Press Conferences (James Peoples) Elite Edition September 3

0:00And the JK lied me a group on a high-stayfan. So I watched him a lot and there are similarities in our game, but of course I am on back. So I did take a little thing from the JK's game and implemented it to mine. So I could definitely see the similarity. What are some of those things? Similarity is just how he's a one-cut slash ship. He has a good jump cut. I did play a good amount last year, but of course, y'all didn't get a chance to see me fully open up. So this year, y'all will see that. But there's a lot of similarities in our game. Just how he moves and of course our statistics as well. A high weight. They may call that comparison, but then today I am on back. So that's a good comparison. What did you see from both? I mean, he's a hard worker. He came in here and just kept his head down and just been working. He has good speed, of course, good feet. He had good back and good through as well. So what were I going to do? I mean, obviously, two-and-a-foot running back. So what can you learn in your mouth about a approach to position in more than just an onto your last back pre-hats? What is your own aim for the team? I'm trying to cue how they approached it.

1:01Was this to approach every day like it's your last day? You know, every day, I know because I talk a lot with trade. He just picked out one thing he could get better at every day. So taking that and bringing that into this year, one thing I could get better at every day, and then upholding the standard as well and running back in, it's been great. So that's something I can get to go. What did you start to feel confident in when you think in your first season here? What did you start to feel? Okay, they were to ask me to take on a bigger load. I started feeling comfortable, definitely fall camp. When we started getting them reps and things started ramping up. I felt confident myself since I got here, but I'm especially in the system and how much I learned and knew about the playbook and everything. I really started feeling like fit in. Why Jay? Well, I think my dad and my mom are actually from Cleveland, and I'm from Yachtstown, and I just grew up watching a high-stake. That would always turn around in the 70s. We came to know that history of that. That's the end of the ride. Yeah. All of us aligned. It was a little bit you, that's what we get to get to get to the next year. It's a great honor.

2:01I mean, this is RBU, and it always has been since I was growing up watching them. So to be the next one in line, I got to work for it, but it's an honor and I'll take it completely. You know, there's a lot that goes with that. So that's something. The first one I ever watched. The first one I ever watched. Do I want to see for sure? Yeah, that's where I'm when I saw it watching this at my Z. Is it here? Yeah. James, can you describe the intensity that Coach Aloklin expects from you guys and practice? How does he get you guys to rank belt and satirant? Is he hard to please? Is he hard to please? I don't know if y'all saw a little bit today, but he is definitely on us all the time on him. But he always says like today he encouraged me about my finishing. He said everything was good, but he's like, you guys finished more. He said, I'm gonna make you great. So that just shows that everybody's gamers always something can get better at. Always something to improve at no matter who you are, how highly talented you are. The abilities, there's always something that he's gonna nitpick on.

3:02He's gonna push you to get better at it because that's gonna bring out the best of you in every situation. So first meeting him, where are the more of the things that you got better at just from his table? And Charlie, I mean, is it guidance? You said first meeting him? Yeah, for first getting to know him to that. I don't mean. Well, I got to know him. So I think he came down to the campus in Antonio. And the same way he is now. Yeah, man, I've been actually playing under him for a while. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, um, wait, can you ask that question one more time? Yeah, no, it's what he was. What kind of a couple of things you learned? That was your game, you know, just from what? One thing I learned is definitely like my tempo, my speed, and then off the field things like just, you know, being the guy I'm supposed to be and being a leader, and pushing myself in every situation I can to be better. He's really just, he really pushes that aspect of just being better every day because he has accepted that same standard. You're obviously in a position this year that you're going to be like a featured part of the offense where it's last for you to take your time learning behind Trayvian and Quincheon. How does that hit you? Is there a pressure with that? I guess what is kind of your emotions surrounding the potential to be a real patient?

4:04No added pressure at all, you know? I had to train Q-runner, I was like, okay, I just got to learn. You know, so I had to take that patience with it, but no, you know, your time is coming, but you just got to wait. So I've been waiting for this. And of course, like I said, I still got to work for it. We got great backs in the room, but you know, just holding myself to that standard every day and pushing myself to be better. My first rating was, you know, it was going in the last year, and kind of in trash time, you ever made any pop-up duty, etc. Like you said, you haven't really gotten your show, what you really all about, and a game fit, and you know, that'll help us stay. My first rating was that, but how did it help you get into this room? It's just a maturity thing, you know, you got to mature. You got to know it was like, okay, I got to wait my turn, you know, there were both great backs, and I knew that I got to take up what I can from the situation. So that was all, I was just taking what I had to do, what I did from the situation. Oh, honestly, I leave that up to y'all to describe, you know, I know my game, and of course this season, this season, they started,

5:06but I definitely say I'm like a slash, kind of back, but I'm going to have to y'all to decide. I'm Texas Recruit, team the 417 Ohio State, why do you think Texas football compares you for Ohio State? You work, West! I think Texas is the best ball, some of the best athletes out. So especially in the run-up acquisition, because this is like that. So I mean, Texas, the coaches, and how we parent, I know we like, there's not every state, you know, you got all season football, all season. So I just feel like the development and the coaches, stuff like that, but, I mean, just great players all around, but guess there's a trend, you know. You mentioned, though, how about Terba Rogers, what have you seen from him in the first couple of times? Terba, Terba's not here yet. Isaiah, Isaiah West is another guy, he's recovering, he's paying attention, but Terba gets here, he comes in this Friday, he's going to be here this Friday. How about Isaiah? Yeah, Isaiah, yeah, he's been a guy, he's really dialed in, you know, and he's not matured in the mid, that his A-T may be right now, because, you know, he's healing, he's getting better in, I'm pretty sure he'll be back for our fall camps that we get to see him shine.

6:10Stany confidence in the team, it's early, it's a long year. We've been through worse, and I think we'll respond well. Dr. Cup weeks ago, about feeling the loss, what is the balance of feeling this loss and when you have a game in a few days? Yeah, I think we need to turn the page on this one. It's pretty clear what happened and why we lost, so I think it's kind of a blessing in disguise that we're playing on Thursday. The second change is preached by coaches every week in the NFL to go from a blocked field goal attempt where you score a touchdown. Moments later, you lose your kicker. It's a pretty big swing. How did you, how did that affect things you think? Yeah, I mean, not having your kicker is tough, and hopefully it's going to be all right, but Mitch did a good job on his one kick, but it shouldn't really come down to that in the end.

7:10You know, a lot of missed tackles, especially in the second half. Is the heat a factor in that? Just the game going on and on in that heat? Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say it affects people on long drives, but Conner's a really big good back, and he makes people miss. I think I had a couple of miss there too, so just got to get him down. Yeah, I had like 12-14 yards before the last two drives, and he had 72. Were they doing anything differently with him? Yeah, they were, they were giving us a different look on the zone read, and I think in all of our losses, the preparation we've had has been great, but teams are playing us different and doing things differently, and we need to adjust a little better, just showing different looks and kind of,

8:11than what we were looking at on tape. So she got to adjust and get him down. It needs recovery time, but how much of you would it help to play on Thursday in Seattle, and try to, you know, just get back on the field. Yeah, like I said, I'm happy that we're going to get right to it. Before the interception, would Kyler made a check on the plan of scrimmage? Kind of looked like you were intently listening to what he said, did he say something that kind of dipped you off? No, honestly, I felt the downblock, and then I just kind of saw those guys peel off for screen, and I think I was kind of low in hiding, and he couldn't see me. I'm just glad I caught it. Is this about the team learning how to finish? Yeah, finishing and playing complimentary football, it's definitely something we've been good at throughout the years, and like I said, we got to stop losing games, but I haven't lost any confidence in the team.

9:14There's a shift in momentum, like the first half and the Los Angeles game, and that's why you had a lot of momentum going into the halftime. And then you have an instant. Yeah, I mean, there's so many opportunities to put teams away, and we're just not doing it right now. On the quarterback, Kyler took it outside. Your responsibility is to crash on that first drive. It was, yeah. It was, yeah. Thanks. Yeah. I mean, feels good. Just say somebody going out there and playing with a man or man, guess Ohio State receivers, it's something crazy. But you know, we just ready for the challenge. They said they're not chasing their game plan, but we got to go out there and show them the reason why not to play with them. We're in a preparation announcement of the 12th, 26th, and the subject is not going to be right now. We're going to be the conversation. Yeah. I mean, I don't really, if I be on a curve, I be on a curve.

10:16I mean, it's not really a big deal to me. It may definitely be a blessing for sure just to be on a curve of a game, but you know, it's not really a dream of mine. It's a dream of mine, but I don't really think too much of it. I mean, no, not yet. Probably hit me after this easy. No, just no playing in the Carlos football playoffs as a freshman, playing in the Rose Bowl as a freshman, playing in the Cardin Bowl, not in the National Championship. I mean, it's a blessing for sure, but it hasn't hit me yet. I'm sure. I'm putting it right here. I'm sure about what you're paying me on that, too. My favorite catch, I would say. We played Michigan State on the one I caught, but two defenders. Definitely probably my favorite for sure. Or you could go the one from Iowa, I should say, and answer probably them, too.

11:38I don't, I mean, like you said, it's pretty frustrating me having a game that I had in the Rose Bowl, and they're coming to the Cardin Bowl, and they're just doing different things, chasing their scheme up against me. But I mean, like you said, whatever I could do to make, I mean, help the team win. It's not really a big deal for me, and long as we win, that's all I really care about, and it got us to the National Championship. It means a lot. We put a lot of work in this season. We have highs, we have lows, we have people cutting us out. But we hear now, we just ready to put on a show Monday.

12:38Yeah. First of when there's a National Championship, because there means a lot. I mean, you see everything that he bent through this year, people saying he should be fine, and there's that in the third. But I mean, you see everything that he bent through this year. I mean, I seen everything that he bent through this year, I see everything, people saying my hand on Twitter. I wasn't here, he first got the head coach on job, but I know this year, for sure, we definitely got to win this for him. I mean, it's a lot of people in the league, I should say. I can't really say who, but I mean, you had guys like Odele, you had guys like Odele, you had Stefan Dix. It means a lot of Michael Thomas Chris Carter, just a lot of guys I played in NFL, and stuff like that. But yeah, really them guys for sure.

13:42No, just keep going. You got it, you've next up for sure. Really, I really appreciate that. Like a physical defense, like people say, like they like to play men, they're not changing their skin. You're just ready for the challenge. Like you said, best defense, we probably go see all year, and we just got to be ready to go out there Monday and just put on the show. I'm excited for Will. First coming here in Ohio State, January, our first workout we had together. Just everything that we did through the season. I'm just happy for him to be in this position right now, but we got to finish the job and that's the winning out of the O Monday.

14:44I mean, it's pretty funny, I'm saying that, because I'm just only a friends bit, but I miss the buzz of a show of people that even say that. But I've got two or three more years left of callers. I'm just focused on callers right now. I'm not really worried about the NFL right now. It's very special for me. Just being a freshman and playing the national stage, up here for a national title was something that I dreamed of as a very young kid. I'm just happy to be here, and I just can't wait to put on a show of Monday for you guys.

15:45All of the reasons we were sitting on the bench and we just seeing him hit the quarterback in the ball, and we all just got up and started jumping up and down, we all decided. Happy for jacking that moment, and we just knew that that moment was like, we're going to the daddy for sure. How does that feel to have that moment so that it is the same as the other thing? Me and so is a lot going from high school, or when the three-state championships, I saw my mom and Donna then coming to Ohio State, just competing for national title right now, and me just so that I've picked two great schools, but I'm happy to be here and I just can't wait to put on a show of Monday.

16:45The coolest person? I mean, you got a lot. I can't really say just a specific person. You got a lot of great guys, re-challenging the lead, like O'Dell. You have guys like Stefan Dicks. A lot of other players will just get cut off my mom, but really, really them two guys will show O'Dell a Stefan Dicks. When you're looking at Notre Dame, what's something I have? If you got on your mind, try to attack and try to dominate it. Yeah. Like they say, they play man, so I'm just ready for the challenge, and just get ready to go out there Monday, and just no put on a show. Thank you. We're going to the back of the room. The vice-geno had gave me. I said just keep guard first.

17:46I know the reason why I'm here. Like he said, just keep guard first, and just no keeping the main thing and the best corner I've faced this year. I mean, I've faced a lot of great corners. I can't really say, but yeah, I've faced a great corner. I can't really put a name on it. I'm not a question of the auto. It looks like a teammate, I have a bodyguard. I'm a partial. What is your dream vacation? My dream vacation is Terce and Kiko's. I'm going to go out there. How do you feel about it? How good are you? Yeah. I say both respect and frustration as well.

18:48I mean, I doubt they come out there and try to be me. They say they stick it to what they've been doing all year. That's playing man coverage. We're ready for the challenge. Pretty good group. Christian Gary 29 is a great corner. 15, Lunar Moore. Two great guys are right there. Very physical. We're all high as they receive us. So we're ready for the challenge. Other questions? I'm just understanding the defense, understanding the game plan, understanding what Coach Kelly is trying to get done.

19:48I mean, just coming in, I feel like I progress from my first game against Akron to now. I feel like I better each and every week. I mean, things slowed down a lot for me. But yeah, really just understanding the defense and understanding what they're trying to do to me for sure. Two guys, great. Part of the best we go see all year for sure. Two physical guys. But we're ready for the challenge that they're coming with. That's the play man, no man. We ready to go on Monday. I mean, the environment is pretty crazy. Seeing all these cameras. Suddenly I never thought I'd see them alive. But it's a blessing for sure. This is the main exposition right now. We just had a prayer, prayer, prayer, prayer meeting.

20:56We all discussed the issues because they discussed issues. We just went to work. I mean, two and a half weeks we had off before Tennessee game. We just came out there, Tennessee game. We played with a chip on our shoulder. All throughout the playoffs. We go continue to play with that chip on our shoulder. That's the championship on Monday. Do you know how that very impactful, you had a very impact on my career I should say. Just going to his games. I was a very young kid, seven, eight years old. Him playing for West Virginia. They played Clemson, Orange Bull, Don and Miami. I mean, just go there seeing his games. I was like, yeah, definitely when the player was in stage. And I can't wait till I get to know that moment for sure. Who are you? Who are you?

21:58Who are you? Yeah. Cuz they're really just in his own love space. He's just walking around trying to get his mind right, trying to get his mind ready for the game. But he's just getting everybody hyped in the locker room. Just trying to get us ready to go to win the game. Yeah. Yeah, we have a show. I mean, you go play mangas or higher stereo receivers. I mean, just be ready because you know, we definitely go come out there and know. Give our best. I mean, they said not to change what they do. So we just ready for the challenge. Is it kind of situation felt? Not a year later. Definitely sometime my career college, but not my first in college, I should say.

22:58May just be able to be in this position right now. It's, you know, a blessing. Just a year here for Miami to be here. And I won't take it for granted. I'm ready to go out there. I'm going to give him a call. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I was watching that game against was it Georgia? Yeah. I was in a game. I was pretty sick myself because I was actually committed at that time. So, I mean, yeah, it left a bad taste name off. But I mean, we ready to go out there Monday to redeem myself and just put on show Monday. Yeah.

24:07I mean, I just laugh. But you know, that's what they do. They're not going to change what they do just because we're a higher state. So we've got to go out there and put it on. Why not to play man on man against us? So we just got to go out there and show them Monday. Can you say the year? Sorry. My journey here at Ohio State, prepared me a lot for national championship. Let me just go on through everything that I've been through. I first got here all the materials, all the hard workouts that we had, all the hard practices. Just preparing all of us for this moment. And I'm just ready to go out there and give it up my all on Monday. Okay. Okay. Yeah. We just squeezed this.

25:16200? I mean, he is big and strong. That's an unknown. What's the winning? Yeah, that's great. Yeah, it's pretty good. No problem. Yeah. And why not probably like the most is the one against Michigan State when I caught over two defenders on their side line.

26:18Probably that one or the one after that, I should say, or you go the one against Iowa probably them three probably my best ones for sure. Oh, I mean, just will put in the ball in my area and I just know how to make a play for them. Even though somebody was gathering my face, I just know I still have to make a play because the ball touched my hand. So, I mean, just when the ball is the other thing, I have to make the play no matter how the ball comes at me. After a big game, I mean, we really, they really feed us Chick-fil-A or piece out of the game. So it's really either Chick-fil-A or piece. So yeah, probably Chick-fil-A for sure.

27:19Yeah. It went pretty good. Everybody just speaking with their thing is going right in what they think is wrong. Which is a lot of the older guys, Western Air Peans, what we need to do to come to get us a team. But, you know, that me and Deftly helped us in a big way because it helped us on the field as well because we played our great football right now and we just got to to you that one Monday. Yeah, Deftly got emotional. Can't really say what really was said because that's not players only and coaches only. But, it was Deftly's stuff that said that people took, people took and it went with it and that's the reason we're playing the Wies and Rowery playing right now.

28:24Yeah, Mac helped me a lot this year. Him being our older guy in the room. Me and Carlisle as well and Brendan and his entire guys in our city room as well. Me and just a great guy as well. Very smart. I mean, Mac has been a big part of the reason that I'm having a seat that I'm having a walk because he's been a big. You know, older guy been there, been a lot of great guys in our room. Chris Alivegaer was there, Marvin Harrison Jr. Jacks is making jibba. So, he's seen all the grids I've been through there and he teaching us the right thing and the right way and the buck out way for sure. We heard a lot of good things about a lot of business here. So, I'm going down the gate hours of our release. Are you envisioning right now that you want this to be a group by six person operation? Yeah, well, I think Coach Deft talked about it a lot, right? It's gonna 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 I have to blessing. So, I would say right now we're probably at five. That would feel confident rotating out there on the field.

