specifically just changing some small things with my feet that is it talking about the long coach about some things I'm doing my feet to get to that to sell my traditional angle that I love to sit on I thought I felt great already but I felt even better so I need more exercises tomorrow now I'm getting my feet back and how I like the right side and on the left side so I'm excited I mean obviously I feel like in the league whether

4:35:05I left the right there's still going in Premier guys obviously they're high expectations for the left and right tackle but there's definitely like the level of energy and like the expectations definitely take the human strength because now tonight the blind side that's the as the tackle role you know so yeah I would say in terms of communication as far as just even outside of the facility you just stuff like that like really creating that but tackle quarterback and bond even more off the field I think has been something that's even the cool I got the tags one day because I like you put a left I was like you know yeah I've been training both I've been training but you know I I asked after the season they're like honestly you know we'll talk to you if something season and I just got a text and I'm having what happens with the free agency then so I was like you know what I had an old season right tackle so if I get the word I'm going

4:36:07I'm standing right tackle I'll just do what I did before I'm built on that but I saw say I might as well as train the left tackle now as if I'm going to be a left tackle and I'd rather do that train all the right time with the call hey you know what I mean so I'm like let me just prepare an advance I'll say yeah it's gone you know I think occasionally on third down there be a lot of twists I was just not like it's automatic and I think that was my mindset for like the first half of the season like I didn't have to go it's again with some products like oh my gosh they did that I kind of figured like okay like this is this is the type of rush man again this is how this guy usually rushes if I get the vibe this type of ends like the rush you know tackles that first year guys you got the premier patch on already know what it was going to be already you know will be every stunt and honestly just knowing that's kind of an advantage to so you're not you're not you're not oh they brought the twist on my side it was never air goblin but they come out the

4:37:07hot like 30 plays in a row in two minutes I do that you know what I mean I'm watching more everybody else and he rarely really goes out there occasionally third down I was like you know he's gonna pick me you know what I mean so that effect it's kind it's also kind of an general way but it's also exciting okay I'm gonna get the hardest to look you know so it's a real real reps you know the things really out on our way to kind of process that I was like hey when they tell me let me know about I'm just gonna train it I was training all left until TAs I guess if I didn't hear anything about TAs I came in like so you know what I mean because just like I'm cool with training both continue I would have been cool training both continually but I feel like anybody any position will feel like okay like you want us as soon as possible give your feet kind of settle in your hips settle in your hands so then certain kind of that we would have been

4:38:12hard to get you work both they're good to you no no but they're definitely but in times of the development um because definitely a lot faster to stay on one side but I think having that the weeks that we had to transition with the seasons over you know good um we're trying to get up what I'm gonna try to do and we think that it's time right now but when it comes back I'm gonna show them to the other house I've got a house not too far from so I told them I got that house like I could yell outside DJ you know I mean so yeah it felt like it was normal um it felt like it was the right thing for me time to ball in my hands to be in the field of play um and then as I said they did a really good job blocking CJ told me that he uh that he put somebody on the ground at the end of the play so I got to go back and look at that what would you think flip the game today what was that moment that flipped this game from your

4:39:14revenge point really I just I would I think this is a collective of the whole game um I would say the at the beginning of the game we were a little shaky but I would say after we went up by seven it was really just all right we got out of the house I was like okay we got to do our jobs and then yeah we got to do our jobs and we're going to dominate uh over to the left camera and T Robinson the athletic in what way can you put in the words to run this defense been on last four fucking I would just say process oriented uh just truly trying to get prepared every week trying to get ourselves in the best position and the best minds at the play and really going to the game like they're not going to score we're dominating the whole game um and at the end of the game we let up a few plays that we really should not have um so we can't do that again and we got to finish and play for 60 minutes but um really just going to the game like we're dominating and nobody's going to nobody's going to move the ball scored a ball that's what we're going to do and

4:40:15final question for Caleb Laurie Schmidt to the left uh the club is this batch Caleb Omega said someone had called your tv but they said that here it's coming it's going to go to the house you were calling that was I just okay so I just see them on follow tag and junior said it on tv earlier today and that was the craziest thing because he told me probably like three four weeks ago he was like do you get back there you're gonna score out like okay and then he did that and then uh will will settle the sideline that he said before the before the play happens so I can't remember that so I'm excited to see them compete with anything can you give your kind of impression and I'm getting to those guys from which you're the coach being Julian is the link all year yeah yeah um so you know start with Lincoln you know a guy that's going his third year here um and I think really like when you've been in an offense for for two years already you're going to that third year you've got a really good feel of the scheme you've got a better feel of college defenses and you know where our schemes are susceptible and what where the

