Press Conferences (Dre'Mont Jones) Elite Edition September 2

0:00know where are my sets right the coaches are emphasizing it and eventually he's gonna get going. Obviously you never want to have a teammate be treated away like Jerome but with Ernest Jones coming in he's highly touted there's a pretty good run defense kind of linebacker what does that do for your defensive room? Trigger my book I but it does it it does a I can't really speak on it because I don't really know Jones that well I don't know his game I've heard from others that I know that placement Rams I said he was good but 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 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 and your team when the NFC is kind of this wide open. It can be viewed as a positive or negative thing it depends on what what window you're looking through. What's that process like for you in terms of having to learn guys and their tendencies and communicate with new players that are coming in during the middle of the season?

1:01It's a big process it's definitely not easy to rework your roster in the middle of the season. They're going to do what they're going to do regardless and obviously I respect that I'm forward I believe in 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 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 quarterbacker of defense so it's just something you got to get just to all of us. Playing at a different weight this season has that been any sort of an adjustment for you? It has been. Just getting comfortable with my body again and figuring out you know my strengths and weaknesses and how to make sure 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. When this past rush is going well how much of it is guys playing off each other like I'm thinking of boys sack force from was you know to you collapse a pocket and then he's able to get it. Yeah, you all know yeah. I was saying last game was the probably the best game surprisingly of us all working together as good as we did.

2:02I think this past couple games prior before that game has been a lot of us just we just went in and just happened to be like that. I feel like this Atlantic game was a good game of us communicating the past games games whether it's a game or just going to straight worth a straight rush and just reading up each other and we got to get better at that. It's only been a couple games. Well so I've been seven games. We have a lot more football to play to get better and good relationship on that aspect. If you dropped in coverage as much as you thought you might have or. But on par I've dropped a good amount of time so far this year. I'm talking about doing it now so she put me on whoever now put me on George Kittle. No. Have you seen Derek Hall grow in the last from last season this year being around him? I mean he's the same type of player that it honestly only thing that's been different is mindset and it's applying to the field and he has to continue. You were a Oregon state game. I was. Jackson had a duck jersey on the week after. Did you have something that you had to do as well?

3:04I had to do something that was a little more personal but I didn't make that bit. But speaking of that I don't know why we didn't run the ball in the last extension of the game so talk to the boys down the Columbus and tell them to run the damn ball next time and just get trust the kicker. But it's a lot better. Did you get the penalty the intentional penalty late in the game? 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. I think it was intentional. It was intentional. It was a very genius move. I didn't I wouldn't expect that so that 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 18 was back there just too comfortable. But it's all good. He's going to learn. First game with Ray Robertson Harris. What were your impressions at him? It's like 6.8 is crazy. He's super super strong. I've been watching him.

4:04I've been seeing this game from afar from a while. I shouldn't have been watching it. I've been seeing I saw him in Chicago. I saw him in Jacksonville. You know, you just watched a lot of football and a lot of tapes. So eventually you just see guys and you pay attention to who they are. So you know, it's been a unique process. So just bring it them in and he's picked up a defense pretty well. Very powerful guy. Versus as well. And I think it's going to add a lot of a lot of good plays to our defense here. So Do you think the defensive lineman have arms that long? Sure. Can nobody touch your chest? You in the ball game. Like you don't want big strong lineman grabbing you and trying to rough out you. Because they're already bigger than us in the first place, especially me. They like 6.8, 3.30. And I'm wherever my way it is. So playing with extensions is very key for a D-Linda. I think you guys were feeling like that. Like a ball game. I'm good playing good basketball. They've got to be the same. I mean, it feels good to rip off those runs because I mean we put them so much work. It's just interesting. You know, seeing a product.

5:05You know that hard work. He's going to be the same. Tech Reserves since the offensive lineman wide is just prepared this week. The top and back in there. The younger hole first half really this season. It's not particularly Austin. It's just more of Donald Jackson preseason all-American, etc. I'm enjoying the group. You know, Donald Jackson is a very good football player. When he's on the field he makes his presence. We've all been training on that. There's no margin. There's no more. We're going to be the same. We know it can be. Yeah, there's a seat to be. There was a sense of watching you guys. No, or even more of a force. It felt like watching you guys. Maybe even if you feel like that. Yeah, I mean, we put in the work during practice. We practice really hard. Coach Day really challenged us to practice hard. Positions. Coach is really challenged us to practice hard. That was just a result of it. When it's rolling like that, what does it feel like being in the mix? It's a long way. It's us. When you work hard for something and you're able to see like.

6:09What comes out of it like that's there's no better feeling than that. I. It's about. No, I mean, I was really funny to see. Maybe. What is Seth been lawful? Brought to you guys for the first to get. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Take a what what has Seth been lawful? Brought to you guys for the first to games. What's it been like playing next end for the last two? He's. You know, he's really calm and stormy. You never see real panic and having a guy like that next to you. And you know, you're having really played as many meaningful snaps. I mean, there's no one outside rather absent my left and some are right. You know, for our handset. Those guys they do so much for this offensive line of. People talk about his intelligence really kind of showing up in the film room and on the field.

7:12Where have you noticed that intelligence and how has that helped you? Yeah, like I said, and crunch time, you know, when. When things aren't exactly looking like how we practice it, you know, having a guy like that. We'll do this, this, this and we execute having a guy like that like this. There's nothing better than that. Well, you can keep your company. You know, you can't go to the internet. You know, what you got? I'm there even in this room. I'm. What's my favorite cake? Well, right, brother. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I almost came back with a couple of times. I guess a more. Take a look at it Marshall. They got a couple guys. Big 10 Roddings. Absolutely. What do you see when you look at their tape and see.

8:1215, 7, a couple of those guys are pretty pretty big. Yeah, those guys there. They're real players. They're real players. You can tell their coach well. You can tell. They go hard, you know, they're real players over there. We've been practicing to the best of our abilities. You know, in the spec. And I'm prepared for that. We see they make for G. Tech last year. They're taking. Yeah, they play good ball over there. You know, their defense plays hard. They challenge teams, you know, sometimes they might be overlooked. They still challenge teams. You know, so they come out there with the mentality like, the players in front of us. So they want to go back and play with them. And then they have to go to the corner. Okay. Let me ask you. What has been the biggest challenge? I mean, the actions right there right in front of you right now which is kind of a good thing and kind of a bad thing. You should shake off the rest, you know, hitting back in it.

9:12Inside. You talked about the result. Yeah, I mean, I hear from Paris every once in a while trying not to bother him too much. But it's always it's always good to hear from guy like that guys like the one even Matt Jones returning back. All right, Tiger. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you. This is really experienced. It's tough. I have your head between your legs for about 25 seconds but it passed out. That's a little tough. But no, it was awesome. And then playing at Wisconsin is pretty cool. My dad got me this big like 10 pound bag of cheese. We put in the locker and we're really stringing it on the bus and stuff like that. So it's like besides the calls on the line like being able to develop as a player. Obviously not going in there super wide. I know because I've played in those games. I've played it team of North. I played it. I guess here against Penn State. I played at Wisconsin. Sorry to play that in the other game, which is electric. So being able to develop that skill of being calm and kind of storm has been really developmental for me.

10:15Especially this next year you're playing in Eugene in Penn State and all those big places like that. It'll be really helpful. You seem like you've been somewhere. Yeah, and like being as young as I was is very hard to kind of understand because looking at a guy like Luke Bupler, you know, a Jersey guy, a big tough rug. You know, I want to be like that, but I'm not, I'm not that yet. And I think trying to be that kind of like bigger than I was at the time. Looking back on it wasn't really kind of the best for me. Like obviously playing was super awesome. It's just for me, it was more of a developmental year and looking into that as I'm going to grow a lot from this and looking back on that. There's some mistakes. I'm like, there was no way I'd make that right now. I was no reason why I would do that, but I just needed that to develop and do what I have today. So I'm super grateful for it.

11:16You know, I've been on a really well-known place. I was asking you to get a double-three now as a potential pressure to get out of the seat. Yeah. In my mind, I felt prepared. Looking back now, you're like, wow, that kid really knows anything. But I think just the confidence I had, not only in myself, but the guys around me, like Donnie and Matt, and leaning on their years of expertise and how much they've gone through has really helped. Because there would be sometimes, I'd be looking at them, I don't really understand this, and there would be Donnie or Josh Fry. I would help me, like, no, this is what we're looking at. I'm like, okay, that makes a lot more sense now, to help me become kind of the point of the line and stuff like that to make those kind of calls that we needed. Push fry always shows you the best 5-up play. That's regardless of the position, and I don't really have any, like, here or there when it comes to what position. If I can play, I'll be more than happy, whatever I'm at.

12:18But, you know, the best 5-up play. And I think they've done a really good job. Facilitating and rolling as a different position and stuff like that. So, I'm not really sure what they have in store for us, but we'll see it, it was a spring and they're going into the summer because all that can change as well. Currently I've been all centered. You mentioned that you're under size, what's your weight at now? I'm weighting today at 298. So, I'd like to bump that up to 300, like 303 if I could. Like a real 303, not drinking gator, it's trying to do up to 303. But, that probably the end goal to really get my legs into that leverage. Come here guys, like, you know. What has been like a bolting up as since you've gotten here where you are now? You can ask here, he's my roommate. He's been force feeding me kitchen social. But, I'm just doing that, drinking and weight protein, she's getting in touch with Taylor, the artistry, she has her and Zoe are super awesome.

13:23They've developed a good plan for us to get up to that weight because, you know, if you can play heavier and more your legs like why won't you leave money at the table? And I think, for me last year I was like, I really struggled with that kind of discipline of keeping my weight up and playing way, way lighter than I should have been. Like, two of these weight, too crazy. And I think that this year, like, developing with coach making stuff like that, it's like real weight. It's not like, kind of fake water, we water we weight, it's like real like, I can play my legs now a lot more. So you were probably getting too 80 at times last year? I was really low, I was like at the beginning of here, but I got it back up obviously really fast. I was like, actually what makes you a child? I think so, I think that's what I'm doing. I don't know if it was that because I had all that, like, help on the line with me. I wouldn't say it was a child by fire, but it was definitely a big learning experience, especially for a young guy who wouldn't do it not playing a single snap. I remember I was so nervous before the Indiana game, I'm like literally shaking him like tearing up himself, and I'm like, oh my, I just feel real.

14:30Going into it, you think like, I'll put all this work I should be there, and then you go back and you watch it take this year, I'm like, what am I doing? So I think it's such a good developmental year for me that I'm super, so grateful for that experience and then going into this year trying to learn off that and learn off what we learned this spring into the summer. I think it's gonna be really good year. Most of just playing in my height and playing in my leverage, I would always have a problem with like really tight ankles and playing like tall in my toes. And whenever I got high hips and like, I'll play guys when I get snagged and tossed. And then just like more recognition of what's going on and having the game slow down with you, because the more you grow, you kind of feel like the game. I'm just a little slow down because you guys are going to get faster every year, but it starts to slow down a little bit for you. So like, you just kind of see last year and you kind of like, jeeter and kind of figure out what I'm doing.

15:31And then that's where I end up in those bad situations. But this year it's more like film study and more study with the coaches and stuff like that. I can find myself in better positions of power and making the right blocks. This is not 100% knowing exactly what you're doing. And that's not a coaching problem. That's not obviously it's a me problem. But it just comes with reps and it comes with experience when you haven't had that before. Do you do some kind of a rough word for it, but it's just kind of like, you know, your indecisive as a better word when you know, when you know you're 100% ready to make this block, you play so much faster. And this year, what I've been able to do that, I played obviously, I'm still on the 20th. I think the same as state twice, I think he learns from every experience when he's out there. We have really good conversations in between drives when hey, this happened. You know, if it comes back and that look comes up again, he doesn't do what he did the play before he moves on to it.

16:32So I think he's done a good job protecting the football. You know, we don't we never want to turn it over, but he's been really good from that standpoint so far in the first four games. So his, his completion percentage has gone up in every game. So excited about where he is there. You know, if we continue to complete the ball at a high 60, 70% rate, then I think we'll be really successful in the fish and in the past game. He's used his legs a little bit, you know, I think that's one aspect that I think he's he's good at it, but it just depends on how defense defend, the art defending us is if he has to do that. I think that's what we're talking about. Well, there were still some things that we really wanted to get you that we're excited about. The opportunity was that some other roles ask about game plan specific stuff. When you look big picture of your offense and the playbook, how much do you have we seen? How much more is there at your disposal as the skills forward? There's always more at the disposal, but I think it's what is applicable in the game that you're playing. I think you have a course of X amount of plays over a season, but then that's cut down for what you're doing that week because you can't practice all those plays during the week.

17:40And then even the plays that you practice during the week, you don't get called in a game because that specific situation may have not come up in that game. So as you go through it, sometimes you find yourself in the red zone more than you thought you were going to be in the red zone. Other times you find yourself, you were never in the red zone. You can go two or three weeks, read on the ball inside the five yard line, but you've got some really good goal line plays, but you never get a chance to call those goal line plays because you scored from 20 yards out as opposed to punching it across the goal. And so each week is different. I think we always over prepare probably more than often than not and say, hey, we got some really good stuff in these situations. But if that situation only comes up once, you only get the call one play. You had five that you thought were pretty good, but you only came up once. So those are the four, you know, you kind of put them in the Tupperware and tuck them away and then try to bring them back out again next week. But we spend a lot of time with how many reps do we have at this particular player, this particular scheme. And then maybe two weeks from now, you're playing somebody that's similar to who you had three weeks earlier and say, hey, let's take some of those things out of the Tupperware that we practiced that week and really didn't get a chance to run.

18:43You get one for four times or four times. I did all over the last one and right out about one of the aggressive and limited game in this five footworked in the situations where you're the Boston four times or just hitting work. Yeah, there's an analytic aspect to it, but I don't think it's always analytics. I think you also have to get the flow of the game and kind of how that's going. So it's a combination of both. What are the percentages if you go for in terms of success rate, but also you have to factor in what's what is that due to our team? If we don't get it, you know, I think everybody is always, hey, we're all in. We're all in. Well, you're playing poker and you're all in and you only have a pair of twos. You know, they may have a better hand in you and that's where the situation is. You know, it's easy to sit there and say, fourth down, you should go for it all the time. Well, that's not necessarily the case, but I also think you always have to think about what how is your defense playing at the time? And we're willing to put our defense on the field right now if we don't get the first down.

19:43So that's part of it. And then we have certain packages based on down a distance that if we get to a fourth and fourth and have a situation, then we're going to dial these plays up. So I think our players are really comfortable because we're calling something that they practiced and run a lot. I heard you were talking about a little however dead somewhere, but there's always a room for development. What would you like to see me develop? I played every pass. I mean, that would be one chair golf did last night, right? I think he went 18 for 18. So, and then I'm on my same brown one, one for one. So they were they were 19 for 19 as a team. So. What about you? Do you think you lost our receivers? I mean, from the other training diaries, how about his progression looking guys on? I think Will's doing a good job. I think there's always a growth with all of that. You know, sometimes it may be a newer route that had gone in and he doesn't have as many reps in the bank as he does with some of the other things that we've run since they won of spring.

20:43You know, I think, but I think that every quarterback can improve, every coach can improve, every player can improve. I think it's this this is a growth game, you know, and how you develop. And I hope in game eight, we're not playing like we played in game four. You know, I think it's as you continue to go on and start to add different elements, different things that are happening, different opponents that that's always part of it. But the growth is how do you develop over the course of the season? So, I'm pleased with where Will is right now, but that doesn't mean that he's arrived. I don't think you ever arrived in this game. I think every day you got to try to be just a little bit better than you were the day before. And that's that's what I love about Will though. That's kind of his mindset is how do I get a little bit better and how do I how do I improve and how do I help this team one? I think there's your question. Is field vision something you can coach and teach and develop? Or is it there or it's not? No. Is the game strong had it? You know, how all guys have it for that level? Yeah, I don't think all guys have it, but I do think it can be developed. You know, I think for everybody, you know, it's no different than the first time you move into a city.

21:43You're going to have to take a map out and try to figure out your GPS. Like how do I get from point A to point B? And then after a while, why was I going this way? If I could have gone around, it would have been there a lot quicker here. So it's just part of the process that you go through when you're new and it's trying to figure your way around and you need a map to look at. But after a while, you kind of figure it really later and then you're a lot more comfortable in your environment. And the more comfortable Will gets in our office, I think the more successful we're going to have. Obviously, game plans dictate something where not where the balls can go. You guys have as many weapons as you do. Do you find yourself as you build the game? This guy maybe hasn't had as many touches. Can you even do that in this office where you're trying to get guys more involved? I mean, I think at times theoretically you can do that, but you also have to factor in what is the defense's decision on how they defend it. They decided to defend you. You know, we're not, when people can say we're not going to let you run the ball, well then we have to throw the ball.

22:45So, okay, you know, we're equal opportunities. It doesn't matter if you run the ball across the line, across the goal line or throw the ball across the goal line. It still counts to six points. So, you know, we're not caught up in it has to be totally balanced and 50, 50 run pass or whatever it is. It really is indicative of what they're doing. And if we can kind of figure out what they're doing and get a really good beat of what they're trying to take away, then you are, you know, there's sometimes you plan things going into a game and saying, hey, if I was defending us, this is how I would do it. And then you get into a game and they're like, they're not doing that. All right. Well, then we need to take advantage of that, you know what I mean? So, we talk about it and we want to be balanced. And I think we're pretty good at distributing the ball through. There are some games where the tight ends may catch the ball more than the running backs catch the ball. That's just the nature of how the game kind of expressed itself, you know, but there are, we have specific plays where we think we're trying to get the ball to him, but we're never going to force it. You know, if they're going to double cover a guy, then then they double cover the guy. If they've double covered him, then someone's single. And that's the beauty of having as many weapons as we have is if you're going to double one guy, then that means somebody else is you can't double them all.

23:49Yeah, it's a penalty because I get to meet you guys on the field. So, but it when you have as many weapons as we have, I think that's that's always a bonus and that's always a benefit. Well, here at our team, that four games of the opposition, the four team, they're up in the box, kind of, fishing with Brian, how is that gone for you and how do you get settled in there? It's been smooth. You know, I think we're our guys have an understanding, you know, in terms of because we spent so much time together during the weeks of, you know, how it's going to flow. And I don't think there's anything that has gone on in a game that's been a surprise. Like, hey, what was that? And why do we do that? You know, there's a constant dialogue going on. But when we're in a third and short situation, we only have four or five options on third and short. You're not making plays up at the time. They're what you practice, what you've gone over, you know, because you want, you're going to call something that your players have a lot of confidence and running because they, their confidence is based on their demonstrated ability of doing in our training sessions.

24:50I think it's been smooth. You know, we've, we haven't really faced any a ton of adversity on the offensive side of the wall. So I think that's really when, you know, it's, it'll show. But I'm confident that our communication systems and our protocols that we use right now are solid. So I missed the first part. Was there anything you'd like to better be an offensive coordinator? May surprise you as opposed to being a head coach. You can go to the bathroom between series if you have to. It's always kind of tough coach coop and tell you that on the sideline. It's really difficult to say, hey, I'm going to leave you know what I mean. But there's there's a bathroom upstairs by the booth. So if need be. Obviously you have a lot of players that are big less like those fantastic men. Is there a home worry or a risk sometimes you're getting too far over the skis being aggressive knowing that you have almost like get out of your three cards.

25:56You know, three cards are generally spent out there that you can just throw them to or you know, Ryan is talking about trying to outskim and get the guy like the partner. You know, you enjoy that that challenge that is sometimes hard to dial back when you have the ice that are that. Yeah, because it's not. We're not trying out scheme anybody. We're trying to put our players in positions where they can make plays. I mean, anybody can draw a play up and say you should do this. You should do that. Then my question is, well, how many reps do you have that running it? You know, and and do we feel really good because we've seen the four or five different ways they can defend that. So we're not trying to and you're not going to outskim fill Parker. You know, that's just I think maybe people think a little bit too much into that part is that these people ready to get that people's number. This this game has always been about the players and always will be about the players. So, you know, who can who can really show up in those matchups. And that's what this game's about. You know, there this is as good a defense as we talked about as we faced, but there's going to be a lot of one on one battles.

26:59You know, we have to win against their their interior defensive lineman are outstanding. So that match up with our center in guard against the two inferior defensive lineman in the all American linebacker or our huge matchup. And that comes down to just fundamental football. Do we block better than they get off of blocks? You know, can we give the quarterback enough time for our receivers to run the proper depth of the routes to get the ball from is the quarterback throwing the ball on time where's he holding the ball too long? You know, it's it's all of that. But we don't sit in there and dream up because you have a Jeremiah or you have a Mac or you have a Q or a tray that we should do this this and this. I think we're always trying to action with their strengths and play to it, but you have to look at all 11 when you're making those decisions because hey, let's just go with the hand. Well, then how long are we going to protect for? You know, Jeremiah is going to run a 60 yard route, you know, I learned a long time ago every inch on a piece of paper is a second of protection. So can we protect for that long? Can we hold up and now what are we going to do for that? We're going to keep eight guys in protection. You know, I think there's a lot that goes into it, but I think the ability to have weapons at all spots makes the defense have to defend all those spots.

28:06So we're not trying to specifically go to one or another. I think we're just trying to see how they deploy versus these formations and what their tendencies are and then what are our best chances and then we got to go play and then we got to go execute because the scheming's done once the ball snap, you know, it's it's do our guys hold up long and protection and do our receivers get the right depths. And as a quarterback to live in the bulk on time to a location where the defender can't get his hands on. Just follow up on that. So, does it when you go against a parker? Does it feel like a chest match for the pieces can move independently type thing? And then what is the tell that you've gotten into a defense of coordinators head for one of another term as a game goes on? There it is a chest match for the pieces of moving. So what happened on play one may not be the same thing happened on play five. You know, it could be different because you could make a different call.

29:08And I don't think any coordinator neither side of the ball everything's about am I getting in this person's head. You know, we're really microscopic in terms of our vision on what's the next play and what's the situation. It's second and ninth on the left hash. You know, what are calls on second and nine on the left hash on the plus 30 or one that's really where you are. You don't you're not thinking about it. My any is had not in his head. If you're thinking that then he's in your head. And I don't have enough space for anybody else in my head. So I'm just going to concentrate on what's next down. It's the honest me. I think it's easy to see when you listen to our guys speak like those three that you just mentioned, but you could listen to tray or G or Donovan Jackson. I can go through the list of guys and you just become so impressed so fast. And I think Ohio State brings out the best in all of us.

30:10We all have to step up our game everybody because the expectations are so high. And so I just think it makes us better across the board. But I think to answer your question specifically, you know, we haven't reached our team goals yet. We have one more game to go. But to see these guys overcome adversity and have success is really what we want to see as coaches. And so I'm proud of who these people are. I love these guys. I love this team. And that's why you know, I just you know, our focus has got to be on winning this game so these guys can tell that story and be able to cement themselves in Ohio State history. Which I know means the world to these guys. Now, now real healthy. It was just a, I don't know, I guess a blood vessel or something that looks a lot worse than it is. He's doing great.

31:10Guys are healthy. We had a great week of practice and you know, for game 16, we're doing good. Now, no, no. And I think it's a great lesson for our young players to see somebody who came back to be the best guard in the country and had to transition, attack them midway through the season. But then take that on, never make an excuse, never complain and just own it. And then the leadership that he's shown has been tremendous. We had a lot of conversation around this time last year actually was before this. It was, yeah, I mean, it was probably the first or second week of January. And he was on defense. He had an opportunity to go play on the NFL and would have been drafted significantly high. And I think there was a point where he actually said he was going to go to the NFL and then had to change your heart. And I think that everything to do with the brotherhood, everything to do with his teammates and having unfinished business.

32:24I think when you go into games like this, there's a lot of ways to look at it. There's a lot of stats we can look at. The truth is we played these guys three years in a row. Well, this will be our third time in three years. So our guys know who these, who these guys are and have a lot of respect for them and are excited to play in the game. So this game has nothing to do with the past and what's gone on. It's all about what's going to happen in this game and that's that's a will focus on. Hi, how are you? I think when you go to a game like this, one of the most important thing is to avoid distractions. So I'm letting my wife handle that right now, which is a lot, but the number one thing for us right now is focusing on this game.

33:28And so I said that to our team that we have to avoid all distractions right now. We have a lot of family, a lot of friends, a lot of people who certainly want to come to the game. And obviously those things need to get taken care of, but ultimately we have to do our job. They're all there to see us. And that's what we're going to focus on. So no, it's an opportunity obviously to be on stage and finish our mission, but we have to make sure we avoid all distractions. It just makes me realize I've grown up a lot since then. Again, I feel like our guys are men. We have 145 guys on a team right now, which is when you hear it, it just blows you away.

34:37You have that many guys and everybody's job on the team. And that includes coaches and staff is not to be a distraction to the other player as they prepare, but also just in general, avoiding distractions for yourself in terms of your focus. And so when you know the question right there about tickets and all the different things or some of the stuff that you know the stories that are written, you know, talking about, you know, previous years or previous games or things that make that has nothing to do with what's going on in this game and just being focused on this game and how we execute. And that's been a message without overdoing it, but our guys understand what the message is and I believe they're locked in. Yeah.

35:43Well, I know that we need everybody. So, you know, former players, you know, people who are going to be at the game and having a great presence in Mercedes-Benz stadium and being allowed. Yeah, we'll need them. So we're playing for them. You know, people who are back home in their living rooms, whether it's back in Ohio or another country or across the country, you know, just said in great energy. Yeah, guys feel all that. So, you know, we're playing for everybody. It was pulling to be a buck. I were playing for Buck, I nation for sure. We're also playing, you know, for each other and for this team and that's it. I'm not going to get too far into that right now, but that's it. Yeah. Yeah, he's like family. He is, you know, being the first really commit and guy who recruited the other guys, especially on defense, but also on offense.

36:54He was a leader from the jump and being a buck, I meant even more to him growing up in Columbus and Pickering, Tino, Ohio, his family of just great people. This is a guy who overcame some things. He just didn't come in and his freshman year and dominate, leaving three years and going to the NFL to be a first round draft pick. This is a guy who, again, I say it all the time, you know, wears a hard hat to work every day, brings his lunch, pale to work and has the respect of his teammates and you're seeing his play to his talking this year. So, I know who he wants to play at his best, this, this game, being a captain, you know, again, you know, in August having his teammates vote him in was a big deal for him. It was an emotional moment. And, and, you know, winning some of these games has really built him more and more confidence in knowing that this is what he wants. You know, he wants to win a national championship more than anything. And that I think represents our entire team.