29:24And look, I'm old school, right? So, I come from the era. I used to yell at Luke Pickle what he was taking out. Oh, I get so mad. I get so, maybe 42, whatever against Youngstown State. I'd be so upset coming out of the game. But, 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? And I think that's, it's kind of a both, a both-hand, right? So, I feel confident with five guys, and that's gonna be a week to week. You know what I mean? Like, these guys know, I think honestly, who start to be week to week? If you display during the week of practice that you're locked in and somebody else has a bad mental week, well, I can't reward you with starting if you have six mental errors during the week, you know what I mean? Just because you started last week. So, I think it's gotta be that iron sharpens, iron constant complications through the whole fall.

30:25That doesn't sound like something big for an eye that's gonna be throwing it in the player kind of as you, as he just alluded to. But is that part of which one has to drive you then? What's it, what's it driving you then? Then you just assume that was kind of the case when you played anyway. I always felt when I was here that they were trying to out-root me, which 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-drat you. And so, I used that as fuel, but I also thought firsthand, you know, like there was a season where it was John Kerr, Marcus Freeman, certain guys rotating week to week. And so I thought like, should it 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 loves. Like if you, if you loaf on the field, you're a trader. Like you should just go play for the team. Like, that can't, you can't be coaching effort. And then you can't have mental errors. Because if you have a mental error, then you can't trust you. So those are the two things I always have the player who 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.

31:29I might get beat, and that's, that's inevitable. It's football, everyone got scholarship, right? But those two things you can control every single day. What's the next step that you've done in this season? I think it's just, you know, we haven't, we haven't done like any of my series. You know, we know he can tackle and all that. But I think it's just the repetitive grind of a football game from in the box, the constant. 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 should continue into to have him challenged to, there's plays right now where he's seeing it from the first time from a wild backer. So the next time he sees it, maybe a throw catch tackle is 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, that'll be driving. 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 really well for you. I just can't talk about specific recruits, but just overall how do you feel like that's going and are you enjoying your food?

32:34I am, I am enjoying it. I think it's, it's fun to build relationships and get to know so many different types of kids, you know? Ohio 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, major's 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 you 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.

33:38You know what I mean? I knew where I was fitting. And so now if I can impart that information on kids who are extremely athletic, well now you're now you got something special. How much of you guys have already talked about the long season and the need to play more guys? Well, I think yeah, you're going to have to have depth. That's just 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, you know, you know, like you got to be ready to go. So I think depth is crucial at all. Because injuries are going to happen. There's part of football, you know, you never want to wish it upon anyone and you're certainly not. But it's just you can't be naive to think that you're just going to have every single starter healthy for the whole season. You talked about your mentality as a player and then you're recruiting different players than you were. How do you, how do you marry that when they made that same mentality that you needed? But you want them to happen.

34:39Well, 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. You know what I mean? And so it's not for everybody. You have to want to come in and compete against the best and realize that you have to win every single game to be the best in the world of what you do. That's the expectation. That'll have 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 comes kind of comes with it. Who craves ball because when they crave football, then the other stuff will take care of itself, right? And we'll just keep getting better and better and better if they want to be the best. Two more questions for Dave. Yeah, that's I mean, I think that's your job as a recruiter is 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 coaches. You just got to try to figure out like who loves ball and the NFL they do the same thing, right? Now they're attending the massive amounts of money.

35:45And they're saying, okay, we're gonna get this person money as a change their motivation or they still love ball. So 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. I've known as a VRT talk about it, but he's a little bit of the elevation from our bell from end of class. Obviously, missing time last year with the injury, but where he's at now versus the expectation that he had to move his brain. Our bell is, I mean, showing a lot of progress. You know, most importantly, you know, mentally with the playbook and everything. I think our bell last year, there was a couple things, right? Because of injuries on the D line and camp. So he had to move the end for a little bit and then we brought him off the ball and then he had an injury and he kind of missed some time. He wasn't an early mid-year, you know, so he comes in right in the summer. And so he missed some reps there. So to 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.

36:51So we 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 the guy who continued 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 probably the biggest risk of, what has changed in the time that you've been recruited to now that you're visiting, like, are there other differences you've noticed in your home? No, I think it still comes down for the most part. Like, NIL is certainly an aspect for some. For some, it could be the most important thing. It's always a factor. But I think you still just need to find out who are the kids that love football and they want to be developed. And it's about the relationship to an extent. Like, a relationship gets you to the final stretch. For some kids, NIL might be the thing that pushes them over the top. I mean, I don't know. Like, every kid is so different, right? I try to view it as you're just building relationships. And are you going to get a young man to trust you to develop them? And to not only the player that they want to be, but the person that they want to be in the future. And can you convince mom and dad that you're the right person to do that, you know what I mean?

37:58So 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 trying to leave here. You know, and they have the question, I get a ton. What do you see yourself in five years? I'm like, where I'm sitting? My alma mater, you know, my kid's love it in Columbus. Obviously, I love Ohio State. So I think those are things that can kind of be in advantage. Can you tell me, I've even worked with, you know, kick off and punch teams as well. What's that for you in general? Again, involvement of that. Yeah, it's awesome. Maybe I love it because it gives you an opportunity to coach the whole team. You know what I mean? Like special teams in a spot where the whole team probably minus the quarterbacks, right? Is all in one team room in one meeting room. So you get to actually directly impact other positions and just your own. And I think it also gives, it gives a little bit of urgency to your own room. Like when you're in there every single time, you better be making an impact on punts.

39:06If 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. Seriously, someone has been in a foul. What do you think will be in a foul doing a kick off now? Do you think that's like it could be good for college? I mean, the thing that stands to take away like the surprise on time, 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 triples down. It seems like everything triples down. So we'll see. As of right now, we'll keep things going the way they are. All right, James. Thank you. Yeah. Thanks, guys. I'm good. You see three, four people around you can't really do too much.

40:06Like I said, there's a lot more space with his offense, a lot more holes in the defense that you're trying to get the playmegers into. So I'm excited to be able to work with that. You can't really do it as much in practice. You know, you're not going to get hit, but more preseason and first couple games I'm excited to see see what that looks like. I'm going to pick up the sheets. Expression on me. I'm excited, man. Like I said, from jump, he's a special special player. You don't really get that so many players like him that's so quick, so fast, at least speed and anchor around routes too. So I'm excited to see what he does in the future, but I feel like that's the least they can do for him this year. How do you think he would get me out of the way for another? It's just speed, man. Speed, you can't teach speed at all. Just having us on opposite sides, even to play on both sides. It's just speed down the field. You can run 15, 20 yards in breakers, out breakers. And like I said, you're going to have to play two safes most of the time, or you can run the ball, you can get underneath the routes.

41:09It's going to be a great compliment to the offense, so I'm excited. Chris, you said you hope this new officer put the playmegers in position to make plays. What about you specifically, what's an area where you think you'll have more opportunity than face your game? It's a lot of areas that you can see to look at, to improve my game, but yards have the kisses to when I'm looking forward to just more opportunities with that, more space. Just to showcase my speed and my ability with the ball. I'm excited to do that this year. Something that I really showcase the first two years, so I'm excited to be with... Is something that I think could gain momentum in a bit, just getting the ball on your hands. Yeah, a quick game, play action, more over the middle routes. It's a lot of different things that you can say that this guy's going to help that, but like I said, I'm excited. How would you describe the chemistry between you and Gary and you going? We're getting way better, man. I mean, it was our first year last year, so it was kind of up and down, but that's what it comes with the game of football.

42:17We worked a lot this off season, OTAs, which was really good, and we got off to a good start these first two days at camp, getting extra working. But that's going to come with time, so I'm not worried about that at all. We're competitors, we both want to be the best, so we got to do something to be good. Where do you kind of notice that difference? Just like feel on route? What do you kind of notice now that it's year two that gets more nap-moving? What do you mean? It's like, dirt. For you and your ducks, you're actually going to be a lot of work. It's just like, it's more than that, man. It's in a fail. Everybody's good, so we just got to know what each other's thinking, preaching that post-knife coverage is where the ball's going to go. Just reads, what read I am and in progression, everything goes along with that. Just being on the same page, being, like I said, chemistry is built with time, so it's just little stuff like that that turns into big things is going to be huge. You caught one from Spencer Routland at A2, what are your early impressions from him? He's real talented, that's the first thing I've seen from him. His arm titles out the charts, he's a real natural feel out there. He's going to be real good.

43:26I want to see him in action, but from my first impression, he's going to be a real good player. It's going back to the sheet that we talked about all the different stuff he should do, you think there's still a lot more there for him? He hasn't really, I think this is the first year of being a receiver, two or really receiver. In my opinion, we both are a receiver one, so I just be able to move around, run real routes, feel like it's going to be a huge advantage for his saying. It's a special player and I can't wait to see him ball. I can't wait to see him get more opportunities and see what he can do. My run real routes, he's just like an opportunity to run. Yeah, just getting more, he hadn't really played too many plays in his first few years. He kind of just get thrown in there when he's getting the ball or when he's a decoy or something like that. But he's actually being involved in the offense, always being in, even on run plays. I feel like he's going to be a huge advantage for him to get a feel for the game and be more natural out there.

44:29How hard is a receiver like that to shed kind of a, think of him as a deep threat label and then so people just think of him as a deep threat, but he can do more hard isn't to shed that label or that perception like the ball. I mean, that's what life everybody is trying to label somebody as one thing or two things, but I feel like you can showcase, I mean, that's not really who you are in your own sense. As he gets more opportunities as you can see, you can see he can do more and more. That's what anybody on the team. So I'm excited, like I said, for his huge opportunities going to get this year, it's going to be a big one for the Saints. Does this scheme ask for more blocking from receivers as they're more responsibility? So I mean, that's what I told you to, we both have to block and I know we're not the biggest guys or the strongest, but like I said, we want to be on the field, we got to be on the field for the play action plays, all those things. We both got to go block D-Line and block Lyonbackers, but that's what's coming football, so we both got to take that next step in our game.

45:33Is that somewhere there's a payoff, like you guys know you play from play action next time? Yeah, it's going to be a huge payoff. Like I said, most of our office is based on play action, all the in-breakers, all the yards at the catch up plays, so we got to go on there and block. Like I said, take that next step and be able to be great for our team. Like being here? Oh yeah, so after I filled the weather out here, man, that's what I'm used to not using the war and then it's out there trying to catch my breath. It's a great opportunity for us. Are you going to chance to see family and friends at all, so this is their football friend here? Not yet, but they don't come out here soon. Appreciate you, Chalena. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you guys for getting back in the first game. It's good to play good football, but they've got to spend the second match. I mean, it feels good to rip off these runs because I mean we've put them so much work on this and practice them. You know, seeing a product, you know, that hard work, you know, these runs goes through.

46:35Tech Reserve sense that just off its line wise is you'll prepare this week with Don for back in there. It's all hope for some really good season. I'm not, you know, it's not particularly in Austin. It's just more of Don for Jackson, for each season all American, et cetera. I mean, join the group, you know. Don for Jackson is a very good football player, man. Anyone who's on the field, he makes his presence tough. I mean, we've all been training on like, there's no tomorrow just going through. I mean, it's him, we know it can be. Yeah, there's a secret being. There was a sixth who's watching you guys last week. No, or even more of a course, it felt like watching you guys. Then maybe even any help, or did it feel authentic? Yeah, I mean, we put in the work during practice. We practice really hard. Coach Day really challenged us to practice hard. I mean, I was just a result of it. But when it's rolling like that, what does it feel like being in the mix? It's not being. It's us. It's. When you work hard for something and you're able to see like what comes out of it,

47:36like that's, there's no better feeling in it. I grew up. I grew up. I grew up. I grew up. I grew up. I grew up. I grew up. I grew up. I grew up. I grew up. I grew up. But anybody swayed you. And I always wanted to be a player. No. I mean, I was really funny to see. I know. Thank you. Thank you. It was kind of the DNA. It's maybe a fraction of what you do. Take a, what has been off of you guys for the first two games? What's it been like playing XN for the last two? He's. You know, he's really calm and storm like you never see real panic. And having a guy like that next to you and you know you're having really. Playing it is many meaningful snaps. I mean, there's no one else that would have read the apps and my left and some of my right and you know, for our end set. Those guys, they do so much for this offensive item. People talk about his intelligence really kind of showing up in the film room and on the field.

48:37Where have you noticed that intelligence and how has that helped you? Yeah, like I said, in crunch time, you know, when things aren't exactly looking like how we practice it, you know. Having a guy like that, like, slow down. We'll do this, this, this and then we execute having a guy like that like this. There's none better than that. You wrote? What you got? On the other hand, this is a mom. What's my favorite cake? Well, I love it. I love it. Oh, no. I almost came back with a couple of times to go some more. Take a look at it Marshall. They got a couple guys with a deep bits of bread that has big tin bodies. Absolutely. What do you see when you look at their tape and see 15, 7, a couple of those guys are pretty big.

49:41Yeah, those guys, they're real players. They're real players. They can sell their coach well. They go hard, you know, they're real players over there. We've been practicing to the best of our abilities and you know, and I'm preparing for that. We see they being for G and Keke who last year. They're taking the... They play good ball over there. They're defense plays hard. They challenge teams, you know, sometimes they might be overlooked and they still challenge teams. And so they come out there with the mentality like no matter who's in front of us. 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 can just shake off the rest, you know, hitting back in it. Inside... You talking to your shots and you know, that's not what it means.

50:43Yeah, I mean, I hear from Paris every once in a while trying not to bother him too much, but 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. Really experienced it. 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 a lot of realy sharing it on the bus and stuff like that. So besides the calls from the line, like being able to develop as a player, obviously not going into super wide out now because I've played those games. I played it to North, I guess here against Penn State. I played at Wisconsin, I was hired to play that in a new game, which is electric. So being able to develop that skill of being calm and calm in the storm has been really developmental for me. Especially this next year, you know, playing a new game in Penn State and all those big places like that, it'll be helpful.

51:57Yeah, and like being as young as I was is very hard to kind of understand because looking at a guy like Luke Whitpler, you know, a Jersey guy, a big tough rug. You know, I want to be like that, but 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 is just for me, is more of a developmental year and looking into that as I'm going to grow a lot from this and looking back on it, there's some mistakes. I'm like, there's no way I'd make that right now. There's no reason why I would do that, but I just need that to develop into what I am today. So I'm super grateful for it. I know that's my best possible. I'm going through an hour's of depression, depression, depression, depression, and my mind I felt prepared. Looking back now, you're like, wow, I can't really know what to say.

52:59But I think just the confidence I had, not only in myself, but like the guys around me, like God in that, and leaning on their years of expertise and their how much they've gone through is really helps. Because maybe sometimes I would be looking at them, like I don't really understand this and there would be Donnie or Josh Fryer, but I know this is what we're looking at. I'm like, okay, it makes a lot more sense now to help me become kind of the point of the line stuff like that to make those kind of calls that we need to. I push fryer always says the best five of play. That's regardless of the position that I don't really have any like here or there when it comes to what position I, if I could play I'd be more than happy whenever I'm at. But the best five of play. And I think they did a really good job facilitating and rolling guys at different positions and stuff like that.

54:01So I'm not really sure what they have in store for us, but you know, we'll see to the spring and they're going into the summer because all that can change as well. Currently, I've been all set up. You mentioned that you're under size. What's your weight at now? Weight in today at 298. So I'd like to bump that up to 300, like 303 if I could. I got real 303 not drinking Gatorade. I tried to get up to 303, but that probably the end goal to really get my legs into that leverage going together. What has been like a bolting up as since you've got your reward out there? You can ask for your roommate. He's been horse feeding the kitchen social. But I was doing that. Three game weight protein. Chase getting in touch with killer. Art and fitness. Her and Zoe are super awesome. They'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.

55:07Like two of these weight to crazy. And I think that this year, like developing with push making stuff like that, it's like real weight. It's not like kind of fake water. We lottery weight. It's like real like I can play with legs now a lot more. So you were probably used to 88 times last year? I was really low. That was like the beginning of your back up. I got it back up obviously really fast. What were your top and top and top? Like, lots of ways to get shot at that. I don't know if it was that because I had all that help on the line with me. I wouldn't say it was a trial 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 end of the game. I'm like literally shaking him like tearing up himself. And I'm like, oh my, I just feel real. You know, going into it, you think like I'll put all this work on should be there. And then you like I said, I go back and you watch the tape this year. I'm like, what am I doing? So I think it's like it's such a good developmental year for me that I'm super so grateful for that experience.

56:11And then going into this year trying to learn off that and learn off what we've learned this spring into the summer. I think it's going to be really good year. If you want to go to yourself now, just like a practice, as you're preparing to concentrate, what would you do last year? What are you trying to do so much? The biggest game of the experience? Mostly 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 that. That's when I get snagged and tossed. And then just like more recognition of what's going on having the game slow down with you. Because the more you grow, you kind of feel like the game obviously doesn't really slow down. It's actually a faster year, but it starts to slow down a little bit for you. So you just kind of see last year and be kind of like jeering and figuring out what I'm doing. And 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 coaching and stuff like that. I can find myself in better positions of power and making the right blocks. Is this not 100% knowing exactly what you're doing?

57:14And 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. Jeering is 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 when I've been able to do that, I played obviously off-site. It's the only way he's done the 20. I make the same mistake 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. So I think he's done a good job protecting 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 complete percentage has gone up in every game. So excited about where he is there. You know, we continue to complete the ball at a high 60, 70% rate.

58:15The method will be really successful in the fish 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 good at it, but it just depends on how defense defend. The art defending us if he has to do that. What's the topic after they came about? Well, there were still some things that really wanted to get you that were excited about. The opportunity we wanted to talk about in the roads asking about game playing specific stuff. When you look big picture of your offense and the playbook, how much have we seen and how much more is there at your disposal as a skillful? There's always more at the disposal, but I think it's what is applicable in the game that you're playing. You know, 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. And 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, you know, 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.