4:41:16issues lie and what we're trying to attack um and so I think you know that's something that over time I can feel Lincoln getting a better and better feel for it um you know Lincoln has definitely stepped from a leadership perspective and you can see the way that you know he attacks workouts and you know this winner is so big for all three of them just really just set the standard and to understand the intangibles that playing quarterback is all about right because there's so much more than just picking up a football and throwing it when it comes to this succeed it on Saturdays um so I've seen that growth from Lincoln and that's that's really exciting um as for Julian um you know last year going into the year he he was competing for a job and you know end up to not winning the job and you know he could have turned it down and been bummed out and you know um not attacked it the way way but I saw him continue to go throughout the year um so I'm going from Rowan and to get to a point this year where we're now he can step up and be more of a vocal leader um and that's something I've seen growth of him as well um you know he's put on some weight and he looks good and

4:42:17he's definitely attacked uh it's time in the you know the winner and so that's been awesome and then Tavine comes in and you know Tavine Tavine's you know really should still be in high school um instead he's you know in my office all the time uh learning the offense and when he's not with me he's with Coach Mick and when he's not with Coach Mickey or I he's over there doing academics and sassos so um his days are pretty jam packed and it's definitely new for um but his commitment to wanting to be great and wanting to be to the level where he can go out and compete in the spring uh it's been really impressive um so I'm excited for all three of them. Does it feel like what August 30th is it just around the quarter years they want to say and you gotta have a guy ready to go against Texas you know yeah yeah I don't think so um I don't think so quite yet you know it I think we have a unique situation where we've got three really talented kids um you know they're all young um they all have a lot of room to grow and I think they all understand that and are eager to attack tech growth but most college football teams or a lot of college football teams going through a year and they

4:43:20end up you know having a guy get hurt or something happens so as far as you know having one guy I guess I'm to go either we want to develop the room we want all three of them you know to continue to get better to continue to develop and you know big guys that we can count on you know throughout the season. Did you guys win a board? Scholarship guy? Uh that's still in conversation we'll kind of see how it goes um you know obviously three is a little bit less than we typically have um but you know the three that we're really confident in right now. Well the last year we got to Ryan Morgan's quarterbacks two for him to come back to you. You work in the quarterbacks five for him. You're the first filling out your room. I mean you have someone that you've had in mind to come in to meet the system for you or how do you see that coming out? Yeah right now Colin Kienos in helping me um so Colin was working with me at Akron he was a student assistant um and he was really really impressive there um so he's he's gonna come in and he's gonna help out with some of the day-to-day stuff and then you know coach day and I I built a pretty good relationship where you know between my time here is a GA where you know I learned the game of football the way he

4:44:22sees it and that was such a pivotal time in my career you know I was so blessed in college and then in my first couple you know my first job there that I got to work with Joe Morehead and you know I learned so much football from that man and I credit so much of my career to him um to put me in the position but then having the opportunity to okay hey man let me see it through a little bit of a different lens and to learn how coach day sees it um it was so big for me in my development so that couple of years as a GA was awesome for me and then last year to be able to sit in with him and really kind of see the game you know in a similar fashion and I'm always gonna continue to learn from them because he's just uh such a special coach but to be able to see it you know in a similar way and and continue to bounce thoughts on them to make sure that him and I are communicating in the same way um you know coach day will always be directly involved with the quarterbacks and now coach Hartlein will as well um you know as the offensive coordinator I think as the guy in that chair you have to have a relationship with the guy that's in the hub I think that's really important so you know him and I have already begun conversations just about you know how that's we're gonna work out how you know he's gonna continue to see the game the same way that the quarterback does and how

4:45:24he's gonna communicate to them those those conversations are already um beginning so it'll it'll be it'll definitely be a combination of you know watch the billi-tavian being there from the championship run how about like a help with the development well it's pretty cool just about every one of those games uh where he gave his out of playoff game at the national championship you know our guys were warming up and I grabbed him I say hey look around you got to take a couple minutes and take this in right this is what it looks like this is what this is what we work for so you know when you get through a really hard day in the winter right you just remember not a homework and to get to that so for him to have that experience and to be able to see that and you know hopefully one day when he's in that spot he's like oh I've seen this before I know it looks like um it's pretty cool I think just to have that bank in his memory you know I think he comes off so I've spoken but he's without question you know come out of the show and I would even say he's so I've spoken last year you know I think that he kind of understood that you know will was in charge of the offensive

