Press Conferences (Matt Patrica) Elite Edition September 2

0:00I know that from even being an NFL, but just, well, I'm excited to be on this state. That is amazing. That would be around the, I think you're talking to Julian Edelman. That's when the only podcast we've had to refer to with recent interview, you know, we're talking about building schemes to fit the person. It doesn't seem like you're married to just one thing. If you are scheme flexible, what is the overall principle that guides you as a defensive coordinator? That's something that kind of developed, right? I think when I originally went to New England in the early 2000s, the game was different. You know, there was much more like two back sets and double tight endsets. We were fundamentally at 314, as people would say. Now our 314 changed through the years. We're always developing it, involving it. But the game changed. And one of the things that kind of happened to us at New England, luckily enough, fortunately, I'm all very lucky that things have happened for a reason. We would pick late in the draft because of our season. Our 314 scheme really expanded, you know, couple of coaches left, you know, New York

1:03and L.L. left and there's an airplane to the jets. And so they became much more difficult to find the pieces to fit the scheme. So we had to take the reverse effect. Let's just get the best players we can. Let's bring them in and let's figure out how to use it. Let's figure out how to put them in position. And then with 11 personnel and no huddles and all those things that evolved, the game changed from a really heavy kind of like called base defensive packages to multiple sub-packages. And that's something else that happened. And we just had guys that evolved the defense through the years because they were on our team. So saying all that, I guess what I tell everybody is, you know, my whole goal is to try to figure out what do you do well. How do I put you in the best position to go get on the field and do that well, that job well, the best durability. Because if you can play fast, you can play aggressive because you know, I have you in your skill set, then you're going to be disruptive as a defensive player. You're going to help us win as a defense, win as a team, and we can fit the pieces around where everybody goes in that court.

2:04So, and then go from there. So that's kind of like, you know, I'm close to all of it, right? Of course, three, four, four, three, nickel, big nickel, dimes, all those packages, four downs, from five down funds, odd space, and you know, just you kind of do it through the course of the year. So to me, it's all like, hey, that guy can do this, or that guy can do this. And then I also think it creates rules. So it's not always like the same 11 on the field. So you can have a really good skill set and you can do something in a critical situation then, you know, you got to get you in that spot and help you be in that situation when you win the game. Actually, like the reliable. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what it's going to say. The problem is going to say it is. It is. Yeah, I actually have two of them right now. I brought them in and kind of like set them down. Everyone's like, oh my gosh, what is that? It's like, it's just just reference. Actually, look at this opportunity to come to Ohio State and become some of the talents coming back and the guys you'd be able to coach, shoot it out to you. It's like, hey, I want to go coach that guy. I would like to have an opportunity to put that guy in the rear. Yeah. I mean, it's hard not to walk into building and try to find Caleb as fast as possible. I mean, he is unbelievable, amazing player, very versatile.

3:07You know, there's a lot of like, you know, you look at a guy like that and he goes, okay, we're going to be able to do some really fun things with him and he's super smart and so such a great student of the game and his approach is amazing. Sunn styles. I mean, you know, you look at him and you know, our belt. I mean, those are guys, we always had big backers. I walked in and I was like, okay, I'm going to go, oh my, these guys are, you know, they're big. They're long. They can move. They eat up a lot of space. So now my brain just starts, got them like, oh, we can do this. We can move here. We can put them there. We can line up here and do all those things. But then you got, you got IGB outside, you know, Dramay, you got, you have so many great players to me. I know it's exciting. You have a relationship with Timmy Wolfe. Yes. But basically this whole staff is here and you're coming in just to talk about that dynamic and how much work is there. I mean, how lucky for me, right, to be able to come in a situation where these guys can really help bring me in, you know, and let me in. So obviously I lean on Tim quite a bit because of our relationship going back.

4:11Coach Johnson and I have known each other for a long time, you know, going back to when I was at Syracuse University, the head coach there was Paul Pasco. We wanted to get played at Penn State. So we always kind of had a Penn State Syracuse, you know, kind of connection and obviously just admired him for the years and always was talking to him because he's great players coming out wherever he's coached to come to our level. So you were always building those relationships. And so to be able to sit down and talk football the last year with him is amazing. The cover stuff when we put on Tim and I, it's like just like a natural conversation because again, Tim was in the NFL for a long time too. So a lot of those conversations are great, Matt and, you know, James, I worked out James, yeah, I'm proud of Chris, sure, that I'm a field and I was, you know, yelling at him. But, you know, super smart player, a guy that saw the game extremely well and was able to play fast because of it. And so all of that, those connections that's been, it's been really awesome. And I'm just, again, I just, my job's really to sit and learn and try to observe and then, okay, where can I add, where can we change, where can we adjust and, you know, and then

5:16we got to work it out of the system. Yeah, I was actually, I was actually a practice teacher. I was rolling. Yeah, is that just, you know, I'm always taking notes. I actually don't have them on, but I usually care like on a notebook. So even when our guys are working out, I'm probably walking around and just taking little notes and, you know, we're always drawing football. It's kind of just a habit at most points from being a young coach and breaking film, you know, I think I kind of told the story on Julian's podcast or the show that Coach and I did. But, you know, as a young coach, we would break down film. I would draw every play, you know, in detail, all 22 guys, footballer, depth, alignments, all of it. And it really was, you know, we hand-drawn and, you know, the good old number two is the best thing to do. Nice and sharp. We've got a nice clean point in the lines where we're smooth, but it used to take us like 12 hours to break the game, you know, you're drawing as we play. So when you're coaching all day long and then trying to break four or five games during the course of the week, if you had 10 minutes, I mean, can you where you were in the building,

6:17you had your pads where they were like, boom, let me start to draw. It kind of just went in the hat behind the ear because that was the safest place to put it. So that's kind of where that is. But I'm always trying to take notes instead. Yeah. I got some good notes in this morning for sure. Yep. I'm sure. So it's going back to school. Yeah. Did that impact you, if you guys compared notes at all? I mean, I don't know if you do that in terms of why he did that and maybe that showed you it can be done. Yeah. I would say this. Okay. I start to wrap it up with these first notes. I'm actually very close. We talked a lot, you know, and we've spent great, you know, two decades together. We were a football conversation too. But we were together every day this past fall. You know, we did the coach show on YouTube, which was great. That was something I wrote last spring. And I just, you know, another way for you and I to get in the room and just teach football which we love to do. Thank you for asking. But we did have a lot of conversation about College Football, you know, through the course of really last spring.

7:18I'm taking a look at how we really get fascinated with roster builds. So one of the things I think that was really interesting with College Football was with the portal with, you know, the two opportunities there with recruiting, how fast can you build your team, how fast can you really, you know, get the good players in the building in the NFL. It was pretty, pretty rigid, you know, you knew your points when there was free agency to the draft, to the 53 cut to the, to the trade deadline. Those were the four opportunities. Then with the contracts, you know, how many, how many really big contracts can you sign and we just, we got fascinated with the college models. We really started studying a lot of the different schools and how they were building the roster. We did have a lot of those conversations. And duties are different, but what did you learn and did you really? There is so much you learn in that situation. I mean, obviously, you know, for myself going from being a coordinator to a head coach, it's, there's no book. It's really, you know, interior in that position. And that's why, you know, so many first time head coaches, it's not easy, you know, and a lot of times when you go back and if you get in the second opportunity, you have

8:21more success because if you do take that opportunity and the mining Detroit was great. I learned a lot, you know, great family, the poor families that owned it. So, you know, it was a great franchise. I wasn't my best version of my, of a coach, you know, that's something I certainly, I take responsibility for. And, you know, through the course of my years of coaching, you know, about all of them are going to be perfect, you know, I'm trying as much as I can, but that first year was really hard, you know, and I was trying to learn a lot and I didn't do a good job. You know, I reflected a lot too. I think one of the things that really, that I kind of, I watched that Michael Jordan, you know, document, you see that. And something like triggered when I was watching, he was talking about, you know, his intensity when they lost the championship and how told everybody that was coming in the building the next year, exactly how it was going to be like his focus. You know, we had lost the Super World then. We had been, you know, the Super World Championship, Super World Championship. It was like every other year and we had one in 16, we went back and set up to the new loss. And I think that, that mindset when you lose that game, like, all you want to do is go,

9:25you just want to go back. Like it's just your level of where you're in tension and your useless at such a high level. And I do a good job of walking into a new building where they didn't lose this. You know, I mean, that was, that wasn't, that wasn't, that was my fault. And I never reset myself. I don't think well enough to like, hey, I'm in some place new. These guys didn't have that dream last year. I got to, I got to start to teach him, coach again. I got to start to build the game and I didn't do a bit of that job. Matt, you mentioned that you didn't have so many different packages that you've used as you moved to the college level. You look at the stuff that you've had. Yeah. I think the beauty of football and definitely something I learned at New England was, let's take the extremely complex and let's try to boil it down to maybe three to five things, really simple. So we can really detail that out as much as possible. I think that's a really cool thing to do. I think that in general, yes, we have lots of packages, no less.

10:28But I always felt going into a game a whole, I was like, I just want to make sure they can go play fast and play aggressive. So I don't want to have too much where they can't do that. I want them to be able to go play. They play, you know, I'm not, they play the game. So let them get on the field, let them play fast, let them play aggressive. And I think that is a good balance of making sure you have enough to defend what you're going to see, but also, you know, let the players go play free enough where they can be aggressive and have the tools on the field they need. Matt, thank you. And that's going to be my job to make this job easier. Darius, Darren Urban from AZCarnels.com. I know that a lot of players these days aren't sticking in one school for a long time. You did it for five years. I mean, even Marvin did it for three. Like, what, what, what behind that? And why wasn't meaningful for you to stand one school? Yes, I'm a Zura, you know, we had some tough seasons, but we were really built with an edge. Energy details, grit and emotional consistency. And I just find myself just trying to grow and get better each year. And also as a team, you know, one more games each year.

11:30And that was my, that was my home, that was my family. I was blessed to, you know, get two degrees as well off the field. And I just love Mazew. Two degrees. Wow. Marvin, Bob McManamade, Arizona Republic. Congratulations. Thank you. To both of you. You're known as all business. And I want to know how that's going to serve you well in this league from personal standpoint. Your brand, everything you do, a daily preparation. There's a lot that goes into being all business. Tell me what that is to you. Yeah, I mean, yes, it's being a pro. It's kind of raised and grew up to do. And keep the same mindset, same attitude that I've had throughout my whole career. Once I get here, continue to work hard, be consistent, disciplined, you know, and all that I do. So I'm looking forward to putting in the work. Hey, Marvin, Josh Winefuss, ESPN. What were the best pieces of advice your dad gave you about being an NFL player? I mean, yeah, it takes a lot of work, a lot of preparation.

12:30No, from Monday to Saturday. It's all working. And then Sunday should be the easy part. I go out there, have fun. I probably put the work in. So, and I started with the work first, and then once Sunday comes, it's really benefits. Hey, Darryus, Howard Balls are from Cardswire. I can't help but notice that ring on your fingers. Is that a cotton bowl ring? Yes, it is the cotton bowl ring. It's a board to shoot. So you showed it to Marvin very quickly. No, I just saw it to Marvin. I was telling Marvin, you know, he was glad he did play. And then the whole week leading up, you know, you see how I stayed here. I said, okay, Marvin Harrison. And then he was like, is he going to play? Is he going to play? He didn't play. So, you know, we lucked out. So, hey, Marvin, Paul Calvacy, Cardinals, broadcasting. Do you believe that receivers have to earn the trust of their quarterback? And if so, what does that usually require? Absolutely. You got to earn the trust of the quarterback. And they start, you know, every day in practice, and being consistent, really. You can't just do it one day. You can't just do it for one week.

13:31Has to be, you know, done over and over and over again. I think that's how trust is earned. So, in a matter of way, you get picks, whether you're a first receiver, it's round seven. Doesn't really make a go in the earn. Trust the quarterback. Your coach is your teammates. So, it all starts in practice. What's going on, guys? Good to see you again, Tyler Drake. There's no sports systems for Darius. What's the feeling of just being able to represent your school as that first round pick? And what kind of impact can that have for those guys falling in your footsteps? Yes, awesome. I feel like I'm setting the standard going for it. My best name was Zoo, is known as D-Line Zoo. So, I'm just added to the family, but now I feel like I'm setting the standard for my younger teammates. That this is attainable if you work really hard, be consistent, and really get the trust your strength coach. I feel like every program has built out the strength coach, and I'd develop all the habits on and off the field. Darius Zachers, MnaseyCarnels.com right over here. JG mentioned that he loves the violence that you play with. You mentioned the different tendencies that you picked up, the emotional consistencies, the grit.

14:31You balanced that, the violence with discipline on the field. I honestly just do preparation and practice. I'm a big guy, I'm a big believer in inside hands, so that's why I'm always working my hand placement, and then I live weight, so that's all connected. So, I'm just trying to be focused on my technique as much as possible. Hey Marvin, over here David Brantley. So, the Associated Press. You know a lot of rookies come into the league, and they get a little bit of leeway. It's like, oh he's young, he needs to grow and stuff like that, but obviously you're going to be expected to be the guy here really quickly. How do you deal with that pressure? How do you go about just so much being expected of you so quickly? I mean, yeah, I've high standards for myself, but I'm just going to go in there and try to work. You know, the best I can. I just want to help the team win really, so. With that role I play, you know, come September, we'll do my best, you know, do that role. And I think that's good for both of you guys. The fans want to know who you guys are on the inside, I don't know how much you're willing

15:31to reveal to us today. A lot would be nice. Can you tell us what you like to do away from football, what pisses you off about things and what makes you roll? I'm pretty simple, I like to be in my apartment. I watch the movie, if I go out and I go to a restaurant, get some food, but other than not only do too much, and then I'm pretty easy going guys, so I'm trying to let nothing bother me too much. I say the same thing, a real chill guy, just really obsessed with football, but outside of football, like I said, I got my two degrees, I got my undergrad, hospitality management and a minor in business, got my master's in a positive culture with emphasis, I play leadership. So just thinking about being well rounded, and then I do philanthropy work, I start my own nonprofit foundation, there is Robinson helping hands foundation, but really just football and then everything else, honestly. Congratulations guys, welcome to the Valley and Robbie Baker with Fox 10.

16:33Darius, this is for you, after the draft last night you had a great response about how you're processing, preparing for a game, just kind of wondering where your love for kind of the grind comes from and your love for that process comes from. I would say my junior year, because I play literally ball often, but I got my junior year and I was playing high school, and my whole goal was just to earn a scholarship. But during that process, I really fell in love with the game, fell in love with working now, relationships with teammates, and now it's kind of like my bias, and I can't let it go, and just kind of finding ways to always get better, you know. Luke, with in here, which 12 sports, congrats both of you, welcome to the Valley, this one's for you, Marvin. I'm curious to your thoughts, or what was that conversation like with your dad after your name was called, and you were able to be drafted by this organization, and how surreal is it for you to be following on your own father's footsteps, but in your own way? Yeah, I mean, it was very brief. I actually just, you know, second congratulations, I walk up to the stage, and then I had to do a bunch of interviews at the word. So, I don't think it's hit both of us yet, and what's happened, I think one of my goals

17:34always make him proud, so I hope I did that. Marvin Bobrock, PHNX Sports, when do you anticipate catching your first passes from Kyler Murray? I don't know. I don't know, I guess we'll see. I hope we can see as soon as possible. Darry, as you mentioned, philanthropy, and I know there's been, it's been talked about how you took some of the NIL and I L money to do a get back to school for the kids in Columbia. Where did that belief in doing those things come from? I say my family, my brother, my mom, really instilled that into me, and to me, out of young age, just give back your blessings to others. And my fifth year at Mizzou was the best year of my life, so why would I not share my blessings with others? So that's what really motivates me to do that, and now I've been in NFL. My goals are to do three events each year, and just give back, because you know it's life outside of football and bigger blessings out there. Marvin, you obviously played with a number of highly drafted receivers at Ohio State. What sort of feedback have you gotten about the NFL from them, and about making the transition

18:37and the league itself? Yeah, it's a long season. I think going from the 12 game record season you had in college to, was it 17 games now, and you had three preseason, I think actually just the biggest challenge. The game stays the same. I've seen that we're all skilled and very talented athletes, so the mental part is probably the biggest thing, and the biggest change from the college to the pros. Marvin, what's your timeline for hiring an agent right over here on the way far right? You haven't hired an agent. Why is that? Is there a timeline to hiring one, and are you going to sign the NFL P.A. licensing agreement? I'll continue to talk on my team. We do what's best for me. I'm moving forward, which is a good one day of time. I just got drafted, so I'm trying to enjoy the moment and be happy while I can at the moment. Hey, Marvin. I'll say Romero, Arizona Republic. Welcome, man. Can you just kind of share a little bit about, you touched on it briefly here, but just a little bit more about growing up with your dad and the experiences you had in Indian apolis and games and so on and so forth? Yeah, I mean, there's no better role model coach mentor that you can have as someone who's

19:42played the game, and then he's actually a father too. So he means a lot to me. He's healthy and get to the point I'm at right now, and she's been very detailed in everything that I've done growing up with playing football. So we're thankful for him. I'm glad that he can be here with me today. Luke, looking again here with 12 sports. Is this for Darius? Darius? M-I-Z? Yeah, sir. I'm a minor as well. Curious, what do you think you learn the most from your time at Mizzou that has helped you be ready for this moment? I would say the biggest thing is not how you start is how you finish. I have to feel like me being drafted. That was the exclamation point on my career at Mizzou, but now I got started all over again and really earned respect on my teammates and coaches and then earned a role within our organization, but that's what I would say. Marvin over here. What's it like being another butt guy out here in the desert having Paris in the front row and getting to reunite with your guy out here? It's awesome, man. This is two years in the making with Paris and kind of had his conversation going back to even before he got drafted from the Cardinals.

20:44I just get a chance to play with him again and hopefully my scorch and touchdowns he raises me up and his arms like he used to do in college. So, I'm super excited to play with him. I mean, not only is he going to be a great teammate but a great friend of half as well. Are the tapes speaks for itself, but what would you say is the most underrated part of your game? I think just my competitiveness, and man, I mean, I'll show it. I'm not much of an emotional guy on the field, but I'm very competitive. I think it's probably a very underrated part of my game. Yeah, looks like that's it. So, thank you so much. Of course, thank you, you have it. When they gave me the all clear to start that week, and then in the game, there was like a critical third down on how to go make a play and I did that. So from there, I think my trust started to go with the program. I thought really, like, the longevity of my career. I thought it would be at cornerback, and I had a lot of trust in coach Wall and I had a lot of trust in like what Ohio State does with DB, so I was just, I thought it should be the best for them to ever meet. How much do you want to have to do in the summer?

21:47I mean, I mean, being close to home, my brother here, that's definitely a plus, but I had to think about like the longevity of my career, like, need playing with studies, not necessarily going to help me get to the NFL. So, I had to think about what was going to be best for me there. I think a lot about the program, there's a lot of similarities in between both programs. One thing that I really think about, or I was thinking about like before coming doing this, we used to do like tug of war there, so going to get some of the guys that swung on matchups, and this game's kind of like that tug of war. There's going to be some of the metham swings, and we just, like, when they blow the whistle out there, we got to make sure we're pulling it to our side. They asked me a couple questions, but that was more so last year. I know they have a new off to coordinator for all of us to use, so the team is a little bit different from when I was there, but yeah, there's definitely some questions being asked. Yeah, he can run the ball for sure. I think his physicality, his athleticism, his toughness shows up on the tape.

22:49There's going to be a lot of plus one runs, which makes it hard extra having the box out to defend that. But I think he really, he's a big leader on that team, not saying the other quarterbacks weren't, but he's really a driving force for that offense to go. He has a decent size. He has really good size. He shows some Twitch on film, so I was there with him as well, so I'm excited to go with that matchup. I'm doing this when I really think about it, like, legacy is a bit, like, really comes to mind. My dad being here, my brother being here. And then this team's growing, I think it's really a faith-based team, so I just want to give a lot of credit to these guys. Just give me this opportunity to be on this team, be able to do this today. I don't even want to talk about this season being honest. Me and Jack have been friends since we were seven years old playing basketball, and

23:51he helped my competitive edge really increase. And when we were on the court, he's always talking stuff, always getting our guys rallied up then. And then he helped me get better when I'm younger, because when you're younger, the people you surround yourself with that really helps help you form who you are. And he played a really big part in that, just always pushed me to the best self, and hopefully I did the same for him. I mean, yeah, it's more like an NFL season, a little bit less, but it starts to add up on your body. Good thing about Ohio State, we have death here, so when guys needed to step up, like when I had my opportunity to see the D-line multiple positions, they really need to step up. We've had the guys to do that, so it's staying healthy and really trying to take it to the whole season. That means a lot of Perginton. We all played like childhood sports together. So I think it just goes like the community that I was surrounded in the type of parents.

24:53That mindset just really pushing their kids to be great, and I hope that continues on in Perginton. I would have to say either JT, Sonny, I feel bad for doing my boy Jack, but JT is Sonny. I mean, I feel like that's easy to say, yeah, just because he was the number one player in the country coming out of high school, so the expectations have always been high. But it's hard as like an eight-year-old to even envision him being making that play that he did, but we always knew we were going to play at a high level together, and we talked about that since we were really young. Originally, we talked about playing at Ohio State together, and now we're here though. So my freshman year, when we both were freshman sophomore, we were going to improve at Ohio State, me and him are visiting every other week together. So really just seeing the vision, seeing what he talked about and being a man of his word, just going to come and show it, what he did.

25:58I honestly wasn't even thinking about Notre Dame because there was so much going on in the program at the time, like the real folks just being Tennessee. So to be here in this time, my girlfriend goes to Notre Dame, a lot of my family, like there's a lot of connections between Notre Dame and Ohio State for me. I just know it's going to be a good match up to everyone's excited for. I did talk to him, but those were conversations were short. Later, the total can't be talking to the enemy for too long. She went for Ohio State. We actually got a conversation about this. She should be in Ohio State, if anyone sees her. It was a little difficult. There was a little bumpy, but we got our Ohio State side for sure. Yeah, no doubt my mom and dad, they don't have to split. There's just anything like that, Ohio State should be at this game.

27:01Yeah, I'm on the outside, but I've always kept in touch with my players there. Like some of my friends and current players there. So I want to credit a lot of that to Coach Freeman. The program, like when I was there, they were some tough losses that were taken. So they were definitely needed some change to be made. He did that. I think this formatting with the 12 team playoff that helped us, but it really helped them as well. Yeah, Notre Dame was a little bit different just because it's already rooted in their tradition. So here are guys that really had to step up and really be kind of evoke about it. And I just think it was like the most important, just because in our sport, you have to have a reference point. And if your reference point is this, it's just measured on your success on the field. How much NIL money you're getting, things with that nature. It's easy to go up and down. So find out that reference point within the Lord. How's it got this team study? You have a few things that you think you can do.

28:05Any thoughts on that? Yeah, I mean, I feel like Coach Freeman. I say a lot of it is because he got us a high of state roots. But now, honestly, Coach Freeman, when he first came, the team they really took him in when I was at Notre Dame. I remember him first coming in the locker room, vividly, and everyone in the team jumped up. There's another thing that sticks out to me before every single practice, he'd daped up every single player in line. So he's a really player coach. And I just want to, he works real hard. I just saw the dedication he had, how much he cared about the program, the players and being that Notre Dame man. So I have a lot of respect. Yeah, a lot of their successes. Yeah, I understand, but I'm not sure on that level, unlike how much he's matured, but I saw the bricks being laid for sure while I was there. Oh, yeah, I had a, I had a long talk with Algon while I was a defense coordinator,

29:06and he really wanted me to stay. But I kind of already had my mind made up, and I was ready to enter the portal, and I'm finding a better fit for myself. Yeah, that was the conversation as well. Appreciate it. Very good. At one, you know, four three, you know, you take a four three everybody's choose confused and then I'm a four three guy, but really, you know, you take a four three, you take the end stand him up, you can slide to three four just like that. And that's multiple defense, but I'll change in any personnel. And so it's a four man brunt, but we can go to a three man, a four man, five man, six man, the heart, the guys on the field. So I think that would been multiple, but we can keep standing on four man front, but it can be a interchange before you're fine. Yeah, that's it. So I'm going to call it some edits. How you look at it, you know, everyone can say it's four man front, four man front, not really when you can honest to their pieces. The four guys can stay in the field, and you can pop JT or pack KJ up, and I say no, there's no three four.

30:07But it's four guys on the field playing. That's been in the game. And then so I think that would kind of lose how you get played deepness, because you can't substitute every play to get a new person. So those guys can be the play for a four man, two three man, or whatever. So you have to be ready to do that. Do you think you'll have more opportunities to coach CJ Davis this year? Is what's the, what would you envision for a role for them? I, well, he's working right now. So CJ is working right now trying to learn how to play to position. And then I want him to learn how to play position as a deepness of end stand up. We get to that moment. And not as a linebacker. I think that's the transition he's mentally. He's got to go through. He's done an outstanding job thus far. He's bought in to what we're doing. And I think that's the key when it got by end, is like this is what I want to do. And he has a really good skill set. So we can use him in the model ways, but we don't want to use him just third down. Right? We want to use him first and second down. So my job is to get him ready to play to run from on the line, just going to be supposed to be in his space. That's different. And once we have come to this as we go, then I think we can give a chance to give him some great depth

31:07and really do some good things for us. I'm excited about him, because he's really excited about the position change. Larry, when you talk about being multiple, how impactful can I guy like CJ Davis because of his versatility about the standout? Yeah, that's the bonus if you can do that right. Because it stays on the field. And then you bring it out from space. You can drop him from space or you can build some. And I think that as we go forward, I think we'll try to build that. We just can't build it around one guy. You got to build out what a cable we can do on the field. And so like I said, it's early stage. So it's hard to say this is what we're going to do, because we're just putting it together. And I know that CJ is very happy where he's at. He's saying to have a really good time and understanding what we're doing. And so what would that goes from there? What did you see from last year at that? What did you see from him last year? That made you think that he could be impactful? Well, we know he can rush. He's got great speed off the edge. He really can get off the ball on that. We know that. Now, like I said before, he's can he play on a tight end and a six technique and then stand it up in a two feet plank? That's the thing you have someone ready to do. Once he master that,

32:08they rush stuff will come easy, because today is something to do. And that's what we try to work on. It's what we get going into. We can walk out of spring. We haven't felt really good about playing a run and rushing the faster. So we're going to bonus. And that's the goal. If you're in camp last year, you mentioned Josh McVeigh was coming down. Yeah. Yeah. When did he get in season? And how close do you think he is to be the guy who's going to back to the game? I think as we move forward, I think he has some factor in. I think every guy is factoring right now. Because of the death, right? So we're going to lose some great players. And now we're going to get these young guys and we're going to fast. And so we're going to hold hands and get them. There's your room typically has guys who start to show it in your team. Yes. But it seems like a trip. And it's a search showing your two. And they've got the first thing you see are the interviews. Without Jason. It's talked with him a lot. Just didn't seem to come together in your two. How can he kind of make up that get to where you need him? And he'd be for here three. He's probably more necessary. Yeah, I think Jason's got to play football. He's got to play more football in live situations.

33:09Right? So he didn't do a lot of shots playing in games. And so this offseason, this is the biggest offseason. And I've said to him, we have many conversations. This is a year. This is the time. I'm just going to put the process. It's now built. Now he's going to go. And I think he's ready to catch up. So I'm looking for great things for him. He's going forward. He's seeing to be in a good space right now. I like where he's at. So we've got a lot of days to go to him. So I'm very confident. We'll be right. So what do you guess the same thing when it comes to will? And he's injured. I think he's fresh. Yeah. Has it really played a lot of football for you? And what's the difference? Is it kind of the same thing with him or is it a little different? A lot different. We changed the position a little bit trying to find the right fit for him. He'll give everyone three tech to a nose guard. So I think we're going to flung a little bit one tech. I am really pleased where he's at right now. He's got strong ways. He's got the right. He's quick. And so I'm looking forward to guys going to that screen. Football, how he comes out. But so far so good. I mean, I think he has a chance to help us. Well, they know how to jack some play to good number staff. Yeah.

34:09You guys, we're getting lost last year. What does he need to do to be ready to take on a even bigger role? Well, he's got to be a leader first of all. So that's our role for him. He has not been in. He's going to be the leader moving unit. He's so far. He's done a great job doing that. Now he's going to be the guy. He's going to have to demonstrate a production force and move the sick force. The yacht's the force that I divest him. And I think he has a chance to do that. Now he's going to play for what he gets to play. So we'll see him more. And I think we'll see his talent come to front. What made you want to bring in Logan George? And how do you see him fitting into this? Well, you look for a fit, right? And what's the point thing? He fit. Doesn't fit our defense. He doesn't fit our scheme. They fit our culture. That's all important when you bring a guy to the court. He's got to be a fit and sitting talking to him, talking to his family, talking to his coach. He was really, really rare. And I raised him out of him. That's a player. And then once we sit down and talk, I feel like he fit our room. He's got great crowd to get rushed. It'll be plays hard. And everything you want to see, you've got to have he has. And so I'm looking forward to see where he goes from there. And is there anything you can do for the same hometown as Tommy Toggi?

35:13Yeah, same high school. Yeah, there's nothing like Toggi Eyes that hope you learn more about Logan. Well, not necessarily about learning, but I know they coach really well. And the men out there put the phone in call. And I mean, he gave right of years and was a player. He's a person. And that was, that was the end for me. Because you got to have a situation. And then the head coach was just going to love it. Because it's going to stop talking about it. It's a player and a person. So my brother and me talked to him. And then they sent it down. Oh, it's time. It was pretty good. What do you mean to see from a guy like him that knows that that can translate to a high-ost hate? This is like, actually, point literally the top of the sport right now. So how do you know that that's going to translate from FCS? Based on what I've seen thus far, the skill set is going to translate. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. If not, I mean, a huge mistake. No, I'm just saying. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Yeah. I know what you're saying. Like, it's a big moment now, right? But he's been, he's been, he's been, he's done great job. That can talk about that. I'm really looking forward to it. And he's been all business. And that's what you want. He's a great leader in a room. He's helping in young guys.