59:18Other times you find yourself, you were never in the red zone. You know, you can go two or three weeks where you don't have 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 line. 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 of 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 old things out of the Tupperware that we practiced that we didn't really give a chance to run. You get one more four times four times, and I'll over to the last one and write out about one of these aggressive and win the game the most.

1:00:18What's worked in those situations? What's your most important thing going forward just sitting working? 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. That's going to be 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 is that due to our team? If we don't get, 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. They may have a better hand than you, and that's where the situation is. 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 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. So that's part of it. And then we have certain packages based on down a distance that if we get to a fourth and have a situation, then we're going to dial these plays up.

1:01:19So I think our players are really comfortable because we're calling something that they practiced and run a lot. I heard from, you know, let's me talk about a little harder than some of it, much more. You can do it right. But there's always you can remember development. What would you like to see in the field every pass? I mean, that would be one chair golf did the last night, right? I think he went 18 for 18. So, and then I'm on the same brown one, one for one. So they were they were 19 for 19 as a team. So, what about do you think you lost on receivers a little much? I mean, from the up train, how about it for aggression looking guys? I think we'll do a good job. I think there's always a growth with all of that. You know, sometimes it may be a new erupt 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 a spring. You 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 and I hope in game eight, we're not playing like we played in game four.

1:02:22You 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 is how do you develop over the course of the season? So I'm pleased with where will he 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 world. 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? You know, there's no 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, you'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, I 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.

1:03:24But after a while you kind of figure your delay and then you're a lot more comfortable in your environment. The more comfortable will get in our office. I think the more successful we're going to have. Obviously, game plans dictate something where you guys have as many weapons as you do. Do you find yourself in the game? This guy maybe has 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. How they decide it 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. So, okay, you know, we're equal opportunities. It doesn't matter if you run the ball across the line across the goal lane or throw the ball across the goal. So, it's still counts as six points. So, you know, we're not caught up in and has to be totally balanced in 50-50 run pass or whatever it is.

1:04:25It really is. It's 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. 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. But there are some games where the Titans 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. But there are. We have specific plays where we think we're trying to get the ball to them, but we're never going to force it. So, if you're going to have a double cover guy, 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 the ball. If they did, it's a penalty because they get to me guys on the field. But when you have as many weapons as we have, I think that's always a bonus and that's always a benefit.

1:05:26Is that you know, four games of the offensive for the anger up in the box? Kind of refreshing. What is it Brian? How has that gone for you and how you would be settled with him? It's been smooth. You know, I think we're. Our guys have an understanding, you know, in terms of, because we spend 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 what 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 in running because their, their confidence is based on their demonstrated ability of doing in our training sessions. I think it's been smooth. You know, we've, we haven't really faced any a ton of adversity on the offence aside of the wall. So I think that's really when, you know, it's, it'll show.

1:06:28But I'm confident that our communication systems and our protocols that we use right now are solid. Are there any other real. Is there anything you'd like to better be an officer for? You can go to the bathroom between series if you have to. It's not always kind of tough coach, coach, could you tell you that on the sideline? It's really difficult to say, hey, I'm going to leave you. But there's a, 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 kind of song lovers. Is there a full-borey or a risk sometimes of getting too far over the skis being aggressive? Knowing that you have almost like get out of the old three cards that you're going to spend out there, that you can just throw them up to or, you know, right or start about trying to outskim and get the guy like your partner in this.

1:07:31You know, you enjoy that, that challenge. Is it sometimes hard to dial back when you have the ice that are that close? Yeah, because it's not, we're not trying to outskim 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 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, Phil Parker. You know, that's this, I think maybe people think a little bit too much into that part is that these people ready to hit that people's number. This game has always been about the players and always will be about the players. So, you know, who can really show up in those matchups? And that's what this game's about. You know, 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. You know, we have to win against their interior defensive linemen or outstanding. So that matchup with our center-owned guard against the two inferior defensive linemen and the All-American linemaker are a huge matchup.

1:08:34And 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 thrown? Is the quarterback throwing the ball on time? Where's he holding the ball too long? You know, 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 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 to him. Well, then how long are we going to protect for? You know, if 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 and 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. So we're not trying to specifically go to one or another.

1:09:37I 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 on them. 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 to the right depths. And there's a quarterback to deliver the ball 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 chess match where the pieces can move independently? The fact thing and then what is the tale that you've gotten into a defense of coordinators head for one of another term as a game goes on? There it is a chess match where the where the pieces are moving. So what happened on playing one may not be the same thing that happened on play five. It could be different because he could make a different call. And I don't think any coordinator neither side of the ball ever thinks about am I getting in this person's head.

1:10:40You 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 our calls and second and ninth on the left hash on the plus 30 yard line. That's really where you are. You don't you're not thinking about it. Am I in his head, 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 one of quick follow. This is awesome. We're about to ask you questions. You said the tone. Yeah. Well, I think it's it's easy to see when you listen to our guy 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. We all have to step up our game everybody because the expectations are so high.

1:11:40And so I just think it makes us better across the board. And 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. Yeah. 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. Guys are healthy. We had a great week of practice and you know, for game 16, we're doing good.

1:12:44So here's the rest of the game. No, 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, tackle 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. And we had a lot of conversation around this time last year, actually, it was before this. It was, yeah, I mean, it was probably the first or second week of January. And he was on offense. 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 had everything to do with the brotherhood, everything to do with his teammates and having unfinished business. I think when you go into games like this, there's a lot of ways to look at it.

1:14:02There'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 what we'll focus on. Hi, how are you? Yeah, I think when you go to a game like this, one of the most important things 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. 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.

1:15:03And 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 now it's, 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. You know, again, I feel like our guys are men. We have 145 guys on the team right now, which is, you know, when you, when you hear it, it just kind of blows you away. You have that many guys and everybody's job on the team.

1:16:05And that includes coaches and staff is not to be a distraction to the other player as they prepare. But also just in general, you know, avoiding distractions for the, for yourself in terms of your focus. And so when you, 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 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. But our guys understand what the message is. And I believe they're locked in. Yeah. Well, I know that we need everybody.

1:17:11So, 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, you know, in another country or across the country, you know, just set in great energy. Our guys feel all that. So, you know, we're playing for everybody who's pulling to be a buck guy. We're playing for Buck guy 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.

1:18:13Yeah. 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 just, he was a leader from the jump. And being a buck guy meant even more to him growing up in Columbus and picking him to Ohio is family of just great people. And then he didn't come in this freshman year and dominate, leaving three years and going to the NFL to be a first round draft pick. I mean, this is a guy who, again, I say it all the time, you know, where's a hard hat to work every day, brings his lunch, pay all the work, and has the respect of his teammates. And, you know, 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 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.

1:19:14You know, he wants to win a national championship more than anything. And that I think represents our entire team. No, I just think that this, this year with, with a 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, 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.

1:20:17Yeah, 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. They have multiple tight ends. receivers are weapons. 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. 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.

1:21:20When 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. 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 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 enjoyable to be able to start it off with the home game against Tennessee.

1:22:26And 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 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. So 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 to get back to work that way. You know, that's generally what it is. And every once in a while, you 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. 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.

1:23:32I 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. But, 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, 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.

1:24:37And, and you can certainly see how, 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, they grab on to the culture. And, and it's been a huge asset to our team. Yeah. Say it one more time. Oh, I got you. Yeah. Well, 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.

1:25:39You know, some teams are, you know, starting spring ball on another week or so, you know, 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, but 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. 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.

1:26:41Oh, yeah, that's it. That's it. I think our strength coach, Mick Morati really, you know, symbol by fall. I mean, 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 and different opportunity? I know it wasn't fun for him having to take a little bit of a backseat to a knockout. Where do you see him? The fire right now. He gets right to 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.

1:27:53And 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. 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. Excuse me. Into winter, continue who he is, continue to build his base, build his leadership. And then now he's got to take that in spring. So all the great things you do prior doesn't mean anything. You don't have to go out there and do it in spring. So that's the harsh reality of the 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.

1:28:54Brian, you everybody brings their own experience. Ryan was a quarterback. You were a receiver. And then to become a play collar, obviously you have an understanding of the whole offense. But what was the process like for you up protections and the run game and quarterback play and just 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 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, you 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?

1:30:00And I really, the guys will tell you, I don't care. I'll ask the question. You may think I'm, I look dumb, but I don't care because I want to know the information. So, I think that approach, I think a lot of guys have that approach. That approach allows you to just build, you know, over time. And then that'll continue to build from now to game one and then build to 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. The 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.

1:31:00He 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 somebody else and shipped him away from being a portback coach? Or like, if they have somebody you trust, how long did it 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 here. I think it's more important that I do a great job being organized. So, I'm never pulled away. I will be in that receiver room and they will be coached 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 because that's the way 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 the receiver room. Ryan, for my land to be going through a full spring, the fall off scene for the first time, what do you look at everything? It's areas he can grow to push for playing time is here.

1:32:02Yeah, I mean, my one is doing a great job. He's growing at exponential rate, getting stronger, getting bigger, he's got way added. You know, I'll 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. Like, 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, and 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 winner workout is growth is everything he's done. He's like, Hey, coach, I know what you're talking about now and when you miss that, that section of winner workout. So that being said, it makes you laugh, but he's doing a great job. I expect expectations for him through through spring and I don't see that changing. The only staff, the office of the year is younger than it's been past years.

1:33:02Make up that you don't have somebody to use the average is like average like 30 is the average age. Does that include support staff? What's it? What's it been in the past? No kidding. I'm a Dan Lanings head coach in Oregon. I was there as I was his average. I'm asking. I'm 38. So I don't know. I give 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 this. I don't want to just ramble on that. Yeah, I just didn't know if it was the thought of the manager. No thought to it. What's the next step for him? Because we've heard him make a talk to him. Like he's a mystic consistency catching a lot of things. He seems to generate a little bit of buzz but has limited role.

1:34:03Like now he's got an opportunity. What's the next step for him to get that opportunity? I think he's going to be a great job. He's going to be a great job. He's going to be a great job. And be a be everything he's capable of being, right? I mean, I think the guys that you know, are out there are very consistent in all job phases. You know, like again, I think he wants to be a full rounded receiver. And you 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.

1:35:05You know, I think that he's got continued 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 the Ohio State, it's a good chance. You're probably NFL caliber receiver. I mean, again, just go on to the numbers. So 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 B.I. 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. Which is a freshman. You rush me. How much in your estimation is that a gift? Do we have to do it? How much of it is learned? And 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.

1:36:07I would say that like anything, it's probably a skill that you can improve on. And they do better at it. They do good. They do worse at. I think being surrounded with guys and seeing how they do it has been a blessing. And it's very clear. Others more than one way to do things. So being, being aware of that, I've noticed that. What's your impression of the three freshmen and how they may be transitioned here? Yeah, all four freshmen, I'm like very encouraged and pressed with. They carry themselves the right way like we have hoped. They worked their tails off. If all improved, I would say that they're the right mode, the right fit. They belong in the room. And now they hesitate to improve. Now they're competing both, you know, first individually between each other. And then, you know, as we get into spring, they'll start competing against each other. With the rest of the guys, what I mean by that. So, but as a group, the freshman group, very impressed. And they're off to the right start. Great. Coach Arlan, thank you for the games. You get on the roll and that the end of the game defences more sound in those guys.

1:37:09Or stiff as far as giving up yards, as the game goes, it's like, okay, God's hard for the end up. So, just keep running it. But you can 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. They like, they want to give up in the yard. So, that's our job to go out there and make a good deal. We talked to Trey last week about just kind of how fresh he felt. How about you, obviously? Have you worked with the last couple of years? Yeah, man. I think right now, you know, I felt the best ever. But like, especially mentally and physically, 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'd go in. Do you 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 Asprey to Cobra that group? Yeah, I don't know there's anything out of the ordinary.

1:38:09You know, whoever steps in, those guys are going to execute. So, I don't have any doubts of anybody. I don't know how often the line I know there is a guy, you know, they're going in as good as you're best. Thank you. Thank you. It's part of what I got there. So, I just probably didn't invest in the community at all. 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? I felt like there was a really good quarterback development in there. Coach Day, Craig Corvall, you know, the quarterbacks they've had just the past five years, showed them the kind of great numbers. And I just really done things the right way. And I wanted to come to this offense because, by hand, because my coach Kelly, you know, made the adjustments for me and I couldn't do it. So, it was definitely, it was definitely. You've done a lot of those things with your coach. I had pretty much contact with them. And you weren't really, I didn't want to ask that. You know, one of the things that Coach Day says, if you don't like to have your hands held, you can have process. Now, you've played up in the age a lot of times in your football career. What is it about you to drive and want that much coaching? I would say, you know, in high school, I had a coach that, you know,

1:39:11he was giving a lot of responsibility. And I would, you know, cut a lot of, not only responsibility on me, make, make, make, make, talk on me. And so, I just, you know, I want to be the best player right here. And, you know, take, take the need with you, and do things the right way. And, uh, just, do things the right way. Oh, I love Washington, Joe Barrow. He makes the adjustments for me. He's a really good decision maker. I like Justin Herbert, but I charge him, so I watch him in play. And, so, I was about to make those, you know, the decision makers who might, who might be anything. I would say I'm a little bit more quiet, but I'm working on the heck with that. You know, a coach who is trying to get me to be the, a welcome leader out there with the guys that are not going to be a professional. It's going to be a really great thing. You know, definitely, definitely quite a confidence. Definitely, uh, confident in your ability to play. I know a lot of people have a lot of fun with you, but I think I've only been here once in a while since I saw my, I love that.

1:40:15Really good food, good places, good places to be, hang out with friends, uh, a lot of the stuff. I think I've visited maybe freshman or sophomore year. Yeah, just, just for the camp, or visit, just, uh, just to see what's all these things. There's really good stuff here about, uh, what I'm telling you. I know it was only a few days, but being in the Alabama program, especially as they prepared for, uh, charge football plan front, what did you take away from that short period of time? Yeah, it was, uh, it was really good with, uh, and our coach, Reese and Jeff say it, and they were, uh, they were coach and players hard, and I saw the, uh, the work that takes you to be a playoffs and then coming here, um, just seeing the older guys putting their work in there, throughout the winter. You know, seeing our older guys and older leaders putting their work in there, and showing them the happenings. How much of a relationship did you have with air, obviously? Coming in, he had been committed, you come in, you both freshmen. What, what, what was it like before and what's your relationship? We didn't have much relationship prior. Uh, we, uh, we measured it in 11, uh, I knew each other a little bit, and then come in here, you know, uh, the quarterback room,

1:41:15everyone here is really close, so it's, uh, we're all pushing each other, we better, uh, we're all, we're all taking push points from each other, trying to get, trying to get better. They don't say that in this tournament, but if you might describe, expecting it, it's like, probably, I would say we are cop, I surprise, uh, you know, come back from the, uh, in the game, and, uh, we're a bit, uh, high spirits, because it's in Japan, uh, it's high, high, I think that's it. How did you feel when you, what did you feel when that happened? It was, uh, the experience, the fight for, or, is your assignment for, uh, it was a first time I had a good time with all that. Um, there was definitely a amount of emotions, but, uh, I'm not family, you know, on, uh, the healthiest event in the, uh, I mean, the, uh, make your ex-aging, uh, and if there are, I'm like, you know, some more, but, I'm not thinking of a little part, but, I mean, I have a true question for you, because you're, uh, I'm not sure what you're up to. Yeah, um, I can't really, it's going to have to add out of me, um, I'm just really trying to develop, and, uh, take close to Coach Day, and then I've been reported to my case group,

1:42:15and then, uh, take close to Coach Kelly, and, uh, I just, uh, want to develop, and, uh, run the offense, and, uh, when they want it, and, uh, take close to Coach Plants, and, uh, try to put it on my hand. But, uh, what do you think, what about your case, and the case transfer, and the college football team? I think that I can be a really good decision-maker, uh, with the offense, and some of you would be absolutely never-confident. It's a big, last question. Is that, uh, an actual thing, or a feeling of, a particular, uh, that's a good, uh, that's just not the month of decision-making. I think, uh, it's, uh, I put my bow as a quarterback at can, so he used it quarterback-knife, and I was in high school, and I was, uh, falling his fifth step, so I've always been around football, and then, uh, just been, uh, I love offense at high school, and just, uh, really just have a lot of them. Who do you want? Good work. Who's your favorite, Tanya?

1:43:15Uh, Packard. So, who's there? I've been a case-maker. Um, and he's, uh, certainly making a case to, to, uh, get on the field this fall, you know? So, I think it's been a really good spring for CJ. Um, there's just always, you know, whenever you have a good day, you've got to follow it up by another good day, you know, and kind of stack days. And 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, and then that's where he is, and then he's, uh, he's had some really good days. And I think it would be a good year, for CJ, where he is now comparing where he was last fall, is, uh, he's a lot better football player. We've heard a lot of good things about a lot of division here, so I was here going down to eight hours out of these. Are you envisioning right now that you want this to be a five, six person operation?

