1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: You've had a lot more success on runs from understanding 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:05,920 Speaker 1: versus shotguns or anything to that. Why do you think 3 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:08,879 Speaker 1: that would be the case this year? Uh? No, I 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: didn't even know that. No, I don't know the reason 5 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,079 Speaker 1: behind that. But you know, we're haven't successed in the 6 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: ring game the first couple of games, the first couple 7 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:21,560 Speaker 1: of games, and that we gotta continue build on it 8 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: and use that to advanta up to win some more games. 9 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:25,919 Speaker 1: You know, there's like a style of run, your run 10 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: from one verse of the other, you know, I mean 11 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 1: you can see stuff a little bit clear from home. Uh, 12 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,400 Speaker 1: you know, you can see the whole everything from home. 13 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: I guess it makes it a little easier. I guess 14 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 1: you said it clears up your vision a little more 15 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: from gun rather than gun, but not really to it. 16 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: I just kind of just, you know, the bigger runs 17 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:46,599 Speaker 1: we hit so far, I've kind of been on home 18 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 1: than than a gun. Everyone's talking about the turf here. 19 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: You've played on now for a few years. I know 20 00:00:58,000 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: your injuries haven't even been here. But what do you 21 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: think about it? Uh? You know, Um, at the end 22 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: of the day, just blessed the place football. You know, 23 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 1: go out there and play Sunday. Personally, I'm not really 24 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: a fan of turf. UM. Starting to understand. You know, 25 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 1: when I was a rookie and uh, you know, older guys, 26 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,320 Speaker 1: we could playing about the turf, and I guess you started. 27 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: I don't have a little more in the standing to that, 28 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: but I really don't look too too deep into that, 29 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: whether the turf out there or not. I just tried 30 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: to go out there and perform at high level on 31 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 1: my team win. Um, that's something that I can't control, 32 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,479 Speaker 1: So I tried to control what I can control. Talk 33 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: about the I've seen woke as talk about him and 34 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: the challenges you're gonna face this week. Yeah, I mean 35 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: I feel like I played him every year. I feel 36 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 1: like we played at Beers every year. Um, he's a 37 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 1: He's a heck of a player, very distinctive, super athletic. Um. 38 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: You know, he's one of the guys like when I 39 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 1: go out I remember there's a game I tour my 40 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 1: knee against him. I went out wide and like he 41 00:01:58,160 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: came out and he was like the first linebacker that 42 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: ever like pressed me. I try to press me. So 43 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: I was like, you know, that just shows you you know, 44 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 1: usually a lot of a lot of times, especially a 45 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: linebacker's going to back off and you know, be threatened 46 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: by my speed, but to show you how much confident 47 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: they're having him and how much he has himself. UM. 48 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 1: So anytime you go against a player like that, uh, 49 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: you know, you just want to ride, you know, you 50 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: want to rise to to love your competition. But you 51 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 1: know they have a tremendous team over there, um and 52 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,119 Speaker 1: a great defense, and you know they're two and one, UM, 53 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: and we know they're gonna try to come over and 54 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: come out here and try to get another one. So 55 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: we just gonna try the best we can to defend 56 00:02:32,360 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: home turf and uh scon the players that we can 57 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: sick one. It sounds like silly with the math, but 58 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: it's three and one and two and two a bigger 59 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: difference in one game, um, a month into the seed. 60 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: I mean yeah, I mean you want to win every 61 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: game you can. Uh, So you definitely would rather be 62 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 1: three and one than two and two. UM. But like 63 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: I said, you don't go any game with the mindset 64 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 1: of like, Okay, you know, I F we're two and two, 65 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: then what you know, if that that happens, then you 66 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: prepare for that. But you're going with the mindset trying 67 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: to win a game. Try to do every kind of 68 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: win the game. And if you can get to three 69 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: one in the first quarter of the season, um, you know, 70 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 1: obviously not looking too far ahead. Um you never satisfied, 71 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: but always has a pretty good start. Um, and we 72 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:20,919 Speaker 1: gotta find a way to get to three one. I 73 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 1: got a very good team, was playing really well, so 74 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: try to capitalize on that. You know, we have three 75 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: game sample sides here. Now, is there any point where 76 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: you say, if I keep this pace, I'll do this, 77 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: or if I you know, is it is it? Now? 78 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: Is at a quarter? Is at halfway point of the 79 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: season where you can start looking at your numbers and say, oh, 80 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: like you know some of the records that that are 81 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: that are in tacks of the career hides things like that, 82 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: I don't look at my numbers. I mean, I'm not naive, 83 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: I'm not stupid. Uh. You know it's once you came 84 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: in like you scurorel on Instagram and they go, oh, 85 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 1: the top five rushers, like you see that? I mean, 86 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: I don't like go searching for my numbers. The way 87 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: I go by it is like I take care of 88 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: little things and the rest and take care of yourself. 