36:13But he goes on to see that he works. And that's what I want. Yeah. There, I think, it's something that probably all of us have talked about at times over the years. So I'll just ask the drink. Yeah. Was there anything in Jim Dole's' time here where his style of defense and your style of defense did not exactly mesh? No. No. Why do you think we think that? Because you guys think he's a 3-4, you guys looked at his system at Oklahoma. And thought that way is going to bring the jack thing here. And that's what we thought. And so when you looked at that, you might as well look for a 3-4 defense. Yeah. And we're going to check out your number. We have all these 4-3 guys here. And so you're out to change the way you recruit. You got to change the defense to the scheme set, right? And I think we tried jacks or an association. And then as the season went on, and teams were playing off, essentially, you know, it was predicate some more. We had 4 guys on the field and changing up. So it was never way like it. I don't chase stories and lies out there. Because nobody's asking me this question here at the mercy of the team. But Jim and I had a really great conversation about what

37:15we were doing. There was never a moment where we were going, hey, I don't want the 3-4. There was never that. Because that was the best fit for our players. How can we get them with the team? And that was always a conversation with us. And I took this step. The story was made about how it's contemplated. There was no conflict. Maybe because I said, well, I don't know what the jack, I don't know what, about that time, and what we were going to do with the jack. I knew that we felt jacks, sorry, to see the decision between coach and I, that. Let's get jacks or he back to give us a vent. And that's where we'll let's go to the other jack position and go out and do it. We never did it again. We never got back to the shore of defense. Because it changed what you do. I've not questioned about it. It's a different scheme and different thing we do. And you got to look by it. In big 10 offense, there's so many different ways for nations that you can get that guy caught in the house trying to play that. And I was like, what's the problem? What did you do about that story? Yes, it was. If that story was out there, how much did it bother you? The story was out there that you and those worked seeing out at the center. Maybe you can fight it. Here's what I say to you. It doesn't bother me because I know who I am as a man

38:17as a person, right? And so I'm never going to chase lies of people talking about what I did. And I was amazing. I'm getting sent into the night. I wouldn't choose to read it because that's not who I am. I mean, Jim and I had a great relationship and never came down to that. I don't have the ultimate. I was never that, but the story got created, which is unfair. But you got created somehow with someone on a podcast. I guess trying to get clicks of something. I don't know. I don't read that song. But no, it didn't bother me because I'm not chasing a lot. I know who I am as a person. I speak very high in my character. Why not? I've been this business a long time. I don't have to go through chairs that are really the thing by point, right? Yeah, I mean, I have a opinion. I give that opinion. We agree, walk on a room. What we're going to do is we go for it. I think you saw it this season. We played really well as we did it. We played well as a staff. How much more? How much tests more do you need? Yeah, I start when you think about it, especially the way the defense played down the stretch, second half of the year, and it'll play out. When you think about staff, players, talent, experience, coming in, just what's your evaluation

39:18of how do you highest-date defense played on the way to the national championship? I think the play light up. I think they played closest to unit. I thought they had a lot of pride about what they're doing. And they were on a mission. And they really were out to team on the off day. You knew that it was going to change. I mean, I see this is a proud ones of coach who see guys play the way they play. I mean, everything came to a tie. And that's what you want. The greatest moment of all, it happened when they skied. And I couldn't be more proud of how they played down the stretch. And every day, they came to work. Every day, they came to work. Never one moment, where they coached. No, let's go. Let's go. Let's go. I mean, you have to be in the rooms and know in practice and see Zach was on on. Every day, those guys were preparing for every day. Right. That's why you keep doing that. That's why it's fun. It's fun. Like, why stop something really long? Because you know that. It's a moment. Like, I said this before, I said to the young guys, talking about the four guys of Schronk. We're doing this with them. They came back for a reason. And we have to give them everything we got

40:18to make sure they're reached and gone. And that was every day in my media. Don't forget why we're doing this. It's why we have to go hard, because these four guys they came back to do this again for us. I hope they win the chance. And that was my passion. I walked in every single day. I was not going to let those guys down. And that count permeated throughout our room. And that's where we approach every day in every season, every day we talked about that. We're not going to make that. We came personally, because you felt a connection to these four guys that gave you everything they got. And you felt like you had to give them something back. So every day I walked in the room and said, I'm not going to fill you. I would give you everything I got. Everything I got every day, because I want you to be so sensitive. If they're lies to the last game, walking off the shield, tears all over our eyes, you felt they would leave like, wow, we didn't. You just looked at each other and said, we didn't. Because we believed in each other. So follow up on the fourth, three, four, three, four, and they can be talking about. Obviously, you got a lot of guys just walk out the door. Yeah, the minimum. The primary reason for why that four, three, four, three, four, three, four, five, kind of made sense. Yeah.

41:19With that black's turnover and confidence, it's such a massive effort. You opened the idea of maybe the front's changed a little bit more in the street based on where the depth might be this year, if that were the case. I'm always open and chained, because it's all about winning. It's all about putting our kids in the best position to be in. I don't know if we're just as kind of calm, but I'm holding things back. I don't have any way. I just want to be a coach. And whatever you tell me, a coach, I'm going to coach. That's the way I am. Just unfortunate that this three, four, four, three, doesn't really matter what we're playing. As long as we're successful in what we're doing, and put on players in the best position to be successful, that should be the bottom line, where you're four, three, four, three, five, six doesn't matter. Our players in the best position to play, and they win. That's it, that's really matter. Because you start getting caught up like, we don't do this, and we don't have the personnel to do this, but we still plan it. The star is way high state can't play the three, four, because it ain't our gun, right? It can't be that, right? I think you're a multi-quity fence, and that's what we are. We can find a way to use our players in the best position possible to be successful.

42:20I think you have to do that. And I think I've gone to what, six quarters, you've just coordinated, right? And so the change is always revolving. So you have to adapt to it, you use to put them all in. It's going to give us an investment. Our players will play as fast as they can, whatever you play. I'm all in. So there's no resistance from coach John, so you've got to be a four-man trying. We're going to be able to want to be into personnel fit what we're trying to do. So the last thing I'm going to say, it's not skiing. It's a gym in the jokes. And so we can talk scheme all you want, three, four, or even more. We have the end of the day. So those guys are front and guys are back at, or we're all on the same page as to play the best possible defense. Does that same approach relate to rotation? No doubt. No. Never going to change. So you don't have a particular question for you. Last question from coach John, how much you want to rotate personally? I do. I go into the game with the idea of Zach what I want to do. Who will rotate? Who's ready? It's not necessarily rotating. Who's ready to rotate to go into the game? Because you can't put a guy to position where he's

43:22going to fail because you didn't get him ready for the game. And I'm really big in that. They're ready to go. I'm ready to play. Let's go play. I want to get you to get your first year here. Yeah, 24-year. 24-year. This guy, as you did, was it more special because you've gone through four years? Yeah. I did. I had to help you by the time. And it's, well, but I happened this year. It's really special because you've been a group of guys and we've been around. You were on that. And I was on an alternate goal. It's a try to win that national attention. And then we get it down with the same guys on your program. To me, that's what comes to talk about that. It's a great game. Coach, think when you've kind of been waiting your turn behind Shaq and JT, then now it's finally on your top level. Yeah, I'll say it told me to feel different. It really didn't hit me until first practice of spring. But it feel well. Yeah, what is that like over the way to top? Especially in this age, you could have gotten up with the last couple of times. Yeah. What's it like to wait your time? Is it paid off for you? I guess it's what I'm talking about.

44:22I wouldn't say have paid off. Yeah, I really haven't done nothing yet. But God has a path for everybody. He's paving my path right now. So I'm just letting him control and pave my path right now. Would you discover that was your path? Would you think, come and come to you? Yeah, listen to that. This is what I should do. I'll say, I won't say after sophomore year. That's when it was a lot of ups and downs. And even this past year, it was a lot of ups and downs. But mainly from last year, it was a lot of ups. And it's like letting him control everything. I tend to overtake and want to control things myself. But that's not how God works. God, like I said, God has a path for everybody. He's catching my path. What is the biggest issue of life? It's a team that showed you how to lead. Just say consistent. It's different leaders. You've got the vocal leader. You've got the leader that's up by example. It's different personalities in the group. So I'll say, I can't talk to Edward. I can't talk to Ken and Curry.

45:23I can't talk to Ken and Curry. I talk to Ken and Curry. So it's just, it is, they consistent. Stay positive. And everything will take care of stuff. You made blood last year. You made your part of this thing, right? What's your sense of this defense coming back? You're placing eight starters. How you could hurry off and make another run? Everybody's working. Like you said, we lost a lot of good players. A lot of good leaders, man. But guys that stepped in up, we just got to step up. We just got to take on what the guys left for us. Pretty much it. Because of the defense line. Good. The same mindset that we had last year. They said consistent. And on our toolbox and trusting Coach Jay, whatever he got for us. As a receiver, he's pretty polished. Do you have anything made in like, during the wise he's sort of a defensive player? Yeah, I don't know. I mean, probably he had good coaches. And obviously, he's naturally, you know, a gifted athlete.

46:25He played a couple different sports in high school. Has a good feel for space and super athletic. But he's really impressed me with how dedicated he is. And he's always in my office. He was trying to get better. When you have the receivers you guys have, how do you get the guy like him involved in the passing game as well? We saw Kate and G do it to some level, but he's a guy who caught 50-some passes last year. Yeah, no, I think it makes it easier. I show these recruits all the time. Because everyone says, oh, I have a station at the receiver school. It's like Marvin Harrison was the best receiver in the country. And you know, who number two is in targets and receptions in receiving hours. It was Kate. Because you know, you can go to the other schools and they don't have the receivers we do and you're going to get doubled every game. Like, good luck. I don't know many, you know, great plays if you're going to get bracketed. But no, you have the receivers at Coach Hartline, you know, Keith Brown in here. We're going to have single coverage. And if my tight ends can't beat single coverage, and you know, we're going to have issues. You know, I've got another tight any can. Like, we've got a lot of tight ends who are pretty good receivers and excited to see them. And you mentioned that in my blocking.

47:25Yeah. I think if you take PFF grades and see what you will love that, they're not as high as other guys. And who? For Max. For Max, okay. Yeah, just how do you see that part of his game? Because I think that's been the knock that people have talked about. Yeah, I'm not sure. I mean, he checked that box when I watched the film. I'm not sure what the nice folks at PFF are watching. But, uh, Will Kazmerik didn't have many offers coming out. He's the best blocking tie in the country. So I don't know what his grade is. Listen, talk about it. At the convoy, he said that after the Purdue game, he came to you and said, hey, this guy is a portable guy. What do you really want? Yeah, yeah, Clayton, Clayton is trying to take all the credit. Caleb Downs is also, you know, kind of sure for me. I always have dinner with those two guys at DB's, really the safeties on Friday nights. And I always, every week, just asking about the opposing tight ends. And they were super high on Max, Purdue week. So when he went to the portal, Clayton and Caleb, like, see, oh, that's a guy. So I was like, we're all watching. Obviously, you have to do your own evaluation. And, which is that? Obviously. How much do you value that opinion?

48:26Do you hear that from guys who actually have to go on the trip? No, hugely. And like, at this back to back, here's really because you had, I mean, I would have watched Max anyway. I'm not even playin' too much play that way. But like, like the year before, it was the same way that's told me about World Pass America. So, no, if a guy knows our culture, and says, pushkey, he fits your room. Like, I gotta give Sam all the credit for finding cash. Is this the deepest tight end room that you have here? Yeah, it's gotta be. Just because, again, Dan, how many guys played in the nadi? Then we had five. They were four or five tight ends. We had all six playin' to play off, and four or those six were back. So yeah, I mean, we've got tons of guys in that room that have started college football games, and not just against the school down the street, like big time moments and big time games. So yeah, we're super deep. How valuable is that to know that you have, you know, four guys that have all played a lot of football in your tight end room? hugely. And I think the best part of playing is like, now I can challenge them even more. Like, we're past the stage of, okay, here's what it's gonna be like on Saturday. They've almost all the guys in that room have done it, you know? So now I can challenge them even more to go, you know, go be the best tight end room

49:27in the country. We're at a higher state. You can turn out up to that challenge and go somewhere else. For guys like Bennett and Jalani, what do they have to do to earn even more time this year? Yeah, I think everyone's different, right? Bennett's different than Jalani, and they go, but those guys, and we consistently, I said it, you know, last week, like, Coach Harge's gonna put the best 11th on the field. It doesn't matter if they're all running back, the receivers are tight ends. So like, every day I tell them, every day you're competing against the other tight ends in the room, but we're competing against receivers and they're running back to, when we put two or three or four tight ends on the field, if that package is better than none, we're gonna live in that. So every day's a challenge. Yeah, a lot. I was obviously all injured and I'm unfortunate, but he put in so much work. I was excited to see him have a full season. So that was cut short, but again, on the flip side, it's challenging to be more of a leader and to learn the offense, maybe, you know, taking a step back and help mentor a guy like Jalani.

50:28And I think there was a huge opportunity for a guy like Bennett and Jalani. Like, we watched it this morning in my meeting when we went down. We went tempo in the next play, G block the C gap, then we hit Quenchon, then the next play we were like 14 personnel, 13, and it was three tight ends, we've never done that. And we're on the road at Oregon and like, we punched it in and scored. It's just just a great story to tell the guys, like, when Kate went down against Georgia, we played the game with Ms. Rossi. It's like, all the guys gotta be ready. I don't know when your numbers gotta be called. So I know it was unfortunate, but such a good learning opportunity. What are you? What are you? Today is about Jalani needing to be more consistent. Is that some of your seeing more of a mental power? Yeah. Yeah, I mean, he's off the charge night and day, more mature, been really impressed with just his work ethic. He's in here every night getting extra work in. I'm challenged him to learn every position I'm off in. Don't just be a Y, be a Y, be an H. Know what the C's got. And then also be a leader. He's not a young guy anymore. So like, he's coaching Nathan or Blonk and those guys in Max, you know, even harder. He was yelling at Max Claire, you know, not yelling at him.

51:31He was encouraging him to finish like, hey, you're obviously tight end. Like, we're gonna be going harder than everyone on the field and I was like, you're gets it. That's awesome. He's been a leader. So super impressed with him. I know you're one that deferred to your guys in credit gap, but you are kind of the staple of one part of this coaching you do. You've built your way up through this program now. Get the title of this offseason. What's it been like to watch your journey here and kind of see where you are now? Yeah, and I appreciate that. You know, I'm not gonna take the bait there. That's total rap poison. But no, I think every offseason out of high state, we have such good players and we win championships. Everyone around here is going to get opportunities to go somewhere. And that's a credit to those guys. There's also like, shows all the trust that coach Daniel and Coach Lang have for me. And I've been, those guys have been my boss for the last nine years. Whether it's coach Daniel or coach hard. So like, nothing's changed but a title and just, you know, super blessed to be here with those two guys. And I love those guys. Keenan, you spent a lot of time starting talking about the message with your guys about being overlooked, least talented youth, or in the rankings and all that.

52:32This group is now veteran. Oh, yeah. I have one of the most productive tight ends in the country. Join the room. Do you have to change? I know it's still going to be hardest working. No, no. I'm not going to take that away. Is it a different message now, different mentality? It is. It is. I'm not changing our DNA. You cut open a high-stay title and easy to be a bad dude. It was really freaking hard and it's just gritty. It's all get out. But I'm not saying that we're going to be overlooked this year. At all. It's a 180. I told the guys, we should set the tone for the offense, for the team, you know, nationally, like with toughness and effort and all that, but production and we should be a driving force. Like, I challenge them all the time. Someone comes to practice. You want to see what the Ohio State, what guy, fight, culture is a brother. Just go watch the tight ends. Don't want that to the buff guys are. So I challenge them. You know, lead from the front now. We don't need to be the least kind of the sleeper unit. No, no. Like set the tone. Did Max play that quickly? I mean, you mentioned Will, trying to lead and encourage through practice. He's been here two months now. Is he putting that mindset?

53:33No, he's just writing. And that's all thanks to something today. I'm like, all right. Yeah, no, he's been a high-stay title. Yeah, now, super proud of him. And the whole unit. Sorry, did I miss anybody else? Good. Thank you guys. Thank you. Thank you. Pretty good. Nuptwo guys for sure. I mean, Michael Thomas was talking to me before the game. With a Rose Bowl in Chris Carter and after the game as well. I mean, just giving me advice. Just telling me to keep going first. And you know, just keep doing what I've been doing the whole year. I mean, I'm God's bugger, I legend. So definitely look at them guys for sure. Make sure to respect. It means a lot. Just to care for Miami, just be able to play an actual championship as a freshman, send it out, dream, go up as a kid. And I'm here now. And it's K-rated. K-rated, K-rated putting it so Monday. He said he got it. I mean, the Tissues, you know, like he says, they're crazy each and every week playing.

54:44But you know, you can't let it get to my head, I should say. I mean, just football at the end of the day, but you know, just have to be in this position. Yeah. Oh, none of us think we could be covered, man, oh man. I mean, we're actually talking about this yesterday as well, but you know, I mean, that's what they do. That's what they do. I mean, we should go out there, you know, play our game and, you know, sort of reason why not to play, man, oh man. Two. Four. Three. One. I'll go five. It's good. No problem. I'm going to play in the back. Four. Three.

55:45One. I'll go five. It's good. No problem. I'm going to say, you know, just go out there. Monday, just dominate the person I'm supporting me. You know, just do what I've been doing for the last two to three weeks, I should say. But, you know, they play man on man, so I'm just ready for the challenge. Yeah. I mean, feels good. Just say somebody going out there and playing on man on man gets 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, man, oh man. You know, the reason they announced the month 2016, somebody's not going to play right now. You sure you're going to be the conversation. Yeah. When you go to Carson, you have a couple other guys.

56:46States and banks, why is he going to have a pool? I mean, I don't really, if I be on a curve, I be on a curve. It's not really a big deal to me. It may definitely be a blessing for sure just to be on a curve of a game, but, you know, it's not really a dream 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 season. No, just no. Playing in the colors football playoffs as a freshman. Playing in the Rose Bowl as a freshman. Playing in the Cotton Bowl, not in the National Championship. I mean, it's a blessing for sure, but it hasn't hit me yet. My favorite catch, I would say we play Michigan State. The one I caught up to, defenders definitely probably my favorite for sure.

57:48Or you could go the one from Iowa, I should say, and the answer probably than two. Sure. I mean, like you said, it's pretty frustrating me having a game that I had in the Rose Bowl. They're coming to the Cotton Bowl, you know, just doing different things, chasing their scheme up against me. But I mean, like you said, whatever I could do to make the, 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 you got to say, National Championship. Right here. I'm going to play in the 14th. I'm going to play in the 14th.

58:52That means a lot. We put a lot of work in this, this season. We have, how's we have lows. We have people cutting us out. But we hear now, we just ready to put on a show Monday. First of all, the one that's not so championship because there's a lot. You see everything that he's been through this year, people saying he should be fine. There's that in the third. But you see everything that he's been through this year. I mean, I've seen everything that he's been through this year. I see everything. People saying my hand on Twitter. I wasn't here. He first got the head of coaching 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.

59:54I should say, I can't really say who. But I mean, you had guys like, oh, there, you had guys like, oh, there, you had Stefan Dicks. It means a lot of Michael Thomas Chris Carter. Just a lot of, you know, guys that played in NFL and stuff like that. But yeah, really them guys for sure. So just keep going. You got it. You've next up for sure. Really, really that. Yeah. So they said physical defense like you said, like people say, like they like to play men. They're not changing their skin. So we're just ready for the challenge. Like you said, the 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.

1:01:04I'm excited for will him. First coming here in Ohio State January our first workout we had together. And just everything that we built through the season. I mean, 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 home Monday. I mean, it's pretty funny. Them saying that because I'm just only a freshman. But I mean, it's a blessing for sure. People even say that, but I got two or three more years left of college. And I'm just focused on college 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. A peer for national titles. Something that I dreamed of as a very young kid.

1:02:06I'm just happy to be here and I just can't wait to put on the show Monday for you guys. I mean, all the receives we were just sitting on the bench and we just see him hit the quarterback and the ball come out. And we all just got up and just started jumping up and down. We all excited. I'm happy for Jack and I moment. And we just knew that that mom will like this. We go on to the ad for sure. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it shows a lot. I mean, going from high school or winning three-state championships, I saw my daughter then coming to Ohio State. Just competing for national title right now.

1:03:06I mean, just so that I put two great schools. But I'm happy to be here and I just can't wait to put on the show Monday. The coolest person. I mean, you got a lot. I can't really say just a specific person. You got a lot of great guys. Reach out and then lead like, oh, Dale, you have guys like Stefan Dicks. A lot of other players will just get kind of my mom, but really, really them two guys will show Odele a Stefan Dicks. When you're looking at their name, what's something that you got on your mind? Yeah. Like they say, they play man. So I mean, I'm just ready for the challenge and just get ready to go out there Monday and just no put on the show. Thank you. We're going to back over there. The vice-general had gave me.

1:04:17I said, just keep golf first. I know the reason why I'm here. Like he said, just keep golf first and just no keeping the main thing and the best corner I 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 lot of great corners. I can't really put a name on it. My dream vacation is Tercent Kiko's. What's your name? Good.

1:05:19I say both respect and frustration as well. But I mean, I doubt they come out there and try to put to me and they say stick it to what they've been doing all year. That's playing man coverage, which is ready for the challenge. Pretty good group. Christian Grey, 29th, a great corner, 15th, Lennon Moore, two great guys all right there. Very physical, but we all have to receive it, so we ready for the challenge. I say just no understanding the defense, understanding the game plan, understanding what Coach Kelly is trying to get done.

1:06:23I mean, just coming in, I felt I progressed from my first game against Akron to now. I felt I got better each and every week. I mean, things slowed down a lot for me. But yeah, really just no understanding the defense and no understanding what they're trying to do to me for sure. I'm two guys. Part of the best we go see all year for sure. Two physical guys. But you know, we're ready for the challenge that they're coming with and that's the play man on man. And you know, 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 to be in this position right now. I mean, we just had a prayer, prayer, prayer, prayer meeting.

1:07:32And you know, we all, they all, I mean, we all discussed the issues because they discussed issues. And you know, we just want the work. I mean, not two and a half weeks we had off before Tennessee game and we just came out there on Tennessee game. And we played with a chip on a chip on our shoulder. All throughout the playoffs. And we go continue to play with that chip on our shoulder in that championship on Monday. Do you know how that very impactful? He had a very impact on my career as to say, you know, just going to his games as a very young kid, seven, eight years old. Him playing West Virginia, they played Clemson, Orange Bull, Don and Miami. I mean, just going to see his games. It was like, yeah, definitely when the player didn't stage and I can't wait till I get to know that moment for sure. Who are you?

1:08:35I was gay, because they really just in his own, his own little space. He's just walking around trying to get his mind right trying to get his mind ready for the game. But you know, he, he just gave everybody hype in the locker room and you know, just trying to get us ready to go to win the game. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, for sure. I mean, you go play mangas 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're just ready for the challenge. You have a vision of what you've seen as kind of situation belt. Not a year later, definitely sometime in my career in college, but not my first in college, I should say. I mean, just to be able to be in this position right now, just a blessing, just to be here for Miami to be here.

1:09:39I won't take it for granted. I'm ready to go out there and give him my all. Yeah. Yeah. Uh, I mean, I was watching that game against was a Georgia. I believe. Yeah. I was in a game. I was pretty sick myself because I was actually committed at that time. Um, so I mean, yeah, they left a bad testimony mouth. Um, but I mean, we ready to go out there Monday to redeem myself and just put a show Monday. Uh, I mean, I just laughed. Um, but you know, that's what they do. They're not going to change what they do.

1:10:49Just because we're high state. So when you got to go out there and put it on, put it on why not to play. Uh, man, no, man, it gets us. So we just got to go out there and show them my day. So. Can you say the game? I'm sorry. Uh, my journey here at a higher state, prepared me a lot for not your shape of shit. Let me just go on through everything that I've been through. Uh, my first guy here, all the, uh, Matt Jules, all the hard workouts that we had, all the hard practices. Um, just preparing all of us for this moment. And I'm just ready to go out there and give it up my all Monday. Okay. Okay. Yeah. You just squeezed this? Yeah.

1:11:53200? Me is big and strong. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What's the one? Yeah. That's where it. Yeah. It's pretty good. No problem. Yeah. Uh, when I part of the most is the one against Michigan State when I caught over two defenders on their side line, party line or the one after that, I should say,

1:12:56or 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 grabbing my face, I just know I still had to make a play because the ball touched my hand. So I mean, just when the ball and the other thing, I have to make the play no matter how the ball comes at me. After a big game, um, 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.

1:13:56Yeah. It went, it went pretty good. Everybody just, uh, uh, speaking with their thing is, uh, going right in what they think is wrong. Um, which is a lot of the older guys, voicing their opinions on what we need to do to, uh, come to get as a team. Um, but you know, that me and definitely, uh, helped us in a, in a big way because it helped us on the field as well. Cause we played at a great football right now and we just got to you that one Monday. Yeah, it definitely got emotional. Uh, can't really say, uh, what really was said because that's, you know, players, players only and coaches only, but it was definitely some stuff said that, um, people took, uh, uh, with it and that's the reason we're playing the way we're playing right now.

1:14:59Uh, yeah, make help me a lot this year. Um, him being our older guy in the room. Um, me help me and Carlisle as well and Brendan and all the guys in our big room as well. Me just a great guy as well. It's very smart. Uh, I mean, make just been a big part of the reason that I'm having a seat that I'm having a look cause he's been a big, you know, older guy been there, been a lot of great guys in that room. Like Chris, a lot of way, Garrett Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr. Jackson, Smith, and 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. I'm taking him to the laboratory because he's like, you didn't necessarily belong with it's much like the same guy in the way. So, yeah, so the other thing is that did you feel underrated as the most right person? Um, not really. I was rated, you know, right? I mean, some actors, it's got different. Not me and, uh, I just feel like, uh, I had no all the offers. I think I'm, you know, I mean, but obviously, I had to fuck down like a room where it's sized, but, you know, it doesn't matter what you hear enough on the start of the wreck. What was it like to take that into substance?

1:16:01You know, I felt good. You know, I felt like I had a hard work and I, I, I do that spring, I'll teach him an ecology, you gave me, and I'll just pay it off. I just know this right. I'm playing with a camera. Taking the two deep as a true freshman, I'll play the other knowledge and opportunities and have a bigger role this year. What do you expect going into a second? I mean, not as working to beat, you know, I mean, obviously, they'll be running, you know, whatever, with how many savings or whatever, you know, I'm just working just to beat, you know, work my tail logs, you know, make a role for my son. I can trace physical. Um, I got, I would say like, I got a lot more aggressive and I gave, you know, I gave some weight now. Um, push him towards 200 pounds now, you know, I'm not against others. Coach Patricia, what have you, uh, the state of Canada? I've always been like real. You know, he's a great guy. You know, I like him, you know, all, you know, for size coach, he's a great guy. You know, he cares about his players, you know, obviously football wise. He's a master in the behind us. He is, well respected in his football business. You know, in his time being in an NFL, so I think he's going to reflect you.

1:17:04Whether it's like starter or occasional piece, what is he going to expect to see from the tail of the plane and in his face? I expect you know, just to add value, you know, from a half of the team and just make players. You feel a lot more, I feel this year. Last year, for sure. I feel like, you know, I'm starting to use to everything here. And I feel like I'm just trying to pull off one of the last. You know, like I said, I'm not going to make a role as my players. I was going to say, you know, mindset at the beginning was spring, starting to scratch you away. Not letting too much of the shadow of the national team to keep the team really embraced that mindset and say competitive in that mindset. You know, you know, we have one idea so far. So, you know, we're trying to stay determined, you know, just trying to dominate. We're not living in passing, we're just like, you know, we're having to just try to get another one. I'm not the coach, I'm not a coach, I'm not a coach, I'm not a coach, I'm not a coach, I'm not having to be a role. You have to be a role that you're full on end, get some reps in another position. Obviously, you know, right now, playing Sconey and Free City, you need to try, you know, craft myself and just, you know, make myself more versatile for the team.

1:18:10Where are you going to do it? You can get some more reps. Right, obviously, he's living in like a company, so, you know, obviously, I'm in the league of this, you know. And for him, you leave your own line, because this is all just working. He's skipping, skiing, huh? Thank you. Appreciate it. Speak some of his language with what he's called things before and you're trying to morph everything together right with these things that we've done, what he knows, we do, like, it's a lot. But he's been incredible with, I think the staff, he's very organized, he's detailed. You'll have constant, clear communication, you know, and they're going to get together at this time of the year. And he's been a lot of sufficient in your wallet. And it's been a lot like when you're come from outside and you come back into it and you have to try to catch him up on the recruiting boards and, you know, like, you have a lot of these conversations, okay, what are we looking for at these positions now? How do you see it? Because, you know, under one coordinator, you might see a, the, my linebacker needs to be this, and under this coordinator, well, I think the mic backer needs to be this.

1:19:15So you have to have those conversations at every position and use kind of keep going through and, but I'm just excited to learn, I think the more systems, I mean, luck. Play the system here in college, play the system underneath, by Molo, play the system, or Tim Walden, play the system under Greg Williams, Dennis Allen, Coach of Galgold, and Jim Nalt. Every one of those, there's like different terminology for everything. So you're just, you're learning a different language, call and think, you know, I mean, there's concepts. And, I think it just kind of collect over time. What you think is really good stuff and how you do stuff that could be a little different, and I'm just really excited to learn from that and to have some success. He was seem very excited over there, talking really to me here. Yeah. Coach of college, whatever. So long. What's his personality like with you guys? Yeah. He's been great. I mean, his energy is incredible. He's very, he is. He's authentically excited to be back in college football. You can tell there's like a yearning to get back to like the why you got the coaching right is the impact young people.

1:20:19It's the impact and teach the game of football. And so a few times it's been a fun, you know, kind of like talking to the guys in a sense like he's excited to just learn. To just teach ball. You know what I mean? And kind of ironically like you know, similar to a lot of things that chips that last year, right? Yeah. Get back and you're like, man, I'm just excited to. And so he has that excitement. He's done a phenomenal job, I think of being the other players. Just kind of like walking around versus like popping in, making sure that he's in front of them and they get to know him and he gets to know them. And it's a lot that you can imagine when you come in and you have all these guys, right? And trying to learn all these guys. I'm learning recruiting, I'm learning staff, I'm learning dynamics, like it's a lot, but he's handled it really well. You know, he's an old school ball coach, so he's a grinder. So he's really good job. James, I probably not going to need to do much this spring. How much more can you get done with the young guy? Let's tell him that. So I got to do a lot. But in terms of Ryan Dair, he said, you know, 50% 75% or whatever. How much more can you get done with the young guys when they're worried too much about the senior?

1:21:24Yeah, I think, I mean, you're always just looking for competition, especially like in spring ball, that's what it's all about, right? You're trying to have it so cliche, but it's true. Like the iron sharpens, iron mentality of you want your room to be super competitive. To where, hey, the guy in front of me makes a play. My next set of four plays I go out there. I have the point, right? And it's a constant driving of the room forward. So, yeah, sonny gets 50 or how many reps off 50% rubber coach said. And that means more opportunity for somebody else to play, right? So that be more for our values that scheme flexibility with our value. And pay pierce around it. It's like TJ Riley. You like all these guys stove. We're all going to get more reps. I think it's great. So we got to do it this point of season. But I think you'll, yes, there's still stuff that within their level of Sunday is that he's going to be. Clon to try to get those reps because he's a true pro. And that's been the most enjoyable thing about working with him is like.

1:22:32You get a kid who's played safety his whole life comes the backer and he just wants to learn the why behind everything. And you know, very similar to the fact of Cody like, we have guys who are that easy to work with. You're not trying to like not worried about texting anybody in our room. About coming over and trying to learn all, you know what I mean? Like, where you at? You know, like they're obsessed with the game of football. They're always around when they're at class. So it's like. It makes it really easy as a coach because they're passionate for the game. So strong. You mentioned in CTA in terms of the higher with the map. Just what can sunny like what do you envision more with him with all of that stuff? I think I think we just have a lot of guys with a lot of links. It's about sunny styles long run or Valries long run like. It's crazy because you see sunny. Okay, this guy like. I wish I was built like that when I played and then you see our Val stand next to sunny. You're like, you know what I mean? And so like, and then you look across the room like as the room warms up, you're like, holy smokes like.

1:23:37We just have a bunch of guys and that's a lot of credit to make coach made as a phenomenal job. I was just talking to Burm about it like to see even our maybe your guys what they looked like when they showed up during. Like the whole night. He run and they're kind of hanging out during practice and see the high school bodies to see what they look like today before they go red and like the shoulders are all like everything is just different. And they've been indoctrinated into the brotherhood. So I think you know, there's just a lot to work with. So what he's really good at right is like he's talked about it. One year he has junior say, oh, we'll get us Mike variable, you know, Roosevelt, Colvin and those guys. And a couple of years later, he has Brandon spikes. So he's like, okay, I was just by his blitz brand in the middle all the time. So he was 260 pounds and he's. He always says he was my best nose guard from Mike backer, right? And then the year after that, he gets, you know, got Jamie Collins and Dante high talent.

1:24:37So now we can do a lot of stuff, right? So. There's not just like, hey, this is what we're doing. We got plenty of people into it. Hey, here's what we got. Let's utilize it. So that's what spring will be. While going to lab and figure out what that means, I'm sure through spring ball, there'll be like, hey, here's what we do really well as unit. So this unit is going to be different, right? And you know, we lose a lot of production. So you know, we'll be different. So you kind of got to reform your own identity and you're re-hearned that silver bullet big name and mantra. How many guys can look at our bell and just like he's on a very good track. Is that it? What's his ceiling? It's just locked in. He's done a great job becoming a leader. Coming out of his shell. I think I think for Valley, it's all about consistency and just preparation. And I'm proud of our bell. You know, he's through the season. You got way better at. You know, a lot of it's like little things. Just note taking stuff like sometimes if these kids are always on their phones and stuff, not like the meeting rooms or anything like that, but just naturally.