1:44:15Yeah, well, I think Coach Daze talked about it a lot, right? It's gonna be a long season. with him, right? If you have six, you have six, not the 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, what he was taking out. Oh, I get so mad. I get some, maybe 42, whatever against Youngstown State, I'd be so upset coming out of the game. But 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 a 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 it's kind of a both a both hands, right? So I'm still 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 week to week? If you display during the week of practice that you're locked in and somebody else has a

1:45:18bad mental week, well, I can't reward you with starting if you have six mental errors during the week, you know, I mean, just because you started last week. So I think it's got to be that iron sharpens iron constant competition through the whole fall. I always felt when I was here that they were trying to out recruit me, which is the reality, right? Which is why it prepares you so well for the national football. That's why Ohio State prepares you so well for league because now it's like they're trying to outdrat 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 saw like, should have hit the half of the them that can happen to me. So I just tried to be a certain way in practice. Like I told the guys all the time, you have to control the things that take no talent. You have to eliminate all loves like if you if you loaf on the field, you're a trader, like you should just go play for their team,

1:46:19like that can't you can't be coaching effort. And then you can't have mental errors because if you have a mental error, then then you can't trust you. So those are the two things I always as a player was like, all right, you're not going to catch me loaf and you're definitely not going to catch me not knowing what I'm supposed to do. I might get beat. And that's that's inevitable. It's football, everyone's scholarship, right? But those two things you control, everything that is the next step. I think it's just the end, you know, we haven't we haven't done like any of my series. You know, we know you can tackle and all that. But I think it's just the repetitive grind of a football game from in the box, the constant. And he's been he's been willing so far, you know, I mean, as far as his hand placement has been good, you've been rolling the strike is tough. So it's just continuing to have him challenged to there's plays right now where he's seeing it from the first time from the will backer. So the next time he sees it, maybe throw catch tackle is an intersection. You don't mean because you've seen it before from that perspective, everything he's seen before this has been

1:47:21from top down off the shelf, right? So now it's dropping back that was driving. So he's made great progress and I'm really happy with how son he's done. James looking at recruiting seems like it's really well for you. Obviously, you can't talk about specific recruits, but just overall, how do you feel like that's going to? Are you enjoying? I am, I am enjoying it. I think it's it's fun to build relationships and get to know so many different types of kids, you know, Ohio 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, it may be 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

1:48:22them the vision like where you can get to. I think the fun thing for me is that most of the kids that are recruiting are way more athletic than I ever was. So it's like, I tell them, if I can the only way I survived in the NFL eight years, was the fact that I had football intelligence, like I knew where I was going. You know what I mean? I knew where I was fittings. And so now if I can impart that information on kids who are extremely athletic, well now you're now you got something special, you know what I mean? How much of you guys have staff already talked about the long season and the need to play more guys? Well, I think yeah, you're going to have to have depth. That's just a reality, right? It's a longer season. There's more games. And there's no excuse that a place like here like if you're all on playing with a maybe a guy who was third or fourth, that's going to matter, you know, like you got to be ready to go. So I think depth is crucial at all. Because injuries are going to happen. There's part of football, you know, you never want to wish it upon anyone

1:49:22and you're certainly not. But it's just you can't be naive to think that you're just going to have every single starter healthy for the whole season. You talked about your mentality as a player. And then you're recruiting different players than you were. How do you, how do you marry that when they made that same mentality that you needed? But you want them to have? Well, you figure that out when you get to know them. And there are certainly some kids that you start to recruit to where you see like, you know what? Ohio State might be too big. It might be too big for them. You know what I mean? And so it's not for everybody. You have to want to come in and compete against the best and realize that you have to win every single game to be the best in the world of what you do. That's the 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 when they crave football, then the other

1:50:22stuff will take care of itself, right? And we'll just keep getting better and better and better if they want to be the better. You know what I said, dude? Two more questions for game. 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 talking coaches, you just got to try to figure out like who loved ball? And they had a felt they do the same thing, right? Now they're attending the massive about the money. And they're saying, okay, we're gonna get this person money as a change their motivation or they still love ball. So now it means in college with the same thing, like who who actually wants to be the best or who just likes the attention that comes with playing football. James, I've already talked about it. But he's a little bit of the elevation from our bell from end of class. Obviously missing time last year was an injury, but where he's at now versus the expectation that you had to move this way. Our bells, I mean, show a lot of progress, you know, most is most importantly, you know, mentally with the playbook and everything. I think our bell. Last year, there was a

1:51:24couple things, right? Because of injuries on the D line and camp, you know, he moved to end for a little bit and then we bottom off the ball and then he had an injury and he kind of missed some time. He wasn't an early mid year, you know, so he comes in right in the summer. And so he missed some reps there. So the see where he's at right now is extremely impressive. And for a guy of that size and that much power and his ability to run, he's a he's a special athlete. And so our bell is had a good spring. He's got to continue to dive into the playbook and got to continue to learn all the little things. And as you go, right? Like week one, week two, you start seeing new schemes, new schemes, things build. And it becomes kind of a lot. He's the guy continue to comb through it all because athletically, you know, he's one of the most good guys that we have in the room. What is change? I think you've been recruited to now that you're listening, like, are there other mental differences? No, I think I think it still comes down for the most part like NIL certainly an aspect for some. For some, it could be

1:52:26the 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. Some kids on the L 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 into not only the player that they want to be, but the person that they want to be in the future. And you can convince mom and dad that you're the right person to do that, you know what I mean? So I think one of the things that is helpful is my playing experience. I think, you know, when you've played and you've done it and the drills that you're doing, you know that they work, 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, if there's no, there's no sense of time to leave here. You know, and they have the question, I get a ton of what do you see yourself in five years? I'm like, where I'm sitting? My alma

1:53:27mater, you know, my, my kids love it in Columbus, obviously, I love Ohio State. So I think those are things that can kind of be in advantage. Yeah, I don't even work, you know, kick off and punch teams as well as what's that's like for you and try to get involved Yeah, it's awesome. Maybe I love it because it gives you an opportunity to coach the whole team, you know what I mean? Like special teams in a spot where the whole team probably minus the quarterbacks, right? Is all in one team room, in one meeting room. So you get to actually directly impact other positions and just your own. And I think it also gives, it gives a little bit of urgency to your own room. Like when you're in there every single time, you better be making an impact on 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

1:54:28that we every position matters. Jersey, someone has been in a NFL. What do you think? What being a fellow is doing to kick off now? Even if it could be good for college? I mean, the thing that states it takes 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 as of right now, we'll we'll keep things going the way they are. All right, James, thank you. Yep. Thanks, guys. Yeah, I think when you go to a game like this, one of the most important thing is to avoid distractions. So I'm letting know, 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

1:55:30lot 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, it's an opportunity, obviously, to be on stage and finish our mission. But we have to make sure we avoid all distractions. Yeah. It just makes me realize I've grown up a lot since then. You know, again, I feel like our guys are men. We have 145 guys on the team right now, which is, you know, when you

1:56:31when you hear it, it just kind of 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, you know, avoiding distractions for the for yourself in terms of your focus. And so when you, 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 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. But our guys understand what the message is. And I believe they're locked in. Yeah.

1:57:39Well, 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 Ben Stadium and being allowed, you know, 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, you know, in another country or across the country, you know, just said in great energy, our guys feel all that. So, you know, we're playing for everybody who's 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

1:58:41really commit and guy who recruited the other guys, especially on defense, but also on offense. He just, he was a leader from the jump. And being a buck I meant even more to him growing up in Columbus and Pickering, Teno high, 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. I mean, this, this is a guy who, again, I say it all the time, you know, where's a hard hat to work every day, brings his lunchpale to work and has the respect of his team teammates and you're seeing his play do his 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

1:59:42that 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. No, I just think that this, this year with, with a 12 team play off, 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, 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

2:00:45and 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 Evans is really good at tight end, they have multiple tight ends, receivers are our weapons. So, 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. 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

2:01:48know, 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, 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. 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 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.

2:02:49You know, it's been it's it's been enjoyable to be able to, you know, it started 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. So for a lot of these guys, it's like coming home. So that's exciting. But it's 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 you know, figure out what the next mission is to get back to work that way, you know, that's just really what it is. And everyone said, Oh, 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, everyone said, Oh, why you take a step back, but then you get refocused on what matters. And but to your point, it's it's

2:03:50about everybody. 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 energy's increased. The focus has 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 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 got 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

2:04:51family. And, you know, just you 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 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, they grab on to the culture. And, and it's been a huge asset to our team. Say it one more time. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I got you. Oh, yeah, we're kind of, I guess

2:05:54that 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 in another week or so, you know, 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, but 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've 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

2:06:55look 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. He has this old school work ethic, you know, because the line's still the line and the cone's still the cone. You still got to have your football behind a 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 Ohio State. And that's one of the reasons why these guys come here. It's one of the things we sell and recruiting, 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

2:07:56the expectation and, you know, we have an obligation to be the best in a world at what we do. And that's the expectation, whether you're a player or coach, and we own that we absolutely embrace that and and but then also adjusting with the times. And now we have a new playoff system in place. So, but all that being said, here we are, a couple more days before the game and we've got a chance to finish our 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. And the third and 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

2:09:00it's just it's a distraction. And there when you're in a game like this, it's easy to 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 into game. And 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. That's it.

2:10:01I 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. I think our guys have learned a lot about that. And again, I said this before, I 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 way that's it. And that's the 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

2:11:03wins 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 of 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. These 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 it's football. And you know, I said my wife all of 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. You know, not a lot of people get to

2:12:06experience those those highs and lows. And you have to manage it 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 to. Yeah, that's it. And set a great example for the younger groups. One of the good things about having 145 guys on a roster is some of these new freshmen and transfers that are coming in get to see what it's supposed to look like. Get the see great leadership. If this wasn't the case, they wouldn't get able to have an opportunity to see what you know, a mecca book is like Wil Howard, Travian Henderson, Lathan Ransom, Benzel Burke, you go through the list Cody Simon. I mean, he's

2:13:07you know, Tyler Williams, you know, what does it look like? How do they prepare not only for one week, but with several weeks and and these these guys are their men they are. And the way that they go about their business, not only they love being Ohio State Buck guys, but they love their teammates and all those things matter. And so again, they want to play their best game here and 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 bit of a 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's meant to this team or to me or to my family or to Ohio State. It started

2:14:08when 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, 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 fish his career out with a great game Monday night. I think when you're when you're starting out this season and

2:15:12you're putting a roster together, you have to start from this game and move back. And and I think when when that happens, you have to build a team. 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 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 the 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 you know, get better or whatever that might be. But but I think it all starts in the off season with our off season program

2:16:14and what MacMoraddy does. And I think our 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. No one were 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, 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? And

2:17:15then obviously what 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

2:18:16been told before and we were right there at the end. And, you know, I wish them good luck and understood. I mean, Coach Sabin is a unbelievable coach and certainly his success speaks for itself, but also just as a defensive backs coach. And I totally understood it 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's 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 his 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,

2:19:17bowl 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 in the fourth quarter. That'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 them. And, you know, we have to be prepared for that. But, but that's it. Great environment. You know, and, 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 alignment throughout his career. And 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

2:20:18well. Thanks. Yeah. 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. That's it. And I think our guys understand that and feel that. Know 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. It's executing at the highest level we possibly can. That thanks being here. But, you know, it takes another level of doing to be able to receive that reward, especially as a freshman. So, you know, that's kind of when I knew. Steve, it means more on that when you and Mara first got here. Garrett and Chris were adamant about the way that you guys even as freshmen were pushing 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.

2:21:21How 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 its own mistakes. 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 some of that J.J. was able to push me in was just, you 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 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, it 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 the three weeks of talk. I know obviously there's still not motivation to go on and win a national championship. But how do you keep that kind of edge to life with better term mentally after some of that stuff has kind of gone away

2:22:26following the big one? 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 every single week. So, if you're not more intense than you were the last week, 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. And then, you know, we win this one. We go on to the next one. Our full focus is going to be on that one. So, it's just, you keep moving down a ladder like this. Step on Crank's team. Please let me know. Michael, there's been a lot of change in college football in the playoffs. I think it's 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, you know, maintained a lot of that tradition. You play the net. You know, what it's about. Could you explain it to, you know, also, we've never had a chance to play that why the Rose Bowl has maintained, you know, that level of respect from players and coaches. Yeah, I think, I don't know. They're just something about it. Some in the air down there in Pasadena. It's just a beautiful venue, especially that time of the year.

2:23:30Like 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 tends to come up. So, just having a chance to play in it, is 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. Mackle, will you say he still has nightmares about that first game in Oregon? And just what kind of drive you see in this week wanting to get back at this one? Yeah, Will is a, 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 than yesterday, a better practice than Oregon's 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.

2:24:39Honestly, I wasn't, I was never really a, a Buckeye 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 Foto Liatto from my high school, and he went to Oregon. And a couple of y'all probably know that story. It's 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, but I ask it. Is there one moment, one play, one something that made you go, oh man, I've never seen it before. That's just incredible. Yeah, I'll say it's happened multiple times. There's not really one,

2:25:41I 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. Oh, but you had, I think it was 12 touches in the first game against Oregon Thunder Substances. Do 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 the tension? 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 scheme and 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 zones. So I think that, you know, it's going to be a great matchup, whether they tend to focus on me

2:26:45more or not, it doesn't really matter to me because I know our team has a great plan regardless. 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, but it's the competitive nature in him 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 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. He could be 95% of the boss. He's like number three. When you see his

2:27:47work, that's like all of those things that he does, that makes a play. You guys ever been behind him like, yeah, this guy can absolutely be a number one of those golfing boss. 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, they're not really doing their selves 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. Know as we have the capabilities to be a number one receiver and we are number one receivers. And final question. Steve, how long have you 24 hours worked? Yeah, and McAthien to that game, you made one of the clutch plays that passed down the sideline. At any time when you make that play, you think, did you ever, your mind, 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've 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, close to being in field goal range. So, you know, there was a sense of, you know, I knew I knew it was a big play that I

2:28:52made, 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 hits zero. So that's some we've been working on, you know, we work on two minutes every single Wednesday, every single Wednesday practice. So today we'll work on our two minute and we don't even call it two minute. We call it clutch because in those times, in those games, in those big moments, someone has to make a clutch play. So we're focusing on that every single game, knowing that we're going to have to make one of those plays coming down the stretch here. What would it mean if you're able to finish this one off and get to the final for this playoff? Just what in your mind, just would this be, you know, just the ultimate, I suppose, to be a team that's already beaten earlier this year? No, I think the ultimate would be winning the national championship. So, you know, we're focused on this, this just happens to be the next team in the way. We're not focused on, when we played them earlier this year, whether they got the win over us, 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 them out, so it's

2:29:54all about who got better from that point in time until now. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. The move was in last year, which you feel, you've run up against an offensive on the field like, do you feel like you're at a good weight right now where you can do things against them, no matter what, if the offensive wasn't good. Yeah, I mean, this year is kind of different because obviously I'm pushing to the ball, it kind of feels the same. You know, I think I like being able to play these, I like tiny things up and being able to run full speed and be able to hit somebody and catch the month guard, and that's just what I'm able to do now, just on the ball and closer to them. Um, we haven't really talked about like a few guys, but he's talking about, I wouldn't begin his, I'd have to change the work with him, my, my junior at the opening, but I was different because obviously I was playing off-road. Yeah, that's done we got it, and no miss Smithy.

2:31:06It's very intentional, but he knows that we're human, so you know, he knows nobody's going to be perfect and it's okay to mess up, but the thing is being able to learn from that mistake and not do it again. No, you know, this, this, this is different, but like I said, I've just been enjoying the ride. You know, I like why I am now, so I'm just going to grow it this far and get to where I want to go. I'm not doing that with the process. 100%. 100%. That's a nice step. No, it's very hard. Even if you just look at our 2020 Who class, we've got a lot of guys. And now we're probably going to have 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 you this thing. Because yeah, it was opportunity to transfer. But I just kept telling my God to stay.

2:32:07Let his will be done. Just let his will. No. It's the same. It's the same. It's the same. It's the same. It's the same. You know, when you know, you may not make a misposition change. You know, I try to, every little drill that we do, I try to make sure I'm doing it to the team. You 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. You know, it's only the spring. Yeah, about 158 days probably to work with Coach. You've been rubbing there throughout December, obviously. What exactly did you start to make that transition though? And when you heard they were hiring, and I'm Patricia, what was going on here at the time? Um, obviously in December it was different because we had Coach Knows here. And Coach Knows was one of the things. He was telling me different ways he was going to use me with the Jagged and where he was going to have me line up and things like that. Coach Day, what he was telling me was, we were going to bring in a different coach and just, you know,

2:33:09there'll just be a specific coach just for the position I was playing. That way could just be easier on everybody. And that probably was just going to be Coach Knows because obviously it's just defensive. But with Coach Patricia coming in, I feel like it's a lot easier on everybody because of the fact, like I said, his experience and everything that we're doing now, it just feels like everybody can just play fashion to beat themselves. But last question, 158 days, what would you know that number? 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, they're not in our saws either, even though they're probably in the same mindset as we are right now because they lost a lot of starters, but it still doesn't mean anything. So, you guys like, like a part of some of the little part of they started their career trying back with the move to the edge, how much does that inspire you to see what kind of success that you guys have? No, I feel like watching those guys,

2:34:10I feel like you can see like they helped them in the long run, especially with the blue, especially with the blue, especially with the blue, because the fact it was, it's the first year of one month, one of a lot of skimmers, but I'm, obviously I watch those guys, I watch other guys, but I'm on play. What's it to you about the loss of being able to get to this season? For you, just step up, just step up. I mean, it doesn't think it happened really, so. How much do you have to learn right now? I lost your sitting here. Does it seem like it's a big big blow? I mean, I would do a describe thing for you. 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, so. You guys had a very unique experience on the whole of the early enrollment, so you got a chance to go to semi-final. Some of you went to the Rose Bowl, there's nothing to talk about, national championship game. What was that like? How much did you think that helped you? That was a critical. We just see how other leaders led in that position, and just seeing what they did and how they prepared.