38:11No, I just think that this year with the 12 team playoff, it's just been a little bit different and there's a lot, everyone has their own story and there's a lot of great teams out there and, you know, a lot of things come into play when you make a run like this injuries and just different things. So, you know, we'll look at it at the end of the year and figure out, you know, the adjustments that need to be made, I think internally. But I also think that, you know, we all need to look at, you know, how this is playing and what this means, you know, playing 16 games. I think it's a great learning opportunity to see what that, what that's going to look like moving forward. But I know it's been exciting for college football and for their fans. Yeah, I think they do a great job on offense. Coach Dembrox done a great job wherever he's been. Riley Leonard's an excellent leader. Jeremiah Love is one of the most talented backs we've gone against and they have a very good offense align.

39:12The heavens is really good at tight end and multiple tight ends receivers are weapons. So, you know, they're going to challenge us in a lot of different areas and so we have to play big 10 football. And that's what it's going to look like and every play matters when you play in a game like this and certainly against this team, it'll be the same way. Yeah, I think we built, we say this in all the time is that, you know, when you have momentum, you got to keep it. When you don't, you got to go get it. And, you know, we didn't have momentum at the end of the season. We had to create our own momentum. And then we started to build some momentum and now we have to keep it. But I think the ability for our guys to sustain throughout the season has been significant here.

40:12And now it's going to be the best. It's got to ramp up. And again, the goal is to play our best game and to finish the mission. But we talked early in the season about building a foundation for down the road and just like anything else, you build a foundation of a building when storms come. It has to withstand those storms. But now we've got to finish. We've got to finish what we started. And that's it. I think again, there'll be time to reflect on some of those things after the game right now. We're just going to continue to look at Monday night and play in our best game. You know, it's been enjoyable to be able to start it off with the home game against Tennessee and then one of the roads to the Rose Bowl to LA. That was an experience. And then, you know, so went through that and then went down to Texas and played Texas in Texas, which was very much like a road game.

41:14And so now we're into Atlanta. And we have a lot of guys on our team from the Atlanta area from the southeast. For a lot of these guys, it's like coming home. So that's exciting. But it's allowed, you know, our families and team to kind of be on a road together for the last, you know, month. But we just like, I kind of say like we're like train rats. We just come to work and figure out what the next mission is and get back to work that way. You know, that's really what it is. And every once in a while, you've got to come up for air and realize that, you know, it has been a great run. And but now we got to finish it. And so, you know, every once in a while, you take a step back, but then you get refocused on what matters. And but to your point, it's it's about everybody, you know, and certainly it all starts with the players and what they do. And I think the, you know, our energy has continued to grow. I think, you know, we talk about like the mental fatigue. I just don't see that with our guys. I think there's, it's only increased the energies increased. The focus is increased. I think our team is fresh right now. You know, I think, you know, if you had to, we could continue to play for a few more weeks.

42:15But, but that just shows you the experience, the maturity, the depth that we have. And I think that's all important. But, but we're not going to play anymore. We got one more left. And it's going to be our best. See that again. Yeah, yeah, we have. We have. And, you know, excellent football players with, you know, just great focus on family. And, you know, just, and you can see how important relationships matter. And, you know, when you have an opportunity to recruit families and get into their homes, you got to feel for what that's like at home. And, and you can certainly see how, you know, in the Haitian community, family matters, relationships matter.

43:17So that when you bring somebody into your family and the football family, you know, they grab onto the culture. And, and it's been a huge asset to our team. And, you know, I think that's the reason why I'm here. I'm here. I'm here. Say it one more time. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I got you. Yeah, we're kind of, I guess that that transition has been happening the last few years, but you can see obviously this year. It's really accelerated. And the thing that's hit me is that, you know, we're, we're in the middle to late January. We're still playing. Some teams are, you know, starting spring ball on another week or so, you know, and so it's just very, very different.

44:19I think it's all things that we have to learn from when we assess what's going on, but it's been hard to take a step back and look at anything because, you know, you know, you'll have a short period of time to get back and win the next game. And, like every single ounce of your energy has to be to go win the next game. And then you wake up and you realize you're on to the next one. And so, we're not there right now, but I know after the season, you got to wake up. What just happened? Well, and then we'll try to assess it the best we can and make it better. I know there's a lot of things that we can do to make this all better. And I know institutionally we'll continue to make those adjustments, like you said, and do things the way we've done before, but also adjust. But also, you know, I think in college football, we need to look and see how we can make this even better as it's gone on because every year it has gotten better. And I think it's great right now, but man, when you think about the potential and what it can be for the players and these teams, it's pretty extraordinary. Oh, yeah, that's it. That's it. I think our strength coach, Mick Morati really, you know, symbol by fall.

45:26Everything 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 individual must improve. So the collective can improve. And so building 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 they're all attacking it that way. I think Brandon's one of them, but he's one of of 50. And I think that it's our job to provide opportunities to grow, to separate themselves, to see peer-to-peer evals, to allow these guys to check, you know, a chase a role.

46:40And at least through winter, they've gotten that started to continue that 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 and get into us. He's made into winter, continue who he is, continue to build his base, build his leadership. And then now he's got to get that into spring. So all the great things you do prior doesn't mean anything, if you don't have to go out there and do it in spring. So 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, you everybody brings their own experience. Ryan was quarterback, you were a receiver, and then to become a play parlor, obviously you have an understanding of the whole offense.

47:40But what was the process like for you up protections and the run game and quarterback play and just continuing 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 specialty here. You still have an expertise in one area. It is seen 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. So, 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 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.

48:41So, 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 to build from now to game one and enough build through the season. So, the opportunity to grow is literally daily. So, I just try to make sure I'm finding those opportunities. 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 be ready that we're ready to not skip a beat. So, information wise, communication wise, he's got to be locked in on that and just time to assume that, you know, Coach Hard's got it. He never really has. I expect him to continue to do that. And, you know, 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 handed that to the other person?

49:46Should think away from being a quarterback's coach or like get to have somebody to trust the hell on there, take you maybe to develop that trust and that relationship with them and to where like, you know that, hey, if I pulled away for a second, like, Devon's got this. I don't have to worry about like, what my room is. 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 at 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? Is that the question you've got to emphasize? Nothing's going to change in terms of your, I never, there's no, nothing's going to change in my involvement in receiver room. Ryan, for my land to be going through a full spring, full off scene for the first time, what do you look at everything? It's areas he can throw to push for playing time this year. Yeah, I mean, my land is doing a great job. He's growing on exponential rates and stronger. He's getting bigger. He's got weight added. You know, I would tell you like, you know, I always explain to him like, you don't realize how much you've missed when you come in June versus the mid year.

50:52Like, it's massively different. Not saying you can't overcome 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, I know Chris had opportunity late, a lot of a, 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 winter workout, his growth, his everything he's done. He's like, hey, coach, I know what you're talking about now. And when he missed that, that section of winter workout. So that being said, it makes you laugh, but he's doing a great job. I've I have expectations for him through through spring. And I don't see that changing. The audience of staff, the office staff this year is younger than it's been past years. They can make up for that. You don't have somebody to say. What's the average average like 30 is the average age? Is that including support staff? No, it's just the primary. What's it? What's it been in the past? A couple minutes. Do more minutes. No kidding.

51:55We'll know. Yeah. Kevin Wilson. Dan Lanings, the head coach at Oregon, I was his average. I'm asking. I don't I'm 38. Kenny Dylan. I'm 30. So 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. You probably see a little bit that happening in the NFL as well. I really give him zero thought for that. I don't want to just ran along that. Yeah, I just didn't know if it was the thought of the main. No thought to it. What's the next step for him? Because we've heard a mechat talk to him and like in Mr. consistency catching a lot of things. He's like, he seems to generate a limited buzz, but has limited role. Like now he's got an opportunity. What's the next step for him to get that opportunity? Take the next step and be a be everything he's capable of being right. I mean, I think the guys that. You know, we're out there are. No, very consistent in all job phases. You know, like again, I think he wants to be a full rounded receiver.

52:56You know that. I think he loves playing in the slot. The great job there. I asked him to come out to the outside a little bit. Did a good job out there. I think it's natural positions and 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 drafts and trying to explain sometimes these guys like. You come to Ohio State to compete with the best. It'd be alongside the best. It's always pure to peer evals. 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. 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 got to beat your peer to play more and do more and all that stuff. So, you know, I think that you got continue to build worries at and the guys that 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 start of Ohio State. It's a good chance. You're probably NFL caliber receiver. I mean, again, just go on to the numbers.

53:58So you're chasing that can'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. How much in your estimation is that a gift? 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. There's more than one way to do things. So being, being aware of that, I've noticed that.

55:01What's your impression of the three freshmen and how they maybe transition to your life? 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. If all improved, I would say that. Whether I mold the right fit, they belong in the room. And now they have to just improve. Now they're competing both, you know, first individually between each other. And then, you know, as we get into spring, they'll start competing against each other. What the rest of the guys want to mean by that. So, but as a group, the freshman group, very impressed in the rough to the right start. Coach Arland, thank you. We get on the roll and that began the game. Defenses more sound and those guys are more stiff as this far as giving up yards. And as the game goes, it's like, okay, guys are starting to up. Just keep running. But you kind of see it, especially right now. What do you see from Indiana's defensive front? That's the strength of their team. Yeah, undefeated team right now. I think more so sound and, you know, those guys are super disciplined.

56:01They like, they want to give up any yards. So that's our job to go out there and make a good move. We talked to Trey last week about just kind of how fresh he felt about you, obviously. Have you worked on the last couple of years? Yeah, man. I think right now, you know, I felt the best ever. Like, especially mentally and physically, we felt great. And just having a great group of guys around me to go out there and try to go win it all. So, you know, having Trey around as well, he's been such a asset to this team. And, you know, just supporting each other throughout this whole year and just trying to go win it all. Which I'm going to expect the offensive line to pick up where it left off. Obviously losing Seth is a huge blow and so what have you noticed like today from the Espreda Cobra that group? Yeah, I don't know if there's anything out of the ordinary, you know, whoever steps in, those guys are going to go in execute. So I don't have any doubts of anybody on the offensive line. I know there's a guy, you know, they're going in execute and play their best. Thank you. I just wanted to ask you a question, as far away as I got there. So I just got to give you the best thing for me to go win. So what was it about a high state staff that may be correlated between what you were going into with Alabama that you felt you could transition over here?

57:05I feel like there was a really good quarterback development here. Coach Day, Craig quarterback Westport, you know, the quarterbacks they've had just the past five years shown the kind of great numbers. And I've just really done things the right way and I've wanted to come this offense because by hand, Coach McCurchkelli, you know, make adjustments to Ryan. So what's that? I had pretty much contact with them. They weren't really, I didn't know that stuff. Doing one of the things that Coach Day says, you don't like to have your hand held in kind of process. Now you've played up a lot of time in football. What is it about you to try and want that work, Coach? I would say, you know, in high school, I had a coach that, you know, he was giving me a lot of responsibility. And I heard, you know, kind of a lot of responsibility on me, making it all on me. And so I just, you know, I want to be the best player that he can be. And take the need to feel a few things the right way and just do things on him. I love Washington, Joe Barrow, he makes adjustments to Ryan. He's a really good decision maker.

58:10I like Justin Herbert, and I try to understand what Washington is going to play. And some of those bad things that I would just, you know, be the decision maker to make things work. Coach, I would probably say, okay, I would say I would say I would say I would load it more fly, but I'm working on the back of the side, you know, Coach Day is trying to get me to be more, but once I'm a leader out there with the guys, I think I'm going to have a good time here. Try to be a leader for me. Definitely, it's definitely quite a confidence. Definitely a confidence in your ability to play. I know a lot about the club. I actually, I think I've only been here once in a few months now, and I love that. I really good food, good places to be, hang out with friends a lot of the time. I think I've visited maybe freshman or sophomore year. Yeah, just for the camp, or visit, just to see the city of these times. I know it was only a few days, but being in that Alabama program, especially as big prepared for the ball plan front,

59:12what did you take away from that short period of time? Yeah, it was really good with the coach of recent, their players hard, and I saw the work that takes to get to the playoffs and then coming here, just seeing the order guys put in the work and throughout the winter, and seeing our order guys and all the leaders put in the work and showing the happenings. How much of a relationship did you have with air, obviously, coming in if you had been committed, you come in, you both freshmen, what was it like before and what's your relationship exactly like now? We didn't have much relationship prior, we measured it in 11, I knew each other a little bit, and then come in here, you know, quarterback room, everyone here is really close, so we're all pushing each other, be better. We're all taking push points from each other, trying to get better. I think coach is the right person to try to make sure you're quite surprised, expecting a lot of pressure. I would say we are caught by surprise, you know, come back from the game, and there's a little bit of high experience because of the team champion, I don't know, it's kind of how I feel about it.

1:00:13How did you feel when it happened? Did you experience the play for the first time you were just playing with the ball back? There was definitely a lot of emotions, but I'm not going to be on the help of this game and I'm going to make the right decision, I'm going to end up here and I'm going to do more. I'm not thinking that it's not going to happen. I have the true question of what you think is not very important. I can't really explain how that happened. I'm just really trying to develop and take push, push, push today, and I've been a great cornerbacker in the sport, and then take push, push, push, and I just want to develop and run the offense when they want it, and take their coaching points and then try to put it on my hand. If you look at your score, say 40-40, and I'll just find it out. But what about your game, what do you think is the best possible? I think that I can be a really good decision maker for the offense and some of you would be absolutely nervous and just.

1:01:13It's the last game. The game called you. It's really great. Is that natural change? It's kind of a lot of things. I was always around football. My bow is a quarterback at Penn. He was a quarterback at Penn. I was a high schooler and I was a footballer at Penn. I was a footballer at Penn. So I've always been around football and then I've just been a high level officer at high school and just really just had a lot of time. Who's your favorite title? Packard. What are you saying? I'm a high schooler. I'm a high schooler. I just keep it like this. And he's certainly making a case to get on the field this fall. So I think it's been a really good spring for CJ. Whenever you have a good day, you've got to follow it up by another good day. You know, and kind of stack days.

1:02:13And I think that's what a pro does. You know what I mean? Like there's always, you want to be a pro. You've got to keep stacking and that's the expectation. And I think, you know, he's had some really good days and then he's had some days where you're like, you're trying to push him a little bit. But I think, I think CJ, where he is now compared to where he was last fall, he's a lot better football player. We've heard a lot of good things about a lot of conditions here. We're going down to game hours. Are you envisioning right now that you want this to be a good guy? You're a sick person operation. Yeah, well, I mean, think Coach Daze talked about it a lot, right? It's going to be a long season. And so I think we need to have, I've always been on the opinion. If you have two guys, you have two guys when you ride with them, right? If you have six, you have six, and that's a blessing. So I'd say right now we're probably at five. That I would feel confident rotating out there on the field. And look, I'm old school, right? So I come from the era. I used to yell at Luke Pickle with who'd take me out. Oh, I get so mad. I get so maybe 42, whatever against young sound state. I'd be so upset coming out of the game.

1:03:15But seeing how violent this game is from this perspective, now you have to say, hey, okay, not only within games, can we keep guys fresh, right? But can we do that so that when you get to the last few games in the season, that act that are the big ones, right? The ones that you're judged off of, when you get to the game, are we healthier? I think that's kind of a both-of-a-full fan, right? So I feel confident with five guys, and that's going to be a week to week. You know what I mean? Like these guys know, I think honestly, who start to be a week to week? If you display during the week of practice that you're locked in, and somebody else has a bad mental week, well, I can't reward you with starting if you have six mental errors during the week. You know what I mean? Just because you started last week. So I think it's got to be that iron sharpens, iron constant complications through the whole fall. That's something I think, when I was going to be doing a player kind of a G, as he just alluded to, but is that part of which one has to drive you then? Was it driving you then? You just assumed that was kind of the case when you played anyway. I always felt when I was here that they were trying to out-refute me,

1:04:17which is the reality, right? Yeah. Which is why it prepares you so well for the National Football League. That's why Ohio State prepares you so well for the League, because now it's like they're trying to out-draft you. And so, I use that as fuel, but I also thought firsthand, you know, like there was a season where it was John Kerr, Marcus Freeman, certain guys rotating week to week. And so I thought like, should it fit to happen to them that can happen to me? So I just tried to be a certain way in practice. Like, I tell the guys all the time, you have to control the things that take no talent. You have to eliminate all the looks. Like if you loaf on the field, you're a traitor. Like you should just go play for the other team. Like, you can't be coaching effort. And then you can't have mental errors. Because if you have a mental error, then you can't trust you. Those are the two things I always as a player was like, all right, you're not going to catch me loafing, and you're definitely not going to catch me not knowing what I'm supposed to do. I might get beat, and that's inevitable. It's football, everyone's on scholarship, right? But those two things you can control, how do you see the thing? What's the next step in the sun in the spring?

1:05:18I think it's just, you know, we haven't done like any of my series, you know what I mean? So we know you can tackle and all that, but I think it's just a repetitive grind of a football game from in the box, the constant. And he's been, he's been willing so far, you know what I mean? As far as his hand placement has been good, even more on the strike, he's tough. So it's just continuing to have him challenged to, there's plays right now where he's seeing it from the first time from the will backer. So the next time he sees it, maybe throw catch tackles at the intersection. You know what I mean? Because he's seen it before from that perspective. Everything he's seen before this has been from top down off the shelf, right? So now it's dropping back, settling and striving. So he's made great progress and I'm really happy with how son he's done. James, look at recruiting. This is like it's going really well for you. Obviously you can't talk about specific recruits, but just overall how do you feel like that's going? And are you enjoying your food? I am, I am enjoying it. I think it's fun to build relationships and get to know so many different types of kids, you know?

1:06:23Ohio State presents opportunity, right? And so many different ways. You're not going to get developed better anywhere else in the country. You have the largest fan base, largest alumni, maybe it's his opportunity everywhere, right? So you try to just explore, like explain your passion for the school that did so much for you, you know, especially being an out of state kid, not being from Ohio. And then realizing how much Ohio State changed my life. And so now you communicate that to other young kids who kind of see it and try to tell them the vision, like where you can get to. And I think the fun thing for me is that most of the kids I'm recruiting are way more athletic than I ever was. So it's like, I tell them that if I can, the only way I survived in the NFL eight years was the fact that I had football intelligence, like I knew where I was going. And so now if I can impart that information on kids who are extremely athletic, well now you're not, you got something special, you know what I mean?

1:07:26How much of you guys have already talked about the long season and the season play more guys? Well, I think yeah, you're going to have to have that. That's the reality, right? It's a longer season. There's more games and there's no excuse at a place like here. Like if you're all on playing with a maybe a guy who was third or fourth, it doesn't matter. You know, like you got to be ready to go. So I think depth is crucial at all of the vision. Because injuries are going to happen. There's part of football, you know, you never want to wish it upon anyone and you're certainly not. But it's just you can't be naive to think that yours going to have every single starter healthy for the whole season. You talked about your mentality as a player and then you're recruiting different players than you were. How do you, how do you marry that when they may not have the same mentality that you need? But you want them to have it. Well, you figure that out when you get to know them. And there are certainly some kids that you start to recruit to where you see like, you know what? Ohio State might be too big. It might be too big for them. You know what I mean?

1:08:28So it's not for everybody. You have to want to come in and compete against the best and realize that you have to win every single game to be the best in the world of what you do. That's the expectation that Ohio State. And that's certainly not for everyone. And that's okay. But you have to through the process kind of find out who has that mentality, who really craves football. You know, like who craves football versus a lot of the other fluff that kind of comes with it. Who craves ball because they crave football. Then the other stuff will take care of itself, right? And we'll just keep getting better and better and better if they want to be the best. Two more questions for James. Yeah, that's I mean, I think that's your job as recruiters. You got to figure out what's the mindset of the kid and are they are they serious about football? And you have to talk to the people that are around them and you got to figure out how to talk to coaches. You just got to try to figure out like who loves ball and the NFL they do the same thing, right? Now they're attending the massive about the money and they're saying, okay, we're going to get this person money as a change their motivation. Or they still love ball.

1:09:28So now it means in college it's the same thing. Like who actually wants to be the best or who just likes the attention that comes with playing football. James, I've already talked about it. But can you tell a little bit of the elevations from our bell from end of the class? Obviously, Mr. Time last year was the injury. But where he's at now versus the expectation that he had to move this way. Our bell has shown a lot of progress. Most importantly, mentally with the playbook and everything. I think our bell last year there was a couple things, right? Because of injuries on the D line and camp. He moved to end for a little bit and then we brought him off the ball and then he had an injury and he kind of missed some time. He wasn't an early mid-year, you know, so he comes in right in the summer. And so he missed some reps there. So the see where he's at right now is extremely impressive. And for a guy of that size and that much power and his ability to run. He's a special athlete. And so our bell has had a good spring. He's got to continue to dive into the playbook and got to continue to learn all the little things.

1:10:28And as you go, right, like week one, week two, you start seeing new schemes, new schemes, things build. And it becomes kind of a lot. He's just got to continue to comb through it all because athletically, you know, he's one of the most gifted guys that we have in the room. I know, and I have a problem with these ways, but what has changed in the time that you've been recruited to now that you're with me and like you're there on a mental differences? You've noticed it, right? No, I think it still comes down for the most part. Like, NIL is certainly an aspect for some. For some, this could be the most important thing. It's always a factor. But I think you still just need to find out who are the kids that love football and they want to be developed. And it's about the relationship to an extent. Like, a relationship gets you to the final stretch. For some kids, NIL might be the thing that pushes them over the top. I mean, I don't know. Like, every kid is so different, right? I try to view it as you're just building relationships. And are you going to get a young man to trust you to develop them? And to not only the player that they want to be, but the person that they want to be in the future?

1:11:29And can you convince mom and dad that you're the right person to do that? You know what I mean? I think one of the things that is helpful is my playing experience. I think, you know, when you've played and you've done it and the drills that you're doing, you know that they work. You're not going to waste your time on stuff that doesn't work. And then the fact that, you know, I am blessed to be at my alma mater. You know, so there's no sense of time to leave here. You know, and then the question I get a ton is, what do you see yourself in five years? I'm like, where I'm sitting? It's my alma mater. You know, my kids love it in Columbus. Obviously, I love Ohio State. So I think those are things that can kind of be in advantage. Okay, so I know you've been working with, you know, kick off as one team as well. And you look back at this like four year in Trentville and get involved with that. Yeah, it's awesome. Maybe I love it because it gives you an opportunity to coach the whole team. You know what I mean? Like special teams is a spot where the whole team probably minus the quarterbacks, right? Is all in one team room and one meeting room.

1:12:31So you get to actually directly impact other positions and just your own. And I think it also gives. It gives a little bit of urgency to your own room. Like when you're in there every single time, you better be making an impact on punts. If you're a linebacker, you better be making an impact on kick return or on kick off, kick off return, punt return, all those things. You better be making an impact, right? Because your coach is in there all the time. So it's been nice and there's a lot of stuff that I think our coaches have done to kind of push that. That sense of team when you're in special teams that we every position matters. If you're just someone who's been a VNF, what do you think will be in a belt doing a kick off now? And even if it could be good for college. I mean. The thing that stands to take away like the surprise on side, you know what I mean? But all these rules are changing so much for the safety of the game. And I mean, I think it's only a matter of time before it tripled down. It seems like everything tripled down. So we'll see. We'll see how's it right now. We'll keep things going the way they are.

1:13:31All right, James. Thank you. Thanks, guys. Cheers. Cheers. Thanks, guys. Yeah. I think when you go into a game like this, one of the most important thing is to avoid distractions. So I'm letting my wife handle that right now, which is a lot. But, yeah, the number one thing for us right now is focusing on this game. And so I said that to our team that we have to avoid all distractions right now. We have a lot of family, a lot of friends, a lot of people who certainly want to come to the game. And obviously those things need to get taken care of. But ultimately we have to do our job. They're all there to see us. And that's what we're going to focus on. So, no, it's an opportunity obviously to be on stage and finish our mission. But we have to make sure we avoid all distractions.

1:14:39It just makes me realize I've grown up a lot since then. I feel like our guys are men. We have 145 guys on the team right now, which is when you hear it, it just blows you away. You have that many guys and everybody's job on the team. And that includes coaches and staff is not to be a distraction to the other player as they prepare. But also just in general avoiding distractions for yourself in terms of your focus. And so the question right there about tickets and all the different things or some of the stuff that the stories that are written, talking about previous years or previous games or things that make it has nothing to do with what's going on in this game. And just being focused on this game and how we execute. And that's been a message without overdoing it.

1:15:41But our guys understand what the message is and I believe they're locked in. Yeah. I know that we need everybody. So former players, people who are going to be at the game and having a great presence in Mercedes-Benz stadium and being allowed. We'll need them. So we're playing for them. People who are back home in their living rooms, whether it's back in Ohio or another country or across the country. You know, just set in great energy. Our guys feel all that. So we're playing for everybody. It was pulling to be a buck. I were playing for Buckaillet nation for sure.

1:16:42We're also playing for each other and for this team. And that's it. I'm not going to get too far into that right now, but that's it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He's like family. He is. You know, being the first really commit and guy who recruited the other guys, especially on defense, but also on offense. He was a leader from the jump. And being a buck I meant even more to him growing up in Columbus and Pickering, Teno-Hile, his family of just great people. And this is a guy who overcame some things. He just didn't come in this freshman year and dominate, leaving three years and going to the NFL to be a first round draft pick.

1:17:43I mean, this is a guy who, again, I say it all the time, you know, wears a hard hat to work every day, brings his lunchpale to work, and has the respect of his teammates. And you're seeing his play, who is talking, talking this year. So I know who he wants to play at his best, this, this game, being a captain, you know, again, you know, in, in August having his teammates vote him in was a big deal for him. It was an emotional moment. And, and, you know, winning some of these games has really built him more and more confidence in knowing that this is what he wants. You know, he wants to win a national championship more than anything. And that, I think, represents our entire team. I just think that this, this year with, with the 12 team playoff, it's just been a little bit different.