1:25:43So like to get out of pen and paper and like, you hear things in the middle. Yeah, I got it. What you do until your dog tired and then you forget because you know what I mean, but when you really understand it, you know what I mean? Like go play faster. He got so much better through the year. Just a lot of that's because of Cody, like becoming a pro. And now it's like Sonny's pulling him along. He's pulling paint along the paint's pulling TJ and Riley and Eli. So I can still like. So I kind of love the competition room right now. The way it's made up. Yeah, that was a great pattern. How many different guys do you feel like can be in that Mike's spot? Three years. But that was obviously losing Cody and now having that. I think that's something that's fluid as we kind of go because you know week one Sonny actually started at Mike for us. And Sonny smart enough to play them all. Our Vel is smart of the play them all. Here's a smart of the play them all. And it's also like how did you like depends on what what scheme you're running. Where they how do they being utilized as well?

1:26:43You know what I mean? So you say my backer, you know, whether it's Tommy, I can very grow up in research, two different people and Cody's different than those two. So I challenge to like a lot of the guys that come in. It's got the other both. The more you understand about the scheme in general, the faster you will play. You know what I mean? Like if I just sit here and I say, hey, I got a lot of Mike. My drop is this and that's all I need to know. Like, well, no, football happens so fast and all the shifts and motions that like if you're out there just playing and you're waiting for a call. And you're just reacting like you're so worried about what's going on on your side of the ball. You haven't recognized that the offense is telling you something's what they're doing. So if I'm out there and also I'm not getting a call, I know what the call should be. It's like, hey, are we playing? So let's go now. Listen, you get it. You can look. I can see, okay, here's what the tight ends doing. That's what the backs doing. Here's what plays are coming. If you just line up the place, rather pass every time, like you know, stand a chance.

1:27:44You got to eliminate plays in your mind by seeing what the offense is doing. Like they tell you a story every time they line up. They just window dressing. People motion and she wants to try. Okay. Are they trying to do man's own indicators? Are they trying to make sure that they're getting the same formation. They're on the same place, but they just shift the people and then they motion and they move and they don't want you to recognize. So we're always worried about what work you don't mean. So the more you know, faster you can play. You're not sitting there thinking, oh, what do I have for you? It's your react. It's your I know you have. So my challenge to guys like, there's always a no both. So I think a lot of just beyond on depth. I'm sure guys get, you know, if Sunnies only do it in 15 to 75% of the place, then probably more guys get more will reps than they had because we need more will bodies. And then the next time the two were sunny and started. But we'll rotate them through. Let the production kind of show what it does. And sometimes you know, you'll live with some mistakes just from being a news spot. But you'll be able to judge to like who's actually getting in the book. You know, I mean, who's actually studying?

1:28:45How much of growth have you seen from sunny this time of year? Go through the national championship game and then what's next? Man, I mean, definitely. I know I know sunny has big goals and he should. I do as well for him to see how far he's come. You know, the first thing kind of stands out is just like his. His footwork has gotten so much better. You know, when you're in the boxes of linebacker, you got to be able to remember loop thickly. Say it all the time and you gotta be slow. Tell us time to be fast when you're twitching like he is. A lot of times when you're about safety or you're just pulling a trigger and rolling like you gotta learn how to shuffle and not cross over. And he got so much better as a year or not. I think a lot of people question whether he'd be able to hold up his cowly wise and you know he was he was great. You know, he's the season guy. He's really good with his hands. He's a really natural ability to snag. We'll keep challenging him. I think he should be a dominant guy in coverage. He needs to be a guy that we can put on a tight end and be like he's not going to.

1:29:47He didn't catch on the ball. He has that athleticism. I think we need to challenge him there. Challenge him. I think everything is just missed. It's not just sunny. It's everybody's urgency in zone coverage. I mean, the urgency with you have to break on the football to close that space. Not at the bulk area have so much space on you to cut making miss is critical. I think sometimes he's he could be so athletic that you know you can get away some stuff. He knows anything that I'm saying right now. He already knows so the best part is a lot of times like he'll come to me before film and already say that man coach on that play. I should have you know what I mean like he knows and the best part is that he's humble enough. Our whole thing is that they just want to be they want to be pushed and they want to be coached. And so the heck of a loss could you ask for right like how is that like what do you mean for me just just keep making sure like you're pushing it. You don't let me settle. Let me settle. So he's probably the best on the room with that. Do you look at sunny in our belly pain that's kind of your top of the guys right now?

1:30:48Yeah, I mean, I think going into it, you know, I think it's sunny or well. Pain is right up there in that mix. You know, your accurate there and then it's like who else is going to emerge from really the fourth. The fourth guy. You know, I think it's a healthy way to put it. Yeah, I just I think our I think our backers are so competitive. So competitive that it's. You know, I know Peyton Pierce is chopping at the bit. I know that he's going to push you know, Vell and sunny. I know that you look at Riley and TJ and Eli and stove like those guys are going at it. And it's constant. You know what I mean? They're trying to fight each other. Everything. So it's a reality of it is they're fighting for reps, right? So this game is hard. It's winter loose every single day. And you know, a lot of the guys are going to make our break and start with the mental preparation to be honest with you. And because that's where trust starts right. If you don't know what you're doing, I can't put you out there.

1:31:51So who preps mentally as we get rolling and then the physical part of that blood. Let's say it says it's sunny our belly and Peyton probably have probably the top three and then. But like I always say it's always fluid. It's always fluid. I haven't done this. You know, it's funny. There's one coach who said that I forget what kind of felt he was. But he said that what he does is he has the depth chart. Sit in the front of the room. So if you're a starter, you're the first to grow. You know, and then your second row and things like they'll change weekly. Sometimes they'll camp. I'm like, I can't do that. I got it. I'm not sure they can handle that. Good. Ryan, two things. One, Tileek being available, but not necessarily playing the bear. What happened with there? And then also what was the evaluation of Will at halftime? Yeah. Will is good to go. Just took a shot there as you guys saw. Tileek was available. He was going to be was available in emergency role.

1:32:53We felt like we needed him. We were going to put him in the game. He was cleared. But felt like one more week, almost like the dawn of the situation. One more week of rest. You know, we get him to 100% which we felt like was the right thing to do. If we needed to, we could have put him in the game. We decided we didn't need him. Yeah, just a general overview of how you feel about this game. First row game, first big 10 game, went about 38-7. And then of course the turnover is y'all forced. And the stoppage there when I'm fourth down when they were deep in your territory. Just how much did those loom huge? Oh, yeah. I mean the turnover battle was huge in this game. And you know, if we don't get those turnovers, you know, maybe it's a different game for sure. But that's the game. And you know, we got to make sure we win in the situations. So, you know, we'll take a look at the film and figure out where it's at. But I thought the atmosphere was excellent early on. I thought, you know, they came out and played really, really hard. I think again, Jonathan's doing a really good job of,

1:33:54you know, putting his culture into it. His thumbprint on the program here. You can see it going. And that a lot of respect for him and his staff. But I thought our guys responded well. And had some really good poise. That was something that we talked about coming into the game. And having poise in the noise, you know, getting down in there. Some of those forth down conversions are pretty clutch. I'm talking about that poise will start off really well. And maybe kind of hit a little rust by it. I had a couple of passes and I'm sure he went back one. Obviously that he went back. What was your assessment of just the poise that he showed and kind of settled down on that following drive? And answered back, right back. Yeah, I mean, the biggest one was the interception. You know, he knows. I mean, that was not a good play. And it could have cost us. So something to learn from. You said to move on from it and work through his progression there. But, you know, when you're going through learning a new offense and everything is going to be some of these growing opportunities and learning from those opportunities. So, but overall, I thought he was solid. He was poised. He made some big, big, big throws.

1:34:54And then, you know, a couple runs, a couple of tough runs in there. You can see what a difference it makes when you have somebody who can run. What has allowed Jeremiah to at least match the expectations that came in for him so far? As work ethic, he does it every day in practice. I mean, just doesn't say a word, but works is tail off. It's disciplined, this humility. He loves being a bucket eye. You can tell it just the way he works with his teammates. And he's coming out of his shell a little bit too, which is great to see. But I mean, the talent speaks for itself. I just am impressed with the discipline and the hard work and being able to step in at such a young age. The only way you do that is if you go in and put the work in. And he came in with that work ethic, Brian certainly taken it from there. But this is especially on man. Yeah, Ryan, we talk about Jeremiah Smith and how special he is. The Caleb Downs on defense was just was pretty incredible. Pretty impressive. What's it like to have when things are a little clunky?

1:35:54You've got a guy that can make NFL plays on both sides of the ball. Yeah, I thought Caleb played great tonight. I'm showed up in a big way on a bunch of different spots. And you can see the acceleration how fast he plays. And a part of that is that let us isn't, but another part is just the way he prepares. I mean, he prepares as hard as anybody on our team. And, you know, he was, he was all over the place tonight and made a huge difference. And you said, and kind of turning that point where they were moving the ball some. And he got, he got us going a little bit back there. And no, those are some big plays. And then I think it kind of felt like it turned the momentum for us on defense. Do you want to go to the top of the boundary there? My outfetcher or older? Ryan, what does this say? I know you've already touched on a little bit. What does this say about Devon to be able to come in and deliver that kind of pass? That was a clutch play. It was a clutch play. He put it there and, you know, we told them, you know, if you have the opportunity to throw it, rip it. Only throw where, you know, you know, the receiver can catch it. You know, we had a couple of different options there. If, if, if nothing was there, just throw it out of bounds and kick the field goal. And he did that and he gave him a chance.

1:36:54And, and so it was good. It was good to see him make that play in that big spot. Did you go to the athletic? Ryan, two things on Trey. I know you got a little, he kind of limped up the field after he got hit there and put him well didn't know. But just kind of how's he doing it? And then two, just how much growth have you seen from him specifically in the past? Yeah, side of things. He had some great pickups, huge pickups. He was on the touchdown in Jeremiah and the touchdown to Omega. And there was a couple more. He did a really good job coming across. I got to watch the film, but I just like three of them in particular. I, he came across and picked up some corner fires and did a nice job. But that was big. He's, he's becoming that all purpose back that, you know, we all know he can be. And, you know, again, I thought they ran hard, but, you know, I mean, you know, I think where we are right now is, is we're making progress. But we got a long way to go, you know, and I think that, you know, our guys have that mindset. It was good to get this win on the road, first road win, good environment. But, you know, we know that the challenges are bigger ahead. So we're going to get on this film. It's the hungry and, you know, keep the journey going.

1:37:55But, you know, we're going to get back to work tomorrow. And we know that we got a really good Iowa team coming in here next week. They have had a week off. Just like always, they're, they're a very, very good team. Play complimentary football. And so we know we got a big challenge ahead of us. So we're going to have a great week of practice. Yeah, coach, just want to ask you the play calling, particularly there, the end around to Jeremiah, just feels like you guys get into a bit of a spot. You guys have a wrinkle. You have something that's coming. Is this chip? Is this you collaborating? Just what would you say? That one seemed to catch them really flat footed on that play. Yeah, no, it's everybody on the staff. There's, there's collaboration. But, but chips got a great feel for it for the game and calling the plays. And, you know, it was always, you know, have some wrinkles in there. We've got a few other ones that, you know, we held off on. But, I think it's a balance of making sure that you have your fastballs, where you're running downhill, and you feel really good about them, but having enough curveballs that, you know, we can create explosive plays. And that's that balance you're constantly looking for.

1:38:56But we always want to try to find ways to get, you know, the ball to our playmakers in space. And we're going to keep trying to do that. Responsibility, getting everybody lined up, getting the call, but knowing my assignment, it's, I, I, I didn't know how it's going to go, but it's just like, up to you, a little bit more. So, it's going to take some getting used to, but I know, I know I'm really, How much do you think that's going to help you in the ball? What? Being a bike. I think it's going to be good, being able to, being able to roam around, and just taking charge of it. I'm definitely used to that comfort with that. So I feel like it's going to be good for me to fall. And to help you learn a defensive scheme faster, to have that much responsibility. Yeah, for sure. Knowing, knowing what everybody's doing, and everybody's responsibility is getting to know how we play better. What's the typical day like for a true freshman middle lineback, trying to learn a defense off the practice field? Off the practice field. Just waking up, getting here early, probably watching the watching film. You know, we got, we got pride views or weight.

1:39:56So, we're not getting through that. We got meetings, so more, more, the game knowledge. We got an individual meeting, so just learning to learn to that more. And then after that, after that, we got class and stuff. So, after class, we definitely got to stay on the film some more. What film are you watching? What do you watch? Oh, practice film, practice film. You're filming? Yeah, knowing what I did wrong, what I could improve on and learn new installs. I'll get changed physically since I'm rolling. I definitely got a little bit stronger, for sure. Speed, speed, a little bit faster. You came in at what, and you are at what now, as far as weight? I came in at 212, I'm at 212. What's the target weight? I was starting to check all your tentacles. Right now, 233, 233. Doesn't take Mick Lund to get to you guys where you want to be, right? What are your expectations for your freshman? Every time you get to get some talk to James Lohan and I say it's a nice thing to say about you. What are your expectations for your first year? Just getting on a field and making plays. I feel like that's a good experience for me.

1:40:57I just want to get out there and make plays. Describe your game. It's a long backer. I think I can do a little bit of everything I can cover, I can rest past it. I can play to run to. I think those are all my strengths. I think my screenplay is faster. I think I see games. When that's usual, big Texas flavor on this team. A lot of Texas guys, it's been like here for the last 10 years. That's got to make you feel kind of at home. Talk more about that if you would. Just Texas guys, football is really big in Texas. So with that Texas Ohio pipeline, I'm knowing I got guys from Texas. I love it. You'll stay through the pre-proc. I'm the goal line. You open up with a long horse and start to play with your career. Thank you Peter. A little expert in dancing. Thanks for that. What is it just inspired you to see what Cody Simon was able to do here last year?

1:41:59Not only as a player, but a leader. That's definitely something I look forward to becoming and being able to do those things. Cody did, Cody did, the way he played, all the plays he made. I feel like that's a good aim for me. What kind of example is Sunny setting for a group right now? Sunny, his position, his switch from safety to my back. I feel like the way that he played last year, being his first year of my back. I feel like if he could do it, I could do it. So you know, that's definitely good. Do you have a lot of experience playing safety? Yes, I'm really seeing my freshman year. I mean, we're all pretty much interchangeable. If I need to go to left guard center, whatever, it's not really like a big shock or a moment. We train for this. We're prepared for this. So when it happens, we're able to execute. Why don't you try that, you'd be making the switch. To left guard.

1:43:00I think half time. Well, coming in, it's a rookie in the crowd and the noise. I know you said you guys all trained for this, but what can you tell us about how he can be? Yeah, he's a man. He's built for this moment. He's done it for his whole life. So at the end of the day, it's just a game. We keep trying to keep everybody calm, calm, collected. And we're five is one. We help each other out. Whenever we need to, we do it. He was ready. He was built for it. He's going to be a great player. You're obviously no stranger to Matthew's toughness. What was it like just seeing the way he let this off? I think I, that guy's a warrior. 36 years old. He's taken some hits and some things and some dent. And he's able to get back up and keep it rolling. You know, he's still got that fire to him. You know, we love having him back there. Sean has always said after a loss, don't let the team beat you twice. But to have the lead in the game, all the injuries and not win to describe that level of frustration. I mean, it's the NFL.

1:44:00Comes down to seconds and inches. And you've seen it all through past couple days and today. And it kind of comes down to the little things. And we'll see him again. And I apologize if you were asked. What was it like for you personally to walk on the idea of his? It was kind of surreal, man. It was nice, emotional seeing everybody. I wasn't a kid when I came here. But I grew into more of a man. And these people here have definitely helped lay that blueprint for me. Help me out big time. And I can't thank them enough for that. You know, you've looked at film yet for how you're feeling about the D. I feel really good, you know, saying it could be because everything, careful all summer. And OTA is showing up. You know, we stood out ground. We came up short a little bit, but in that end day, you know, it's a lot of effort. I see a bright future for us. Why do you think that thing on the overtime drive? I mean, you guys have been stopping them. And then they just seem to kind of get a role. Yeah, you know, you know, just something that we just need work on. You know, got to play around better on that.

1:45:01And just kind of eliminate the big phase. That's all that it comes down to. But overall, I just felt like we just came up short on that. So it's kind of struggling to find it's hurting early in the game. What did you guys feel like you like to do as a defense team? You know, we just need to step up. You know, I know they would have come through and have our backs. So I just tell them the office, you know, we got your back. You know, just keep doing what you're doing. We're going to keep on trying to hold in the best we can to save. Are you ready to plop off of bigger performance in this game? Yeah, definitely. I feel like, you know, as a whole, everybody on the offense can contribute. And, you know, we have a lot of great playmakers on our team. And our coach will definitely find ways to get us all to ball and get in the best position to score. Step on crashing it. Please go out. Can you do it open a CC country? Did you have any interest? Did you think you could make it to the Rose Bowl one day and want to play the Rose Bowl one day? I would say, yeah, definitely. As a competitor, that's something that you compete for. To, especially as a team player, you know, to be at the top level, to go to the playoffs and be in this position. So I wouldn't say I would have guessed I would be here in this position now, but definitely I wanted to be in this spot.

1:46:04There have been one point to this match. We'll have the moment at the end of the game. He thinks about Jeremiah's same thing. He ended the play early in the game with a bubble. I mean, it's a great play by the defense player. How much do you think about that? How do you think about that play where you can replay your mind? You know, that's past us now. You know, that game is past us. So I think I would like to make sure to how we can come up this week coming up and win this game. And that's all that really matters, you know, as a whole. As a team, everybody has that same mindset, that same grit and that same passion. So that's all that matters. That Murphy 24-7-4, you guys had some pretty clear motivational factors coming out of Michigan going into Tennessee with three weeks of a lot of talk. How do you keep that same kind of mental edge now going into this game? Are there more people talking positively without you, things like that? Yeah, definitely. I would say everyone just keep the same mindset that we had going into where we are now. We all have a big goal in mind.

1:47:04And we know what that goal is. So whatever it takes to stay focused, that's what we're going to do. Awesome. More in the podcast. Which on the way that you and Trey bounced out the workflow last week, was that sort of the perfect design of what you guys envisioned a year ago? Or you started looking at this opportunity? I would say, you know, our coaches do such a great job at that and just getting me in there in different positions on the field. And just trade being the type of player he is. You know, whoever is on the field, you know, we're both going to do our job. So I would forward to it. Tony Gourmet, fuck out, how do you try to do? You've got games to focus on. I have you thought about what's going to happen next year, where are you going to be? No, as a right now, I'm just looking forward to this next game and trying to win it all. Any other quick points, John? Kevin News? Fuck out, how do I know it's looking back, but you didn't have a chance to ask you. What's going through your mind on the first private, where your first touchdown is, when the exchange between you and Will, where you pin the ball on your rear end? What, you know, what, what's the thought there? I actually thought he was going to pull it a ball and I kind of felt it and I just got an instinct.

1:48:07So I just kind of grabbed it and just took my best. Any else for Quincha? Great, Quincha, thank you very much. I mean, there's always people that's going to be coming in and trying to do what you did in the past. So I'm looking forward to it and like I said, I mean, we're just all excited to go out there and be peeing. Okay, well, it's anyway off. The fact that the way that this student fence has additions on every level, talk about a chation of the people to line and up the trampoline there, you guys have willing to second level in the third level, to go on with chion and the rest of them. How much pressure is on this deep fence to perform to the higher level of expectation in the last time? Right, I would say that last year was, you know, we excelled in certain things, but we were also trying to get back to where we were in the past. So we got some great additions and we're excited for that.

1:49:08Ultimately, it's to use some of these guys to be the number one defense in the league. And that's always going to be the goal. So whatever we can do to utilize all the different talent that we have on this team to be the best and play as a team and to build the best chemistry that we got, that's what we're going to do. What's the end of it just offence? Just early, this early in the game, what's the end of it? Yeah, we're not used to going against the normal offense I have been the past three years. So it's been a lot more moving pieces. Definitely have to use your eyes pretty well because if not, then somebody's going to be open. But I like what they're doing. I'm very excited for it. I just know it's making our defense a little bit better because we're having to do different things, not just the normal offense we've been used to. That was going to say just because every other team has some variations that they were in this year, does that kind of do you think that kind of benefit you because you've seen that more than the rest of it?

1:50:08I would say so. I mean, as the league has changed over time, I think they revert to certain offenses that do well in certain systems. I would say we're taking maybe a little bit pieces from other offense that we see to do well. So I like what we're doing. I mean, I don't know as much as some of these quarterbacks that we have on the team, some of the offensive players, but I just know it's tough to go against. I'm lowest at number last year, but still one of the top team school in defense. What do you guys really need to do to finish after the quarterback? Yeah, I would just say place heavy emphasis in practice. It's always going to start in practice with getting after the quarterback, not touch him in practice, but making some good moves. And I would just say rush more. I mean, there's so much that goes into it, it goes with the coverage. Everybody works together. I would say that we had great numbers, but we are trying to get that number up,

1:51:08but the ultimate goal is always going to be the ball. Getting the ball taken away, getting off the field, we're putting our offense out there on the field, and we're staying off. That means that we're doing a good job. I'm already asked about it from my competition standpoint, but from my collective standpoint, having you wins a mark and a win on the field. What kind of a trio can do for a defense? In this guy's limit with this group, I do believe we have one of the most talented linebacker core groups in the league. So just excited what we're going to be able to do out there on the field. I think we all compliment each other super well, bigger guys that are explosive. So I'm excited for it. And also, I want to take a moment and thank and show respect for Coach Farrant and what he's been able to do at Iowa. It's unbelievable. In some ways, it's sad that 11 years has become the exception in college football. But what he's been able to do at the University of Iowa is super impressive.

1:52:09And I wanted to congratulate him and all his success. So open up the questions. We got first row on your right side. Kenneth Berry, touch on the tangent. Hey, Kenneth. How's it going? Good morning. Coach, and all your years, you look about at the Vanderbilt year where you guys had a record-breaking season. You look at the, you made it to the Rolls Bowl and with St. Quon and everything. How close do you feel like this team is? And how much do you feel like they mirror the character and the identity of those teams? And this being your 11th year in the conference, how good is the feel seeing the influx of African-American head coaches? Not only just getting jobs across the landscape, but the Big 10 pretty much leading all of the conferences with the number of African-American head coaches that are currently present. Yeah, I'll answer the second part first. You know, I love the fact that Big 10, the Big 10 is one of the leaders in this space.

1:53:15I think that sends a very, very clear and loud message that people are going to be judged by their work and their production. And I think the Big 10 is a great example of that. Obviously something that myself and Mike Loxley and a lot of the guys take a ton of pride and have done a ton of work on his well. And hopefully that becomes more of the trend across college football as well as the NFL. Just spent some time the other day with Rahim Morris, who is one of my best friends. He was the defensive coordinator at Kansas State when I was the offensive coordinator. And is now the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons getting a second chance, which is also not common. So I think that's powerful. And I think that's about our team and maybe some of the similarities to some of the teams that we had at Vanderbilt and over our time at Penn State as well. I think it starts with the three gentlemen that we brought with us to this event.

1:54:16Guys that are experienced guys, guys that have had a ton of success on the football field, they've handled themselves the right way academically on and off the field. And have won a ton of games. You know, they're guys that embrace that were in a place like Penn State where we've been able to consistently for the most part win 10 to or 11 games. But that's not the expectation at Penn State. They chose Penn State just like I chose Penn State to compete for championships. And we embrace that. But we are one of the few programs in the country you can win 10 or 11 games and people are unhappy. So we embrace that. We're excited about those opportunities. And it starts for us at West Virginia in Morgan town, which is going to be a challenging opening game. First row here. Good morning, coach Nick Hamilton, night cast media. Hey Nick. How you doing? Good. Once I ask you about Abdul Carter, him changing positions, linebackers defensive. And how much do you feel like that will strengthen your defense this season?

1:55:18And also, how does that play case as far as throughout the locker room as far as taking that type of role being a leader in the locker room? Yeah, so I think first thing is he'll play both. We have the flexibility to play in at both positions. He's one of the unique athletes. And that was playing linebacker 250 pounds. And you never know how that transition is going to go playing in space at the linebacker position compared to moving up. To the line of scrimmage and having to go against offensive tackles, he made the adjustment pretty quickly. And at the end of the day, you're talking about one of the more explosive physical athletes in all of college football. So we think he's got a chance to make a significant impact week to week. We'll decide where he's going to have the most impact for us. Whether it's on the line of scrimmage at defensive end or in the linebacker position this spring, he's stayed mainly at defensive end to get comfortable with that.

1:56:22And then after that, we had a really good conversation. He's open to doing both. That'll also put us in a position where people can't gain playing and know exactly where he's going to be on the defense. So we're excited about that. But he's just, he's really grown up. I'm proud of him and his development academically as a student athlete, as well as a football player. And we need him and expect for him to have a huge year for us. Got a very, very close relationship with him and his father. And I'm proud of him and excited about what he's going to do this year. On your left side. James Bill Rabino, it's in the Columbus dispatch. Hey Bill, you got Julian Fleming as a transfer for Ohio State. How excited are you to have him? What kind of impact do you expect him to have for receivers unit of it? It wasn't all that exposed last year. Yeah, he's a veteran guy that's played in this conference. He knows what it's all about. Obviously, you know, we got a ton of history with him and his family.

1:57:23Recruited them very heavily out of high school. But he's thriving. He's very comfortable. He's very confident. He really came. Got on campus. Like most guys should do. Kept his mouth shut, worked, earned everybody's respect through that first. And now he's really developing into a leader for us. His improvement from the end of spring to now. He is healthy and lean and explosive and fast right now. And just from the feedback from the players over to summer. Has really done a nice job looking all the metrics and the numbers from our strength staff. Is in a really good position. I think he's got a huge chip on his shoulder and excited about the opportunity at Penn State. And has really turned into one of the leaders in that wide receiver room. So we're happy to have him and expect for him to do some big things for us this year. And I appreciate the question. Last year on your right side.

1:58:25Coach Franklin Kyle Golick, Mike Ferrell sports. Hey Kyle. Hey, how are you? Good. Hey, tell Mike I said hi. We'll do. Hey, you mentioned earlier about Southern Kyle, Oregon, UCLA, Washington, joining the league. After the 2018 Ohio State game, you had your what I refer to as the epic good-to-great to elite rant. So with these teams coming in, where do you feel Penn State stands in the pecking order? And a follow up if you don't feel Penn State's quite at it. Where do you what do you think the Niteny lines have to do to achieve the elite status? Yeah, I would describe it as a speech, not a rant, first of all. But no, I think, you know, again, back to the comment earlier. You're talking about a program that you can win 10 or 11 games and people are not happy or satisfied.

1:59:25And that's inside the lash building and that's outside the lash building. We totally get that and embrace that. I think our players understand that when we recruit them, our staff understands that, when we hire them. And as the head coach, I embrace all those things as well. I think Week in and Week out, the Big Ten is arguably the best conference in all of college football. I've been fortunate to be a head coach in the SEC as well as the Big Ten, so I think I got good perspective on that. And then like you mentioned, adding the four new schools makes it even more challenging. So we'll have an opportunity to figure that out and figure that out real quick starting at West Virginia. We're fortunate to play most of those teams that we discussed. We want to play those teams that you discussed, both that have been in the conference historically as well as that have been added. For us, we got to play our best when our best is needed most in the biggest games at the biggest moments.

2:00:29And I think if you look at us specifically last year, did some phenomenal things. I think it's the step that we need to take in having a returning starting quarterback. Obviously helps with that. We're a quarterback driven game, whether it's in the NFL college or high school. And having a returning quarterback at that position that did some phenomenal things. I think he was second in touchdown, the interception ratio. I think he broke the national record in completions without an interception. So did did some phenomenal things. We got to build on that. And then I think the pieces that a puzzle around him tight end running back. And then receivers been the big question mark really since last year. We got a ton of confidence in that room. Those guys got a huge chip on their shoulder back to the question earlier about the addition of Julian Fleming as well as the guys in that room. They've had a great summer and we got a ton of confidence of what they're going to do this year. We're going to have to play well early on, build confidence and carry that confidence throughout the season.

2:01:34Coach Franklin, thank you so much for your time. Thank you, sir. It does. It's really wow. It's impressive. What is it that makes him like, I guess it's just natural? I don't know. I just like, how do you explain that? Yeah, I mean, I don't know. Smarrows that he chooses to practice doing that, whether it's at home in the mirror or something. I mean, I don't know how he visualizes, but he just gets it done. Let me do that first drive in the second half. When they drive all the way down the field, you have that past deflection and then zone. Yeah. What's kind of going through your head? I know you want to limit it to three if anything. Yeah. Are you limit it to zero instead? Yeah. Well, just just just Tennessee's going throughout the week, being prepared. I kind of had a good feeling. You know, being a work on the field, I kind of figured he was going to pick on me so I was high alert all week. Do you know the last time that the Cardinals as an organization did not allow a touchdown in three straight home games? No, I didn't even know that's crazy. I feel like, man, I just speak to the leaders that we have in our deepened so room, man.

2:02:35They really take this game serious, and I really appreciate that. That was 19.26, that was the last time that the Cardinals had a touchdown. Yeah, used to it, man. We got some cooking out here, man. You ready to take this thing? Man, I was just playing bar, man. It's kind of crazy because games like this when you just leave the field and you're just like, wow, man. We're just playing bars, so I can't even walk you through the play-by-play, man. I was just, you know, locked in the other guys playing on me today. And I don't want to be the weakest league, man. JT was down, and me coming in, there should be no drop-off, and it wasn't, so. Man, it was crazy, but I couldn't stop smiling in the locker room earlier when I found out. So it's just a real moment, man. And my older guys got me ready for this moment, so that's off to them. Man, I bring violence to the game, and they bring it with me, man. So I told my group before we went out to the day, man. We seeing red all day today, and that's what we did, man. We had a great game today. It feels so good, man. I'm not going to lie, it feels amazing.

2:03:36You talk about that, but that's what I think JG Prince is. It's so long we can't be here. What does it say about you, man? Man, just the preparation we put in throughout the week, the way we practice, the way we take care of our bodies, the way that we meet, the way we communicate, man. It's like, it's like there's one heartbeat out there, man. And that's how it should be every week. Is it preparation that pre-game bill you make? I did have my spaghetti today, too, yeah. I did, I told you I got to have every game, man. I don't feel the same. It's like rabbit fuel, man. It's preparation, man. The superstitions, man, that people have it for the game, it's a mental thing. At the end of the day, it's ball. Ball is always going to be ball, so. It's a real quick, can you just take a spoon? What does it say to get the pre-game bill? I get the spaghetti. They ain't had a pepper flakes for the pommas, y'all, so I just had ranch today, yeah. Forgetting and ranch, man. They'd be saying it's nasty, but I think it's good. You mentioned teammates to try that? So, I don't think everybody knows it, but somebody did ask, I recommend you. But you can't put too much ranch or too little ranch. You got to have a good proportion on it. So, ranch on pizza.

2:04:37Oh, ranch on everything. Ranch on everything. If I'm at the house, I'm putting ranch on my steak. I can't do that steak house, but if I'm at the house, I'm doing it, yeah. It's like country boy, man. You know, I've done some great things at Ole Man's, and I've learned a lot. But I think just for me and my third year, you know, you want to be somewhere in a place like Ohio State, like I said, great culture, great teammates, great coaches, best players, and the best fan base. So, you want to do the NFL draft at all rate on top of it, and be on it. You know, maybe that's all. I mean, just as far as just being a player, you want to be around coaches that put you in a position to, you know, elevate yourself as a player and show more to a game. So, I think Coach Day and Coach O'Brien will do that for sure. Just being all around back, you know, like just doing it all, really, you know, not just being, burning the ball inside the Cleveland Towers or outside,

2:05:37you know, just giving me a ball in the passing game and just showcasing everything I can do as a player. What do you see in front of Coach O'Brien? You know, I've seen Coach O'Brien, you know, what he coached. I played against Alabama in 2022, so I played against him and how I used Jemere Gibbs. And I've seen a lot of that being those things, and also his career, and he's with the Patriots as well. So, seeing how he's coaching, you know, so... How's he talking about, like, his role, the role that he sees you in for the soft-ends of all? Yeah, he's came and he spoke to the team about, you know, him as a coach, who he is and how he plans to involve everyone in what his role is, so it's really good. I think I run tough, very elusive, fast, you know, I have vision, patience, I can make people listen, I run you over, I can catch up. You know, it's very different. What do you think Tradyon and your style, what do you think? I think just with Tradyon, we're kind of...