2:35:11That's not helping out with everybody. What was the highlight of that time, other than winning the national championship? Was there something that stands out to you? Just being able to trouble and get the meetup, everybody, meet all the players, everybody at one in 90, and meet all the early enrollment that led. It's been a difficult part of making the transition from Liza to the Blue Bowl. What has been the most important part of the year? I was really just living on my own, you got to be independent. That's pretty much it, though. And you feel comfortable on that, or you're still trying to get on the South of this college? I mean, of course there's adjustment, but I'm getting the justice for you. How come you've been so young all the three? Yes sir, one need is 100%. Did you have a chance to hear anything? I'm just sorry to all of you for sitting here. I mean of course I was talking to you last year, kind of with some of these fans. What did you do to me? I think you did my skin right? It was an inch of yellow, maybe.

2:36:12Yeah. Sorry to miss you, I already felt like you did your skin right? I didn't get your skin color. Oh, what do you have to say about the baby? My dad's like my master's. Like once I was born forever. Why did you invite him to pick that? My dad looked up to me and I'm a junior, so I'm just working for him. I think you should be your first name in the car, right? Yeah. Okay, so you could wear eight, too. You got two choices. It's a desire that can be addicted to awkward people. I think I fell into that no younger age, but I'm super glad that's not who I am. Did you say it again? I watched the lab last episode of Land Man.

2:37:16On the planet I downloaded it's a great show. What do you think of it? I don't know that this web seems to be like all the time. I'm not going to handle it. It's a good show. The oversteeps are coming on the film up. We all listen to it all right. I'm excited to see how it goes. What did you do with Jerry? Oh, I thought he was going to get a job. I was surprised, honestly. It seemed like he knew what he was doing for Jerry. So, in the important question, you say you hit your mom in the salad, and you guess, you waited all, did mommy get a pay raise or...? I don't know what to talk about that, just to have a meeting or something. You can see it. Everybody seems to have a good adventure. People are coming. I'm just going to have to do it. There's another people.

2:38:16I'm just going to find out about Jerry. Yeah, well, let me first off, but thank God you're doing this service to my teammates about, you know, even thinking about what's nice. What's right in front of us is an overlooker. And that's another thing that God has told me. So much grew as just being present in every single moment that I'm in. You know, not looking too far ahead and trying to make a stop. Again, that's too selfish of a thank you for meeting and thinking about what's next to it. Did you at least beware of doing a lot of speculations out there that people are going to throw a huge number of the queue to go in the board hall this season? I mean, right now I'm just not working about all that stuff. I mean, people can say all they want to say, but, you know, I'm just focused on the focus out front. I mean, I just don't get nervous for sure, but I just don't think. I think I do have a good job of just understanding that that moment, whatever moment it is that I'm nervous about,

2:39:16it 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 like this force field in my mind. And I'm just going to say, that's just kind of put like this force field of peace around me that I think it allows me to be able to be calm in certain situations, but that's not good. What makes you nervous? 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 love. I mean, I've got butterflies since, you know, going into football games since I was, you know, five, six years old. I don't want that feeling to be a coach, so I didn't, I don't know, I just, you know, football just doesn't mean as much as it did to me back there. I want it to always be that much easier. I've been told, but I think so.

2:40:21I'm just going to let you know how to stay together. I'm going to plan as much, so I just wanted to get like, more experience under my belt, so I can, you know, bring younger guys with me because I've been through a lot of work. One of those younger guys, we're seeing it out here. It's the first time it's hurt all of your life. What have you seen from Will? Because I kind of don't know if I should have real forgot about him because he was hurt. Now, he's running, you know, almost a second man out of the time. What have you seen from the other players? Will's a workhorse. He goes, stay quiet. He going to work hard, and that's all I love about him. He focuses. He don't really talk much. He's just 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 were going to lose anything, we got a mindset that we can't beat. And the words you got to go so in. That mindset is 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.

2:41:23You guys have all decided like enough as a month. Is that the case? Can you feel the difference? Or is there a drop really any difference? It's just the same for us. 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, then. We're not trying to go home. Finish big. We know what you guys think of Michigan. But when you look at what they did, they won the national championship. And you guys took them down to the final minute. Right? You know what I mean? You were right there. Something goes a little different. You guys could have won that game against them. Does that tell you anything about like that? Hey, you guys won 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 like work harder. That's kind of 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 90. So we just got to get over that hump at the end of the season. I think we'll be fine.

2:42:23How 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, you know, come back and work harder. Do things better than you did last year. And hopefully the outcome will change. Is that as you get older, you kind of learn. I thought I was working hard. Did you always find out there's a little more that you could have been doing? Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's how that's what growing up is basically in college. I thought, first year I was working as hard as I could. But now I look back at it. I really wasn't working hard at all, compared to what I'm doing now. So just to learn anything. If you're standing on the 16th, then the answer to the question, what do you need it to be to be your best? Uh, 85. 80, 85? I mean, I can, it's all on me. I think it's a little higher. I was just trying to be funny. But, I mean, it's all on me. I just got to run harder in shape. I think it's a little higher. It's been a fact.

2:43:23The idea of potentially the 16th, 17th, 17th, 17th, I mean, I'm sad about that idea, does it make you nervous about, can you last that long? Do you have worries? I think I'm going to go that out. I think I definitely can last. I was just, you know, we got to get the young guys to come along with it. We can't play 50 stamps again. That's just too much on our bodies. Just everybody, like, online, online. We got to get those younger guys to play. You know, get that pieces on the D-line and the O-line and everywhere else so we can last that long. Speaking of the life plan, if you like playing that new snap to me, I'll see your development. I don't know if any of us were really expected to play that next time. Yeah, I did. Unless we were like winning by like a lot. I thought, like, there are no mom and me, you know, I can go sit down or something. But we're playing them big games, like, you know, Notre Dame, too, or North, those kind of games. Of course, I wouldn't be in, because I know I can contribute. And I won't put that on anyone else when I know I can get the job done. What stands out about Kevin McDonald is he got a key. You guys have a second.

2:44:24Oh, yeah, definitely. He came back as a, came back to Animal Yard. 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 a 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, you're 327, he's 326. Yeah, he's a very open. I kind of look at him like my junior, but, you know, he might be a great player. He's got to develop more in getting the playbook. So really a lot on you older guys. There's that large group of young guys and the seniors in the back who said part of your task for this year to bring those guys along as well. Yeah, definitely. We got to be leaders. Like I said, we got to have them play this year. We can't just play all the snaps. They got to get in there and get some work. And we got to get them right during the all season. So they can play. And I just played. I want to like contribute like make plays tackle success. It's great. It seems like these guys get bigger. Each one of the freshmen class is a little bigger up there. Do those guys kind of, those are going to kind of while you are the first.

2:45:25Yeah, they're definitely some big dudes. And they all work hard. I'm really seeing much of some of the day too. I'm not bad at all. But throughout the workouts, they've been working hard, you know, they're determined. I have to say that. And it looks like they're ready to work together. It's important. And it looks like they're ready to work together. How important this dude feels like. There's a lot of great defense guys. You have big athletic defense attacks. You can eat up space. But also move, you know, right? That is that. Does that have an inquire that maybe from a 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 nice and a championship winners, like team up North, they didn't know they got two good, uh, detaco, two athletic detacos. Look at Georgia. Two athletic detacos. I think that's definitely neat. If you want to go on that big run, it beat those big teams. If you think about this, they won't defied by the defense attack. What's Georgia, Jordan Davis and DL Carter? Let's miss again. It's Chris Jenkins.

2:46:26Couple more questions. You might as well tell me how. I mean, you understand this is your play. 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 to develop more and more of these like freakiest detacos. Yeah. Like in the combine, just now you see in like those guys, they're moving four to four seven eights and things like that. So we'll see. And when you think about this freakish attack, how do you think you fit into that. All of that kind of player. You watch that and say, yeah, that's me. Yeah, definitely. I think I'm top notch when it comes to detacos. But I don't want to, you know, get a big head. But you know, I watch it come on. I watch it do the drills. I have to say, you're like, look at my film. So I think I'm up there. Do you become like a artist? You know, it comes back down. It passes the way. I mean, you're going. You're not doing as much a weapon. I'm not doing that.

2:47:26How do you work on that? Do you have like a goal? I don't remember how much you're like, you have a goal. I'm like, how many do you want to have? I mean, as many as I can have, I think I have more than that. But I think they've counted. I think they've counted some of them. And it's some of them where I like just missed it. So, but I think we work on drills matching the hand. I think that's goes big. And what we do is a D line, you know, just affecting the quarter of the against any way you can. It's just great for the defense. That little thing covered his eye, you know, he might throw it. A little bit to the left to our players. So, it's something that you really, really have to work on. And what you have to do is, it's very good. That's one of the things that you've maybe worked on the most. You've got to bring your time here because there are a few guys that I've seen. Oh, that past you guys. We don't have to ask this. We're kind of, kind of expected for the next one. I think I just have like a, 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.

2:48:26I don't know. I'm irritated if you want to be a high state quarterback. You're not going to get back down passes. I mean, they get frustrated by, you know, we're a team, you know, we're just good. I've got a lot of different backs, man. They just learn to grow for them. You got to pick your top three backs. You got to go right now. One, two, three. I don't really have a top three, but I'll give you, I'll give you one. I would say, say, Juan Gibbs and I like McCaffrey. Auto, he was injured this year. I like McCaffrey. 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 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 a leader that he was, man.

2:49:27That'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 Luck. I think he got the transfer in as well from West Virginia. Just that one, two punch with them both as well. They're going to be really good backs. And so James people's, man, he's smart. The way that he goes about his business, man, he's mature. And so, man, he's growing, you know, just as a person and as a player. And so, man, yeah, definitely Ohio State, you know, that running back room is in great hands. I was right there looking at the U.S. spotting for the best news personality. And I'm just going to keep that up until 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. Trying to run more outside the backfield 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. Just the intensity, man.

2:50:31And 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. And so, yeah, you just, I know you got to bring it, you know, each and every day and come in and work. Just like Ohio State, you know, I definitely feel like Ohio State. They definitely do a good job of preparing us for that. You know, I just remember even before going through this process, I'll talk to a lot of players before that. And they told me a lot of just about how much Ohio State prepared them, you know, for the NFL. And so, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know I took a couple 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 Yo-Murth Performance. I think it's called the House of Athlete or the Compound now.

2:51:31They did a good job, man. They're just bringing us in and the way they went about training us, man. They did a really good job. The Bucking Nears, no, I haven't. Temple, a Tampa nice. It's a nice city, man. Really nice. The 40 to broad and avert. I'm trying to, you've been on the races and awesome lockers. Do you speak to your mentality of like when you've got a linebacker or the staff? The bigger than you and your injury, it's more of a problem. 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 tell 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.

2:52:34And so, man, it's for the love of my brother, it's the man. Making sure 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? In my game, you can't really work on this, you know, in all season. I feel like it's more so, you know, you got to put the pads on. You got to go through some inside run, you know, maybe. It's really just continuing to run through tackles. And so, that's, I feel like that's one of the areas in my game. You know, I want to continue to get better. I feel like I did a good job of that my senior year. And so, I just want to continue to build on that. So, you know what I did? Yes, I did. Yes, I did. So, people say you look like a lot of morale. You look like a person. I did meet with New Orleans as well. I never got that comparison. Actually, I know I have a Camarit. Sure, yeah, man, I have a Camarit. 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.

2:53:34So, I mentioned playing with my player in the Dome. I'm just going to see what he's doing. 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. You know, a man and man coverage, you're getting on that linebacker. And so. Yeah, I say the man, the biggest thing is the way that he carries himself, man. And the way that man, he approaches the game. He comes in with the mindset, you know, he's going to work every single week. You know, every practice, you know, he's working hard. You know, even shoot, 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 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.

2:54:35He really is. I think how do you look like during your last year in the year, coming from one star kid, you know, some victories? I think it's a match that they're doing. When he looked back on him, what do you think the stand-down players do? Man, a lot of ups and downs, man. It's just how you respond to adversity. And I feel like that's something that God has definitely helped me to do better. It's just, I'm not have something to lean on now. You know, I remember before I met him, you know, going through those adversity, I had nothing to run to. You know, you can run to people, but they still can't. It's not too much. They can't truly help you. You know, I feel like, you know, I feel like the only person that can truly help you is your relationship with Jesus Christ. And so, being able to lean on him, you know, he gives you, in those moments where it's tough, you know, where it's slow. And when you're behind the scenes and you're going through things that people don't know about, he gives you that peace and comfort. You know, even in those moments, man, where it's so hard that you can't explain. It's like, man, I'm going through this, but like, how am I still filled with this internal joy? You know, how do I have so much peace in this situation?

2:55:36And so, that's something that only Jesus Christ can give you. And so, The back goes first, Peterson Power and Judgment. It's the back goes first. Which aspect do you do those other individuals, like you, who are involved in the game from being around power and understanding? Man, those guys have such a great mentality, man. Am I just really loved their mentality? Especially Q as well. You know, I talked about Will Howard, his leadership, but Quincham mentality, man. That boy just, yeah, that boy just gifted. You know, you see, you know, sometimes he put in a situation where he looked like, you know, he should have a negative five yards. And then, as soon as you know it, you know, he, that running through somebody, stiff arm, and somebody, and she, that's a game of 10. It's a... It's like, do some of the things he does, he just realizes two different things actually. Yeah. Shoot, I think... Yeah, man. I think it's just like, he's just gifted, man, too, beyond it. He's just gifted. You know, he's a big back.

2:56:36You 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 interview at San? Druel and San. Oh, yeah, he's going to be a great, but he's going to be a great quarterback, man. He's so, so accurate, and so, 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, Druel. Shoot, man, he has a build like JK Dobbins.

2:57:36And I kind of see them, you know, 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 recruited, before I committed here, I remember watching JK Dobbins highlights like every, 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, 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. So, appreciate you all. Yeah, we're going. This.

2:58:39Yeah. Yeah.

2:59:39Yeah. Well, I got coming in last. I knew the role. So I just tacked every day really the same way. It's taking advantage. Very rep physically different. Are you weight wise body wise on that? From the year. I think I got a lot bigger. I'm like 240. You know, like 244 right now. Last year, I played it like 236 to 37. What does it feel like a 244 or a belt? You feel like almost a different machine out there.

3:00:39Yeah. 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 instead. What do you have to get straight in your head about being on the field that much better? Is it going to get ready to just play 30 more snaps? But are you, how would you describe how much you're looking forward to it from an 8-stand point? Yeah. I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready for it. I'm ready for it. The text is open. It's a rematch. It's not really two different teams compared to last time you all played and stuff. How has that enhanced this camp for you and this team getting ready for the, we're an opener of that magnitude? Yeah, with an opener like that, we've been emphasizing it a lot. We know we got coming. So we know we got to do it.

3:01:39We've been prepared for it. Already this is probably what you're going to be. I think Riley ready to play right now. He advanced freshman like he in the, he in the book. He studied in like he advanced and his measurements is crazy. Like he saw like the saw line to him. Or like you said you're ready. You know what I'm telling you. What was that process like during last season? Could you feel yourself becoming more and more ready for every 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? 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? I asked that one more time. How different is that responsibility? That is just emotional. Oh, that was last year.

3:02:39You knew you were a whole way. 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 think this year is going to be the same thing. It's probably a little bit more. For somebody who's not ready for this year, it's going to be the same thing. And what work? How's everybody working with you? I say, describe my game. When you think of me, you would think of like a bully, like a silver bullet. I don't really a bully. I'm always on the ball. That's how I like to play and think. No, I ain't got to be my nickname. I'm not saying that the thing could be that. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's like. I'm a more questions for Patricia's style and how it's free. I mean, how does that fit you? And what are you enjoying about the whole aim in that kind of stuff?

3:03:41I 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, you know, I don't know. I don't really not answer that. That's okay. Does it? You can go on your instincts a little bit more, baby. 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 Patricia deep is. I like what you got going on. What was it, sad when she gave up? No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. That's my dog. I'm trying to miss him a little bit. I'm happy for him. Well, don't thank you. Go ahead. One last question. 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. You guys will win your own. How much do you feel that is the guy who certainly contributed last year, but will be in this bigger

3:04:44role and a lot of some of your classmates? Yeah, I do feel like, um, yeah, I do feel like I did win a national championship, but like you said, my role wasn't same as how's it going to be this year. So yeah, I definitely want to go get another one experienced that like feeling we need to be on the field a lot more place. Great. Oh, Bell, thank you very much. Thanks for having been using you, you know, and that almost saved you role of stuff. How much is it grown that you can put your finger on? Yeah, I was growing immensely. I mean, KLA, 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 it doesn't matter who's in those positions. And we can all play every position whether it's covering somebody or running and tackling. Did you feel like that was the case before the Oregon game? You're saying what I'm saying?

3:05:44Is 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 Brasca 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. Like in debt, you know, so really just after the Oregon game, it helped me a lot to go back to safety. Go to NICU everywhere. Dan, what are you guys having a lot of issues of giving up a big plays in the passing game of the first game against Oregon? What do you feel if you guys need to do better this time around to make sure that doesn't happen? Just the 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. Bill Rebino, what's the problem with this patch?

3:06:44And 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, you 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 lost a lot of film. The first time we played them, now we've got another six games that they played. They've been able to see a film to 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 thighs, physical, and everything like that.

3:07:46All right, Jordan, we're going to jump to the Zoom question here from Joey Coffin. Columbus Dispatch. Oh, my bad. Not too Joey. Cameron T. Robinson, the athletic. 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 Noles comes to you and asks you to do some 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? It means a lot. We always talk about this is if it's being on selfish. 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. And anybody else need to question?

3:08:46Let me know. But otherwise we can go to Austin more of 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 watch what I did. Things I did well. Things I didn't do too well against them. And their team is saying that like their scheme has changed. Some players have been out those 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. We 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 doing a lot.