4:46:27and he knew that he was young and was still earning respect um you know a big part about leadership is you can't just walk into a room and start leading you have to earn the respect to your peers and truly understood that um and you know I think he earned that respect throughout the year and so this year you're definitely seeing a step up um him and Lincoln both um you know are in that phase where they've earned that respect and so they're doing a really good job leading right now and and Tavine's doing a good job earned respect um so we're kind of in the middle right there between those two phases. Really uh what was Lincoln is I think still less than two years and like just specializing with him because he's more deadly and actually kind of the random special here I guess where do you think he is harnessing all of that all athletic ability to being really good at coaching? Yeah I mean there's no question I would like to get special honestly um and you know guys that have that background that have been successful in multiple different sports um you know one way or another is going to translate to the game of football um so I think that we're continuing to see that from Lincoln um you know I think as the more that he you know is in position to understand

4:47:35and learn the game and which we saw last year um you continue to grow um and so to take that into spring you know and combine that with his athletic ability um I'm excited to see you know I think it'll be a really good competition. Can I go? Can you pull back truly lead until he is the quarterback? Oh absolutely. I mean you know what you're going to pull back. Oh I think so. I think so. I mean um leadership comes in all different phases you know in all different ways and um there's you know there's without question I've been part of different teams and I've seen it where maybe the guy that wasn't starting quarterback was you know the strongest leader on the team so I definitely think that that's part of it you know I think once you are in the respect of your teammates and once you show that you know you're going to lead by example and you know they respect you for that um you're in position now that you can be both of them so you know I definitely don't think that you need to be a starter named a quarterback to be a leader at all. You've been around some incredible offensive minds in college already.

4:48:35What are your what are the traits you look for specifically as a quarterback being a quarterback yeah um you know I think it comes in a couple different ways um you know from a tangible perspective I think that you've got to be extremely accurate um I think you you have to be able to make great decisions with the football and get the ball out of time um and I think that you have to be able to do it. And we solve a problem with the feet um so you know it's rare in college football that every protection's blocked up perfectly or everything goes exactly that we drew it up on the whiteboard so when things break down I'll be ready to fix it with our legs um and then you know if as far as intensible as goal I look at I look at you know guy like Will who had those intangibles about as well as I've ever seen um and that's just a complete command and understanding of both the offense and the huddle um to know exactly what we're trying to do on every single play um no what we're trying to attack understand where the issues are and where they lie and and how you're going to combat those issues um to be able to understand you know when it's time to to move on

4:49:39throw the ball away and move on in the next play and then also be mentally tough enough that when things don't go our way uh to be able to react the right way and move on to the next way. Did you go last year or last year? What last question? Did you go last year or last year? Did you go last year or last year? Did you go last year or last year or last year? Oh no no I didn't do this one condition. Oh I did. You know like when you're coaching and you build a relationship with these guys you want nothing more than for them to go out and have success on the field and and I think that's so you know so important like I sit in that room and you know it's about them it's about them going out and and reaching their potential and maximizing their talents and and going out and execute on the field and so you know last year I was just trying to find a way that I could help them do that um so you know to be able to work with those guys last year and to to help out and you know I have them see some success. I was it was special for me but it was special for me because I know how bad they wanted it and so that was that was pretty. First I would like you know to thank God you know for pretty feel healthy feel good being able to go out there put that see how coming on it means a lot to

4:50:43me um Geno 2 I want to say thank you to Geno and the rest of my teammates receivers gave me open and um a line doing their thing and um hopefully you know it's just the beginning. I want to be staying this one because you're not a game coming up in a few days. Yeah I mean we're going to definitely look at it tomorrow uh go over it um fix our mistakes and it's good that it's a early week early week uh Thursday game so um you know we will have to flush it and move on. How did you lock it? Well in the state larger or before the game it maybe hasn't been as most productive season. What's he meant to you guys in terms of leadership and maybe helping the I mean it means everything everything to this organization um how you carry themselves um just everything he's done for this organization and city um you know he's a leader and uh I appreciate him so much you know you know um I feel like I'm in the best position possible you know having T-Lock and DK and all these other guys so you know uh T-Lock he's a special guy and

4:51:50I'm just just blessed to have his friendship and um him be my teammate. How do you guys bounce back from this one Jackson just where you guys arrived and everything? When you know when when next week and a week after that you know that's the best bounce back. Oh He just it's just like things where it's where it's where it's where it can apply work. I think CJ is going to be moved around a lot um he knows funny but we got we a higher Napatrisha the first person I thought it was CJ because I think it's a like that Napatrisha when some of the stuff that he's done was similar ish like I know Al Gold was with him at Detroit you know they have to lie and so like there's some stuff that at least we they you did over there at Notre Dame that we'll see if we're able to kind of implement something in here I'm sure some maybe not others depending on what our guys do best Christ I want CJ because it's like it's a fresh start uh new set of eyes on him and I think it's