2:06:40I don't know how to explain it. I would say, you know, he's good at what he does, and I'm good at what I do. What's it about? Yes, sir. What do you think, son of a fool? I don't know. What makes you so hard to have? I think just my will, you know, my will to win a win, the determination to begin the end zone and just help my team win. Came out of high school. You have envisioned your full-of-the-use online sit-in-air high school in the middle of the night. You know, actually, you know, I did not... You know, as you go through your journey through high school and through college, you don't know where you'll end up as. I'm just blessed, very thankful for everyone that has helped me to get through this process to be here and I'm excited. This is a positive side of the Trady oil base, you go somewhere, you have success there, but you're able to do another transfer for you.

2:07:40Definitely, I feel like, you know, there's many things that are growing out there as far as when players go into the portal and things that aren't true, but, you know, it's actually more than that. Players just want to elevate their game and make sure they can see their life. I imagine that people on the table will be in the program and the whole team will be in the program and the whole team will be in the same position. Yeah. We're actually in the U.S. Yeah. It was crazy, you know, a lot of different things that were a lot of different emotions, but it's a business and it's a business. So, you understand that people won't always be happy for the decisions you make when it's best for yourself, but, like I said, I'm just excited to be here and do what I can and I'm winning all of them. I suppose you can do what I can. You know, definitely not a factor for me. I think just me as a player, I just played football at the end of the day. I go out there and contribute to what I can do for my team and that's what I'm going to do. How much did you know about big football coming in and how difficult a study of you had to pick up? You know, I did not know that it was this big of a factor.

2:08:42You know, you always see it on TV when they play games on Saturdays and it's big, it's a lot of fans. Like I said, everybody's passionate, but when you're here and it is a whole new football game, so I'm really excited. Did you have to just get past that at all and decide to come to a big 10th school or, you know, go to the part of the country like was that an adjustment? No, not really. I would say it was probably just only a little cold, but other than that, though, it was an awesome process. I think that wasn't a factor for me. What do you tell him about Will Howard and kind of quarterback? I think Will Howard is a great quarterback. He's a great player. I see him as a vision. He can use his legs. He can also throw as well. He's very smart and just looking at his film and what he's doing at Kansas State is awesome. For you, the running backwards that you've driven and the quarterback is a little trans-perfused? It's very good to be in that position because not only will he open it up for you also, but he also gives the receiver the chance to be able to be using the passing as well. You jump from the place that has a pretty big round for him.

2:09:44Right. I'm coming from a place where some of the other drivers are. How much did you know about the high position right now? It was a big time. I've always heard a lot about it. But to be here and you see how big it is, they got the clock in there with the countdown. It's serious. I'm excited to be the team up north and that's what we're working for. You're present, Bill. What are your impressions of him? Definitely a great player. Like I said, everyone who's come here, this is portal class, great players from all around the different teams. Caleb personally, you know, he's done some great things at Alabama and we're excited to have him. Right. I think when we played in a way more so, we're trying, we had a different ball game plan. We're trying to throw the ball and he's very successful there and stopping it. So, that was pretty good. Which of you are some of your favorite running backs? Would you like to watch? I like Aaron Camaria, Christian McCaffrey. I would say also, I've liked Jimiard Gibbs at Detroit as well.

2:10:45So, just those three guys right there, I've been doing some great things at the portal level. Those are your guys who do a lot. You've already heard it. How important is that as part of your game? I think it's definitely important, especially where the game is going with running backs in today's game. I think it's overall, you have to showcase what you can do. Not just ask a running back in the back field, but also in the slot or wherever. You can coach it, but you'll be able to execute it. That's definitely important as well to, for me personally, that's important for me personally, but because important is our end. So, I think it's a good section of how the ball is going to be. Like I say, like about NIL or different things that don't pertain to everybody's situation. You know, it doesn't pertain to every single player, but a lot of people get that speculation as far as when people want to make certain to see it's in the portal, but we know it's always hot.

2:11:47I was a premier in the U.K. for Mississippi, in the Bay of Ness. And they break that decision. I understand you see some of these things going to work. Some of them from the middle of the market. I think that how would you have to hold the track as a learning big in this decision? Do you feel that you're back in the trade? Yeah, you know, just do this whole process. This is my first time ever going through this. And like I said, many things were sad, you know, from just the rumors and all of those things. But I think just throughout this process, I've learned a lot. I'm very thankful for the support I've had for my family because it's throughout this process. And just to end up here in Ohio State, it's been awesome. Other than that, the very good suggestion to do that for you. Is it just locking in the industry with people coming to the mall to you? I wouldn't say that. I think it's just more so, you know, just the whole thing. I was saying just the word that they were talking about. That's what the more they include, that is what it knows you get.

2:12:48I have it. I recently just got here, so I haven't found too much like different places yet. Because I've been trying to hold the band and be acclimated. But I'm for sure for us a couple of spots. What are your impressions of Will? I mean, I know that Stan's doing that. But back then, was potentially translating. I mean, back then, I thought if you guys had talked about him, I mean, through this, not recruiting process, but transfer process. Yeah, I mean, when I got here, you know, me and Will, we've always been in contact. Just checking on each other, hanging out, no matter what it is, just having that personal connection with each other, off the field, and having that relationship. So, it's a great time. Did you ever, during the field of fish with trade, when you were talking about thinking about coming here, did you ever see the fish with trade, about what you was going to do, or what's that bring to all of what you were doing? Like I said, I think with the time that I was in the portal, it was such a short amount of time in the process. So, I think, you know, just trying to decide on where I wanted to go. I wasn't really focused on contacting anyone. Did you bend to Ohio?

2:13:49Have it before? No. There have been so many. You know where it was. Yeah. But nobody was, but I've never been. I've never been so. Okay, actually, you can tell me. You should have been first, if I had to hold on to my hand, but you said the three of Stan was. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. What's that process like from life? The first thing from your point of view, were all out there and put that life in that instance? So, the hardest? Yeah, when everything, I agree. I think, you know, when everything's moving so fast, you have to stay poised as a player and focus on the things that matter, and that'll put you in the best position. And I think that's what it's really about for me in my process. Who was here about trade on the tire more than that? What's that all factor on the use of trading to build a new season that's going to be very bad? Yeah, you know, that definitely plays a factor, especially in today's game with the five span of run backs and the NFL. So, I think that, you know, with the, like I said, the situation here just being able to come here and contribute to this team and do what I can when it all.

2:14:51What do you want to mention? I think it's right. If I could be real, I'd encourage yourself. Right? You know, like I said, any way that I could contribute to this team and do what I can to show and execute, that's what matters. And actually, you're given a couple of times in a good way that the trade is, and there's a lot of carries up there too. You like that, and do you think of that part of the curve you know, you said from the outside to the other. Yeah, I mean, not just that team as well. It's many other teams that do the same thing, you know. And I think it's just really special that what they've done together to seeing how they play together, how far they come to see the sow's very special. It's not just that, but how much I mean, I mean, I've carried it eight times last year and having a quarterback that can run, or two running bags, I mean, is that how much is that except you don't have a side field, but that option of hopping in there. It's very exciting just to know we have so many weapons and so many different ways to win the game. So it's very exciting, and I'm looking forward to it for sure. How do you start to rationalize that decision?

2:15:56I don't think it's something that you, you more so just specifically think of, but I think it's something that's important in today's game that has to be valued as well. Did you feel like you were overused at Ole Miss? How would you describe it? I wouldn't really say overused. I don't think that's the word. I think, you know, just when you're playing, you don't focus on those different type of things, but, you know, like I said, you don't really talk about it. There was much made though about used to play to having a meeting with Coach Kidney and something about the direction of the offense. How much of that was true, I'm going to have to say it. Was it any of that true or just, you know, what was that all about? No, that's a proof of it. But I gotta say, man, like a lot of people, they won't be happy when you make certain decisions for yourself, but just to say you didn't. Did you enter it thinking Ohio State, I just walked up here a second ago, but you probably went all over this, but when did Ohio State get on your radar?

2:16:56Yes, I'm possible with anything. Just an immediate when I got on the portal. What, what? I think, like I said, this is the place that you want to go to, a place where everyone's passionate and everyone wants to win here, you know, and this is a great culture and everyone is focusing down into something that's bigger than themselves, you know. Why wouldn't you want to go someplace like that? A lot of people are saying you and trivia, and they're saying backfield and even having Dalin in there. This might be the best running back through some in the country. Do you feel that way also a lot? Definitely. I feel like, you know, with everyone in our room, they contribute in their own way, and everyone is a great player in our room, so I definitely agree. What's your thoughts on how that is being able to do in the mindset of Ohio State, because that's what everybody review was in. I just swear I like something down, it wasn't just how it was going to go. Yeah, I think more so for me, it wasn't about this is where I want to go immediately, but I think that I wanted to make my process pretty short, especially when I got in at a later time,

2:17:57because I had to be in a road in school. So I think just more so just figuring out where I wanted to go and, you know, making that decision so it's possible. What was it on the road in the school? Just like I say, the meetings, what Coach Day, everything that I was showcased, this is just the place that you want to be. Two quickies, the name point shot. Where's that come from? That was a big hand for my parents. Yeah, I know what I mean. What was your background? Of course you remember that. But I really don't know, I've never asked my parents that question. Yeah, and then number two, what's the taste of the hairstyle? I came up with this hairstyle in March of last year. So I just decided when they asked, okay, I want to have one. So I just went with it. I got a lot of great compliments, so I can't put the same one. But I want to get more, I want to have more fun or have more fun. I'll see more of that. Would you have more? Who do you care about? Yeah. And that's the best I can expect to age these days,

2:18:57and I'm pretty good with special events. I think the Bible and the things that I have in my hands, I'm sure. I'm pretty good with that. I don't think that's the most important thing. I don't think that's the most important thing. I think that's the most important thing. It is true. It's true. Next year, I'm going to have a question. How do you accept that and break that? I embrace it well. That's what everyone here works hard for. And that is the in-go. You know, it's not to get a certain amount of wins. That's the goal. That's what everyone here for. To win the National Championship. So I take it seriously. Everyone here is bought in. You know, whatever it takes to get that in. That's what everyone's trying to do. What do you think of the different sections? What about it, folks? What about it? What about it? What about it? You guys have a player. Like, only you know what you're at here. And I have a couple of people. How do you kind of put all that in all of them? I'm not going to knock out. You know, you don't focus on things. Like I say, the most important thing is playing football, especially for me, you know, the NIL. That was that wasn't like, you know, something that I was focusing on.

2:19:58I was just going out there playing football, doing what I did. I'm sure you could have gone to a lot of places. The guy you're running fast is there a peel in coming in and sharing the low-age of training. You know, I think just more so, the situation here, like I said, just coming here. Being not only with Trayba, just great players all around. And being able to execute and contribute to this team and do what I can to help us win. That was the most important thing. Was there any thought about like, you know, taking some tread off your tires? Like knowing that you have had something carried for the first two years? I think just like I said, like in today's game, that's something that is important for running back. You know, to be able to value and to think about as far as the shelf life and things like that. You know, just my situation here, that was the most important thing. What's going on, thank you. Thanks for the great side. The pig mentality of problem of instant gratification, you know, you can develop and grow. So, and sometimes you may be behind a guy that's a really good player,

2:20:58there's nothing wrong with developing and growing and playing when your time is right. And if the time is right right now, it's a freshman, like what's your main? Did you play early, you know? So, we try to also sell that, you know, we care about him as people and try to prepare you for life after football. So, it's bigger than just football. We're going to prepare you for life, whether it's the NFL or on with a regular career in the workforce. We want you to prepare you as a young man and we try to sell that and preach that to the parents. With the remain having that, in fact, you mentioned, holding all these different spots. Do you anticipate, you know, there wasn't a lot of rotation among the cornerbacks last year, when everyone was healthy. Do you anticipate maybe growing him through the rest guys here with the longer season potentially? Yeah, we play it by ear. You know what I mean? We see how goals by time we get in the camp, but you know, obviously he's earning his stripes. So, you know what I mean? When you earn your stripes, you know, a lot of jobs to create opportunities for you. You know what I mean? We have to see how it goes with all the other stuff. You know, once we get closer to the season, and we're getting the game plan stuff, but he's doing a great job and he's taking a great step forward.

2:21:58Tim, when you're the way that you build the room, or the way you kind of establish your room now, it seems like it's been, like, sonopies has kind of relationships and kind of building bonds. But I'm curious, is that something that you came in, with the, like, a couple years ago, with the intention of doing it, or is that something that you're like, that's kind of been cultivated over the course of your Thomas position, or what you're going to do? No, it's been there for a while. I've been doing that for a long time. It's all about relationship. If you develop real relationship and you're authentic in your communication, and you have honest feedback, and you have direct teaching, the guys that have value and character, and they appreciate that stuff, they'll embrace that. But they have to know you care, and you have to know that it's real, and they have to know that you're really concerned about there. We're being as a young man, and when you get close to them, it's been a lot of time with them off the field. You can coach them hard. And you can say truthful things to them, and then they'll embrace it, and you have real conversation, because you know, the only goal is to help them get better as a young man. And as you see, computers go, and you think those are telling us that the receiver room is so far ahead

2:23:00and the border is going to kind of skewed that evaluation sometimes. How's that dynamic change in these two years? Has the scoop gotten older and you've been better even more counted? Yeah, it's done balanced up a little bit now. That goes with great competition. We go against the best receivers in college football. So that helps escalate your growth process, because if you don't figure it out real fast, you're getting embarrassed. So that competition, but what happened with that, I guys start competing, I guys start growing, I guys got better, and now it's even up a little bit. So where you get really good work at practice today, you know what I mean? So as competitive, it's fun. Those guys both on both sides of the ball care about each other. So it's great competition, and they all are real close. So you know what I mean? It's that stuff that gets us better that will prepare us for Saturday. I asked Denzel, that same idea, and said, first day of practice, actually, the receiver's kind of gone down. Is that any kind of a good wake up call maybe for this? No, it's just competitive, man. They got the best group in the country that you're going to get every day. So you have to bring it every day, you know what I mean?

2:24:00So we got a great quarterback room, we got a great receiver room. The running backs are really good, so when you out there going against them is deep. So you have to be ready for it. And obviously, man, we're seeing a lot of good stuff with Stayinco's Kelly doing over there. And so it prepares you a lot, and it helps us grow. So why don't you go into a room playing any Sasha's games for free and victory? Is that? It's the kind of a wide receiver room, kind of, a part of your dream. It's like, these are the guys you get to play against. Yeah, oh, that's because you know, that's where you get better. Our shop is our. So you know, you get to see that every day of practice that helps you grow. It's no better thing to go against every day than to see that on a daily basis. I'm also near room massage storage, looking at to play that with this button. We just move a lot of guys around. We watch that practice. We have a lot of guys in there right now. You know, we pop out through a four different guys in there. Obviously, Lorenzo's in there, Jameen is in there, Caleb. Miles, we have about four or five guys moving around. Right now, we just try things out in spring ball. See what it fit.

2:25:00You know, see what things work together. So it's going to probably be some more guys in there. You know, we move it around to try to just get the right fit throughout the N and C. How it goes by time we get really start to season. He can run any strong. You know what I mean? He's fast. Very serious about his business. He's big. It's 200 pounds. He can run. He's strong. He's conscientious. You know what I mean? He's starting to grow and he's starting to get better with it. You know what I mean? So we look for big things for him in spring. Tim, what do you want to see from here this spring? Keep competing. You know what I mean? Now he's made the transition competing today. You know what I mean? Start going in. That transition is all just like how I'm in your main last year. You throw them in the fire. You let them go. You compete. You go by time we get out of the end of training camp. You have been them figured out. Yeah, I want that. But now you just throw it all at him. Come compete. Continue to grow. Continue to learn. He has the skill set. He has the left. Now you just got to put it all together. And it takes time to do that. And hopefully you see that by the time we get in the training camp. It seems like a midwinter springing kind of clicked for your main last year. And you start to see and perform a little better in practice.

2:26:02Is that like a benchmark for where you want to be? By the middle of spring because you have to be in a certain point where you want it to start clicking? Yeah, by the time you start getting about two weeks from now that last week. Because it takes time because there's a lot of stuff going on. But by the time you get into that last week of spring ball. You look to start seeing the things that you look for show up. And then you get another evaluation again when you get into training camp. See if this stuff carried on to make sure we go for starting in September. What's your assessment of the growth that we've made now that he's kind of got his few under one defense? What do you like about him and that technical spot? He's very conscientious. He's smart. He can run. He's tough. He's made the adjustment because he's out of Europe on his belt. So now you can see he's not making a lot of mistakes. He competes. He's real conscientious. And he has a physical presence. So the growth has been really good and we look to continue that throughout spring. Coach, thanks very much. I can ask one more. All the guys that came back like Denzel's a great example. That surprised you as you reflect on all these guys that came back late for ransom.

2:27:02They could have turned pro. No, the culture here is real. Coach, they does a great job of building the culture. Our room is close knit. The guys on defense are real close. Those guys want to come back. They have an agenda. We want to come back. They want to come back and walk away with something. So it didn't shock me. But it's a good environment for them too. That's when you see those guys come back. That's a testimony to the culture that's set here. The brotherhood, the environment. And I, of course, they run the program for those dudes to want to come back. Because we go at it. It's hard. It's not easy. But what we do. So, in fact, they come back and do that. It doesn't matter how he runs the program. Thank you. Coach, thank you very much. I think my capability, what I'm capable of, and then the person that we have. Like I said, I'm going to try and get the best level on the field, whatever that may be. So you're still trying to figure that out. Just the conversation was about. It may have been hard for you to keep your weight down the stage. Do you look bigger?

2:28:03How much have you changed physically? Are you allowed to just like finally eat now? I mean, last year I was eating regular. I was like 2.30 to 2.35 the whole year last year. I don't know if people thought I was 2.25, but I was like 2.35 sometimes last year. So it's not really like anything changed. Obviously, I'm a graduate of the game. Some more weight. I'm listening heavier weight. It was different training to be a DB than training to be a linebacker. So you can gradually get a little bigger. Are you embracing that different kind of training? Do you like that training? I love it. I love to be with the linebackers. I think with the DBs, like sometimes in the way room, I was expecting to win. So like when I won, I was like, oh, sunny one. But that was something I'd like to know. It's more of a composition. You know what I'm saying? Not any hits of the DBs. I'm 2.30 going against someone who's 2.05. You know what I'm saying? I'm expecting to win. So I love the composition. I was thinking of it. I said you came in and said, well, it's already bigger than most of the linebackers. You see where you play? Will and Sam, how was the position?

2:29:06I've been working on both, yes. Is there any, like, fundamental difference between the two in terms of the same sense? I mean, obviously, Sam, more outside the box, outside the linebacker overhang. You can walk up on the edge on the tight end. Will's more inside the box. I think the biggest difference from Sam and Will, Sam, you've got to be more outside sometimes during the slot with two. You know, but I think it's similar concept. Because you can do the same thing in the boundary. It's almost more like the San Francisco feeling of the wills at the boundary. So I think it's pretty similar, honestly. The only difference is that Sam, last year, I never really was an interior run fitter, like in the A gap, you know, going A to B or whatever that might be. So that's a little different. But I mean, I think I got some of that experience at safety just from a few yards back. So like I said, the only difference really is now just suggesting the less time. Yeah, yeah. Coach, how's it you coming from where you, what you're coming from? You have a better perspective of what's going on. Chris, you might say you know what I mean.

2:30:06Yeah, I feel like I have a great understanding of the defense. I think at safety, I kind of already knew what the linebacks are doing. So now what I'm really starting to learn is like exactly like every little detail what the D lines doing. That's not really what I didn't know every little aspect of it. I think I'm starting to learn that now because obviously the linebacker got to be knowing that more. So I think when it's all said, no, I think I have a really, really, really good understanding of the defense and knowing exactly what everyone's doing. Do you feel like you're warm enough to afford the mix of the defense too? And that linebacker is having a sunny case. You can drop it in one minute, pass rested, you or me. You can't get in some of that anyway. Yeah, actually, I think you can say it'll be an online backer in the play. You're almost in every play. Obviously the play can run away from you. But you know, it's safe to sometimes you're just back there playing every guest. You take two backbettles and it's a tackle. So I think yeah, a linebacker, you're in the play more. More opportunities to make tackles. Do you feel comfortable there? I mean, what does that, you know, obviously your dad will stay in that linebacker. Yeah, I feel super comfortable with it. Like I said, I think it's just going to be adjustment. You know, obviously he's different playing from a five than it was from playing from like 10 last year.

2:31:07So I think it's an adjustment, but I'm super comfortable with it. So any of you top here, dad, have you any advice on the new position? Oh, yeah, we watch table all the time. I watch practice. You know, he was a high level linebacker. And I'm just getting started with this. He gets a little shit with little footwork and stuff like that. But it's good. I get good teaching him. You know, obviously coach Lord Knight is great player, great teacher for him, coach knows. You know, he's a super smart football mind. So I'm getting great teaching all around. The linebacker, everything happens quicker for you. How much did the experience playing from that sandwich got faster? You helped me with this. I think it helped a little bit. It's been like in terms of physical like being in the box down on the line. But I do think the the run fit as a will and the Sam can be a little different. And like in terms of like I said, like being an interior fitter, like you're a 30 backer, you know, an A you get pools, like you got to go spill it. So things like that. But I think I'm adjusting well.

2:32:07I think I'm picking up on stuff pretty fast. You know, there's still going to be a lot of stuff for work on them. Do you feel more pressure talking to the media with your brother sitting right there? Not at all. What do you think has been the biggest change from linebacker safety plan? I think the biggest change will probably be that that's 10 to 5. Because it's a big adjustment because everything's happening faster and you got to react faster. And like I said, the wasted movements. I think footwork is huge. I think when you see the great linebackers, since the play happens are going. They're not taking any wasted steps or not fall stepping, things like that. So I think wasting, wasting movement and being able to see what's happening react fast. I mean, you know, you got someone out there that's, it's more than a teammate. You know, we call each other brothers, but you know, bloods, bloods, a little thicker. So that's always pretty cool. It's always, it's never one on one. Yeah, but when he tells you something, he doesn't observe about you, you know, it's coming from.

2:33:10Yeah, I think when you're blood like that, I think he's not scared of telling me the truth, you know, son. Yeah. You know, obviously guys here, we have tough love, but I think it's always going to be a little different when it's your brother. Because he going to keep it 100% blunt exactly what you need to hear and know what you want to hear. What's your advice on playing Dickel? Oh, for him? Yeah. I mean, he just, so I've let a he got to keep trusting his instincts. No, I think he's going to be great. I think what's huge for him is like I said, the athletic ability speed. You know, he blitz off the edge. He's, he's blitzing super fast. And he's just great in coverage too. So I think something really good. I think I'm going to be able to do a lot of different things, kind of like you see a handcock. Obviously, a little different body than a handcock, but I think he's going to be really good at once and stuff. So I feel he's, he's, he's, he's this time. Thank you. Great. What did you see for Jayden in the first time? We saw him on Saturday, right? With the ones with the two seems like he's making a little bit of his opportunity with the decent.

2:34:11Yeah, he's been a guy that's been on the rise, you know, to me from where he was when he started spring ball to where he is now. He's made more plays at practice. His eye discipline is better. His understanding of the defense is better, which allows you to be able to play free and be able to play fast. So that's what I've seen so far and I can, I expect that to continue. What about Jayden when he played? Not seeing him before dressing. He's been great. He first off, we do a thing where we track. How well you run to the ball every practice. One of the things that we grade, right? So you can talk about all the schematics that you want. Coach Knowles has all that. But if you're not running to the ball, you're not playing good defense, right? So we track that and he's one of the guys that every single practice is one of our highest grade guys running to the ball. So he's been awesome from an effort standpoint first. Attitude, he's in early. He puts the work in and he's made a bunch of plays out here. So now I'm excited about Jayden McLean for sure. So I'm talking about running to the ball. You mean like he's ball hockey really well in the back end or is it a nose for the football running game or both? Yeah, so we're really tracking effort and how hard a guy's playing from there is what we do. But I would say this too, he's been around the ball a lot, right?

2:35:11With his alley running and he's downing the ball and on a break through run or fitting gaps and things like that. And then he's got really good range in the post for the half too. So he's done a good job of both of those things. I guess all the above. Yeah. Yeah, I do. I do. And it's been an opportunity for you have a couple guys that are out there. So you're able to continue to grow the depth and be able to see what guys can do. And you have increased reps from that standpoint. So I do feel confident. I feel confident in the guys that, how they've performed so far this spring. And the guys that haven't been out there, I feel confident from what their abilities are, what I've seen on film, and then the mental preparation from that standpoint. Now I would go back to refer to what late was like a couple of years ago and taking that same blueprint. Yeah, he's done, I would say the mental side. I would say if you took, he has really good physical skills. You see him when he walks on the field. I mean, he's a, yeah, no doubt. I would say the mental side of the game, right? Really understanding what's the defense, what's my eye progression?

2:36:12Where do I fit into this chess piece? You know, what's my chess piece in this whole match that's happening? And yeah, I've been pleased with him and he's putting the work in to make sure that he understands what's going on. I wouldn't say we're not saying it's great, right? And because his preparation is so high level, it challenges you as a coach to be an elite teacher, right? Because he's going to be on his game. He's like coaching a professional player, right? He understands the concepts in the game so well. He's put so much time into it. As a coach, you better be matching or equaling that, right? Going above and beyond that because if not, he's going to be a step ahead of the coach, right? So that's, it's been awesome to be able to push each other to make each other better. He's got a great understanding and feel for the game. He's a great young man. The work ethic is really high level. So every value that you would look for, not just for a skill or entangible thing,

2:37:12but who he is as a person. I can't say enough about who Caleb Downs is. It's been awesome. What's the next step for you to wait for me? We'll talk about the preparation that Caleb has. I'm going to say coming back from injury. What do you want to see from him? Maybe it's leadership. Maybe it's on the field. I don't know. What is it for you? Yeah, I think leadership is definitely something, right? He's a guy that's been there, done that. He has accomplished a lot, but not the goals that he wants to yet. So I would say from a leadership standpoint, holding guys accountable and he's done that at a really high level. And then his own preparation. I've been impressed with, you know, if you're not taking as many physical reps, what are the mental reps that you're taking? And he's done a really good job of having daily routine, putting the time in, making sure that he's caught up with me with everything. So I would say the off the field stuff is a step in the right direction. What did you take away from your experience last year as a cohort nearer? Since we last saw it, you've been through multiple spring practices. What did you learn? Something in your time or when or just for you as a coach that you've been doing?

2:38:14Did you learn different ways to be able to do things, whether it's taking the ball away or tackling methods, or the way that it's taught from other defensive coaches, so to learn from a different tree and thought process and philosophy. I try to, I pride myself on being a teacher, which means that you better always be learning. You're getting behind. So I would say, yeah, just different ways to be able to maybe do similar techniques or things that have to be done from a defensive principle standpoint, and then, you know, you're going to have to be able to do things that you can do from a defensive principle standpoint, and then, you know, bringing that to the table. As you step back and you say, okay, here's how I've always done it, or I've done it in the gym-null system right, and then you're in a different defensive system, and how does that get executed, and then you can blend some of those or pick what you like from there. So a chance to reflect that, say. Did you feel like you accomplished what you wanted to away from the gym-null system to bring it back to the gym-null system? Yeah, I mean, I think any time that you're, no matter where you're coaching, right? You have principles of defense and a way to be able to play defense, whether you're how you tackle or how you play the red zone,

2:39:15or different things like that, and there's metrics to be able to track that, and some improvement was made. Not enough of my opinion, you only move, there were strides from that standpoint, and then, yeah, when you come back into it, you say, okay, the system here has developed in a year that I was gone, and then maybe I'm able to develop a little bit as a coach too, and from a positional coach or a coordinator mindset, things like that, and then you're able to mesh ideas and come back, and you learn, hey, what's the new that's happened over a year, and then I was able to see the big 10 from the different lens as well, and you know, so I think that's valuable. Man, it's been a lot of years. Last question, down a few safeties on Saturday, how do you feel about your depth of balance issue right now? Yeah, it's something that, you know, we've addressed and say, hey, here's the guys that have played, here's the guys that haven't played, who's taking the reps right now, and how do we grow those guys? You know, from a mass standpoint. So I think that's a work of progress every single day. So I've been pleased with the guys. I think there's been a, you know, steadily on the rise approach from everybody in the room. You know, so I've been pleased with the guys in the progress that they've made. So I feel good about it,

2:40:15and I expect that to continue throughout spring, and then continue throughout summer and into fall camp, you know, from that standpoint. Yeah. For some of those guys that many haven't played much of year, but you're seeing they going to move this spring. Yeah, Jayden Bonz was taking advantage of the opportunity that he's had, gentlemen, McCleen's taking an opportunity, you know, advantage of the opportunity. Inky had a really good day today, you know, taking advantage of the opportunity. So the guys that, you know, have taking reps, you know, I'm pleased with watching those guys, you know, continue to progress, you know. And the Caleb, I think, is, you know, learned our system and done really well, and gotten better every day. All right, Matt, thank you. Thanks. Appreciate it, guys. Coach Day's offense, and Chip Kelly's offense is the same offense. It's kind of neat going back to the roots and the origin. Maybe understanding a new twist or why he called it how we did. And it's been great for the tie-dance. I'll leave it at that, not to get too much in the scheme, but we've definitely benefited, and me personally, learning every day. Do you look at the, I guess, the most of an experience for your group? Is that, actually, coach, compared to other years,

2:41:17the emergency intensity, the technicals you're talking about? Yeah, I think, you know, awesome. That's a great question. I hope not, right? I think, I think the energy was still there with a guy like Kate. Now, again, it might have been, like I said earlier, also it might have been, you know, the 3000 level course with Kate, because he's ran that play for four years before I got him. Right now, it still might be the, what do I got to do? And yeah, Matt, I mean, I hope the guys feel that the energy's picked up, because the urgency has. I mean, eight number eights, not in the room anymore. Great. We're going to play somebody in a couple months. Right? And there's got to be a tie-dance out there. Hopefully it's two. Hopefully it's three tie-dance out there. So hopefully they feel the urgency's picked up. They believe that it was a structure, but G's been in his career for a long time. But it felt like year after year, it was a lot of fun. The better guy, the next one, the better guy, the next one, the behind that's something. It's just like, I can't really figure it right now. Does that be a thing? You have to provide all the leadership for the guys. You know what I mean? Does that have to be more with you? Does that just be a G's job, even if it's not going to work?

2:42:18Yeah, I don't know. I'm not going to put it all on G's, right? But again, the leaders drive the culture. Now, whether it be G or whether it be Pat, and if he's been here for a long time and played a lot of football, or whether it be Will came in and said, no, this is what it should look like. I mean, I want those guys to take it and run with it. You know, on Saturdays, I'm in the box. I'm not cutting off the C guys. It's got to come from them. Now, again, my job is a coach. He's to make them hear things they don't want to hear. You know, pushing to do things they don't want to do. So I'm certainly going to do that at times. And I'll keep doing it. But they've done a great job of driving the culture. Keenan, you were in the room with Kevin. Was in the office of any room for so many years. Does having Chip kind of get you guys back to where you guys were with Kevin? I know that the room has an offensive staff. You guys were kind of young last year. And now to have Chip with that experience, is that kind of like what you guys have with Kevin? You know, some similarities. And I think the comparison is that we're talking about Kevin Wilson, and Chip Kelly, or two of the brightest minds in offensive football in the last several decades. So I think there's some similarities there. But yeah, I think it's a loud one coach day, maybe to delegate to Coach Kelly and let him be the coach.

