1 00:00:01,800 --> 00:00:05,920 Speaker 1: Reflecting back on your quarterback battle with Nicks back in 2 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:10,120 Speaker 1: the day, I'm talking to a yeah, yeah, um Nick. 3 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 1: And Nick's a tremendous competitor. He was there. Uh he 4 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: was a Richard freshman when I actually got there as 5 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,079 Speaker 1: a true freshman, and um, we were both behind the 6 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 1: fifth year senior. And Nick's Nick's a great competitor, loves 7 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 1: the game of football, works hard, um, you know, and 8 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: and earned everything that he got. He was a tremendous 9 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,239 Speaker 1: college football player. Um. And I was fortunate to be 10 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:36,080 Speaker 1: his teammate and had an opportunity to change positions and 11 00:00:36,159 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: catch passes from him, and um, some of the best 12 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: years of my life. Uh, that's literally, you know, that's 13 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: literally my best friend, you know, in our business. And um, 14 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: he's a guy that I care significantly about as a person, um, 15 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: and a professional. You know, he's he's great in his job. 16 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: But he's a great person, great father, great husband, a 17 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 1: great friend. And uh, you know he's got big things 18 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: ahead of him for sure. So why how did you 19 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:07,839 Speaker 1: lose the battle? You lose the battle? He was better 20 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:11,440 Speaker 1: than I was as a freshman. Yeah, he was better 21 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: than I was. And uh, and that played out obviously 22 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: over the course of a long, successful career for him. 23 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,920 Speaker 1: So he played a lot of football, did a lot 24 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:23,680 Speaker 1: of great things for John Carroll. Um, and like I said, 25 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 1: I was fortunate to have an opportunity to be around 26 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: him and befriend him early in his career and then 27 00:01:29,120 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: uh play with him and now you know, work with 28 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: him for so many years here in New England. How 29 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: did you you mean to switch to the slide receiver? Yeah, 30 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: but here you were kind of the Danny Amendola from 31 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: your team. But poor man's poor, very poor. Um, how 32 00:01:45,200 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 1: do you how are you helping him on an off 33 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: the field? And were you was it your rule you're 34 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: talking about Nick? Yeah, yeah, just you know, look, I 35 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: came from a football background my dad and uh, you know, 36 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: playing Division three football. There's a lot of us that 37 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: were just playing because we love football. We were playing 38 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 1: because we were going very far, um, you know, but 39 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 1: we love the game, enjoy the game. It meant a 40 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: lot to us to be able to still play, you 41 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: know after high school. And Um, so he and I were, 42 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: like I said, we're fast, fast friends and um still 43 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: are to this day, you know. Um, and we enjoy 44 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: the game, enjoy the things that go into preparing for 45 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,320 Speaker 1: the game. And uh love competing Josh Crunch. Crunch had 46 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: injuries in the past. I'm sure he's been limited in 47 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: practice in weeks through the year when he's not on 48 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: the field. What does he do with the preparation of 49 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: the kind of being up to speed even if he's 50 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:35,920 Speaker 1: not getting the physical crops, Well, he does well. Um, 51 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: he's a smart guy. I mean he's he's well versed 52 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: in our system. He understands what we're trying to do 53 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: each week. Um, he works really hard at his job, 54 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 1: not just in the building but out of the building. Um. 55 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:50,680 Speaker 1: He comes in each week prepared and ready to go. 56 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: And so he'll you know, he knows the opponent. Um, 57 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:56,639 Speaker 1: he'll know, you know, what his part of the game 58 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: plan is and what he's responsible for. And UM, I 59 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: have no I have every confidence that that would be 60 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: just fine, you know, having missed some some time. You 61 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 1: have such a unique weapon. What's the challenge in figuring 62 00:03:09,120 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 1: out how defenses are going to cover him, because they 63 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: might cover him differently than any other good and tight 64 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: end they face. Yep, Um, I think the challenge is 65 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 1: not in figuring out what they're gonna do because I 66 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: think that's a lot of guesswork. I think the challenge 67 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: is just in you know, putting together a plan that 68 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:29,560 Speaker 1: would accommodate if they take them away. And that's that's okay. 69 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:31,480 Speaker 1: I mean we got a quarterback, and we try to 70 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: teach our quarterbacks to you know, take what the defense 71 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: is given you the best option on the play, and 72 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: try not to force the ball anywhere. You know, so 73 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 1: if they're taking somebody away, you got to try to 74 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: go to somebody else, you know. And and we got 75 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: good enough players across the field that if that's what 76 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: they choose to do, then we got to do a 77 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: good job with our matchups and try to win somewhere else. 78 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 1: You've been in New England now you've been credited with 79 00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: having such a knack for knowing players strengths, knowing the weaknesses. 80 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: I'm putting them in these positions to succeed. Can you 81 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: talk about kind of just a process that goes into 82 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: analyzing the player and figuring out this is where they're 83 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 1: best suited in your offense. It takes a lot of time, 84 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: you know, and that starts back in the spring. I 85 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 1: think you just get to know the player you put 86 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: them in in the spring and in the summer. We 87 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 1: put them in a lot of positions to do a 88 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: lot of different things. And when they do, you know, 89 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 1: you're you're you're letting them succeed. You're letting them try 90 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: things and fail, and then you're putting together in your mind, 91 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,280 Speaker 1: you know, what what does this guy do that's gonna 92 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 1: help us win? And what is he comfortable doing? And 93 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 1: there's some things that you maybe don't start off doing 94 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: very well, but you can see that he probably has 95 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: a chance to be better at it if you just 96 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 1: keep working with him. So it's just you know, you 97 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 1: kind of you gotta put the time and effort into it. 98 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:50,720 Speaker 1: You gotta let him do things. You gotta let him, 99 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: you know, succeed and fail and then teach them and 100 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: coach them and then keep in mind, you know, as 101 00:04:58,000 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: you're starting to pull out a training camp into the sea, 102 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 1: and you know, now you really got to kind of 103 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:04,920 Speaker 1: start to decide, all right, what does he do well, 104 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: what doesn't he do well, and make some good decisions 105 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 1: about what's best for the offense. So, you know, we 106 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: try to, you know, let everybody come in and create 107 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 1: their own role, which they do a good job of 108 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: and then we try to figure out how to play 109 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,560 Speaker 1: with that group. We've had a running game just you know, 110 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,599 Speaker 1: with with White, with Birtead. Can you just talk about 111 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: what it's like, how helpful it is to have guys 112 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: they're running backs, but they're also receivers for your guys. Yeah, 113 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,360 Speaker 1: we just kind of you know, anymore, the NFL is 114 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:39,000 Speaker 1: almost becoming like a you know, a bunch of nameless, 115 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: faceless positions. You know, Uh, tight ends can catch passes, 116 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 1: can split out, can block, you know, Receivers can get 117 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: handoffs and speed sweeps and catch passes and screens, and 118 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 1: then running backs are getting the ball handed to them, 119 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: getting split outside, you know, doing a lot of different things. 120 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 1: I think versatility for us is just a huge plus. 121 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 1: We're looking for that in our players at any position, 122 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: whether it's a skilled position or an offensive line, you know, 123 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: because the more they can do, the more they can 124 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: help us. And so we know we're going to incurse 125 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 1: some injuries along the way, we know we're gonna have 126 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: to deal with some depth issues, and so the more 127 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: somebody can do, you know, like you mentioned with Rex 128 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: and James and Dion and some of those other guys 129 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 1: and the better off we're going to be when we 130 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: have to face some of those situations throughout the year.