3:09:46One of those younger guys, we're seeing it right here. It's the first time I've heard all of your lectures. What have you seen from Will? 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 you and tied. What have you seen from him? Will is 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 really has any mistakes. So what would be a successful season? A national championship. A ring. When all the games we don't want to lose anything. We got a mindset that we can't be 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 that. That was enough. Because that is a big deal difference. Or is it not really any difference. It's just the same work. It's definitely a difference. Everyone working harder. We noticed our last run. Most of us don't have any years after this.

3:10:47So we got to go bigger, go home. And we're not trying to go home. Finish big. We know what you guys think of Michigan. But when you look at what they did, they won the national championship. And you guys took them down to the final minute. Right? You know what I mean? You were right there. Something goes a little different. You guys could have won that game against them. Does that tell you anything about like that? Hey, you guys 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 coach makes a saying. You know, nobody cares. Work harder. Like those, you know, when we played Georgia, it's the same thing. Yeah. Last, last play. You know, they went on the win in 90. 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, you know, come back and work harder.

3:11:48Do things better than you did last year. And hopefully the outcome will change. Is that as you get older, you can learn. I thought that was working harder than you always find out there's a little more that you could have been doing. Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's how that's what growing up is basically in college. And I thought freshman year I was working as hard as I could. But now I look back at it. I really wasn't working hard at all. Compared to what I'm doing now. So just to learn anything. If the stamina is a 16, then the answer to what do you need it to be? To be your best. Uh, 85. 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. Get the shape. But the stamina after you got the heart rate, it's been a failure. The idea of a potential 16 or 17, is that the idea is to make it nervous about, can you last that long? Where is your worries? I think, I think I definitely can last. I was just, you know, we got to get the young guys that come along with us.

3:12:50We can't play 50 snaps a game. That's just too much on our bodies. Uh, 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 the online. And everywhere else. So we can last that long. Speaking of the life game, you know, it was a snap. Did you like playing that means after that last year? I don't know if any of us were really expected to be. But that means 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. 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. Well, stand still about creating McDonald's. He got it. You got it in a second. Oh, yeah, definitely. K-Mac is a K-Mac's animal. Y'all, you haven't really seen the yet, but in practice, he shows all the time. He's just, he's just, he's growing right now. He has the work, I think. He just has to get, you know, in the playbook. Things like that. You guys are about the exact same size.

3:13:50Listen, you're both listening to six three. You're three 27. He's three 26. Yeah, he's 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 in getting the playbook. So really a lot on you older guys. There's that large group of young guys and then there's these seniors in the back. Is that part of your task for this year to bring those guys along as well? Yeah, definitely. We got to be leaders. Like I said, we got to have them play this year. We can't just play all the snaps. They got to get in there and get some work. And we got to get them right during the all season. So they can play. And I just play. They want to like contribute like make plays tackle six. Yeah, they're definitely some big dudes. And they all work hard. I've only seen much of some day too. I'm not bad on, but throughout the workouts they've been working hard. You know, they they're determined. I can say that. And it looks like they're ready to work. I'm for this. It feels like. There's a lot of great defense. You have big athletic defense attack.

3:14:51So you can eat up space. But also. Move, you know, right? That is that. Is that an inquire that maybe for great defense to have guys like you that have some balls. But. Also a great. I think that is definitely I think if you look at the last couple of national champions and winners. Like. I think that is definitely I think if you look at the last couple of national champions and winners. Like team on North, they didn't know they got too good. Detackled to athletic detackles. Look at Georgia to athletic detackles. I think that's definitely me. If you want to go on that big run, you can beat those big teams. If you think about this, they're going to fight by the defense. Like what's Georgia? Jordan Davis and DL Carter. Let's. Michigan. It's. Chris Jenkins. Couple more questions. How. I mean. You understand. You understand. 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.

3:15:51I think so. I think they're starting to develop to develop more and more of these like freakiest detackles. Yeah. Like in the combine just now you see in like those guys they're moving four to four seven eights and things like that. So. We'll see. And when you think it when you think about this freakish attack on defense attack. How do you think you fit into that. All of that kind of player. You watch that and say, yeah, that's me. 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 I watch the comment. I watch the dude 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. You know, you're going. You're not doing much of a weapon. I don't. How do you work on that? Do you have like a goal? What? I don't remember how many I've lied to. I mean as many as I can have I think I have more than that. But I think they're counting. I think they count some of them and.

3:16:52It's some of them where I like just missed it. So, but I think we work on drugs matching the hand. I think that's goes big and. What we do is a deal on you know just affecting the quarter that is. Anyway, you can is just great for the defense. You know just that little thing covered his eye. You know he might throw it a little bit to the left to our player. So, so it's something that you really really have to work on. You can do that with what you can. It's a theory that's one of the things that you can maybe work on the most. You can do your time here because there are a few guys that I've seen. Like, oh that passed me down. It takes a little bit of that. We don't have to. It's kind of kind of expected. 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 like load up. I just try to get his ways. And sometimes he just throws it to me. I don't know. I'm your teacher. You like to be your high state quarterbacks. You can get back down fastest. I mean they get frustrated by you know we're a team. You know we're just getting better. That's a lot of a lot of different backsman. They just learn and grow for them. You got to pick your top three backs.

3:17:53You got to go right now. I don't really have a top three, but I'll give you. I'll give you one. I would say, say, Juan Gibbs and I like McCaffrey. Auto. He was injured this year. I like McCaffrey. Who's the best back in this draft? Best back in this draft. I lead out of the yard. That's y'all decision. Playing with Howard. What I'm going to remember most. We're a Howard man. He's just such a great lead. He'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. Yeah. He's shoot. He's going to be really good man. He's on. Coastal like I think he got the transfer in as well from West Virginia. Just that one two punch with them both as well.

3:18:54They're going to be really good backs. And so James people's man. He's smart the way that he goes about his business man. He's mature. And so man. He's growing you know just as a person in as a player. And so man. Yeah. Definitely Ohio State you know that running back room is in great hands. Yeah coach coach Hartlund man. He's full of energy man. And he's creative as well. You know I'm just learning from him as well. You know I'm trying to run more outside the back. It was being able to learn from coach Hartlund man. He's full of energy man. And he's creative as well. You know I'm just learning from him as well. You know I'm trying to run more outside the back. It was being able to learn from coach Hartlund. And so he's definitely creative at what he does. And he brings a lot of energy to the team as well. And so I think that would do really good. Just intensity man. And since he got to playoffs every game. And it's 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 every game.

3:19:54And the intensity it keeps getting higher and higher. 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 how 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 right in Tampa Florida and I'm right to it. And so yeah I think while trained I trained at your birth performance. I think it's called the House of Athlete or the compound now. They did a good job man. They're just bringing us in and the way they went about training us man. They did a really good job. The Bucking Nears. No I haven't. Tampa Tampa nice.

3:20:54It's a nice city man. Really nice. The 40 to broad and avert. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Now man. It's really all about technique and then this is 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 receiver. So I got on the perimeter. Just making sure you know first of all my quarterback doesn't get sacked. sack and 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 though man making sure the ball get in their hands you know the guys on the outside and making sure they get fed in my game you can't really work on this you know in all seasons I feel like

3:22:03it'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 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 I did me with New Orleans as well I never got that comparison actually I know I'm a Camarra 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 going to lie he's smooth yeah inside zone from stack being able to hit that thing downhill and I'll say the next one is probably just an option route out of the backfield you know and man and man

3:23:05coverage you're getting on that linebacker and so 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 mindset you know he's gonna work every single week you know every practice you know he's working hard you know even shoot 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 him in Tyler D 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 man a lot of ups and downs man it's just how you respond to adversity and I feel like that's something that

3:24:05God has definitely helped me to do better is just 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 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 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 for man those guys have such a great mentality man I just really love their

3:25:10mentality especially Q as well you know I talked about Will Howard his leadership but Quenchon 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 still forming somebody and she was a gang of 10 it's uh yeah man I think it's just like he's just gifted man to be honest he's just gifted you know he's he's a big back you know he's strong and so you know he's able to do he's able to do those things and so yeah man it's definitely you know I look at his game and I want to you know at the same time I want to learn from Quenchon 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

3:26:11he's so so accurate and so he's definitely man I know Coach Dez definitely gonna 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 uh 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 Julian San as well it's to be that vocal leader and lead the lead the offense and lead the team sure man he has he has a bill like JK daubence and um I kind of see them you know similarities in their game as well and I know JK daubence he was a great running back I feel like he's not talked about is not a lot but man his career here you watch his highlights is is great I remember um before I recruit before isyonr here I remember watching jack Estabans highlights like every every He won 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 when I see

3:27:14Jacob Dobbins when I see James people I see similarities to both of their games. I feel like they play the same. So I appreciate you all. Yeah, I'll be going.

3:29:08Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I got coming in last round. I knew the role. So I just attacked every day really the same way. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I think I got a lot bigger. I'm like 240. I'm like 244 right now. Last year I played it like 236 to 37. What does it feel like a 244 or a belt? You feel like almost a different machine out there. Yeah. What does it feel like to be running around out there like you are but with more back. Like like like more downhill like stronger like I'm taking all blocks better. It's a big move. Is it daunting?

3:30:08Maybe 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 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 are you, are you, how would you describe how much you're looking forward to it from an 8th standpoint? 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. So 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? We've been, we've been emphasizing it a lot. We know we got coming. So we know we got to do. We've prepared for it. Already this probably worked. I think Riley ready to play right now. He advanced freshman like he ended here in the book. He studied in like he advanced and his measurements crazy like he saw like the saw line to him. Well, you said you're ready.

3:31:08What was that process like during last season? Did you feel yourself becoming more and more ready? You know, every team needed to do that. Yeah, because that's pretty much what my role was. Which is whenever I was needed, I had to step up. So I feel like that's what built me into me being able to say I'm ready for this year. When you say ready, is it more a physical thing? Is it a mental thing? When I say ready, I think it's pretty much like everything physically, mentally, mostly. I think I'm there. I think that feeling this year is the last thing that's lost in the last season. I asked that one more time. How different is that response? It's 50. That is the same. All that. It was last year. You knew you were a role player. I feel like it's a way bigger responsibility with me having to step up this year. But I kind of go about it the same way. Like last year, I was intentional with everything I did. I feel like this year is going to be the same thing. It's probably a little bit more.

3:32:08For somebody who's some reason, I'm just trying to help you. It won't work? How's everybody working? I say... Scrabbing. Now I say, like when you think of me, you would think of 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. No, I ain't got to be my nickname. I'm not saying that the big thing could be that. Oh yeah, yeah. Yeah, that's like... How does that fit you? What are you enjoying about it? It's bullying in that kind of style. 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. 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, doesn't it? You could go on your instincts.

3:33:09A 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 his defense. I like how he's pretty good defense. I like what he got going on. What was it, Sadwin? No, I wanted to say that. I was kind of like happy for him. Yeah, that's what he wanted. Did you miss him in that? No. No. That's my dog, I don't see it. Kind of missing a little bit, but I'm happy for him. Well, don't thank you. Go ahead, one last question. 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 you guys will win your own. How much do you feel that as a guy who certainly contributed last year, but will be in this bigger role and along the summer year, your classmates? Yeah, I do feel like... 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.

3:34:10Maybe on the field, a lot more place. That's it. Great. Oh, Bill, thank you very much. Thanks a lot. Thanks for your time. Thanks a lot. Thanks a lot. I'm sure I feel it. You should have taken me kind of out sometimes like basketball. I want to be on that just like the fed, but you know, you have to stay. You stay splitting some bars. Exactly. Yeah, that's a great question. I mean, I feel like these two can answer that for the beer. I know I think KK and Hero can answer that. Well, I don't know what to say about that. What do you guys think? Well, okay. Let me take a picture. I'm going to say that. I'm going to say that every day. You know, this man is strong. I'm talking about like basketball here. You sound like you could just do a thing. You can do something like a coach, man. You sound like a coach. You should tell his influence. Change your mind about maybe like the idea of tackle versus guard. Because obviously it's offensive. It's like a coach.

3:35:16You should tell his influence. Change your mind about maybe like the idea of tackle versus guard. Because obviously it's offensive, predilectuous for like the offensive blind player. As you can, are part of you settling in the guard? I would say maybe I don't know. But when I first heard you got the job, I was really excited because I'm one of those guys who's the tempo. I can run with the tempo. I've played basketball all life instead of football. I feel like just the fast pace often, so we're running really fit to the guys we have right now. I'm really excited for that. I know you think they're all footballing 65 yards. But can you kick the football? If 75 yards are a great thing for you? No. Probably question. Lincoln, what's your question? How is your room after? He's a blessing man. I can't complain. He's a great guy. What's his name? His name's Lincoln. Clean Holes. Who's Cleaner? Oh, who's Cleaner?

3:36:16I think we're both really clean. That's why we kind of pick each other's roomies. Because we're very clean and we don't like our rooms really messy. Well, it's true though. It's true. They're both pretty clean. So, Luke, are you still a cross-training at TAC? Or if you just been on guard this break? So far, I've been on guard. I 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 week. What do you mean? Yeah. Oh, that means a lot. You know, you put a lot of work in to play here. And it's been a dream just from being in Ohio kids. I'm from Ohio kids perspective. I mean, that's the biggest wish possible. I would say that's going to be pretty cool. What was it like when you last year at first game getting on the field for the first time? It didn't feel like that. It's going to be a weird answer, but it felt like I was playing a game, if that made sense. I was pretty locked in. I felt like just no anxiousness, no stress, no nothing.

3:37:16I just went in that first game. I was like, shoot, I'm here now. It's time to roll. You know, they didn't really hit me. I was like, it didn't even hit me after. But my mom was like, what'd you feel doing? If I get out there at Indiana, I'm just like, honestly, I don't know. I felt less nervous. I didn't high school. It makes no sense. What did you see in the back of the box? I saw a lot of things. I mean, I'm learning from Josh Ann Austin. I think, prior to my biggest role model series, my big brother, my first name. Tell me a few things. I don't know. I don't know. Okay. Yeah, no. Yeah. So, yeah, the DNA Austin, those are my guys, man. I've been in miles, too. I mean, all three of them. Those are my roommates. And they're progressing every day as well. And I'm excited to see where they can get to. I'm excited to play with them. Oh, yeah. You know, it's been really helpful. You know, just keeping my mind just settled and straightforward on the next one. What do you think of this? It's a great question. Like I said, I mean, I just need to take consistent in my work.

3:38:19I think that's the biggest thing for me. It's just ain't consistent in my work. I'm up next. So, you got it from the guy you were playing. Yeah. Wow, that's weird. Yeah, 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, that's all camp. And I mean, I was already, I was pretty much it. Yeah. I wasn't really nervous. I started the game. Which is advice, yeah. He said, you got it. You mean, you're going against high league and Kyle every day and practice. I mean, it's not different. Almost different. You now, though, do we tend to get two starts into this as a player, you know, having that under your belt? I mean, 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 that actually. Which adds up to what? Fast, the start, me, etc. Yeah. You playing with that dust for a while. I mean, if we get out early, it's get the defense change in place.

3:39:19It's changing their defense. Start fast. I mean, they're trying to get the call in the play, but you start fast. I'm not going back. I'm going to trust a lot of sessions. Yeah, of course, Dave is pretty much dead, though. He's a perfect player. You know, let's come forward and fast. What would you expect this week? From your world? Um, where they need me. If it's left right, wherever it's, I didn't go in. I'd go in and go back to do the front. I'll play in check. Um, took me back to high school days, but I should back in high school. I wasn't really brand of ball, what really into him passes, but it was fun. Change got my made my feet better, I would say. How confident you feel like you could play there if you need? They want me there. I guess I'll play there. I mean, they need me. They need me. Awesome. The illness that swept through the office, the line room. A lot of times coaches and players are sick. Like 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 tag or playing some guard in the same practice?

3:40:22Um, it was based on a group effort, like for me, we had guys out and we just had to go back practice. Um, 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 going? They really said it did. Um, I was jumped in there. I didn't really know. So we like one or two practices with practices, but like after those, I was like, you're my confidence grew. Yeah. It seemed like there was sort of a settling in process for you and the Akron game, maybe play got better at the game and on it. Especially in the ground game, things seem to take off. What was there a moment when it clicked on the field for you? Like was there nerves and then a time of settling in? I guess how taking you through kind of that first game mentally? Yeah, um, first game, obviously you can have nerves for the first time starter. But then like after the first couple of plays, meaning you have nerves naturally. So that's first come play that was good.

3:41:23I was rolling. Also, it was a weird. First time a striker. It was also the first start. Yeah. Um, you, yeah, it's, but like, I prepared well and camp and practice all week. And I was, I was ready. Um, yeah. I have two multi year starters. I did a lot. I mean, I couldn't ask them, hey, what we got here, but I was prepared well. I mean, I was telling Jimmy and said it's like a way or a box. I was like, what's the emotion? What's the emotion? What's the guy from Ohio? What does it mean? I started. Um, it was always my dream to come here and play and start and having that like, I mean, I just like keep going, keep building those days, keep building. What a much younger Austin. Do you have people from you that? No, not really. I don't think even I told my like, I asked my younger self, even committed.

3:42:25I wouldn't believe that. I'm just really out of my mind. I really am. I really am. I'm really out of my mind. Now I'm having a couple of starts. Yeah. Awesome. Has this happened faster than you had in the game? You were going to come here with the players. I guess you're technically a sophomore. I'm in the players over at your pressure. No, I knew that year two. I was going to see you some playing time. Now, starting week one, year two, I didn't see that, but like I was ready. I didn't spring ball. Like I knew I was going, I was going to play some soccer playing. So. to you to not only get the opportunities to play but you play well enough now, but coaching staff trust you, you've made the difference. Right there, what are the situations where it's good to earn that so early on in your career? I guess it shows like my preparation, my hard work, and just everything I put into this, and I just finally show it up on a field. There are moments, the top season, the end of the spring, and the end of the season. I don't realize that you could play at this high level with the ones, you know, 18 or 18. Yeah, the definitely was in a training camp.