2:43:20Let him be the best version of himself. And Coach Kelly has been an awesome leader, right? Driving us and listening and providing input. So it's been great. I don't know if it's exactly like it was with Coach Wilson, but it feels great, however it is right now. Keenan, was there initially a bigger role in making for Giulani in the cotton bowl and did that not get to come to fruition as much as the way that game played out here? You know, I don't remember exactly what, you know, the expectation was he was going to help contribute. And certainly we wanted him to contribute from the jump and keep him in there contributing. The game kind of started off, you know, not ideal. And we had Kate in there, and you know, that was his last game as a buck guy. So we felt comfortable riding out with him. But I think Giulani and everyone else is kind of focused going forward. Did you guys see him coaching? Coach Larry Doreng, the bull prep that was a step forward at all? Yeah, oh yeah. Yeah, he definitely takes that forward for sure. And he's just kind of changing an ideal situation for the ball.

2:44:20What does the depth look like in terms of how many guys you'll trust? I think I got six seats in there, so six of the toughest do's on the team. I'm not trying to just give you the coach speak, but I mean, however it shakes out. Hopefully we could play 13% or 14% now. And I got guys out there that are going to go, uh, uh, reach them happy, but I don't know. They're going to make that sort of out right now. I'm worried about whatever Thursday's practice. I mean, the toughest do's on the field. Are you seeing enough of that? Is it still comfortable saying that that can happen by the end? Yeah, yeah. I mean, we're taking strides. We'll see about the end of spring and then hopefully fall camp. It's a long ways away from wherever we play. Can you, uh, what's up with my coffee? Yeah, it's been great. It's been great. A pump return and kick return. And again, the coach, other positions too, right? I mean, I mean, special teams comes down to technique and effort. Right? And that's the ultimate test of the brotherhood. No one signed up to be a buck out of me on pump return. I want to be first round this, first round that. So it's been awesome and involved in that. What is that? It looks like a different, much better L band. Oh, yeah.

2:45:21We're working quite a few guys back there. We got some options. So yeah, it'll be fun. You guys were thinking about puts a lot of you that maybe have a bigger world. What is it giving you guys that would make you do this? I mean, he had more time, right? Just because we have that whole month of kind of December for development. And, uh, you know, the bull press a lot like spring ball. And that he has those three or four weeks, you know, to get the reps he wasn't getting during the year, because Katie was taking it. Right? Is that what I was going to do? I was going to have to show it all this time. Yeah, I think good. I think it just shows that, you know, next man in, we trust he fully, Katie couldn't go. No one better than I was G. Then it was Pat. Period. We call their offense. There's no modified offense or anything like that. So to put our trust in him, he went out and made a lot of plays. And both of those kids play really well. I think that helps the confidence for him and awesome. Really good. When you look at G now, do you, and this is the easiest question maybe,

2:46:21do you see a tight end now? You're still when I'm saying from a couple years ago. I'm here to go. He was, you know, he moved over from wide receiver and all this kind of stuff. What just jumped out at you about what he brings to the tight end spot? Yeah, I know what you're asking too. I promise you, I never like, he's in the tight end room. I didn't say, oh, but he's a receiver playing tight end. He's a tight end. Yeah. He's a tight end. So he's going to be greater like a tight end, treat it like it. So I never really... But like Kevin talked about when the, you know, first made the move, you want to get this guy some confidence, play him tight end, meaning, I'm not going to say he gets lesser opponents, but having some success out there, you know, like in the run game, the blocking aspect of things and stuff. And he seems to progress a big time from that. I mean, do you feel that way too? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. He's gotten way better. And again, I practice his, he's on the left side, he's against JT. He's on the right side, he's against Shaq. So I mean, there's no, this is Ohio State. You're playing against the best every day. So that is definitely progress. Do you think that elaborate effort you guys are having as a team, do you think that's benefiting you guys in terms of just how you're approaching that day?

2:47:21Yeah, I think so. Dan, as far as ownership goes, right? Like, I mean, I'm not saying I wasn't invested last year, but shoot, I'm a part of the tournament kicker, I mean, that's Coach Hartlan and I's product out there. And if there's not tight ends all over those units and they're not going to play tight end in Ohio State, and I bet you Hartlan feels the same way about the receiver. So as far as the buy-in from the staff, heck yeah. Heck yeah, for me, at least speaking for myself. When Coach stayed broke that up, what did you think about that change? And number two, what has he told you he wants that he wasn't getting from a special team two years ago? No, he never, he never told me anything about last year. It was all about, okay, how it going to be? This is, again, Ohio State. Whatever the janitorial staff is supposed to be the best in the country. The tight end coach better be the best tight end in the country. Same thing with quarterback, same thing with Pumberturn Coach. On the Pumberturn Coach, I should be the best one in the country. So I got to work with Coach Hartlan and Coach Keys and everyone else. Learning this game and techniques and now we've got to put on the field. You find yourself studying punt returns, like NFL teams and things like that. How are you doing your prep work? Oh yeah, yeah.

2:48:21Coach Hart, Coach Keys, thanks Gunner and I. I mean, we lot ourselves in a room for a week there and I don't think I did any offense. So, there's no starting from scratch. I mean, it's all ball and that's the coolest thing about special teams is if you're not special teams, it's going to make you better tight end. It's going to make you a better DB, you're running back and it's like the technique and everything like that. I think I had pretty fair foundation and then maybe some tweaks and, you know, we have to decide what our identity is going this season. What do you think? What do you think is the best thing about your work trusting you against work-trucks and Saturday and I think that's the same thing. Yeah, I think I think he proved it on special teams because he played on special teams before he played offense. And then just reps that practice again against blocking the best linebackers in the country. It doesn't matter if you're a fine star or if you're a walk-on. But to that point, I think sometimes there's a mentality of what he's just a walk-on.

2:49:22That does not exist with Pat. It's went out the window to start a, once you start a plan. Is that how you coach here? How about you guys? About 1130. How many stars? Oh yeah. Oh yeah, they know. I think everyone in my room knows and, you know, guys I talked to on the recruiting trail. Kade went down and knew his G and then Pat was right in. I didn't see that in I. I'm going to put the toughest dude out there who goes to the hardest. I don't care if you're from Ohio, you're a dad's a buck guy, if you're a walk-on or a five star. Whatever you'd help us win, you know. We can marry in events. Not here yet. You still work with them for a fall? How does that kind of work right now? Yeah, we can. I mean with Max and Toe, it's FaceTime's and it's encouraging them to get here and watch practice so that when they get here right after graduation, we can hit the ground running. But yeah, it's much prep work as we can do on the front end with, you know, setting them tip sheets and that's what I think. And now a days, I mean COVID, we had to do it. So yeah, we can get to work right now. Two more questions folks with the special teams question.

2:50:22The collaboration that you guys have, it's three people in one room. Like how does that work semantically where you guys are all putting your heads together to get one idea? How does that play out in the room together? Yeah, I mean luckily, I mean it's Coach Hart and I. I mean that guy, we worked, we see each other every day for the last eight years. Luckily I worked four years with him. So that's so organic Hart and I just kind of bounce each other, thoughts off each other. And I think that's how close we are. So this really organic in there and then Coach Kees does a great job of kind of setting the direction given us some expertise and we just kind of have a flow off each other. Okay. I've seen the guys react to that. So you're coaching, that's much of a team. Yeah, I think they like it because like the accountability, again, if my tight ends aren't on return to take a drink, they're not playing tight end and they know that. So I think across the board it gives us a platform to coach other positions. And at time when the print transport is so big and the guy like G probably could have left multiple times if he wanted to, what does that do for the room? To have a guy who's a leader, he's just so step-ass and like I'm going to stay here and make an impact.

2:51:23Yeah, I think it speaks volumes. You hit the nail on the head, not just for G, but for the brotherhood. I know it sounds cliche and people read it on Twitter and kind of roll the rise of brotherhood. Why did they think the entire defense came back for the brotherhood? We got two goals here, we haven't done them since she's been here. He hasn't hit his two goals, so he stayed for the brotherhood. So I think it speaks volumes for G as a leader in the room. But also, you look around a roster, how many guys could have either left for other opportunities in the portal or in the NFL? So I think it speaks volumes to the brotherhood. Is it different at tight end with the transfer portal maybe because for some positions it's such a development position at tight end where you have to develop run blocking and you have to learn the passing game. Is it different trying to keep kids around maybe in the portal area at tight end? Maybe it is and I haven't really thought about that because it's still so new. I think you've got to be so honest in recruiting. If you think I'm going to walk into a living room and say, come be my starting tight end, I should be crazy. You're crazy. Now, come prepared and get to work before you get here. I'm going to give you the opportunity to.

2:52:25I'll get a question earlier, I don't care if he's a senior or a true freshman. If you could play, you could play period. I can't wait. Give me a true freshman, you could play tight end. You could block Jack and JT and then your dog tired next play, you're getting covered by Downs and Lathen and all those guys. Are you kidding me? Is this NFL? No, it's Ohio State. So yeah, I think it's a little bit different but you've got to be honest on the front end. Thank you very much. Awesome, thanks guys. Thanks coach. Thank you. Just circling back to what we had, natural maturation a little bit because he's been through a little bit of spring boys, been through a little bit of camps. So you're still learning to terminology, you're learning a new skill set. But he just dove right in and wanted to be a sponge and wanted to learn. He's doing a good job and he's improving every day. So that's what's making the battle and the competition and all these great snaps really good for us is because they all have that mindset. So from Seth, awesome. The unit in the group, awesome because there was no combattentness to it. Let's get in, let's go on this compete and then let the guys win.

2:53:26What about Luke said that the skill set made you guys win. You can go a little bit more early. Just learning the same deal, all the young guys you come in, you got to learn how to play in friction. So having three tech, having a two eye, having those guys like right in front of you, that every time you take one of those reps and you're out of your base or you're in your base, you feel the good, you feel the bad. So being more consistent that way, you can't make moves or shift guys if they're not mentally there. And so for him, he's got a pretty good football FQ. So he's continuing, he's growing every day, he's working and he's getting beat every day too and he's learning from those. So in the spring time, we have saying in our room, we're like, in the spring, it's yes and it's no. And then I know it's KNOW. Why didn't the rep work? What happened? And how do I make sure I don't repeat the same mistake? And so whether he's coming in and watching the tape on his own and then come with questions, he's grabbing me and watching tape with me or we're coming doing stuff as a unit. He's learning so that same deal the game can slow down and he gets more comfortable there in friction. So I mean, his weights up, his strengths up, he's spending all season with Mick. You know, there's a lot of development that still has to be had.

2:54:28Obviously not a finished product, but being able mentally for a guy to handle that, you know, helps a lot. Luke, a leaner guy, did you tell him that? He paid you to say that? He did not pay me to say that, but I will say that. That might be the first time he ever heard that in his life. No. No. You know, like Luke Carson, whoever maybe, that jump of 18 to 19 to 19 to 20 year old kid, that plays a lot into it too. Being in a full year with Mick, I mean, all those guys, you coming at mid, you're like your Devo and Dion and Ian more right now. You're keeping your head above water. That's your whole first year. Now you can actually get and we can sit. So when you sit and talk about a jam combo or a lock or whatever the call may be to Luke, he registers that and I like something new because then there's paralysis by analysis.

2:55:33So I think the mental part on top of another year, natural maturity of getting bigger and stronger, that's always going to help. You're not going to, guys here, they're not going to regress. It's going to keep adding progress and how fast can we get that going? It's what we're working on every day with him. The Josh said that he would have been all guard to this point and Coach Day is mentioning this several times that Josh could play guard too. And you guys are trying to work through that, Friar. Josh could play all five. He snapped the ball in high school. Josh had a great off season. But for you when you're going to spring and it's fact finding and experimentation, how much do you want to put them in different spots or not? Because you also have an eye on August to try and settle on five-minute rotation. What's the balance of that for you? You have to get a really good, great,able set so that everybody has numbers of, just like we said before, how many times have we done? A run blocking or pass blocking in this situation so that that all evens out. So that's, it's not experimentation. It's just making sure that you get a good book of work to work out and grade that.

2:56:35So as we, you know, work guys around the platoons and go just to make sure that everybody gets good, greatable reps so we can sit back by the end of spring and say, all right, this is your comparing apples to apples and oranges and oranges and not, you know, apples to oranges because it's completely different that way. So that's kind of the thought behind that as you're going through the spring. When you got here a couple years ago, you just met you with a little soldier. You're just from now, Chip Kelly is going to be here as an officer for what would you have said? Not a laugh. But then I said, you know, it's college football, so who knows, right? What's up in like, I'm sure you're enjoying it, what's up in like, so far? Yeah, I mean, he just added to another piece of just good people here. I mean, you still, you're coming to work here with the guys every day, you know, with the kids we talk about a thumb, that's in front of us as coaches and staff. So adding just another good dude that's in the room. Obviously, as he says something and, you know, he might speak in old terms or terms that we had, you know, maybe be a little bit of a rosetta stone. Like, no, no, this is this. He's like, yeah, that's right because that happens to all coaches.

2:57:35That happened to me when I got here. First, I was at what coach day sometime with Ryan's like, you know, what do we call this? Because he was in a system like that before. And he's, oh, this is this now. So I think just the, you know, translation of a rosetta stone there help, but just overall standpoint of adding a great guy that's a great coach that's been around that's, he's going to supplement the room. And every time you add something new to the room, then that makes the room better, it makes you individually better. Oh, look how he does that. Maybe I could do that. Maybe I can bring that to my meeting room. Maybe I can bring that to communication to the staff or to the kids or whatever it is because he's, he's done it for a long time. And he's done a high level for a long time. So it's good to add that guy to us and then continue as us to rest the staff for me and Brian and key and and everybody just learning and growing with that. What does he bring specifically just, I mean, does he from a talent standpoint? Is he seeing sometimes others don't see? I mean, does he, I mean, what, what does he kind of brings from the chalkboard aspect of that? Well, I mean, but you're saying so what does he see? It's good to have fresh eyes come in that maybe you know, you get in a routine and you get in a rhythm and all of a sudden.

2:58:45Football, you know, he's one of those guys I think goes into categories, forgotten a lot of football, more football than some people have learned in their life. But no, his, I believe he coached every position on the field both sides of the ball through his whole career. So as he looks up and he writes when he's talking about, well, this will linebacker is going to do that. Then he might have coached that at Columbia, right? Or this is what the three texts going to read on the down block of a tackle because he's coached the offensive line and he's been a coordinator for a long time. So just a really good vision of big picture, understanding and you know, the next step and not just being right now. It seems kind of like a make it a break in time for him. The time to step up and step in point was nobody cares. Nobody cares what struggles you have or whatever you got to go out there and feel like you get the job. It's a life play. If you know, she think different about tech, what do you see about tech? Yeah, he's competing his butt off. I mean, he's kind of living that way. You know, that's why we have that the red line over there when you cross the line, you know, coach, they talks about that here like that.

2:59:51It's the game doesn't care. You're off the field. You got to come out and step out and do your job. It doesn't care about anything off the field. Right? That can sound really negative and harsh. But then it also, if you just spend your tone like in it, beautiful that the game doesn't care. It doesn't care. Your skin color, your socioeconomic background, where you've come from. If you just want to do it the right way in the 53 and a third, the game will love you back. You know, so I think it's the approach mentally that guys take that way. So yeah, for Tegrit, he's taking that approach. Like he wants to come in and be a guy. So he's fighting and clawing and scratching every day. So when he makes a mistake, he's trying to correct it when he does it well. He's trying to enhance it. And that's what competitive people do. And that's what he's showed up to do. So that's good that he said that. What's his comment on the field been like as a center? And is that difficult when you're coming into a new offensive line to have that? Or is there something innate about the center position? If you've been experienced at it like he has where you kind of have that, I guess, a command on the field over with any offensive line.

3:00:53So I should say it over it. Start over again. You're saying the comfort of center with who now? Seth. Yeah, I'm saying like how has his ex command of the field been and hasn't been difficult, I guess, to adjust for him if he's to have a certain level of on field command at that center. Yeah, I mean, the on command is just great communication getting everybody on the same page. Yes, having a bunch of banked reps helps. But then when you do come into a new offense, just like we talked, you know, with Chip a little bit earlier. You know, he might have called it yellow and we call it green or something. I don't just make it stuff up, but the transition of that in your head to get going with that. Yeah, the comfort of having a ball on your hand, having a guy. I mean, you talk about that. Accommodation of football. Play one handed and have, you know, tie leak this far from your face. You better have command of something, you know. And so you got to understand the communication and the technique and those things there. So yeah, I think him coming into a new place, the game's not as fast as it probably would be for a younger guy. But also there's mistakes there that he can learn from and grow from and same day he's, you know, the one thing we're not having concerns with,

3:01:59we're not driving right now is the guys just competing and trying to get better after a mistake or like we said, we're enhancing as they've done some stuff really well. And he's he's adapted to that really well. So this spring is the same for Sam and how do you assess their own play center versus guard? Could they do both? They both have been ripping it center. Yeah. For the competition aspect, could they roll out and play guard? Yeah, probably both of them could. How do you assess that? You just got to give them a bunch of guard reps. But if you send guys out too much that way, then that's not good coaching, you know. We got a good plan with everybody. Those two guys included as we're moving ahead. But yeah, they've been really working at center position right now both of them. Would you ask about Josh's energy? No, I have. He obviously came after spring practice next year. How has he been this spring?

3:02:59I just want to kind of speak to how what the challenge must have been for him last year, not having spring practice stepping in play that position. Yeah, same. He's been here not even a four year yet. So coming in the summer, doing what he did, coming in through the fall. And then now I mean, same with him. Sound like a broken record. I think the game's slowing down for him. Those mistakes that may have showed up or the questions that he had through the fall. We got going through the season. Those are starting to erase a little bit, which is good. You know, his communication level is just talking more. That's probably the best thing that he's done so far. He's a highly, highly talented guy. We're just developing that skills and discipline and does go into communication. So as he communicates and talks, that's probably the biggest thing I've seen from him, which I think, you know, volume and communication equals confidence. And so he's playing much more confident right now. He obviously has talent. He also have a few plays a game or, you know, the penalty or whatever. Do you see them reduce those?

3:03:59A bunch. Yes. Coach, thank you very much. Thanks, sir. Thanks guys. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You're my bare fans. Thanks, Jeff. I understand. All right, folks, we will come back when you know the communication and how everything works and really just understand the football. You kind of understand how the sense of line and work. You want to get the best investment first day of the Russian itself. I think that's where I come from. How can that chemistry be different from the Taiwanese playing in the rear of the outside? I think it's an even here like there'll be things like sometimes people didn't have to communicate. We just know like we're doing a lot of your ball together. It was great. I came in knowing that just about everything. I mean, like obviously I kind of feel like in terms of like physical attributes.

3:04:59I can kind of like move and strong and stuff like that. But I think like there's a lot more to it that I need to work on even to come close to what I can do. To me being able to help it to like such as technique awareness, just just everything. Definitely communication. I think that's like the big thing. Open ear and those big games where you got to be able to, you know, call it out like a pressure might come and stuff like that. So it's awareness and goal. And I think that's the best way to get the start right. I have a free spring. Is there a level of understanding how we coaches and what he wants to use for years? And I don't know how to down better. I hope he's doing it. Folks we have Dallin, Hayden, not the 20. He wants just 100% effort and just to work hard. Like obviously like there's more to it. But those are the things that he wants you to play fast like basically. I pick that every day. Someone out here gets the best to do that for. Can you go back and ask me? Is it almost like you have all the stuff that was thrown in the other stuff as a adjustment?

3:06:03I don't really think that is great for our needs. Definitely, but I kind of like when I come here, I knew Coach Fry and staff like they were going to, they're going to definitely like scope me into the player. Yeah, scope me into that. Yeah, like they know that like scope. I mean like scope. Yeah. Like just kind of make me into that type of player. I mean the development factor from Coach Fry and I mean getting these like I didn't even just like magic almost. So I mean I'm just kind of keep keep going with him and keep riding with him. How do you spring back this happy summer all? I guess we'll see. I'm going to keep picking that in. I guess. Yeah, I would say sure, but I mean I can't really take credit for something like that. You know, the boy like that is you know the man above kind of put that in my dream. How much is running game changing? New on to whatever you want to call it with Chip Kelly in charge.

3:07:06What if you noticed this little bit little little nuances or stuff? Maybe like little things. I mean, little things add up to big things, right? Yeah, I mean, yeah. Yeah, well, where do you think you guys were lacking at some point last year in certain some of those matchups? I mean, it was a whole new line. So I mean, I kind of the side came to shoot with each other, but other than that, it was I mean, it was a hard game. I mean, I was going to be like, for sure, what's going on? You know, you can have some part time. Yeah. Did Missouri test y'all about as well as anybody? Just about. Yeah. Yeah. What did you know coming out of there? Y'all had to get fixed. To be honest, I felt like we just tried to go out there and just play hard. Like, obviously, we know number six was a really good player. So we just try to make sure he can either back to as much possible. So that's really, we should try to go to. I'm pretty sure you're saying a little bit Josh wouldn't be well when you saw him work out with those just. Just try to dance with him. Yeah. So as a left tackle, I feel like the number one job is to make sure nobody gets to the quarterback.

3:08:06And that's something that I try to do to make sure nobody kind of get around me or go through the range and just keep the quarterback clean out of here. There's a lot more. Yeah, they'll be well on the player and you know, more people in the run and stuff like that. But like, that's probably one of the biggest things. Make sure it's for that. What block did you, I was essentially something. Yeah, so I mean, we got, I mean, yeah, the main deal I'm going to throw is twisting and stuff like that. So in the run, no twist. So he was kind of like, I guess he just got a really state technically sound. That's somewhat I'm trying to do. If you're going to get Mitchell, Melmuch, this spring and stuff, what stands out about him? Obviously, he came back from a couple of knee, knee injuries and stuff. But what's just jumped out at you back then? You wouldn't even know he had too many. He's so like the way he rushes. It's so it's his signature rush. Yeah, it's something that you can't, it's probably the heart. It's probably like the hardest person I've had to block here. Yeah, if I'm being honest, like he's very twitchy, great with his hands. Amazing. Get off. He has that sneaky power. If you're not really like setting for it, he'll get you.

3:09:08And I want to get your take. You know, he came here from San Diego State. Your center, the guy's transferred in Seth McLaughlin, whether he starts or not, we'll see. Right or no. He's from Alabama. He's an amazing you have college football teams who are put together anymore. Because he could be a key thing. And what does that just tell you about the game these days? Yeah, I mean, it can go anyway. Seth is a great player. He tells me stuff that they did differently in the back. I try to take some of like, maybe some advice he has because he's been in college football for a little longer than me. He seems like a grown-up, doesn't he? He comes across that way then. What's the moral of a line that you're absent with a lot of new pieces? And what do you think of the line-tanings? What's the mindset of it? Play fast, play physical. I mean, there's obviously more that we're working on. We're learning like in each other to be honest. You know, the right side is kind of like going a little bit. I mean, not with fire, but like, you know, we have like some people that compete. I mean, we're all competing. I know I am. And stuff like that. So I just, we're just trying to play hard and play physical.

3:10:10And the manager, most of the way through is real quick. How helpful is spring? How helpful is spring? The necessary is spring. How's it going to happen? Yeah, it's very necessary, especially when you kind of got a new OC and stuff like that. It's best to kind of get, you know, comfortable with the scheme now. Then maybe like post-acampus in like a few weeks in here. Yeah, we're going so. It's on last year's joy. Do you have to lead on to your future? I mean, Don, he's like, dude, I owe Don a lot. Like he's an amazing player. He gives me like insight on just what it's like Notre Dame. I've never been like more nervous for a game than Notre Dame. I just kind of talked to him. He said, we got it. Keep doing what you do. We got to. We got to. Probably going for a lot. Oh, yeah, especially. Thank you. Thank you. So, like I said, that just sort of been tough for me to leave this year.

3:11:10And with the opportunity we got, you know, you only got one more chance left to, you know, to go do something that not many people get to do in their lives. So we're in a blessed position. Yeah, put in the club for you. And I'll find it. Yeah, I'll put it up. Yeah, I'll put it up. Yeah, I'll put it up. Yeah, I'll put it up. And I just think that I was putting good positions. Just kind of let, you know, let loose. We're not there in played ball. Like I know how to. And, you know, my teammates played great too. And coaches called it the game defensively. I mean, you know, we give a 14 total points or 17, 14. 14. I mean, 14 and it's a good offense like that. Great team. I mean, that's a good day. So, obviously we didn't get the results we wanted, which is frustrating again. But it's a whole different story. Yeah, I mean, I just think it was, it was collectively a good day on defense. And it happened to be fortunate that the game position makes me a good place. I mean, that'd be the time for, obviously, some kind of compensation. You guys have played well, but nothing really happened.

3:12:11The most I've talked about is necessarily a mere impact. Like you're trying to add all that to what those starters. Do you feel when we're in a groove like that when you get back to the club, that you're giving all this money to? Yeah, I know. I think I felt like I was in a groove probably the whole second half of the season. I felt like myself again, and I was just out there playing a heavy foam on my teammates. And I think that when you come here and you expect to hit the field in a certain way, you know, it's hard to get over that for a little bit. And I think you can look at all of us on the D line as a front. We all kind of had our own journey into how we're playing right now. And now it's all about building. And I'm looking back and playing how we know how to play and being confident out there. And using our abilities that God gave us. So I think that this whole next year, you know, we're just going to see a whole different level of playing from all of us. I know you're trying to keep it up. Yeah. And that'd be kind of a launch. It's a kind of what there may be. It's a future. It's going to be a future. It's going to be a future. Yeah, as you mentioned, what you do for a second half of the season. It's a special.

3:13:11Yeah, you know, I've knew all along what I was capable of. And I know it's frustrating for a few years. You know, not being able to, you know, not playing for whatever reason on the field. So what I was capable of. But, you know, once you just put that stuff to the side, just got there and play ball. You know how it's just going to take care of it. So, you know, you're good. Did I use the term, you know, the talent issues? Well, it does. It's a bit like an emphasis of not focusing on the little things kind of owning it on that stuff. And you guys will you handle the talent? And what is it for you this year? Yeah, you know, I think you said it. You know, there's no talent issues here on this team. I think if you look at our team across the board, probably one of my silent teams in the country. If not the most silent team in the country. And so, you know, that's God given though. And what we can work on is our discipline, our skill, our technique. I think if we become the most, you know, disciplined and sound team technique wise, there's not going to be a team in the country as well. So, but it's, you know, it's a long process to get to that point and to get to that season. So I just think that when Coach Day talks about that, you know, it's true.

3:14:12We've got the talent. It's got to go out there and work every day on the little things. You guys, what are you specifically working on this spring? You know, I'm working on flexibility. You know, I'm working on bending the corner a little bit and hands. You know, at D line, you can kind of improve on everything. And so, Coach Johnson, our emphasis is just, you know, just taking care of the little things, hands, hips, foot placement. So it's kind of a little bit of everything in the spring. There's a lot to be excited for, especially all the guys coming back on defense. But how excited are you to play again with JT? Oh, I'm really excited about that. You know, it was cool, really cool. I mean, him going back and forth the whole time just so I know we're going to come back or not. And, you know, when we, you know, I kind of knew, I knew before you guys knew when he was coming back. So, you know, I was excited. He's a, you know, a hell of a player and, you know, a really good friend of mine. So just having another year with him and, you know, if I'm going to enjoy it and, you know, hopefully have some fun. You know, we can have a comfortable time. It's nice to walk. Even going back to your group, you know, the first guy to come in on this spring. You guys are over the barb cues in your house.

3:15:12What was it like, I guess, to see a kind of comfortable circle in a way that you could kind of almost leverage that relationship. And you could prove guys to come back into the pool and run back on the run. Yeah, you know, it's unique. You know, I think it's a really unique position. I think that great group of guys coming back, man. I mean, you know, it's just so exciting. And I just wanted to, you know, for me, you know, and at the same thing, they same thing for those guys, how much they care about this program and care about the team and coach day and, and guys you want to do it for in the city and, you know, the chance we all knew that, you know, we had great opportunities going in the field. And we also have a great opportunity to put another one of those banners up here. So, and, you know, get some revenge on, you know, the guys up north, all that stuff. So, you know, when you put in a nutshell, you know, it was a really simple decision for a lot of us. And, you know, we thank God for being in this position and coming back, you know, I don't think any of us have regretted it. And we're just really excited to, you know, to get back on the chase and, you know, not miss a day.

3:16:17Jack, you take a wide view of the defense with the additions made by Caleb coming in. And now you see Sonny move closer to a line of scrimmage. But you just, when you have an opportunity to like look at what's out there, how does it change the capability with your defense? Last weapon, how can it change the way maybe you deploy that you couldn't do a year ago? Yeah, I mean, you look at the defense one of the fairly like damn, we're big. You know, corner we're big, line back we're big, D line we're big, safe through we're big, fast. You know, we're just, you know, we're just, we've got a lot of weapons to say the least. And so, you know, when you got, when you know you got those guys behind you, you know, you just make you play so much more free up front. And you know, you're dependent, you can rely on those guys behind you. And I think that, you know, if we take that approach and everywhere on the field offense too, that, you know, we're not really fun here. Jack, thank you very much. You kind of changed the perception before you get it. You guys don't pay attention like outside noise, but also, a lot of the things you've got are actually really good.

3:17:18Yeah, I'd say it starts off with like you kind of got to, it starts off with tuning out the outside noise. And what other people have to say about it? And it's really good. What the mind said, I kind of look at it as it's like a drop in a bucket. You know, if I got a big bucket, there's no one thing I'm going to do to make these bucket full. It's a daily thing where I put one drop in a day. And you look back over a year, two years, three years, look back and be like, man, I've gotten a lot better. And so, like I said, I'm just very thankful for the event. The guys that I have around me push me very hard, and I'm just thankful. You mentioned that the development is part of TEDx. What was the book challenging part of you to make all the things into the play of the blind? Yeah, I'd say definitely the size component. You know, you got to be someone that's, you know, when you got to be big, you got to be strong, you got to be fast. There's a lot of jobs that you have to do. It's a very asking job. You need to buck the big, some of the biggest guys in the field. But also run routes off some of the smallest guys in the field. So, I think just thankful just to be out here and do exactly that. What was it like to get that shot the other day for the pros counts?

3:18:22Run routes, catch balls, show off. Yeah, no, there's a good opportunity. I think some of the big, you know, region behind it was just kind of giving those guys out there that were at the podium. We have limited numbers. So, just get out there and give those guys a breather. But maybe the opportunity to get to go out there in front of scouts. I think that's a pretty good deal. And you're taking only a quarterbacks to this point. The quarterback battle is going on. What's been your take on Will, for example, get the no-hem. And of course, David, I think the line said that we have body around here is ironing, sharpening iron. So, that's kind of like, it's not just one of the Romans from top to bottom, club's whole team. No matter what position you are, we're here to work. I think we're all here to make each other better. Whether it's in a cornerback room or a tight-knit room or running back room. Offense players, defense, coach for his coach. It doesn't matter. We're all just ironing, sharpening iron. Especially this time of year in Spring Ball. We're not doing too much game planning for next week. We're really just spending this time to get better and build a good foundation for ourselves. It's time to work on room forward. If you've seen Will, how we're fitting in more and more, is the practice has gone on.

3:19:22You know, getting to know everybody and all that kind of thing. I mean, I've always been here for a while. I'm sorry. Yeah, I think as time goes no matter where you are, you start to adapt. You start to get used to what we have going on here. So, it's good to have... Thanks. You came in. What's it been like? Yeah. It's a platform. It's a learning position. I'd say when it comes to that, I think it's all the glory to the Lord. And I decided to give my life completely to the Lord a little over a year ago. And that kind of really changed my outlook on the way that I approach football. It's no longer something that I idolize. It's just something that I do. And I think the time of my life where I stopped, you know, compartmentalizing who God was in my life. God was something that I do on Sundays or something that I do in a Bible study. It went from what I do to who I am. And so now I embody that as who I am. And so, some of the fruits of the spirit is peace, patience, and kindness.