1:18:45And there's a lot, everyone has their own story. And there's a lot of great teams out there. You know, a lot of things come into play when you make a run like this. Injuries and, and just different things. So, you know, we'll look at it at the end of the year and figure out, you know, the adjustments that need to be made, I think internally. But I also think that, you know, we all need to look at, you know, how this is playing and what this means, you know, playing 16 games. I think it's a great learning opportunity to see what that, what that's going to look like moving forward. I know it's been exciting for College football and for their fans. Yeah, I think they do a great job on offense. Coach Dembrox done a great job wherever he's been. Riley Leonard's an excellent leader. Jeremiah Love is one of the most talented backs we've gone against and they have a very good offense align. The heavens is really good at tight end and multiple tight ends receivers are weapons.

1:19:47So, you know, they're going to, they're going to challenge us in a lot of different areas. And so we have to play big 10 football. And that's what it's going to look like. And, you know, every play matters when you play in a game like this. And certainly against this team, it'll be the same way. Yeah, I think we built, we say this in all the time is that, you know, when you have momentum, you got to keep it. When you don't, you got to go get it. And, you know, we didn't have momentum at the end of the season. We had to create our own momentum. And then we started to build some momentum. And now we have to keep it. But I think the ability for our guys to sustain throughout the season has been significant here. And now it's going to be the best. It's got to ramp up. And again, the goal was to play our best game and to finish the mission.

1:20:47But we talked early in the season about building a foundation for down the road. And just like anything else, you build a foundation of a building. When storms come, it has to withstand those storms. But now we got to finish. We got to finish what we started. And that's it. I think, again, there'll be time to reflect on some of those things after the game. Right now, we're just going to continue to look at Monday night and play in our best game. You know, it's been, it's been enjoyable to be able to, you know, start it off with the home game against Tennessee. And then went on the road to the Rose Bowl to LA. That was an experience. And then, you know, so went through that and then went down to Texas. And, you know, played Texas in Texas, which was very much like a road game. And so now we're into Atlanta. And we have a lot of guys on our team from the Atlanta area, from the southeast.

1:21:48So for a lot of these guys, it's like coming home. So that's exciting. But it's allowed, you know, our families and team to kind of be on the road together for the last, you know, month. But we just like, I kind of say like we're like train rats. We just come to work and you know, figure out what the next mission is to get back to work that way, you know, that's really what it is. And every once in a while, you've got to come up for air and realize that, you know, it has been a great run. And, but now we've got to finish it. And so, you know, every once in a while, you take a step back, but then you get refocused on what matters. But to your point, it's about everybody. And certainly it all starts with the players and what they do. And I think that, you know, our energy has continued to grow. I think, you know, we talk about like the mental fatigue. I just don't see that with our guys. I think there's, it's only increased. The energy's increased. The focus is increased. I think our team is fresh right now. You know, I think, you know, if you had to, we could continue to play for a few more weeks. But, but that just shows you the experience, the maturity, the depth that we have.

1:22:50And I think that's all important. But, but we're not going to play anymore. We got one more left. And it's going to be our best. See that again? Yeah, we have. We have. And, you know, excellent football players with, you know, just great focus on family. And, you know, just, you can see how important relationships matter. And, you know, when you have an opportunity to recruit families and get into their homes, you got to feel for what that's like at home. And, and you can certainly see how, you know, in the Haitian community, family matters, relationships matter. So that when you bring somebody into your family and the football family, you know,

1:23:51they grab onto the culture. And, and it's been a huge asset to our team. Say it one more time. Yeah. Oh, I got you. Oh, yeah, we're kind of, I guess that that transition has been happening the last few years, but you can see obviously this year, it's really accelerated. And the thing that's hit me is that, you know, we're, we're in the middle to late January. We're still playing. And, you know, some teams are, you know, starting spring ball on another week or so. And so it's just very, very different. I think it's all things that we have to learn from when we assess what's going on.

1:24:52But it's been hard to take a step back and look at anything because, you know, you know, you have a short period of time to get back and win the next game. And like every single ounce of your energy has to be to go win the next game. And then you wake up and you realize you're on to the next one. And so we're not there right now, but I know after the season, you got to wake up. What just happened, you know, and then we'll try to assess it the best we can and make it better. I know there's a lot of things that we can do to make this all better. And I know institutionally we'll continue to make those adjustments, like you said, and do things the way we've done before, but also adjust. But also, you know, I think in college football, we need to look and see how we can make this even better as it's gone on. Because every year it has gotten better. And I think it's great right now. But, man, when you think about the potential and what it can be for the players and these teams, it's pretty extraordinary. Oh, yeah. That's it. That's it. I think our strength coach, Mick Morati really, you know, symbolizes kind of what that means.

1:25:56He has this old school work ethic, you know, because the line's still the line and the cone still the cone. You still got to have your foot behind the line. You still got to run through the cone plus two. But there's so many other things now. There's sports science. There's GPS. There's a longer season. And so having to be able to adapt with those times is important. I think it's the same way with our program and how we run things. And the tradition is not going to change the Ohio State. And that's one of the reasons why these guys come here. It's one of the things we sell and recruit. You know, is that, you know, just over a hundred years of football and the great teams and players that have come before and what the expectation. You know, we have an obligation to be the best in the world and what we do. And that's the expectation whether you're a player or coach and we own that. We absolutely embrace that and put that also adjusting with the times. And now we have a new playoff system and play. But all that being said, here we are. A couple more days before the game. And we've got a chance to finish our season and finish the mission. And then again, cement ourselves in the history of Ohio State football as the 19 to win an national championship.

1:26:59And the third in over 50 years. A lot of good teams along the way. And that's been a message to our guys. And it's not about how you start. It's how you finish. Try not to get too much into those nostalgic thoughts because it's a distraction. And when you're in a game like this, it's easy to get distracted players and coaches. So what matters is what we do on Monday night. How we execute. How hard we play. And that's it. And then after the game, I think there's a great opportunity to sit back and think about all those types of things. But yeah, there's a lot that I could probably go into. If we were to sit back and talk about what Monday night means, but, but ultimately we have to we have to go win the game.

1:28:03And that's it right now. So 48 hours out. I know a lot of people want to talk about different things. We're just going to focus on executing at a high high level. Everybody doing their job. And find a way to win the game in the fourth quarter. And that's it. I think, you know, in life, you know, you have to work through tough times. And it's how you respond to those tough times. And that's it. And that's been the message all along to our players. And it's not always how how things happen in your life. It's how you respond. And I think our guys have learned a lot about that. And I again, I said this before.

1:29:05I think there's some great stories to be told about, you know, what went on behind behind closed doors. And, you know, some of the things that were said and, you know, the personal challenges that we had for each other. And, you know, collectively the story. But the only way that gets told is if a banner gets put up in a hoodie. That's it. And that's the sobering reality of this game that nobody cares about what you go through. And you got to win that final one to finish the mission. And so that's it for our guys. And, you know, as much as some of these, these wins have been great wins for us. You know, to me, you know, it's about winning this final game. And so all that being said, I think our guys have learned a lot about life over the last month. I think it's been a tight group. We've seen the good, the bad and the ugly. And it's a special group of guys that care a lot about each other. And they're going to go on to be very, very successful moving forward because they're strong. They're loyal. And they're very mature. You're going to see, you know, 10, 20, 30 years down the road.

1:30:09These guys making an unbelievable impact. Not only on their families, but in the community and in the game of football. Yeah, it's it's football. And, you know, I said to my wife all the time, like that's we signed up for it. And, you know, it's the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. This game will take you to knees and give you some of the greatest experiences in the world. And that's it. Not a lot of people get to experience those, those highs and lows. And you have to manage the tough times and you got to enjoy the good ones. And that's it. And, you know, the more you're in this game, the more you're going to realize that. And that's it. And those are opportunities to show strength. And that's it. So, you know, we're counting on that to make a difference on Monday night. Yeah, you got it. Yeah, that's it.

1:31:18And set a great example for the younger groups. One of the good things about having 145 guys on the roster is some of these new freshmen and transfers that are coming in. Get to see what it's supposed to look like. Get to see great leadership. If this wasn't the case, they wouldn't have an opportunity to see what, you know, a mecca book is like Wilhawer, Travian Henderson, Lathan Ransom. Denzel Burke, you go through the list Cody Simon. I mean, these, you know, Tyler Williams, you know, what does it look like? How do they prepare not only for one week, but several weeks and, and these, these guys are, they're men. They are. And the way that they go about their business, not only they love being Ohio State, but guys, but they love their teammates and all those things matter. And so, again, they want to play their best game here and finish themselves and cement themselves so that, you know, when they come back, they can see that banner up there and you have a little ring to show for it. So, that's it. You know, we'll get back to the hotel here. Get back to work. Get to these meetings and focus on what matters right now. Yeah, hard to put in the words what a mecca is meant to this team or to me or to my family or to Ohio State.

1:32:41It started when he first got here. He had a different look in his eye. He's extremely competitive. No jobs too small for a mecca. He's selfless. He's really made it unbelievable strides in his life, but also just in his faith. And, you know, when he speaks, people listen. He's very well thought out. He said, I don't have a conversation with the mecca book or you're going to walk away extremely impressed. And, but then when you talk about his play on the field, he's made a lot of great plays. He's been very clutch. He's been very consistent. And, this is a guy I know who wants to finish his career out with a great game Monday night. Okay. I think when you're when you're starting out this season and you're putting a roster together,

1:33:48you have to start from this game and move back. And, and I think when that happens, you have to build a team. And I think now the big 10 has allowed us to do that with with the addition of some different styles of play on the west coast. And then certainly the traditional big 10 play. It's a combination of being able to get big and strong and heavy and stop the run and run the football when it matters. But also being a spread out game where you can be in a little bit of a track meet and have the skill to play with anybody in the country. And I think that's the combination that you need to have. And that's the goal every year to do that. You know, when you when you need to go get that yard, you get that yard. And when it's time to get that stop, you get to get that stop. But also having the skill to be able to run with everybody in a country. And that's that's how we start. And then as the season goes on, we look to identify the areas where we have to get better or whatever that might be. But I think it all starts in the off season with our off season program and what McMurady does.

1:34:49And I think our off season program when and I know it now because when I see players come from other teams, that's you get great feedback. You know, you get you know, guys who come in from different programs and say, you know, talk to me about what your program is compared to our program off season during the season, all that. It really gives me confidence knowing we're doing the right things. I think every year you learn and I think, you know, to be to be, you know, to be honest, I think, you know, every year I learn and grow and figure out what needs to be done to get it fixed and identify the issues and be honest. And call it out for what it is and get it fixed and get it addressed. And that's what leaders do. And you know, they look out in the horizon and see what's coming because the soldiers are fighting right in front of you. And that's what they are. And so what's coming down the road.

1:35:49And then obviously what areas need to get addressed and get fixed. And that always starts with, you know, who's in the right seats? You know, players, coaches and staff making sure that's organized and then building it from there. And so every year you grow to try to get better. And then, you know, identify it the next year and move on from there and keep growing. And we all have to continue to learn. And I think, you know, I've done that as well. Yeah. Yeah. Caleb is mature beyond his years. He's a tremendous player. But he brings a work ethic. That's tremendous. He and Lathen ran some both in the way that they bring energy to practice every day. And they let their play do the speak, do the talking for them, but they're great leaders. During the recruiting process, I went all the way down to the wire. It's been told before. And we were right there at the end. And, you know, I wish them good luck.

1:36:54And understood. I mean, coach Sabin is a unbelievable coach and certainly has success speaks for itself, but also just as a defensive backs coach. And I totally understood and was pulling for him in his freshman year. And you can tell my family and my wife and kids, we were all pulling for him because he just such a unique talent and great person and great family. And then when when coach retired and, you know, he was in the portal, it was an opportunity to reconnect with him. And I think he had great relations with players. And it's been great to see him this year really flourish within our culture. And you're seeing the best version of him now. Well, it's going to be a great environment. We know that great crowds on both sides. So it'll be electric. And, you know, different than in the past where you kind of had these, you know, bowl game and then a final game. We, you know, these playoff environments now or something that, you know, we become accustomed to. And so we need to focus on what really matters in the execution and find a way to win the game into fourth quarter.

1:38:03That's it. You know, this is a team that continues to come at you. So we know what's going to take four quarters. It went all the way down to the last play last time we played him. And, you know, we have to be prepared for that. But, but that's it. Great environment. You know, and, you know, it's good to get over there today to have practice just to kind of see it again, feel it again. And I know our guys will be ready. All good. Okay. Thanks. One more question here. Yeah, I think he's built confidence as an offense, Aliam and throughout his career, especially this year. And he's become a leader for some front. And we'll need him to be his best in this game as well. Thanks. Yeah. I mentioned this before that, you know, this is about these players in this game. And it's all going to be about who executes well during the game.

1:39:17That's it. And I think our guys understand that and feel that. No, there'll be a lot of conversation, which is great. It's exciting for the fans to talk about. But we know what really matters. And that's what our focus is on is executing at the highest level we possibly can. Thanks. Being here. But, you know, it takes another level of dude to be able to receive that reward, especially as a freshman. So, you know, that's kind of when I knew. Steven, you and Mara first got here. Gary Chris were out of it about the way that you guys even as freshmen were pushing to guys who were about to be first round draft picks. And then Mara kind of said the same thing about Carnail and Brandon last year. How did J.J. push you guys when he first got here as the young guy and now you guys are the older guys. Yeah, I would say it's very similar. It's kind of the same exact thing. And I'm, you know, I don't know what it is about the culture and zone six, but we keep bringing in these type of people year in and year out. That's what makes our room so great. But I think that something that J.J. was able to push me in was just.

1:40:17You know, he was able to push me in my leadership. I needed to grow in that aspect, but he also was able to challenge me when it came to the weight room and on the field. Because we were always, are always paired together when it came to summer and when our workouts were always lifting together. You know, I get a couple wins. He get a couple wins. So, I was really that next level step of competitiveness that I needed and that edge that I needed. That Murphy 2474. You guys came into the Tennessee game with a lot of outside motivation with Michigan loss and kind of a three weeks of talk. I know obviously there's still that motivation to go on and win a national championship. But how do you keep that kind of edge to that better term mentally after some of that stuff has kind of gone away? I would say kind of you lose your edge. I wouldn't really call you a true competitor. I think that, you know, the way with the college football playoffs is structured. The intensity cranks up weekend every every single week. So if you're not more intense than you were the last week, then then something's wrong with you. I think that, you know, Tennessee was a great win. Great for our momentum. But we have our full focus on Oregon. Not worrying about anything in the past. Nothing in the future. Our full focus is towards this game.

1:41:26And then, you know, we win this one. We go on to the next one. Our full focus is going to be on that one. So it's just you keep moving down a ladder like this. Step on Christy, please, my doctor. Mechanism has been a lot of change to college football and the playoffs and things of that nature. But, you know, the way in some of your teammates and coaches talk about the Rose Bowl seems like that's one game that's really maintained a lot of that tradition. You play the net. You know what it's about. Could you explain it to, you know, a student who would never have a chance to play in a wide the Rose Bowl. There's maintained, you know, that level of respect for players and coaches. Yeah, I think I don't know. They're just something about us. I'm in the air down there in Pasadena. It's just a beautiful venue, especially that time of the year. Like you said, the tradition is held year in and year out. And it's kind of the game you dream of playing in when you're a little kid, you know, playing backyard football with your friends. The Rose Bowl is always one that that tends to come up. So just having a chance of playing it. It's definitely very surreal. And this is going to be my second time. So I'm going to do my best to take it all in while also being fully focused on Oregon. Dan, let me worry.

1:42:26Well, he's still has nine minutes about that first game in Oregon. Just what kind of drive you see in this week? Why to get back at this one? Yeah, well, is he's a laser focused person. He goes about his business. He's very loose and he's very calm and he's able to rally the team. But you can see it in his eyes that this game means everything to him. So every single practice, every single huddle, making sure we're sharp, making sure we have a better practice than we had last. Then the yesterday better practice in Oregon is having so his full focus is on being this team. And, you know, obviously it's hard not to think about the stuff of the past, but I know he's laser focused on what we got coming up. Tony Gervin, Buck I have. Mac, you're one of your kid playing backyard games about the game. What team are you playing for? Honestly, I wasn't I was never really a. Buck I fan until you know, I really committed here and I saw what it was all about. I was actually an Oregon fan growing up, especially on the Pacific Northwest. You know, my grandpa went to UW and stuff like that. So I like the Huskies too, but there was a legendary football player named foe to Liatto from my high school and he went to Oregon.

1:43:35And a couple of y'all probably know that story from a couple of years back, but he tragically died in the car accident. And, you know, he was he was someone I looked up to in high school. You know, I was relatively close with him, even though he was a bit older than me in age, but I'm just seeing what he did at my high school and then going on to play big time football out Oregon. That was a school that I really dreamed of going to. They build a bit like this back. I think actually another Jeremiah question. Is there one moment one play one something that made you just go, oh man, I've never seen before. That's just incredible. Yeah, I'll say it's happened multiple times. There's not really one I can pinpoint, but the more he does it, the more I tend to react less. So I would say probably my earliest memories of it were in spring ball kind of getting the first glimpse of him when he's making all these ridiculous catches and he still does it time and time again, even now, but it's just more common now for me. Melandic, one that's in the North.

1:44:35You had, I think, was 12 touches in the first game against Oregon, tender sessions, two carries. Is there something about this matchup that favors you? And now that you have where that productive the first time you played this team, what kind of attention? I guess it's going to be different defenses. Are you expecting to see? Yeah, I mean, we're not entirely sure what their game plan is going to be, but we're paired for everything. You know, I'm not going to get too much into schemas, stuff like that, but we know that if the ball comes our way, we've got to make those plays. So whether I have 10 receptions again coming up this game where I have zero or one, we're just looking to get this win on the road, because it's really a road game for us, you know, flying across two times on. So I think that, you know, it's going to be a great matchup, whether they tend to focus on me more or not. It doesn't really matter to me because I know our team has a great plan regardless. Can you guys ever surprise when we're going to be in the same team? You can kind of feel it throughout the game, I would say. You know, he's a true competitor. He wants to get involved, but at the same time he's super selfless. He's really humble. So he's going to do whatever it takes for the team to get a win.

1:45:42But it's the competitive nature and then that wants to contribute as much as he can. So, you know, I try to be in his ear to tell him to be level head and stuff like that. Not that I need to. He's a very level headed and selfless guy like I'm saying, but you know, sometimes that's just how the game goes. You know, I had a game this year where I only had one catch, but you know, we ended up winning by lot. So I think that, you know, it's hard or it's easy to be focused on the the personal attributes that you could have game in and game out. But no one's really going to remember those if we're holding up the trophy at the end of the year. He could be a number one. I think 95% of the bar off the ground. He's like number three. You see his work as they all of those things. You guys ever come behind him like, yeah, this guy can absolutely be a number one. I would disagree with you. I think that he is a number one. I think that we don't have a number three receiver. I think we have three number one receivers out there. So whatever the defense, you know, if they want to put their attention on one guy or a couple of us,

1:46:42they're not really doing themselves any favor because we're going to have a favor. We'll match up on the other side of the ball. So that's never how we view ourselves. We know we're alpha dogs out there every single one of us knows we have the capabilities of being number one receiver and we are number one receivers. And final question. Steve, how long have you 24 hours work? Yeah, and that could be the end of that game. You made one of the clutch plays that passed down the sideline. At any time when you make that play, you think, and did you ever in your mind that we're going to win this game after we were now close to field goal range. I mean, did that play in your mind? Say, my goodness, we got a chance to get out of here with the win. Yeah, I definitely knew where I caught the ball and I knew we were, you know, closer being a field goal range. So, you know, there was a sense of, you know, I knew I knew I was a big play that I made. But in those moments, you have to finish out the game. No matter what you can't get a big head, you can't get complacent. You have to finish the game until the clock hit zero. So that's some we've been working on. You know, we work on too many every single Wednesday. Practice. So today will work on our two minute and we don't even call it two minute. We call it clutch because in those time in those games and those big moments, someone has to make a clutch play.

1:47:49So we're focusing on that every single game. No one that we're going to have to make one of those plays coming down the stretch here. What would it mean if you're able to finish this one off and get to the final four of this playoff? Just what in your mind? Just would this be, you know, just the ultimate, I suppose to beat a team that's already beaten earlier this year. No, I think the ultimate would be winning the national championship. So, you know, we're focused on this. This just happens to be the next team in the way. We're not focused on where we played them earlier this year, whether they got the win over us. They're just a nameless faceless opponent. So we're going out there fully prepared, not worried about what's happening in the past. You know, we played them before. We felt the mouse. So it's all about who got better from that point in time until now. Thank you. Yeah. The rules were to last year that you feel, you know, run up against an offensive on the field like you feel like you're at a good way from now where you can do things against them, no matter what. Yeah, I mean, this year is kind of different because I obviously I'm close to the ball, but it kind of feels the same.

1:48:57The thing I like being able to place is I like tying the things up and being able to run full speed and be able to hit somebody and catch them off guard. That's just what I'm able to do now. This end the ball and closer to them. What's the best guys in this game? I'm seeing a source that's true. We haven't really talked about like a few guys, but he's talking about like winning the Guinness. I don't know if it's going to work with him. I'm not going to mind my junior at the opening, but I was different because I was playing off guard. Yeah, that's done. We got in normal Smith and Roblin. What's the way that he coaches? I mean, doesn't give a lot of this to his last two weeks. What is his style? It's very intentional, but he knows that we're human. He knows nobody's going to be perfect and it's okay to mess up, but the thing is being able to learn from that mistake and not do it again. How different is this? How different is your future project?

1:49:57How different is your future? It's different, but like I said, I've just been enjoying the ride. I like wiring now, so I'm just going to grow at this fight and get to where I want to go. 100%. 100%. 100%. That's what I said. No, it's very hard. We were just looking at our 2020 hoop class. We got a lot of guys, so now we're probably on the hand like five or six guys here. Exactly. So being able to just stick it through and just, you know, I feel like me staying here. Each year, I feel like I was telling this thing because yeah, it was opportunity to transfer, but I kept feeling like, God just stay. Let his will be done. Let his will. I do, of course, like when you know you may not make him his position change. You got to know how to do it. You know, I try to, every little drill that we do, I try to make sure I'm doing it to the team.

1:50:59You know, I don't like to mess up and that's why you see me after practice working with Coach Johnson or Coach Patricia because of the fact I know it's very urgent, but I still feel like I have time. I only spring. Yeah, about 158 days probably to be. You've been rubbing there throughout December, obviously. What exactly did you start to make that transition though? And when you heard they were hiding, I'm not sure if it was more of a year ahead. Um, obviously in December, it was different because we had Coach Knows here and Coach Knows for some more. There's a lot of different ways he's going to use me with the Jack and where he's going to have me line up and things like that. Um, Coach Day, what he was telling me was, we're going to bring in different coach and just, you know, uh, they'll just be a specific coach just sort of position I was playing just that way could just be easier on everybody. And then probably what was going to be Coach Knows because obviously it's his defense, but, um, with Coach Patricia coming in, um, I feel like it's a lot easier on everybody because of the fact.

1:51:59Like I said, his experience and he's everything that we're doing now, it just feels like everybody can just play fashion to be themselves. When you're 50 days, what would you know that? We talk about every day. Yeah, Coach Day brings it up every day because of the fact we got to, like, yeah, we have one good day today, but we do have to stack day on top of day on top of day because of the fact that we played sex and sex is just in the playoffs, you know, there's not no slouch here. You know that they're probably in the same mindset as we are right now because they lost a lot of starters, but it still doesn't mean. I mean, see guys like the like a part of the real part of they started their career playing back with they moved to the edge. How much does that inspire you to see what kind of success that has been on that? No, I feel like watching those guys, I feel like you can see like they helped them in the warmer, especially with the blue, especially with the gay last year because of the fact it was his first year on one, on a lot of scrimmage, but, um, no, obviously I watched those guys, I watched other guys, but I'm on the table.

1:53:00What's that tell you about the possibility of going into this season for you to stand up so much? I mean, I mean, I think they can have really. How much do you have to learn right now? I'm a lot of your senior. Does it seem like it's a big, big love? I mean, I would do a describe. I mean, I guess you just got to learn everything slowly. Of course, there's a lot to learn, but I got a lot of hope. You guys had a very unique experience on the early and early, you got a chance to go to semi-final. Some of you went to the Rose Bowl, you guys went to the Cotton Bowl National Championship game. What was that like? How much do you think that helped you? That was incredible. Just to see how other leaders led in that position and to see what they did and how they prepared. What was the highlight of that time, other than winning the National Championship itself? Was there something that stands out to you? I've just been able to travel and get to meet everybody, meet all the players, everybody I won in Addy, and meet all the early and early. It's been the most difficult part of making the transition from Liza.

1:54:03What has been, what has been, what has been the hardest part? I was really just living on my own, you got to be independent. That's pretty much it, though. Do you feel comfortable on that age, trying to get yourself into the quality of the title? Of course there's adjustment, but I'm getting it just for you. Yes, your money is 100%. Of course there's a lot of miscellaneous things in your life here, and I was in my best friend's place. What did you do to you? I think you did my skin right? It was an empty real, really good. Sorry, Mr. Assetto, I'm sorry if I was having a good time in the future. What did you say about the baby, my dad? My dad was my master's partner. Like my son.

1:55:04Like once I was born forever. My dad looked up to me and I'm a junior, so I'm a place for a good band. I think you should be your first name in the heart, right? Yeah, okay, so you could wear 8, too. You got two choices. It's a desire to be addicted to people. I fell into that, no younger age, but super bad. That's not who I am. Say it again. I watched the last episode of Land Band on the plane. I downloaded it's a picture. What did you think of it? I don't know that. His wife seems to like Paul. It's a good show.

1:56:04The intro seems to be going on the come up. I'm excited to see how it goes. I thought you did a good job. I was surprised, honestly. It seemed like you knew what he was doing for your career. So any important question. You say you pay your mom's salary. You guess when it all gets mama get a pay raise or? I don't know what to talk about that. Is there a meeting or something? A meeting? Everybody seems to have a bad chance. I don't know if you're going to be fine with it. I don't know if you're going to be fine with it. I don't know if you're going to be fine with it. I don't know if you're going to be fine with it. Yeah, well, I mean, first off, I think I'd be doing this service to my teammates. You know me even think about what's next. What's right in front of us is an over-yout. And that's another thing I've got to tell you.