3:43:28I mean, blocking highly-conciting every day, like it feels a lot of confidence in doing it well, and not like getting balled or anything. There's defensive tag wasn't the kind of hero in Jason Moore in Taiwan. All those guys, pretty much anyone on the deep end line gets to play at this time. So, and Kay and Mack as well. Yeah. I was more collected how about this ability and the great thing in the line. How much can he help you? He helped me 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 the line. He's another voice on the line with guys like Josh Fryer, Josh Simmons, Donnie and Tegra. That means another voice and another captain up there. Look, ways of having the men and women with this much experience help during the game in the middle of the line. I mean, a lot. He can tell you, like before the play was going on, and like how to block someone,

3:44:29like what you need to do, and like helps a lot. Tegra is talking about how calm he is, and how much does that benefit you? You have a guy who's kind of been there and seen a lot of fun. It makes us more calm, especially me and Tegra, as a first star. So, we were up here with Seth. He brought us down, and we were fine. Our emotions weren't high. We settled in. Is that something he tells you? Is that something you can pick up on by how he's acting? How do you kind of mean sense what he's trying to do? It's how he's acting, and what I mean, him, when we're on the side of him, both Josh Donnie and he was telling us, like, we're cool, like we got him, but it's pretty much like everyone. Old cool group. I said, how much do you do that? As a first time starter, how much did you add in that? Me and a lot. That was my first time ever using iPads. 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, bring up a play and get help. That's really not.

3:45:30I probably the first or second, but after that, I thought we'd say all right. Austin, thank you very much. It seems like training part is important, but it's not the whole thing. They're getting bigger and stronger. It's like the culture part. Yeah, how much of a factor is that in a part that took your change? It's also, it's a lot. I mean, I feel like you can't be able to transform your body, like I have with people here come and do that without having that mentality part with it. It's like we always talk about competitions here and our culture is fight, so we're always here to compete. I feel like that is just, that's what gets you in this mindset. When you talk about that transformation, can you just give us a little sense maybe with numbers or body fat or like what you do in the weight room, how big is that transformation? I don't have really specific numbers, but it's more just like I can just, I feel like feeling

3:46:36when I'm playing. I remember how I felt the play when I just got here and now I know how it feels to play like just today. It feels physically different on my body. It's like, it's I'm getting used to it. I can't imagine feeling like that. Kadea also said about you that you are just a completely different guy from last year. We hear the word. Let's get it done. Yeah. 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 who I am and I know I can be here. So, if you have confidence issues, how do you get through it? Is it yourself, is it teammates, there's somebody in your family, the next year, will you be the one that you can do it?

3:47:39I know I can do it. It's not like that's, those are all, it's on the past now. Did the past play time and the very obvious opportunity, guys had the stuff I could be able to be on the big, that helped you get over that confidence issue there because it's now a never-incident opportunity. So, kind of, it's just like, just, I mean, it's 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 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. Well, I want to be able to have someone in this room, but are you, this is the second kind of like, adventure stuff that you actually belong here in your room?

3:48:41I 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 it, I just, like, I've always known I could play here, it's just, I'm just, like, let's go, like, I'm ready, like, I'm ready to attack. What are guys doing to help you to figure that out? First, I think KJ was a big influence, Ty Hamilton, Ty League, they all, they all helped me a bunch last year, kind of just pushing through, you know. All right, well, playing 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 through a lot of these. One of those younger guys, we're seeing it, it's the first time I've scored all these last years, what's the name? What have you seen from well? Because, kind of, I've never really ever got about it because he was hurt, and now he's running, you know, almost a second man up behind you and Ty. What have you seen from your memories? Well, as a workhorse, he, he goes, stay quiet, you go and work hard, and that's what I love about him. He focuses, he don't really talk much, he's just going to get the job done, do a job right,

3:49:44really has any mistakes. What would be a successful season? A national championship? I bring, when, all the games we want to lose anything, we got a mindset that we can't be beat, and we just got to go show it. I was like, you know, mindset 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, not for the month. Is that just to be killed in difference, or is there not really any difference? It's just the same work. I was 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, go bigger, go home, and we're not trying to go home. Finish big. We know what you guys think of Michigan, but when you look at what they did, they won the national championship, and you guys took them down to the final minute, right? You know what I mean? 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,

3:50:45but 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 that makes a saying, nobody cares, it's work harder. Like those, you know, one plate Georgia is 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? Uh, of course 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. As soon as you get older, you kind of learned, I thought that was working hard, but then you always find out there's a little more that you could have been doing? Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's what growing up is basically in college. I thought freshman year I was working. It's 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.

3:51:5380, 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 potential is 16 or 17 or 17. I have about that idea. There's a maybe nervous about, can you last that long for a year? Where are you? Where's your right eye? I think I'll go that way. I think I definitely can last. I was just, you know, we got to get the young guys to come along with us. We can't play for the snaps of the game. There'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 deaf pieces on the D-line and online. And everywhere else. So we can last that long. Speaking of that, was that a life plan that you snapped again? Not a year, but I don't know. I don't know if any of us were really expected to be playing that next time. 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.

3:52:54But we're not playing them big games, like, you know, Notre Dame too or North, those kind of games. Of course I want to be, because I know I can contribute. And I won't want to put that on anyone else when I know I can get the job done. What stands out about Kaden McDonald is he got that kind of, I think, that's a little second. Oh, yeah, definitely. K-Mac is a K-Mac's animal. Y'all, you haven't really seen it yet, but in practice, he shows all the time. He's just, he's grown right now. He has to 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, listen to 6-3. You're 3.27, he's 3.26. Yeah, he's, I kind of look at him like my junior, but, you know, K-Mac, he's going to be a great player. He's just got to develop more in getting the playbook. So really a lot on you, older guys, there's that large group of young guys and 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, they're in the all season, so they can play.

3:53:56And not just play, they want to like contribute, like, make plays, tackle the sex. It seems like these guys get faces each in the first-minute class because they're not getting it. And those guys kind of, it doesn't kind of allow you to have some of 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 badger one, but, throughout the workouts, they don't work hard, you know, they're determined to... I can say that. And it looks like they're ready to work with me. I'm poor at this dude. It feels like, you know, there's a lot of great defense that you have big athletic defense attackers who can eat up space, but also move, you know, right? That is that. Does that require maybe for great defense to have guys like you that have some faults, but also a great team? I think that is definitely... I think if you look at the last couple, not in the championship winners, like, team of North, they didn't know they got two good, detackled, two athletic detackles. They're the Georgia two athletic detackles.

3:54:58I think that's definitely neat if you want to go on that big run. And he goes big teams. If you think about this, if they don't define by the defense attackers, like, and what's Georgia doing? Jordan Davis and Jill Carter and what's Michigan is. Chris Jenkins. I have some more questions for you guys. I just wanted to tell you how... I mean, you understand it, which is your play. But I feel like some time that I don't know, are people realizing how important defense tackles are? A little bit more than they used to? I think so. I think they're starting to develop more and more of these like, freakiest detackles. Like, in the combine, just now, you see them, like, those guys. They're moving forward to 478 and things like that. So we'll see. And when you think about this freakish outline defense attack, how do you think you fit into that mold of that kind of player? Will you watch that and say, yeah, that's me? Yeah, definitely. I think I'm top-notch when it comes to detackles. But I don't want to, you know, get a big head, but, you know, watch the combine. I watch it do the drills. I have tapes here, you're like, you're looking like my film. So I think I'm up there with all those guys.

3:55:59I think you can, you become like a artist who comes to the band-aid outcast. So, you have to think the way I get your things. You're going to spring practice. You're not doing it as much. I'll let them. I'm not going to. I'm going to have to start. I didn't work on that. Do you have like a goal in mind? I don't remember how many Ad Lasty are going. You have a goal in mind. How many people are going to have this? I mean, as many as I can have. I think I have more than that. But I think they've counted. I think they've counted some of them. And it's some of them where I like just listed. But I think we work on Joe's match in the hand. I think that goes big. What we do is a D-line. Just affecting the quarter-deck is anyway you can. It's just great for the defense. That little thing you cover in his eye, you know, he might throw it. A little bit to the left to our player. So, let's something that you really, really have to work on. It's one of the things that you've maybe worked on the most. You can do your time here because there are a few guys that I've seen. Oh, that pastor takes a day. We don't have to ask.

3:57:00I 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 like load up. I just try to get in his way. And sometimes he just throws it to me. 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. 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. Best back in this draft. I'll lead that up. The, that's y'all decision. I'm playing with Will Howard. When I'm going to remember most. We're Howard, man.

3:58:01He'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. 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 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 going to be really good backs. And so James people's, man. He's smart the way that he goes about his business, man. He's mature. And so, man, he's growing, you know, just as a person in as a player. And so, man, yeah, definitely Ohio State. You know, that running back room is in great hands. Yeah. Yeah. Um, coach, coach, hard line, man. He's full of energy, man. And he's creative as well, you know, just learning from him as well. You know, I'm trying to run more outside the backfield. Was being able to learn from coach hard line.

3:59:02And 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. Just intensity, man. And since he had the playoffs, every game, man, it's 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, every game, and the intensity keeps getting higher and higher. And so, yeah, you just, I know you got to bring it, you know, each and every day and come in and work just like Ohio State. You know, I definitely feel like Ohio State. They definitely do a good job of preparing us for that. You know, I just remember even before going through this process, I'll talk to a lot of players before 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, I know I took a couple of days off after the national championship.

4:00:03And 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 that, on your birth performance. I think it's called the House of Athlete or the Compound now. They did a good job, man. They're just bringing us in and the way they went about training us, man. They did a really good job. The bucking near, no, I haven't. Temple, temple, nice. This is nice, it's a nice city, man. Really nice. The 40, the broad and the vert. 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, I said, I'm going to get a little bit of a fight.

4:01:04I'm going to get a little bit of a fight. I'm going to get a little bit of a fight. It's, I said, man, I'm not going to let you get hit. You know, and so, I don't know if I gave up a sack. I'm not sure that, but I know if I did, I haven't given up too many. And so, man, it's for the love of my brothers, though, man, making sure that the ball get in their hands, you know, the guys on the outside and making sure they get fed. In my game, you can't really work on this, you know, in all season, I feel like it's more so. You know, you got to put the pads on. You got to go through some inside run, you know, maybe. It's really just continuing to run through tackles. And so, that's, I feel like that's one of the areas in my game. You know, I want to continue to get better at it. I feel like I did a good job of that in my senior year. And so, I just want to continue to build on that. Yes, I did. Yes, I did. So, people say you look like no one is more out there. You get back in nursing. I can barely do more. I did meet with New Orleans as well.

4:02:06I never got that comparison. Actually, I know I have a Camera. Sure, 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. And 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. Yeah, I say to 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 monster. He's going to work every single week. Every practice, he's working hard. You know, even shoot, I don't know.

4:03:07Every good, I think he had it. 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 it's not like that. Man, a lot of ups and downs, man. It's just how you respond to adversity. And I feel like that's something that God has definitely helped me to do better. Is just 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,

4:04:12where 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 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, you know, the back goes for Peterson Power and Judgement. It's been a lot of fun. Which aspect defeats those other individuals? The sooner I took the model, the more I came from being around power. And it's been a lot of fun. Um, man, 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 Quench Amantile, the 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, the running through somebody, still farming somebody and shoot, it's a game to 10. It's a, I think, you know, shoot, I think,

4:05:14yeah, 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 Quench Amantile. You know, I want to look at this game and it's like, man, where, where can I get better at as well? You know, that's the type of player I am. I'm always looking to get better, man. I'm always looking to grow as a player. Julian San, oh, yeah, he's going to be a great, but he's going to be a great quarterback, man, he's so, so accurate. And so, um, he's definitely, man, I know Coach Dez is definitely going to get him right. Just, you know, um, continue to grow as a leader, continue to grow as a player. And so, he's going to be really good for a high state. He's, I know just the quarterback position. Um, I feel like, you know, the quarterbacks in the past, they've, they've definitely been vocal. And so I feel like that's something that they're definitely going to, um, ask Julian San as well. It's to be that vocal leader and lead, um, and lead the offense and lead the team.

4:06:17Shoot, man, he has, he has a build like JK Dobbins. And, um, I kind of see them, you know, similar, similarities in their game as well. And I know JK Dobbins, he was a great running back. Um, I feel like he's not talked about his, no, um, a lot, but man, his career here, you watch his highlights is, is great. I remember, um, before I recruit, before I committed here, I remember watching JK Dobbins highlights like every, every, um, one of his years here, like four or five times. And so, man, he was such a great back. And, um, I feel like, you know, um, when I see JK Dobbins, when I see, um, James people, I see similarities to both of their games. I feel like they play the same. And so, appreciate you all.

4:08:34yeah, that's the kid's, that's a, for the long distance looking. Yeah, That's I don't know. All I got coming in last year I knew we were all so I just tacked everything 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 What does it feel like a 240 or a value you feel like almost a different Machine out there. Yeah, what does it feel like to be run 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 old blocks better

4:09:37It's big Is it don't think 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. What do 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 dirty more snaps? So Are you 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. My I'm ready for it. It's a rematch It's not really two different teams I'm going to play How's that enhanced this camp for you and this team getting ready for the Where an opener of that magnitude? Yeah, we're the opener like that. We've been We've been emphasizing it a lot. We know we got coming so we know we gotta do we prepare for it I think Riley ready to play right now. He's here advanced freshman like he and the book he studying like he advanced and his Measurements crazy like you saw like the silence

4:10:51Yeah, 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 I I 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 feel like this year it's gonna be the same thing One word

4:11:53I say Scrub my gun I say like 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 No, I ain't got to be my nickname, but oh Yeah For Think of fit me because I don't know I just like the defense. I feel like we got like you say we got a lot of freedom and we moving around a lot A lot of the terms is like no, I don't know. I don't really not answer that That's okay 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 to breathe deep. I like what you got going on

4:12:58Now I wanted to my sad I was kind of like happy for me That's what you want No, that's my dog. I'm gonna say it kind of missing a little bit, but yeah, I'm happy for you Well, don't thank you go ahead one last but coach days talked a lot about the guys who played some last year But maybe weren't the starters and the hunger for that wasn't maybe your national championship 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 Yeah, I do feel like I did win a national championship, but like you said my role wasn't same as how's going to be this year So yeah, I definitely want to go get another one experienced that like feeling maybe on the field a lot more place Great. Oh, Bell. Thank you very much Yeah, um, I mean, I think he likes to really push the ball down the field

4:14:02He 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 pedal in 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 of 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 route or you may have the backside dig like you got to know What you're doing? So I think he doesn't just say like we're gonna do this offense Really trying to create an office that it's our personnel really well that that field boundary thing

4:15:02Yeah, that's a thing in college, but it seems like it's more to me to clip is that is that something you're used to seeing another offense? 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 I'm really the Z in the concept because I'm to the field to the strength of the tight end so um I've been in offenses like is similar like that before and 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 Different 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

4:16:05Yeah, 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 Sam all of everybody like it's it's been great with working with all the quarterbacks and um I 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

4:17:09I 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 in to our building each and every day and and the coaches as well Like it's fun competing, you know, I 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 of it 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 For 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 bull by the horns with that and so

4:18:13That's really been my focus and uh, you know, I'm excited for another year To us, it's looked like you're being more vocal on the sidelines. Yeah, help young guys. Definitely something you decided this off season or uh I think that's uh been a part of my maturation process as a leader um, I've always seen myself as somebody that was a uh A 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 Um, because I want to see all these guys win man like it's it's hard to make it in this league and stay in a career And so anywhere I could help The receivers the DB's 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

4:19:18And so if I could share what I've been through my testimony to help them or uh 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 What 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 McAfry I could take a coaching point from day on me from jahann from uh mark is from anybody, you know like I think that's what makes you a great player when you can really Be coachable from anybody and and not take it from a personal standpoint Hi, I'm good. I'm going back to what you were saying about club and friends How is he as a teacher in teaching? Yeah, I mean, I think he does a really great job of making things simple first and foremost

4:20:18He 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 Fill in 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 We'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

4:21:20You know is expected of you and 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 Yeah, 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 we drafted and bringing in 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 Was 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 the Where you make the gains during the offseason where you're really focused on

4:22:21Hey, like I'm a I'ma give all I got for this day and I'ma get better And then I'ma I'ma learn from the film and come back tomorrow and ready 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 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 The 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

4:23:22One 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 uh 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 you Terry you seem to spend many of your off seasons Learning about things beyond football hobbies. What happy? Did you do anything to this off season so far? It's Hobbies are increased your knowledge of this the world around you Some question um Play a lot of golf That's that they just keeps my competitive juices flowing um Uh plan in the wedding that's going well and uh Man, 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

4:24:22You 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 so far. I know we haven't seen everything But 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

4:25:24You 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 You 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

4:26:27He sees the windows really well and now He's just you know continue to get adjusted to the speed in the past rush Well, I think he's these reps that he's getting our unbelievable during 11 on 11 because he's getting to feel pain and Allen and DA and Clealing Pharaoh like we got some dogs up there who want to come after him You know what I mean? And we got some great guys up front who are going to protect them And so these reps I feel like are even better than just seven or seven seven or 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're putting them in game like situations and I'm looking them in his eye I'm like we play a 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 So 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

4:27:30The 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 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 uh personally and uh 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 In the message is uniform and it speaks from the top down and uh 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