4:52:56an opportunity to be multiple and use him and what he does best you know so that's the exciting thing you know when you really study what coach Patricia has done in the past is he likes to take like okay who are like who are our players and then let's build it around those guys and uh I think CJ has had a hell of a winner and I think he's one of those guys so I'm excited to see how we be creative and use him into the spring that means you kind of be like flow is more of an edge defender kind of differently than you guys do I think yeah I think he has that I think that's exactly what kind of like potential CJ has is the ability to you know get on the edge move around the nice thing about that is is that you're not handicapped just with CJ doing one thing off the edge you think you have the ability because he understands consensually zone drops linebacker terminology right you can get really creative without you use him but I think he definitely needs to be utilized more as a just go to the heart pack go go be

4:53:58disruptive what about Matt as a leader of you guys this coach is how are you how's he all fit with you guys and how are you seeing that and how do you feel about the higher I love the higher um I got a lot of respect for coach Patricia like ever since he worked me a Marcus out back here and what we were talking about that when he first was and the interview process is kind of how fast time goes but I'm really excited just to continue to learn like I said like there's some it's funny because there's some terminology that when I was at Notre Dame you can use and I can at least speak some of his language with what he's called things before and you're trying to morph everything to get on the right with these things that we've done what he knows what to do like it's a lot and but he's been incredible with I think the staff he's very organized he's detailed you'll have constant clear communication you know and they hey we're gonna get together at this

4:55:01time and being like you're just efficient in your role and it's been a lot like when you're come from outside and you come back into it and you have to try to catch him up on the recruiting board it's it you know like you have a lot of these conversations okay what are we looking for at these positions now and how do you see it because you know under one coordinator you might see a the Mike linebacker needs to be this and under this coordinator while I think the Mike backer needs to be this you like so you have to have those conversations at every position and you just kind of keep going through and I'm just excited to learn I think the more systems I mean luck playing the system here in college playing the system underneath the Magnolo playing the system in Tim Bolton playing the system under Greg Williams that is talent coach of Valagol and then Jim Noltinge every one of those there's like different terminology for everything so you're just you're learning a different language call and think you know I mean there's his concepts and I think he's kind of collect over time what you think is

4:56:01really good stuff and how you do stuff a bit a little different and I'm just really excited to learn from that and it's a lot of success he would seem very excited over there talking really here yeah coaching college whatever so long what's his personality like with you guys and you see it's been great I mean his energy is incredible he's very he is he's authentically excited to be back in college football you can tell there's like a yearning to get back to like the why you got the coaching right is that impact young people it's the impact and teach the game of football and so the future has been in front you know kind of like talking to the guys you can sense like he's excited to just teach ball you know what I mean and kind of ironically like you know similar to a lot of things that chips that last year right you gotta get back and you're like man I'm just excited and so if he has that excitement he's done a phenomenal job I think of being the other players just kind of like walking around versus like popping in making sure that he's in front of them and they get to know him and he gets to know them and it's a lot and you can imagine

4:57:05when you come in you have all these guys right and trying to learn all these guys I'm going to recruit and trying to learn to staff and learn dynamics like it's a lot but he's handled it really well you know he's an old school ball coach he's a grinder so he's really good job James Sonny's probably not going to need to do much this spring how much more can you get done with the young guy let's tell him that so we got to do a lot right in terms of Ryan Dairty said you know thank you for saying 75% or whatever how much more can you get done with the young guys when they're you're not worried too much about the senior yeah I think I mean you're always just looking for competition especially like a spring ball of mess what it's all about right you're trying to have it's so cliche but it's true like the iron sharpener's iron mentality of you want your run to be super competitive to where hey the guy in front of me makes a play my next set of four plays I go out there I have the point right and it's a constant driving of the room forward so yeah sonny gets 50 or how many reps reps off 50% rubber coach said then that means a more opportunity for

4:58:12somebody else to play right so that need more for our vales that scheme flexibility with our vales we'll pay pierce around we set TJ Riley you like all these guys stove we're all going to get more reps I think it's great so we got to do it this point of season but I think you know yes there's still stuff that the thing that I love about sonny is that he's going to be clawing to try to get those reps because he's a he's a true pro and you know that's been the most enjoyable thing about I think working with him is like you get a kid who's played safety his whole life comes to the backer and he just wants to learn the why behind everything and you know very similar in fact to Cody like we have guys who are that easy to work with you're not trying to like not worried about texting anybody in our room about coming over and trying to learn ball you know what I mean like were you at you know like they're obsessed with the game of football they're always around when they're not at class so it's like it makes it really easy as a coach because they're passionate for the game is so strong you mentioned TJ in terms of the