3:20:24And so, those are kind of the things that I've started to embody on this journey. I think it's easy to kind of compartmentalize football away from faith. But ultimately, it's all one. It's all one. It's giving me a spirit of patience, peace, and joy with the guys around me. And so, I'm just, I'm thankful. I'm thankful to be here. But being quite honest, I just, I know for a fact, I wouldn't be where I'm at right now. And I know on the outside looking in, you know, I was like, you know, where are you right now? But I wouldn't be where I'm at right now if it wasn't for my relationship with the Lord. I truly came into my life and changed around for the better. G, what did you see from Bennett Christian last year? How did you go about suspension and how do you work with him? Yeah, I think he did a great job. A lot of perseverance. I think that's no matter who you are, we're kind of hearing news like that. That you're going to be out for a year, that's hard. No matter where you are. I'm really proud of him because he came up, he came to show up every single day. And he got better. He got better. The easy thing to do in that kind of situation is throwing the towel.

3:21:24Be like, man, you know, forget this or I'll get better next year. But I saw the drive-out and one thing I see now every day, he showed up. He got better. I'm proud of Bennett and I'm proud of this unit. Why's the question of seeing Mike and Sean go home? What is your feeling on the field? Being apart? I mean, yeah. I don't know. I don't really know how to answer that question because if you go from one unit to another unit, the moment you trade units, you're no longer in the unit you are initially in. So you're now a tie-down. And so I mean, chance of that question. I think the time that I went from in the receiving unit to the tie-down unit is the moment I became a tie-down. I'm going to be a tie-down unit. I'm going to be a tie-down unit. No, Kevin Wilson was my coach. Coach Holland was my coach and I was a receiver. It's just different. It's two different roles. I'd say to answer that question. The moment that I decided to come to play tie-down is the moment I couldn't tie-down.

3:22:26And so now over the years, I've gotten better at playing in the position. But the moment that I transferred over, I've been a tie-down. And I'm excited to be a tie-down. Another position I would rather play. Will Buckas. Thank you, Gene. Yep. Yeah. We're the issue, so I am. We're trying to attack. And so I think, you know, that's something that over time, I can feel Lincoln getting a better and better field for it. You know, Lincoln has definitely stepped up from a leadership perspective. And you can see the way that, you know, he attacks workouts. You know, this winner is so big for all three of them. Just really just set the standard and to understand the intangibles that playing quarterback is all about. Right? Because there's so much more than just picking up a football and throwing it when it comes to this. He's succeeded on Saturdays. So I've seen that growth from Lincoln and that's really exciting. As for Julian, you know, last year going into the year, he was competing for a job and, you know, end up not winning the job. And, you know, he could have turned it down and been bummed out and, you know,

3:23:28not attacked it the way way, but I saw him continue to grow throughout the year. So I'm going to learn from Will and to get to a point this year where, where now he can step up and be more of a vocal leader. And, you know, that's something I've seen growth of him as well. You know, he's put on some weight and he looks good and he's definitely attacked. It's time in the, you know, the winner. And so that's been awesome. And then Tavy, and it comes in. And, you know, Tavy, Tavy, is, you know, really should still be in high school. Instead, he's, you know, in my office all the time, learning the offense. And when he's not with me, he's with Coach Mech. And when he's not with Coach Mechari, he's over there doing academics and sassos. So his days are pretty jam packed and it's definitely new for him. But his commitment to wanting to be great and wanting to be to the level where he can go out and compete in the spring has been great. It's been really impressive. So I'm excited for all three of them. Does it feel like what August 30th? Is it just around the corner years? I want to say and you got to have a guy ready to go. I'm against Texas. You know, you open.

3:24:28Yeah, I don't think so. I don't think so quite yet. You know, I think we have a unique situation where we've got three really talented kids. You know, they're all young. They all have a lot of room to grow. And I think they all understand that and are eager to attack growth. But most college football teams or a lot of college football teams going through a year and they end up having a guy get hurt or something happens. So as far as having one guy, that's not the way that we want to develop the room. We want all three of them to continue to get better, to continue to develop and be guys that we can count on throughout the season. Do you guys want to work? Scholarship guy? That's still in conversation. What kind of Seattle goes? You know, obviously three is a little bit less than we typically have. But you know, the three that we're really confident in right now. The last year we got to go to Ryan Morgan's cornerbacks, two of work. The cornerbacks, you work in the cornerbacks, Bob. The cornerbacks. The foods filling out your room. I mean, you have someone that you've had in mind to come in to meet the assistant for you. Or how do you see that? Yeah, right now, Colin Kienos in helping me.

3:25:29So Colin was working with me at Akron. He was a student assistant and he was really, really impressive there. So he's going to come in and he's going to help out with some of the day-to-day stuff. And then, you know, Coach Day and I have built a pretty good relationship where, you know, between my time here is the GA where, you know, I learned the game of football the way he sees it. And that was such a pivotal time in my career, you know, I was so blessed in college. And then in my first couple, you know, my first job there, that I got to work with Joe Morehead. And, you know, I learned so much football from that man and I credit so much of my career to him to put me in the position. But then, having the opportunity to, okay, hey, I may never see you through a little bit of a different life. And to learn how Coach Day sees it. Well, yeah, like, it's so big for me in my development. So that couple of years as a GA was awesome for me. And then last year to be able to sit in with him and really kind of see the game, you know, in a similar fashion. And I'm always going to continue to learn from him because he's just such a special coach. And to be able to see it, you know, in a similar way and continue to bounce thoughts on him to make sure that him and I are communicating in the same way.

3:26:32You know, Coach Day will always be directly involved with the quarterbacks. And now Coach Hartlein will as well, you know, as the offensive coordinator, I think, as the guy in that chair, you have to have a relationship with the guy that's in the hotel. I think that's really important. So, you know, him and I have already begun conversations just about how that's going to work out and how, you know, he's going to continue to see the game the same way that the quarterback does and how he's going to communicate to them. And those conversations are already beginning. So it'll be, it'll definitely be a combination of, you know, us three. Bill, you can't be in being there for the championship, bro. How about, like, help with this development? Well, it's pretty cool. Just about every one of those games where he was at a playoff game at the national championship. You know, our guys were warming up and I grabbed him and say, hey, look around. You got to take a couple minutes and take this in, right? This is what it looks like. This is what we work for. So, you know, when you get to a really hard day in the winter, right? You just remember not a homework and get to that point. So for him to have that experience and to be able to see that and, you know, hopefully one day when he's in that spot, he's like, oh, I've seen this before. I know it looks like.

3:27:32I think it's pretty cool, I think, just to have that bank in his memory. I think it comes off, so I've spoken. But, you know, without question, you know, come out of a show and I would even say you saw spoken last year. You know, I think that he kind of understood that, you know, Will was in charge of the offense and he knew that he was young and was still earning respect. You know, a big part about leadership is you can't just walk into a room and start leading. You have to earn the respect to your peers and truly understood that. And, you know, I think he earned that respect about the year. And so this year, you're definitely seeing him step up. Him and Lincoln both, you know, are in that phase where they've earned that respect. And so they're doing a really good job leading right now. And in Tavians doing a good job on respect. So we're kind of in the middle right there between those two phases. I think, I think, still less than two years, just specializing. I guess where do you think he is harnessing all of that all athletic ability to be a really good coach?

3:28:39Yeah, I mean, there's no question how Lincoln is special, I think. And, you know, guys that have that background that have been successful in multiple different sports. You know, one way or another is going to translate to the game of football. So I think that we're continuing to see that from Lincoln. You know, I think as the more that he, you know, is in position to understand and learn the game, in which we saw all last year, you continue to grow. And so to take that into spring, you know, and combine that with his athletic ability, I'm excited to see, you know, I think it'll be really good competition. Can I, you know, I truly lead until he is the quarterback. Oh, absolutely. I mean, the important one is quarterback. Oh, I think so. I think so. I mean, leadership comes in all different phases, you know, in all different ways. There's, you know, there's without question, I've been part of different teams and I've seen it where maybe the guy that wasn't starting quarterback was, you know, the strongest leader on the team.

3:29:41So I definitely think that that's part of it. You know, I think once you are in the respect of your teammates and once you show that, you know, you're going to lead by example and they respect you for that. You're in position now that you can be vocal. So, you know, I definitely don't think that you need to be a starter named a quarterback to be a leader at all. Believe it or not, some incredible offensive minds in college already. What are your, what are the traits you look for specifically as a quarterback being a quarterback yourself? Yeah. You know, I think it comes in a couple different ways. You know, from a tangible perspective, I think that you've got to be extremely accurate. I think you have to be able to make great decisions with the football and get them all out of time. And I think that you have to be able to do it. And we saw the problem with the feet. So, you know, it's rare in college football that every protection is blocked up perfectly or everything goes exactly that we drew it up on the whiteboard. So, when things break down, I'll be able to fix it with our legs. And then, you know, as far as intense football, I look at, I look at, you know, guy like Will who had those intense moves about as well as I've ever seen.

3:30:47And that's just a complete command and understanding of both the offense and the huddle to know exactly what we're trying to do on every single play. Know what we're trying to attack, understand where the issues are and where they lie and how you're going to combat those issues. To be able to understand, you know, when it's time to move on for the ballway and move on to the next play. And then also be mentally tough enough that when things don't go our way, to be able to react the right way and move on to the next way. What last question? You go fight a question. What last question? You go fight a question. At all, over you just focused on one thing. Oh, no, no, I didn't do this in addition. Oh, I did. Like, when you're coaching and you build a relationship with these guys, you want nothing more than for them to go out and have success on the field. And I think that's so, you know, so important. Like, I sit in that room and, you know, it's about them. It's about them going out and reaching their potential and maximizing their talents and going out and execute on the field. And so, you know, last year I was just trying to find a way that I could help them do that.

3:31:48So, you know, to be able to work with those guys last year and to help out and, you know, have them see some success. It was special for me, but it was special for me because I know how bad they wanted it. And so that was pretty neat. I always feel like it's one for improvement. I never feel like you just got it. That's one thing. A lot of people mess up one for like, oh, they have one good year. Okay, I mean, that's not any. I've been doing it for years and years to come. I feel like to myself for sure. What do you know about this important thing? Because you probably know big. It's all received just like me. You know, just came in and kept it set. Now, I'm just working on my high BCS future here at Ohio State. Probably going to be next one for sure. What's it like seeing all of these like the national championship banner and seeing all the new signage. You know, have you played a huge role in it? I mean, it's no subclassic. No, the subway, no. Or else and no, the night he runs out. We had as a choose freshman. But no, it's time to move on. Me and that's behind us now. And I can't wait for this season to come up. What kind of obligation do you feel to a guy like me?

3:32:49Kind of take him on your way and show him how you work. I feel like he already got that. Just coming in. He already got that hard work at the quiet just like me as I came in. Just all about bar really. Me and here early on me. Spend the time on coach hotline meeting and everything. I'm going to get the right way. I should say and he have a bright future here. Coach hotline say he wants you to come up with a good game. Yeah. You should have a car now. And a couple of leaders to group. Yeah. How much for a challenge that you are kind of a quiet guy? Yeah, there's a challenge. No, just no stepping on my comfort zone. I mean, something everybody wants to see for me. Not just my coaches, but players on the team as well. We have a leadership meeting. There's a lot of people call me out on just saying they want me to talk more. I'm working on it takes time. Not really a guy that's talkative or no, but lay by the time. But one thing I'm definitely working on is trying to talk more and get more of my comfort zone. And just get it. You guys open with. Yeah, for sure. That's definitely the biggest challenge. I mean, like I said, just step on my comfort zone and the guys and the younger guys as well.

3:33:53You guys open with Texas next year. Going back to the playoff game. Do you think about that moving forward just kind of how you were taken out of that game? Yeah, I think not really think about it. I mean, that's behind me. Maybe we won the game. We ended up going to national championship. I mean, we see it on week one. I just know can't wait to face a great opponent. What's your impression of Devin Sanchez so far? Yeah, big long corner of the Corrine. Physical. He got it all and I can't wait to see things he do here this year as well. What if you notice different? Are you think different about this defense of these first three weeks of spring? It's a culture ride. They just fast. Physical and willing to hit somebody I should say. Saying they got the real change for me. And guys still got no do they've been doing over the last year and a half. And the year and a half was actually safe. Coach, that makes the quarterback's live like he did for a couple of practices last week. As a live receiver, right now, right? How do you think your quarterback is responding to that?

3:34:54Over authoring it. I think they responded pretty good. I did not expect the quarterback to be live in a scrimmage. That's a prize for me for sure. Coach, they definitely surprised me with that. But I feel like they handle it very well. They took hits. Something we need. They needed. I should say, you know tough. Right. Why do you see those people? They're all like I've pointed back. See how they handle that. Obviously not a norm to do that. Learn anything now, but it's definitely not known to see a quarterback get hit. It gets his no defense, I should say. But no, guys, they was getting hit for sure, but they was getting right back up. So command could also be for that. Two more questions. Can you get? Definitely can't get better. No, feel like I'm getting complacent. Always want to prove that. And I'm just taking the day by day and just getting better each and every day. And I'm, why do you prepare for the scrimmage? And the expectations you're going to get on the next two seasons here. Off the season you just had. Not really focused on the espacation that I have coming up or the year after that.

3:35:58No, just focus on spring. Spring and you know, just going to follow camp and just get ready for the season. I should say the espacations go be there. Not really know something high. No. In my mind right now, I'm just no. Being leader and just focus on the team. Jeremy, how much changes is right? How much changes? I don't really know. We haven't really spoken about that right now. I don't really know. What's that? Jeremy, a lot of guys just said that they want a lot of championships. They don't want to see it. It's moving into the CSU and the team. What is that for you? And why do you think that's significant for the team? I mean, like I said, we came live in the past on the club in the 2020-2014. They won the national championship. This year, we did it. So, I mean, we just took everything down and weight room and everything. So, we could focus on being ourselves and this is our season. Great. You know, deep in, you couldn't stop.

3:36:59What happened? You know, I mean, they're a great team. We got a great running back. Wiley Linnner is probably one of the toughest guys we've ever played against. And Marcus Freeman is a great job. So, hats off to them. You know, we knew they were going to make plays. Like you said, they did go right down the field to first drive at 14 plays. And they teamed. They were thinking of whatever it was. There's a fun. Well, I mean, like I said, they're a great team. Well coached a lot of tough guys on that team. We knew they were going to fight their ass off. And it's a heavyweight balance. And that's what the championship is. That's what it's all about. And we knew we were going to have to take some shots and keep swinging. It's hard to get up the course way. In that meeting, you guys had the greatest season. So, you hadn't had standing front of you guys. A whole team. You're vulnerable like that. And to make changes, what is it said? I mean, it just speaks to how great a coach is. I think a lot of coaches would have had a lot of self-egos going into that meeting. He didn't at all. I mean, he loves us, you know, all of us like when his sons. And we felt that form, you know, that loss. You know, we knew that we had to revamp if you did.

3:38:01I mean, I can't say enough like how much he means to me. And Stanley means to me. The way he goes about business, we don't go about it. Like a lot of teams do about fear of losing your job. We go about it as a family and it's about love. And we know we had to execute it. And we did that tonight. How happy are you for a coach today? And how close you are? You were the first to make it for him to build a healthy good. Yeah, I mean, it's a dream come true. Like I said, I mean, God is so great. And my journey, it took us down. It took Coach Day on. This family on, I mean, and then I'll be curious if we did a night break on the camp. And then it needs everything to us. And the team have the success. It makes me so happy. I know, I saw the smile on his wife on her face. And it's up to she ever doing it. And then it's going to be an excellent night. And that guy in front of his row, it's terrible. And to come out tonight, you know, in this game for them, it's awesome. If you drop them, you can burn them. If you want to be a champion, you should put bust. All that expectations for this team at a point in that effort. You know, we knew what the expectations were.

3:39:01We knew what the expectations were going to the season. You know, we knew that we're at Ohio State. And the top of hand every year is not competing for national championship and not doing your job. So, you know, what never a burden. It's kind of a motivating factor. You know, do what we're doing right now. We just did. And we were legacy. We just left is something that, you know, you can't put in the words how much it means. So we never looked at this as a burden. But there's an opportunity. And we did that just tonight. Jack, you dropped your name in the night. You're going to have a chance at a championship. Yeah. When did you sense that? We never know today was going to fight to the end. But it didn't just that. You know, during the season. It was during the season you felt that you didn't think of before. The season we knew that we were capable of a national championship. Just because of the guys we had and the coaching staff. We knew that we were capable of this. And through all the ups and downs, we were able to persevere and keep fighting. Keep swinging coach. They always say, you've got to fight your way out of bat times and life. And as a player, as a coach, as a family, really for him. You know, he's got to fight himself out of bat times. And he did just that, made the adjustments, made the change. And now we're champions. So, like I said, God is so good.

3:40:01And the journey brought us on was amazing. Jack, I believe that was last week. Jack, I believe that was last week. Who said you're a deep butt guy? Obviously, you grew up in Pickerington. When did you allow yourself to think about what this moment would be like? And what it would mean for your legacy at Ohio State that you can get this done? When did you allow yourself to think about that? Yeah, I know. I mean, honestly, I haven't still even thought about it. And I'm just so happy to be able to celebrate this with this group of guys. It's not about me at all. It's about this team and coach Day and the city of Columbus. I've been waiting for this for a long time for 10 years. And I'm just so happy for this group of guys and the stuff that we went through and heard. And we keep getting up and keep trying to practice and going as hard as we can. And I approach one of the positive attitude and trusting that God's plan. And you know, here we are in national champions. You can never take that away from us. So, I'm just so happy that we will finish the job. And then we'll go back to the last one. You and Jack, now that it's done. Please, on the stage at one point, what were your thoughts right there, Jack? It looked like you kind of dropped your knees at one point and we're giving some kind of thanks or whatever. But what was going on there? Yeah, I was just thinking God.

3:41:01I was thinking God for all the ups and downs in my career and everyone else's career. And to end it this way, it's just so special. I mean, you know, when you put your faith in God, you know, he says it's not going to be easy. And it hasn't been easy for any of us. And, you know, we kept trusting him and believing his plan. And here we are in national champions. You know, when I don't want to say all you guys didn't believe it, but I'm sure you guys are here doing the job. And after that, we can November. So, here we are in national champions. I feel just great to say. Who brought those regards? Who brought those regards? I could care less. Because I do, I know they sound there. Because as it should be, it should be. I got hurt two major injuries back, not back to back years. But, you know, so I haven't been on the field as much as I should. That's true. That is true. But, it's not like I'm having these little, little dinky injuries and sitting out. It's something I can't control. Literally. So, that's why I'm not bothered by it.

3:42:01Like, yeah, I am injury-poin. You can say that. You know, but I do think that the chargers are getting a guy that's going to be healthy from now on. You know, God will it. And it's going to be great. And I do think that it's going to be a great however many years here. When you've been on the field, you've been highly productive. 5.8 yards of very average for your career. Like, knowing that when you're out there, you're very productive. How much confidence does that give you that really all you need is an opportunity? All the confidence in the world, you know, the way I work. I wouldn't say just from the numbers, but just the way I work, my work ethic, you know, and my relationship with Jesus is like, I have the most confidence when I step out there. Because I do know like, if he grants me the health, it's over with. I don't think I'll be, you know, I think it'll be a great year or whatever, a couple of years. However many years he grants me great health, you know, and I think just the work ethic, my prayer, and all that stuff,

3:43:04that's what helps me have that confidence. What the numbers will be there in there. They might be higher after this year, you know, and it's crazy to think about it because I had 6.6 yards per carry. So we'll see. You're looking forward to running behind this line, is this particularly? Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah, I play with Bradley. I play with him, you know, I know Slater, I know all the guys, you know, and I'm excited. I think, like I said earlier, it's a talented group. You know, we just got put together, win some games, because that's what I came before. Just in all the part of the year or all that. I wouldn't say part of the recruitment, but like whenever I decided I was going to sign it, it was great to have him in the room. Yeah, we're great. We have a great relationship. That's like my brother. I think it complements each other very well. You know, he can do a lot of stuff too. You know, a lot of people think he's just power power power, but I think he has some other parts that we've gained too, which it'll be great.

3:44:05Because I feel like I could do everything. And when one's getting tired, we can roll it in, we keep rolling, win some games. When you, the two of you get going, how do you think this is going to look? Or what will be that partnership that is back there? I know. That's a hard question. How do I think it will look beautiful? You know, a lot of people call this a passive league, but I think you got to run the ball to win the Super Bowl. You know, if you look at the team to win the Super Bowl, they can run the ball. They can control the clock. And so if we're both good, it'll look great. Beautiful. How do you describe it as a Greg Roman offense? I would describe it as, you know, a great offense. I think he gives a quarter, he's going to give the quarterback a lot of options. He's going to give the running back a lot of options. He's going to give the receiver a lot of options, you know, and I think it's going to be great. He's often going to be amazing. When we talk to him, you know, I was like, why are you going to build something good for Russian offense?

3:45:08It's, you know, throughout your career, which everywhere you've been. And you said that one part of it is just, you got to call the police. You got to call the run police. As we're running back, you know, how much confidence, how much you say it is, and give you, you know, you have a play call there that's going to stick with it and allow you and the offense upon it to a rhythm of rope. It gives me a lot of excitement. You know, is he going to be, like I say, his spawn of play is off. And he's off. You know, and I think he does have some good things in the pass game too. But like you said, he sticks with the run and that's that's the identity. You want to offense that has an identity, right? You're going to be looking everywhere else to find your identity. You want to have it. And so I think his offense has that. And the guy he builds and puts in there, it complements that identity. So I think it's going to be great. You've been to your 100% now. So you mean full goal for training? Well, I ain't going to answer any of the four. If it's up to me, yes. Look, because I had this problem like two years, three years ago, I'm thinking I'm full goal.

3:46:11I think I'm ready to go. And then next year you know, I'm on PUP. Like, hey, look, some stuff above my pay gray. So, but I don't know. Hopefully I can start. I think I'm ready to start, you know, begin a training camp. But that's not up to me as I've learned. I wouldn't say that. I think I've been in some great organizations. And I think this organization is a great organization. And the training staff is great. And so they just want what's best for me, you know. And they're taking care of me, which that's what you want in the organization. And so that's where that comes from. Which I appreciate it. Like, I really appreciate it. You know, because I'm a type of guy like I work really hard. So maybe sometime I'm blind to, you know, the danger of something, you know. So I appreciate it. But like I said, if it's up to me, yeah, I'm out there. But never know. Well, any frustration for you during the getting into pre-agency, you know, dealing with free add-in

3:47:12not, you know, having a full season of paid for the production to go out there. Was there any part of that where you're like, I wish I had hit the open market. With a different situation. Yeah. I like it. I like how would I say this? I like it the hard way. But not you know, I like it the hard way. I like it. I like trial and tribulations. So, I mean, the dice that I was given to roll was. I was coming off a third Achilles. And that was the Lord's plan. So it was beauty in that. Like I was comfortable. I was caught like there was multiple teams, you know, I wasn't like I didn't have any other team. But I was comfortable in sitting back and just enjoying the process, letting myself get fully healed. So whenever that team whoever I would sign with who now is the chargers is going to get in the way.

3:48:13I think people all around the league know that like, okay, this guy, okay, is a high risk, high reward type thing. Not even a high risk of low risk because it's a business, right? So I got hurt last year. So not as much money as he's be throwing that. But I think everyone around the league knows that whenever I am on the field, the numbers don't rise. And so they know that. And a lot of teams were like, all right, here. You can, we give you this, but we want you to be healthy. So when I'm healthy, it's going to be great. The chance that I've been giving here, I'm so grateful. And I know that's going to be, they won't regret it. Are you the type of person that likes to prove people wrong? Like you've done a couple things like a high risk high reward, injury from, you know, like are you the type of person that really tries to prove you? No, I hear it.

3:49:13I see it. It's pretty cool. Like you'll never see me unless I'm just like in a bad mood. You never see me like, oh, like if I have a great game or a great year, like I have this wonderful year, I ain't going to go back and, you know, like, yeah, what happened? No, because I don't care. Like you're eventually see, like I'm like, I'm a guy that's really good. So I ain't worried about that, but I'm proving myself right that I am one of the best in the league. Right? So forget all the naysayers and people will talk about being injury prone because whenever I have this great year, it's going to be forgotten, you know, too. Why give that energy? I'm just, you know, he's a great guy. I mean, he was in my class. I remember seeing him. We were at an award show because I was a dog walker or a finalist. And I'm like, I've seen him play, but I didn't know he was that tall. Like I know he's like six.

3:50:13So when I first saw him, this was years ago in college. I'm like, am this is really tall. Like it's cool, though. Like I like I never really got to hang on. I thought it would be kind of, you know, you know, nerdy dirt, but he's cool, dude. Very laid back. No, we'll face to him. You think it was for playing what you did in Denver? I don't know that yet. I kind of just mentioned previously. I don't know my role. I don't know the engine out yet. Once we'll get, you know, through the protocols and NFOPA, we'll talk about, you know, the schemes and everything. Right? So welcome. When you were in Denver in the three, four, where did you find yourself most comfortable, most effective in my role? I played a lot of different positions in Denver. I mean, early in my year, I played zero. I played three to one. I mean, I definitely more comfortable in a shaded position, mainly being a three technique and five technique. That's why I found myself to be more comfortable. Whether I'm standing up or I'm not, or there's runner or pass, those seem to be my best, my best fits.

3:51:18And what is your impression of Pete Carroll's defense and how old environment and Seattle can apply? From afar, it seems like he holds in on a defense a lot. I can't really say too much about that yet. I know Pete Carroll very little. So I'm just trying to figure out more and I'll give you a better answer later. What's the reputation around the league running the C-Honk? You know, hard-knows, hard-hat type of team. Definitely on a little more lack side as opposed to being a stuck up or military style. Which is definitely good because this program is one of a lot of football games. It's been super successful for many years. As long as I've been alive and as long as I've been watching football. And definitely, this has been a good program. And Pete Carroll has been a hell of a coach for a long-darker member and getting back in his college days. I'm looking forward to experiencing that. I know you said you don't know yet what your role can be. But what kind of player are you that you don't understand who haven't watched the C-Honk?

3:52:19What kind of player is he has to get? Definitely a high motor. Definitely not a one-trip parking type of player. I like to attack. No, whether it's first or first to the fourth now. I like to attack. I'm always on the apply pressure. I'm definitely just a high motor guy, my opinion. Maybe. Are they already understing for me? Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. This is not a team that really makes big splash sign-in in pregnancy. Did you think going into it that Seattle would be in play? No, not at all. It's kind of like being a cure at a candy store here. You know, got a whole bunch of different options coming at you. You're hearing a whole bunch of different crazy things. And you know, you only get to choose one. And this is the place that we both chose each other. I mean, I'm loving Seattle so far. I like these colors. For real. What did you got to do in Seattle and see some season? Not much. Just kind of just drive around the city exploring, get down to the market a little bit.

3:53:19I want to get on the Ferris wheel. Do some more like touristy type of things, you know. I'm new to the city and I got a lot to learn about city. Larry? Yeah, there's been a lot of comparisons that you did in Michael Bennett. I'm wondering if you know Michael Bennett at all and he could go to the academy. I know Michael Bennett, like, I don't know nothing about it, but besides his style of play. But I'm honored to be considered in the same conversation as him in a style of play. You know, he's a Hall of Fame type of deep lime and that I've known about. So I was a kid. I mean, last time he played here, I was in high school. So, you know, it's cool to kind of came full circle a little bit watching him on TV. And now I'm being kind of compared to him in a way. You know, I mean, I'm not touching the surface of Michael Bennett. You know, he's a Hall of Famer. And I'm not there yet. So, you know, I just got to keep doing my due diligence to be a better player. Carmen? Hey, Dream out. Welcome to Seattle. I know you get to play several seasons for Vic Fangio and the three four style defense.

3:54:19And Seattle's playing a similar system now to the back of last year. I did a defensive line and what do you think is most important to be successful in that system? Maybe fundamentals or just playing style to be successful? Um, just from what I learned being gap sound and being patient has always been the biggest thing. And that's how we've been successful when I was in Denver. Um, just kind of like relying on each other. I know that sounds kind of cliche, but like this kind of like the realm of being in the three four defense. You got to really really rely on the guys behind you and the guys on side of you to really make their. To do their job to make your job easier. Bob? Um, yeah, Dream. Um, you're, uh, you're going to have a state plan because you didn't start playing football to your junior high school. You know, why did you play basketball so that next? Just, uh, what made you know, I guess you said you go to play football and then with that, I heard you said you're going to get away from basketball? No, no, I'll, I'll always love football first. Uh, it was just kind of just time to just playing it out. You know, I let a hoop, but you know, football was definitely about calling them given I was.

3:55:20Uh, 265 pound powerful and I was like six, three, three, so you know, I kind of chose to route that. God gave me. No, I'm not six eight. My speed up. Yeah. My welcome to Seattle. And you've been posted. I'm looking at the other things that you listen to the job. So, uh, you just talked a little bit about that. Uh, that we're only. I think the same. You know, first time it all. It was. You and I were on that. Um, just for a standpoint, like I always get like over over shadowed over look, whether it's. And something, you know, I'm saying like. I feel like I do a lot more than what can be seen by the. The eyes of the inexperienced, you know, scout. And I do a lot of different dynamic things that help make place for others. You know, I'm definitely an active player. I'm always doing something whether in the run or pass game. So, you know, I think that goes on. Sometimes and, um, I'm looking forward to playing people on notice.

3:56:21Brady. What, uh, what do you like to do outside of football? What is going to be your hobby? Uh, big gamer. Um, I'm definitely, I've been getting to a lot of chess lately. So, uh, just to expand my brain. Uh, I'm trying to get into reading, but if it's not supported, I did. I really not interested in reading that much, but mainly just video gaming in chess. And then when we write and say your name, do you prefer gray or dream? Uh, I mean, you can say, you can say Dre my Jones. I mean, but like just, I'm like personally just call me Dre because easy. Because people like to f my name up a lot. Like a lot of that. They call me Dre my day. I don't know why you put a Dre my day in my name or Dre my tea. Whatever you want to say, I was going to go by Dre to keep it simple. Thank you. All right. Michael Sean. Hey, Dre, what's specifically you bring to the sea of as a past question? Uh, some of the new era of the fast question. Someone was on the little lighter side of the average three technique and bring that explosiveness, that quickness.

3:57:21Uh, someone was great with their hands. Someone was a very stings. And someone was a go getter when it comes to the run end pass. Appreciate it. Yeah. Well, yet Dre Jones that said after the trade that are after the signing that you actually got. They wanted to trade last year. The rest of the trade that Denver said. No, it was not some of the time you were aware of it all. I mean, like she'll. Yeah, I am flattered. Uh, I mean, she actually just traded me from the jump, but uh, it was it was cool to I guess it kind of came full circle for Seattle a little bit. I was including to the trade and Denver said no, and then. Diver kind of. I want to say that word, but different than pay my power respects. So I'm here because they respect me from the joke. Thank you. I think it's just not getting too high, not getting too low. Um, you know, saying in a nice even medium and uh, attacking each play at a time.

3:58:24No matter what the score is and doing doing it to the best of your ability. What what ails this offense the most? I think just saying ahead of the chains and getting getting past those third downs, uh, converting on those third downs. I mean, that's what we got to be better at. Um, but then the day we got to put him in zone and we're not doing that. We're not doing our job. So. Are you guys creating more explosive plays? That's an offense. Right. I think you stick with it. Um, you know, the explosive plays are going to come and. Now he's got to trust that and they'll be there for us for sure. Coach Stins has been here for a high Zandlo's over the many, many years. He's been with this program now. What sort of his message to your group right now? And when you're turning to him, what is he saying as far as how to get through this? Yeah. So I think it's just really just coming in attacking every day as you would, um, regardless. And, uh, you know, staying, staying even, even through hardship and attacking it, attacking it the same way every day.

3:59:25That's really all you can do. And you just get a little better every day and see where it takes you. So the way things are already we're setting up, but then also a, um, um, Jason Simmons was calling the game on Saturday. It seemed like tight ends are going to be a big part of this as you guys are trying to pull out. And what role do you think you guys are going to have in trying to get this offense? Yeah. I think we, I think the role is always try to help the offense move the ball. And, um, whether they were called upon to do that in the past game or the run game, we just got to step up and do our job at a high level. And, uh, whatever you ask from us, we just got to do it at high level and let the offense go. You're some of leaders on the offense. Some of the leaders, I would say Gus is a big leader. I mean, he's been doing it for a while. And I, and it's someone that everyone trust, um, is going to do his job at a high level. And, um, I think we have, uh, Hudson's a good leader too as well. Obviously, he's a quarterback. So, he takes on that leadership role. And, um, I think we just have a good amount of leaders, uh, you know, throughout the offense.