1:57:06So much through is just being present in every single moment that I'm in. I know not looking too far ahead because I'm tripping on what's right in front of me. So, again, that's too selfish of thinking for me to even be thinking about what's next to me. Maybe you're at least aware that there's a lot of speculation out there that people are going to throw a huge number of the few to go in the portal. It's going to be a season. I mean, right now I'm just not worried about all this stuff. I mean, people can say all they want to say, but I'm just focused on... focus on Friday. But it's not a standard. Nervous? I mean, I should be a nervous for sure, but I just don't think. I think I'd do a good job just understanding that. That moment, whatever moment it is that I'm nervous about, it doesn't define who I am as a person. And it doesn't define who I am and God's eyes. And understanding and knowing that has just kind of put this force field of peace around me

1:58:11that I think may allow me to be able to be calm in certain situations, but it doesn't. That's not good. I mean, I just love the game so much. And if you don't get nervous or a little bit of work, because I don't think you have that same buzz. I mean, I've got butterflies since you know, going into football games since I was, you know, five, six years old. So I don't know what that feels. I don't know. You know, football just doesn't mean as much as it did to me back then. I want it to always be that much easier. I've been told. But I think I'm going to let you go. I'll stay playing with you. I'll stay. I'm playing as much. So I just wanted to get like more experience under my belt. So I can bring younger guys with me because I've been through a lot. One of those younger guys, we're seeing it on here.

1:59:11It's the first time I've heard all these last years. What have you seen from Will? Because I should have real thought about it because he was hurt. Now he's running, you know, almost a second man out behind you and tied. What have you seen from the coach? Well, it was a workhorse. He goes, stay quiet. He's going to work hard. And that's all I love about him. He focuses. He don't really talk much. He's going to get a job done. Do a job right. He rarely has any mistakes. What would be a successful season? A national championship? A ring. When all the games we don't want to lose anything, we've got a mindset that we can't beat. And we just got to go show it. That mindset different. It seems like you guys expect a national championship every year. This year even more so. You guys have all come back for this. You guys have all decided like enough as a month. Is that, is it going to be a different or is it not really any different? It's just the same work. It's definitely a difference. Everyone working harder. We noticed our last run. Most of us don't have any years after this. So we got to go bigger going home and we're not trying to go home.

2:00:14Finish big. We know what you guys think of Michigan. But when you look at what they did, they won the national championship. And you guys took them down to the final minute. Right? You know what I mean? You were right there. Something goes a little different. You guys could have won that game against them. Does that tell you anything about like that? Hey, you guys won a winner national championship. But you played to the 59th minute with the team that won the national championship last year. Like you're that close. So I'm saying we just like work harder. That's kind of a coach makes a saying, you know, nobody cares. Just work harder. Like those, you know, when we played Georgia, it's the same thing. Last, last play, you know, they went on the win in 90s. So we just got to get over that hump at the end of the season. I think we'll be fine. How frustrating is that? You're that close against the last two national titles. Of course, it's frustrating. But you can't change the outcome. You can't really dwell on it. You just got to, you know, come back and work harder. Do things better than you did last year and hopefully the outcome will change.

2:01:16Is that as you get older, you kind of learned. I thought that was working harder than you always find out there's a little more than you could have been doing. Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's how that's what growing up is basically in college. I thought freshman year I was working as hard as I could. But now I look back at it. I really wasn't working hard at all compared to what I'm doing now. So just to learn anything. The stamina is a 60. What do you need it to be to be your best? Oh, it is a 75 80 85. I mean, I can it's all on me. I just I think it's a little higher. I was just trying to be funny, but. I mean, it's all on me. I just got to run harder in shape. The idea of a content you just took to the 17th. I think I think we I definitely can last. I was just, you know, we got to get the young guys to come along with us. We can't play 50 snaps again. That's just too much on our bodies. Just everybody like online. We got to get those younger guys to play and you know get that pieces on the D line and the online and everywhere else.

2:02:17So we can last that long. Speaking of that. I don't know if any of us were really expected. Yeah, I did unless we were like winning by like a line. I thought like there are no moments you know I can go sit down or something. But we're playing them big games like, you know, Notre Dame to North, those kind of games. Of course, I want to be because I know I can contribute. I'm going to be a great player. I'm going to be a great player. I'm going to be a great player. I'm going to be a great player. I'm going to be a great player. I'm going to be a great player. I'm going to be a great player. Of course, I want to be because I know I can contribute. And I won't want to put that on anyone else when I know I can get the job done. What stands out about Kevin McDonald is he got a kick. You guys in a second. Oh yeah, definitely. K-Mac is a K-Mac animal. You haven't really seen it yet, but in practice, he shows all the time. He's just, he's grown right now. He has to work ethic. He just has to get, you know, in the playbook and things like that. You guys are about the exact same size. Listen, you're both listening to 6th or your 327. He's 326.

2:03:17Yeah, he's a kind of look at him like my junior. But, you know, K-Mac, he's going to be a great player. He's just got to develop more and get the playbook. It's really a lot on you, older guy. There's that large group of young guys and then there's the seniors in the back. Is that part of your task for this year to bring those guys along as well? Yeah, definitely. We got to be leaders. Like I said, we got to have them play this year. We can't just play all the snaps. They got to get in there and get some work. And we got to get them right, earn all season. So they can play. And not just play, they want to contribute, like, make plays, tackle, and sex. It's great to have a work with them. It seems like these guys get bigger. Each one of the freshmen class is bigger and bigger. And those guys kind of, those are going to be a lot of you going to solve the first. Yeah, they're definitely some big dudes. And they all work hard. I've only seen much of some of the day too. I'm not a pass on, but throughout the workouts, they've been working hard. They're determined. I have to say that. It looks like they're ready to work with me. How important this is? It feels like there's a lot of great defenses.

2:04:20You have big athletic defense attackers who can eat up space, but also move right. That is that. Is that an inquire that may be from a great defense? To have guys like you that have some balls, but also a great team. I think that is definitely. I think if you look at the last couple of national champions and winners, like team on North, they got two good detaco, two athletic detacos, a little Georgia, two athletic detacos. I think that's definitely neat if you want to go on a big run and beat those big teams. If you think about this, if they want to fight by the defense attackers, like what's Georgia, Jordan Davis and Daniel Carter? Let's miss again. It's Chris Jenkins. Couple more questions. You might be wondering how, I mean, you understand it because you play it. But I feel like some time I don't know. Are people realizing how important defense tackles are? A little bit more than they used to? I think so. I think they're starting to develop more and more of these freakiest detacos. Yeah.

2:05:20Like in the combine, just now, you see in those guys, they're moving forward to 478 and things like that. So we'll see. And when you think about those freakish athletic defense attackers, how do you think you fit into that bowl of that type of player? You watch that and say, yeah, that's me. Yeah, definitely. I think I'm top notch when it comes to detacos. But I don't want to get a big head, but you know, watch it come on. I watch it do the drills. I have a tape here. You're like, look at my film. So I think I'm up there with all those guys. Do you become like an artist who comes to bad stuff passes the way he's having your clanks? When you're going to bring practice, you're not doing as much a weapon on the line. How do you work on that? Do you have like a goal? I don't remember how many I've lost. You have a goal in my 35. How many do you want to have? I mean, as many as I can have, I think I have more than that. But I think he said it. I think they can count some of them. And it's some of them where I just missed it. But I think we work on drills matching the hand. I think that goes big.

2:06:21And what we do is a D line, you know, just affecting the quarter. I guess anyway you can. It's just great for the defense. That little thing covering his eye, you know, he might throw it. A little bit to the left to our player. So it's something that you really, really have to work on. It's very good. It's one of the things that you've maybe worked on the most. You could bring your time here because there are a few guys that I've seen. Oh, that passes down. We don't have to ask for this trial. We're kind of kind of expected for this one. I think I just have like an eye for the ball kind of. I kind of just look at the quarterback and just, I see him like load up. I just try to get in his way. And sometimes he just throws it to me. I'm irritated if you like to be a high state quarterback. I'm in your bad dumb passes. I mean, they get frustrated by you know, we're a team. We're just good. I should lot of a lot of different backs, man. They just learn and grow for them. You got a big, top three backs. You got a full right now. One, two, two. I don't really have a top three, but I'll give you.

2:07:23I'll give you one. I would say, say, Juan Gibbs and. I like McCaffrey. Although he was injured this year. I like McCaffrey. Who's the best back in this drive? Best back in this drive. I lead out of the yard. That's y'all decision. Playing well, Howard. What I'm going to remember most. We're a Howard man. He's just such a great leader. Such a great leader, man. It's just like in moments where you know, usually a lot of players they fold, man. He was just always calm and relaxed, man. He just the leader that he was, man. That's one thing I'm going to remember about him. What do you think James P. Yeah, he's shoot. He's going to be really good, man. He's on Coach Lock. I think he got the transfer in as well from West Virginia. Just that one, two punch with them both as well. They're going to be really good backs. And so James P. was, man, he's smart. The way that he goes about his business, man. He's mature.

2:08:23And so, man, he's growing, you know, just as a person and as a player. And so, man, yeah, definitely Ohio State, you know, that running back room is in great hands. I was right about looking at the U.S. spot and feeling on this. I'm the base, new personality and the approach of the federal defense. I'm the same way. Yeah. Coach, Coach Hartline, man. He's full of energy, man. And he's creative as well, you know. I'm just learning from him as well, you know. I'm trying to run more outside the backfield. It was being able to learn from Coach Hartline. And so he's definitely creative at what he does. And he brings a lot of energy to the team as well. And so, I think that would do really good. So, what's your intensity to it? Just intensity, man. And intensity of the playoffs, every game, man, is like the intensity got, you know, higher and higher. And so, you know, being able, I know in the lead, it's the same thing. Even if it's not the playoffs, just every game and intensity, it keeps getting higher and higher. And so, yeah, you just, I know you got to bring it, you know, each and every day and come in and work.

2:09:23And just like Ohio State, you know, I definitely feel like Ohio State, they definitely do a good job of preparing us for that. You know, I just remember even before going through this process, I'll talk to a lot of players before that. And they told me a lot of just about how much Ohio State prepared them, you know, for the NFL. And so, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know I took a couple of days off after the national championship. And then, shoot, right after that, I'm writing sample Florida and I'm writing to it. And so, yeah, I think while I trained, I trained at your morph performance. I think it's called the House of Athlete or the Compound now. They did a good job, man. They're just bringing us in and the way they went about training us, man. They did a really good job. The bucket in the air. No, I haven't. Tampa, Tampa nice. It's a nice city, man. Really nice.

2:10:23The 40, the broad and the vert. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, man. It's really all about technique. And then it's about mindset as well. And so, I say, you know, it's for the love of my brother. It's for the love of Will Howard. It's for the love of Will Howard. It's for the love of the receiver. So, I got on the perimeter. Just making sure, you know, first of all, my quarterback doesn't get sacked. And I tell Will, I think it was before the first game. I was like, I got your brother. It's, I said, man, I'm not going to let you get hit. You know, and so, I don't know if I gave up a sack. I'm not sure that. But I know if I did, I haven't given up too many. And so, man, it's for the love of my brother's, though, man, making sure the ball getting their hands, you know, the guys on the outside and making sure they get fed. You had to hit the practice field later today. Or just something you'd be working on right now. In my game, you can't really work on this, you know, in all season.

2:11:25I feel like it's more so, you know, you got to put the pads on. You got to go through some inside run, you know, maybe. It's really just continuing to run through tackles. And so, that's, I feel like that's one of the areas in my game. You know, I want to continue to get better. I feel like I did a good job of that my senior year. And so, I just want to continue to build on that. Yes, I did. Yes, I did. So, people say you look like a little bit more out there. You get back in nursing. I mean, that looks different. I did meet with New Orleans as well. I never got that comparison. Actually, I know I have a Camera shoe. Yeah, man, I have a Camera great, great back, man. Just what he does and those one-on-one matchups, he's dangerous, man. And he's so smooth. He's so smooth as well. He's so smooth. Yeah. Inside zone from stack, being able to hit that thing downhill. And I'll say the next one is probably just an option route out of the backfield.

2:12:27You know, a man and man coverage. You're getting on that linebacker. Yeah, I say the man, the biggest thing is the way that he carries himself, man, and the way that, man. He approaches the game. He comes in with the mindset, you know, he's going to work every single week. You know, every practice, you know, he's working hard. You know, even shoot, I don't know. Every game was a good game for him, man. But still, man, he always has the mentality to mindset that, you know, he's going to come in each and every day. He's going to continue to work and get better, man. And so he's definitely, man, he's going to be a special player, man. He really is. I think he's a master of the game. Man, a lot of ups and downs, man. It's just how you respond to adversity.

2:13:27And I feel like that's something that God has definitely helped me to do better. It's just, I'm not having something to lean on now. You know, I remember before I met him, you know, going through those adversity, I had nothing to run to. You know, you can run to people, but they still can't. It's not too much. They can't truly help you. You know, I feel like, you know, I feel like the only person that can truly help you is your relationship with Jesus Christ. And so being able to lean on him, you know, he gives you, in those moments, where it's tough. You know, where it's slow. And when you're behind the scenes and you're going through things that people don't know about, he gives you that peace and comfort. You know, even in those moments, man, where it's so hard that you can't explain. It's like, man, I'm going through this, but like, how am I still filled with this internal joy? You know, how do I have so much peace in this situation? And so that's something that only Jesus Christ can give you. And so... You know, the back goes for Peterson Power and Judge Alexander Stewart, which aspect could be to those other individuals who run to God and from being around power to God? Um, man, those guys have such a great mentality, man.

2:14:32Am I just really loved their mentality, especially Q as well. You know, I talked about Will Howard, his leadership, but Quincham mentality, man. That boy just, yeah, that boy just gifted, you know. You see, you know, sometimes he put in a situation where he looked like, you know, he should have a negative five yards. And as soon as you know it, you know, he, the running through somebody, stiff arm and somebody, and shoot, it's a game to 10. And so... You know, some of the things that he does, he just realizes two different things actually. Yeah. Shoot, I think... Yeah, man, I think it just like, he's just gifted, man, to be honest. He's just gifted, you know, he's a big back, you know, he's strong. And so, you know, he's able to do those things. So, yeah, man, it's definitely, you know, I look at his game and I want to, you know, at the same time, I want to learn from Quincham. You know, I want to look at his game and it's like, man, where can I get better at as well? You know, that's the type of player I am. I'm always looking to get better, man. I'm always looking to grow as a player. What's your last experience in San? Julian San. Oh, yeah, he's going to be a great, but he's going to be a great quarterback, man.

2:15:33He's so accurate and so, he's definitely, man, I know Coach Dez is definitely going to get him right. Just, you know, continuing to grow as a leader, continuing to grow as a player. And so, he's going to be really good for a high state. I know just the quarterback position. I feel like, you know, the quarterbacks in the past, they've definitely been vocal. And so, I feel like that's something that they're definitely going to ask Julian San as well. It's to be that vocal leader and lead the offense and lead the team. Thanks, Drake. Sure, man, he has a build like JK Dobbins. And I kind of see them, you know, similar, similarities in their game as well. And I know JK Dobbins, he was a great running back. I feel like he's not talked about his none. A lot, but man, his career here, you watch his highlights is great. I remember before I recruit, before I committed here, I remember watching JK Dobbins highlights like every, every one of his years here, like four or five times.

2:16:33And so, man, he was such a great back. And I feel like, you know, when I see JK Dobbins, when I see James people, I see similarities to both of their games. I feel like they play the same. And so, appreciate you all. You can go back. Thank you. Thank you.

2:18:01Thank you. Thank you. Well, I got coming in last round. I knew we were all so I just attacked Eric Dave really the same way. I think it's a very, very, very, very different. I think I got a lot bigger.

2:19:03I'm like 240, you know, like 244 right now. Last year, I played at like 236 to 37. What does it feel like at 244? Or maybe I can almost have different machine out there. Yeah, like, what does it feel like to be running around out there like you are, but with more, more back? I just feel like I'm like, like, like more downhill, like stronger, like I'm taking all the bloods better. It's a big, yeah. Is it daunting? Maybe that's not the correct term, but to think you're going to be playing much more than you did even last year. And you played quite a bit last year and stuff. What do you have to get straight in your head about being on the field that much more? I just got to get ready to just play 30 more snaps. How would you describe how much you're looking forward to it from an 8-stand point? Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready for it. My, I'm ready for it. The text is open. It's a rematch. It's not really two different teams compared to the last time you all played and stuff. How has that enhanced this camp for you and this team getting ready for the where an opener of that magnitude?

2:20:08Yeah, with an opener like that, we've been emphasizing it a lot. We know we got coming, so we know we got to do what we prepared for it. I already just probably worked with him. I think Riley ready to play right now. He advanced freshman, like he in the, he in the book, he stood in like he advanced and his measurements crazy. Like he saw like a saw line to him. Or like you said, you're ready. Like you know, you're ready. What was that process like during last season? Could you feel yourself becoming more and more ready? So every team needed to be there? Yeah, because that's pretty much what my role was. Just whenever I was needed, I had to step up. So I feel like that's what built me into me being able to say I'm ready for this year. When you say ready, is it more a physical thing? Is it a mental thing? When I say ready, I think it's pretty much like everything physically, mentally, mostly. I think I'm there. A different is that feeling this year than last year? That's what's possible. I asked the one more time. How different is that responsibility?

2:21:09That's what you said. You know, all that. One last year, you knew you were a homemaker. I feel like it's a way bigger responsibility with me having to step up this year. But I kind of go about it the same way. Like last year, I was attention over everything I did. I was like this year, it's going to be the same thing. It's probably a little bit more. Somebody who's some reason, I would do the same. I would do the same. And what work? How's anybody working with you? I say, describe my game. I say, when you think of me, you would think of like a, like a bullet, like a silver bullet. I don't really a bullet. I'm always on the ball. That's how I like to play and think. You know what I want to body that? No, I ain't got to be my nickname, but I'm not saying that the thing could be that's all. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. You want to body that? Yeah, that's like. I want to talk about the first question. How does that fit the view?

2:22:10And what are you and Joy about the whole aim in that kind of side? I think it fit me because I don't know, I just like the defense. I feel like we got, like you said, we got a lot of freedom and we're moving around a lot. A lot of the times is like, no, I don't know, I don't really know how to answer that. That's okay. You can go on your instincts a little bit more, maybe. And it's not so thinking of too much. I don't even know if I say that because there's a lot of thinking going on, but it's like, I just like it's deep, I like how it feels to deep is I like what you got going on. What was it, sad when CJ left me? No, I wanted to much sad. I was kind of like happy for him. Yeah, that's what you want. No, no. That's my dog. I'm kind of missing a little bit, but I'm happy for him. Well, don't think you go ahead one last but coach days talked a lot about the guys who played some last year, but maybe weren't the starters and the hunger for that wasn't maybe your national championship.

2:23:12You guys know in your own. How much do you feel that is a guy who certainly contributed last year, but will be in this bigger role and along with some of your classmates? Yeah, I do feel like, yeah, I do feel like I did win a national championship, but like you said, my role wasn't same as how it's going to be this year. So yeah, I definitely want to go get another one experienced that feeling, maybe on the field, a lot more place. Great. Oh, Bill, thank you very much. I've been using you, you know, in that almost that safety role of stuff. How much is it grown that you can put your finger on? Yeah, I was growing immensely. I mean, Caleb, he makes a lot of checks, Latham makes a lot of checks. I listen to them, whatever they need. If I need to cover somebody, I'll go cover anybody if they need me to do run support. I'll do run support. And it's really what Caleb does, what we do and Latham. It just goes back to the coach G's preparation and everyone's preparation to give us more flexibility and doesn't matter who's in those positions. And we can all play every position whether it's covering somebody or running, running and tackling.

2:24:14Did you feel like that was the case before the Oregon game? You're saying what I'm saying? Is it something that's been added? It just, you know, rely on a little bit more. Go ahead. Yeah, it did. I've probably been a Brasco game, Megan and more safety reps. And we had a five week to prepare. So I really learned to play book a lot more. Even though I knew the playbook, I learned a lot more. I'm out like in debt, you know, so really just after the Oregon game, it helped me a lot to go back to safety. I go to Niko everywhere. You guys had a lot of issues of giving up big plays in the passing game of the first game against Oregon. What do you feel you guys need to do better this time around to make sure that doesn't happen? Just the same same mindset. We got to challenge these receivers. You know, every dog has their day. Maybe some people didn't have their day that game, but we'll look out there and hopefully change the narrative. And we still play with the same confidence, same technique and, yeah.

2:25:16Bill Rebellion, what's the biggest this batch? And Denzel obviously had a tough game and that one. What have you seen from him and how he's responded? Do you get a sense of from him? How he is for this rematch? Oh, yeah, he's super stoked for this rematch. His preparation has been very good. He's always been preparing, even though it didn't go the way he wanted to go that game. But he just always had his confidence and we're going to see a big game out of him this week. And, you know, I know you guys wanted to play them in anapolis. But the fact that you get to play them at the Rose Bowl, I mean, get a second chance. And people have said he don't get that very often. How determined are you guys to take advantage of it? We're super, super determined. We watched film. I mean, we've watched a lot of film. The first time we played them, now we've got another six games that they played. They've filmed a watch. And it's just they've grown a lot as a team. Same as us. We've grown a lot. We're not the same team. We were when we played them week one or weeks six or whatever. But now we're out there and going to play fast, physical, and everything like that.

2:26:19All right, Jordan. We're going to jump to the zoom question here from Joey Kaufman. Columbus, this match. Oh, my bad. Not too Joey. Cameron T. Robinson, the athletic. Hey, Jordan, you've moved around a lot in the second day in your career. And now kind of getting some many more safety reps. What is it like at this point when Walt or Coach Mills comes to you and asks you to do something else? And just how much can you lean on the experiences you've had moving around when you're trying to learn something new in the middle of the season? So it means a lot. We always talk about what this is being on the surface, whether that's making plays or not making plays or doing your job so another person can make plays. That's kind of what we pride ourselves on. And it's just fun. Me moving around different positions. I'm always up for a new challenge. And a lot of people in the country can't do that. I just hold myself to that standard where I can play any position and excel at it. Okay.

2:27:19If anybody else needs a question, let me know. But otherwise we can go to Austin or the podcast. Jordan, when you were talking about watching film Oregon, which one do you think is more valuable to you watching that against yourself? Seven games ago, even if you've changed or the ensuing six games for Oregon, which one do you put more stock in? Kind of both. For me, I kind of watched what I did. Things I did well. Things I didn't do too well against them. And their team is, like, their scheme has changed. Some players have been out those stretch of games. So I really watched the past game we played. And I know they're going to go back to some of the stuff that they liked, of course. And different games like Penn State, maybe Illinois, they run a lot of men. So just watching, watching stuff like that. Every game matters. So, yeah. Jordan, thank you very much. Thank you. I really plan as much. So I just wanted to get more experience under my belt. So I can bring younger guys with me because I've been going a lot.

2:28:19One of those younger guys, we're seeing it. It's the first time I've heard all those last years. What have you seen from Lil? Because I kind of felt like last year we all forgot about him because he was hurt. Now he's running almost a second man out behind him and tied. What have you seen from him? Well, as a workhorse, he goes, stay quiet. He's going to work hard. And that's what I love about him. He focuses. He don't really talk much. He's going to get the job done. Do a job right. He rarely has any mistakes. So what would be a successful season? The National Championship? A ring. When all the games we want to lose into thing, we got a mindset that we can't be beat. And we just got to go show it. That mindset is different. It seems like you guys expect the National Championship every year. This year even more so. You guys all come back for this. You guys have all decided like that. That's enough. Does that feel different? Or is there probably any difference? It's just the same. It's definitely a difference. Everyone working harder. We noticed our last run. Most of us don't have any years after this. So we got to go bigger, go home and we're not trying to go home.

2:29:22Finish big. We know what you guys think of Michigan. But when you look at what they did, they won the National Championship. And you guys took them down to the final minute. You know what I mean? You were right there. Something goes a little different. You guys could have won that game against them. Does that tell you anything about like that? Hey, you guys want to win a National Championship. But you played to the 59th minute with the team that won the National Championship last year. Like you're that close. So I'm saying we just work harder. That's kind of a coach makes a saying. Nobody cares. Work harder. Like those won't play Georgia. Same thing. Last. Last play. You know, they went on the win in the 90s. So we just got to get over that hump at the end of the season. I think we'll be fine. How frustrating is that? You're that close against the last two national titles. Of course, as you know, it's frustrating. But you can't change the outcome. You can't really dwell on it. You just got to come back and work harder. Do things better than you did last year. And hopefully the outcome will change.

2:30:23As you get older, you kind of learn. I thought I was working harder than you always find out those. You could have been doing it. Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's how that's what growing up is basically in college. I thought freshman year I was working. It's hard as I could, but now I look back at it. I really wasn't working hard at all compared to what I'm doing now. So just to learn anything. If the stamina is a 16, then the answer to the lecture. What do you need it to be to be your best? Uh, 85. I mean, I can. It's all on me. I'm not going to be a good one. I'm not going to be a good one. I'm not going to be a good one. I'm not going to be a good one. I'm not going to be a good one. I'm not going to be a good one. I'm not going to be a good one. Yeah, it's just, I think it's a little higher. I was just trying to be funny, but I mean, it's all on me. I just got to run harder in shape. So I just, you know, the idea of the adventure is 16 or 17. I mean, I'm sorry about that idea. There's a making nervous about can you last that long? Do you have worries? I think, I think we, I definitely can last. I was just, you know, we got to get the young guys that come along with us.

2:31:24We can't play for the snaps of the game. That's just too much on our bodies. Just everybody's like, oh, line, D line. We got to get those younger guys to play, you know, get that pieces on the D line and the O line and everywhere else. So we can last that long. Speaking of the light playing, if you like playing that game last year, I don't know if any of us were expected to play that game. Oh, yeah, I did. Unless we were like winning by like a lot. I thought like there are no moments you know I can go sit down or something. But we're playing them big games like, you know, Notre Dame too, those kind of games. Of course I want to be because I know I can contribute. And I won't want to put that on anyone else when I know I can get the job done. What stands out about Kevin McDonald and the Cee guy that you guys in the second? Oh, yeah, definitely. K-Mac is a K-Mac animal. Y'all, you haven't really seen it yet, but in practice, he shows all the time. He's just, he's growing right now. He has to work, I think. He just has to get, you know, in the playbook and things like that. You guys are about the exact same size.