4:59:13higher-width map just looking sunny like what do you envision more with him with all of that stuff I think I think we just have a lot of guys with a lot of links we'll talk about sunny styles long can run our valeries long can run like it's crazy because you see sunny you're like okay this guy like I wish I was built like that when I played and then you see our val stand next to sunny you're like you know what I mean it's like and then you look across the room like as the room warms up you're like holy smokes like we just have a bunch of guys and that's a lot of credit to make coach made as a phenomenal job I was just talking to Bernabond I like to see even our meteor guys what they looked like when they showed up during like the bowl the whole Maddie run and they're kind of hanging out during practice and see the high school bodies to see what they look like today before they go away and like the shoulders are all like everything is just different and they've been indoctrinated into the brotherhood

5:00:20so I think you know there's just a lot to work with so what he's really good at right is like he's talked about it one year he has junior sail will him get us Mike Vrable you know Roosevelt Colvin and those guys and then a couple years later he has Brandon spikes so he's like okay I would just put his blitz brand in the middle all the time so he's 260 pounds and beast he always says he was my best nose guard from Mike Vrake right and then the year after that he gets you know we've got Jamie Collins and Dante Hightower so now we can do a lot of stuff right so they're not just like hey this is what we're doing we got plenty of people in there and say hey here's what we got let's utilize it so that's what strength will be walled on the lab and figure out what they means I'm sure through spring ball there'll be like hey here's what we do really well as unit because this unit is going to be different right man the unit we lose a lot of production so the unit will be different so you kind of got to reform your own identity and you have to re-hearn that civil bullet big name and mantra how many of you guys can look at our bell and just see if

5:01:23like he's on a very good track is that it's just what's his ceiling it's just a lot but right now he's locked in he's done a great job becoming a leader coming out of his shell I think I think for belly it's all about consistency and just preparation and I'm proud of our bell you know he's through the season you got way better at you know a lot of it's like little things just note taking and stuff like sometimes if these kids are always on their phones and stuff not like the meeting I'm just writing like that but just naturally so like to get out of pen and paper and like you hear things and I mean oh yeah I got it what you do until you're dog tired and then you forget because you know what I mean but when you really understand it you know what I mean like go play faster he got so much better through the year just a lot of that's because of Cody like becoming a pro and then now it's like sonny's pulling him along he's pulling paint along the paint is pulling TJ and Riley and Eli so I didn't stole like so I kind of love the competition right now the way it's made up yeah he's on a great path right now how many different

5:02:26guys do you feel like can be in that Mike's spot for that obviously losing Cody and now having that you know I think that's something that's fluid as we kind of go because you know week one sonny actually started out Mike for us and sonny smart off to play them all our bell is smart off to play them all paint pierces smart off to play them all and it's also like how did you like depends on what what scheme you're running where they how do they be utilized as well you know what I mean so you say my like my backer you know whether it's Tommy I can very grow a little research two different people and Cody's different than those two so I challenged to like a lot of the guys that come in and so you got the other both the more you understand about the scheme in general the faster you will play you know what I mean like if I just sit here and I say hey I got there a mic my drop is this and that's all I need to know like well no football happens so fast and all the shifts and motions that like if you're out there just playing and you're waiting for a call

5:03:32and you're just reacting like you're so worried about what's going on on your side of the ball you don't even recognize that the offense is telling you something's what they're doing so if I'm out there and also I'm not getting your call I know what the call should be it's like hey are we playing you know let's go now as a new kid that you can look I can see okay here's what the tight ends doing that's what the backs doing here's what plays are coming if you just line up the play it's rather passive at the time like you know it's a chance you got to eliminate plays in your mind by seeing what the offense is doing like they tell you a story every time they line up they just window dressing people motion and show us to try okay are they trying to do man's own indicators and they're trying to make sure that they're getting the same formation they're on the same place but they just shifted people and then they motion they move and they don't want you to recognize so for always worried about what work you don't mean so the more you know faster you can play because you're not sitting there thinking oh what do I have to do you're reacting so you know you have so my challenge to guys like there's always a no both so think a lot I'll just be on on depth I'm sure guys get you know if sonny's only doing 15 to 75 percent of the place then probably more guys get more will reps than they had because we need