4:28:32Not only fighting for spots, but we want to help us win games and when you're around environment like that like that That makes you excited makes you hopeful and um, you know, you don't know how that's going to turn out until we start playing games The foundation is extremely important. 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 we all got to do individually to become ready for camp But the met uh the message is clear to come back to camp ready to compete and uh and be ready to win Appreciate you guys You One of the funniest guys on the team right really playing 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

4:29:45Time Uh, well as a workhorse he he goes stay quiet. You're gonna work hard and that's all I love about you Focuses he don't really talk much. He's going to get a job done do a job right rarely has any mistakes What would be a successful season? Uh national championship Ring When all the games we don't want to lose anything We got a mindset that we can't be beat Which we gotta go show it Seems like you guys expect the national championship every year This year even more so you guys have all come back for this as if all decided like that It's 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 gotta go go bigger going home and we're not trying to go home Finish big we know what you guys think of Michigan but When you look at what they did they won the national championship and you guys

4:30:45Took 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 and that's that's kind of coach makes uh of saying you know Nobody cares just 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 How frustrating is that you're back close against the last two national championship? Uh of course as you know it's frustrating but you can't change the outcome You 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 You get older you kind of learn and 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

4:31:47I 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 all on me I just I think it's a little higher. I was just trying to be funny, but I mean that's all on me. I just got to run harder 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 You can't play for the snaps again that's just too much on our bodies Just Everybody like online D line. We gotta get those younger guys to play. No Get that pieces on the D line and online and everywhere else so we can last that long

4:33:00Ah yeah I did unless we were like winning by like a line I thought like there are no small machines. 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 contribute and I won't want to put that on anyone else when I know I get the job Oh yeah definitely. K-Mac is a K-Mac's animal. Y'all you haven't really seen it yet But in practice he shows all the time. 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 K-Mac he's gonna be a great player He's got to develop more and getting to play but It's really a lot on you older guy. There's that large group of young guys and then they see your back Part of your task for 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

4:34:00We can't just play all the snaps they got to get in there and get some work And we got to get them right during the all season so they can play and I just play they want to like contribute like make plays tackle Yeah, they're definitely some big dudes um 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 you know they they're determined And it looks like they're ready to work I'm poor this A lot of great defense is that you have big athletic defensive tactics you can eat up space Is that a requirement maybe for a great defense to have guys like you that have some balls but Also a great feeling. I think that is definitely I think if you look at the last

4:35:01Couple of national championship winners Team up north they didn't know they got two good Detackle two athletic detackles look at Georgia Two athletic detackles. I think that's definitely need if you want to go on that big run and beat those big teams What's Georgia Jordan Davis and Janet Carter? Let's miss again. It's Chris Jenkins You understand 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 Word of 478 and things like that so And when you think it when you think about this free fish How do you think you fit into that All of that kind of player you watch that and say yeah, that's me Oh, 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 comment. I watch the dude do the drills. I have to see like you're looking like my film

4:36:08So I think I'm You're going I mean, it's many is I can have I think I have more than that But I think they're counseling I think they may encounter 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 uh Will we do as a D line you know just affecting the quarter Vegas Anyway, you can it's just great for the defense. You know just that little thing covering his eye you know Mike throw it a little bit to the left to our player That's one of the things that you maybe worked on

4:37:12I 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 my load up I just try to get in his ways and sometimes he just throws it to me I don't know I mean they get frustrated by you know we're just getting better Yeah, that's a lot of a lot of different backsman and 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 Kwan Gibbs and I like McCaffrey auto he was injured this year. I like McCaffrey Best back in this drive I lead out of the yard that's y'all that's y'all decision Playing with well 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

4:38:16In 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 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 He'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 Ohio State, you know that running back room is in gray hands Yeah Coach hardline 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 hardline and so he's definitely creative at what he's he does

4:39:16And he brings a lot of energy to the team as well. And so I think they'll do really good Um just the intensity man then since he got the 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 he 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 how 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

4:40:16Shoot 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 that 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 bringing us in and the way they went about training us man They wrote they did a really good job The bucket near know I haven't Temple temple. It's a nice. It's a nice city man. Really nice Uh, the 40 to broaden 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 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

4:41:20It'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 brother's dumb 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 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 Uh, I did me with um new Orleans as well um, I never got that comparison actually um, I know I've a comrade sure

4:42:21Yeah, man, I've 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, 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. I don't know every good I think he had it every game was a good game for him

4:43:22And 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 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 He gives you he gives you that peace and comfort, you know

4:44:22Even 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 Um And those guys have such a great mentality man. I'm not just really loved their mentality especially um Q as well, you know, I talked about Wil Howard his leadership, but Quincham mentality man um That boy just yeah that boy just gifted, you know, you see, you know, sometimes he put in a situation where he looked like you know He should have a negative five yards and as soon as you know it, you know, he that running through somebody still farming somebody and she was a gain of 10 and so You

4:45:26Yeah, 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 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 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 that I know just the quarterback position. Um, I feel like you know the quarterbacks in the past They've they've definitely been vocal and so I feel like that's something that they're definitely going to um Ask Julian San as well. It's to be that vocal leader and lead the um and lead the offense and lead to steam You

4:46:29Shoot man, he has he has a 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 committed here. I remember watching JK Dobbins highlights like every Every 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

4:47:52You You

4:48:52You All I got coming in last round to the world so I just tacked every day really the same way It's a very rare Oh, 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 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

4:49:57Even 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? Just gotta get ready to just play there. He 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. I'm ready for it How's that enhanced this camp for you and this team getting ready for the Where an opener of that magnitude? Yeah, with an opener like that we've been um with the emphasize in their life We know we got coming so we know we gotta do we prepare for it I think Riley ready to play right now he He advanced freshmen like he in the he in the book he studying like he advanced and his measurements crazy like he saw like the saw line to Said you're ready What was that process like during last season? Could you feel yourself

4:50:58Becoming more and more ready 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 Is that One more time I feel like it's a It's a way bigger responsibility with me having to step up this year, but I kind of go about it the same way like last year. I was intentional with everything I did I feel like this year is gonna be the same thing Just probably a little bit more

4:52:00It won't work I say Scrub my gun I say like when you think of me you're thinking like a like a bullet like a silver bullet I don't really a bullet That's how I like to play and think No, I ain't got to be my nickname, but Oh, yeah Um think it fit me because I 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 A lot of the times is like no, I don't know. I don't really not answer that Thanks 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

4:53:02I just like his defense. I like how to do this. I like what he got going on Uh Now I wanted to much sad. I was kind of like happy for you No That's my dog. I'm gonna say yeah kind of missing a little bit, but yeah, I'm happy for you I 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 you guys will win your own Yeah, how much do you feel bad as a guy who certainly contributed last year? But we'll be in this bigger role and along this some year Yeah, I do feel like um Yeah, I do feel like I did win a nati last year, but like you said my role wasn't Same as how's my beat is here. So yeah, I definitely want to want to go get another one experience that like feeling maybe on feel a lot more place Oh, Bill, thank you very much Kind of have a lot of leaders on the B line at the D in position to we kind of just kind of talk to children

4:54:13You And we love it. We all competitive people we all love to fish each other And that's really the best side of all Just feel like we all just kind of bouncing off each other and see what one person does and we kind of Better than the archival box and we all kind of just kind of build one great thing I Okay, so I definitely did it in high school. I was pulled back and a little bit of tidan So I feel like they kind of saw what I could do there in coach Wilson I was the hero of watching it to the poor you left and Feel like you playing that seed in coach day's head and coach day kind of just went for it and tried to do the best I could do it Is that continuing now I mean New playbook I did not know you got that far

4:55:16Um, 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 Weakert to to learn it and kind of perfect it and try to do my best for you. Kitchak you the same thing. Oh, yeah Rathleen that's why Kitch is talking to coach Johnson on Tuesday about some of the conversations and sort of sight I guess Definitely kind of seeing 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 season is now What you got to do prepare for and what to happen and all that time from here to to that So uh, I feel like we definitely just coached in me kind of connected You kind of just talks man-to-man and uh, he kind of just said straight to me and I feel like We kind of both of us and we know we're making it together better every day We got the four best the ends five best the ends honestly

4:56:16College football and we're gonna be one of the best the lines and coach football Better player today Oh, I feel like I've taken big steps in my roles of just being responsible and being more of a leader and kind of stepping up and taking a step to Kind of get out there more on the team and kind of bring people in and I feel like We're kind of helping out more 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 if you more time to kind of enjoy it kind of save for it because Yeah, definitely definitely gonna have to have the mental stability to handle all those weeks and all those practices How much is Larry talk to you guys around the field last question right here?

4:57:22I mean he doesn't have to talk about it. We know about it. We see it in every day We watch the film we see them all working together. We know what it could be. We know what could become So we know we we're right at the same get 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 We plan as much so I just wanted to get like more experience under my belt So I can know bring you other guys with me because I think Well as a workhorse he he goes stay quiet you go 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 really has any mistakes

4:58:27When all the games we don't want to lose anything We got a mindset that we can't be beat This year even more so 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 then we're not trying to go home Finish big we know what you guys think of Michigan But when you look at what they did they won the national championship and you guys Took them down to the final minute right you know what I mean I mean you You were right there something goes a little different you guys could have been one night gaming and stuff 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 laps to your left here that clubs So I'm saying we just like work harder. That's that's kind of coach makes of saying you know nobody cares

4:59:33Just work harder like those no one played Georgia is the same thing Last last play you know they went on the window 90 so We just got to get over that hump at the end of the season. I think we'll be fine Of course is you know it's frustrating but you can't change the outcome you can't really 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 And 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 all on me. I just

5:00:33I 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 I think I think we I definitely can rise. I was just you know we got to get the young guys to come along with us We can't play 50 stamps a day and 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 online and everywhere else so we can last Ah, yeah, I did unless we were like winning by like a lot I thought like there knows mommy's you know I can go sit down or something But we're playing them big games like you know Notre Dame too. I know those kind of games. I of course I wouldn't be because I know I can contribute and

5:01:36I won't want to put that on anyone else when I know I get the job Oh, yeah, definitely. K-MAC is a K-MAC's animal. Y'all you haven't really seen it yet But in practice he shows all the time. 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 and things like that You guys are about the exact same size Just you're both listening six for your three 27. He's three 26 Yeah, I kind of look at him like my my junior, but you know, K-MAC he's gonna be a great player He's got to develop more and getting to play It's really a lot on you older guys. There's that large group of young guys and then there's the seniors in your back Part of your past for 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 Dermed all season so they play and I just played they want to like contribute like make plays tackles sex

5:02:47Yeah, they're definitely some big dudes um, and they all work hard I'm really seeing much of something day two when I'm not pazzling, but Throughout the workouts they've been working hard, you know, they they're determined And it looks like they're ready to work with me How important this looks It feels like There's a lot of great defenses that you have big athletic defensive tactics you can eat up space But also move, you know, right? It is that is that environment maybe for great defense to have guys like you that have some fault, but Also a great team. I think that is definitely I think if you look at the last Couple of nice and much emissary winners are like seem on North. They didn't know they got two good Detackled 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 If you think about this, they're going to fight by the defense attack. It's like What's Georgia Jordan Davis and Janet Carter? Let's Michigan. It's Chris Jenkins

5:03:52You understand this is your play, but I feel like sometimes 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 for the 478 and things like that So We'll see and when you think it when you think about the spree 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 come on. I watch the doodoo drills I have to see you like you're looking like my film so I think I'm up there You're going

5:04:54I mean as many as I can have I think I have more than that, but I think they're counseling I think they didn't count some of them and It's some of them where I like just missed it so but I think we work on Joe's matching the hand I think that's uh goes big and uh What we do is a deal on you know just affecting the quarterbodies Anyway, you can is this great for the defense, you know just that little thing covering his eye, you know A little bit to the left to our player We I think I just have like a like a eye for the ball counter 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 throws it in his I mean they get frustrated, but you know we're seeing you know we're just getting

5:05:55Yeah, I watch a lot of a lot of different backsman is just learning 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 Sequon Gibbs and I like McCaffrey auto he was injured this year. I like McCaffrey I don't appreciate it. Who's the best back in this drive? Best back in this drive. I lead out of the yard. That's y'all that's y'all decision Playing with Will 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 Shoot He's gonna be really good man. He's um

5:06:57Coastal 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 He'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 You 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'd do really good So Um just the intensity man then since the other playoffs um 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

5:07:58It'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 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 writing writing Tampa, Florida and I'm right to it and so um Yeah, I think where I trained I trained that um 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. 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

5:08:59The bucket near know I haven't Temple Tampa nice. This is nice. It's a nice city man. Really nice Uh, the 40 to broaden 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 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 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 brother's dumb man making sure that the ball get in their hands You know the guys on the outside and making sure they get fed

5:10:07In 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 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 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 would come here 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

5:11:10Just an option route out of the backfield, you know, and man and man coverage you're getting on that linebacker and so The 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 thing. I think he had a 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 You Man, a lot of ups and downs man, it's just

5:12:10How 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 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

5:13:12Um 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 Quincham mentality man um That boy just yeah that boy just gifted, you know, you see you know Sometimes he put in a situation where he looked like you know, he should have a negative five yards And as soon as you know it, you know, he that running through somebody step on him somebody and she just again to 10 it's uh Yeah 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 Quincham, 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

5:14:15Julian 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 dance definitely going to get him right just you know Container grow as a leader, container grudges a player, and so he's going to be really good for high state Uh He's uh, 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 him Julian San as well It's to be that vocal leader and lead the um and lead the offensive lead to steam Shoot man, he has he has a 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 know 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

5:15:15Every um one of his years here like four or five times and so man He was such a great back and um, I feel like you know when I see jk Dobbins when I see um James people I see similarities to both of their games. I feel like they play the same Thanks so appreciate you all. Yeah, I'm going

5:17:28You All I got coming in last round. I knew we're all so I just tacked every day really the same way It's a very very rare Oh, I think I got a lot bigger. I'm like 240. You know, I'm like 244 right now last year. I played it like 236 to 37 What does it feel like at 244? I feel like almost a different Machine out there. Yeah, what does it feel like to be run around out there like you are With more More bad. I just feel like I'm like like Lot more downhill like stronger like I'm taking over blots better. It's a 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 What do 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?

5:18:30There are even more snaps, so Are you are you how would you describe how much you're looking forward to it from an eight-day Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I'm ready for it. I'm ready for it. I'm ready for it It's open. It's a rematch So it's not really two different teams Compared to the ones that I'm going to play this time How's that enhanced this camp for you and this team getting ready for the Opener Yeah, we're opening like that we've been um with the emphasizing in a lot of we know we got coming so we know we got to do we've prepared for it Um, I think Rowley ready to play right now. He he advanced freshman like he in the field book He stood in like he advanced and his measurements crazy like he saw like the saw line to him You said you're ready What was that process like during last season could you feel yourself The coming more and more ready Yeah, because that's pretty much what my role was just whenever I was needed I had to step up

5:19:30So 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 Oh 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 And what work? I say

5:20:31I Skrub my gang I say that when you think of me you think of like a like a bully like a silver bullet I don't really do I'm always on the ball. That's how I like to play and think No, I ain't got to be my nickname, but Oh Yeah Oh I just like the defense. I feel like we got like you said we got a lot of freedom and we're moving around a lot A lot of the terms is like, you know, I don't know. I don't really 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 pretty the defense. I like what you got going on

5:21:31Uh No, I wanted to much sad. I was kind of like happy for you. Yeah, that's what you want That's my dog. I don't see it kind of missing a little bit. Yeah, I'm happy for you Last year, but maybe weren't the starters and hunger for Yeah, how much do you feel that is 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 the nati last year, but like you said my role wasn't same as how's my beat this year So yeah, I definitely want to want to go get another one experience that like feeling we need to be on the field lot more place Championship and you can you know be full and everything like that and Also need to get your your teeth knocked in, you know first game and you know can't have that happen because then you know Really doesn't mean anything and so just the constant mindset to continually get better

5:22:34But 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 stats every now and then I can be like oh man. They're gone. They're gone Uh, no, it's been um It's been good. I mean the guys who are still here. I'm as I've definitely kind of bonded together pretty good so Yeah Yeah, I mean Mark came in other days like That class went one best class ever and like yeah sure, you know, I can't really can't really even you know To say to that, you know, I'm much left, but um Uh, yeah, I mean to do what we can and do 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, we're the old guys now in the group has been um kind of strange at least to begin with you know because you go from

5:23:37Um 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 the shoe and all of 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 So Yeah No, it could spend doing really well. I mean I could go in 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 um 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

5:24:38I'm excited to see what he can do because he's very impressive at this young stage Yeah, extremely excited. I mean um trying to just build that culture back up again You know like what we had last year I We're trying to do a little stuff here in there and I can know I think we're going to Ray race Barbecue I think tomorrow So shout out Ray race, but um, but yeah, just trying to get that brotherhood back get that you know that oblock spirit back sure it's coming soon Hopefully um But just to kind of get those uh Not those same faces but those same kind of mindsets back and our our group is important right now And it's it's been fun to meet new guys from different backgrounds and stuff like that 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?

5:25:38Yeah, for sure. I mean, I think that comes um I don't it's obviously no I don't feel like it's natural to anyone to you need to leave step up And there's something I've been working on every day and talking to God about um But I have to 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 was saying before like we're gonna have highs and lows But the great players the ones being set our clocks to and I kind of want as 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 Not only coaches but players um, I think it's very important to kind of keep that steady um mindset And I think for me learning how to be a leader has been important just to Not be too hard on myself, but also not let myself kind of slack off in some departments. They're trying to keep um steady Just your story itself though is Testament What it means to like for perseverance is tough to though right car something

5:26:39You know, that's sort of you 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