2:32:24Listen, you're both listening to 6th or you're 327, he's 326. Yeah, he's a very honest guy. I kind of look at him like my junior, but you know K-Mac, he's going to be a great player. He's got to develop more and get into playbook. So really a lot on you older guys. There's that large group of young guys and then there's the senior here back. Is that part of your task for this year to bring those guys on? Yeah, definitely. We got to be leaders. Like I said, we got to have them play this year. We can't just play all the snaps. We can't get in there and get some work. And we got to get them right during the all season. So they can play. And not just play, they want to contribute, like, make plays, tackle the sex. It seems like these guys get bigger. Each one of the freshmen classes looks bigger and bigger. And those guys kind of, there's going to kind of why you want to solve the first. Yeah, they're definitely some big dudes. And they all work hard. I've only seen much of something day two when I'm passing on. But throughout the workouts, they've been working hard. They're determined. I've said that. And it looks like they're ready to work with me.

2:33:26How important this is. It feels like there's a lot of great defenses. You have big athletic defense attacks. So you can eat up space. But also move, you know, right? That is that. Is that an inquire maybe for great defense? To have guys like you that have some balls, but also a great senior. I think that is definitely I think if you look at the last couple of national championship winners, like team of Northean and they got two good, uh, detaco, two athletic detacles. Look at Georgia. Two athletic detacles. So I think that's definitely need if you want to go on a big run and beat those big teams. If you think about this, they're going to fight by their defense tactics. Like what's Georgia, Jordan Davis and DL Carter? What's Michigan? It's Chris Jenkins. I mean, you understand it. I feel like some time I don't know are people realizing how important defense tackles are? A little bit more than they used to. I think so.

2:34:26I think they're starting to develop to develop more and more of these like freakiest detacles. Yeah. Like in the combine, just now you see like those guys, they're moving forward to four, seven, eights and things like that. So we'll see. And when you think it when you think about this freakish attack, how do you think you fit into that bowl? If that kind of player, watch that and say, yeah, that's me. Yeah, definitely. I think I'm top notch when it comes to detacles, but I don't want to, you know, get a big head, but you know, watch it come on. I watch it do the drills. I have tape to you like looking like my film. So I think I'm up there. I think you become like a artist. I think the way you're going. You're not doing a bunch of weapon. How do you work on that? Do you have like a goal? I don't remember how many that last year, like you have a goal in the last 35. How many people in the middle of the industry? I mean as many as I can have, I think I have more than that. But I think he said it. I think they can count some of them and some of them were like just listed.

2:35:28So, but I think we work on Joe's match in the hand. I think that's goes big and what we do is a D line, you know, just affecting the quarter. That is anyway you can. It's great for the defense, you know, just that little thing you cover in his eye, you know, he might throw it. A little bit to the left to our player. So it's something that you really, really have to work on. You have to work on that. It's one of the things that you maybe worked on the most. You have to keep your time here because there are a few guys that I've seen. Like, oh, that passed me down. We don't have to ask for this. We're kind of kind of expected for the people. I think I just have like a, like, an eye for the ball comment. I kind of just look at the quarterback and just, I see him, I load up. I just try to get in his way and sometimes he just throws it to me. I don't know. How you're irritated if you like to be a high state quarterback? You're not making a bad dumb pass. I mean, they get frustrated, but you know, we're a team, you know, we're just getting better. I should lot of different backs, man. They just learn to grow for them. You got to pick your top three backs and you have a ball right now.

2:36:29Uh, I don't really have a top three, but I'll give you, I'll give you one. I would say, say, Juan Gibbs and I like McCaffrey. Although he was injured this year, I like McCaffrey. Who's the best back in this drive? Best back in this drive. I lead that up the yard. That's y'all decision. Playing well with Howard, but I'm going to remember most. Uh, we're a Howard, man. He's just such a great lead, such a great leader, man. It's just like in moments where, you know, usually a lot of players, they fold, man. He was just always calm and relaxed, man. And he just the leader that he was, man, that's one thing I'm going to remember about him. Yeah, he's, he's going to be really good, man. He's on Coach Lock. I think he got the transfer in as well from West Virginia. Just that one two punch with them both as well. They're going to be really good backs.

2:37:29And so James people's man, he's smart the way that he goes about his business, man. He's mature. And so man, he's growing, you know, just as a person in as a player. And so man, yeah, definitely Ohio State, you know, that running back room is in great hands. I was right about looking at the U of C spot and foot on this. How the race and your personality and the approach of health is going to be the same here. Yeah. Coach, Coach Hartlein, man. He's full of energy, man. And he's creative as well. You know, I'm just learning from him as well. You know, I'm trying to run more outside the backfield. It was being able to learn from Coach Hartlein. And so he's definitely creative at what he does. And he brings a lot of energy to the team as well. And so I think that would do really good. Straight away, you know, you're going to play off cards. Right, right. That's what my strength is. Just the intensity, man. And since he got the playoffs, every game, man, is like the intensity got, you know, higher and higher. And so, you know, being able, I know in the lead, it's the same thing. Even if it's not the playoffs, just every game and intensity keeps getting higher and higher.

2:38:30So, yeah, you just, I know you got to bring it, you know, each and every day and come in and work. Just like Ohio State, you know, I definitely feel like Ohio State. They definitely do a good job of preparing us for that. You know, I just remember even before going through this process, I'll talk to a lot of players before that. And they told me a lot of just about how much Ohio State prepared them, you know, for the NFL. And so, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know I took a couple of days off after the National Championship and then shoot right after that. I'm writing sample Florida and I'm right to it. And so, yeah, I think while I trained, I trained at your performance. I think it's called the House of Athlete or the Compound now. They did a good job, man. They're just bringing us in and the way they went about training us, man. They did a really good job. I mean, that's what you did? The Bucking Nears. No, I haven't. Do you think it's City Tampa? Tampa, Tampa, nice. It's a nice city, man.

2:39:31Really nice. But I think it's really awesome. The 40, the broad and the vert. You've been in the races, it's an awesome locker. You need to be here with the quality of like, when you've got a linebacker, so you can get a higher score. Yeah. Yeah, no, man. It's really all about technique and then it's about mindset as well. And so, I say, you know, it's for the love of my brother. It's for the love of Will Howard. It's for the love of the receivers who I got on the perimeter. Just making sure, you know, first of all, my quarterback doesn't get sacked. And I told Will, I think it was before the first game. I was like, I got your brother. It's like, I said, man, I'm not going to let you get hit. You know, and so, I don't know if I gave up a sack. I'm not sure that, but I know if I did, I haven't given up too many. And so, man, it's for the love of my brothers, though, man, making sure that the ball get in their hands, you know, the guys on the outside and making sure they get fed. You had to hit the practice field later today. What is something you've been working on right now, when you need to?

2:40:32In my game. You can't really work on this, you know, in all season, I feel like. It's more so, you know, you got to put the pads on. You got to go through some inside run, you know, maybe. I was really just continuing to run through tackles. And so, that's, I feel like that's one of the areas in my game. You know, I want to continue to get better. I feel like I did a good job of that in my senior year. And so, I just want to continue to build on that. Yes, I did. Yes, I did. So, people trained, you look like now, but tomorrow, you get back in nursing. You can be mellowed in the morning. I did meet with New Orleans as well. I never got that comparison. I know I have a Camera shoe. Yeah, man, I have a Camera great, great back, man. Just what he does and those 101 matchups, he's dangerous, man. And he's so smooth. He's so smooth as well. I'm not going to lie. He's smooth. Yeah. Inside zone from stack, being able to hit that thing downhill.

2:41:32And I'll say the next one is probably just an option out of the backfield. And man coverage, you're getting on that linebacker. And so. Three. What he needs to be here in a couple of years, Jeremiah. Two athletes are working for us in the town. He's having a great set of kids. He's always a good man for us. And he had a great chance of getting more attention. Yeah, I say the man, the biggest thing is the way that he carries himself, man. And the way that man, he approaches the game. He comes in with the mindset, he's going to work every single week. Every practice, he's working hard. Even shooting. I don't know. Every game was a good game for him, man. But still, man, he always has the mentality to mindset that he's going to come in each and every day. He's going to continue to work and get better, man. And so he's definitely, man. He's going to be a special player, man. He really is. I think it's a nice thing to see him. Man, a lot of ups and downs, man.

2:42:34It's just how you respond to adversity. And I feel like that's something that God has definitely helped me to do better. It's just, I'm not having something to lean on now. You know, I remember before I met him, you know, going through those adversity. I had nothing to run to. You know, you can run to people, but they still can't. It's not too much. They can't truly help you. You know, I feel like the only person that can truly help you is your relationship with Jesus Christ. And so being able to lean on him, you know, he gives you, in those moments where it's tough, you know, where it's slow. And when you're behind the scenes and you're going through things that people don't know about, he gives you that peace and comfort. Even in those moments, man, where it's so hard that you can't explain. It's like, man, I'm going through this, but like, how am I still filled with this internal joy? You know, how do I have so much peace in this situation? And so that's something that only Jesus Christ can give you. And so... The fact that for Peterson Power and Judge Alexander's spiritual effect, which aspect of each of those other individuals that you want to come from being around power and...

2:43:37Um... Man, those guys have such a great mentality, man. I might just really love their mentality, especially Q as well. And I talked about Will Howard, his leadership, but Quencha Amantality, man. That boy just, yeah, that boy just gifted, you know. You see, you know, sometimes he put in a situation where he looked like, you know, he should have a negative five yards. And as soon as you know it, you know, he, the running through somebody, still farming somebody, and she, that's a gain of 10. And so... Do some of the things that he does, he just realizes two different guys. Yeah. Um... Shoot, I think... Yeah, man. I think it's just like... He's just gifted, man, too, beyond. He's just gifted. You know, he's a big back. You know, he's strong, and so, um... You know, he's able to do those things. Yeah, man, it's definitely... You know, I look at his game, and I want to, you know, at the same time, I want to learn from Quencha Amant. You know, I want to look at his game and it's like, man, where can I get better at as well? You know, that's the type of player I am. I'm always looking to get better, man. I'm always looking to grow as a player.

2:44:38What's your last experience in the game? Julian Sand. Oh, yeah, he's going to be a great... He's going to be a great quarterback, man. He's so... So accurate, and so, um... He's definitely, man, I know Coach Dez is definitely going to get him right. Just, you know, um... Container grow as a leader, container grow as a player. And so, he's going to be really good for how I stay... I'm so sorry, man. Uh... He's... I know just the quarterback position. Um... I feel like, you know, the quarterbacks in the past, they've... They've definitely been vocal. And so, I feel like that's something that they're definitely going to, um... I'm truly saying as well, is to be that vocal leader and lead the, um... And lead the offense and lead the team. Thanks, guys. Thanks, guys. Shoot, man. He has... He has a build like JK Dobbins, and um... I kind of see them, you know, similar... Similarities in their game as well. And I know JK Dobbins, he was a great running back. I feel like he's not talked about his now. Um... A lot, but man, his career here, you watch his highlights is great. I remember, um... Before I recruit... Before I commit it here, I remember watching JK Dobbins highlights, like every...

2:45:41Every, um... One of his years here, like, four or five times. And so, man, he was such a great back. And, um... I feel like, you know, um... When I see JK Dobbins, when I see, um... James people, I see similarities to both of their games. I feel like they play the same. And so... Appreciate you all, y'all. You can go ahead. This... This...

2:46:57This...

2:47:58Well, I got coming in last round, I knew it was all so I just tacked every day, really the same way. It's kind of a van deri rep. Finsically, how different are you? Weight wise, body wise, all that from the year ago. Um, I think I got a lot bigger. I'm like 240, you know, like, 240-4 right now. Last year, I played at like 236, 237. What does it feel like at 244? Or maybe I can feel like almost a different machine out there. Yeah, like a... What does it feel like to be running around out there like you are, but with more... More back. I just feel like I'm like... Like... Like more downhill, like... Stronger, like I'm taking all blocks better. It's a big... No. Is it daunting? Uh, maybe that's not the correct term. But to think you're going to be playing much more than you did even last year. And you played quite a bit last year and it's got a lot of... What do you have to get straight in your head about being on the field that much more? I just got to get ready to just play 30 more snaps. But...

2:48:58How would you describe how much you were looking forward to it from an 8-stand point? Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready for it. My, I'm ready for it. The text is opener. It's a rematch, so to speak. But it's not really two different teams compared to the last time you all played and stuff. How has that enhanced this camp for you and this team getting ready for the... Where an opener of that magnitude? Yeah, with an opener like that, we've been... We've been emphasizing it a lot. We know we got coming, so we know we got to do it. We've been preparing for it. I already just probably worked today. I think Riley ready to play right now. He advanced freshman, like he ended up here in the book. He stood in like he advanced. And his measurements were crazy. Like he saw it on the saw line too. I'm glad you said you were ready. You know what I was ready. What was that process like during last season? Could you feel yourself becoming more and more ready? The team needed to meet. Yeah, because that's pretty much what my role was. Whenever I was needed, I had to step up. So I feel like that's what built me into me being able to say I'm ready for this year.

2:50:00When you say ready, is it more a physical thing? Is it a mental thing? When I say ready, I think it's pretty much like everything physically, mentally, emotionally. I think I'm there. A different piece that is feeling this year's analyze. That's what's possible for that. Asked one more time. How different is that responsibility that you could just call that? If you were last year, you knew you were a homemaker. I feel like it's a way bigger responsibility with me having to step up this year. But I kind of go about it the same way. Like last year, I was attention to what everything I did. I feel like this year is going to be the same thing. It's probably a little bit more. Some reason I was saying this guy helped me to touch. It won't work? How many words do I have? I say, describe my game. I say, when you think of me, you would think of like a bullet, like a silver bullet.

2:51:03I don't really know what it is. That's how I play a thing. I don't think I have to be my nickname. I'm not saying that the nickname is that so. Yeah, yeah. How does that fit you? What are you enjoying about the playing in that kind of style? I think it fit me because I just like the defense. I feel like we got a lot of freedom. We're moving around a lot of the terms. I don't know. I don't really know how to answer that. That's okay. You can go under 10 stakes. A little bit more, maybe. It's not so thinking of too much. I don't even know if I say that because there's a lot of thinking going on. I just like his defense. I like how the pressure is different. I like what he got going on. What was it, Sadwin? CJ left the ring. Now I wanted to say that. I was kind of like happy for him. That's what he wanted.

2:52:04No. That's my dog. I'm trying to miss him a little bit. I'm happy for him. Go ahead. Coach Daze talked a lot about the guys who played some last year. But maybe weren't the starters and the hunger for that wasn't maybe your national championship. How much do you feel that is a guy who certainly contributed last year? But will be in this bigger role and I want to sum your classmates? Yeah, I do feel like I did win the national championship. But like you said, my role wasn't the same as how it's going to be this year. So yeah, I definitely want to go get another one experienced that feeling. Maybe on the field, a lot more place. Great. Well, thank you very much. Thanks for your time. Thanks for your time. I feel like you used to take me to the top sometimes like basketball. I want to be on that just like the fed, but you know, you got to stay. Stay straight and sometimes. Exactly. Yeah, that's a great question.

2:53:07I mean, I don't think I feel like these two can answer that for the year. I know I think KTA here. Well, I don't know what to say about that. What do you guys think? I don't know. I go to the gym every day. This man is strong. I'm talking about like basketball. He's not like you could just do a thing. He's like, I was really fast. He's not like you could just do a thing. He was kind of as really fast. Just the whole way I'm straight. And he got the grip. He doesn't give up on the playing. Like you said, he's going to go in there and watch the film. He's doing it every day. And then you'll see the 100 feet of my punch. From what I just want. So now that's not even super proven at the game. You know, can you just follow us around all the way around? Well, it's not like a coach, man. It's not like a coach. Chip Kelly's in full exchange. Maybe like the idea of tackle versus guard. Because obviously his offensive predilectionist would have like offensive line play in the game. Has he been a part of the center of the Indigo?

2:54:07I want to say maybe I don't know. But I mean, when I first heard he got the job, I was really excited because I'm one of those guys who's the tempo. I can run with the tempo. You know what I mean? I'm playing basketball all life in center football. And I feel like just the fast pace offense that we're running. And I really fit the guys we have right now in early shot. I know you can throw a football in 65 yards. But can you kick a football in 75 yards like Lincoln? No. Probably question. Lincoln, what's your question? How is your room amp? He's a blessing, man. I can't complain. He's a great guy. His name's Lincoln. Team Homes. Who's playing that? Oh, he's playing there. I think we're both really clean. That's why we're trying to take each other's roomies. Because we're very clean. And we don't like our rooms really messy. That's the truth. That's the truth. They're both pretty clean, so. Luke, are you still a cross-training attack or some? Or have you just been all guard this time? So far, I've been all guard.

2:55:08I really don't know. Like I said, I'm taking it practice by practice. I could end up being a back attack, but I could not. But, you know, I'm just really focused in on this past practice and the next one is some. What do you mean? You know what I mean? I don't know. Yeah. Oh, that mean a lot. You know, you put a lot of work in to play here. And then he's been a dream just for being in Ohio kids. I'm from Ohio kids perspective. I mean, that's the biggest wish possible. I would have thought it would be pretty cool. What was it like to last year at first game getting out of the field for the first time in the back attack? It didn't feel like that. This is gonna be a weird answer, but it feels like I was playing a game. If that makes sense. I was pretty locked in. I felt like just no anxiousness, no stress, no nothing. I just went in that first game. I was like, you see it on here now. It's time to roll. You know? It didn't really hit me. I was like, it didn't even hit me after. But I'm like, what'd you feel there? And if I get out there at the end of it, I'm just like, honestly, yeah. I don't know. I felt less nervous. I didn't ice go in. I had mixed in no sense.

2:56:12A lot. I mean, I'm learning from Josh and Austin. I think prior to one of my biggest role models here is my bigger brother and my first baby. I'm up to Dea. I don't know. Dea, okay. Yeah, no. Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, Dea and Austin, those are my guys, man. I'm even miles to, I mean, all three of them. Those are my roommates and they're progressing every day as well on. And I'm excited to see where they can get to. I'm excited to play on the field with them. Oh, yeah. He's not really helpful. You know, just keep in my mind, just settled and straightforward on the next blood. That's a great question. Like I said, I mean, I just need to take consistent in my work. I think that's the biggest thing for me is just ain't consistent and worried about the next blood. So you got it from the guy you were in the play? Yeah. Wow, that's weird. Yeah, that's mean, I guess they didn't want to get my nerves up, but like I was ready. I mean, I did, I took most of the ones, perhaps all of camp and I mean, I was already, I was pretty much set.

2:57:12Yeah. I wasn't really nervous. It started the game. What was his advice to you? Yeah. He said you got it. You mean, you're going against Ty League and Ty, every day in practice, I mean, it's not different. Almost different. Are you now both doing tend to the two-star tend to the game as a player, you know, having that under your belt? I'm more confident. I know what's going on. I can see, like, I can see what's going on with the defense. I know what's going on. I know what's coming. I mean, I understand the game's a lot better than what it was. I don't say last year. Which adds up to what? Fastest, hard to me, etc. Yeah. You playing with that dust for a while? I mean, if we get out early, it's, you get the defense change in place. It's like, it's changing their defense. You start fast. I mean, they're trying to get the call in the play, but you start fast. I might come back and watch us a lot of times. Yeah, of course, Dave's pretty much dead, though. You deserve the play, man. You know, let's come forward and fast. But, will you expect this week in terms of your role? Where they need me? If it's left right.

2:58:12Wherever I need to go in, I go in and go back to do the front of me. I'll play in tackle. I'm talking back to high school days, but I should back in high school. I wasn't really random ball luck. I really didn't do any passes, but it was fun. Change got my feet better, I would say. How confident you feel like you could play there if you need? If they want me there, I guess I'll play there. I mean, they need me. They need me. Also in the illness that swept through the office of the line room. A lot of times coaches and players have said that I was still relying for the groom. You know, getting you experience among others. What was that like for you and double-dipping playing some tackle, playing some guard, the same practice. It was based on a group effort. We knew we had guys out and we just had to go back practice. All five guys, wherever they were playing, we just got to go. How much of that accelerate your development? Like that time with the ones you were actually doing?

2:59:12They really did. I was jumped in there. I didn't really know. We wanted to practice with practices, but after those, I was like, you're in my confidence. I think it was sort of a settling in process for you and the Akron game. Maybe play got better if the game went on. Especially in the ground game, things seem to take on. What was there a moment when it clicked on the field for you? Was there nerves and then a time of settling in? I guess how? Take me through that first game mentally. Yeah. First game, obviously you can have nerves for the first time in a starter. But then after the first couple of plays, meaning you have nerves naturally. So that's the first couple of play that I was good. I was rolling. Also, there's a weird meme for the first time. The first time I was trying to play in a state was also the first start. Yeah. Yeah. But I prepared well and camp and practice all week.

3:00:12And I was ready. I have two multi-year starters. I did a lot. I mean, I could ask them, hey, what we got here. But I was prepared well. I was telling Jimmy and said, hey, we're like our blocks. I was just going to ask you guys, what's up? What's up? What's up? You guys. I'm on the side. What's up? I was on the side. I was on the side. I was on the side. I was on the side. I was on the side. I was on the side. Was it a guy from Ohio? What did it mean at the start of the game? It was always my dream to come here and play and start. And having that like, I just got to keep going and keep building in those days. And go to the games and keep building. What a much younger Austin and do it people from here with that. Even committee I wouldn't believe that now having a couple of starts Yeah, awesome has this happened Faster than you

3:01:13No, I knew that year two I was gonna see you some playing time now starting week one year two I didn't receive that but like I was ready in spring ball like I knew I was gonna I was gonna play some It's not only get the opportunities of the play but like you play well enough now It shows like my preparation my hard work and just everything I put into this and I Just try and show it up on a field. There are moments the golf season in the end of the spring I Yeah, but definitely was in training camp I mean black and highly can tie every day Like it feels it feels a lot of confidence and doing it well and not like getting ball or anything

3:02:15Hero in Jason Moore and Taiwan all those guys me pretty much anyone on the deep and boring And came back as well, so yeah He helped me a quite a lot and I'm proud that he's our starting center not someone else's but I mean he's like the captain of a line. He's another voice on the line With guys like Josh Fryer and Josh Simmons Donnie Tiger That means another voice and not a captain Yeah, like he can tell you like before to play what's going on like how to block someone like we need to do and That's a lot How calm he is It makes us more calm like especially me and hey, it was our first start so like we were up here

3:03:20What what's that like he brought us down? I mean we were like fine like our emotions weren't high. We were so Is that like something he tells you was that something you pick up on by how he's acting? How do you kind of mean sense what he's trying to say? How he's acting and what mean him when we're on the side of him both Josh Donnie like he was telling us like a Cool like we got it, but it's pretty much like everyone old cool group How much do that as a first time starter? How much of the end that mean a lot? That was my first time ever using high pads. We didn't use the iPads in high school, but I mean you can say like try to remember the defense. You can just come on a silent and bring them we'll play and help them I The first or second after that I thought we say

3:04:28It's it's also it's a lot and I mean it's and I feel like you can't Be able to transform your body like I like I have like people here come and do that without having that mentality part with it It's like we we always talk about competitions here and our Our culture is fight so we're always here to compete and I feel like that is just that's what gets you in this mindset When you talk about that transformation, you just give us a little sense maybe with numbers or body fat or What do you know the weight group how big is that transformation? I don't have really specific numbers, but I just like It's more just like I can just I feel like feeling when I'm playing like I remember how I felt the play when I just got here And now I know how how it feels to play like like like just today like it feels Physically different on my body It's like just it's I'm getting used to it that makes sense

3:05:28I can't feel Kadea also said about you that you are just a completely different guy from last year We're gonna work Do you feel like you weren't at that place? Mentally, I think I was but I think I had some I would say like Kind of like confidence issues like I was just but you know, I mean I work past it and I know I can I know why I am and I know I can be here I know I can do it. It's not like that's those are those are all it's on the past now Did the past the play time in the very obvious opportunity guys had the stuff up? You know, but that helped you crank over that confidence issue there because it's now a demo and so you're off

3:06:28So kind of is just like Just I mean it's just just being here like I feel like being here every day working with the guys every day It's just like you know you become this person that you might not have like You might not have like felt like you were before that but like coming here working every day stacking these days like Like you know, I mean, I just feel like I realized who I am and I know what I can do now I knew I knew I could play here. I mean, it's just it was like the like I just I don't know how to explain. I just like I've always known I could play here. It's just I'm just like let's go

3:07:28Like I'm ready like I'm ready to attack For sure I think KJ was a big influence tie Hamilton and Tileek they all they all helped me a bunch last year kind of just pushing through you know All right well plan as much so I just wanted to get like more experience under my belt So I can know bring the other guys with me because I've been One of those younger guys we're seeing Well as a workhorse he he goes take quite a work hard and that's all I love about he Focuses he don't really talk much. He's going to get a job done do a job right really has any mistakes National tradition ring when all the games we don't want to lose anything

3:08:30We got a mindset that we can't be beat and we just got to go so It seems like you guys expect the national It's definitely a difference everyone working harder. We noticed our last run like we most of us don't have any years after this So we got to go go bigger going home and we're not trying to go home Finish big we know what you guys What they did they won the national championship and you guys took them down to the final minute right you know what I mean I mean you you were right there something goes a little different you guys could have been one that game against them Does that tell you anything about like that hey you guys want to win a national championship but You played to the 59th minute was the team that won the national championship last year like you're that close So I'm saying we just like work harder. That's that's kind of coach makes of saying you know nobody cares

3:09:32Work harder like those no one played Georgia is the same thing last last play you know they went on the win in 90 so We just got to get over that hump at the end of the season. I think we'll be Of course is you know it's frustrating but you can't change the outcome you can't really do I don't Do I want it you just gotta you know come back and work harder do things Better than you did last year and hopefully the outcome change Yeah, definitely I mean that's how that's what growing up is basically in college I thought fresh me. I was working as hard as I could but not look back at it I really wasn't working hard at all compared to what I'm doing now. So just to learn anything 80 85 I mean I can it's all on me. I just I think it's a little higher. I was just trying to be funny