5:04:36more will bodies is that's technically where sonny has started but we'll rotate them through let the production kind of show what it does and think sometimes you know you'll live with some of the mistakes just from being a news spot that you'll be able to judge to like who's actually getting in the book you know I mean who's actually studying well how much a great have you seen from sonny this time of year go through the national championship game and then what's next for man I mean definitely I know I know sonny has big goals and he should I do as well for him and to see how far he's come you know first thing kind of stands out it's just like his his footwork has gotten so much better you know when you're in the box as a linebacker you've got to be able to remember Luke Fickley to say it all the time and you gotta be slow until it's time to be fast and when you're twitchy like he is a lot of times you know when you're about safety you're used to pulling your children and rolling like you gotta learn how to shuffle and not cross over and

5:05:37he got so much better as a year or not think a lot of people question whether he'd be able to hold up physicality wise and you know he was he was great you know he was the seasoned guy he's really good with his hands he's a really natural ability to snag will keep challenging him I think he should be a dominant guy in coverage like he needs to be a guy that we can put on a tight end and be like he's not gonna be in catching the ball you know me because he has that athleticism I think we need a challenge in there challenge them I think everything is just this is not just sunny it's everybody's urgency in zone coverage I mean the urgency with you have to break on the football to close that space the knot at the ball carrier have so much space on you to to cut making this is critical I think sometimes he's he can be so athletic that you know you can get away some stuff and he knows like anything that I'm saying right now here I know so the best part is a lot of times like he'll come to me before film and I already said that man coach on that play I should have you know what I mean like he knows and the best part is that he's humble enough our whole run is that they just want to be they want to be pushed

5:06:40and they want to be coached and so the pain of basketball you ask for right like so I always ask like what do you need for me just just keep making sure like you're pushing it don't let me settle don't let me settle so he's probably the best on the room with that do you look at sunny and our bell and this kind of your top of these guys right now um yeah I mean I think going into it you know I think it's sunny or well paintings right up there in that next you know your accurate there and then it's like who else is going to merge for really the fourth the fourth guy you know I think that's a healthy way to put it um yeah I just I think our I think our backers are so competitive so competitive that it's you know like I know Peyton Pierce is chomping at the bit and I know that he's going to push you know fell and sunny I know that you look at Riley and TJ and Eli and Stove like those guys are going at it we do these work guys those guys are going at it and this constant competition you

5:07:42know I mean they're trying to fight each other everything so because the reality of it is they're fighting for reps right so this game is hard it's winter loose every single day and um you know a lot of the guys are gonna make our break and it starts with the mental preparation it'd be a hospital with you and um because that's where trust starts right if you don't know what you're doing I can't put you out there so who preps mentally as we get rolling and then the physical part let's say it says it's sunny our belly and Peyton probably have probably the top three and then but like I always say it's always fluid it's always fluid I haven't done this you know it's funny there's one coach who said that um I forget what kind of felt team it was but he said that what he does is he has the depth chart sit in the front of the room like if you're a starter you're the first to grow you know and then the second row and he's like it'll change weekly sometimes through camp I'm like I can't do that I got my shirt like a hat good

5:08:46yeah that makes sense like just not freaking out before the play like what am I doing just playing football that's it that's probably my piece I was pro I was pro I was pro practice different before off that's a line coach I mean uh do you feel like it has changed the way that you're getting reps in on a reps etc um no I mean like after every play like you're getting feedback from having one so like it's great because you'll have coach Baldwin and coach Johnson's still coaching the ones or the three of the twos and then like when you're running off the field you got coach Dicky or someone else like coaching you up telling you what to do so I mean I think it's really awesome that we are capable to have four coaches in the room with us so that's that stuff is really great have you been strictly at center are you playing some guard what play left guard right now this is you do you feel like there's a shift to center potentially down the road I know I don't do you agree with that with obviously the card right I don't know yet I mean just left guard that's what I've been taking reps there right now as a freshman off-campus alignment this is a patient this is pretty important just because the developmental part of that is issue how do you

5:09:52as a guy who was playing on high school how do you develop that that patient's knowing it might be a year or two I take it as like you know you just got to keep just stacking days like you can't get down yourself if you're not playing like you just got to keep developing and like the guys we have in our room are awesome like all the you know uppercise my glue Josh Austin all I said awesome Carson Taggart all those guys like they're great dude so it's really awesome being able to learn from them like watch them get mental reps of them every day to see what they're doing and then just take that back and just use what they use so I mean it's definitely just like keep stacking days just keep working don't really pay attention about that just work it's really the interior of the line I just have a lot of guys played a lot of footballs are a lot of important football who have you kind of leaned on to learn various things how to learn to all things definitely I'd say look one government that's a that's a guy who like I just every practice I'm just