4:00:29We were told George might be fairly close to getting back what we mean to get him back in the mix with the Titans. Yeah, it'd be great. I mean, George is a great athlete. So having him out there can only help. Um, you know, we're really excited about him and what you can do on the field. So, it'd be great. Um, yeah, I mean, just when you look at the schedule he asked for us and how it takes care of our body, um, you know, just the diligence and, uh, situational football, uh, kosmacardi, man, he's, he's a great coach. See you by the day. Just us being, being ready, uh, and as we went over there and, uh, excited to build on that. Um, I feel like I always feel good, not always, but I mean, it's week one, uh, uh, this week one. Um, something definitely fresh, but, uh, you know, just got to, you know, continue to, you know, build on that and, uh, take care of my body and, uh, we want to be feeling good and December in January.

4:01:31All right. Oh, it definitely felt great. You know, scoring that touchdown, uh, had a bunch of emotions. Kind of had to lay there and soak it all in, but, uh, you know, it's glad to be back. They kept you down to the guys. The front of the game. The mile is here. It's like, you're supposed to help in front. How do you feel like everything? Every time in front, and, uh, first half to work, you starting the day, I think those guys, you know, played the tell off. They, they competed. Um, I think we had a great plan and we went out and executed it. When you were sitting on a bench, uh, in between plays, would you think about Mike's, uh, defense, the way they put on the table? Oh, wow. I mean, I think it was late in the second quarter. And I think I had like 20, 30 yards, passing 30 yards rushing. I'm like, many boys are out there playing. Um, but I mean, when against that defense all off season, uh, know how difficult it is to play them, how to prepare for them. Um, but, you know, they, they stepped up and answered a call.

4:02:31And we have the best receiver unit in the nation. So, um, we kind of, we're kind of jack of all trades. So, you've been moved around the office and passed on different things, emotions, different creative ways to get open. But has that increased any ownership, hell in its here? Or is it kind of the same as the benefit of the industry? Uh, probably stay away from talking about scheme stuff. What, what was it that Jeremiah did that you think enabled to be in? Iron Buckeye. Just coming in every single day and competing. That's really what we're challenged to do. Um, as, as Buckeyes, when we, when we walk into the way we were going to coach, make your supposed to be there and show out and show out every single day. And you're not allowed to have a step back. You're not allowed to have an off day. He took, he took care of all his, um, you know, the non-negotiable of this program. He was never late. He made his way every single day. He gave his 100% effort. Not the end of the day. He was just winning a lot of competitions and just grinding. So, yeah. I'm going to do what? Let's bring a lot about. Brandon. Brandon didn't get a chance to do a lot this spring. What stood out to you, even when he wasn't on the field, this spring, that,

4:03:33that makes things like he can be a, uh, legit, and back by a few years. Well, yeah, first and foremost, he got, he got voted on by his peers to the leadership committee on our team, which is a group of about, you know, 16 to 20 over the group of about, you know, 16 to 20 of our, of our guys who the team looks to as leaders. So obviously, you can see how people think of him on this team. They think highly of him. Um, and he comes in every day as a very fiery competitive nature. Um, and, you know, he puts in really hard work and days in and days out. So, even though he hasn't seen the field too much yet, we have no, we have no, um, concern that when he does stuff onto the field, he's going to make a great impact. He's only been here here. Yeah. I'm not going to be in the summer. I'm not out of, like, darn, I was never specifying. I need to be on a leadership committee. I have to check it for 3365 days like that. Yeah, just as a ability to be able to, you know, talk a good game, but also back it up. Um, not in a sense of playing football, but more in a sense of, we're going to be the hardest working team on the field. Uh, we're going to go in day in day out. I'm going to, I'm going to beat you even when I don't feel healthy, even when I don't

4:04:35feel good, all that type of stuff. It's, it's all an entirely. I'm not going to. From far away, it looks like. Uh, violent. I just kind of lose a little bit like young bear. Right. We're here with you. Like, do you see that in him? Like, I'm not trying to compare it to. I'm not going to pretend it's all fake. Hmm. Do you see that a little bit in the way that he can shift around? Yeah, he definitely is very fluid about the way he moves and we see it in his, in his, uh, you know, his routes and his releases. So, you know, when, when all the white receivers are knowing the film room and, you know, he's getting crapped, he's doing all this body movement stuff. It's like, okay, we could see he got a little sun to him. So it's just about bringing him along. You know, he wasn't, you know, he, he just got here. It's the first, first year here kind of built on a long. There's steps you got to take, but he's definitely trying to get the right direction. And a lot of teams get talent for whatever reason you guys seem to develop, develop the receivers better than anyone. What, what goes on out there that somehow helps the highest a team of placing guys in the NFL? We played Denzel, uh, Davidson, it was, uh, it was Nelson, Germaine Matthews, Jordan Hancock, Layton, Ransom, Caleb Downs.

4:05:36That's really what it is. It's, uh, it's BIA getting this better every single day. So, tremendous credit to the defense and the, the ability to be able to develop corners like that. It's just good on good every single day. That's, that's the way you get better. So, I'm like, what's the call this is to get open? I mean, we definitely have a strong second there. I would say this year. Um, but, you know, it's just, it's just, it's not just their talent that makes them special. It's their, it's their ability to go hard every single day. They show up every single day with a competitive nature. And, you know, we're, we're going back and forth on the field every single day. They'll be bigger and, and spin that each other a little bit. Um, it's all love at the end of the day. We appreciate them for getting this better. Let's question the method you, you do a lot of things just all that have that, you know, where Brandon seemed like a guy so much, uh, whatever move around, whether he's just beaten anything. You see kind of that same horse how filled and, and Brandon is, is kind of something you do. Yeah, absolutely. Brandon, you know, he came up, played running back for a lot of his life, played a little quarterback here and there, you know, now he's received very,

4:06:37he can do a lot of different things. Um, so we just try to put him in a position where he can be the most successful, um, and the position that makes him the most successful is just the ball on his hand. So we try to do that for him, um, and, and a bunch of other guys in the program who thrive with that. All right, and, Michael, well, I think it's good. We talk a lot, we communicate a lot, pretty snap. I think it's good with everybody saying we're paying in there. A lot of those guys. When you look at what you learned, how do you last here? How much do you take that, try and use it? But how much do you also have to be part of it? Um, man, I try to prepare liking. I like that from, you know, he prepared when he prepared, he had tension. So that's definitely something I try to do like him, but like you said, I'm, I'm, I'm leaving. So, but when it comes to preparing and being intentional with studying and how I prepare for practice, I definitely take that to it. Anything you consider should seem weak. No, I totally leave. Tell you different type of person in the media. Those are my, I said.

4:07:37When you go to know something, I don't know something. You would say, where's that come from? Uh, just being honest, like, you can't be more than those guys when they ask you what happened to you, trying to lie. And you get a film, you know, this obviously, obviously lying here. So, it's the other thing I know. Now, how, how much you know something, what is it that you don't know something? Yeah, I can't really tell the last time that happened. So, that's a good thing. Those big shoes to fill the Cody though for the leadership standpoint. What is he taking out the door with it? You know, maybe somebody's got a feel in that slot. Yes, sir. I think it's, I think it's definitely some big shoe to fill. Cody was a great player, great leader. He's like, with a quarterback, he's a big face, so it's definitely some big shoe to fill. Yeah. And like, uh, Chris Lauren, I said though, you got to beat who you are not. Yeah, who that guy was right. Yeah, he can't just out of being, but definitely that's for season two. When did you feel like you blossomed last year, where they could truly count on you and stuff?

4:08:39I mean, you remember how they counted, came along? I think it started in like fall camp, just flashed again. The first games were in a wrong silence. I said, I don't know what it would be like for a good concentration. Well, it's been great. I like it. I like this personality. I like them all feeling that's not so poor. Yeah. And the life backwards. What kind of is there in being the difference between the ability and the ability to do so in this system? Or is it going to be in its own way or is it kind of the same? Oh. We just, we just learned it right now. We just worked it out. We just worked it right now. We just learned it. What do you think about CJ Higgs and what he can do in this defense? I think CJ Higgs said what he can do in his defense? Or just what he can do this season, you know. What he can do this season? I think CJ will pop up this season for sure. I think this definitely going to be one of his years for sure. Got to. What do you think is the biggest difference between friendship and not friendship? To me, it's no difference.

4:09:42They both coach you and they both, like, they hard on you, but they want you to be great. So I'm not taking a difference. You're talking about how, please, we're working out what you guys could do in fitting and fitness. Do you think Judges want to be trying to plug and touch you guys in? Oh. No, I don't think so. What's the result of the approach you know about the stuff you do on a walk? I think Sonny is a great leader. He fires before anything. Sonny is a great leader. I feel like he's like the voice. He can be thinking something Sonny just can't worry about for the whole team to understand. So Sonny definitely a great leader before anything. I think it's a lot of fun to do that. I think Sonny is a leader, not just for a wide-backer. I think I'm perfect. I think he's a leader. How does that show itself? What is it? Is there something that you need to talk about? On the whole field or when it's leadership?

4:10:42Whatever. I mean like I said, he's just a great leader like you, you're a vocal guy. Like you said, it shows up on the field too. So he's, it's hard to follow up to a guy who says something don't own and like, they're not on their stuff. So Sonny, one of those guys, he's on his stuff. So when he leaves everybody listen. Long string of linebackers success of a high-reset. Say it again. Long string of linebackers success at a high-reset. Now you look at Sonny taking that next step this year. I'm motivated by you being part of that lineage to be one of the great linebackers. I'm ready for it. I mean, that's what I'm here for. It's telling you to alleviate any concerns that you may have about the potential of having to deal with those same problems. Those former ones are currently dealing with them. Yeah, that's a great question. A lot of the information and a lot of things before like during the time of those older players are a lot different than the knowledge and information that we have now.

4:11:44And I mean, we're able to treat concussions. And also back then is like if you got a concussion, they were sending you right back into the game. So now it's a lot different. We got a protocol and it gives your brain time to heal and everything. I think things are setting plays now where it's a lot better than before and that time where we're making problems later on. So that's why I'm not really too concerned about it. Can you then recommend it to you? Say it again. I just wanted to get into a new home. I mean, people have referred it. They also, during our team meeting, has said how there's a number of helmets that are better than other helmets right now. So I just wanted to check those out and see what they are. Is this how you get any more severe than the others you had? No, that's one of the other things. I'm not going to give a whole seminar on concussions over here. But no, it's not necessarily more severe. Each concussion, like just what I learned, each concussion is its own specific concussion. And you gotta give that time to heal and then once that's healed and ready to go once you get back out here, you're good.

4:12:44So it's not like concussions are building on top of each other. Like if you give it time to heal, but I think like before, when guys were getting trouble with a long time ago, it was like they get a concussion, not fully healed and they'd go right back out there and playing. Densel, can you see a side or maybe part of it? Could you just reflect on how you've grown since showing up here in fairly 21? Is it a player of course in your mind? Yeah, I've been here for a little while now. I've been enjoying every second of it. I always came in trying to be a captain and trying to lead these guys as best as I can. And I definitely feel that I've grown vocally and just trying to help build the team up and build myself up. I'm just trying to do anything I can to help this team. How about in a concussion situation like this? You're so close to your mind and your brother. Did you have to sort of involve the family's decision behind that go? Yeah, definitely. They came down with me. When I was, I had, like when the team was here doing meetings, I was driving up to a Pittsburgh meeting with the concussion specialist and everything. And they were with me and just easing their mind.

4:13:44That's the biggest thing. I'm worried and everything, but they'll be okay. We saw the play with Elijah Moller and your head growing. We saw the play at practice. Did you think you'd be out for two weeks after that? I mean, I was good. It was that day that I was kind of had a headache and everything. But I was pretty much good after that. But it was just about going through the protocol and I mean there was no rush back. We weren't playing regular season games. So I mean, I was just really good in the time of the year. And as a freshman, it's a very, very early in the cap. And still had a helmet to helmet. From your perspective, it has to be an expert. Are those doing what their intended to do? Dante, wearing it when he got first. You know what I'm saying? Guys are still getting concussions and getting no wearings. Yeah, it's definitely still a physical sport. I mean, concussion happened regardless. or in a Guardian cap or not. I think it could be looked at too. I know and just talked about it on the Guardian cap.

4:14:46I don't think in the back that is much padding is, I would like, but I feel it could be looked at, but I think you get a concussion whether you wear in a Guardian cap or not. So I mean, stuff happens. This is a physical game. Sorry, would you just clarify this? You said you're gonna get any in-home, but you also wear the Guardian cap during the games? No, I'm not going to. You feel good about this game, how many things? Yeah. And nine. Yep. What's the name and the brand of helmet? Like any details you have? Oh, I'm not sure the brand of name yet. I'll have to get it from those guys inside, but you guys will definitely be seeing it soon though. And how do you feel about not playing in a preseason game? You have to say as your career, where it's not a big deal? Oh, I want to say it's not a big deal, but I don't feel any pressure any, like, oh, I just needed to play in a preseason game. I feel that's a great opportunity for the younger guys to get out there and showcase what they're able to do. But I still been practicing and playing and working out and getting ready for the season. So, I mean, I know the game, I'm looking forward to that first game, and I'm not really concerned

4:15:47about not being able to get a snap of the preseason game. I think of how MJ did feel, and if you particularly during the joint practice against Jefferson. Yeah, MJ is the number one corner. I mean, you guys see it. He's gonna be big for this year. And I think that's what's special about this team. We got three number one corners myself. MJ and Greg, I feel we all number one's, and we able to do different things out there on the field. And one guy's out, another guy can step in and not lose track or not lose pace on what we got going on. How do you think MJ and Greg grow as a leader in the early of the year three, and he's trying to pick on this world as a guy that's bringing energy and also trying to bring the ball on? Yeah, definitely. Like you said, bring it in. That's exactly, bring in energy, bringing guys along. MJ's real vocal out there, and he competes as he's in competitor out there and just working hard and trying to be the best. So you got the mindset of wanting to be the best and he is. So we just go out there and compete with one another. We're happy to see CD Lam get his contract signed and be ready to go out there and play this game so you can face the best.

4:16:47No, I'm definitely happy for him. That's like changing a contract and everything for him and his family. So definitely happy for him. I'm looking forward to having that match up in the game. I always love going against the number one guys and best guys on that team. So I'll be looking forward to it. It ends up, we got more to history, just concussions that we're talking about. I think when you suffer the latest one, people who cover the team and then fans are wondering how loud a discussion could you conflict with Tyron? Ever go through your mind or do you immediately know that you're going to come back? Yeah, like I said, this is a game I love, man. I love playing this game, being with the guys out here. I really don't see myself doing too much other stuff. So unless I'm just really physically unable to play this game, I don't see myself stepping away from football no time soon. Like I said before, I can't take it easy on these receivers out here. So me being out here, I got to give them a good look and just go out there and play.

4:17:47But I answer your question now. I haven't seen myself walking away though. Are you actually out of protocol now? Yes. Yeah. It's a great cold miles hard in this teal of drafts. What are you seeing? Say it again. It's a great cold miles hard in this teal of the drafts. What have you seen from any other camp? And what kind of excites you by him? Yeah, Miles. He's been balling. He's been showing out, making plays against the Vikings. And just making plays out here. So it was big for him to make the team. I was happy for him. We all congratulate him. And he's going to be a big piece on our team, coming going forward. Dins on off another rookie. You mentioned making the receivers better. How have you made Jamari talk about how you've helped him as a rookie? What have you seen out of him in his development? Yeah. He's been looking good. Since he came in, I think he's been getting better and better. He's night and day from once. He came in, so where he's at now, I believe. I think that's just his competitive nature and what he's been doing out there in practice. And us going against one another out there. So he's been good. And he's going to be a big piece as well. It's our offense. So what do the tips you want? What's your tip?

4:18:48Do you give receivers? How can you help a receiver? Yeah. It's a constant communication. If I were to win on a red, they may come and ask me what it is that you've seen on that play that you're able to get in position. And I'll tell them that. I may ask them a question. So it's just that constant communication on how we could get each other better. Thank you, guys. Thank you. Thank you. Glad to be back. If you keep that in the back of your head, and we want to get Jeremiah and Carnell and Brandon and Michael. Yes, that's my mindset, lad. In practice all day. I want those boys to get me everything that they have. So I go, like, up and up and up and up and up and up. And then Saturday, it's going to be easy for me and I'll be prepared. What have you seen the growth of the young foreigners? Obviously, we saw that they're not a Jeremiah last year. They're your main sorry. But Calvin and some of the parents and the young guys.

4:19:49How have you seen them come along? And Scott has gotten completely better from his brain. Like completely better. Is that just time in the program? I'm just getting used to the speed of college. I would say. What about Calvin? He was obviously here last year. He was. Calvin has gotten a lot better. I would say that he's gotten a lot smarter. And then he also write GB. Go ahead. He's got about Calvin's intelligence, you know, where he's grown. Where specifically is it? The film room is it picking up the playbook? Where have you seen that brain up? I would say Calvin has gotten smarter just like his game knowledge, like expecting like a different kind of routes and stuff like that. When did everything start to click for him? So last year was it in the sauces? When did you feel just comfortable? I would say in the spring, I started to get a lot more comfortable in our defense. We saw you break up the past yesterday with the German name. I'm sorry if you asked, but it's earlier. But what is like going up against him?

4:20:49Do you think it seems like you enjoy it? Yeah, I love it. He's tough. I like going against him a lot. He's really good. What have you improved in your game just from that, for example, those one-on-one matchups, this preseason or whatever? You know how ballad-hoo this game is. So Jim, he forces me to play the ball, because if you don't play the ball against him, he'll go get it. Yeah. And you, Dave, send it. How would you describe this defense now compared to this time a year ago, from this standpoint, of a confidence factor? You don't mean that you guys feel on the field? How would you describe it? It was different about it, I guess. I feel like everybody's a lot more smart these days. Everybody's right. I would just say, I would go just just just just smarter. Yeah. When you look up and lay some decided to come back and Caleb down, transfer it in. What did you feel about that? Did it just grow stronger in that one week span, two weeks span? You're still on up saying?

4:21:50I feel like. Those guys have played at that day. So level those guys have played at? Yeah, I would say that. Like, a down is coming and a way of saying he was coming back so he was coming back, but just still like, I'm hoping I have a good evening. Yeah, Drake, still? Thanks, man. Of course. I able to make a play. So you guys had to side with you and Juan on those touch hands. So side again, it was to the side where you and Juan were on those on both sides. So it was just something different you were trying or something that made that communication a problem. All the sudden, you guys? Was it something they were doing? No, it was it was just, it was just, I don't even know. It was just a long time. I got to go back, wash the film and just communicate. I said, just got to be better and just can't have that out there on game day laying guys around for you. So is there anything, is there anything unexpected? I mean, what they were doing? I mean, you guys have seen her over a couple times, even though it's like a new offensive system. So they're any surprises?

4:22:50Yeah, it wasn't really no surprises. They're a good team. A lot of stuff that hurt us was self-inflicted. I feel like, and we just got to be better on art and then clean up our side to be better. But like I said, they're a great offense, great team. But once we clean our own stuff up, I think it would be good. How long keep you pushing? And then the second half of the outside of game and then the two and seven start. Keep you going. I mean, I love playing this game of football. So just coming out here with my guys every day, I'm really coming to work with them and playing with them every day. And just trying to find ways to get a win each and every week. So that's the main goal, trying to find a way to get a win. And just enjoying playing a game of football. We're here all the way. We're all out wasting the year. Now, I don't consider wasting a year of my pride. So I'm trying to get the best I can for this team and this city and whatever happens happens. That's the biggest thing. But I don't know if it's been wasted. Just to be clear, what you were diagnosed

4:23:51for the concussion from the last game. I was in the protocol, but I feel great. And I'm out the protocol. But yeah, I'm good. Please send me that and nothing to do with mistakes out there today. Say it again. I'm not having to do it with the concussions. I just got to be better on my end and make sure we all in the same call and we're all we're supposed to be. So that's on me. Then so what those communication uses is more so like getting it from a little bit of a lot. What's the you guys are doing more about the best as a second person? Oh, yeah. I mean, all that stuff plays a factor. We got to get the call from the green dot and just spread the call around and just make sure we all in the same page and execute all the assignment. You guys are considering you guys are better in defense than you guys. Just help frustrating you to have these communication breakdowns that ultimately end up cautioning you guys and they're pretty picking one. Yeah, it is frustrating because we better than that.

4:24:52I mean, this is probably one of the first times that we even have blown coverage is really all year. But we know we could get a fix and we know we could be a better defense and better team out there. And we definitely go work to get a fix though. You guys always talk about rushing coverage. And for a lot of the first half, it seemed like it was either a sack where they were completing a chunk, including the pass play. Does that add to the frustration you are getting that sack production from your front that's happening in the back end? Yeah, like I said, we got to clean it up. And we all get to figure it out and playing up and be better and work together. The rushing coverage work, you feel like it's almost like a wasting performance by the pass rushers, miles with three sacks, six sacks in the first half. Is that kind of a sour? Yeah, it's sour coming because the main goal is to get the win. Get the win in the game. But definitely he had a great personal performance. But it's definitely a sour feeling when I'm not able to pull the win out of it.

4:25:52Since I know when we talked to you, I think last concussion you had in August had a fans worry about you just because of the number. And you didn't seem to have any added concern. So I guess after this week or do you still feel that way and everything like the improvement and your future and all that? Yeah, I feel great. I feel great. Glad to be a part of this team. And just don't what I can. So hope is good to win. That's the main goal. So as long as I have you asked this before, what's your mindset, obviously, to a set, it's not where you want to be. You have a by-beak. You're coming off a loss. Where's that mindset going into this week and what's supposed to be less? Yeah, definitely still going into the by-week and get some rest and get away for a little bit. But just to come back refocus and try to help flip this season around and get a win. Come next game. And so there's been a lot of stuff at the trade of Icon on the bunch of days. So that's centered around your team and the areas. You just speak to what he means to you guys as a teammate here. As a derriest, there's an amazing team mate for our team and a captain on his team,

4:26:53a leader on his team and a playmaker out there on the field. Love happens to derriest on the field with me. That was one of my favorite additions to the team when he came on. And so I say he's a great player and a great guy in a locker room and I definitely appreciate the derriest. The player he is, the guy he is. Thanks, thank you. Thank you. And then help the team. You feel that way? Like, best off until the late? Yeah, I definitely feel that way. We could have made some adjustments last week. Fili had a great game plan. They had a great front seven. They stopped to run. So that's just a bump in the road. We're going to get better. I'm glad it happened early in the year. And so we could bounce back from it. So this is only going to make it better. Does anyone that helped you with that mindset? Did you go to anyone for advice about? Not really. It's just how I was looking on film. I just say I want to look weak in a running game or when I come out and we run the ball. Just felt like I was kind of weak on myself. So just trying to take it took a step forward.

4:27:55And I got to say, I try to get stronger to be able to make those blocks first of all and do the dirty work. Is that something you would try to do regardless? I know the system prioritizes it. But if it was a different system, that wasn't really common. Was that something that just perioded? I got to do this better. Yeah, for sure. I was one of my biggest weaknesses that I had to improve on. So like I said, I just want to look weak in a blocking game, be able to run in bags and quarter bags and lie and encounter on me. So that's something I definitely wanted to improve. I mean, you kind of, sorry, dude. You can go out of here on this in private. So you're just talking about how, when you got drafted, you were like, I'm first runner. I went to ball, things like that. And you would said last year, that was kind of hard for you in that Tampa game when you didn't get the ball. But you see him kind of like at peace with where you're at now. Is that all part of that growth mindset of it's not always going to be me? But I'm still.

4:28:55Yeah. I got to play. It's a team sport. I kind of got caught in trying to catch a area pass last year trying to be the number one receiver. But like I said, it was just a growing. I was young. It just allowed me to grow with experience. And it's not always going to come my way. But as long as I'm winning, I'm doing my job. That's the only thing I can control. So just trying to control the controllables and lay everything right out from there. Considering the rivalry with Atlanta and how last year ended, do you feel like there's going to be any carryover from how last year ended this week? They always play as good. It's always a good game when we play against them. We know it's going to come down to the wire. Big player or great player show up in big time games. So we got to have our best player show up and play at that best. It's going to be a great game. Oh, yeah. Now I feel fire. I said I just ran 1050s. I'm getting back in shape. So getting in the way where I'm about to get strong again. So yeah, I'm going to be ready.

4:29:57What potential do you see with this defensive line? Yeah. You know, you definitely stacked. I see a lot of great things. We work together. I think Sky's the number. What conversations have you had with some of the veterans like Cam or any other people on the D line? Yeah. Just going to Cam just asked about certain things, chance of how he sees offences. Just the whole time he's been leading in terms of formations and how he picks up on little precionable trees, things like that. Jason, I think Mickey said, you dove into the deep end of the pool. How I guess much important is for you to be this invested with his team and how much are you enjoying that investment? Yeah, now that's real cool. I love it here. Only thing I had to get used to is that he, but it's real cool. Great teammates. And everybody welcomed me with Open Arms. So it was a great experience. Chase, I'm going to get worked on. The answer to this already is training camp. Day one is at a realistic expectation. I'm just focusing on the day.

4:30:58Are you running? Yep. Martian is another Ohio State guy. Just having him back in the building. Just talking to him. Oh, yeah. Big bro. You know, it's definitely excited to play with him. We always chat, obviously, on different things. But I'm definitely excited to play with him. That's going to be big for me. Was that one of the guys who's making a decision that you kind of talked to about what this lock arm is like? Yeah. Martian, Tyran. But yeah, I mean, there was a lot of great guys. And it's the look of that on paper. I feel like definitely one of the more talented defenses and lead for sure. Now it's all about just putting it together. And coming together is a thing. I got to get this thing. The run was good, but I'm so disappointed that I wasn't able to shape it. And I didn't finish that. Two runs. I should have finished. How can you do that during the season?

4:32:00In practice, I can run more gassars, run more sprints, and we'll be ready to go. What did you think on the 61 yard or when you were breaking free? You turned around and you saw them coming? Well, no. The first 40, I was like, oh, yeah, bye-bye. Because I was putting away from them. And then after that, I was like, oh, shit. I got heavy. So I was like, all right, let me just cover the ball. I got tackled. I think you look great. I think you're going to be great. Just going to do that. You're games, you're one, what, what, what, what. I got Justin back. I caught him back especially. All right, I caught him back as great. He can't be Superman. You know, that's what the team is for. And that's what they brought me here for to have his back. Next week, I bet you feel about that. We kept hearing this is going to be Jim. I was going to run the ball. It's going to run the ball. You can just really have it more, especially in the second half. Because you're going to be soft in the office of gaming even though it wasn't working in the first half. Yes. Always stick with it. Always believing, always fighting. I knew we were going to crack some.

4:33:01I knew we were going to crack some runs. I knew your office of life was going to fight. I want to fight with him. I'm going to have that back. And you saw that. Jake, after everything, how did that feel? After everything, how did that feel? To have their performance out there for your first team or game with the chargers? Hey, look, look, look, look, look, look. Look, look, look, look. Get him, okay, look, get him, okay. But let's just look at my. That's how you eat, how you eat right now? How you eat right now? You eat for a game. You're saying right here? Man, it felt good, though. It felt really good. But now I'm no getting ready for next week. The type of guy who will have a good game, go back to the draw board, let's get better. I'm talking about this, just recently. Talking about how what I want to do for the run was I want to bring that home energy, the e-bron. So last year, of course, I'm sure he's been doing for years, but the year when I spent my own, he brought a lot of energy, excitement, happiness in the room, which is his natural energy,

4:34:05to where I only had to focus on me. I didn't have to make sure other guys would feel some type of way when they came in here because hump brought that. You know, the hump's not here, but I saw when he did for the room, I want to be that guy to make sure I was an amptical practice. Everybody's more taking a field team on period. You know, it's a low day or something. It's a disadvantage, but I want to make it feel like home's a good place to trip. I want to bring that, because that's what me and hump did with each other, we would hide each other out of the dudes like to fuck your walk, we're lit. So I want to do that. I want to bring that energy, I want to make bring more guys. You know what I'm supposed to do that. I want to do that from day one. I'm talking to them and obviously it's the time I spend, obviously it's the four OTA started. Just being in my self-justing about what the room needs.

4:35:07Because I don't know, I knew who will as one of the leaders in all my offense is that we need a guy like that is going to make sure the O-line is picked up. We're ready to go every day. I was held accountable with things or having a practice of people saying anything and how I believe maybe different than somebody else may believe in all the practice at least. Like the legal positivity, you know what I mean. So, but the energy I would be on just though, I'd have to be on, so I was kind of, how would it be? It's gold month, living my whole life on the NFL. Team captain, like specifically in NFL, I wasn't a captain in high school, wasn't a captain in college, but I want to make a joke, I want to be a high school student. I feel like I'm not going to be a captain until I get to that NFL. But that would be awesome, you know, but, you know, the happens I'd be great, but not either way, I want to assume a role

4:36:09as a captain from the respect of the guys on a team video award. And to get back in that way. Yeah, I mean, I can't say that, I mean, I guess the biggest thing is that I felt like how it used to be in the past, but it didn't take just the first LTAs and took training left and right once this season ended, because I know what it was going to be. So, it took a lot of reps just to get back to feeling like myself for the LTAs. And then that whole first week, but now like today specifically, just changing some small things with my feet. That good thing is they're talking about the long coach, about some things I can do with my feet to get to that, but to sell that traditional handle that I love to sit on. I thought I felt great already, but I'm okay. I felt even better out there. Sorry, the more excited tomorrow now, I'm getting my feet back and how I like the right side and I'm on the left side, so long side.

4:37:10I mean, obviously I feel like, in the league, whether I left the right, if you're still going against Premier Guy, so obviously they're high expectations for the left and right tackle, but definitely like the level of energy and like the expectation definitely take the human side because now, it can make the blind side. That's the, that's the tackle world, you know? So, yeah, I would say in terms of communication as far as just even outside of the facility, just stuff like that, like really creating that but in tackle quarterback, bond even more off the field, I think has been something that's even the cool experience. I got a text one day and I said, Hey, thank you, well, I was like, you know? Yeah, I've been training both. I've been training both, you know? I asked after the season there, like honestly, you know, we'll talk to you in some way in season and I just got a text one, I don't know how this went with the free agency. So I was like, you know what?

4:38:11I had a O-season right tackle. So if I get the word, I'm going, I'm standing right tackle. I'll just do what I did before I'm built on that. But I was like, I might as well as train the left tackle now as if we're going to be left tackle. And I'd rather do that than train on right tackle because I could go call that a left tackle. I don't switch my feet yet. You know what I mean? So I'm like, let me just prepare an advance. I was like, yeah, let's go. You know? I think occasionally on third down, there would be a lot of twists. I was just not like it's automatic or common. And I think that was my mindset for like the first half of the season. Like I didn't have to go into the game with some pros. Like, oh my gosh, they did that. I kind of figured like, okay, like this is the type of rush. I mean, again, this is how this guy usually rushes. Like get the vibe, this type of the end's like the rush, you know, tackles that first year guys. We got the criminal patch on. You know what it was going to be. You know, we'll be every stunt. And honestly, just knowing that's kind of an advantage to, so you're not, you're not, oh, the brother twists my sight.