3:10:34But I mean it's all on me. I just got to run harder Yeah, it's a I think I think I think we I definitely can last I was just you know We got to get the young guys to come along with us. We can't play for the snaps of game. That's just too much on our bodies just Everybody like online D line. We got to get those younger guys to play you know get that pieces on the D line and O line and everywhere else so we can last Yeah, I did unless we were like winning by like a lot I thought like there are no moments you know I can go sit down or something But we're playing them big games like you know Notre Dame to North those kind of games I of course I want to be because I know I contribute and I won't want put that on anyone else when I know I get a job

3:11:42Yeah, definitely came back as a Came back to animal y'all you haven't really seen it yet, but in practice he shows all the time. He's just He's just he's growing right now. He has a work. I think he just has to get you know in the playbook things like that You guys are about the exact same size Listen, you're both listening six three you're three twenty seven. He's three twenty six Yeah, I kind of look at him like my my junior, but you know came in he's gonna be a great player He's got to develop more and getting to play Yeah, definitely we got to be leaders Like I said, we got to have them play this year. We can't just play all the snaps They got to get in there and get some work and we got to get them right Turned off season so they can play and not just play they want to like contribute like make plays tackle Sex

3:12:46Yeah, they're definitely some big dudes and they all work hard. I'm gonna be seeing much of something day two I'm not passing on but throughout the workouts they've been working hard, you know, they they're determined A lot of great defense is that you have big athletic defense attack to get you up space Right I think that is definitely I think if you look at the last couple national championship winners Like team on North, they you know they got two bit Detackle two athletic detackles look at Georgia two athletic detackles I think that's definitely need if you want to go on a big run and beat those big teams What's Georgia Jordan Davis and Dylan Carter? Let's miss you again. It's

3:13:49How I mean you understand Because you play it but I feel like sometime I don't know are people realizing how important defense tackles are a little bit more than they used to I think so I think they're starting to develop to develop more and more of these like freakiest detackles Yeah, like in the combine just now you see in like those guys they're moving four to four seven eights and things like that so Yeah, definitely I think I'm top-notch when it comes to detackles But I don't want to you know get a big head, but you know watch the come on. I watch you do the drills I have to see you like you look at my film. So I think I'm They were all the time. You become like a artist

3:14:53I mean as many as I can have I think I have more than that But I think they said it on I think they didn't count some of them and it's some of them where I like just listed So but I think we work on Joe's matching the hand. I think that's goes big and We do as a deal on you know just affecting the quarter of that is Anyway, you can it's just great for the defense. You know just that little thing covered is I you know I think I just have like a like a eye for the ball kind of I kind of just look at the quarterback and just I see him I load up I just try to get in his way and sometimes he's those I mean they get frustrated, but you know we're a team. We're just getting back I

3:15:56Watch a lot of a lot of different backsman and just learn to grow for them I don't really have a top three, but I'll give you I'll give you one I would say Sequoan Gibbs and I like McCaffrey auto he was injured this year. I like McCaffrey I Best back in this draft I lead out of the yard. That's y'all that's y'all decision Playing with howard what I'm going to remember most We're a Howard man. He's just such a great lead such a great leader man It's just like in moments where you know usually a lot of players they fold man He was just always calm and relaxed man. He just the leader that he was man. That's one thing. I'm gonna remember about him Yeah, he's shoot he's gonna be really good man. He's um

3:16:56Coast lock I think he got the transfer in as well from West Virginia Just that one two punch with them both as well. They're gonna be really good backs And so James people's man. He's smart the way that he goes about his business man He's mature and so man. He's growing, you know just as a person in as a player and so man Yeah, definitely Ohio State, you know that running back room is in great hands You Yeah, um Coach Coach Hartline man. He's full of energy man and he's creative as well You know, I'm just learning from him as well, you know I'm trying to run more outside the backfield was being able to learn from coach Hartline And so he's definitely creative at what he's he does and he brings a lot of energy to the team as well And so I think that do really good You know Just intensity man and since he got the playoffs Every game and it's like the intensity got you know higher and higher and so you know being able

3:17:57I know in the lead. It's it's the same thing even if it's not the playoffs Just every every game and intensity it keeps getting higher and higher and so yeah You just I know you got to bring it you know each and every day and come in and work just like Ohio State You know, I definitely feel like Ohio State they definitely do a good job of preparing us for that You know, I just remember even before going through this process I'll I'll talk to a lot of players Before then and they told me a lot of just about how much Ohio State prepared them, you know for the NFL and so yeah Yeah, yeah, I know I took a couple days off after the National Championship and then Shoot right after that. I'm right in writing Tampa, Florida and I'm right to it and so Yeah, I think while trained I trained at your worth performance I think it's called the House of Athlete or the compound now They did they did a good job, man. They're just bringing us in and the way they went about training us man They were they did a really good job

3:18:58The bucket near know I haven't Tampa Tampa nice. This is nice. It's a nice city man. Really nice The 40 to broad and avert Yeah, yeah, no, man It's really all about technique and then it's about mindset as well And so I say you know it's for the love of my brother. It's for the love of will highway It's for the love of the receivers who I got on the perimeter just making sure you know First of all my quarterback doesn't get sacked And I I told will I think it was before the first game. I was like I got your brother It's I said man, I'm not gonna let you get hit, you know, and so I don't know if I don't know if I gave up a sack I'm not sure that but I know if I did I haven't given up too many and so man It's for the love of my brothers don't man making sure that the ball getting their hands, you know The guys on the outside and making sure they get fed

3:20:06In my game You can't really work on this, you know in all season I feel like it's more so You know you got to put the pads on you got to go through some inside run, you know Maybe it's really just continuing to run through tackles and so that's I feel like that's one of the areas of my game You know I want to continue to get better at I feel like I did a good job of that my senior and so I just want to continue to build on that Yes, I did yes I did me with New Orleans as well I never got that comparison actually I know I'm a commander sure. Yeah, man. I would come here great great back man Just what he does and those 101 matchups he's dangerous man, and he's so smooth. He's so smooth as well. I'm not gonna like he smooth Yeah Inside zone from stack being able to hit that thing downhill and I say the next one. It's probably

3:21:10Just an option route out of the backfield, you know, and man and man coverage you're getting on that linebacker and so He Yeah, I say the man the biggest thing is the way that he carries himself man in the way that man He approaches the game he comes in with the monster, you know, he's gonna work every single week You know every practice, you know, he's working hard, you know, um even shoot. I don't know every good I think he had it every game was a good game for him, man, and so but still man He always has the mentality to mindset that you know, he's gonna come in each and every day He's gonna continue to work and get better, man, and so he's definitely man. He's gonna be a special player, man A lot of ups and downs man is just How you respond to adversity and I feel like that's something that God has definitely helped me to do better

3:22:15Is this not have something to lean on now, you know, I remember before I met him, you know, going through those adversity I had nothing to run to you know, you can run to people, but they still can't it's not too much They can't truly help you, you know, I feel like you know I feel like the only person that can truly help you is your relationship with Jesus Christ And so I'm being able to lean on him, you know, he gives you in those moments where it's tough You know where it's low and when you're behind the scenes and you're going through things that people don't know about He gives you he gives you that peace and comfort, you know Even in those moments man, we're so hard that you can't you can't explain. It's like man I'm going through this, but like how am I still feel with this internal joy? You know, how do I have so much peace in this situation? And so that's something that only Jesus Christ can give you and so I was wondering if it was you who wanted to model your game from being around power to him Um Man, those guys have such a great mentality man

3:23:16I might just really love their mentality Especially on Q as well, you know, I talked about Will Howard his leadership but Quincham mentality man That boy just yeah that boy just gifted, you know, you see, you know Sometimes he put in a situation where he looked like you know, he should have a negative five yards And as soon as you know it, you know, he that running through somebody step on somebody and shoot it's a game to 10 It's a Shoot I think Yeah, man, I think it's just like he's just gifted man to be honest. He's just gifted You know, he's he's a big back. You know, he's strong and so you know, he's he's able to do he's able to do those things Yeah, man, it's definitely you know, I look at his game and I want to you know the same time I want to learn from Quincham You know, I want to look at this game is like man where where can I get better at as well? You know, that's the type of player I am. I'm always looking to get better man. I'm always looking to grow as a player Julian San, oh yeah, he's gonna be a great but he's gonna be a great quarterback man

3:24:18He's so so accurate and so he's definitely man. I know coach day is definitely going to get him right Just you know, I'm continuing to grow as a leader continuing to grow as a player and so he's going to be really good for high state I He's I know just the quarterback position. I feel like you know the quarterbacks in the past They've they've definitely been vocal and so I feel like that's something that they're definitely going to ask I'm Julian San as well. It's to be that vocal leader and lead the lead to office and lead to steam He has he has a bill like JK Dobbins and I kind of see them you know similar similarities in their game as well And I know JK Dobbins he was a great running back. I feel like he's not talked about his none a lot But man his career here you watch his highlights is great. I remember Before I recruit before I committed here. I remember watching JK Dobbins highlights like every One of his years here like four or five times and so man he was such a great back and I feel like you know

3:25:21When I see JK Dobbins when I see James people I see similarities to both of their games I feel like they play the same and so appreciate you all y'all You You

3:26:44You You I got coming in last round to roast I just tacked every day really the same way I think I got a lot bigger I'm like 240 you know like 240 for right now last year I played it like 236 to 37

3:28:04I just feel like I'm like Like like more downhill like stronger like I'm taking all blocks better. It's big Gotta get ready to just play already more snaps. So Are you how would you describe how much you're looking forward to it from an I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready for it. I'm ready for it Yeah, we're open like that we've been emphasizing in a lot of we know we got coming so we know we gotta do we're prepared for it I think Riley ready to play right now he advanced freshman like he in the book he stood in like he advanced and his

3:29:10measurements crazy like he saw like the saw line to Or you said you're ready What was that process like during last season could you feel yourself Becoming more and more ready Yeah, cuz that's pretty much what my role was just whenever I was needed I had to step up So I feel like that's what built me into me being able to say I'm ready for this year when you say ready Is it more a physical thing? Is it a mental thing when I say ready? I think it's pretty much like everything physically Mentally mostly I think I'm there Asked I want one time I feel like it's a Way bigger responsibility with me having to step up this year, but I kind of go about it the same way like last year I was intentional with everything I did I feel like this year

3:30:12It's gonna be the same thing. It's probably a little bit more And what word Oh I say Scrub my game I say like when you think of me you think of like a like a bully like a silver bullet I don't really a bullet. I'm always on the ball. That's how I like to play a thing No, I think I'll be my nickname, but oh Yeah Oh think it fit me because I don't know I just like the defense I feel like we got like you said we got a lot of freedom and we're moving around a lot a lot of the terms is like no I don't know. I don't really not answer that

3:31:20I don't even know if I say that because there's a lot of thinking going on, but it's like I just like it's I like how to do it. I like what you got Now I wanted to my sad I was kind of like happy for you That's my dog. So yeah kind of missing a little bit. Yeah, I'm happy for you The guys who played some last year, but maybe weren't the starters and the hunger for Maybe your national championship you guys Yeah, I do feel like um, yeah, I do feel like I did one in that elastia, but like you say my role wasn't Same as how's gonna be this year. So yeah, I definitely want to go get another one experienced that like feeling with me Be on the field a lot more place

3:32:25With the way he uses receivers. How do you anticipate your role? Changing it. How do you view the offense from a receiver perspective specifically? Yeah, um, I mean I think he likes to really push the ball down the field. Um, he likes to be balanced. He likes to Give different looks to a difference. You know, we're gonna Not to try to get too much into it, but you know, we're gonna use some motion move some guys around and things of that nature I think for myself I feel comfortable playing any of the positions that is that is asked whether it's the slot the outside positions and unique part about our offense is I don't think necessarily you play the X or the Z because the pit on the formation of the hash You can be the opposite you can be the X but then you're to the field now you're the Z So you got to really learn The entire concept and know where you're out in the field which I think makes everybody smarter players because You don't pigeonhole yourself. I just play X, you know, I'm only know this position like you get in two minutes You're the Z now you got to know what to do you may have the clear out router You may have the backside dig like you got to know what you're doing

3:33:26So I think he doesn't just say like we're going to do this offense He's really trying to create an office that hits our personnel really well that that field boundary thing Yeah, that's a thing in college, but it seems like it's more to you to clip is that is that something you're used to seeing Another offense has been Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think if if I'm on the left hash like technically um I'm the X you know, I'm in the boundary, but if we're on the right hash. I'm still on the left side Really the Z in the concept because I'm to the field I'm to the strength of the tight end so um I've been in offenses like is similar like that before and um, you know, I just think he he one thing I think that's really stood out as the compliments of our routes that we have so far um, I feel like we have a chance to really Run similar stems, but there's different routes off those stems and things like that which I think for receiver like myself who uh You get you know a really good look at DB's and they study your film they study your splits like having routes That look the same, but break off a different

3:34:27Different angles is extremely important because it feels like you have some versatility in your bag to go out with versus like You got this hitch again. You're backside. You like that's all you got, you know, I mean so um Yeah, he's just been a really good player's person to work with and he's been really communicative with the leaders and how we want this offense to look like and Some of the ideas that we may have as well. So it's it's been a really uh cool transition You talk about the transitions you've heard offense in three years probably your fourth and six years. Yeah How do you not kind of build up some barriers? Yeah, man. I gotta do this again. Right um, I think you know human nature is is always um A factor in whatever you do in life, but I think I try to make a conscious choice of coming in with a new year mentality each and every year And I think it's easy because we've had so many changes in um, it's been great working with Marcus and jaden and Jeff and All of everybody like it's it's been great with working with all the quarterbacks and um

3:35:33I just have a mentality and not really being complacent like I try to really focus on the things that I I can come back better at this year and I've been working my my butt off to do that. So um, I think the easy thing and when I was younger You're like dang like you just want that consistency, you know, I mean like you want that um Something you could depend on, but like life isn't life isn't always like that. So um, I've been Re-invigorated because of just the energy that dq brings into our building each and every day and and the coaches as well Like it's fun competing, you know, I don't mean and sometimes I could get lost in the grind, but um I think the reason why you make it here at this level is because you you fall in love with the competition And I think the competition breathes the success because um That is really where you the iron truly sharpens iron. So you know other guys are going to make plays, but you get excited to go in there and and know that Um, the next day we're going to go right back after the defense. So um

3:36:33For myself, I'm just looking forward to continue to grow with the quarterbacks that we have um, I'm in year six now, which is extreme blessing and um Leader one of the leaders in our room and I just try to take the bullby the horns with that and so That's really been my focus and Uh, you know, I'm excited for another year. So us. It's looked like you're being more vocal on the sideline. Yeah, help young guys Definitely something you decided this offseason or uh, I think that's uh been a part of my maturation process as a leader I've always seen myself as somebody that was a uh leader by example um, but From coaches and other teammates. I've had over the years um guys like to hear what I have to say for whatever reason sometimes You know and I think the biggest thing where I've tried to Figure out where I fit in with my vocal leadership is I never wanted to be like a dictator You know, I mean, I never wanted to tell guys what to do or or be a yellow or things like that Like when I say something, I wanted to have power. I wanted to have meaning and I hope you know The guys would feel the same way if they were to ask them that question

3:37:35Um, because I want to see all these guys win man like it's it's hard to make it in this league and staying a career And so anyway, I could help the receivers the DBs. I'm talking to some alignment Johnny who's who's rehabbing his foot. You know what I mean? Like everybody has a role and everybody has a different story and path And so if I could share what I've been through my testimony to help them or Do things that kind of slow down the process. I'm gonna try to do that because um, we need everybody from The rookies to the ten year vets to to make this thing work. So um more so I try to speak to What I what I know and and really those honest conversations that I try to have with guys where they know I'm coming from a good place and I think I'm not the type of guy where I'm just going to talk in at them like if they see something like I could take a coaching point from Luke McCaffrey I could take a coaching point from Deami from johan from Marcus from anybody, you know, like I think that's what makes you a great player when you can really

3:38:36Be coachable from anybody and not take it from a personal standpoint Hi, I'm good. I'm going back to what you were saying about Cliff and offense. How is he as a teacher in teaching all this? Yeah, I mean, I think he does a really great job of making things simple first and foremost He doesn't overcoach and I think that's the trust that he has in our group and his in his coaches Our position coaches to Filling the details. So we'll have an install meeting and It'll be a good amount of time, but then our position coaches will have time and we'll make it specific to that position and so Then we'll come in and have a walkthrough And then after that we'll have another walkthrough and so I don't think there's been a time where I've come out here And I'm kind of worried about what I got you know, I mean and when you get into certain offices There could be so many details where you could be overwhelmed and I think then it It forces it kind of separates guys in a sense that like one guy may study more than another guy But when you have these these sessions that we have where we're having an installs in the morning

3:39:36We're having two walkthroughs and then we're coming on the field and doing it like I think you notice a lot of guys are playing a lot faster And more confident because he's keeping it simple But also he's very particular in in what he's expecting but it's not a lot so There's not a pressure of to get it right but at the same time You know it's expected of you and you know you're going to have the tools given to you to be successful out there on the field And this offseason just the totality of change from front office players coaches the turf field What what does that been like for you just to see what's going on? It's been fun you know, I think from Mr. Harris and the entire ownership group down to Adam Peters down to DQ down to Jada who he drafted and bringing him Marcus and Jeff and all those guys and down to leaders we have on our team I think it was extremely specific on the way they tried to build this thing going into this year First having the right people bringing in leaders bringing in guys who love to compete first thing that DQ said when he came here

3:40:37Was and his first meeting like if you love to compete this is going to be the place for you I love it, you know, I mean I love bags and and going at it with the DB's every day like the little mundane stuff can seem a little boring But that's I think that was with them Were you make the gains during the offseason where you're really focused on? I'm hey like I'm a I'ma give all I got for this day and I'm a get better And then I'm a I'ma learn from the film and come back tomorrow and raise to do it again And he also understands like the The benefits of having breaks like he's giving us breaks. We've had you know weeks off here in there The weekend compose ourselves, but then come back and give it all we got you know, I mean and when you got a coach that Understands the physicality of an entire season where you guys do need breaks by the time the same time We're going to get after it It makes it fun as a leader because you can take that to your room and be like yo, we got these we got this week You know, I mean that's extremely important But you know, we have this little break coming up Where you're going to get your your mind and your body and your soul right so Coming into this season. I'm really optimistic. Oh, what we can be this year and I think it started with the foundation that

3:41:43The ownership group and the entire staff has built and now it's on myself as a leader to continue to hone that in into the locker room But I think it's great because we have so many great leaders from all across the league who have one and Hell we got Bobby Wagner in there. You know, I mean I asked a hall of famer so like You know being able to have kind of guys like that that you can lean on that can sometimes take over that leadership Rollway doesn't fall on one person. I think it's Extremely refreshing and knowing that everybody's on the same page and the message is the same Allows you to go out there with confidence and always expected Terry you seem to spend many of your off seasons Learning about things beyond football hobbies. What have you did you do anything to this off season so far? It's Hobbies are increased your knowledge of this the world around you It's a question um Play a lot of golf As that they just keeps my competitive juices flowing Planning the wedding that's going well and uh

3:42:46Man, I've just been grinding like honestly, you know, I mean, I've been hungry this all season like I started working out you know pretty early and You start to see guys like coming back and it's just fun to like to be here and compete and feeling like everybody's on the same page You know what I mean like and so for me I'm a grind every off season, but just This one just feels like it's the start of something you know new and special and the foundation of his extremely important and to be a part of that to have a hand in that um You know, it's it's an honor, you know, and I put a lot of expectation on myself to come out here and and be the guy that I know I'm capable of and also like take him the next step and Being somebody that our quarterbacks that can trust and believe in so um this all season was pretty simple for me um It was just really about you know, working and and and grinding and getting better He talked about jaden before and anything so far. I know we haven't seen everything

3:43:46But in terms of his his arm strength the throws he's making anything surprising so far about the types that his ability in that regard definitely I think after the second or third cross or that he threw I started telling receivers like hey you gotta get your head around You know, I mean because again each quarterback throws the ball definitely sees the field differently So sometimes on crossers a lot of quarterbacks may like to see you cross the ball and get into that open zone over there If it's a man flattened off they like to see you get open where him He has a really good anticipation over the middle of the field where he can make those throws and give you a chance to catch and run and He's really accountable too like we had to play today where he felt like he missed me and you know It's not a big deal at all, you know, I mean him and I could talk to those things and there's been a play that I've talked to him about I could do a better job, but again like that open that open former communication from a rookie I think is it's very rare and I think it speaks to the confidence he knows who he is But he's also not afraid to say when he's wrong and he knows he needs room to improve But his touch on the D ball is it's amazing

3:44:47You know, I love getting extra reps with practice after practice with him We're just catching the top end of a deep ball as big for me, you know I mean I get to track the ball over my shoulder and it's big for him to be able to Get used to dropping the ball in the bucket, but he just naturally has an ability to throw the ball He sees the windows really well and now He's just you know continue to get adjusted to the speed in the past rush I think he's these reps that he's getting our unbelievable during 11 on 11 because he's getting the field pain and Allen and DA and Cleveland Farrow like we got some dogs up there who are gonna come after them You know what I mean? And we got some great guys up front who are gonna protect them And so these reps I feel like are even better than just seven on seven seven on seven I think he could do in the sleep to be fair like he throws the ball really well But when you get this 11 on 11 two-minute drill you put them in game like situations and I'm looking them in his eye I'm like we play real ball now like we we we plan you know, I mean and You just see no no anxiousness in his game in his demeanor, which is extremely exciting and and then you know He's extremely lighthearted and he's always smiling

3:45:47So he's joking with lime and D line. He's just cool with everybody and like I said like for a rookie quarterback to come in like that Guys are gravitating to him and he's not afraid to be who he is That's dope. I think he has a bright future for himself The tough losses the tough seasons can weigh on a player sure you're entering the prime of your career Jay kind of mentioned it last year all he cares about is winning. Yeah, he wants to win now Is there a sense of urgency you obviously always want to win? Yeah knowing that you know, you're you're getting to the prime Your career like you want to win now. Yeah, I think that's a fair question. I think um, you know You start to evaluate when you I'm in year six and you know, it's how fast it goes and I try not to put the cart before the horse were looking too far ahead by at the same time You do want to win you want to be a part of a winning culture and have a chance to win the Super Bowl and the playoffs and all those things Like that's why we we do this personally and I'm just excited with being a part of a organization in the environment where now like everybody's on the same page in the in the

3:46:54And the message is uniform and it speaks from the top down and It reflects in the guys that they're bringing in you know all the guys that they brought in are guys who are hungry who are competitors who Not only fighting for spots, but we're going to help us win games and when you're around environment like that like that that makes you excited makes you hopeful and You know, you don't know how it's going to turn out until we start playing games, but The foundation is extremely important And I think this offseason we've really done a great job of building that they have and then when a coach quing guy here building with this team So I feel like we're going to be going into this offseason really Knowing what we all got to do individually to become ready for camp, but the met the message is clear to come back to camp ready to compete and And be ready to win thanks. Sorry Appreciate you guys You

3:47:58We plan as much so I just wanted to get like more experience under my belt So I can know bring younger guys with me because I've been Well as a workhorse he he goes stay quiet. You're going to work hard. And that's all I love about him Focuses he don't really talk much. He's going to get a job done do a job right really has any mistakes Uh, national championship Ring win all the games. We don't want to lose anything We got a mindset that we can't be beat. We just got to go show it I think that might take different Seems like you guys expect the national championship every year this year even more so you guys have all come back for this You guys have all decided like that Is that this is a field of difference or is it not really any difference? It's just the same

3:49:01I was definitely a difference everyone working harder. Um, we noticed our last run We most of us don't have any years after this. So we got to go go bigger going home then we're not trying to go home Finish big What they did they won the national championship and you guys Took them down to the final minute right you know what I mean? I mean you You were right there something goes a little different you guys could have been one that game against them Does that tell you anything about like that? Hey you guys want to win a national championship But you played to the 59th minute with the team that won the national championship last year like you're that close So I'm saying uh, we just like work harder. That's that's kind of coach makes uh saying you know nobody cares Work harder like those no one played Georgia is same thing Last last play you know they went on the win in 90 so We just got to get over that hump at the end of the season. I think we'll be fine I'll frustrating is that you're that close against the last two national title Uh, of course is you know it's frustrating, but you can't change the outcome

3:50:03You can't really dwell on uh dwell on it. You just gotta you know come back and work harder do things Better than you did last year and hopefully the outcome will change Is that as you get older you kind of learn that I thought I was working hard and you always find out there's a little more Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's how that's what growing up is basically in college I thought freshman year I was working as hard as I could but now I look back at it I really wasn't working hard at all compared to what I'm doing now. So just to learn anything 80 85 I mean I can It's it's all on me. I just I think it's a little higher. I was just trying to be funny, but I mean, it's all on me. I just got to run harder

3:51:05I think I think we I definitely get lies. I was just you know, we got to get the young guys to come along with us We can't play for the snaps again. That's just too much on our bodies Just Everybody like online D line. We got to get those younger guys to play. No Get that pieces on the D line and online and everywhere else so we can last that Ah, yeah, I did unless we were like winning by like a lot I thought like there are no moments you know I can go sit down or something But we're playing them big games like you know Notre Dame too or North those kind of games. I of course I want to be because I know I can contribute and I won't want to put that on anyone else when I know I can get the job done Oh, yeah, definitely came back as a came back to animal y'all you haven't really seen it yet But in practice he shows all the time. He's just He's just he's growing right now. He has to work. I think he just has to get you know in the playbook

3:52:07Things like that. You guys are about the exact same size Listen, you're both listen six three you're three twenty seven. He's three twenty six Yeah, I kind of look at him like my my junior, but you know, came in he's gonna be a great player He's got to develop more and get into playbook Really a lot on you older guys. There's that large group of young guys and then they see your back as a part of your S. But this year to bring those guys Yeah, definitely we got to be leaders um like I say we got to have them play this year We can't just play all the snaps. They got to get in there and get some work and we got to get them right During the offseason, so they play and I just played they want to like contribute like make plays tackle sex Yeah, they're definitely some big dudes um, and they all work hard I've only seen much it's only day two when I'm passing on but Throughout the workouts they've been working hard, you know, they they're determined