5:10:53people when I'm not even watching him take his reps like see what he's doing when he has like a two-eye or a three-and-a-half in front of him like what what footwork he takes where he puts his hands his head just so I definitely say because a guy that I never watch clothes just try to see what he does is that one of the biggest transitions to make even the jump from high school college on the offensive light just leave it the small things yeah the steps and yeah that's that's definitely that's definitely a huge thing when I first got here was like there's different forward rattling pretty much every block you gotta take so that's like I think it's the most it's the most detailed position on the field that is like you just need everything needs to kind of work much be perfect and block it so you're taking steps and placement so yeah I'd say it's good I mentioned a lot to ours it's got a position you see yourself sticking with or is that just kind of where it's worth starting I mean I could see myself sticking I love guard but I

5:11:54mean I could play pretty much anywhere I obviously interior but yeah but right now it's just been those guards so I just think you can't stop off Jake you had the opportunity to watch those bowl games first and kind of get that experience on what it's like to be part of a championship roster what was kind of the biggest thing you took away from that whole couple of weeks experience yeah I would say definitely like watching all those bowl games and the national team Egypt just watching like how the guys carry themselves like how they like the preparation it's up to get ready for that just how they go about their days like what they're doing when they're out here practicing how they practice so just it was pretty much just like kind of just feeding off the moment with their doughnut kind of kind of got a glimpse to see like what it tastes to kind of get to a stage like that just kind of acting stuff. Jake thank you very much it's just trying to get me acclimated to both sides how have you changed physically from last year to this time? I mean in terms like numbers I've gotten a lot faster that's which here I mean my my strength is

5:12:59always been above average so I mean I mean that's always been great and then proven out here I think I think I've done pretty good improving in like my sets with you know zone full work yeah full time it's time to set up you know what was your weight at this time last year for the pair of the ball I've actually been pretty consistent right now I'm sitting about 315 last year I was about 310 312 there was a period last spring where I got really sick so I dropped down to about 300 about you so yeah I'm sorry with that your tradition here that you test might be a little different from what I looked last year we're not told how much it looks yeah but I judging by your face it's more than I would have anticipated I just I've been for you going up every day against not just canyada and kj but now seeing CJ here sit our Valries from those guys off the edge what has that done for you I mean they might be our Val is one of the most athletic guys I think I've ever seen my entire life he probably runs like

5:14:014443 I've seen him do I don't know what is his approach shuttle is but it looks fast and like him just kind of bending that edge it's it's it's kind of it's not like scary but it's it's kind of scary you know is that something that you're getting better because yeah yeah 100% I think that's my my sets I think to acclimate to those kind of speed speed rusher type guys as it proved and then you know you got kj which is more of a you know prototypical edge guy instead of like a speed guy and so I mean it's just I'm getting a big mix of a lot of good different guys and I think it's helping me in the world you know you're good you're good you're good you're talking about how 3 or 4 and off it's about to just now tell you guys how much is that still a lot of stuff in your second experience I mean it's really good you know like coach Johnson like they're all they all know this different things about you like coach Johnson has talked to me about my hands coach diggies talked to me about my sick coach Johnson's talked to me about like my

5:15:04pad it's like when you like especially at one at once when it's just you going you've got four different guys see so many different things and then you just get all this information back to him and you can just tweak different things to try and get better so I mean to help out a lot of bunch of your like a copper level you've got to put some bright glasses like these what's your kind of couple of two spots I mean I feel I feel comfortable both I mean I don't really think I have like a perfect I'm just really trying to you know do whatever I can to go to the field it's not going to stay there's obviously spots open how are you approaching that competition that's all since no like I'm just trying to get better every single day I think that in terms of you know roster depth I think I'll save that for later you know right now spring's the time of development and I'm just trying to develop what are what areas are you working to develop right now really it's my hands I like to lean a lot in my sets you know that's get

5:16:05that gets me beat a lot I don't strike as fast as I should so I really work out my hands right in this awesome little clip big goals you have to see last year it's higher fuck high this offseason you want to see me to help him to lie in the office of some all and how much of you can see that throw it just came you on into 2045 I think I think I'm just saying you can you can look at him and you're like I I need the beat you know he's he's in he's an outspoken leader but I mean even when he's not you know leading poke you can just he's leading by his hands like he's just he looking in I feel like he boosts everyone thinking that I need to be to that stance I'm sorry what I'm just not motivated other guys I think it really especially I don't know I think they're getting interviewed down there but especially like you want good guys I mean he's not like a screaming like he'll like walk up like he just I mean I think he just like kind of elevates