89 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: You know, Um, I know the goals, I know the 90 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: things I would accomplish, and it's not necessary like a 91 00:04:08,440 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: certain number or you know that. Um, I just kind 92 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: of look at it like you continue to keep climbing 93 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: up that mountain, and the only way you can get 94 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 1: to the top of the mounds by taking one step 95 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: that time, Like in the moment, have you said, wait, 96 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 1: I can do this again. Has anything surprised you or 97 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 1: you know, pleasantly surprised you in these three games that 98 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: felt like a little bit of a hurdle for you 99 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 1: to get over. I would say all that, you know, 100 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: gaining the confidence and surprising myself or I wouldn't say 101 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: surprised myself. Gaining that belief in myself kind of happened 102 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: in O T S and Camp. Um. You know, going 103 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 1: through that process, it was a blessing. You know, usually 104 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:50,039 Speaker 1: you know camp as a grind, but I really feel 105 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: like it helped not only me, but just anyone in general. 106 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 1: When you can go out there and practice at a 107 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 1: high level against great competition, and obviously you gotta see 108 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: how good our defense is. Um going against those guys. 109 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: You know, just it gives you the confidence to come 110 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: into the season. Uh, and you know to play at 111 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,479 Speaker 1: a high level one Mason place so far earlier in 112 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: the year. Um, but it's just started to keep grinding, 113 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: got staling in and keep trusting the system, keep trusting 114 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 1: offensive line, and uh try to find a way to 115 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: continue get better. One thing that you've gotten better at, 116 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: that you were better at than maybe you were. Um, 117 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 1: I don't know if I'm really better U. I mean 118 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,279 Speaker 1: I would say I'm probably a smarter player. UM, have 119 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 1: a better understanding of the game than I had my 120 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: rookie year. But like I mean, my rookie year is 121 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 1: when you come into the best shape of your life. 122 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 1: You know, you're twenty one, You're young. I have any 123 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: injuries and paths or anything like that. So I probably 124 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: more better in physical shape than I was. But just 125 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:52,160 Speaker 1: understanding the game, slowing down the game, UM, you know 126 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: I'm not really you know, I don't see myself doing 127 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 1: anything different. Just have a better understanding. UM, listen to 128 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: Coach Smith, Coach Bobby Um, all the coaches and trusting 129 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 1: offensive line, and that's how the play has been working. 130 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: And I continue on doing that. It's one thing obviously 131 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 1: to feel it and you know see it like in 132 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: the spring or even in the summer. Right like that, 133 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,159 Speaker 1: you know you're feeling good, You're you're like year old self. 134 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:16,159 Speaker 1: But now when you go back and watch it and 135 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 1: you're watching yourself again, do you see, you know, the 136 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:24,159 Speaker 1: same player as a better player than what nineteen season? Yeah? 137 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 1: I mean you know, not to be like arrogant when 138 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 1: you see plays like further, when I went back and 139 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: you watch film on a touchdown when I had this 140 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: on Monday, you know, making that jump cut inside inside 141 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,240 Speaker 1: the hole and making those two guys miss find a 142 00:06:39,240 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: way to score. Like those are the plays where it's like, 143 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: you know, com put of smiling your face when you're like, 144 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,840 Speaker 1: that's that's the guy I know, um, And that's the 145 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: guy who always was there. He was there last year 146 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 1: to be a play honest. I just had a hard 147 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: time to find a way to bring him out. Um. 148 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 1: And that's coming with a mental disconnect, uh, lost in 149 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 1: confidence and it's human nature that happens. So you don't 150 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: have your up and downs in life where you gotta 151 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 1: find a way not to waiver and continue to trust yourself, 152 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 1: continue trust the process, um, and just find believes and 153 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: stuff again and I feel like, you know, I'm starting 154 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: to do that. And also with the help with the 155 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 1: coaches and the team and my team playing the parents again. 156 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 1: To watch the game from last year and if you 157 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: do any of your game the game, what do you 158 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: see yourself when you watch the film yourself fro last 159 00:07:19,280 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 1: year compared to last year was when I really like 160 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,760 Speaker 1: felt like, you know, the hurdle everyone want to talk about. 161 00:07:24,160 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: I felt like they're extra loud, right, Um, the hurdle 162 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: that I felt like everyone is talking about. I kind 163 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: of felt like that was the hurdle for me last year. Obviously, 164 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: we didn't finished the regulars the last game last year 165 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 1: and he you know, when they played well at all 166 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: his team, but for that one like going back to 167 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 1: Chicago to the place where I tore my knee, um 168 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: to have a hundred yard game. Obviously it's all about 169 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: the team, but you know, just look at from like 170 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 1: from my mindset there to go to that place that 171 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: kind of like you know, put everything in the past 172 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: for me. And I was able to go into the 173 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 1: off season healthy and when it was okay, I was 174 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 1: still was able to show glimpses of that especially inside running, 175 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: I just wasn't breaking long runs, and um, you know 176 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: now that I got that confidence back, all that stuff 177 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: is starting to to happen again. It's really it's a 178 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 1: different I mean, like think about what anything you do, 179 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: whether you're playing football or any professional, any job you have, 180 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:18,280 Speaker 1: is like if you have confidence in yourself, it's like 181 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: when you're back there, like to be honest, before that play, 182 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: DJ was like, I know I missed it before, and 183 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: DJ was like, hit that and not hit in with school. 184 00:08:25,640 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 1: So it's like this little stuff like that is coming 185 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: back just to trust and it