3:53:08And it looks like they're ready to work I'm poor this There's a lot of great defenses Is that a requirement maybe for great defense Have guys like you that have some balls, but Also a great team. I think that is definitely I think if you look at the last Couple of national champions and winners Team on North, they didn't know they got to the Detackle to athletic detackles. Look at Georgia to athletic detackles I think that's definitely need if you want to go on that big run because they're They're What's Georgia? Jordan Davis and Janet Carter let's Michigan is Chris Jenkins You understand How important defense tackles are a little bit more than they used to I think so

3:54:12I think they're starting to develop to develop more and more of these like freakiest detackles Yeah, like in the combine just now you see in like those guys they're moving We're in the four seven eights and things like that so We'll see and when you think it when you think about those freakish How do you think you fit into that All of that type of player you watch that and say yeah, that's me Uh, yeah, definitely. I think I'm top-notch when it comes to detackles I don't want to you know get a big head, but you know watch the comma. I know watch the dude do the drills I have to see like my film so I think I'm You're going I mean, it's many of us can have I think I have more than that But I think they've got counseling I think they've got some of them and It's some of them where I like just missed it so but I think we work on Jordan matching the hand

3:55:16I think that's uh goes big and uh What we do is a deal on you know just affecting the quarter Vegas Anyway, you can is just grateful to be friends, you know, just that little thing covered is I you know A little bit to the left to our player One of the things that you maybe worked on the most I think I just have like a like a eye for the ball comment. I kind of just look at the quarterback and just I see him I load up. I just try to get in his ways and sometimes he just does it to me I don't know I mean they get frustrated by you know, we're just getting better Yeah, I should lot of a lot of different backsman. They just learn to grow for them Uh

3:56:18I don't really have a top three, but I'll give you I'll give you one. I would say Sequan Gibbs and I like McCaffrey auto he was injured this year. I like McCaffrey Best back in this draft. I lead out of the yard. That's y'all that's y'all decision Playing with Howard when I'm going to remember most Uh We're a Howard man. He's just such a great lead such a great leader man. It's just like In moments where you know usually a lot of players they fold man He was just always calm and relaxed man. He just the leader that he was man. That's one thing. I'm gonna remember about him Yeah, he's she he's gonna be really good man. He's um Coastal like I think he got the transfer in as well from West Virginia Just that one two punch with them both as well. They're gonna be really good backs And so James people's man. He's smart the way that he goes about his business man

3:57:18He's mature and so man. He's growing you know just as a as a person in as a player and so man. Yeah Definitely oh, hi estate, you know that running back room is in gray hands Yeah Coach coach heartline man. He's full of energy man and um he's creative as well You know, I'm just learning from him as well. You know, I'm trying to run more outside the backfield Was being able to learn from coach heartline and so he's definitely creative at what he's he does And he brings a lot of energy to the team as well. And so I think they'll do really good Um just intensity man then since he did other playoffs Every game and it's like the intensity got you know higher and higher and so um, you know being a but I know in the lead It's it's the same thing even if it's not the playoffs Just every every game and then since the key is getting higher and higher and so yeah You just I know you got to bring it you know each and every day and come in and work just like Ohio State

3:58:21You know, I definitely feel like Ohio State. They definitely do a good job of preparing us for that You know, I just remember even before going through this process how I'll talk to a lot of players um before then And they told me a lot of just about how much Ohio State prepared them you know for the NFL and so yeah Yeah Yeah, I know I took a couple days off after the um national championship and then Shoot right after that. I'm writing writing sample Florida and I'm right to it and so um Yeah, I think while trained I trained at um your morph performance. Um, I think it's called the house of athlete or the compound now Um, they did they did a good job, man. They're just um bringing us in and the the way they went about training us man They were they did a really good job The bucking near know I haven't Temple temple. It's a nice. It's a nice city man. Really nice Uh, the 40 to broad and avert

3:59:32Yeah Uh, it's really all about technique and then it's about mindset as well And so um, I say you know, it's for the love of my brother. It's for the love of will highway It's for the love of the receiver. So I got on the perimeter just making sure you know, um first of all my quarterback doesn't get sacked And I I told will I think it was before the first game. I was like I got your brother is I said man, I'm not gonna let you get hit you know um, and so um, I don't know if I don't know if I gave up a sack I'm not sure that um, but I know if I did I haven't given up too many and so man It's for the love of my brother's though man making sure that the ball get in their hands You know the guys on the outside and making sure they get fed In my game uh, you can't really work on this you know in all season I feel like it's more so you know, you got to put the pads on you got to go through some inside run You know, maybe uh, it's really just continuing run through tackles And so that's I feel like that's one of the areas in my game

4:00:32You know, I want to continue to get better at I feel like I did a good job of that my senior and so I just want to continue to build on that Yes, I did yes, I did Uh, I did me with um new Orleans as well um, I never got that comparison actually um, I know I have a comrade sure Yeah, man, I have a comrade great great back man um just what he does and those 101 matchups he's dangerous man And he's so smooth he's so smooth as well. I'm not gonna lie he smooth Yeah um Inside zone from stack being able to hit that thing downhill and I say the next one is probably Just an option route out of the backfield, you know, and man and man coverage you're getting on that linebacker and so Yeah

4:01:40Yeah, I say the man the biggest thing is the way that he carries himself man and the way that man um, he approaches the game He comes in with the monster, you know, he's gonna work every single week, you know, every practice, you know He's working hard, you know um even shoot it. I don't know every good I think he had it every game was a good game for him And so but still man He always has the mentality to mindset that you know, he's gonna come in each and every day He's gonna continue to work and get better, man, and so he's definitely man. He's gonna be a special player, man Man a lot of ups and downs man is this How you respond to adversity and I feel like that's something that God is definitely helped me to do better Is this um now have something to lean on now, you know, I remember before I met him, you know going through those adversity I had nothing to run to you know, you can run to people But they still can't it's not too much. They can't truly help you You know, I feel like you know, I feel like the only person that can truly help you is your relationship with Jesus Christ

4:02:43And so being able to lean on him, you know, he gives you in those moments where it's tough You know where it's low and um when you're behind the scenes and you're going through things that people don't know about He gives you he gives you that peace and comfort, you know Even in those moments man, where it's so hard that you can't you can't explain. It's like man I'm going through this but like how am I still filled with this internal joy? You know, how do I have so much peace in this situation? And so that's something that only Jesus Christ can give you and so Um Those guys have such a great mentality man. I just really love their mentality. Especially um Q as well, you know, I talked about Wil Howard his leadership, but Quinchiam mentality man um That boy just yeah that boy just gifted you know, you see you know Sometimes he put in a situation where he looked like you know, he should have a negative five yards

4:03:46And then soon as you know it, you know, he that running through somebody stiff arm and somebody and she was just a gain of 10 It's uh Shoot I think Yeah, man, I think it's just like he's just gifted man to be honest. He's just gifted You know, he's he's a big back. You know, he's strong and so um, you know, he's he's able to do he's able to do those things And so yeah, man, it's definitely you know, I look at his game and I want to you know at the same time I want to learn from Quinchiam, you know, I want to look at this game is like man Where working I get better at as well, you know, that's the type of player I am I'm always looking to get better man. I'm always looking to grow as a player Julian San, oh yeah, he's gonna be a great but he's gonna be a great quarterback man He's so so accurate and so um, he's definitely man. I know coach dad's definitely going to get him right Just you know, um container grow as a leader container grow as a player and so he's going to be really good for high state Uh He's I know just the quarterback position um, I feel like you know the quarterbacks in the past they've they've definitely been vocal

4:04:51And so I feel like that's something that they're definitely going to um ask him Julian San as well It's to be that vocal leader and lead the um and lead the offensive lead to steam Shoo man, he has he has a build like JK Dobbins and um, I kind of see them, you know similar similarities in their game as well And I know JK Dobbins he was a great running back. Um, I feel like he's not talked about his none Um a lot but man his career here you watch his highlights is his great. I remember um Before I recruit before I committed here. I remember watching JK Dobbins highlights like every Every um one of his years here like four or five times and so man He was such a great back and um, I feel like you know, um, when I see JK Dobbins when I see um James people I see similarities to both of their games I feel like they play the same Appreciate you all you have to go

4:06:40You

4:07:40You All I got coming in last round of the world so I just tacked Eric dig really the same way It's been very rare physically different are you weight wise body wise on that from Uh, I think I got a lot bigger. I'm like 240. You know, I'm like 240 for right now last I'll play that like 236 to 37. What does it feel like at 240 for our belt? I feel like almost a different Machine out there. Yeah, what's it? What does it feel like to be run around out there like you are but with more More bad. I just feel like I'm like like Like more downhill like stronger like I'm taking all bloods better. It's better Is it daunting? Uh, maybe that's not the correct term, but to think you're going to be playing much more than you did even last year And you played quite a bit last year and stuff Would you have to get straight in your head about being on the field that much more Is it got to get ready to just play?

4:08:41There are any more snaps, so Are you are you how would you describe how much you're looking forward to it from an inch then? Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready for it. My I'm ready for it It's a rematch But it's not really two different teams compared to the last time y'all played and stuff How's that enhanced this camp for you and this team getting ready for the Opener Yeah, we're the opener like that we've been um with the emphasizing in a lot of we know we got coming so we know we gotta do we've been prepared for it Um, I think Riley ready to play right now. He he advanced freshman like he in the field book He's studying like he advanced and his measurements is crazy like he saw like the saw line to him Say you're ready What was that process like during last season? Could you feel yourself The coming more and more ready So whatever the team needed for you Yeah, because that's pretty much what my role was just whenever I was needed I had to step up so I feel like that's what built me into me being able to say I'm ready for this year

4:09:45When you say ready is it more a physical thing? Is it a mental thing? When I say ready, I think it's pretty much like everything physically, mentally, mostly. I think I'm there You're a bad Oh, that's the only time Oh I feel like it's uh It's a way bigger responsibility with me having to step up this year, but I kind of go about it the same way like last year. I was intentional with everything I did I feel like this year it's gonna be the same thing. It's probably a little bit more So It won't work I say Scrub my game I say like when you think of me you're thinking like a like a bullet like a silver bullet

4:10:49I don't really a bullet. I'm always on the ball. That's how I like to play a thing No, I ain't ain't gotta be my nickname, but I'm saying that I don't know I just like the defense. I feel like we got like you said we got a lot of freedom and we're moving around a lot A lot of the times is like no, I don't know. I don't really not answer that A little bit more baby I don't even know if I say that because there's a lot of thinking going on, but it's like I just like his deep I like how to do the defense. I like what he got going on Uh Now I wanted to my sad. I was kind of like happy for you. Yeah, that's what you want

4:11:50No All right, no, that's my dog. I'm gonna say yeah kind of missing a little bit I'm happy for Today's talked a lot about the guys who played some last year, but maybe weren't the starters and the hunger for That wasn't maybe your national championship you guys will win your own Yeah, how much do you feel that as a guy who certainly contributed last year, but we'll be in this bigger role and Along the summer year Yeah, I do feel like um Yeah, I do feel like I did win in that election, but like you said my role wasn't same as how's gonna be this year So yeah, I definitely want to want to go get another one experience that like feeling we'll need be on the field a lot more place So

4:12:55We all competitive people we all look at each other We all just Kind of bouncing off each other to see what one person does and we kind of Bitter into archable box and we all kind of just kind of built in one great thing Hey, do you ever go on last year and you got to get the shot at Did they approach you that out there and you approach them? Because you're a jack sawyer You can touch that So I definitely did it in high school. I was pulled back and a little bit of tidan So I feel like it kind of saw what I could do there and coach Wilson I was so you love watching it too before you left and Feel like you playing that seat and coach day's head and coach day kind of just went for it and Try to do the best I could to do it New playbook I did not know you haven't got that far You don't get that deep And how tough does that just be? Yeah, look at that Um, I like to think myself as a football player I can really play any position on the field in e-mail too Just give me a weaker to to learn it and kind of perfect it and try to do my best for you

4:13:59Kid Jack do the same thing. Oh, yeah Graphically that's why Katie was talking to coach Johnson on Tuesday about some of the conversations and sort of sight you and Got out to have some conversations after JT and crack decided to come back Just put a way into those And out of that help you maybe get the right mindset I guess Um definitely kind of seeing it all the way through You 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 to happen in all that time from here to to then So uh, so we definitely just coached in me kind of connected and you kind of just talks man-to-man and uh Be kind of just straight to me and I feel like we kind of both We know we're making it together Making each other better every day. We got the four best dns five best dns honestly in your college football And we're gonna be one of the best d-rimes in football I feel like a better player today anymore Oh, I feel like I've taken big steps in my roles of just

4:15:01being 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 Feel like we're 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 and you're like wow, it's already week 10 So now it's kind of getting more time to kind of enjoy it kind of save it because There's a mindset Yeah, definitely definitely gonna have to have the mental stability to handle all those weeks all those practices I mean he doesn't have to talk about it. We know about it. You've seen it every day. We watched the film We see them all working together. We know what it could be. You know we could become so we know we we're right at the same

4:16:05We'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 go to bounce off and Just perfect our craft together and I feel like we all are just great individuals and we come together I just wanted to get like more experience under my belt so I can know bring younger guys with me because I've been We all forgot about it because he's hurt Well as a workhorse he he goes stay quiet. You go work hard. And that's all I love about you Focus is you don't really talk much. He's going to do the job done do a job right really has any mistakes So what what would be a successful season? Uh national championship I'm reading when all the games were one of Lewis anything Uh, we got a mindset that we can't be beat. Yeah, Lewis you gotta go show it

4:17:11Seems like you guys expect the national championship over here this year even more so you guys have all come back for this You guys have all decided like that Is that is to be killed difference or is this not really any difference? It's just the same part I was definitely a difference everyone working harder um, we noticed our last run Like we most of us don't have any years after this So we got to go go bigger go home then we're not trying to go home Finish big But when you look at what they did they won the national championship and you guys Took them down to the final minute, right? You know what I mean? I mean you You were right there something goes a little different you guys could have been one night game against them Does that tell you anything about like that? Hey you guys want to win a national championship But You played to the 59th minute with the team that won the national championship last year like you're that close So I'm saying uh, we just like work harder. That's that's kind of coach makes uh, saying you know Nobody cares. Just work harder like those no one played Georgia is the same thing Last last play you know, they went on the win in 90 so

4:18:14We just got to get over that hump at the end of the season. I think we'll be fine. How frustrating is that? You're that close Against the last two national title Uh, of course is you know, it's frustrating, but you can't change the outcome You can't really do other one uh, dwell on it. You just gotta you know come back and work harder do things Better than you did last year and hopefully the outcome will change As that as you get older you kind of learn. I thought I was working hard and then you always find out there's a little more Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's how that's what growing up is basically in college I thought freshman year I was working as hard as I could but now I look back at it I really wasn't working hard at all Compared to what I'm doing now, so just to learn anything Uh, 85 I mean I can it's all on me. I just I think it's a little higher. I was just trying to be funny, but I mean, it's all on me. I just gotta run harder

4:19:18I I think I think we I definitely can last I was just you know, we got to get the young guys to come along with us We can't play 50 snaps again. That's just too much on our bodies Just Everybody's like online D line. We got to get those younger guys to play you know get that pieces on the D line and I know line and everywhere else so we can last Ah, yeah, I did unless we were like winning by like a lot I thought like there are no mom easy not gonna sit down or something But we're playing them big games like you know, Notre Dame too. I'm not those kind of games Of course, I wouldn't be because I know I can contribute and I won't want put that on anyone else when I know I get a job there Donald you got Oh, yeah, definitely came back as a

4:20:19Came back to animal y'all you haven't really seen the game, but in practice he shows all the time. He's just He's growing right now. He has a work. I think he just has to get you know in a playbook things like that You guys are about the exact same size Listen, you're both listening six three you're three 27. He's three 26 Yeah, I kind of look at him like my my junior, but you know, came out here gonna be a great player He's got to develop more and getting a playbook. It's really a lot on you older guys There's that large group of young guys and then there's the seniors in the back is that part of your task for this year to bring those guys Yeah, definitely we got to be leaders um, like I said, we got to have them play this year We can't just play all the snaps. They got to get in there and get some work and we got to get them right They're in the offseason so they play and I just played and I want to like contribute like make plays tackles sex It seems like these guys get bigger Each in the first class The those guys kind of

4:21:21Yeah, they're definitely some big dudes um, and they all work hard. I've only seen much it's only a day two Pass on but throughout the workouts they've been working hard, you know, they they're determined And it looks like they're ready to work A defensive tackle so you can eat up space Is that I'm I'm Maybe for great defense To have guys like you that have some fault but Also a great secret. I think that is definitely I think if you look at the last Couple nice and much emperors in one is like seem a Northeastern they got two good Detackled two athletic detackles look at Georgia two athletic detackles I think that's definitely needed if you want to go on that big run and beat those big teams About this if they don't define by the defense What's Georgia Jordan Davis and yet harder? What's Michigan is Chris Jenkins

4:22:26You understand this is your play but I feel like sometime I don't know are people realizing how important defense tackles are a little bit more than they used to I think so I think they're starting to develop to develop more and more of these like freakiest detackles Like in the combine just now you see in like those guys they're moving We're in the 478s and things like that so We'll see and when you think it when you think about those freakish Oh, yeah, definitely I think I'm top-notch when it comes to detackles But I don't want to you know get a big head, but you know watch the combine I watch it do the drills I have to see you like you're looking like my film so I think I'm up there You become like a artist You're going

4:23:28I mean as many as I can have I think I have more than that But I think he said it I think they didn't count some of them and It's some of them were like just listed so but I think we work on Joe's matching the hand I think that's uh goes big and uh Will we do as a D line you know just affecting the quarterback is Anyway, you can this is great for the defense, you know That little thing you covered is I you know he might do it a little bit to the left to our players I I think I just have like a like a eye for the ball kind of I kind of just look at the quarterback Then just I see him like load up. I just try to get in his ways and sometimes he's throws it to me I mean they get frustrated, but you know we're a team. You know we're just getting better

4:24:28You know I should lot of a lot of different backs man. They just learn to grow for them Uh I don't really have a top three, but I'll give you I'll give you one. I would say Sequan Gibbs and I like McCaffrey auto he was injured this year. I like McCaffrey Who's the best back in this drive best back in this drive I lead out of the yard. That's y'all that's y'all decision Playing with Will Howard when I'm going to remember most Uh We're a Howard man. He just such a great lead such a great leader man. It's just like in moments where you know Usually a lot of players they fold man. He was just always calm and relaxed man. He Just the leader that he was man. That's one thing I'm gonna remember about him Yeah, he's Shoot He's gonna be really good man. He's um

4:25:31Coastal I think he got the transfer in as well from West Virginia Just that one two punch with them both as well. They're gonna be really good backs And so James people's man. He's smart the way that he goes about his business man He's mature and so man. He's growing, you know, just as a person and as a player and so man. Yeah Definitely Ohio State, you know that running back room is in great hands You know Yeah, um Coach coach hard line man. He's full of energy man and um he's creative as well You know, I'm just learning from him as well, you know Trying to run more outside the backfield was being able to learn from coach hard line And so he's definitely creative at what he's he does and he brings a lot of energy to the team as well And so I think that would do really good So Um just intensity man then since he got the playoffs um Every game and it's like the intensity got you know higher and higher and so um, you know being a bad knowing the lead

4:26:32It's it's the same thing even if it's not the playoffs. It's every every game and intensity it keeps getting higher and higher And so yeah, you just I know you got to bring it you know each and every day and come in and work just like Ohio State You know, I definitely feel like Ohio State they definitely do a good job of preparing us for that You know, I just remember even before going through this process. I'll I'll talk to a lot of players Before then and they told me a lot of just about how much Ohio State prepared them, you know for the NFL and so yeah Yeah Yeah, I know I took a couple days off after the um National championship and then Shoot right after that. I'm right in right in Tampa, Florida and I'm right to it and so um Yeah, I think why I trained I trained that on your morph performance. I think it's called the house of athlete or the compound now Um, they did they did a good job, man. I'm just bringing us in and the way they went about training us, man They were they did a really good job

4:27:33The bucket in the airs know I haven't Temple of Tampa nice. This is nice. It's a nice city man really nice Uh, the 40 to broad and avert Yeah Uh, it's really all about technique and then it's about mindset as well And so um, I say you know, it's for the love of my brother. It's for the love of will highway It's for the love of the receivers who I got on the perimeter just making sure you know, um first of all my quarterback doesn't get sacked And I I told will I think it was before the first game. I was like I got your brother It's uh, I said man, I'm not gonna let you get hit you know um, and so um I don't know if I don't know if I gave up a sack. I'm not sure that um, but I know if I did I haven't given up too many And so man, it's for the love of my brothers. Don't man making sure that the ball get in their hands You know the guys on the outside and making sure they get fed

4:28:41In my game uh, you can't really work on this you know in all season I feel like it's more so you know, you got to put the pads on you got to go through some inside run You know, maybe uh, it's really just continuing run through tackles and so that's I feel like that's one of the areas in my game I want to continue to get better at I feel like I did a good job of that my senior and so I just want to continue to build on that Yes, I did yes, I did Uh, I did me with um new Orleans as well um, I never got that comparison actually um, I know I'm a comrade sure Yeah, man, I'm a comrade great great back man um just what he does and those 101 matchups he's dangerous man He's so smooth. He's so smooth as well. I'm not gonna lie he smooth Yeah um Inside zone from stack being able to hit that thing downhill and I say the next one is probably

4:29:44Just an option route out of the backfield, you know, and man and man coverage. You're getting on that linebacker and so I Yeah, I say the man the biggest thing is the way that he carries himself man and the way that man um, he approaches the game He comes in with the monster, you know, he's gonna work every single week, you know, every practice, you know He's working hard, you know um even shoot it. I don't know every good I think he had a every game was a good game for him, man And so but still man He always has the mentality to mindset that you know, he's gonna come in each and every day He's gonna continue to work and get better man, and so he's definitely man. He's gonna be a special player, man He really is Man, a lot of ups and downs man, it's just

4:30:44How you respond to adversity and I feel like that's something that God has definitely helped me to do better Is this um now have something to lean on now, you know, I remember before I met him, you know, going through those adversity I had nothing to run to you know, you can run to people, but they still can't it's not too much They can't truly help you, you know, I feel like you know, I feel like the only person that can truly help you is your relationship with Jesus Christ And so being able to lean on him, you know, he gives you in those moments where it's tough, you know, where it's low and um When you're behind the scenes and you're going through things that people don't know about um, he gives you he gives you that peace and comfort you know um Even in those moments man, we're so hard that you can't you can't explain. It's like man I'm going through this, but like how am I still filled with this internal joy? You know, how do I have so much peace in this situation? And so that's something that only Jesus Christ can give you and so

4:31:46Um And those guys have such a great mentality man. I might just really love their mentality especially um Q as well, you know, I talked about will Howard his leadership, but Quinshaw mentality man um That boy just yeah that boy just gifted you know, you see you know, sometimes he put in a situation where he looked like you know He should have a negative five yards and as soon as you know it, you know, he that running through somebody stiff on Somebody and shoot it's a game to 10 it's uh Shoot I think Yeah, man, I think it's just like he's just gifted man to be honest. He's just gifted you know, he's he's a big back You know, he's strong and so um, you know, he's he's able to do he's able to do those things and so um Yeah, man, it's definitely you know, I look at his game and I want to you know at the same time I want to learn from Quinshaw, you know, I want to look at this game is like Man, where where can I get better at as well, you know, that's the type of player I am I'm always looking to get better man. I'm always looking to grow as a player

4:32:49Julian San, oh yeah, he's gonna be a great but he's gonna be a great quarterback man He's so so accurate and so um, he's definitely man. I know coach dad's definitely going to get him right just you know Continuing to grow as a leader continuing to grow as a player and so he's going to be really good for high state I He's there. I know just the quarterback position. Um, I feel like you know the quarterbacks in the past They've they've definitely been vocal and so I feel like that's something that they're definitely going to um Ask them Julian San as well. It's to beat that vocal leader and lead the um and lead the offense and lead the team You Shoot man, he has he has the bill like JK Dobbins and um, I kind of see them, you know similar similarities in their game as well And I know JK Dobbins he was a great running back. Um, I feel like he's not talked about his none Um a lot, but man his career here you watch his highlights is is great. I remember um Before I recruit before I committee here. I remember watching JK Dobbins highlights like every

4:33:49Every one of his years here like four or five times and so man he was such a great back and um, I feel like you know When I see JK Dobbins when I see um James people I see similarities to both of their games. I feel like they play the same You

4:35:19You You All I got coming in last round. I knew we were all so I just tacked very deep really the same way It's a very very rare

4:36:20Oh, I think I got a lot bigger. I'm like 240 you know like 240 for right now last year. I played it like 236 I I just feel like I'm like Like more downhill like stronger like I'm taking all blocks better. It's big Is it daunting? Uh, maybe that's not the correct term, but to think you're going to be playing much more than you did Even last year and you played quite a bit last year instead of what do you have to get straight in your head about being on the field that much more This is gotta get ready to just play 30 more snaps. So Are you are you how would you describe how you how much you're looking forward to it from an age? Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready for it. My I'm ready for it

4:37:21How's that enhanced this camp for you and this team getting ready for the Yeah, we're the opener like that we've been um we've been emphasizing it a lot We know we got coming so we know we gotta do we look prepared for it I think Riley ready to play right now he he advanced freshman like he in the he in the book he stood in like he advanced and his Measure was crazy like he saw like saw like so What was that process like during last season could you feel yourself Decoming more and more ready Deeks the team needed Yeah, because that's pretty much what my role was just whenever I was needed I had to step up So I feel like that's what built me into me being able to say I'm ready for this year when you say ready Is it more a physical thing? When I say ready I think it's pretty much like everything physically mentally mostly. I think I'm there A different

4:38:40Having to step up this year but I kind of go about it the same way like last year I was attention over everything I did I feel like this year is gonna be the same thing And what word? I say Scrub my gun I say like when you think of me you think of like a like a bullet like a silver bullet I don't really a bullet I'm always on the ball. That's how I like to play and think You know, I ain't ain't got to be my nickname, but Yeah Um think of fit me because I don't know I just like the defense. I feel like we got like you said we got a lot of freedom and we moving around a lot