5:17:12already um yes yes I was really from over camp yeah I think when his his freshman year I was doing that a whole lot more his freshman year I feel like every two seconds every time I turn around I'm trying to correct him and get him an alignment um but I mean man he's he's he's taking steps he's taking steps in the right direction um and I'm proud to see his growth yes freshman year too I know he didn't drop me nuts but do you drive him nuts? nope that's my guy yeah um I mean not particularly I feel like I trust that he's gonna do his job um I feel like he knows his reads that he's gonna go through his reads and he's gonna get the ball um to who he's supposed to get it to predicated on the play and the coverage that we're going against and um he's

5:18:13done you know he's done amazing things in the field this entire may even go back to spring he had a great summer and then um to see the kind of player that he's really growing into even this camp has been great and so I have to just trust him faith that he's gonna put the ball exactly where it needs to be all it's my job just to go finish the play did you go back and look to see how much like when when will Howard transfer to over did you go watch check him out again to say so much he did that in no I haven't it was been been sent it right yeah no I haven't really checked it out I know he was a great player I know he's somewhere in the NFL right now um but no I'm focused right here um building camaraderie with him uh right here and putting it up putting good things on tape you will first walk in do you think he was a new tight end transfer yeah he was big yeah I think he's lost like 20 pounds since he's been here that dude it's a big boy yeah what what what is his present so I think he's he does a great job man I think that's he's grown to be one of my great buddies subjurante he's grown to be one of my you know really really good buddies um I'd say one thing with him he doesn't really really good job of you know the ability to

5:19:13turn it off and turn it back on I think when we're off the field or having fun um you know he's one of my closest friends but then when we're on the field um he's locked in and he's he's ready to roll and he's able to take the lead of offense if you could tell just line thermon one thing and we'll get him on the field more often this year what would it be hmm I don't know where do I start let's see um just keep doing what you're doing you're doing good things man yeah what he's showing out about him I guess in this camp yeah I mean I kind of yeah no I know I like I kind of mentioned earlier I'd say you know like I mentioned God has given him you know so many great abilities I'd say ultimately the ball is in his court to take full advantage of that and ultimately bring the best out of himself I think that's one of our missions as a culture is to fight to be the best versions of our self so I think if he continues to do that I'm he's gonna be excited about where he's at everything I like the I like the mindset behind it um maybe not as much you know X's and O's is great but I love the the mindset that we have about our intentions running the ball we're not just running the ball um to be flashy but we want to we want to be downhill uh we want to

5:20:15have smash not play smash not football and uh just impose our will on teams that's kind of our mindset going into playing games um that's our mindset going into practice and ultimately we believe practicing that way is to how we're gonna do it on the field what's it like trying to do that against this defense oh they bring it the defense brings it every single day it's a it's a constant iron and sharpening iron um another matter who's in ones two's guys are good guys are flying around but playing fast to playing violent um but we're off and we're gonna bring it did uh did Chip Kelly I mean how did it become obvious to you that there was going to be a little bit of a new approach to the running game mindset whatever you want to call it was it a big meeting or is it just y'all got out there in practice and hey things are different you know what I mean do you think how did it show up I guess no I mean I wouldn't say there was any catastrophic event I think there's um there's a mindset shift like we we want to run the ball we want to be the most physical uh fast team in America um running the football is you know it's pretty universal wherever you go every team's in a run counter everyone's gonna run zone everyone's gonna have you know it

5:21:17is what it is it's the mindset going into it how efficient are we gonna do what we do and I feel like I'm very excited about you know the mindset that we have going in to running the ball that we want to be tough we want to be physical and we want to impose our wills on the team that we play you know well I don't know that I did not know that I'm not just asking about the head I had no idea that he did that that's hilarious he is fast for a big guy he is yeah he moves very well you're you're you're sitting here what blessed two weeks away from the start of what your last season right yeah do you feel like this is the year or main year where you contribute even more I mean just what's your mindset yeah I'd say my mindset is to ultimately be the best the absolute best teammate inversion myself that I could possibly be this year I think if I put in my due diligence of studying film um practicing hard um in laying everything out there um I ultimately I have faith in the Lord that he's gonna take care of everything else I don't I don't feel pressure of numbers

5:22:20or stats or things I need to put on tape I just know that my absolute best my greatest effort will be enough but whatever happens from there um it's working for my good yeah um I would say I've seen the Lord working a lot of ways on this team and just bringing guys closer and it's good to have that common ground with different guys on the team um when things may be rocky on the field or things may be rocky in the classroom or you know in the film room whatever it may be to have that common ground that we understand that the Lord um is working the things that we're going through for our good and that um that we can just continue to keep our eyes on him in the midst of rocky times when we're in the valleys all around the mountain top that we just keep our face from yep yep we're welcome Christmas

5:23:27you got your money throw it but have to go live