4:39:14It was never air-doll, but it comes out to my, I was like, three plays in a row. And two minutes, I knew that it wasn't going to happen. So like, you know what I mean? So I'm watching more everybody else. And he rarely, you know, it goes out there occasionally. I'm like, yeah, I was like, he's going to take me. You know what I mean? So, thick, thick, it's kind of, it's also kind of an advantage in the way. But it's also exciting, like, okay, I'm going to get the hardest to look, you know, those are real, real reps, you know, the things. So really out on our way to kind of process. And I was like, hey, when I tell me, let me know about and I'm just going to train it. I was training all the way up. So TAs, I guess if I didn't hear anything about TAs, I would have came in like, so. You know what I mean? Because just like, I'm cool with training both continuing. I would have been cool with training both continually. But I feel like anybody in any position will be like, okay, like you want as soon as possible to give your feet kind

4:40:14of subtle to your hips, subtle to your hands, so then, certain kind of that. Would it have been harder to be a dork bowl, very good to you? No. No. But they're definitely, but in terms of the development, it's definitely a lot faster to stay on one side. But I think having that week that we had to transition with the seasons over, it kind of like was fun. You know, look, we're trying to get up, put up my car and have a week things at a time right now. But when it comes back, I'm going to show them the one house. So I just got a house that's not too far from, so I told them, I got that house, like I got a yellow outside. Like, these days. You know what I mean? So yeah. Well, that's getting too stupid. What do you think about that as a body order? I think it's a challenge that I'm looking forward to attacking. Can't be shy about what's been done in the past, but look forward to the future and then attacking that.

4:41:16I think we got a good team. We could say we're going to talk about playoffs, but to get to the playoffs, you got to dominate during the regular season. And we're not looking over that. It's not playing for me or any of that. We got to play as a team. And I just look forward to putting my hand up out. And from this, you really stress about how you wanted to win a one-hump game. After all this is settled now, what does it mean to you that you're going to have the opportunity to win? That's all I could ask for. The chance to be a one-humped guy, it's not set in stone. I got to play like it. But that's what I've always viewed. When I first got here, getting drafted by Pittsburgh Steel is I couldn't think about playing for another team. And that's always going to go on mine. I told my mom in the car when I was on my way down here to sign. She was talking about how rare it is. I think it's me and Cam Jordan left that are able to say that.

4:42:18But I think it's really special to try to live that legacy in one place. Can you hear from any of those healers that you mentioned earlier? I heard from Keys. Keys is my guy. Keys is always the first one to text me. I'm always the first one to text him. But I heard from a lot of guys. And I always thought the love from them. Even before it was announced, when I would see them, they were just like, Cam. Just keep doing what you're doing. We appreciate what you're doing. When I hear that from them, that's just love. I do whatever I could help those guys. How much do you embrace being that bridge from that arrow to the ball to E.J.W.W.A.S. the Alice Knight's. Do you want to bet on that one? You know, I think I've gotten to see the cycle and seeing I am the bridge in that accord. But I just want to conquer that mountain.

4:43:21First part I got to do. And I've told them about things that have happened in the past and talked about what we've done and what I've experienced. But when I was young, it was just about being a sponge. And just learning from those guys. It wasn't me saying it. It was just me shutting up after the time. So I'm in a different position now, but you can't do it alone. I'm just going to create a strong mountain process. I'm just a pretty rare case with God. I'm a coordinator of an NFL team. Game 1 after me is the head coach. Should you play a call or do you have four in the same city? Do you use that at all? Or is there like a troche or a settlement where you might be thinking you're seeing something that you're actually seeing something different? I don't know what it is. I feel like my anxiety is so high every year in the first game. I think we always play somebody new that's got something new going on. I don't know why it was just me overthinking it. But I think you just got to rely on your technique. You can overthink a lot of things, and it can get you into trouble.

4:44:22But relying on your technique, play assignment good football, I think that allows you to play better. It allows you not think as much, because then you're not just waiting for someone to dictate terms. You're dictating the terms. So that's all I'm really worried about. I understand there's new nuances going on in new players, but God, I've got to play still a brand football. When you met with us the other day, did you think this would get better at that time? Man, it moved pretty fast. It was a mixed of a lot. I didn't want to get my hopes up too much. I wanted to just stay locked in, because you never know. It could go sideways very quick. So I wanted to just see the processor. And you could call it a poker face or what, but I think it wasn't time to really gauge where this thing could go. Can't what do you think might be different from this time?

4:45:22I just think we've got a good balance. And we talk about defences being on a sideline. That's a good thing. And I think our offense can sustain that. Defens, I think, we're healthy this year, and hopefully we stay that way. And then we have a component in the special teams. You look at Miles Killabru, you look at Boswell, and then you have a guy like Cordero Patterson. I think that group of guys allows us to just, it's a complete team. I know you guys might think differently, but in my mind, I think we have a good shot, the competing every game. And yeah, we had to have those a team to be able to talk to each other and communicate how everybody was feeling, what everybody thought the issues worked, but at that day, we're a team, and everybody here stands with each other, and we've got to go play. Can that make the team closer in some ways? You can galvanize the brotherhood even more? Definitely, just getting information out that you have to each other and being more open

4:46:24and honest about everything and how you feel. It's a serious way to express your feelings to somebody that you really care about. You really want the best work. We're right behind the path, perfect 24-7 sports. Yeah, the tempo, like I said, is a big conversation. Coach Knowles was talking about some of the ways that you're prepared for that, some of the time for the way some practice coming to life, some of the way you can be, just to be ready for teams. How have you felt like that has worked and then having played against this tempo before? How prepared are you guys here? I mean, you can only be able to practice fast in terms of getting prepared for the game. Last year we did the same thing out of the demo, everybody, but we run back and forth between drills and between practice, between plays. We pretty much would have been on the same thing here, trying to build up stamina and then being able to play a full game, because they played like 80 plays a game. So just being able to do that and do it at a high level is going to be a really big thing. In that recognition, you need to know quickly what's happening.

4:47:25I guess it's just as big as getting one dog ready. Just getting a call and being able to get your cleats in the dirt is going to be really big. Just be able to play fast and play physical. And you have your eyes in the right place. If you have to get the call and back this way better than looking to a call late. Third world life, they hope that Gloria is killed. And I was taught that if you were kind of one of the guys who took on leadership role after that mission in the game, that is what the team needs you guys had, is that true? And if so, what was your message to the team? I mean, I would say I was just the person that I was the whole season. I wouldn't say I did anything more than anything less than me. I've done all season in terms of leadership. But yeah, I mean, everybody had to step up. Got to make it guys like JT, Jack. Everybody had to step up in terms of trying to get the team back on track. Where are we going to go? So that was really just the biggest thing for us, just to try to move our focus to what we're going to be. Right, front of them. Steve Hellwagon, 24-7th floor. And, Kale, this season you've been recognized

4:48:26three widely for your play. Just in your line, what you came to I State to accomplish, how did your expectations, I guess, beat up with how do you feel you could play that to this point, I guess? I feel like I made the plays that came to me. And that's where the Ockman control had more opportunities as he years progressed and been in the spots to be around the ball. But the expectation was to come here and contribute to the team and try to find a way to push the team to win games on high level. And to be better than they were latching for me to play better than I was latching. So really just coming to try to grow with myself and with the team. So that was my big goal. And I feel like I've done a good job. And the team has done a good job progressing through the year and getting better. So yeah, that's all I can say about that. We're here to the right, 10-8, 11-0. Yeah, Kale, just stay here right now.

4:49:26Does it feel like a different season? What does it feel like for you going into the playoffs? You know, you'll get the goal you want necessarily to win your season, but here you are. Right? What is that sense that you have right now that's different from the regular season? I mean, everybody wants to say it's a new season in terms of, because everybody's 0-0 right now. When you keep going, if you lose, you're done. But genuinely, that's how you play every game. You know, they play every game. Like it's your last game. So for me, I don't think it's really any difference to be able to go play a high level every game that can't be based upon is a player game. You know, so you have to go play every game like it's the same thing. So I would say in terms of that, no, you just have to play the game and play the game this year. What feels different about this defense right now going into this, no, y'all feel even more of a time to work with you know, not by the time of me close together. What is that? I mean, what is your sense of the brotherhood

4:50:28so to speak of the defense? I feel like we progressed throughout the season. We had to make a change after game 6, because we lost and we didn't play well that game. And I feel like we've grown from that and got into a better place. And over these past two weeks, off just realizing, OK, these are the things that we've messed up throughout the year. These are what we need to face. These are what this team is trying to exploit on us. So just really going back through everything and seeing what can do better for this coming game and for the next coming year. Last couple of questions. Do you tell me you hurt me, fuck a hell? Hey, how does the Tennessee's wide split into the receivers, in fact, you, as a Thunder? I feel like it makes the game more of a one-on-one game. It makes you reciruse on your DBs at the play of 7G. And the guys up front. And it makes it, truthfully, those guys have to do their job and these guys have to do your job. You've got to be able to stop the run with the people they've had in the run fit. And you have to be able to stop the pass with the people you have out there.

4:51:29So that's what they do when they do it. They really leave low. So it's going to be tough to go with. And finally, I'm going to join Pop and Columbus Dispatch. The coach knows the time about the speed at which you guys are able to call in place. Is this built for 10-bodies of the past? Did you get to play call in? Did the player kind of end up that give to you just speed with the switch called in? It allows you to get your cleats in there. That's how you're earlier, just a ability to see the formation and see what keys that you have before the play and have knowledge of your job and not really thinking, being able to play and not think during the game is a really big thing. So whenever you can get to call it faster and play at a high level and play without Bach, that's a really good thing for your team. Thank you very much. Appreciate you all. Banked up, and then maybe it kept you from making some plays here and there. Is there anything else you want to offer on there? See the everybody's been there. Throughout training camp, you and Aziz got very close.

4:52:33How good is to see him back on the field? And how were you able to be there for him as he went through that three game suspension? Yeah, it was great to have him back. You know, I'm really happy that he's back. And I know he's very motivated to play. And I'm excited for him. He's a form team. And he's able to, in the season R way, going into the playoff. So yeah, he's a leader and we need him around. And I think that's definitely going to help this team. I'm keeping some of the teams at Bard that have already played our first, our resting players this week. But Domingo has said that all you guys are going to play. You think it's important for you guys to get out there and try to get back on track before the playoffs start this week. You know, I can say that. You know, it's, you know, Domingo has a plan for us. And you know, we got to trust his plan and go out there and, you know, in play. So, you know, I'm excited, you know, it's all right. It's a blessing, you know, to be able to go and play in this league whenever it is. So, you know, we're excited to play to the sea.

4:53:35You know, probably more even excited to play in the playoffs. So, but I do, you know, think that this could help us. We practiced against him all year and you see the top corners. There's the junior, the pro bowl will come out this week and last year's alternate. We think of his chance to earn that distinction and what he's done to improve himself. Yeah, you know, he's probably the best athlete I've been around in my life, you know, just basketball, speed, strength, size, you know, and just somebody who, you know, if I've seen him just grow, you know, as a player. But, you know, I'm just very happy for him, you know, I think, especially just having this top of the year before, I think he can renegotiate. So, I mean, I know he's about to get a bag and I'm happy for him, he deserves it. So, yeah, but that's not his motivation, which is dope. It's just being a league at football. And I think he's going to be great in his league for a long time. What do you think you got to experience in January football last year? Playoff time. What is it about when the calendar turns in January

4:54:35and in the national football league? Yeah, it's a new season, you know, it's a new assignment. You know, you know, you know, and it's all about, you know, winning that week, you know, and it's, you know, when you dumb it down, it's like, all right, you get to win four more games and, you know, that's it, you know, so, of course, it's not that easy, but, you know, you have to find a way to motivate yourself, but it's motivation just, you know, being able to continue, you know, and I think it's good for us, you know, to realize, like, man, we, I know it's going, but I don't know exactly what's being said, but, you know, we put ourselves in this position and it's not by chance, not by luck, it's not by people, other people is by us being a good football team and I want my team to remember that, it's like, you know, people are going to talk, simple in playing and we're the ones out there playing and we got into the playoffs by being a good football team and we're going to continue to be that. So, I'm excited, man, it's a new, you all know, and, you know, hopefully we get healthy going into there and be able to, you know, play whoever we play here,

4:55:38really tough and hopefully you can win. Your teammates have always mentioned on how competitive you are going to win everything, your perfectionist, and his nature, but they both say, like, in-game, you know how to, like, knock it too high and not to get too close, so how do you kind of challenge that ultra competitiveness and keep it within that tube to want to compete, but not get out of, you know, beside yourself, how do you kind of go about balancing that competitive drive, but not allowing it to, like, make it play beyond, you know, out of fear of yourself? Yeah, I mean, I just say just be myself, you know, I've been kind of this way in my whole life of, I mean, yeah, I've matured in a lot of ways in my life, both on and off the field, but, yeah, I would say, just failures have helped me realize, you know, what is important to me, trying things that I didn't like, doing things that I didn't like, and then, learning from it, on and off the field, just helping me ultimately with just that, I guess, that calmness that I have now,

4:56:40even in chaos, I guess, but, yeah, I guess it's just, you know, trying an area, and that's why I don't, I try my best not to, like, hard, and so duck things that are difficult in life, because ultimately the values teach you, you know, humility they teach you, just, you know, they teach you how to get up, you know, and the Bible says that the righteous man, falls out seven times and he gets up, and, you know, just like Peter, you know, I wanna get up. So that's what I plan to do, and, yeah, and so that's all, I feel like, why, I'm the way I am, just being able to learn from my failures. Thank you, I'll have to feel for a second, is there a new year's resolution for CJ Stroud? Um, I wish, that's probably a lie. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, man, I don't know, I really, I've never really believed in these resolutions, it's like, I kinda started this a couple months, a couple months ago, this journey, I started to just, you know, really just, locking back in with the Lord, you know,

4:57:41was, you know, kind of, in the lukewarm season, you know, one foot in, one foot out, man, you know, the Lord has helped me to get out of that, and so that's really my, my 20, 25 go, is just, be locked in with the Lord as much as possible, and, you know, and fast hand praying, you know, being part, getting discipled, getting part of a church here in Houston, and which I've been able to do, so, yeah, just, that's my 20, 25 goal, is just, you know, getting closer with the Lord. All right, thank you guys. I'd say, the role of stuff, how much is it grown, that you can put your finger on? Yeah, I was growing immensely. I mean, Caleb, he makes a lot of checks, he makes a lot of checks. I listen to them, whatever they need, if I need to cover somebody out, 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 Nathan, it just goes back to

4:58:42Coach 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 showing up, Sammy, is that something that's been added? It just, you know, rely on a little bit more, go ahead. Yeah, it did. I was probably playing a Brasco game, Megan and more safety reps, and we had a five week to prepare, so I really learned to play, but a lot more, even though I knew the play, but I learned a lot more, it's a mountain like in debt, you know, so really just after the Oregon game, it helped me a lot to go back to safety, go to Neku everywhere. You guys had a lot of issues of giving up big plays in the passing game of the first game against Oregon. What do you feel like you guys need to do better at this time around, just 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,

4:59:44but we'll look out there and hopefully change the narrative, and we still play with the same confidence, same technique, and, you know, Bill Rebellion, let's move on to this batch. And Denzel obviously had a tough game, and that one, what have you seen from him and how he's responded? Do you get a sense of from him, how up 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, you know, it didn't go the way he wanted to go that game, but he just always had his confidence, and we're gonna see a big game out of him this week. And, you know, I know you guys wanted to play them in theapolis, 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? Well, we're super, super determined. We watched film. I mean, we've watched a lot of film. The first time we played them, now we've got another six games that they played of film to watch,

5:00:45and it's just, they've grown a lot as a team. Same as us, we've grown a lot. We're not the same team. We were when we played them week one, or weeks, six or whatever, but now we're out there and going to play fast, physical, and everything like that. All right, Jordan, we're gonna jump to the Zoom question here from Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch. Oh, my bad, not you, Joey. Cameron T. Robinson, the athletic. Hey, Jordan, you've moved around a lot, and the second day I knew in your career, and now kind of getting some many more safety reps. What is it like at this point, when Walt or Coach Nolts comes to you and asks you to do some else, and just how much can you lean on the experiences you've had and moving around when you're trying to learn something new in the middle of the season? Meas, a lot. We always talk about when this is even 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.

5:01:45I'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? Let 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 it 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, their scheme has changed. Some players have been out those stretch of games, so I really watched the past game we played, and I know they're gonna 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 stuff like that, every game matters. So, yeah.

5:02:49Jordan, thank you very much. Thank you. Jay, Jay, this is Greg. And he's the plant right now. He played a lot longer season than he played before in Texas. So what do you think looks like, can't we work on this, this Greg? Yeah, I think everyone played a lot longer than they ever have. So, I think heading to this spring, it's just the tear down of the former foundation and the rebuild of the whole new team. I mean, they have to have that mindset. They have to have a day one mindset in order to progress. You can't rely on previously built culture or schematic understanding. There's no assumptions. You have to rebuild from scratch. We're in the process of that. We will treat day one like day one. That includes Jeremiah Smith. And so, great opportunity to evaluate and grow a new group of guys. I think in spring, I think our opinion is, by fall, everything the team, the team, the team, it's what it's all about. But in order to add to a team, in order to add to a collective,

5:03:50you gotta focus on the individual. The 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, the passion right now? Is he gets right for this one? Yeah, I think when you come out of a season, you get out of January and kind of take a breath. Then when you get back in the winter, it's the first opportunity to reestablish the new role that I want to have. I mean, across the board, there's not one guy that doesn't want to improve roles. So, I think they're all attacking it that way. I think Brandon's one of them, but he's one of 50. And I think that it's our job to provide opportunities, to grow, to separate themselves,

5:04:51to see peer-to-peer evals, to allow these guys to check 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 do the starter. And if you're not, then you're never going to be the starter. So, I think he embodied that, you know, he gave himself an opportunity to get into spring, get into a, excuse me, into winter, continue who he is, continue to build, you know, his base, build his leadership, and then now he's got to take that in spring. So, all the great things you do prior, doesn't mean anything, if you don't have to go out there and do it in spring. So, you know, that's the harsh reality of this sport. You know, what have you done lately? And I think all these guys are chewing at the bit to get back on the field. Brian, everybody brings their own experience. Ryan was quarterback, you were a receiver,

5:05:52and then to become a play-puller, obviously you have an understanding of the whole offense. But what was the process like for you of protections and the run game and quarterback play, and just continuing to grow with your knowledge of that part of the game as you prepared for this position? Yeah, I mean, I think you're always growing, I think, that, you know, you still have a specialty here. You still have an expertise in one area. It is seen you have an expertise in all of it. That's just not true. And in my opinion, I've seen multiple coordinators, and I know that as a fact. So, you know, for me, I think it's just, you have an opportunity to be with the best staff in America every single day with the best coach in America. Just stay off your phone and pay attention and take notes and actually maximize your time. It's amazing the amount of people that don't do that. So, every time in a meeting, I just try to make sure I'm getting a nugget or I'm getting information or when things are said, do I truly understand it? And I really, guys, will tell you, I don't care.

5:06:54I'll ask the question. I think I'm, I look dumb, but I don't care because I want to know the information. So, I think that approach, I think a lot of guys have that approach, that approach allows you to just build over time and then that'll continue to build from now to game one and build through the season. So, the opportunity to grow is literally daily. So, I just try to make sure I'm finding those opportunities or I'm aware of those opportunities when they're right in my face. I make sure they're going to do a role in the development of the media room, how important is that? I'm going to give you guys a few questions. Yeah, Coach Jordan's always been a huge part of other receiver room. I think that, yeah, he's just understanding that, you know, my pull away is real, that can happen. So, he's going to be on his toes and be ready that, you know, we're ready to not skip a beat, right? So, information wise, communication wise, he's got to be locked in on that and just time to assume that, you know, Coach Hard's got it. He never really has. I expect him to continue to do that.

5:07:55And, 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 he ended up somebody else and shipped away from being a port-backed coach? We're like, didn't have somebody to 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'm pulled away for a second, like, Devon's got this and I don't have to worry about like, what my room is. I think it's more important that I do a great job being organized. So, I'm never pulled away. I will be in that receiver room and they will be coached at the very highest level. So, I think there's ways to eliminate being pulled away by being organized on top of things, having the right work and working, right help before that receiver meeting ever happens. Is that important for you? That's the way you're cutting the size. Nothing is going to change in terms of your, I never, I never, never. There's no, nothing's going to change in my involvement in receiver room. Ryan, for my land to be going through a full spring in the fall off scene for the first time, what do you look at everything? It's areas he can throw to push for playing time this year. Yeah, I mean, Marlon is doing a great job.

5:08:56He's growing at an exponential rate, getting stronger, getting bigger, he's got weight 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 a 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, I know Chris had an opportunity to lay 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, his growth, his everything he's done. He's like, hey, Coach Hart, you know, I know what you're talking about now and when you miss that, that section of winner workout. So, that being said, it makes you laugh, but he's doing a great job. I expect expectations for him through spring. And I don't see that changing. The only thing that's left, the opposite is that the staff this year is younger than it's been last year's. I think, they go to make up for that. You don't have somebody to say the average.

5:09:57It's like the average, like, is the average age? Is that, you know, including the support staff? No, it's just the primary. What's it, what's it been in the past? A couple minutes, bro. Just do more minutes. No kidding. Yeah. We don't know yet. Kevin Wilson. I don't know. Daniel Aining's the head coach in Oregon. How's his average? I'm asking. I don't, I'm 38. Can he deal in hand with his 30s and 50s? I don't know. I gave zero thought to that. Yeah. I think that, you know, I think your ability to kept with players is important. I think you probably see a little bit of that happening in the NFL as well. I really have given zero thought to that. I don't want to just ramble on that. Yeah, I just didn't know who saw it as a major in your career. No thought to it. You were in motion with Bryson. What's the next step for him? We've heard of mechatalks and like, in Mr. Consistency catching a lot of things. He seems to generate a little bit of buzz but has limited role. Now he's got an opportunity. What's the next step? We can get that opportunity.

5:10:57Take the next step and be a, be everything he's capable of being, right? I mean, I think the guys that, you know, are out there are, you know, very consistent in all job faces. You know, like, again, I think he wants to be a full rounded receiver. You know that. I think he loves playing in the slot. The great job there. I asked him to come out to the outside a little bit. Did a good job out there. I think his natural positions is in the slot doing a great job there. But it's just another opportunity to establish himself based on his peers, right? I mean, it's kind of like the drafts. I try to explain sometimes to these guys like, you come to Ohio State to compete with the best. It'd be alongside the best. It's always pure to peer evils. Like, that's how it works. Like, the draft embodies that. Like, if it's easier to go play somewhere else, then that's fine. That's what we're kind of looking for. Per se, I'm not saying that's pricing. I'm just saying it's a very competitive room. And you chose that because of this room. Now you got to beat your peer to play more and do more and all that stuff. So, you know, I think that he's got continue to build worries at.

5:11:59And 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 starter to Ohio State, it's a good chance. You're probably NFL caliber receiver. I mean, again, just go off 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 BI. It's car now with everybody. It's chasing a higher level of play. And this spring is another step forward to do that. What you're doing, you're trying to make multiple play calls. How much in your estimation is that a gift? Do we have to do it? How much of it is learned? Where do you stand on that? Oh, never gave it a lot of thought to it. I've never called a play in a game. So, for me to have an opinion, I think that'd be a little brash. I would say that, like anything, it's probably a skill that you can improve on.

5:13:03And do better at it, do good, do worse at it. I think being surrounded with guys and seeing how they do it has been a blessing. And it's very clear, there's more than one way to do things. So, being aware of that, I've noticed that. What's your impression of the three freshmen and how they maybe transition to your game? Yeah, all four freshmen, I'm very encouraged, impressed 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, they're the right fit. They belong in the room. And now they have to just improve. Now they're competing both, you know, first individually between each other. And then, you know, as we get into spraying, they'll start competing against each other. What the rest of the guys want to mean by that. So, but as a group, the freshmen group, very impressed. And they're off to the right start. Go Charlant, thank you very much. Start with Lincoln. You know, a guy that's going to his third year here. And I think really like, when you've been in an office for two years already, you're going to that third year.

5:14:04You've got a really good feel of the scheme. You've got a better feel of college defenses. And, you know, where are our schemes are susceptible? And what were the issues? And what we're trying to attack. And so I think, you know, that's something that over time, I can feel Lincoln getting a better and better feel for it. You know, Lincoln has definitely stepped up from a leadership perspective. And you can see the way that, you know, he attacks workouts. And, you know, this winner is so big for all three of them. Just really just set the standard and to understand the intangibles that playing quarterback is all about. Right? Because there's so much more than just picking up a football and throwing it when it comes to this. So I've seen that growth from Lincoln. And that's really exciting. As for Julian, you know, last year, going into the year, he was competing for a job and, you know, end up not winning the job. And, you know, he could have turned it down and been bummed out and, you know, not attacked it the right way. But I saw him continue to grow throughout the year. So I'm going to learn from well and to get to a point this year where we're now he can step up and be more of a vocal leader.

5:15:08And that's something I've seen growth of him as well. You know, he's put on some weight and he looks good and he's definitely attacked his time in the, you know, the winner. And so that's been awesome. And then Tavy and comes in and, you know, Tavy and Tavy and Tavy, you know, really should still be in a good position. And really should still be in high school. Instead, he's, you know, in my office all the time, learning the offense. And when he's not with me, he's with Coach make, and he's not with Coach make her eyes over there doing academics and sassals. So his days are pretty jam packed and it's definitely new for him. But his commitment to wanting to be great and wanting to be to the level where he can go out and compete in the spring has been really impressive. So I'm excited for all the years. I'm like, what's August 30th? Is it just around the corner years? I want to say and you got to have a ready to go. I have a kids Texas. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I don't think so. I don't think so quite yet. You know, I think we have a unique situation where we've got three really talented kids. You know, they're all young. They all have a lot of room to grow.

5:16:08And I think they all understand that and are eager to attack that growth. But most college football teams or a lot of college football teams going through a year and they end up, you know, having a guy get hurt. Something happens. So as far as, you know, having one guy, I guess that's not the way that we want to develop the room. We want all three of them to continue to get better, to continue to develop and be guys that we can count on throughout the season. So you guys went up for it? Scholarship guy? That's still in conversation. We'll kind of see how it goes. You know, obviously three is a little bit less than we typically have. But you know, the three that we're really confident in right now. You got to write in the quarterbacks to work with the quarterbacks. You work with the quarterbacks, bottom. You work with the quarterbacks. Who's the filling out here? I mean, do you have someone that you've had in mind to come in and meet the assistant, Ryu? Or how do you see that? Yeah, right now, Colin Kienos in helping me. So Colin was working with me at Akron. He was a student assistant and he was really, really impressive there. So he's going to come in and he's going to help out with some of the day today's stuff.

5:17:08And then, you know, Coach Day and I have built a pretty good relationship where, you know, between my time here as a GA where, you know, I learned the game of football the way he's seasoned. And that was such a pivotal time in my career. You know, I was so blessed in college and then in my first couple, you know, my first job there that I got to work with Joe Morehead. And, you know, I learned so much football from that man and I credit so much of my career to him to put me in the position. But then having the opportunity to, okay, hey, I'm going to see you through a little bit of a different lens and to learn how Coach Day sees it. It was so big for me in my development. So that couple of years as a GA was awesome for me. And then last year to be able to sit in with him and really kind of see the game, you know, in a similar fashion. And I'm always going to continue to learn from him because he's just such a special coach. But to be able to see it, you know, in a similar way and continue to bounce thoughts on them to make sure that him and I are communicating in the same way. You know, Coach Day will always be directly involved with the quarterbacks. And now Coach Hartline will as well, you know, as the offensive coordinator. I think as the guy in that chair, you have to have a relationship with the guys in the hotel.

5:18:10I think that's really important. So, you know, him and I have already begun conversations just about how that's going to work out and how, you know, he's going to continue to see the game the same way that the quarterback does and how he's going to communicate to them. Those conversations are already beginning. So it'll be, it'll definitely be a combination of, you know, us three. Bill Echavian being there for the championship round. How about that? I guess, help with the development. Well, it's pretty cool. Just about every one of those games where he was at a playoff game and at the national championship. You know, our guys warming up and I grabbed him. I said, hey, look around. You got to take a couple minutes and take the same, right? This is what it looks like. This is what we work for. So, you know, when you get to a really hard day in the winter, or you just remember not a homework and to get to that point. So for him to have that experience and to be able to see that and, you know, hopefully one day when he's in that spot, he's like, oh, I've seen this before. I know what it looks like. I think it's pretty cool, I think, just to have that bank in his memory. I think it comes off, so I've spoken.

5:19:12But he's without question, you know, come out of a show. And I would even say he's not spoken last year. You know, I think that he kind of understood that, you know, Will was in charge of the offense and he knew that he was young and was still earning respect. You know, a big part about leadership is you can't just walk into a room and start leading. You have to earn the respect to your peers and truly understand that. And, you know, I think he earned that respect throughout the year. And so this year you're definitely seeing him step up. Him and Lincoln both, you know, are in that phase where they were in that respect. And so they're doing a really good job leading right now. And in Tavians doing a good job earned respect. So we're kind of in the middle right there between those two phases. Really, Lincoln is, I think still less than two years, just specializing in this. This is where it happened. I actually kind of put it in the end, especially here. I guess where do you think he is harnessing all of that, all of that athletic ability to make a really good coach? Yeah, I mean, there's no question how Lincoln is special, I think.

5:20:12And, you know, guys that have that background that have been successful in multiple different sports. You know, one way or another is going to translate to the game of football. So I think that we're continuing to see that from Lincoln. You know, I think as the more that he, you know, is in position to understand and learn the game, in which we saw last year, you continue to grow. And so to take that into spring, you know, and combine that with his athletic ability, I'm excited to see, you know, I think it'll be a really good competition. Can you pull back truly lead until he is to quarterback? Oh, absolutely. I mean, the Interval 1 to quarterback. Oh, I think so. I think so. I mean, leadership comes in all different phases, you know, in all different ways. There's, you know, there's without question, I've been part of different teams and I've seen it where maybe the guy that was in the starting quarterback was, you know, the strongest leader on the team. So I definitely think that that's part of it.

5:21:12You know, I think once you are in the respect of your teammates and once you show that, you know, you're going to lead by example and, you know, they respect you for that. You're in position now that you can be both of them. So, you know, I definitely don't think that you need to be a starter named a quarterback to be a leader at all. Lincoln, you've been around some incredible offensive minds in college already. What are your, what are the traits that you look for specifically as a quarterback being a quarterback yourself? Yeah. You know, I think it comes in a couple different ways. You know, from a tangible perspective. I think that you've got to be extremely accurate. I think you have to be able to make great decisions with the footballing at the ball at the time. And I think that you have to be able to do it. We solve a problem with the feet. So, you know, it's rare in college football that every protection is blocked up perfectly or everything goes exactly that we drew it up on the whiteboard. So, when things break down, you know, you're going to have to fix it with our legs. And then, you know, as far as intensible score, I look at, I look at, you know, Guy Lakeville who had those intangibles about as well as I've ever seen.

5:22:16And that's just a complete command and understanding of both the offense and the huddle. To know exactly what we're trying to do on every single play. Know what we're trying to attack, understand where the issues are and where they lie and how you're going to combat those issues. To be able to understand, you know, when it's time to move on for the ballway and move on to the next play. And then also be mentally tough enough that when things don't go our way, to be able to react the right way and move on to the next one. Did you know last year? What last question? You go fight or quit? I didn't do it as an audition. Oh, no. I didn't do it as an audition. Oh, I did. When you're coaching and you build a relationship with these guys, you want nothing more than for them to go on and have success on the field. And I think that's so important. Like I sit in that room and it's about them going out and reaching their potential and maximizing their talents and going out and execute on the field. And so last year I was just trying to find a way that I could help them do that.

5:23:17So to be able to work with those guys last year and to help out and have them see some success. It was special for me, but it was special for me because I know how bad they wanted it. And so that was pretty neat. I have some big seed to feel. This Cody was a great player, great leader. He's like with the quarterback and defense. He's definitely some big seed to feel. And like, Coach Laura and I said that you got to be new. You are not. Yeah. You can just try to be in there. Yeah. Definitely got some seed to feel. When did you feel like you lost in the last year or they could truly count on you and stuff? I mean, you remember how it came along? I think it started in like fall camp just flashed again. I had to like the first games, weren't around. I was home all day. I said, I don't know what it was like with the concentration. I'm just being great. I like it personally. I like a more field and that's a poor. Yeah.