4:39:43A lot of the terms is like no, I don't know. I don't really not answer that I don't even know if I say that because there's a lot of thinking going on, but it's like I just like his defense. I like how the truth is I like what you got going on Uh Now I wanted to much sad. I was kind of like happy for you Yeah, that's what you want All right, that's my dog. I don't see it kind of missing a little bit, but yeah, I'm happy for you though Well, don't think go ahead one last but coach days talked a lot about the guys who played some last year But maybe weren't the starters and the hunger for That wasn't maybe your national championship guys How much do you feel that as a guy who certainly contributed last year? But we'll be in this bigger role and Yeah, I do feel like um Yeah, I do feel like I did win a nattie last year, but like you said my role wasn't same as how's my beaters year

4:40:48So yeah, I definitely want to go get another one experienced that like feeling maybe on the field a lot more place Championship in Nican, you know before and everything like that and Olson to get your your teeth knocked in you know first game and you know can't have that happen because I know you know Really doesn't mean anything and so just the constant mindset to continually get better It's been on the forefront of my mind and forefront of anyone Here you can ask Yeah, yeah, I know we uh, we look at the uh class sets every now and then I'd be like oh man. They're gone. They're gone No, it's been um, it's been good. I mean the guys here are still here. I'm as definitely kind of bonded together pretty good Yeah Yeah, I mean Uh, you know, Marv came in the other day is like That class 12 and best class ever and my yes, you're okay, you know

4:41:49I can't really can't really even you know just sitting to that, you know, I'm much left, but um Uh, yeah, I mean to do what we can and do what we can for this team has been really important for all of us and I think um us Now realizing where the veterans, you know, where the old guys not in the group has been kind of strange at least to begin with you know because you go from um all those guys you like Donnie and Josh and those guys and all of sudden it's Sunday We have a team meeting after the um Like the celebration and the shoe and all of a sudden the next day there's gone and you know, it's just very different So I think us being able to step up as you know leaders and as Um as vets to help bring out, you know along the team our units and um this program has been really important You know

4:42:53Could spend doing really well. I mean I could go and he goes to work Um, he's extremely athletic, extremely flexible um, you know, he's a young kid obviously he's a lot of A lot of development a lot of he's a little adversity at all of us do Um, but I think he's going through that right now, but he's been um coming out on the better end of it so far and Um excited to see what he can do because he's very impressive at this young stage Yeah, extremely excited. I mean Trying to just build that culture back up again and you know like what we had last year uh, I We're trying to do a little stuff here and there and I know I think we're going to Ray raise a barbecue I think tomorrow, uh, so shout out Ray raise, but um But yeah, just trying to uh get that brotherhood back get that you know that oblock spirit back Uh, sure it's coming soon um Hopefully um But uh just to kind of get those uh

4:43:53Not those same faces but those same kind of mindsets back and uh our our group is important right now And it's it's been fun to uh meet new guys and from different backgrounds and stuff like that um and try to Figure out how to you know build that and mend that together. It's been pretty cool now As you are one of the most experienced veterans on this team. How much do you feel like you have to be a leader for the students here? Yeah, for sure. I mean, I think that comes um I don't it's obviously I don't feel like it's natural to anyone to you need to leave step up and that's something I've been working on every day and talking to God about um But I obviously understand that and that's something I want to continue to work on. I want to be able to um Be a guy that people can fall back on and like coach just saying before like we're gonna have highs in those But the great players the ones being set our clocks to and I kind of want that's my goal as to be one of those people that you can do that um And I think for especially a very new set of eyes um in the woody um not only coaches but players um I think it's very important to kind of keep that steady um

4:44:54mindset and I think for me learning how to be a leader has been important just uh Not be too hard on myself, but also not let myself kind of slack off in some departments to try to keep um steady Just your story itself though is Testament Of what it means to like for perseverance is tough too though right car something You know, that's uh, that's gonna have to stand up from somebody to say that right. I mean just Yeah, what do you what do you think you've shown more than anything else in every card? Yeah, I mean, I've been blessed You know, I've you know, I've been blessed with a lot of adversity. I think that's definitely made me better on the back end and um You know Coach to coach dayways talks about it and you don't You know great leaders aren't you know, they can show it but you know a lot of people can show it a lot of people can just talk about it Um, but to be about it is important and I think um to be know I've went through a lot of that adversity. I went through a lot of that stuff and um My testament you know has been um written in an interesting way But I think for me to take that next step is really important for not only for this team but for myself personally

4:45:57Yeah, uh, he's been doing great. I mean he came in um Big freaking strong. He's fun to be in the weight room with uh, he's uh He's kind of quiet. Look like that's kind of my first impression on but he's actually pretty funny, dude He and his dad come over in the kind of joke around and he's so he's been doing a great job All right, I came talk. He's been a great job Um for his size. He has like freaky athletic feet like I'll watch and do the ladders and I was a lot of massive overrun on those things, you know doing the little icky shuffle But I mean he he was killing it and so he's been doing a great job. I can't wait to see um How he kind of continues to develop um throughout this summer and uh throughout this fall camp Yeah, Piggy's been doing great. I mean he um He stepped up piggy. Yeah. Yeah, everyone refers to this piggy is his username one time nice everyone's piggy Anyway, um, you know pig's been doing great. He uh He's been able to step up and kind of bring around along those younger guys Um, you know, everyone's kind of trying to figure out their their new roles and I think he's been uh

4:47:00Who may be a lot of things big body guy that you catch the buyer can run between the top His feet are quick and then once you think for a big guy Yeah, really good feet and good balance. So that's what makes him good. That's what I saw Uh, well, tight end background. No, I don't know many with that type of background But when he's high school, we see they try to play as an ace that Well What do you look in the portal for Actually, we want to try to recruit running backs. Does it matter to you if you have two different styles running backs Maybe one guy can do certain things better one guy can use your Other is it you'll just say the best running back I want to have different style You want to take guys with different Uh whether they're big guys small guys, tall as cultures in between the type of I know

4:48:00Say No, I have my own Hey, Jordi James at the world He's my And probably way too 10 to five which is not very big But then you got to do it. You know some guys you got most are sticking about his own And you play with a lot of aggression down here running And that could be CJ that could be James or it could be the freshman. Oh, Jackson Well, it's just who has no one to get an in zone But that's that's one more No, just because you're being there Oh We need to get obviously no freshman running back coming in but what do you need to see from a freshman to feel comfortable with that

4:49:07In the first day we will be on the ball Well, it would they do they little small detail Take care of the ball Second day will be how good they Pass for them because it's the hardest thing for high school backs Because they're not really here in high school We have understand the past but by all the falls on who Me so like they say You feel comfortable with go and I say where they're at or at least you know where their time is Yeah, I think they're gonna find I'd say I tell all the young guys he's a marathon out of sport My first day first you've been an armistice to you earn spots to you You earn the right to be a book out So they get that down the field so No, I think they're training the right first practice Like it wasn't better some to build off

4:50:17I've just seen some of the younger guys in their room develop About like Patrick Houston is coming in this year seeing him with you guys Joshua making I feel like they're definitely picking up quick. I mean I was in their shoes one time and I had Zach Harrison Jibon today and Tyler fry that all in front of me so I thought I'm trying to be kind of one of those peers that they were for me You can kind of just give them the steps to get there and I feel like they're definitely picking up quick They're definitely gonna be one of the great Russian It's I Um, I feel like all the camps I've definitely gotten a big course learn and I love that side I ask go J4 I love getting more rest because I just like protecting my craft So I mean some people may not need it some people needed but I mean I just like you as me I

4:51:19Mean for me it's always just kind of getting my little details perfectly like my steps and the footing kind of just perfecting my toolbox What we call it my craft and trying to be a it's like whenever I do place what kind of Yeah, um definitely just Getting stronger faster everything all the above but one of my big things would be a leader And kind of just not trying to look still look up to jack and jatine kind of have my own kind of leadership and be able to And people into so I feel like kind of has a lot of leaders on the beeline at the d-intosition So we've kind of all kind of just kind of tough until it's I'm competitive and we love it. We all competitive people we all live with each other And that's the way to bring the best side of all of us

4:52:19So like we all just kind of bounce it 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 Uh, so I definitely did it in high school. I was pulled back and a little bit tired And so I feel like we kind of saw what I could do there in coach Wilson honestly He loved watching it too before he left and uh I feel like he planned that seat and coach day's head and uh coach day kind of just went for it and Trying to be the best I could to do it. Is that the chin wing now? Oh new playbook I did not know you got that far Yeah Um, 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 Weakertu to learn it and kind of perfect it and try to do my job for you. Kid Jack you the same thing. Oh yeah

4:53:22Graphically that's why He's just talking to coach Johnson on Tuesday about some of the conversations and He's sort of sight you and out to our sub conversations after JT and Jack decided We're gonna wait into those Studdiment and how did that help you maybe get the like mindset? I guess Well, I'm definitely kind of seeing it all the way through if you 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's happening all that time from here to to then So I feel like we definitely just coached in me kind of connected We kind of just talks man-on-man and uh He kind of just sent it straight to me and I feel like We kind of both are pretty honest. I mean okay, they're making it yada. We're making each other better every day We got the four best dns five best dns honestly and you know College football and we're gonna be one of the best d-lines in college football I feel like a player today that you work in Oh, I feel like I'm taking big steps in my roles of just being

4:54:22Responsible 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 I'm 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 and you're like wow starting week 10 So now it's kind of Gives you more time to kind of enjoy it kind of save for it because Not pace yourself. I mean there's a bite Yeah, definitely gonna have that the mental stability to handle all those weeks all those practices I mean he hasn't had to talk about it. We know about it. We've seen it every day We watched the film we see them all working together. We know what it could be. We know what you become

4:55:24So we know we we're right at the same you're at the right place at the right time and God wanted us to be here and he knew me one of 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 all are just great individuals and you come together I feel like I made the plays that came in and that's where the awkward and control Had more opportunities as he has progressed and been in spots to be around the ball But the expectation was to come here and contribute to the team and try to help find a way to Push the team to win games at high level And to be better than they were in last year and for me to play better than I was last year So really just coming to try to grow with myself and with the team So that was my big goal and I feel like I've done a good job and the team has done a good job

4:56:24Procressing through the game getting better Yeah, so I Or I mean everybody wants to say it's a new season in terms of because if everybody's But generally that's how you play every game you know they play every game like it's your last game So for me, I don't think it's really only difference to the other go play at high level every game and that can't be based upon So I would say in terms of that no, you just have to play the game and play the game instead

4:57:29About I feel like we progressed throughout the season We did make a team chapter Game six because we lost and we didn't play well like him and I feel like we've grown from that and got into a better place and Over these past two weeks off just realizing okay, these are the things that we messed up throughout the year These are what we need to fix these are what this team shot at us. So just really going back to everything It makes the game more It makes it truthfully like those guys have to do their job when these guys have to do your job

4:58:29You gotta be able to stop the running with the people they have in the run fit and yet to be able to stop the path with the people they have out there So that's that's what they do and they do it. I really love it. So So The Lager you're a clear senator Earlier just a ability to see the formation seed what keys that you have before the play and have knowledge of your job and not really thinking Being able to play in that main game is a really big thing So whenever you can get to call it faster and play a high-level and play without Because you're a jack saw your floppy Okay, so I definitely did it in high school. I was pulled back and a little bit tight and so I feel like

4:59:35It kind of saw what I could do there and coach Wilson Honestly, he left watching it too before he left and uh, I feel like you playing that seed and coach day's head and coach day Kind of just went for it and try to do the best I could do it Executive chin wing now Do anything in the screen new playbook. I did not know you and got that far Um, I like to think myself as a football player. I can really play any position on the field in e-me too Just give me a weaker to to learn it and kind of perfect it and I'll try to do my best for you You can check me the same thing. Oh, yeah Graphics that's why He's talking to coach Johnson on Tuesday about some of the conversations and sort of side-using Some conversations after JT and Jack decided to come back We're going into those We're expecting to and how did that help you maybe get the right mindset against Definitely kind of seeing it all the way through you feel like People kind of just see what happened and they don't know everything that goes into it How long season is now what you got to do to prepare for and what to happen in all that time from here to to then

5:00:41So I feel like we definitely just coached in me kind of connected And we kind of just talks man-to-man and uh Be kind of dissent straight to me and I feel like We kind of both Making each other better every day. We got the four best dns five best dns honestly in the college football And we're gonna be all the best d-lines in football Oh, I feel like I've taken big steps in my rules of just Being responsible and being more of a leader and uh 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 I'm 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 and you're like wow, it's already week 10. So now it's kind of It's more time to kind of enjoy it and kind of savor it because But you don't want to spend all your powder for the first

5:01:49Yeah, definitely definitely gonna have to have the mental stability to handle all those weeks and all those practices Last question right here I mean he doesn't have to talk about it. We know about it. We see him in every day We watch the film. We see him all working together. We know what it could be. We know we could become So we know we we're right at the same right the right place at the right time and god wanted us to be here And he knew me one of 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 all are just great individuals and we come together Great you get like your coaches who believe in you and like they give you the tools to go out there and just play with confidence You know how they're doubting your stuff like you got your teammates. We got your back like my first play when I got up there to the seat Like when to sail IGB and germane my first thing they say is like no worry. Just go out there play with confidence You know you know the tools is usual tools. It's got to make a play and we're about to play company Now we're just so time to show job. You just do it and then like say what coach Roy like he gives me

5:02:53He puts me in a position like at the drills we put in the work you put in the 101 so just go out there and perform at the highest level How much better are you right now then maybe last month and for spring practice? I mean I got to lay better just because I've I've transitioned a little bit to the inside Nicholas Fawcett I'm like now I'm essentially like catch catch technique and it's Yeah, often pepper's not it's not always press at the line So it's like not maybe to like move my feet move my hands like See like what I gotta do just like just a case. I gotta go back in corner. I can I'm playing off now. I'm very confident out there. Do you think that Nick was a natural fifth of you or have you had the kind of To switch yourself to try to I mean, I feel like it's natural for me because I feel like me Individually, I'm a fast learner. I'm a fast learner. Like coaches help us like learn fast And like because they're always honest about the techniques and stuff So you like you play down like pick up all the things and then like when we get out here They coach us to like the techniques always leave go out there and play like fast spot And it's been like it would like versatility. You're able to go out there and just compete

5:03:53Is that where you kind of stuff the spring or Mountain So I really been stuck there this spring a little bit right Whenever you get it's like other things. I just bounce out there every once in a while Just like have just have fun See if I still got it every once in a while. So it's as good as going to compete at most spots You mentioned the technique what technique You know tips and things if you had to pick up and learn from walking from I mean, it's always like you are because what preaches are asking hands like see it You see it move your feet and then get your hands on the man. So it's like when you get like Will you out there? You able to like process like the way the receiver come off the ball looking at the hips and seeing like the way he moving Are you able to pick up like the row concepts you can get out of that like so it's being like other coach walls for me Like as a player and just like him breaking out football to you like one-on-one It's like very beneficial The hardest part of making that transition from outside that sense I really say like cornering you got your cover two you cover three you cover one

5:04:55Like it's easy but you got nickel now so many responsibilities you got to see like the row concepts You got to be able to process fat like dying those rows faster than what you got to do in that corner and just be able to like everything Quaid like a transition you got like you got to move fast Move fast is like game recognition I Definitely say I definitely say has because how you get to like college? Just a little bit different high school. We don't got to worry about things like that when I when you get to like college in school I just like go recognition of plays and I Know your jobs the way like the coverage is supposed to be played understand all your teammates or plus Yeah, I feel like it's easy Very talented He's a great dude. He's a humble guy great teammate very supportive As I got into the one wrong because you like you can feed off your energy because like You can see like we make a place I like he like IGB it's like IGB 2.0

5:05:57So he's like when you get off there with guys like that with good energy I made you play a little bit harder and it's like And then like when you make a play it's out there like it's helping you like it's being out there with him He's a good player one of those guys questions and full kids come to Ohio State obviously So What is it about one bill that gets you to play it? It's a big question Let me just ask a paper school because we have so many kids come out of global and just play at games I leave Schoolers and then like like tracks a big part of it because To actually in a global everybody that I run track like it's made it's right You don't really get a choice You able to just like get out here and like know how to compete and then like G like Game builds that mental toughness into you so like Have you like I heard now you got to be mentally tough because Life's not going to be easy. So it's like being out here You know we could pee when you down just pick yourself back up. I mean that's what he has done for me

5:06:59Did you how would you describe the mentality of the defense right now getting this opportunity for a rematch? Yeah hungry. Thank you. I mean We know how the last last time when you know we we had a chip on our shoulder I mean we're riding high before that game and we take that loss and we came back how to make a couple changes But I think we understand what you know everything's at stake right now You know just fighting to where another house stages for next year and that's what's on stake and just to be able to represent this This state and this this team. I mean we understand what's as what's on the line and you know We're just hungry and blessed that we get this opportunity playing the Rose Bowl Right behind your Adam King. What do you remember most about walking off the field in Eugene? I mean there is a I don't think anybody imagined it imagine us losing You know I didn't That's for sure and I think after that it was a Kind of head deep Understanding that man. We still there's still a lot of ball left to be played

5:08:01I mean you can let it sting for a little bit But you know if you let it carry over too long then you know there there goes there goes your whole Season by I think we did a great job of just understanding coming together in this room right here Not being afraid to display or hold accountability for one another and you know as as that happened He came back we grouped and you know we just You're going right now And and I'm just blessed for those specific moments, you know losing I mean no one wants to lose but the the testimonies and the things you're taught within those little situations speaks volume Yeah, I mean that's that's my boy. He's in the r2x club too, but You know Keata I mean every time his numbers call he goes out there and makes the most of it No, no matter

5:09:03Where where we at 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 There were been a way to play this back Still in Gabriel's obviously very elusive in her talent and he's not very tall How important it could be to just kind of stay in your Past rush lanes and neglect a lot of balls and kind of make a difference that way Yeah, I think it just comes on being disciplined No one who you're playing against like you said don't he's a he sure but he's 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 and just continue to just Meet with coach Jay me with the coach knows and understand how we can just eliminate that What should about you and Jeff? I mean Your personality seem to be a little different you more on the quiet side. He's How about you play together four years both five four guys kind of describe your relationship with him Friendship with him. Yeah, just kind of how you top of each other

5:10:04Man, that's my brother like he said. We're different but very alike Think outside. I'm like you said. He's louder. I'm quiet. But you know, once we're on that field like the same person We'll do anything for this team. You know, we'll die for our players and we'll give everything we got Yeah, fall camp Yeah, sometimes go over there We have our share of days when we when I'm neat. He's neat or you know, we might both be messy, but we do a good job Yeah, I'd probably have a better kick in the jackdaw When you're playing a team for the second time and that was almost a season to go by now How much of are you at square one with with the 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 pretty Notions of what you're going up against on the offense flying. I say it's pretty 50 50 I mean that game like you said it was a while ago, but at the same time they elevated as a team

5:11:09So did we so we understand that they they had they made some changes for sure You know, there's team there's a certain density we can take back from that game But we also understand that um they went on a low run after that and we can see that they elevated as an offense So we just got to continue to watch those games dissect the other games and just continue to see um What stands out and what they change from the 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 a college football today Uh Here you need to question one more time. Yeah, no problem Want to ask you about the synergy you are we're able to develop over course of the season obviously celebrating the triumphs But also getting through the adversities to where you go all are the top notch defense that you all are today

5:12:13Yeah, I mean like you said that we went through a lot of trials to trials But there's also there's a lot things we can take away from all the wins and losses Um and from those those wins we understood that hey we can be the best defensive country and from those losses We understand that there's still Things that need be fixed and I think when you take all that in at once That it comes out to the the comical or the comment talker 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 You know, we continue to just Collect all those those learning points and just continue to grow from them And one final question Joey Coffin Columbus dispatch Joey JT uh what have what have you guys done better and the Especially in the Tennessee game and just late in the season you think about turning some of the the pressures Are you going on in quarterbacks in the sacks and getting a home in some of those situations? Yeah, I think it was more just uh

5:13:13Understanding the defense as a whole understanding everybody's job Think as the season went on we get to understand that you know, we have to know what's going on in the back And we have to know what's going on to the linebacker crew to understand uh What plays we have room with freedom and I think once we understood that and got a better understanding of the of everybody's job I mean it it showed this play because you know everybody knows what each other's doing It's not like the lineback's know what they're doing Uh the corners and be I they know only their job I think we all know each other's job and we continue to ask each other questions Um on you know if they're listening how they can get to the quarterback and you know if I'm dropping Playing quarterbacks by I can ask Cody on how to open field tackle So you know, we just we just kind of lean on each other's understanding because uh, you know Um like I said like Denzel knows how to play corner bend it and I know how to play corner So you know, he has more more wisdom at that position than I do JT thank you very much

5:14:13Uh definitely a little bit of both um And obviously I just want to the team to win. I think we got a chance to win No, definitely towards it into the stretch that last drive Uh, how's he couple plays here a couple calls and maybe should have gotten but um I think the frustration more so it just comes from no one's going to win more anything Of course team said he was a little surprised so much attention right away from defense. I have a youth Yeah, definitely though. You may be killed in more one-on-ones kind of how uh the game plan was set up Um Didn't go like no different coverage of the cloud to my side and this is kind of how the game goes What's the process then? Where whatever reason just Just see that. Yeah, definitely um especially in color is a lot of the game friends defensively were taking you like um You know, they had a lot of success at a high-speed One of the boys had a different um the weapons Kind of still get the victories and um I was yeah, you continue to do better jobs when I hear My last communication the process has been like post-game

5:15:14Getting on the same page with Kyler Just you guys exchange text or you guys in the film yeah film them definitely um kind of asking what did I see there kind of go for a play and um I just I give him what I saw and kind of different feedback Mark I get it we're asking questions about the previous game bar Are you the type of guy to let a game like that winger or how do you flush it? You got to move on got him once a long season got What 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 offseason 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 You can do a lot of things know in shirts and shorts and then you go out there put practice and get pads on You do like the point practice we get the colds, but there's nothing like actually going out there And live action and really trying to get a same case so I think that would really should both continue to develop and look at better Definitely definitely um like I said, I was kind of our first live action together

5:16:19So can we continue with when your early impressions on the film together? Yeah, but now I was the I've a death respect. No JG's call or preseason I was to be off over really healthy. That's kind of That's the most important thing. I was a good all healthy. You've gone for it. So Marvin, 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 up front. I think that's kind of where they're strong suit is Kind of a little different to Buffalo come over a little match coverage So I'm excited to build this The belt's taking one of my Wasn't many of them Wasn't many of them so I thought I'd be good. I'm sure you think game versus just playing you're not getting a preseason game actually You know definitely definitely thinking a lot out there and um You know, I think I'll come with reps. I think to think and less and just going out there and playing definitely come with reps

5:17:19And it's something they argue better at but Definitely out of thinking a lot of Yeah, I mean you just got to team you get open for yourself making yourself available On the one the ball does good way making the plague Um, this He's just taking you away. That means other guys are having a chance to get open That's how kind of how I look at it. It's no longer since you know offense So hopefully sooner or later I think um, I'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 think that but just a live reps will continue to grow and show

5:18:21Go on Really my whole life on again. 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'm gonna make a joke. I was in high school. So yeah, I feel like I'm not gonna get a captain like it's that I felt Yeah But that would be awesome, you know, but You know happens up you great, but not either way I want to assume a grow as a captain from Perspective the guys onto the video work and get back to that work. Yeah, I mean, I can't say that um I mean, I guess the biggest thing is that I felt like I You used to pass, but it didn't take just the first LTAs and took Train and left and right once this season and because I know what it was gonna be So reps Just to give back to feeling like myself

5:19:22Fort Day 1 LTAs And now, firstly, but now like today specifically just changing some small things with my feet that is it talking about Some things I'm doing my feet to get to that to sell my traditional Pindu that I love to sit on Thought even I thought I felt thought I felt great already but okay, I felt even better Sorry, the more excited 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 lead whether I left the right you're still going in Premier guys obviously the high expectations for the left handle and tackle But um definitely like the A level of energy and like the expectations definitely take the chance Because now connect the blind side that's the as a detackle you know, so So yeah, I would say in terms of communications far as this Outside of the silly stuff like that like really crazy that the tackle quarterback

5:20:24Bonnie the more office the odd I think has been something that's Even the cool I got the text one day You know, yeah, I've been training both. I've been training both I asked after the season there like honestly You know, we'll talk to you some things in and I just got a text having what happens with the free agency Then so I was like, you know what I have Oseason right tackle So if I get the word I'm going I'm standing right tackle I'll do what I did before I'm built on that bus. I was trying to left tackle now As if I'm going to be left tackle And I'd rather be that than train all right time with the co-a I mean so I'm like, let me just prepare an advance and I'll say it was God, you know I think occasionally on third down there be a lot of twists And I think that was my mindset for like the first half of the season

5:21:25Like I didn't have to go it's again with some pros like oh my gosh, they did that. I kind of figured like, okay This is this is the type of rush I'm going to get like this is how this guy usually rushes If I get the vibe this is how the ends like the rush you know tackles that first year guys you got to print your patch on Already know what it was going to be already you know And honestly just knowing that's kind of an advantage To so you're not you're not you're not oh the brother twist my side Those never airdoll Well they come out the hot like three plays in a row It's a minute I do that You know what I mean, so I'm watching more everybody else and he rarely really goes out there occasionally You know what I mean so That effect it's kind of it's also kind of an engine away, but it's also exciting like okay, I'm gonna get the hardest Real real rest Really

5:22:28That I was like hey when I tell me Let me know about my mom's gonna train it. I was training all left So t.A. Is I guess if I didn't hear anything about t.A. Is all it came in like So you know what I mean? Cuz just like I'm cool with training both continue. I would be cool training both continually But I feel like anybody any position will be like okay like You want as soon as possible to give your feet settle in your hips settle in Your hands Second how that would have been harder to work both very hard to you No But um they're definitely but in terms of the development He was definitely a lot faster than Stay on one side, but I think having that the weeks that we had to transition with seasons over And the bike was fine You know

5:23:43That's doesn't have any stock or anything doesn't mean anything so We're we had to play on Friday and that's really all that matters We're gonna take two more from zoom before turning it back up first